Abstract: A supply system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes an apparatus configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir configured to contain target material that produces EUV light in a plasma state, the apparatus including two or more target formation units, each one of the target formation units including: a nozzle structure configured to receive the target material from the reservoir, the nozzle structure including an orifice configured to emit the target material to a plasma formation location. The supply system further includes a control system configured to select a particular one of the target formation units for emitting the target material to the plasma formation location. An apparatus for a supply system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes a MEMS system fabricated in a semiconductor device fabrication technology, and the MEMS system including a nozzle structure configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir.

Abstract: An EUV source for generating a beam of EUV radiation, has a droplet generator with a nozzle assembly to emit droplets of fuel from a nozzle towards a plasma formation location. The nozzle assembly receives the fuel from a reservoir. The nozzle assembly has a pump chamber receiving the fuel from the reservoir and an actuator to vibrate a membrane that forms a wall of the pump chamber. The wall is oriented perpendicularly to a direction wherein the nozzle emits the fuel. The nozzle assembly has first and second nozzle filters non-adjacently arranged in series in a path of the fuel from the pump chamber to the nozzle.

Abstract: A supply system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes an apparatus configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir configured to contain target material that produces EUV light in a plasma state, the apparatus including two or more target formation units, each one of the target formation units including: a nozzle structure configured to receive the target material from the reservoir, the nozzle structure including an orifice configured to emit the target material to a plasma formation location. The supply system further includes a control system configured to select a particular one of the target formation units for emitting the target material to the plasma formation location. An apparatus for a supply system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes a MEMS system fabricated in a semiconductor device fabrication technology, and the MEMS system including a nozzle structure configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir.

Abstract: A supply system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes an apparatus configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir configured to contain target material that produces EUV light in a plasma state, the apparatus including two or more target formation units, each one of the target formation units including: a nozzle structure configured to receive the target material from the reservoir, the nozzle structure including an orifice configured to emit the target material to a plasma formation location. The supply system further includes a control system configured to select a particular one of the target formation units for emitting the target material to the plasma formation location. An apparatus for a supply system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes a MEMS system fabricated in a semiconductor device fabrication technology, and the MEMS system including a nozzle structure configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir.

Abstract: Droplet generators, such as used in an EUV radiation source, and associated EUV radiation sources and lithographic apparatuses. A droplet generator can include a nozzle assembly to emit the fuel as droplets, the nozzle assembly being within a pressurized environment at substantially the same pressure as the fuel pressure within the droplet generator. A droplet generator can include an actuator in contact with and biased against a pump chamber by means of a biasing mechanism having an actuator support biased against the actuator. The actuator acts on the fuel within the pump chamber to create droplets. The actuator support has a material with a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than its surrounding structure, such that it is moveable within the surrounding structure at ambient temperature, but expands against the surrounding structure at an operating temperature, so as to clamp the actuator support against the surrounding structure at the operating temperature.

Abstract: A control system configured to control a parameter of a dynamic system, wherein the parameter depends on an output signal. The control system comprises a set-point generator and a feedforward, wherein the set-point generator is arranged to provide a set-point signal to the feedforward. The feedforward is arranged to provide the output signal based on the set-point signal, wherein the feedforward is arranged to perform a non-linear operation on the set-point signal. The non-linear operation is based on a non-linear functional relationship between the output signal and the parameter.

Abstract: A control system configured to control a parameter of a dynamic system, wherein the parameter depends on an output signal. The control system comprises a set-point generator and a feedforward, wherein the set-point generator is arranged to provide a set-point signal to the feedforward. The feedforward is arranged to provide the output signal based on the set-point signal, wherein the feedforward is arranged to perform a non-linear operation on the set-point signal. The non-linear operation is based on a non-linear functional relationship between the output signal and the parameter.

Abstract: A supply system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes an apparatus configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir configured to contain target material that produces EUV light in a plasma state, the apparatus including two or more target formation units, each one of the target formation units including: a nozzle structure configured to receive the target material from the reservoir, the nozzle structure including an orifice configured to emit the target material to a plasma formation location. The supply system further includes a control system configured to select a particular one of the target formation units for emitting the target material to the plasma formation location. An apparatus for a supply system of an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source includes a MEMS system fabricated in a semiconductor device fabrication technology, and the MEMS system including a nozzle structure configured to be fluidly coupled to a reservoir.

Abstract: An EUV source for generating a beam of EUV radiation, has a droplet generator with a nozzle assembly to emit droplets of fuel from a nozzle towards a plasma formation location. The nozzle assembly receives the fuel from a reservoir. The nozzle assembly has a pump chamber receiving the fuel from the reservoir and an actuator to vibrate a membrane that forms a wall of the pump chamber. The wall is oriented perpendicularly to a direction wherein the nozzle emits the fuel. The nozzle assembly has first and second nozzle filters non-adjacently arranged in series in a path of the fuel from the pump chamber to the nozzle.

