Abstract: A method is disclosed involving depositing a neutral orientation template layer onto a substrate after formation of chemical epitaxy or graphoepitaxy features on the substrate, but before deposition and orientation of a self-assemblable polymer. The orientation layer is arranged to bond with the substrate but not with certain features, so that it may be easily removed by vacuum or rinsing with organic solvent. The neutral orientation layer has a chemical affinity to match that of blocks in the self-assemblable polymer so that blocks of differing types wet the neutral orientation layer so that domains in the self-assembled polymer may lie side by side along the substrate surface, with interfaces normal to the substrate surface. The resulting aligned and oriented self-assembled polymer may itself be used as a resist for device lithography of the substrate.

Abstract: A graphoepitaxy template to align a self-assembled block polymer adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array having parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a first axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal second axis, and separated by a continuous second domain. The graphoepitaxy template has first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the first axis and mutually spaced along the second axis to provide a compartment to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains of the self-assembled block copolymer on the substrate between and parallel to the side walls, and separated therefrom by a continuous second domain. The compartment has a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment. Methods for forming the graphoepitaxy template and its use for device lithography are also disclosed.

Abstract: A BCP having first block of first monomer and second block of second monomer, adapted to undergo a transition from disordered state to ordered state at a temperature less than TOD, further including a bridging moiety having a functional group to provide hydrogen bonding between bridging moieties of adjacent first and second BCP molecules when in the ordered state and at a temperature in excess of a glass transition temperature Tg for the BCP. Composition including BCP comprising first block of first monomer and second block of second monomer, and a crosslinking compound having first and second terminal groups joined by a central moiety and arranged to crosslink second blocks of adjacent first and second BCP molecules by providing non-covalent bonding between the terminal groups and a functional group of the second monomer of the second blocks when the BCP is in the ordered state.

Abstract: A method of forming a patterned chemical epitaxy template, for orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer including first and second polymer blocks, on a surface of a substrate, the method including applying a primer layer of a primer composition to the surface, the primer composition including a first polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the first polymer blocks and a second polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the second polymer blocks, selectively exposing the surface, the primer layer and any overlying layer to actinic radiation to provide exposed and unexposed regions, to render labile the first polymer moiety in the exposed region, and removing the labile first polymer moiety from the exposed region to deplete the primer layer surface in the exposed region of first polymer moiety to form the patterned chemical epitaxy template.

Abstract: A method of forming a patterned chemical epitaxy template, for orientation of a self-assemblable block copolymer including first and second polymer blocks, on a surface of a substrate, the method including applying a primer layer of a primer composition to the surface, the primer composition including a first polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the first polymer blocks and a second polymer moiety having a chemical affinity with the second polymer blocks, selectively exposing the surface, the primer layer and any overlying layer to actinic radiation to provide exposed and unexposed regions, to render labile the first polymer moiety in the exposed region, and removing the labile first polymer moiety from the exposed region to deplete the primer layer surface in the exposed region of first polymer moiety to form the patterned chemical epitaxy template.

Abstract: A BCP having first block of first monomer and second block of second monomer, adapted to undergo a transition from disordered state to ordered state at a temperature less than TOD, further including a bridging moiety having a functional group to provide hydrogen bonding between bridging moieties of adjacent first and second BCP molecules when in the ordered state and at a temperature in excess of a glass transition temperature Tg for the BCP. Composition including BCP comprising first block of first monomer and second block of second monomer, and a crosslinking compound having first and second terminal groups joined by a central moiety and arranged to crosslink second blocks of adjacent first and second BCP molecules by providing non-covalent bonding between the terminal groups and a functional group of the second monomer of the second blocks when the BCP is in the ordered state.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus includes a radiation system configured to supply a beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table having an area configured to support a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system comprising a reflective optical system; wherein at least a part of the apparatus that during use of the apparatus is exposed to the beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation is coated with a coating, the coating comprising a metal oxide, or a photocatalyst, or a semiconductor, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A graphoepitaxy template to align a self-assembled block polymer adapted to self-assemble into a 2-D array having parallel rows of discontinuous first domains extending parallel to a first axis, mutually spaced along an orthogonal second axis, and separated by a continuous second domain. The graphoepitaxy template has first and second substantially parallel side walls extending parallel to and defining the first axis and mutually spaced along the second axis to provide a compartment to hold at least one row of discontinuous first domains of the self-assembled block copolymer on the substrate between and parallel to the side walls, and separated therefrom by a continuous second domain. The compartment has a graphoepitaxial nucleation feature arranged to locate at least one of the discontinuous first domains at a specific position within the compartment. Methods for forming the graphoepitaxy template and its use for device lithography are also disclosed.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet exposure apparatus includes a radiation system configured to supply a beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table having an area configured to support a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system comprising a reflective optical system; wherein at least a part of the apparatus that during use of the apparatus is exposed to the beam of extreme ultraviolet radiation is coated with a coating, the coating comprising a metal oxide, or a photocatalyst, or a semiconductor, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed involving depositing a neutral orientation template layer onto a substrate after formation of chemical epitaxy or graphoepitaxy features on the substrate, but before deposition and orientation of a self-assemblable polymer. The orientation layer is arranged to bond with the substrate but not with certain features, so that it may be easily removed by vacuum or rinsing with organic solvent. The neutral orientation layer has a chemical affinity to match that of blocks in the self-assemblable polymer so that blocks of differing types wet the neutral orientation layer so that domains in the self-assembled polymer may lie side by side along the substrate surface, with interfaces normal to the substrate surface. The resulting aligned and oriented self-assembled polymer may itself be used as a resist for device lithography of the substrate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a radiation system configured to supply a projection beam of radiation, and a patterning device configured to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern. The apparatus includes a substrate table having an area configured to support a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. At least a part of the apparatus that during use of the apparatus is exposed to radiation is coated with a coating. The coating includes a metal oxide, or a photocatalyst, or a semiconductor, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A digital camera has a memory and a scan-mode. In this mode, the camera takes a sequence of still pictures. A next one of the pictures in the sequence is selected for being stored in the memory based on an amount of overlap regarding a picture content with a previous one of the pictures stored in the memory. The camera processes the pictures stored in the memory so as to create a composite picture.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a radiation system configured to supply a projection beam of radiation, and a patterning device configured to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern. The apparatus includes a substrate table having an area configured to support a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. At least a part of the apparatus that during use of the apparatus is exposed to radiation is coated with a coating. The coating includes a metal oxide, or a photocatalyst, or a semiconductor, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: A coating for sensors and/or parts of an exposure apparatus, for example a sensor on a substrate table of a lithography apparatus, include a semiconductor, a photocatalyst, and/or a metal oxide.

Abstract: The electric device (100) has a body (102) having a resistor (107) comprising a phase change material being changeable between a first phase and a second phase. The resistor (107) has a first electrical resistance when the phase change material is in the first phase, and a second electrical resistance, different from the first electrical resistance, when the phase change material is in the second phase. The phase change material constitutes a conductive path between a first contact area and a second contact area. A cross-section of the conductive path is smaller than the first contact area and the second contact area. The body (102) may further have a heating element 106 being able to conduct a current for enabling a transition from the first phase to the second phase. The heating element (106) is preferably arranged in parallel with the resistor (107).

Abstract: A pattern of very fine features (18) can be produced by illuminating an inorganic negative tone resist layer (16), provided on an electroplating base layer (14), by a beam (EB), which is able to cure the resist to a cured pattern according to the pattern to be formed, removing the non-illuminated portions of the resist layer and electroplating a layer (20) between the cured portions (18) of the resist layer.