Correction information is acquired for compensating for a measurement error of a second encoder system that occurs due to a displacement between four sections of a scale member of the second encoder system, based on measurement information of the second encoder system obtained in a fifth area in which four heads of the second encoder system that are provided on a second stage, which holds a substrate, respectively face the four sections of the scale member.

A substrate stage device that moves a substrate has: a noncontact holder that supports the substrate in a noncontact manner; a first drive section that moves the noncontact holder; scale plates that serve as a reference of movement of the noncontact holder; a first measurement section that has scale plates and Y heads, one of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided at the noncontact holder and the other of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided between the scale plates and the noncontact holder, and that measures position information of the Y heads; a second measurement section that measures position information of the other of the scale plates and the Y heads; and a position measurement system that obtains position information of the noncontact holder on the basis of the position information measured by the first and the second measurement sections.

A lithographic apparatus having a substrate table, a projection system, an encoder system, a measurement frame and a measurement system. The substrate table has a holding surface for holding a substrate. The projection system is for projecting an image on the substrate. The encoder system is for providing a signal representative of a position of the substrate table. The measurement system is for measuring a property of the lithographic apparatus. The holding surface is along a plane. The projection system is at a first side of the plane. The measurement frame is arranged to support at least part of the encoder system and at least part of the measurement system at a second side of the plane different from the first side.

Correction information is acquired for compensating for a measurement error of a second encoder system that occurs due to a displacement between four sections of a scale member of the second encoder system, based on measurement information of the second encoder system obtained in a fifth area in which four heads of the second encoder system that are provided on a second stage, which holds a substrate, respectively face the four sections of the scale member.

A method of transferring a flexible layer to a substrate makes use of a partial bulge in the flexible layer, which does not make contact with the substrate. The partial bulge advances to the location of an alignment marker on the substrate. When alignment adjustments are needed, they are made with the partial bulge in place so that more reproducible positioning is possible when fully advancing the flexible layer against the substrate.

The present invention provides a control apparatus for performing synchronous control to synchronize driving of a second moving member so as to follow driving of a first moving member, including a feedforward control system that includes a calculator configured to obtain an input/output response of the second moving member and position deviations of the first moving member and the second moving member while driving the first moving member and the second moving member in synchronism with each other, and calculate a feedforward manipulated variable based on the input/output response of the second moving member and the synchronous error between the first moving member and the second moving member obtained from the position deviations of the first moving member and the second moving member.

Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face.

Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face.

An alignment sensor for a lithographic apparatus has an optical system configured to deliver, collect and process radiation selectively in a first waveband (e.g. 500-900 nm) and/or in a second waveband (e.g. 1500-2500 nm). The radiation of the first and second wavebands share a common optical path in at least some portion of the optical system, while the radiation of the first waveband is processed by a first processing sub-system and the radiation of the second waveband is processed by a second processing sub-system. The processing subsystems in one example include self-referencing interferometers. The radiation of the second waveband allows marks to be measured through an opaque layer. Optical coatings and other components of each processing sub-system can be tailored to the respective waveband, without completely duplicating the optical system.

A substrate stage device that moves a substrate has: a noncontact holder that supports the substrate in a noncontact manner; a first drive section that moves the noncontact holder; scale plates that serve as a reference of movement of the noncontact holder; a first measurement section that has scale plates and Y heads, one of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided at the noncontact holder and the other of the scale plates and the Y heads being provided between the scale plates and the noncontact holder, and that measures position information of the Y heads; a second measurement section that measures position information of the other of the scale plates and the Y heads; and a position measurement system that obtains position information of the noncontact holder on the basis of the position information measured by the first and the second measurement sections.