Abstract: A substrate for use in a lithographic projection apparatus. The substrate includes a sealing coating that covers at least a part of a first interface between two layers on the substrate, or between a layer and the substrate, and does not extend to a central portion of the substrate.

Abstract: An immersion liquid is provided comprising an ion-forming component, e.g. an acid or a base, that has a relatively high vapor pressure. Also provided are lithography processes and lithography systems using the immersion liquid.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a detector to measure a distance between a substrate support structure and/or a substrate and a fluid handling system and/or to detect when an item is present between the fluid handling system and a top surface of the substrate and/or substrate support structure. The detector may use information of an electrical property of the fluid provided by the fluid handling system to measure the distance. The detector may measure variation in resistance and/or in capacitance between an electrode of the fluid handling system and an electrode of the substrate and/or substrate support structure.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprises a substrate table that supports a substrate and a substrate handler that moves the substrate relative to the substrate table. The substrate handler is adapted to load substrates on to and unload substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure. Also, a clean gas supply system supplies a clean gas to at least one location at which the substrate is located. The clean gas supply system is moveably mounted. A device manufacturing method utilizing the lithographic apparatus can be used to manufacture at least one of a flat panel display and an integrated circuit device.

Abstract: A cleaning tool to clean a surface of a component of a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning tool includes a sonic transducer, a liquid supply device configured to provide liquid to a reservoir between the surface to be cleaned and the sonic transducer, and a liquid outlet configured to remove liquid provided by the liquid supply device, the cleaning tool constructed and arranged such that, in use, liquid flows into the outlet under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed wherein a liquid supply system is configured to at least partly fill a region between a substrate and a projection system of the lithographic apparatus with a liquid and having a liquid confinement structure fixed in a plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection system and configured to cooperate with a substrate table configured to hold the substrate in order to restrict the liquid to a region above an upper surface of the substrate table so that a side of the substrate to be exposed is substantially covered in the liquid during exposure.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus having a megasonic transducer configured to clean a surface and a method of using megasonic waves through a liquid to clean a surface of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus are disclosed. A flow, desirably a radial flow, is induced in the liquid.

Abstract: A cleaning tool to clean a surface of a component of a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning tool includes a sonic transducer, a liquid supply device configured to provide liquid to a reservoir between the surface to be cleaned and the sonic transducer, and a liquid outlet configured to remove liquid provided by the liquid supply device, the cleaning tool constructed and arranged such that, in use, liquid flows into the outlet under the influence of gravity.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus having a megasonic transducer configured to clean a surface and a method of using megasonic waves through a liquid to clean a surface of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus are disclosed. A flow, desirably a radial flow, is induced in the liquid.

Abstract: In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.

Abstract: In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.

Abstract: A method for filtering a fluid to obtain a fluid having a known purity is described. The fluid is filtered with a filtration system, and upstream of a final filtration stage of the filtration system, a purity of the fluid is measured. A purity of the fluid filtered by the filtration system is determined by correcting the measured purity with a filtration behavior of the final filtration stage. In an embodiment, the fluid comprises an ultra pure water for use as an immersion liquid in a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed wherein a liquid supply system is configured to at least partly fill a region between a substrate and a projection system of the lithographic apparatus with a liquid and having a liquid confinement structure fixed in a plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection system and configured to cooperate with a substrate table configured to hold the substrate in order to restrict the liquid to a region above an upper surface of the substrate table so that a side of the substrate to be exposed is substantially covered in the liquid during exposure.

Abstract: A method for filtering a fluid to obtain a fluid having a known purity is described. The fluid is filtered with a filtration system, and upstream of a final filtration stage of the filtration system, a purity of the fluid is measured. A purity of the fluid filtered by the filtration system is determined by correcting the measured purity with a filtration behavior of the final filtration stage. In an embodiment, the fluid comprises an ultra pure water for use as an immersion liquid in a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a liquid removal system surrounds a liquid supply system which provides liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate. The liquid removal system is moveable relative to the liquid supply system and is controlled to have substantially zero velocity relative to the moving substrate table. The gap between the liquid supply system and the liquid removal system may be covered and the atmosphere between the liquid supply system and the liquid removal system above the substrate table may be maintained such that the vapor pressure of liquid is relatively high.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus having a megasonic transducer configured to clean a surface and a method of using megasonic waves to clean a surface of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus are disclosed.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes 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 liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with liquid, a seal member arranged to substantially contain the liquid within the space, and elements to control and/or compensate for evaporation of immersion liquid from the substrate.