Asml Netherlands B.v.

Frank Auer

Hans Butler

Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch

Andre Bernardus Jeunink

Jan-Gerard Cornelis Van Der Toorn

Frits Van Der Meulen

Marc Wilhelmus Maria Van Der Wijst

Dominicus Jacobus Petrus Adrianus Franken

Stoyan Nihtianov

Maarten Jozef Jansen

Johannes Adrianus Antonius Theodorus Dams

Marcel Koenraad Marie Baggen

Tom Van Zutphen

Marinus P Koster

Matthias Kruizinga

Martinus Agnes Willem Cuijpers

Willem Herman Gertruda Anna Koenen

Martinus Van Duijnhoven

Fransiscus Mathijs Jacobs

Johannes Mathias Theodorus Antonius Adriaens

Joost De Pee

Robertus Nicodemus Jacobus Van Ballegoij

Hendrikus Herman Marie Cox

Suzanne Johanna Antonetta Geertruda Cosijns

Martinus Cornelis Reijnen

Remko Wakker

Patrick David Vogelsang

Albert Johannes Maria Jansen

Franciscus Andreas Cornelis Johannes Spanjers

Pieter Johannes Gertrudis Meijers

Ronnie Herman Anna Hensen

Bastiaan Stephanus Hendrikus Jansen

Joris Wilhelmus Henricus Vermunt

Sebastiaan Smit

Peterjan Broomans

Olaf Hubertus Wilhelmus Van Bruggen

Johannes Roland Dassel

Theodorus Jacobus Adrianus De Vries

Jan Holterman

Fransiscus Jacobs

The invention provides a stage system comprising a stage (ST) which is movable in respect of a reference structure. One of the stage and the reference structure comprises a reflective surface (REFS). An optical position sensor (IF) is arranged at the other one of the stage and the reference structure and is configured to determine a position of the reflective surface relative to the optical position sensor. An optical shape sensor (IF) is configured to determine a shape of the reflective surface. The stage system further comprises a position measurement controller configured to derive a stage position of the stage from the position of the reflective surface relative to the optical position sensor and from the shape of the reflective surface as determined by the optical shape sensor.

Stage system and lithographic apparatus

A positioning system for positioning an object in a lithographic apparatus, including: a first and second object tables moveable in an operating area; a first position measurement system to provide an incremental position measurement of the second object table relative to a reference when in the operating area, wherein the first position measurement system is configured to provide an absolute position measurement of the first object table relative to the reference; a second position measurement system to provide an absolute position measurement of the first object table relative to the second object table, and wherein the first position measurement system is further configured to provide an absolute position measurement of the second object table relative to the reference based on the absolute position measurement of the first object table relative to the reference and on the absolute position measurement of the first object table relative to the second object table.

Substrate positioning system, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A lithographic device includes a cooling device for removing heat from a motor. The cooling device has a cooling element provided in thermal contact with at least part of the motor. The cooling device further has a cooling duct assembly with a supply duct to supply a cooling fluid to the cooling element, and a discharge duct to discharge the cooling fluid from the cooling element. A pump causes the cooling fluid to flow through at least part of the cooling duct assembly. A flow control device controls a flow rate of the cooling fluid through at least part of the cooling duct assembly, to maintain a predetermined average temperature of the cooling fluid in the cooling element.

Lithographic apparatus, and motor cooling device

A lithographic apparatus includes two stages that are each configured to hold a substrate, wherein each stage is provided with a short stroke module to move a table with a substrate and a long stroke module to move the short stroke module of that stage. The lithographic apparatus includes a swap bridge to couple the stages, and wherein, in use, in a first configuration, the stages are moveable with respect to each other, and wherein, in use, in a second configuration, the stages are coupled via the swap bridge to make a joint movement.

Lithographic apparatus provided with a swap bridge

Data from the piezo-electric sensors in the mounts for the projection system can be used in the control loops for other parts of the lithographic apparatus, for example the mask table, the substrate table or the air mounts for the frame bearing the projection system. Information from, for example, a geophone, which is used to measure the absolute velocity of the frame bearing the projection system, can be used in the control loop for the piezo-electric actuator in the mount for the projection system.

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A lithographic apparatus having a stationary magnet motor to drive a support such as a substrate support or a patterning device support, may be provided with a measurement system to measure a position of the support in question, e.g., to provide a safety system to prevent a collision of the support with another part. The measurement system may be configured to measure a magnetic field strength of an alternating magnetic field generated by the magnet assembly of the stationary magnet motor, and/or measure generation of eddy currents in a metallic layer shielding the magnet assembly in combination with an inductance measurement of an electromagnet generating the alternating magnetic field causing the eddy currents, and/or measure light using an optical position sensitive sensor such as a CCD metric or linear photodiode positioned in a light plane emitted by an emitter.

Lithographic apparatus and position sensor

To correctly transfer a pattern to a substrate, or transfer any other pattern having small features, a transfer of vibrations from an external support structure, e.g. a floor, is minimized by using a vibration isolation support device, e.g. an airmount. To improve the vibration isolation characteristics of the airmount, the (positive) stiffness of the airmount is lowered by providing a pressure reducer that is configured to reduce a gas pressure change in a gas chamber of the airmount, which pressure change is a result of a volume change of the gas chamber. Due to vibrations the volume of said gas chamber changes. Due to the stiffness reduction device, the corresponding pressure change, and thus a force exerted on the supported object, is reduced, thereby reducing the stiffness of the airmount.

Support device and lightographic apparatus

A supporting device for supporting in a lithographic projection apparatus a supported part relative to a supporting part, is presented. The supporting device includes a first part that engages the supporting part of the lithographic projection apparatus; a second part that engages the supported part of the lithographic projection apparatus; a supporting spring system disposed between the first part and the second part; and a position control system configured to control a position of the supported part. The position control system comprises at least one reference object that is movable relative to the supporting part; a reference support device that supports the reference object relative to the first part, wherein the reference object and the reference support device form a reference mass-spring system; at least one position sensor that detects at least one attribute of the position of the second part relative to at least one of the reference objects, the position sensor including a sensor output for outputting a position signal representing at least one of the attributes; and an actuator, communicatively coupled to the position sensor, that is configured to adjust the position of the second part relative to the first part, in response to the position signal.

Supporting device, lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method employing a supporting device, and a position control system arranged for use in a supporting device

Vibrational movement between the top of a lens and a main plate on which the lens is mounted is reduced by attaching between the lens and the main plate a lens support which detects relative movement between the lens and the main plates using piezoelectric sensors and compensates for that movement to reduce vibration using piezoelectric actuators which are in series with the piezoelectric sensors. The control signal which is generated to actuate the actuated piezoelectrics is generated by a controller.

Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufacturing thereby

A reaction mass and an actuator are used to reduce unwanted vibrations of an optical element in the projection system of a lithographic projection apparatus. The reaction mass may be mechanically connected only to the optical element or may be compliantly mounted to the projection system frame.

A supporting assembly for use in a lithographic projection apparatus includes a moveable member which is journalled in a housing such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between the moveable member and the housing. The assembly comprises a gas filled pressure chamber in which the gas in the pressure chamber acts on the moveable member so as to at least partially counteract the force due to the weight of the moveable member and any other object which it carries. The pressure chamber is supplied with gas and the whole assembly is constructed and arranged such that substantially no gas flows through the pressure chamber when the moveable member is substantially stationary. The supporting assembly may be applied to a lithographic projection apparatus, object table, or metrology frame.

Lithographic projection apparatus, supporting assembly and device manufacturing method

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Valkenswaard, Netherlands

Frank Auer