Abstract: A fluid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space defined between a projection system and a facing surface facing the fluid handling structure is disclosed. The fluid handling structure includes a supply passage formed therein for the passage of fluid from outside the fluid handling structure to the space, and a thermal isolator positioned adjacent the supply passage at least partly to isolate fluid in the supply passage from a thermal load induced in the fluid handling structure.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of immersion liquid in a space between the substrate and a projection system. A control system is responsive to a pressure signal generated by the pressure sensor and controls a positioner to exert a force on the substrate table to compensate for the force exerted on the substrate table by the immersion liquid.

Abstract: Rate adaptation is accurately provided by using an average SNR technique, a predicted PER technique, or an EVM to PER mapping technique. An average SNR is computed by averaging EVM values in a particular domain. Using the computed average SNR, an optimized rate is determined. The predicted PER technique includes computing EVM values for a current packet, determining an average BER using these EVM values for each data rate, determining an average SNR from this average BER, using the average SNR and a PER versus SNR curve to determine the predicted PER for each data rate, and using a data rate and the predicted PER to compute the predicted throughput for that data rate. In the last technique, an EVM is mapped to a packet error rate (PER) for each data rate. A throughput is computed for each data rate and PER. A data rate with a high throughput is selected.

Abstract: A method of identifying a compound that modulates NCKX-mediated calcium ion exchange across a cell membrane, the method comprising the steps of providing an adherent cell, the cell membrane of which comprises a NCKX polypeptide or a functionally equivalent variant thereof, exposing the cell in suspension to a fluorescent calcium-sensitive dye, thereby causing intracellular uptake of the dye, settling the cell onto a solid support without allowing the cell to adhere to the solid support, exposing the cell to a test compound, exposing the cell to calcium and potassium ions, and measuring fluorescence from the intracellular calcium-sensitive dye after exposure of the cell to the test compound and the calcium and potassium ions, thereby to determine the rate and/or amount of calcium ion exchange across the cell membrane in the presence of the test compound.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus typically includes a fluid handling system. The fluid handling system generally has a two-phase fluid extraction system configured to remove a mixture of gas and liquid from a given location. Because the extraction fluid comprises two phases, the pressure in the extraction system can vary. This pressure variation can be passed through the immersion liquid and cause inaccuracy in the exposure. To reduce the pressure fluctuation in the extraction system, a buffer chamber may be used. This buffer chamber may be connected to the fluid extraction system in order to provide a volume of gas which reduces pressure fluctuation. Alternatively or additionally, a flexible wall may be provided somewhere in the fluid extraction system. The flexible wall may change shape in response to a pressure change in the fluid extraction system. By changing shape, the flexible wall can help to reduce, or eliminate, the pressure fluctuation.

Abstract: A position control system for a substrate support of a lithographic apparatus includes a position measurement system configured to determine a position of a sensor or sensor target on the substrate support, a controller configured to provide a control signal based on a desired position of a target portion of the substrate and the determined position, and one or more actuators configured to act on the substrate support. The position control system includes a stiffness compensation model of the substrate support, the stiffness compensation model including a relation between a difference in a change in position of the target portion and a change in position of the sensor or sensor target as a result of a force exerted on the substrate support. The position control system is configured to substantially correct at least during projection of a patterned radiation beam on the target portion, the position of the target portion using the stiffness compensation model.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure is disclosed in which the size and arrangement of the fluid extraction openings is specified in order to reduce the vibrations which are transmitted to the fluid handling structure as a result of two-phase extraction. The area of each fluid extraction opening and/or the total area of all of the fluid extraction openings and/or the space in between neighboring fluid extraction openings may be controlled. The reduction in vibrations increases the accuracy of the exposure.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of identifying compounds that either increase or decrease skin and/or hair pigmentation, the method comprising determining the ability of a test compound to modulate NCKX-mediated calcium ion movement across a membrane (e.g. NCKX5). The method may comprise the steps of exposing a membrane comprising a NCKX molecule or variant, fusion or derivative thereof to a test compound and measuring either directly or indirectly the calcium ion concentration on one or both sides of the membrane. The invention also relates to kits, nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and cells useful in the method of the invention.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a repeating frame for a time division radio communications system with a sequence of uplink slots each having a predetermined duration, a sequence of downlink slots, each having a predetermined duration that is greater than the duration of the uplink slots, an interburst guard time between each uplink slot, an interburst guard time between each downlink slot, and an interframe guard time after the sequence of downlink slots.

