A lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first radiation dose detector and a second radiation dose detector, each detector comprising a secondary electron emission surface configured to receive a radiation flux and to emit secondary electrons due to the receipt of the radiation flux, the first radiation dose detector located upstream with respect to the second radiation dose detector viewed with respect to a direction of radiation transmission, and a meter, connected to each detector, to detect a current or voltage resulting from the secondary electron emission from the respective electron emission surface.

Lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method

Previously disclosed methods and devices are extended in this application by two-dimensional analysis of optical proximity interactions and by fashioning a computationally efficient kernel for rapid calculation of adjustments to be made. The computations can be made in realtime, whereby the use of OPC assist features can be reduced, with substantial savings in file size and computational requirements. Further aspects of the invention are disclosed in the descriptions, figures, claims and documents incorporated by reference.

SLM lithography: printing to below K1=.30 without previous OPC processing

An illumination optical apparatus is arranged to illuminate a surface to be illuminated, with light in a desired polarization state, without substantive influence of manufacturing error of an optical member functioning as a wave plate. The illumination optical apparatus illuminates the surface to be illuminated on the basis of light from a light source. The illumination optical apparatus is provided with a polarization converting element disposed on or near an illumination pupil plane and adapted for converting a polarization state of incident light into a predetermined polarization state. The polarization converting element has a plurality of variable optical rotating members for variably yielding an angle of rotation to incident linearly polarized light. Each variable optical rotating member has two deviation prisms which are made of an optical material with an optical rotatory power and which are movable relative to each other along a direction intersecting with the optical axis.

Method of adjusting lighting optical device, lighting optical device, exposure system, and exposure method

There is disclosed a polarization-modulating element for modulating a polarization state of incident light into a predetermined polarization state, the polarization-modulating element being made of an optical material with optical activity and having a circumferentially varying thickness profile.

Polarization-modulating element, illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method

An illumination optical apparatus guides exposure light emitted from an exposure light source, to an illumination target object. The illumination optical apparatus has a plurality of spatial light modulation members arranged in an array form, and each spatial light modulation member is so configured that a plurality of reflecting optical elements each including a movable reflecting surface are arranged in an array form. At least one of the spatial light modulation members is arranged in an optical path of the light emitted from the light source.

Illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

The present invention relates to a movable micro-element with reduced imprinting or hysteresis effect arranged spaced apart from a surface comprising at least one electrode. At least one restoring element is connected to said movable micro-element. An address electrode is arranged on said surface and capable to electrostatically attract said movable micro-element. Said address electrode is addressed to a first potential. Said movable micro-element is first set to a second potential defining a non addressed state and at a time period Δt before a predetermined pulsed signal is emitted said movable micro-element is switched from said second potential to a third potential defining an addressed state. Said movable micro-element is kept in said addressed state for a time period of Δt+Δt′. The invention also relates to a Spatial Light Modulator (SLM), an apparatus for patterning a workpiece and a method of reducing an imprinting or hysteresis effect of a movable micro-element.

A method and a device for reducing hysteresis or imprinting in a movable micro-element

The present invention includes methods and devices that improve the radiation-resistance of a movable micromechanical optical element. In particular, a radiation-resistant layer is added to a movable micro-mechanical optical element, suitable to reduce the surface and bulk material changes to the element that result from exposure to pulsed laser energy densities less than 100 micro-joules per square centimeter and at wavelengths less than or equal to about 248 nm.

High energy, low energy density, radiation-resistant optics used with micro-electromechanical devices

Phase stepped and paired piston SLM configurations are described, with attention to rasterization and image stability. In contrast to attenuated phase-shift reticle performance of simple titling mirror SLMs, these configuration have phase shifting capabilities emulating a hard phase shift reticle and beyond. To use a straight-forward rasterization architecture where individual pixels are determined by the local pattern data, the SLM is operated so that the complex amplitude created by a mirror or mirror pair is confined to the real axis. The tilting phase-step mirror SLM gives a new set of rules for lithography: no penalty for phase shift over binary, no penalty for OPC verses non-OPC pattern, seamless pattern decompositions, optimal tones for each pattern, etc. This gives performance and flexibility never seen before.

Phase-shifting optical maskless lithography enabling asics at the 65 and 45 NM nodes

In order to prevent negative effects of imprinting an the addressing accuracy of deformable actuators, a method for controlling deformable actuators (12a,12b) comprises, during an event period, driving the first and the second deformable actuator (12a,12b) for causing the deformable actuators (12a) to assume a first and a second deformation state, respectively; and, before or after the event period, driving the first and the second deformable actuator (12a,12b) for causing the deformable actuators (12a,12b) to assume deformations states to counteract an imprinting caused during the event period by approximating the loads applied to the deformable actuators (12a, 12b) to each other. According to an embodiment, before or after the event period (22,24), for a period (26,28) substantially as long as the operation period (22,24), the first and the second deformable actuator (12a,12b) are driven such that the first deformable actuator (12a) assumes the second deformation state and the second deformable actuator (12b) assumes the first deformation state.

Ulric Ljungblad

Papers

A method and a device for reducing hysteresis or imprinting in a movable micro-element

High energy, low energy density, radiation-resistant optics used with micro-electromechanical devices

Phase-shifting optical maskless lithography enabling asics at the 65 and 45 NM nodes

Method and apparatus for controlling deformable actuators

New laser pattern generator for DUV using a spatial light modulator