Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080218712 | Lithographic apparatus, cleaning system and cleaning method for in situ removing contamination from a component in a lithographic apparatus - An immersion lithographic apparatus includes a cleaning system for cleaning a component in the immersion lithographic apparatus in situ. The cleaning system is arranged to provide a cleaning environment in proximity of a predetermined position on a component to be cleaned. The system is also arranged to provide the cleaning environment substantially independent of a type of contamination present at the predetermined position. | 09-11-2008 |
20080316461 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - The present invention relates to a clamping device configured to clamp an object on a support, comprising a first device configured to exert an attracting force on said object, and a second device configured to exert a rejecting force on said object, wherein said first device and second device are configured to simultaneously exert an attracting and a rejecting force on said object to shape said object to a desired shape before clamping of said object on said support. The invention further relates to a method for loading an object on a support, comprising the steps of shaping said object in a desired shape spaced from said support, wherein said shaping comprises subjecting said object simultaneously to an attracting force pulling said object towards said support and a rejecting force pushing said object away from said support, and clamping said object on said support. | 12-25-2008 |
20090086187 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method - A clamping device can be configured to clamp an object on a support. The clamping device can include a first device configured to exert an attracting force on the object, and a second device configured to exert a rejecting force on the object. The first device and second device can be configured to simultaneously exert an attracting and a rejecting force on the object to shape the object to a desired shape before clamping of the object on the support. A method is provided for loading an object on a support, comprising the steps of shaping the object in a desired shape spaced from the support. The shaping can include subjecting the object simultaneously to an attracting force pulling the object toward the support and a rejecting force pushing the object away from the support, and clamping the object on the support. | 04-02-2009 |
20090153816 | Method of Transferring a Substrate, Transfer System and Lithographic Projection Apparatus - The invention relates to a method of transferring a substrate from a first substrate holder to a second substrate holder in a lithographic projection apparatus by means of a transfer unit on the basis of transfer data available thereto. The second substrate holder has a surface provided with a first plurality of burls. In the method, a memory encoded with burl position data and substrate position data is provided. Subsequently, a substrate is provided on the first substrate holder. The position error and orientation of the substrate is then measured. On the basis of the burl position data, substrate position data and orientation as measured orientation adjustment data are calculated. The orientation of the substrate is subsequently adjusted in accordance with the orientation adjustment data. The substrate is then transferred from the first substrate holder to the second substrate holder by the transfer unit and placed on the second substrate holder. | 06-18-2009 |
20090155026 | Method of Transferring a Substrate, Transfer System and Lithographic Projection Apparatus - A method is provided for transferring a substrate from a first substrate holder, e.g., a pre-alignment unit, to a second substrate holder, e.g., a substrate table in a lithographic apparatus, by means of a transfer unit on the basis of transfer data available thereto. First, the substrate is provided on the first substrate holder. Subsequently, a position error of the substrate is measured, and positioning adjustment data are calculated based on the position error as measured. Then, the second substrate holder is moved relative to a reference position thereof in accordance with the positioning adjustment data. Finally, the substrate is transferred by means of the transfer unit from the first substrate holder to the second substrate holder in accordance with the transfer data, and placed on the second substrate holder as moved. | 06-18-2009 |
20100085551 | LITHOGRAPHIC 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 mirror block provided with 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, wherein the mirror block is constructed and arranged to reduce slip between the mirror block and the substrate table. Slip can occur if the acceleration of the mirror block is high and the substrate table slips locally with respect to the mirror block. Slip may lead to exposure errors since the position of the substrate is no longer determined with the desired accuracy. | 04-08-2010 |
20100110408 | CALIBRATION METHOD AND LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS FOR CALIBRATING AN OPTIMUM TAKE OVER HEIGHT OF A SUBSTRATE - A calibration method for calibrating an optimum take over height of a substrate in a lithographic apparatus between a substrate table and an ejector element moveable to load and unload the substrate from the substrate table, the method including clamping the substrate on one of the substrate table and ejector element; moving the ejector element between an unloaded state wherein the substrate is supported by the substrate table and a loaded state wherein the substrate is at least partly supported by the ejector element; determining a reference height of the ejector element at me moment that me weight of me substrate is at least partly taken over between the substrate table and the ejector element; and determining the optimum take over height for the ejector element from the determined reference height. | 05-06-2010 |
20100214549 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, A METHOD FOR REMOVING MATERIAL OF ONE OR MORE PROTRUSIONS ON A SUPPORT SURFACE, AND AN ARTICLE SUPPORT SYSTEM - A lithographic projection apparatus includes a beam production system to provide a beam of radiation, pattern the beam of radiation, and project the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate, a support table including protrusions to support an article, a detector to detect height deviations of the protrusions, a material removing device arranged to modify a height of the protrusion material, a controller coupled between the detector and the material removing device, wherein material removing device includes a removal tool selected from the group consisting of a mechanical polishing device, a magneto rheological finishing tool, and a single or multipoint diamond tool. | 08-26-2010 |
20100265488 | Method of Placing a Substrate, Method of Transferring a Substrate, Support System and Lithographic Projection Apparatus - A method of placing a substrate onto a surface of a substrate holder, in which the surface is provided with a plurality of burls. Substrate placement data for allowing placement of the substrate at a certain position with respect to a position of the plurality of burls on the surface of the substrate holder is calculated. The substrate is placed at the certain position in accordance with the substrate placement data. The certain position may be based on the position at which placement would result in a minimized overlay error or may be based on the position at which placement would result in minimized substrate deformation. | 10-21-2010 |
20100296073 | Lithographic Apparatus, Substrate Table, and Method for Enhancing Substrate Release Properties - A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus also includes a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate, and a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The substrate table includes a chuck having a plurality of protrusions constructed and arranged to support corresponding parts of a bottom surface of a wafer. The top surface of at least one of the protrusions includes a plurality of elements that define a reduced contact area between the substrate and the top surface of the protrusion. | 11-25-2010 |
20110013165 | POSITION CALIBRATION OF ALIGNMENT HEADS IN A MULTI-HEAD ALIGNMENT SYSTEM - A calibration method for the position calibration of secondary alignment heads with a primary alignment head in a multi-head alignment system, such as that used for the measurement of markers on the surface of a wafer, as carried out during a lithographic process in the formation of circuits in or on the wafer includes making a plurality of offset measurements for at least one of the secondary alignment heads, so that the offset of the secondary alignment heads with respect to the primary alignment head can be measured, and used as correction data in subsequent wafer measurement calculations. | 01-20-2011 |
20110222045 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate is disclosed, the apparatus including a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a first clamping system configured to clamp the substrate table to a substrate table support structure, and a second clamping system configured to clamp a substrate to the substrate table after the substrate table has been clamped to the substrate table support structure. | 09-15-2011 |
20130301028 | Substrate Table, Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method - A substrate table comprising a base and a plurality of burls that project from the base, wherein an upper surface of the burls is provided with a multilayer coating. | 11-14-2013 |