Abstract: Droplet generators, such as used in an EUV radiation source, and associated EUV radiation sources and lithographic apparatuses. A droplet generator can include a nozzle assembly to emit the fuel as droplets, the nozzle assembly being within a pressurized environment at substantially the same pressure as the fuel pressure within the droplet generator. A droplet generator can include an actuator in contact with and biased against a pump chamber by means of a biasing mechanism having an actuator support biased against the actuator. The actuator acts on the fuel within the pump chamber to create droplets. The actuator support has a material with a greater coefficient of thermal expansion than its surrounding structure, such that it is moveable within the surrounding structure at ambient temperature, but expands against the surrounding structure at an operating temperature, so as to clamp the actuator support against the surrounding structure at the operating temperature.

Abstract: A control system for a positioning system, for positioning a driven object, e.g. in a lithographic apparatus, in N dimensions has M sensors, where M>N. A transformation module converts the M measurements by the sensors into a positional estimate in N dimensions taking into account compliance of the driven object.

Abstract: An object positioning system including a movable object, an actuator system and a control system. The moveable object is moveable relative to a reference. The actuator system is configured to apply a force to the object at a force application location on the object in order to move the moveable object relative to the reference. The control system is configured to position a point of interest of the object relative to the reference. The control system is configured to drive the actuator system based on a parameter representing a spatial relationship between the force application location and the point of interest. The parameter is dependent on a further parameter representing a position of the object relative to the reference.

Abstract: A stage positioning system, includes a first body, a second body and a coupling arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The coupling includes a visco-elastic element arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The stage positioning system may further include a sensor to provide a signal representative of a position of the first body. The stage positioning system may further include an actuator to move the first body. The second body may be arranged to couple the actuator and the coupling to each other.

Abstract: A control system for a positioning system, for positioning a driven object, e.g. in a lithographic apparatus, in N dimensions has M sensors, where M>N. A transformation module converts the M measurements by the sensors into a positional estimate in N dimensions taking into account compliance of the driven object.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a driven object having compliant dynamics; a plurality of actuators configured to act on the driven object, wherein the plurality of actuators are over-determined in an actuator degree of freedom; a control system including a transformation matrix configured to generate controller output signals for each of the plurality of actuators in response to a setpoint, wherein the transformation matrix is configured such that the controller output signals do not excite the compliant dynamics of the driven object in at least one degree of freedom.

Abstract: An object positioning system including a movable object, an actuator system and a control system. The moveable object is moveable relative to a reference. The actuator system is configured to apply a force to the object at a force application location on the object in order to move the moveable object relative to the reference. The control system is configured to position a point of interest of the object relative to the reference. The control system is configured to drive the actuator system based on a parameter representing a spatial relationship between the force application location and the point of interest. The parameter is dependent on a further parameter representing a position of the object relative to the reference.

Abstract: A stage positioning system, includes a first body, a second body and a coupling arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The coupling includes a visco-elastic element arranged to couple the first body and the second body to each other. The stage positioning system may further include a sensor to provide a signal representative of a position of the first body. The stage positioning system may further include an actuator to move the first body. The second body may be arranged to couple the actuator and the coupling to each other.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a sensor array positioned and arranged to detect an acoustic wave from a movable part of the lithographic apparatus, a controller, the controller having a controller input connected to the sensor array so as to receive a sensor array output signal, and a controller output connected to at least one actuator arranged to act on the movable part, the controller being arranged to: calculate a movement of the movable part from the sensor array output signal, and drive via the controller output the at least one actuator in response to the calculated movement.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus including a projection system configured to project a plurality of radiation beams onto a target; a movable frame that is at least rotatable around an axis; and an actuator system configured to displace the movable frame to an axis away from an axis corresponding to the geometric center of the movable frame and to cause the frame to rotate around an axis through the center of mass of the frame.

Abstract: There is provided a positioning system for positioning an object in a lithographic apparatus. The positioning system includes a support, a position measurement device, a deformation sensor and a processor. The support is constructed to hold the object. The position measurement device is configured to measure a position of the support. The position measurement device includes at least one position sensor target and a plurality of position sensors to cooperate with the at least one position sensor target to provide a redundant set of position signals representing the position of the support. The deformation sensor is arranged to provide a deformation signal representing a deformation of one of the support and the position measurement device. The processor is configured to calibrate one of the position measurement device and the deformation sensor based on the deformation signal and the redundant set of position signals.