Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has a plurality of substrate holders arranged to hold substrates, each substrate holder having a conduit therein for passing a temperature control fluid. The thermal responses of the different substrate holders are calibrated and flow rates calculated and used so that all the holders return to a predetermined temperature in the same time.

Abstract: A protrusion is provided on a barrier member which at least partly confines a liquid between a projection system and a substrate. The protrusion is closer to the projection system than other parts of the barrier member to promote a meniscus of liquid to adhere between the protrusion and the projection system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for maintaining the thermal equilibrium of a substrate and an immersion lithographic apparatus are disclosed using or having a timetable comprising information regarding the position, speed and/or acceleration of the substrate; and an evaporation controller and/or condensation controller acting to decrease localized evaporation and/or increase localized condensation in response to the information in the timetable. Evaporation of liquid from the surface of the substrate cools it down, while condensing liquid on its bottom surface heats the substrate locally.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is configured to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a gas purged sealing aperture extending between at least two different zones of the apparatus, and a gas supplier configured to supply the sealing aperture one or more gases selected from a group including hydrogen, deuterium, heavy hydrogen, deuterated hydrogen, and a mixture of argon and hydrogen.

Abstract: A liquid supply system for an immersion lithographic apparatus provides a laminar flow of immersion liquid between a final element of the projection system and a substrate. A control system minimizes the chances of overflowing and an extractor includes an array of outlets configured to minimize vibrations.

Abstract: The invention relates to a needle-less injector having a housing comprising: a chamber defined within said injector for containing liquid to be injected; a liquid outlet for said chamber positioned at the front end of the injector, a dispensing member in contact with the liquid in said chamber and movable in a first direction to reduce the volume of said chamber to cause the liquid contained therein to be expelled through said liquid outlet; drive means for actuating said injector, wherein the dispensing member is a spring-loaded piston movable in said chamber by the spring in the first direction to a preferred position at which the volume of said chamber is at a minimum and the spring is nearly unloaded, and which piston is movable in a second direction opposite to the first direction by actuation of the drive means whilst counteracting a force from the spring and moving the piston to a non-preferred position at which the spring is loaded.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a semi-permeable membrane, a liquid inlet adapted to supply liquid to a first side of the membrane, and a gas inlet adapted to supply to a second side of the membrane either: (a) a vapor of the liquid, or (b) a gas which dissociates when dissolved in the liquid.

Abstract: Various types of pressure regulating devices are disclosed to reduce a pressure gradient in a liquid supply system of a lithographic apparatus, the liquid supply system having a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partially confine a liquid between a projection system and a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus. A high pressure gradient may cause particulate contamination in the liquid supply system and/or liquid confinement structure. A pressure gradient can be reduced by, for example, the use of slow switching in one or more valves, a bleed flow around or through one or more valves, diversion of liquid to a drain rather than or in addition to switching a valve off, a pressure regulator or flow restrictor to prevent shock waves, and a buffer volume/damper to compensate for pressure fluctuation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for reinforcing an article comprising attaching to at least one surface of said article a tape, film or yarn of a drawn thermoplastic polymer. The present invention further relates to an article comprising a solid thermosetting or thermoplastic material. The thermoplastic material being of essentially the same composition as said tape, film or yarn, which method optionally further comprises recycling the reinforced article. The tape, film or yarn is attached to said article by means of a heat treatment and/or by applying pressure and moreover, a layer of foam can also be applied upon at least part of the shaped material and before applying the covering layer at least part of the foam.

Abstract: A vacuum operated lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a vacuum housing for providing a vacuum environment to a support constructed to support a patterning device, or a substrate table, or a projection system, or any combination thereof. An interior of the vacuum housing includes a plurality of transport circuits for transporting fluids and/or electrical signals for use in a first process mode for lithographic processing. At least one of the transport circuits is adapted to transport energy towards the interior of the vacuum housing to stimulate outgassing in the vacuum housing for use in a second process mode for bringing the lithographic apparatus into a vacuum operating condition.

Abstract: A desk top document scanning system in a multi-usage environment executes scanning over a field of interest and forwards results of the scanning selectively to a selected one of a plurality of scan data usage applications. In particular, the usage application is determined by detecting a substantially steady non-pointing first manual gesture by a user which gesture is presented at the field of interest. The system may use biometrical techniques to recognize the user from the dimensions of the hand making the gesture and thereupon further detail the usage application selection. Advantageously, the field of interest may be re-defined by a second manual gesture by a user made in combination with the first manual gesture which second manual gesture is also presented at the field of interest.

