Abstract: An apparatus for reducing a partially oxidized reticle and pellicle assembly, the apparatus including: a support; a hydrogen supply; and an electron source. The support is for supporting a reticle and pellicle assembly. The hydrogen supply is operable to supply hydrogen in the vicinity of a pellicle of a reticle and pellicle assembly when supported by the support. The electron source is operable to direct electrons so as to be incident on a pellicle of a reticle and pellicle assembly when supported by the support.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising: a radiation receiving apparatus provided with an opening operable to receive radiation from a radiation source through the opening; wherein the radiation receiving apparatus comprises a deflection apparatus arranged to change a trajectory of a particle through the opening arriving at the radiation receiving apparatus.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising: a clamping surface for supporting a substrate, wherein a property of the clamping surface is defined by at least one clamping surface parameter, and wherein the property of the clamping surface has been selected to exhibit low wear; a clamping apparatus for actuating a clamping operation between the clamping surface and the substrate, wherein the clamping operation is defined at least in part by at least one interface characteristic between the clamping surface and the substrate; and a processing station, operable to apply an adjustment to a first property of the substrate to optimize at least one interface characteristic of a particular clamping operation in dependence on the clamping surface parameter and at least one substrate surface parameter which defines a second property of the substrate.

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: A lithographic apparatus has an object, the object includes: a substrate and optionally a lower layer on the substrate; an upper layer; and an intermediate layer between the upper layer and the substrate, wherein a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the substrate or lower layer is greater than a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the upper layer and the intermediate layer has a Young's Modulus and/or a Poisson ratio within 20% of that of the upper layer.

Abstract: A component for use in a patterning device environment including a patterning device, wherein the component is treated to suppress EUV plasma-induced contaminant release and/or atomic hydrogen or other radicals induced defectivity. A conduit array comprising at least one conduit, wherein the at least one conduit has been treated to promote adhesion of a contaminant to the at least one conduit.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus has an object, the object includes: a substrate and optionally a lower layer on the substrate; an upper layer; and an intermediate layer between the upper layer and the substrate, wherein a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the substrate or lower layer is greater than a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the upper layer and the intermediate layer has a Young's Modulus and/or a Poisson ratio within 20% of that of the upper layer.

Abstract: A sensor mark including: a substrate having: a deep ultra violet (DUV) radiation absorbing layer including a first material which substantially absorbs DUV radiation; and a protecting layer including a second material, wherein: the DUV radiation absorbing layer has a through hole in it; the protecting layer is positioned, in plan, in the through hole and the protecting layer in the through hole has a patterned region having a plurality of through holes; and the second material is more noble than the first material.

Abstract: A radiation sensor apparatus for determining a position and/or power of a radiation beam, the radiation sensor apparatus including a chamber to contain a gas, one or more sensors, and a processor. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening such that a radiation beam can enter the chamber through the first opening, propagate through the chamber generally along an axis, and exit the chamber through the second opening. Each of the one or more sensors is arranged to receive and detect radiation emitted from a region of the chamber around the axis. The processor is operable to use the radiation detected by the one or more sensors to determine a position and/or power of the radiation beam.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates, the method including using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates, wherein the method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly.

Abstract: An imprint lithography apparatus is disclosed that includes an imprint template holder arranged to hold an imprint template, and a plurality of position sensors configured to measure change of the size and/or shape of the imprint template, wherein the position sensors are mechanically isolated from the imprint template. Also disclosed is a lithography method that includes using an imprint template to imprint a pattern onto a substrate, and measuring changes of the size and/or shape of the imprint template while imprinting the pattern onto the substrate.

Abstract: A membrane transmissive to EUV radiation, which may be used as a pellicle or spectral filter in a lithographic apparatus. The membrane has one or more high doped regions wherein the membrane is doped with a dopant concentration greater than 1017 cm?3, and one or more regions with low (or no) doping. The membrane may have a main substrate having low doping and one or more additional layers, wherein the high doped regions are within some or all of the additional layers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a suppression filter having a profile defining at least two reflective surface levels, each reflected surface level being separated by a separation distance. The separation distance is such that the reflective suppression filter is operable to substantially prevent specular reflection of radiation at a first wavelength and at a second wavelength incident on said reflective suppression filter. Also disclosed is a radiation collector, radiation source and lithographic apparatus comprising such a suppression filter, and to a method of determining a separation distance between at least two reflective surface levels of a suppression filter.

Abstract: A component for use in a patterning device environment including a patterning device, wherein the component is treated to suppress EUV plasma-induced contaminant release and/or atomic hydrogen or other radicals induced defectivity. A conduit array comprising at least one conduit, wherein the at least one conduit has been treated to promote adhesion of a contaminant to the at least one conduit.

Abstract: A delivery system for use within a lithographic system. The beam delivery system comprises optical elements arranged to receive a radiation beam from a radiation source and to reflect portions of radiation along one or more directions to form a one or more branch radiation beams for provision to one or more tools.

Abstract: A sensor mark including: a substrate having: a deep ultra violet (DUV) radiation absorbing layer including a first material which substantially absorbs DUV radiation; and a protecting layer including a second material, wherein: the DUV radiation absorbing layer has a through hole in it; the protecting layer is positioned, in plan, in the through hole and the protecting layer in the through hole has a patterned region having a plurality of through holes; and the second material is more noble than the first material.

Abstract: A target structure (T) made by lithography or used in lithography is inspected by irradiating the structure at least a first time with EUV radiation (304) generated by inverse Compton scattering. Radiation (308) scattered by the target structure in reflection or transmission is detected (312) and properties of the target structure are calculated by a processor (340) based on the detected scattered radiation. The radiation may have a first wavelength in the EUV range of 0.1 nm to 125 nm. Using the same source and controlling an electron energy, the structure may be irradiated multiple times with different wavelengths within the EUV range, and/or with shorter (x-ray) wavelengths and/or with longer (UV, visible) wavelengths. By rapid switching of electron energy in the inverse Compton scattering source, irradiation at different wavelengths can be performed several times per second.

Abstract: A radiation sensor apparatus for determining a position and/or power of a radiation beam, the radiation sensor apparatus including a chamber to contain a gas, one or more sensors, and a processor. The chamber has a first opening and a second opening such that a radiation beam can enter the chamber through the first opening, propagate through the chamber generally along an axis, and exit the chamber through the second opening. Each of the one or more sensors is arranged to receive and detect radiation emitted from a region of the chamber around the axis. The processor is operable to use the radiation detected by the one or more sensors to determine a position and/or power of the radiation beam.

Abstract: A pellicle that includes graphene is constructed and arranged for an EUV reticle. A multilayer mirror includes graphene as an outermost layer.

Abstract: A method of patterning lithographic substrates, the method including using a free electron laser to generate EUV radiation and delivering the EUV radiation to a lithographic apparatus which projects the EUV radiation onto lithographic substrates, wherein the method further includes reducing fluctuations in the power of EUV radiation delivered to the lithographic substrates by using a feedback-based control loop to monitor the free electron laser and adjust operation of the free electron laser accordingly.