Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography capable of a high resolution imprint.SOLUTION: An imprint method is disclosed. In one example, separated first and second target regions made of an imprintable medium on a substrate are brought into contact with first and second templates, respectively, to form first and second imprints on the imprintable medium, and then the first and second templates are removed from the imprinted medium.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method etc. for increasing speed of release or dissolution/diffusion of an accumulated gas in imprint lithography.SOLUTION: An imprint template 16 comprises a substantially non-porous solid layer 20 of solid quartz, and a porous solid medium layer 21 in the form of a nanoporous silica layer. Thereby, a void space is provided by the solid porous medium layer, and an accumulated gas flows or diffuses into the void space in the porous layer.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide methods of detecting micro-loading and process effects on metrology targets.SOLUTION: A structure has at least one feature which has an asymmetry in a printed profile which varies as a function of the focus of a lithographic apparatus on a substrate. A first image of the periodic structure is formed and detected while illuminating the structure with a first beam of radiation. The first image is formed using a first part of non-zero order diffracted radiation. A second image of the periodic structure is formed and detected while illuminating the structure with a second beam of radiation. The second image is formed using a second part of the non-zero order diffracted radiation which is symmetrically opposite to the first part in a diffraction spectrum. The ratio of the intensity of the measured first and second portions of the spectra is measured and used to measure the asymmetry in the profile of the periodic structure and/or to provide an indication of the focus on the substrate.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an immersion lithographic projection apparatus.SOLUTION: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus in which immersion liquid is sealed between a final element of a projection system and a substrate is disclosed. Use of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic layers on various elements of the apparatus is disclosed. The use of the layers helps to prevent formation of bubbles in the immersion liquid and reduce residue on the elements after being immersed in the immersion liquid.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent misalignment from residual strain in a substrate in a lithography apparatus.SOLUTION: An imprint lithography apparatus and manufacturing method can lead to mechanical stress being formed in a substrate to which an imprint pattern is being applied. This may cause strain within the substrate leading to misalignment of a subsequent pattern with an earlier pattern in a part of the substrate, which is strained. An apparatus and method is disclosed which allows stress relaxation in the substrate prior to further patterning in order to reduce, minimize or prevent such misalignment from residual strain. This is achieved by locally unclamping a portion of substrate (including arbitrarily the entire substrate) from a corresponding portion of a substrate holder so that mechanical stress leading to local strain may relax prior to further patterning. In order to overcome residual frictional force between the substrate and the substrate holder, the substrate and the substrate holder may be physically separated prior to further patterning.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic apparatus capable of at least reducing possibility of mixing of bubbles.SOLUTION: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The immersion lithographic apparatus comprises: a fluid handling system for confining immersion liquid to be within a local space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate and/or a table; and a gas supply device for supplying gas whose solubility in the immersion liquid is higher than 5×10mol/kg, at a total pressure of 1 atm and 20°C into a region that adjoins the space.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography device capable of compensating for intrinsic mode coupling along another axial direction incurred by inputting a force or a position along one axial direction, a control method, and a multi-degree-of-freedom control system.SOLUTION: A lithography device includes a component and a positioning system which is coupled to the component in an operable manner and moves the component along a first axis. The positioning system measures a position of the component along a second axis or a third axis. The positioning system controls movement of the component to compensate for influences of intrinsic mode coupling between the movement of the component along the first axis and the measured position of the component along the second axis or the third axis. In some embodiments, the component is a reticle stage or a wafer stage.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for simulating an image formed within a resist layer on a substrate resulting from an incident radiation.SOLUTION: Described herein is a method for simulating an image formed within a resist layer on a substrate resulting from an incident radiation, the substrate having a first feature and a second feature which underlie the resist layer, the method comprising: simulating a first partial image using interaction between the incident radiation and the first feature without using interaction between the incident radiation and the second feature; simulating a second partial image using the interaction between the incident radiation and of the second feature without using the interaction between the incident radiation and the first feature; and computing the image formed within the resist layer from the first partial image and the second partial image; where the interaction between the incident radiation and the first feature is different from the interaction between the incident radiation and the second feature.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a support in which measures are taken to improve flatness of an object such as a semiconductor substrate.SOLUTION: The support for the object includes a main body having a surface having a plurality of projections. Each of the projections has an associated electrostatic actuator for displacing a free end of the associated projection relatively to the main body at least in a direction in a plane parallel to a main surface of the object.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic apparatus with an improved deformation sensor that allows measurement of a deformation of a part of the lithographic apparatus with sufficient accuracy.SOLUTION: There is disclosed a lithographic apparatus comprising a member susceptible to deformation and a deformation sensor for measuring a deformation of said member. The deformation sensor comprises: a first birefringence sensing element arranged to be subjected to stress dependent on the deformation of said member; a light system configured to transmit polarized light through the first birefringence sensing element, where said polarized light has a first polarization state prior to being transmitted through the first birefringence sensing element; a detector for detecting a second polarization state of the polarized light after being transmitted through the first birefringence sensing element; and a calculation unit to determine the deformation of said member on the basis of the first and second polarization states.