Abstract: A vibration isolator (10; 210) for supporting a payload and isolating the payload from vibrations has a contact member (12) configured for supporting the payload, at least two pressurized gas compartments (24) arranged offset from each other to support the contact member at different locations, which pressurized gas compartments are connected to each other via a tubing system (54). The tubing system contains at least one restriction (66) at which a cross section of the tubing system is reduced by at least 50%.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system includes a radiation source. The radiation source includes a grating structure operable to suppress the zeroth order of reflected radiation for at least a first component wavelength. The grating structure has a periodic profile including regularly spaced structures providing three surface levels, such that radiation diffracted by the grating structure includes radiation of three phases which destructively interfere for at least the zeroth order of the reflected radiation for the first component wavelength. The grating structure is on a radiation collector within the source.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system includes a radiation source. The radiation source includes a grating structure operable to suppress the zeroth order of reflected radiation for at least a first component wavelength. The grating structure has a periodic profile including regularly spaced structures providing three surface levels, such that radiation diffracted by the grating structure includes radiation of three phases which destructively interfere for at least the zeroth order of the reflected radiation for the first component wavelength. The grating structure is on a radiation collector within the source.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system comprises a mirror having an actuator for positioning the mirror and/or configuring the shape of the mirror, the actuator also providing active damping to the mirror, and a controller for generating actuator control signals for control of said actuator(s). A first coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when positioning said mirror and/or configuring the shape of said mirror and a second coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when providing active damping to said mirror.

Abstract: An apparatus having: a system configured to measure an object; a base structure; an object support constructed to hold the object, the object support movably supported on the base structure; a balance mass configured to absorb a reaction force arising from movement of the object support; an actuator connected to the balance mass and the base structure, the actuator configured to apply a force to the balance mass and the base structure; a sensor configured to produce a signal for a measured characteristic of the base structure corresponding to a disturbance, or its effect, acting on the base structure; and a control system configured to determine, based on at least the signal for the measured characteristic of the base structure, a signal for the actuator to apply a force to the base structure and/or the balance mass.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus and device manufacturing methods are disclosed. A lithography apparatus includes a support stage, and a measurement system including a sensor part and a reference part, the measurement system being configured to determine the position and/or orientation of the support stage, or of a component mounted on the support stage, relative to a reference frame by using the sensor part to interact with the reference part, wherein: the reference frame comprises N sub-frames coupled together so as to behave predominantly as a single rigid body with respect to vibrations below a first reference frequency and predominantly as an N-body system with respect to vibrations above a second reference frequency, where N is an integer greater than 1.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a base frame, an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam and supported by the base frame, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, a positioning device configured to position the substrate table, the positioning device being supported by the base frame, a sensor configured to sense a vibration caused by a torque exerted on the base frame, and an actuator configured to exert a force on the illumination system or the base frame, in response to the sensed vibration, in order to at least partly dampen the vibration.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system comprises a mirror having an actuator for positioning the mirror and/or configuring the shape of the mirror, the actuator also providing active damping to the mirror, and a controller for generating actuator control signals for control of said actuator(s). A first coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when positioning said mirror and/or configuring the shape of said mirror and a second coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when providing active damping to said mirror.

Abstract: An apparatus having: a system configured to measure an object; a base structure; an object support constructed to hold the object, the object support movably supported on the base structure; a balance mass configured to absorb a reaction force arising from movement of the object support; an actuator connected to the balance mass and the base structure, the actuator configured to apply a force to the balance mass and the base structure; a sensor configured to produce a signal for a measured characteristic of the base structure corresponding to a disturbance, or its effect, acting on the base structure; and a control system configured to determine, based on at least the signal for the measured characteristic of the base structure, a signal for the actuator to apply a force to the base structure and/or the balance mass.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate within a lithographic apparatus. The system comprises a mirror (510) having an actuator (500) for positioning the mirror and/or configuring the shape of the mirror, the actuator also providing active damping to the mirror, and a controller (515a, 515b) for generating actuator control signals for control of said actuator(s). A first coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when positioning said mirror and/or configuring the shape of said mirror and a second coordinate system is used for control of said actuator(s) when providing active damping to said mirror.

