Abstract: A method of predicting deflection of a pellicle which will occur during movement of the pellicle in a lithographic apparatus, the method including receiving parameters regarding properties of the pellicle and receiving parameters regarding the expected movement of the pellicle. The parameters are applied to a model which predicts deflection of the pellicle as a function of those parameters. The model includes a plurality of sub-models which relate to different components of deflection of the pellicle. An output of the model may be used to predict.

Abstract: A method of determining a mark measurement sequence for an object comprising a plurality of marks, the method including: receiving location data for the plurality of marks that are to be measured; obtaining a boundary model of a positioning device used for performing the mark measurement sequence; and determining the mark measurement sequence based on the location data and the boundary model.

Abstract: A method of predicting deflection of a pellicle which will occur during movement of the pellicle in a lithographic apparatus, the method including receiving parameters regarding properties of the pellicle and receiving parameters regarding the expected movement of the pellicle. The parameters are applied to a model which predicts deflection of the pellicle as a function of those parameters. The model includes a plurality of sub-models which relate to different components of deflection of the pellicle. An output of the model may be used to predict.

Abstract: A route for a substrate support that supports a substrate in an immersion lithographic apparatus is calculated to satisfy the following constraints: after the edge of the substrate first contacts the immersion space, the substrate remains in contact with the immersion space until all target portions are exposed; exposures of target portions are performed while the substrate moves in a scan direction; and all movements of the substrate between exposures are, in a plane parallel to its upper surface, either curved or only in one of the scan directions or transverse directions. In order to reduce exposure defects at the edge of the substrate the outside portion of the substrate is avoided from being exposed to the immersion liquid. The transfer routes are designed to overly the substrate surface.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: A route for a substrate support that supports a substrate in an immersion lithographic apparatus is calculated to satisfy the following constraints: after the edge of the substrate first contacts the immersion space, the substrate remains in contact with the immersion space until all target portions are exposed; exposures of target portions are performed while the substrate moves in a scan direction; and all movements of the substrate between exposures are, in a plane parallel to its upper surface, either curved or only in one of the scan directions or transverse directions. In order to reduce exposure defects at the edge of the substrate the outside portion of the substrate is avoided from being exposed to the immersion liquid. The transfer routes are designed to overly the substrate surface.

Abstract: A method of adjusting speed and/or routing of a part of a movement plan of a table under an immersion fluid supply system of a lithographic apparatus. The method includes splitting the movement plan of the table into a plurality of discrete movements; determining a risk of a bubble of a size greater than a certain size being present in immersion fluid through which a patterned beam of the lithographic apparatus will pass during a certain discrete movement by determining whether the immersion fluid supply system passes over a position at which immersion fluid leaked from the immersion fluid supply system is present; and adjusting the speed and/or routing of a part of the movement plan corresponding to (i) a discrete movement earlier than a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined, and/or (ii) a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined.

Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus has a controller configured to control a substrate table to move along an exposure route including in order: an entry motion in which the substrate moves from an off-substrate position at which the immersion space does not overlap the substrate to an on-substrate position at which the immersion space at least partially overlaps the substrate, a transfer motion in which the substrate table changes speed and/or direction and moves for at least a transfer time after the substrate moves to the on-substrate position, and an expose motion in which the substrate is scanned and the patterned beam is projected onto the substrate, wherein throughout the transfer motion at least a part of the immersion space overlaps the substrate and wherein the patterned beam is not projected onto the substrate during the entry motion and the transfer motion.

Abstract: A substrate handler for transferring substrates to be exposed from a track to a lithographic apparatus. The substrate handler comprises a controller. The controller is configured to determine an instance for starting a transfer process of a first one of the substrates. The instance is based on a predetermined processing characteristic of the lithographic apparatus, in order to maintain a transfer period of the substrate in the substrate handler substantially constant.