Abstract: A method of operating a fluid confinement system of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The performance of the liquid confinement system is measured in several different ways. On the basis of the result of the measurement of performance, a signal indicating, for example, that a remedial action may need to be taken is generated.

Abstract: In one embodiment, the present invention includes a slot in a repeating time division frame with a first training sequence, an information sequence after the first training sequence, and a second training sequence after the information sequence. In some embodiments either the first or the second training sequences indicates a type for the information sequence, such as a random access channel message and a traffic channel message, a configuration message, a channel assignment message, or a data traffic message.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a fluid confinement system configured to confine fluid to a space between a projection system and a substrate. The fluid confinement system includes a fluid inlet to supply fluid, the fluid inlet connected to an inlet port and an outlet port. The immersion lithographic apparatus further includes a fluid supply system configured to control fluid flow through the fluid inlet by varying the flow rate of fluid provided to the inlet port and the flow rate of fluid removed from the outlet port.

Abstract: A communication system environment estimation apparatus and method. In one embodiment, an environment estimation apparatus according to the teachings of the present invention includes a plurality of antenna elements and a receiver coupled to receive uplink signals from the plurality of antenna elements. The apparatus also includes a signal processor coupled to receive the uplink signals to select an estimation of an environment responsive to the uplink signals received from the plurality of antenna elements.

Abstract: A communication system environment estimation apparatus and method. In one embodiment, an environment estimation apparatus according to the teachings of the present invention includes a plurality of antenna elements and a receiver coupled to receive uplink signals from the plurality of antenna elements. The apparatus also includes a signal processor coupled to receive the uplink signals to select an estimation of an environment responsive to the uplink signals received from the plurality of antenna elements.

Abstract: A position control system for a substrate support of a lithographic apparatus includes a position measurement system configured to determine a position of a sensor or sensor target on the substrate support, a controller configured to provide a control signal based on a desired position of a target portion of the substrate and the determined position, and one or more actuators configured to act on the substrate support. The position control system includes a stiffness compensation model of the substrate support, the stiffness compensation model including a relation between a difference in a change in position of the target portion and a change in position of the sensor or sensor target as a result of a force exerted on the substrate support. The position control system is configured to substantially correct at least during projection of a patterned radiation beam on the target portion, the position of the target portion using the stiffness compensation model.

Abstract: A liquid confinement system for use in immersion lithography is disclosed in which the meniscus of liquid between the liquid confinement system and the substrate is pinned substantially in place by a meniscus pinning feature. The meniscus pinning feature comprises a plurality of discrete outlets arranged in a polygonal shape.

Abstract: The present invention provides method and apparatus for facilitating base station selection/handover by a user terminal in a distributed (e.g., cellular-type) wireless communication system. In accordance with one aspect, hysteresis is adaptively determined as a function of the variance of receive signal strength fluctuations. In turn, an adaptive hysteresis factor can be obtained and used for a subsequent handover decision, for example, based on a cost function that takes into account the hysteresis. In accordance with another aspect, base station selection depends on a number of criteria, such as received signal strength, base station load, and estimated distance between a receiving user terminal and one or more base stations.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods and apparatuses for determining a parameter value for each of a plurality of communication signals received concurrently as a composite signal. The parameter value of each communication signal is within a corresponding parameter value set. Each parameter value set is disjoint from every other parameter value set. The parameter value for a particular communication signal is estimated by searching over the parameter value set corresponding to the particular communication signal. For one embodiment, the composite signal is received at a base station receiver of a SMDA/TMDA system that includes an array of spatially distributed antenna elements. To recover multiple communication signals at once, an embodiment of the invention segments the timing search window into disjoint intervals and invokes an instance of a basic receiver module for each timing search window.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus are described to receive a signal, determine a quality of the received signal, and transmit a power control message, with a selected size, to request a modification in transmission power, the power control message being based at least in part on the quality of the received signal.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the invention, a method and apparatus are described to receive a signal, determine a quality of the received signal, and transmit a power control message, with a selected size, the power control message being based at least in part on the quality of the received signal. The power control message requests a modification in transmission power or indicates the deviation of the signal quality from a reference signal quality.