Abstract: The present invention relates to a setup for storing data in a holographic storage medium, said setup comprising a spatial light modulator (SLM) (18) and a phase plate (50), the spatial light modulator having a first pixel structure, the phase plate having a second pixel structure, and the first and the second pixel structures being aligned with each other, wherein a pitch of the second pixel structure is an integer multiple of a pitch of the first pixel structure, the integer multiple being strictly greater than 1.

Abstract: A top layer of a predetermined metal is provided on a mirror for use in a lithographic apparatus having source to provide radiation of a desired wavelength. The source generates a stream of undesired metal particles that are deposited to form smaller and larger nuclei on the mirror. The top layer may interdiffuse in a predetermined temperature range with nuclei of the metal deposition. An additional layer of an alloy of the metal particles and the metal of the top layer is formed that has a higher reflectivity than a layer only comprising the metal particles would have.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for imaging an interior of a turbid medium (55) comprising a receptacle (20) with the receptacle (20) comprising a measurement volume (15) for receiving the turbid medium (55). The device (1) is adapted such that the inner surface of the receptacle (20), including at least part of the optical channels (70) is covered with a layer (80).

Abstract: A method for removing contaminant particles (14), such as atoms, molecules, clusters, ions, and the like, produced by means of a radiation source (10) during generation of short-wave radiation (12) having a wavelength of up to approximately 20 nm, by means of a first gas (22) guided at high mass throughput between the radiation source (10) and a particle trap (20) arranged in a wall (16) of a mirror chamber (18) is described that can be used for a lithography device or a microscope. In order to protect an optical device and/or articles to he irradiated against contamination, the method is designed such that a second gas (24) is introduced into the mirror chamber (18) and its pressure is adjusted such that it is at least as high as the pressure of the first gas (22).

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a projection system configured to project the radiation beam onto a substrate, and a filter system for filtering debris particles out of the radiation beam. The filter system includes a plurality of foils for trapping the debris particles, a support for holding the plurality of foils, and a cooling system having a surface that is arranged to be cooled. The cooling system and the support are positioned with respect to each other such that a gap is formed between the surface of the cooling system and the support. The cooling system is further arranged to inject gas into the gap.

Abstract: In a lithographic projection system, the radiation energy delivered to the substrate needs to be accurately controlled. Attenuation by injecting an absorbent gas into a volume through which the radiation passes is a convenient way to control the energy. Additionally, the interaction between gasses and the radiation may be used to measure the energy of the radiation with minimal disruption to the radiation.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device being configured to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the radiation beam is reflected from at least one grazing incidence mirror that enhances the spectral purity of the radiation beam.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for imaging an interior of a turbid medium (55) comprising a receptacle (20) with the receptacle (20) comprising a measurement volume (15) for receiving the turbid medium (55). The device (1) is adapted such that the device (1) further comprises a further receptacle (60), arranged to be inserted into the receptacle (20), with the further receptacle (60) comprising a restricted measurement volume (75) for receiving the turbid medium (55).

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for generating a polarized light beam to be projected onto an object plane are provided. A converging or diverging light beam (18) is generated. The converging or diverging light beam is projected through a member (22, 52) comprising an uniaxial birefringent material, the uniaxial birefringent material having a symmetry axis essentially parallel to the optical axis (12) of the light beam, and the member being placed at a distance from the object plane. Thereby, it is possible to create, for example a radially polarized beam that can be used for various optical purposes, e.g. for optical data reading/writing or for microscopy.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a projection system configured to project the radiation beam onto a substrate, and a filter system for filtering debris particles out of the radiation beam. The filter system includes a plurality of foils for trapping the debris particles, a support for holding the plurality of foils, and a cooling system having a surface that is arranged to be cooled. The cooling system and the support are positioned with respect to each other such that a gap is formed between the surface of the cooling system and the support. The cooling system is further arranged to inject gas into the gap.

Abstract: A multi-layer mirror includes a multi-layer stack. The multi-layer stack includes a plurality of alternating layers with a multi-layer stack top layer and a spectral filter top layer arranged on the multi-layer stack. The spectral filter top layer includes a first spectral purity enhancement layer that includes a first material m1 and has a first layer thickness d1, an intermediate layer that includes a second material m2 and has a second layer thickness d2. The intermediate layer is arranged on the multi-layer stack top layer. The first material is selected from SiN, Si3N4, SiO2, ZnS, Te, diamond, CsI, Se, SiC, amorphous carbon, MgF2, CaF2, TiO2, Ge, PbF2, ZrO2, BaTiO3, LiF or NaF. The second material includes a material different from the first material, and d1+d2 has a thickness between 1.5 and 40 nm.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a radiation system for providing a beam of radiation. The radiation system includes at least one of a contaminant trap for trapping material emanating from the radiation source and a collector for collecting the beam of radiation. The at least one of the contaminant trap and the collector includes an element arranged in the path of the radiation beam on which the material emanating from the radiation source can deposit during propagation of the radiation beam in the radiation system. At least a part of the element disposed in the path of the radiation beam has a surface that has a highly specular grazing incidence reflectivity to reduce the absorption of the radiation beam in a direction of propagation of the radiation beam substantially non-parallel to the surface of the element, so that a thermal load experienced by the element is reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of imaging an interior of a turbid medium (45) comprising the following steps: accommodation of the turbid medium (45) inside a receiving volume (20); coupling transmission input light (65) from a transmission light source into the receiving volume (12), with said transmission input light (65) being chosen such that it is capable of propagating through the turbid medium (45) and with at least a part of said transmission input light (65) passing through a matching medium (50) in the receiving volume (12), said matching medium (50) being chosen to reduce optical boundary effects at an interface between the turbid medium (45) and its surroundings; detection of transmission output light emanating from the receiving volume as a result of coupling transmission input light (65) from the transmission light source into the receiving volume (12) through use of a transmission photodetector unit.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of imaging an interior of a turbid medium (45) comprising the following steps: accommodation of the turbid medium (45) inside a receiving volume; coupling transmission input light (65) from a transmission light source into the receiving volume, with said transmission input light (65) being chosen such that it is capable of propagating through the turbid medium (45); detection of transmission output light emanating from the receiving volume as a result of coupling transmission input light from the light source into the receiving volume through use of a transmission photodetector unit. The invention also relates to a system for imaging an interior of a turbid medium (45) and to a medical image acquisition system both using the method. The method, system, and medical image acquisition system are adapted such that an improved way of obtaining data relating to the exterior of the turbid medium (45) is realized.