Abstract: A method of adjusting speed and/or routing of a part of a movement plan of a table under an immersion fluid supply system of a lithographic apparatus. The method includes splitting the movement plan of the table into a plurality of discrete movements; determining a risk of a bubble of a size greater than a certain size being present in immersion fluid through which a patterned beam of the lithographic apparatus will pass during a certain discrete movement by determining whether the immersion fluid supply system passes over a position at which immersion fluid leaked from the immersion fluid supply system is present; and adjusting the speed and/or routing of a part of the movement plan corresponding to (i) a discrete movement earlier than a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined, and/or (ii) a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined.

Abstract: A method of adjusting speed and/or routing of a part of a movement plan of a table under an immersion fluid supply system of a lithographic apparatus. The method includes splitting the movement plan of the table into a plurality of discrete movements; determining a risk of a bubble of a size greater than a certain size being present in immersion fluid through which a patterned beam of the lithographic apparatus will pass during a certain discrete movement by determining whether the immersion fluid supply system passes over a position at which immersion fluid leaked from the immersion fluid supply system is present; and adjusting the speed and/or routing of a part of the movement plan corresponding to (i) a discrete movement earlier than a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined, and/or (ii) a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined.

Abstract: A position control system to control the position of a movable object, including a position measurement system configured to determine an actual position related quantity of the movable object; a set-point generator to provide a position related set-point signal of the movable object; a comparator to provide an error signal on the basis of a comparison of the actual position related quantity and the position related set-point signal, a controller to provide a control signal on the basis of the error signal, a feed-forward device to provide a feed-forward signal on the basis of the position related set-point signal, and one or more actuators to act on the movable object on the basis of the control signal and the feed-forward signal, wherein the feed-forward device includes a disturbance force correction table including estimations of disturbance forces exerted on the movable object in dependence of a position of the movable object.

Abstract: A position control system to control the position of a movable object, including a position measurement system configured to determine an actual position related quantity of the movable object; a set-point generator to provide a position related set-point signal of the movable object; a comparator to provide an error signal on the basis of a comparison of the actual position related quantity and the position related set-point signal, a controller to provide a control signal on the basis of the error signal, a feed-forward device to provide a feed-forward signal on the basis of the position related set-point signal, and one or more actuators to act on the movable object on the basis of the control signal and the feed-forward signal, wherein the feed-forward device includes a disturbance force correction table including estimations of disturbance forces exerted on the movable object in dependence of a position of the movable object.

Abstract: A method of adjusting speed and/or routing of a part of a movement plan of a table under an immersion fluid supply system of a lithographic apparatus. The method includes splitting the movement plan of the table into a plurality of discrete movements; determining a risk of a bubble of a size greater than a certain size being present in immersion fluid through which a patterned beam of the lithographic apparatus will pass during a certain discrete movement by determining whether the immersion fluid supply system passes over a position at which immersion fluid leaked from the immersion fluid supply system is present; and adjusting the speed and/or routing of a part of the movement plan corresponding to (i) a discrete movement earlier than a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined, and/or (ii) a discrete movement for which the risk of a bubble is determined.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a utility substrate storage configured to hold a utility substrate, and a utility substrate scheduling unit configured to schedule the loading of a utility substrate in a flow of substrates in the lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: Scheduling of tasks in a lithographic apparatus, track unit or lithocell is performed by maintaining a register of the state of the machine and a database of tasks performable by the machine, generating possible sequences of tasks based on pre- and post-conditions on the system state (rather than a precedence relation) and selecting a sequence from the generated sequences that meets a given beginning state of the machine and a desired end state. Embodiments of the invention also allow for automated recovery from exceptions.

Abstract: A method of controlling a track apparatus in a lithocell apparatus arrangement, is presented herein. The lithocell includes a lithographic exposure apparatus configured to expose substrates and a track apparatus configured to prepare substrates before exposure and develop substrates after exposure. The method includes predicting times at which the lithographic exposure apparatus will be available to accept a prepared substrate for exposure from the track apparatus, and adjusting a rate at which the track apparatus prepares substrates so that a substrate is prepared in time for acceptance by the lithographic exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A method of planning tasks to be performed in a machine derives a precedence graph by linking subsidiary tasks to a sequence of key tasks to create a scheduling problem that can be solved by an automated scheduler.