Abstract: An active damping system assembly is configured to dampen a vibration of at least part of a structure. The assembly includes a plurality of active dampers each including a sensor configured to measure a position quantity of an interface mass mounted on the structure; and an actuator configured to exert a force on the interface mass in dependency of a signal provided by the sensor, wherein each of the plurality of active damping systems is connected to the interface mass. The structure may be a projection system of a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The lithographic apparatus includes an acoustical sensor to measure a first acoustic vibration in a sensor measurement area in the lithographic apparatus. An actuator is provided to generate a second acoustic vibration in at least an area of the lithographic apparatus. Further, a control device is provided having a sensor input to receive a sensor signal of the acoustical sensor and an actuator output to provide an actuator drive signal to the actuator. The control device is arranged to drive the actuator so as to let the second acoustic vibration at least partly compensate in the area the first acoustic vibration.

Abstract: An active damping system to dampen a vibration of at least a part of the structure, including a device to determine a position quantity of the structure and an actuator to exert a force on the structure in dependency of the determined position quantity, wherein the device is a calculation device configured to calculate the position quantity of the structure on the basis of actuator signals.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system mounted on a reference frame, which in turn is mounted on a base which supports the apparatus. Vibrations and displacement errors in the base are filtered through two sets of isolation mounts operatively between the base and reference frame and between the reference frame and a projection frame of the projection system and therefore disturbance of the projection system is reduced.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus may be provided with an acoustic resonator to dampen an acoustic vibration in the lithographic apparatus. The acoustic resonator may include a Helmholtz resonator. The helmholz resonator may be provided with an active element to provide active damping and/or altering a spring characteristic of the mass spring assembly formed by the resonator. The resonator may be provided at a slit in a shield between the patterning device stage and the projection system to suppress transfer of acoustical vibrations, caused by e.g. a movement of the patterning device stage, to the projection system.

Abstract: A vibration damping arrangement for a lithographic apparatus includes a sensor arranged to, in use, detect a vibration of a projection system. An actuator is arranged to, in use, exert a force on a control unit of the projection system to convert an output signal of the sensor to an actuator input signal such that, during operation, the vibration of the projection system is mitigated by controlling the actuator by the input signal to exert the force to the projection system.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, and a damping system to dampen a vibration of at least part of the projection system, the damping system including an interface damping mass and an active damping subsystem to dampen a vibration of at least part of the interface damping mass, the interface damping mass connected to the projection system, and the active damping subsystem connected to the interface damping mass, the active damping subsystem including a sensor to measure a position quantity of the interface damping mass and an actuator to exert a force on the interface damping mass based on a signal provided by the sensor. The damping system further includes an interface damping device connected to the interface damping mass and configured to damp a movement of the interface damping mass at an eigenfrequency of the interface damping mass.

Abstract: A control system for controlling a position or position related quantity of an object is provided. A measurement system is configured to measure a position or position related quantity of the object. A controller is configured to provide a control signal on the basis of the measured position or position related quantity. A actuator actuates the object on the basis of the control signal. A filter unit, which may be a partial order filter unit, filters the measured position or position related quantity.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam and a support constructed to support a patterning device. The lithographic apparatus further comprises a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. An active damping system is provided to dampen a vibration of at least part of the projection system. The active damping system comprises a combination of a sensor to measure a position quantity of the projection system and an actuator to exert a force on the projection system in dependency of a signal provided by the sensor. The active damping system is corrected to a damping mass, the damping mass being connected to the projection system.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing an integrated circuit by a lithographic apparatus are disclosed. The methods include patterning a radiation beam with a patterning device, projecting the patterned beam onto a substrate using a projection system, and determining the position of the patterning device. In one example, the patterning device's position relative to the projection system is determined by measuring the position of the patterning device's support structure. In another example, the position can be determined by measuring a position of the patterning device relative to its support and by measuring a position of the support. In another example, a Z-position of the patterning device is determined by directing at least one beam of radiation onto a part of the patterning device located outside a pattern area. This can be done by directing a pair of laser beams from sensors on the projection system to reflecting strips on the patterning device.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for supplying a beam of radiation, and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The apparatus also includes a projection system for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, and an assembly for determining a spatial position of the patterning device relative to the projection system. The assembly includes a measuring unit that has a plurality of sensors that are mounted on the projection system.

Abstract: A control system is provided for controlling a support structure in a lithographic apparatus. The control system includes a first measurement system arranged to measure the position of a substrate supported by the support structure, the position being measured in a first coordinate system. The control system further includes a second measurement system for measuring the position of the support structure in a second coordinate system, the first measurement system having a presumed position in the second coordinate system.

Abstract: A control system controls a support structure of a lithographic apparatus. A first measurement system measures the position of a substrate supported by the support structure, in a first coordinate system. A second measurement system measures the position of the support structure in a second coordinate system, the first measurement system having a presumed position in the second coordinate system. A controller controls the position of the support structure based on measurements by the second measurement system, to convert the measured position of the substrate into a converted position of the support structure in the second coordinate system, to position the support structure based on the converted position, to receive a position error signal indicative of a difference between the presumed position and an actual position of the first measurement system in the second coordinate system, and to position the support structure dependent upon the position error signal.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a deformable lens element through which a patterned radiation beam is arranged to pass before reaching a substrate and having a deformable lens actuator configured to transmit a combination of a force substantially parallel to the optical axis of the projection system and a localized torque about an axis substantially perpendicular to the optical axis independently at a plurality of sub-regions on the deformable lens element.

Abstract: An encoder-type measurement system is configured to measure a position dependent signal of a movable object, the measurement system including at least one sensor mountable on the movable object a sensor target object mountable on a substantially stationary frame, and a mounting device configured to mount the sensor target object on the substantially stationary frame. The measurement system further includes a compensation device configured to compensate movements and/or deformations of the sensor target object with respect to the substantially stationary frame. The compensation device may include a passive or an active damping device and/or a feedback position control system. In an alternative embodiment, the compensation device includes a gripping device which fixes the position of the sensor target object during a high accuracy movement of the movable object.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having a deformable lens element through which a patterned radiation beam is arranged to pass before reaching a substrate and having a deformable lens actuator configured to transmit a combination of a force substantially parallel to the optical axis of the projection system and a localized torque about an axis substantially perpendicular to the optical axis independently at a plurality of sub-regions on the deformable lens element.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam and a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate. Further, the lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system being mounted to a reference element of the lithographic apparatus by a resilient mount to reduce a transfer of high frequency vibration from the reference element to the projection system and a control system to counteract a position error of the substrate table and the support relative to the projection system.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus contains a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system contains one or more optically active mirrors and heat shields located to intercept heat radiation to or from the mirrors and/or their support. The heat shields are actively cooled and the mirrors and the heat shields and the mirrors are supported separately on a support frame to reduce vibration of the mirrors due to active cooling. The heat shields may include heat shields that intercept heat radiation to or from the support and/or respective heat shields for individual mirrors that intercept heat radiation to or from the mirrors.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system mounted on a reference frame, which in turn is mounted on a base which supports the apparatus. Vibrations and displacement errors in the base are filtered through two sets of isolation mounts operatively between the base and reference frame and between the reference frame and a projection frame of the projection system and therefore disturbance of the projection system is reduced.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation, a support structure constructed to support a patterning device, which serves to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate table for holding a substrate, a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a reference frame with a position sensor and the substrate being located thereon. The apparatus further includes a heat transport system having a heating element, in thermal interaction with at least one of the projection system and the reference frame, for heat transport to or from at least one of the projection system and the reference frame, wherein the heat transport system, is coupled to a further frame which is mechanically isolated from the reference frame.