Abstract: A multi-layer mirror includes on top of the multi-layer mirror a spectral purity enhancement layer, for example for application in an EUV lithographic apparatus. This spectral purity enhancement layer includes a first spectral purity enhancement layer, but between the multi-layer mirror and first spectral purity enhancement layer there may optionally be an intermediate layer or a second spectral purity enhancement layer and intermediate layer. Hence, multi-layer mirrors with the following configurations are possible: multi-layer mirror/first spectral purity enhancement layer; multi-layer mirror/intermediate layer/first spectral purity enhancement layer; and multi-layer mirror/second spectral purity enhancement layer/intermediate layer/first spectral purity enhancement layer. The spectral purity of normal incidence radiation may be enhanced, such that DUV radiation is diminished relatively stronger than EUV radiation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for adjusting the pitch of an array of light spots (103) in an information carrier reading apparatus so as to correspond with the size of the macro-cells in which data is stored. A degree of mismatch between the pitch of the array of light spots (103) and the size of the macro-cells is determined when the probe array generation device (102) is illuminated with an input light beam, and the pitch adjusted accordingly by adjusting the distance of the focus of the light source (12) so as to converge or diverge the input light beam (104) to the probe array generation device (102), thereby to create a non-collimated input light beam (104) and magnify the pitch of the array of light spots (103) accordingly.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and a device for optical imaging of a turbid medium. This method comprises a reference measurement of reference intensities of light emanating from the turbid medium at a reference blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) in the turbid medium and a reference imaging step for reconstructing a reference image of the turbid medium from the measured reference intensities. Furthermore the method comprises a contrast measurement of the contrast intensity of the light emanating from the turbid medium at a contrast blood oxygen saturation (SaO2) level in the turbid medium and a contrast imaging step for reconstructing a contrast image of the turbid medium from the measured contrast intensities. A comparison is made between the contrast image to the reference image of the turbid medium.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device (1) for imaging an interior of a turbid medium (55). A turbid medium (55) inside a measurement volume (15) is irradiated from a plurality of source positions (25a) with light from a light source (5), and light emanating from the measurement volume (15) is detected from a plurality of detection positions (25b). An image of the interior of the turbid medium (55) is reconstructed from the detected light. In both the method and the device (1), detector signals can be amplified for each source position-detection position pair by a multi-gain amplification unit comprising an amplifier circuit (60). The amplification factor is selected from a number of possible amplification factors based on detected signal strength in the prior art. According to the invention, however, the method and device are adapted such that the amplification factor is selected for at least one source position-detection position pair on the basis of an estimate of expected electrical signal strength.

Abstract: A filter window for EUV lithography includes a pellicle, and a wire structure for supporting the pellicle. The pellicle includes a first layer that includes at least one of AlN, Ru, Ir, Au, SiN, Rh. The pellicle has a very low EUV absorption in combination with a minimal oxidation rate. The thickness of the pellicle may be between 30 nm and 100 nm. It can be easily checked that absorption of EUV radiation of such a thin pellicle is equal to known filter windows, i.e. about 50% at a wavelength of 13.5 nm wavelength, but the oxidation of the pellicle according to the invention is much smaller. The filter window can for example be used to separate a Projection Optics box and a wafer compartment of the apparatus or to shield a reticle from particle contamination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for imaging an interior of a turbid medium (25). The device (1) may be used to accommodate a turbid medium (25) inside a measurement volume (20) and irradiate the turbid medium (25) with light from a light source (5), after which light emanating from the measurement volume (20) is detected and used to determine an image of the interior of the turbid medium (25). The device (1) is adapted such that additional means are introduced for irradiating the turbid medium (25) with light causing fluorescent emission in a contrast agent present in the turbid medium (25), for detecting the fluorescent emission in at least two spectral regions, and for calculating an image reconstruction for the at least two spectral regions detected. By detecting the fluorescent emission spectroscopically, that is as a function of wavelength, information can be obtained from which the concentration of a predetermined component present inside the turbid medium can be determined.