Abstract: A measurement system for a lithographic apparatus includes a sub-frame compliantly mounted on a reference frame. A measurement device, e.g. an alignment sensor, is mounted on the sub-frame. Soft mounting of the sub-frame isolates the alignment sensor from high-frequency disturbances, e.g. acoustic noise, by acting as a low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency, e.g. in the range of from 100 to 200 Hz.

Abstract: A technique involving projecting a pulsed radiation beam using an illumination system onto a region of a plane in a reference frame; using a scanning mechanism to move a calibration sensor relative to the reference frame such that the calibration sensor moves through the beam of radiation in the plane along a scan trajectory; determining a quantity indicative of a velocity of the illumination system relative to the reference frame; and determining information related to a spatial intensity distribution of the radiation beam in the plane in dependence on: (a) an output of the calibration sensor; (b) the scan trajectory of the calibration sensor; and (c) the quantity indicative of a velocity of the illumination system relative to the reference frame.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a compartment which accommodates a movable object. Movements of the movable object cause acoustic disturbances in the compartment. An acoustic damper is arranged to damp the acoustic disturbances in the compartment and comprises a chamber (100) in communication with the compartment and a perforated plate (101), having a plurality of through-holes (102), between the chamber and the compartment.

Abstract: A technique involving projecting a pulsed radiation beam using an illumination system onto a region of a plane in a reference frame; using a scanning mechanism to move a calibration sensor relative to the reference frame such that the calibration sensor moves through the beam of radiation in the plane along a scan trajectory; determining a quantity indicative of a velocity of the illumination system relative to the reference frame; and determining information related to a spatial intensity distribution of the radiation beam in the plane in dependence on: (a) an output of the calibration sensor; (b) the scan trajectory of the calibration sensor; and (c) the quantity indicative of a velocity of the illumination system relative to the reference frame.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has shield which protects a functional subsystem form acoustic disturbances. The shield comprises a locally resonant sonic material for implementing the protecting. In an embodiment the shield comprises a panel formed by a cell or a plurality of cells comprising: a frame; an elastic membrane whose edge is fixed to the frame; and a mass attached to a location at the membrane at a non-zero distance from the edge.

Abstract: A measurement system for a lithographic apparatus includes a sub-frame compliantly mounted on a reference frame. A measurement device, e.g. an alignment sensor, is mounted on the sub-frame. Soft mounting of the sub-frame isolates the alignment sensor from high-frequency disturbances, e.g. acoustic noise, by acting as a low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency, e.g. in the range of from 100 to 200 Hz.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus includes an actuator configured to displace an imprint template holder relative to a substrate holder to perform an imprint process. The imprint template holder and/or the substrate holder being supported on a support structure, the support structure being mounted to a vibration isolation system that is mounted to a base of the apparatus. The vibration isolation system is configured to provide a vibration isolation of the support structure relative to the base. A control unit is configured to control the actuator during the imprint process. The control unit is arranged to control an adjustable member of the vibration isolation system to adjust a dynamical characteristic of the vibration isolation system during at least part of the imprint process so as to reduce a displacement of the support structure relative to the base due to a force exerted on the support structure during the imprint process.

Abstract: Lithography apparatus and device manufacturing methods are disclosed in which means are provided for reducing the extent to which vibrations propagate between a first element of a projection system and a second element of a projection system. Approaches disclosed include the use of plural resilient members in series as part of a vibration isolation system, plural isolation frames for separately supporting first and second projection system frames, and modified connection positions for the interaction between the first and second projection system frames and the isolation frame(s).

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has a compartment which accommodates a movable object. Movements of the movable object cause acoustic disturbances in the compartment. An acoustic damper is arranged to damp the acoustic disturbances in the compartment and comprises a chamber (100) in communication with the compartment and a perforated plate (101), having a plurality of Cthrough-holes (102), between the chamber and the compartment.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus including a projection system configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto a target; a movable frame that is at least rotatable around an axis; and an actuator system configured to displace the movable frame to an axis away from an axis corresponding to the geometric center of the movable frame and to cause the frame to rotate around an axis through the center of mass of the frame.