Asml Netherlands B.v.

Amsl Netherlands B.v.

Dirk-Jan Bijvoet

Marcel Koenraad Marie Baggen

Youssef Karel Maria De Vos

Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders

Johannes Onvlee

Peter Paul Hempenius

Ramidin Izair Kamidi

Arjan Martin Van Der Wel

Joost Jeroen Ottens

Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch

Andre Bernardus Jeunink

Emiel Jozef Melanie Eussen

Frederik Eduard De Jong

Gerbrand Van Der Zouw

Igor Matheus Petronella Aarts

Jan Jaap Kuit

Jan Frederik Hoogkamp

Anton Adriaan Bijnagte

Ronald Casper Kunst

Thomas Josephus Maria Castenmiller

Jan-Jaap Kuit

Albert Johannes Maria Jansen

Peter Schaap

Khalid Manssouri

Joep Janssen

Hubrecht Bastiaan Jasperse

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the 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 chuck configured to hold and position an object, for example, the patterning device onto the support or the substrate onto the substrate table, the chuck including a base and a constraining layer. A damping layer including a viscoelastic material is provided between the base and the constraining layer.

Lithographic apparatus having a chuck with a visco-elastic damping layer

A servo control system to control a position of an object supported by a movable support includes a first measurement system to measure a position of the movable support, a comparative device to provide an error signal based on the comparison between a measured movable support position and a desired movable support position, a controller unit to provide a control signal based on the error signal, and an actuator configured to actuate the movable support based on the control signal. The servo control system further includes a slip compensation device to compensate a slip between the object and the movable support, the slip compensation device including a second measurement system to measure an object position with respect to the movable support, and an addition device to add a slip compensation signal to the measured movable support position or the error signal based on the measured object position.

Servo control system, lithographic apparatus and control method

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate support constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the substrate support includes parts that are made of an open cell plastic foam material.

Lithographic apparatus having a substrate support with open cell plastic foam parts

A lithographic apparatus is described, the apparatus comprising an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the 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 chuck constructed to hold the substrate table; a positioning device for, in use, displacing the chuck; a control unit configured to control the positioning device, wherein the control unit is arranged to drive the positioning device to excite the chuck by a substantially dynamic force to enable deformation of the chuck, prior to aligning the patterning device.

Lithographic apparatus, stage apparatus and device manufacturing method

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the 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, and a sensor configured to measure a height level, curvature and/or angle of a surface of a patterning device supported on the support.

Lithographic apparatus and methods for compensating substrate unflatness, determining the effect of patterning device unflatness, and determining the effect of thermal loads on a patterning device

A lithographic apparatus includes a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation to form a patterned beam of radiation; a positioning device configured to move the support in a first direction; a measurement device configured to measure a relative position of the patterning device with respect to the support and to generate a measuring signal, the measurement device including a reference unit constructed and arranged to be coupled to the patterning device at a fixed relative position, and a position sensor configured to measure the position of the reference unit with respect to the support, wherein the positioning device is constructed and arranged to correct a position of the support based on the measuring signal.

Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and position control method

A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. An applicator, such as a humidifier is provided to provide molecules, such as water molecules, to a clamp area of the patterning device.

Device manufacturing method, method for holding a patterning device and lithographic apparatus including an applicator for applying molecules onto a clamp area of a patterning device

A device manufacturing method includes transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The method includes bringing the patterning device and the support together, and applying a substantially stationary force between the patterning device and the support to hold the patterning device. The patterning device is now excited by a substantially dynamic force to enable a micro slipping thereof. Then, the patterning device is aligned, and the pattern is transferred from the patterning device onto the substrate. The patterning device may be excited with an alternating acceleration. When the patterning device is excited, the patterning device is allowed to settle with respect to the support, thereby improving a friction therebetween to reduce a risk of slipping or local slipping of the patterning device.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A support constructed to support a patterning object, the patterning object being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, is disclosed, wherein the support comprises a plurality of structures having a plurality of local contact areas, respectively, on which the patterning object is disposed, in use, and a clamp configured to clamp the patterning object to the plurality of contact areas, wherein each structure is configured so that a local shear stiffness of each local contact area is substantially balanced with a local friction limit at each local contact area, respectively.

A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having 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, the support including a support clamp constructed to clamp the patterning device to the support, and a bending mechanism constructed to apply a bending torque to the clamped patterning device, the bending mechanism comprising a force/torque actuator configured to act on the clamped patterning device without substantially reducing the clamping force exerted on the patterning device by the support clamp.

A lithographic apparatus has a patterning support holding a patterning device. At least one position sensor measures a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support, and generates a measuring signal. A positioning device controls a position of the patterning support on the basis of the measuring signal input to the positioning device. In a corresponding device manufacturing method a patterning support is provided. A patterning device is held on the patterning support. The patterning support is moved along a line of movement. A position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support is measured, and a position of the patterning support is controlled on the basis of the measurement of the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support. Thus, the controlling of the position of the patterning support compensates for a slip of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

A lithographic apparatus includes a control unit arranged to perform a first position measurement of the patterning device, apply an asymmetric acceleration profile to the support supporting the patterning device, perform a second position measurement of the patterning device, determine a slip characteristic of the pattering device based on the two position measurements and the applied acceleration profile, and perform a scanning exposure of a substrate taking into account the slip characteristic of the patterning device.

Lithographic apparatus and exposure method

A stage apparatus for displacing an object having a substantially flat surface is described. The apparatus includes an object table for supporting the object and a positioning device for displacing the object table in a first direction. The apparatus further includes a clamping device for clamping the object to the object table by a first clamping force, the first clamping force being controlled by an electronic control unit based upon a state of the object.

Stage apparatus, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

An array of individually controllable elements for use in lithography in which each of the individually controllable elements is comprised of a planar reflector mounted on supports on a substrate by way of elongate hinges.

System and method for an improved illumination system in a lithographic apparatus

A system and a method for aligning two devices with respect to each other are presented. A first device is provided with a proximity switch and the second device is provided with a reference mark. When the second device enters a detection area of the proximity switch, a first state of the proximity switch changes to a second state, thus indicating a position of the second device with respect to the proximity switch. When the position of the second device is known with respect to the proximity switch, the devices may be positioned to a desired position with respect to each other. The proximity switch may be used to determine the position of the other device in a number of directions. Both the position and the orientation of the first device with respect to the second device may be determined using the proximity switch.

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Eindhoven, Netherlands

Dirk-Jan Bijvoet