Abstract: A gear drive has a drive housing (1, 2) with a driveshaft (3) exiting the drive housing (1, 2) through a bore (10). The driveshaft 13 is rotatably supported in the drive housing (1, 2) around an axis of rotation X—X. A connecting shaft (7) is arranged inside the drive housing (1, 2). The connecting shaft (7) is connected in a rotationally fast way to a drive gear (35). A torque limiting coupling (4) is arranged inside the drive housing (1, 2). The input end of the torque limiting coupling (4) is connected to the driveshaft (3). The output end of the torque limiting coupling (4) is connected to the connecting shaft (7). The driveshaft (3) and the connecting shaft (7) are supported relative to one another by a radial bearing (30). The gear drive ensures that the driveshaft (3) and the connecting shaft (7) can more easily accommodate bending moments and transverse forces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical data storage medium, comprising at least one substrate (11) and a plurality of layers deposited on the substrate (11) is described. The medium includes at least one of a transparent spacer layer and transparent cover layer (12). The layer (12) is provided by applying a liquid onto the rotating substrate (11) and rotating the substrate (11) further in order to spread out the liquid into a layer substantially uniformly between an inner radius ri and an outer radius ro, and solidifying the liquid layer (12) by means of exposure to UV radiation. After applying the liquid onto the rotating substrate the liquid layer (12) is heated by heating means (14) in such a way that the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) at ri has a value dTri, while the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) between ri and ro gradually increases, and the temperature rise of the liquid layer (12) at ro has a value dTro>dTri.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and a substrate with liquid, a barrier member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and one or more elements to control and/or compensate for evaporation of liquid from the substrate.

Abstract: A drive in an agricultural machinery driveline has a drive housing (1), which forms an interior (18), and is at least partially filled with lubricant. A first shaft (4) is rotatably supported in the drive housing (1) around a longitudinal axis (13) and is guided out of the interior (18). First longitudinal teeth (8) connect, in a rotationally fast way, to a second shaft (9) via a second longitudinal teeth (10) formed to complement the first longitudinal teeth (8). One of the two shafts (4) has a receiving bore (5) arranged coaxially relative to the longitudinal axis (13). The bore (5) has longitudinal teeth (8) which enable insertion of the other shaft (9) by its longitudinal teeth (10). A lubricant guiding mechanism (19, 22, 29) is in the first shaft (4) or in the drive housing (1). In the connected condition of the two shafts (4, 9), the guiding mechanism connects the interior (18) to the receiving bore (5), as well as a valve (25).

Abstract: A sealing assembly for sealing a slit between two regions in a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The assembly includes a vacuum pumping device that extends substantially in a longitudinal slit direction for at least partially preventing particle transmission in a transversal slit direction.

Abstract: A method of healing low-ohmic defects in a flat display is characterized by passing an extra current during a pre-determined time period through the affected subarea of the flat display, said current being selected to turn at least one defect or a specific surrounding of at least one defect into a high-ohmic state which has a resistance higher than the initial resistance of said at least one defect.

Abstract: A bleaching composition is provided comprising a) a bleach-effective amount of an inorganic bleaching agent; b) a bleach-compatible solvent c) 0 to 10 wt % of a surfactant; d) less than 10 wt % of a modifier; and e) an effective dry cleaning amount of densified carbon dioxide, said composition being essentially free of organic peracid or precursor thereof.

Abstract: A bleaching composition is provided comprising a) a bleach-effective amount of a low-active oxygen bleaching agent; b) a bleach-compatible solvent c) 0 to 10 wt % of a surfactant; d) less than 10 wt % of a modifier; and e) an effective dry cleaning amount of densified carbon dioxide, said composition being essentially free of carbon dioxide soluble organic peracid.

Abstract: A positioning system (20) for positioning a cone part of or for a CRT comprises a first and a second positioning means (22, 23) at positions corresponding to two corners of a side of a rectangle, and a third positioning means (21) at a position in the middle of the opposite side. The first and second means (22, 23) have a saddle-shaped contact surface, which is convex in the direction (51) from the tapered end to the wide end and concave (radius of curvature R) towards a central part of the rectangle, a contact surface of the third positioning means (21) is convex in the direction (51) from the tapered end to the wide end and convex or flat in a plane through the contact surfaces of the positioning means.