Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a position monitoring system configured to determine the position of the substrate with respect to a projection system configured to project a radiation beam through an opening in the projection system and onto a substrate, wherein a component of the position monitoring system is located beneath the projection system in use; and a baffle disposed between the opening and the component.

Abstract: A pellicle membrane for a lithographic apparatus, the membrane including uncapped carbon nanotubes. A method of regenerating a pellicle membrane, the method including decomposing a precursor compound and depositing at least some of the products of decomposition onto the pellicle membrane. A method of reducing the etch rate of a pellicle membrane, the method including providing an electric field in the region of the pellicle membrane to redirect ions from the pellicle, or heating elements to desorb radicals from the pellicle, preferably wherein the pellicle membrane is a carbon nanotube pellicle membrane. An assembly for a lithographic apparatus, the assembly including a biased electrode near or including the pellicle membrane or heating means for the pellicle membrane.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a position monitoring system configured to determine the position of the substrate with respect to a projection system configured to project a radiation beam through an opening in the projection system and onto a substrate, wherein a component of the position monitoring system is located beneath the projection system in use; and a baffle disposed between the opening and the component.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a membrane assembly for EUV lithography, the method including: providing a stack including: at least one membrane layer supported by a planar substrate, wherein the planar substrate has an inner region and a border region around the inner region; and a first sacrificial layer between the planar substrate and the membrane layer; selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate such that the membrane assembly has: a membrane formed from the at least one membrane layer, and a border holding the membrane, the border having the border region of the planar substrate and the first sacrificial layer situated between the border region and the membrane layer, wherein the selectively removing the inner region of the planar substrate includes using an etchant which has a similar etch rate for the membrane layer and its oxide and a substantially different etch rate for the first sacrificial layer.

Abstract: A radiation source for a lithographic apparatus, in particular a laser-produced plasma source includes a fan unit surrounding but not obstructing the collected radiation beam that is operated to generate a flow in a buffer gas away from the optical axis. The fan unit can include a plurality of flat or curved blades generally parallel to the optical axis and driven to rotate about the optical axis.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for realizing a vacuum in at least one vacuum chamber. The method comprises providing an arrangement comprising a plurality of vacuum chambers, wherein each vacuum chamber is connected to a shared vacuum system. The shared vacuum system comprises a plurality of turbo molecular pumps, at least one common fore pump, and a piping system comprising one or more pipes for connecting the at least one common fore pump to each of the plurality of turbo molecular pumps. Each turbo molecular pump is separately connected to a corresponding vacuum chamber. The piping system further comprises flow regulators for controlling a flow within the piping system. The method further comprises selecting at least one vacuum chamber for pump-down, and separately pumping down the at least one selected vacuum chamber by means of the shared vacuum system.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber comprising a plurality of wall panels enclosing an interior space, in which the wall panels are removably attached to form the chamber using a plurality of connection members for locating the wall panels in a predetermined arrangement. The vacuum chamber further comprises one or more sealing members provided at the edges of the wall panels. The wall panels are arranged so that a vacuum tight seal is formed at the edges of the wall panels as a result of forming a vacuum in the interior space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of realizing a vacuum in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is connected to a pumping system shared by a plurality of vacuum chambers. The method includes separately pumping down each vacuum chamber. The invention further relates to n arrangement of a plurality of vacuum chambers connected to a pumping system. In this arrangement, the pumping system is arranged for pumping down each vacuum chamber separately.

Abstract: An arrangement comprising a plurality of charged particle lithography apparatuses, each charged particle lithography apparatus having a vacuum chamber. The arrangement further comprises a common robot for conveying wafers to the plurality of lithography apparatuses, and a wafer load unit for each charged particle lithography apparatus arranged at a front side of each respective vacuum chamber. The plurality of lithography apparatuses are arranged in a row with the front side of the lithography apparatuses facing an aisle accommodating passage of the common robot for conveying wafers to each apparatus, and the rear side of each lithography apparatus faces an access corridor, and the back wall of each vacuum chamber is provided with an access door for access to the respective lithography apparatus.

Abstract: The invention relates to a charged particle lithography apparatus with a charged particle source for creating one or more charged particle beams, a charged particle projector for projecting the beams onto a wafer; and a moveable wafer stage for carrying the wafer. The charged particle source, charged particle projector, and moveable wafer stage are disposed in a common vacuum chamber forming a vacuum environment. The vacuum chamber further has an opening for loading wafers into the chamber and a door.

Abstract: A vacuum chamber comprising a plurality of wall panels enclosing an interior space, in which the wall panels are removably attached to form the chamber using a plurality of connection members for locating the wall panels in a predetermined arrangement. The vacuum chamber further comprises one or more sealing members provided at the edges of the wall panels. The wall panels are arranged so that a vacuum tight seal is formed at the edges of the wall panels as a result of forming a vacuum in the interior space.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of realizing a vacuum in a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber is connected to a pumping system shared by a plurality of vacuum chambers. The method includes separately pumping down each vacuum chamber. The invention further relates to n arrangement of a plurality of vacuum chambers connected to a pumping system. In this arrangement, the pumping system is arranged for pumping down each vacuum chamber separately.