Abstract: A lithography tool includes an exposure chamber and a reticle handler that exchanges a reticle being exposed as prescribed by the user of the lithography tool. The reticle handler can include a vacuum-compatible robot, a vacuum chamber to house the robot, a load-lock to input reticles and transition them from atmospheric pressure to vacuum, a processing station for processing the reticle, and a reticle library for storing at least one extra reticle so that it is quickly available for exchange during an exposure process. The robot can have a two or more handed gripper to simultaneously hold multiple reticles. This allows a first reticle to be removed from the reticle stage with a first hand and a second reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage with a second hand, and so on, which minimizes exchange time.

Abstract: An illuminator for controlling a beam of radiation for a lithographic projection apparatus includes a plurality of optical elements and an exchanger for inserting and removing the optical elements from the beam path. The intensity distribution of the beam at a pupil plane of the illuminator is determined by the optical elements. Different illumination settings (intensity distributions) can be obtained by the exchanger swapping between different optical elements, without the need for a zoom-axicon module.

Abstract: A lithography tool includes an exposure chamber and a reticle handler that exchanges a reticle being exposed as prescribed by the user of the lithography tool. The reticle handler can include a vacuum-compatible robot, a vacuum chamber to house the robot, a load-lock to input reticles and transition them from atmospheric pressure to vacuum, a processing station for processing the reticle, and a reticle library for storing at least one extra reticle so that it is quickly available for exchange during an exposure process. The robot can have a two or more handed gripper to simultaneously hold multiple reticles. This allows a first reticle to be removed from the reticle stage with a first hand and a second reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage with a second hand, and so on, which minimizes exchange time.

Abstract: A lithography tool includes an exposure chamber and a reticle handler that exchanges a reticle being exposed as prescribed by the user of the lithography tool. The reticle handler can include a vacuum-compatible robot, a vacuum chamber to house the robot, a load-lock to input reticles and transition them from atmospheric pressure to vacuum, a processing station for processing the reticle, and a reticle library for storing at least one extra reticle so that it is quickly available for exchange during an exposure process. The robot can have a two or more handed gripper to simultaneously hold multiple reticles. This allows a first reticle to be removed from the reticle stage with a first hand and a second reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage with a second hand, and so on, which minimizes exchange time.

Abstract: An illuminator for controlling a beam of radiation for a lithographic projection apparatus includes a plurality of optical elements and an exchanger for inserting and removing the optical elements from the beam path. The intensity distribution of the beam at a pupil plane of the illuminator is determined by the optical elements. Different illumination settings (intensity distributions) can be obtained by the exchanger swapping between different optical elements, without the need for a zoom-axicon module.

Abstract: An illuminator for controlling a beam of radiation for a lithographic projection apparatus comprises a plurality of optical elements and an exchanger for inserting and removing the optical elements from the beam path. The intensity distribution of the beam at a pupil plane of the illuminator is determined by the optical elements. Different illumination settings (intensity distributions) can be obtained by the exchanger swapping between different optical elements, without the need for a zoom-axicon module.