A liquid supply system for an immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space is defined between the projection system, a barrier member and a substrate. The barrier member is not sealed such that, during use, immersion liquid is allowed to flow out the space and between the barrier member and the substrate.

A system that contains a semi-ellipsoidal SLM holder supporting a plurality of flat rectangular SLMs, which are placed onto the semi-ellipsoidal surface of the holder in the most surface-covering way. The system contains a coherent light source placed in the first focal point of the ellipsoid. The second focal point of the ellipsoid defines the area in which an image-receiving object is to be placed. All the SLMs are illuminated by a diverging light beam emitted from the coherent light source. In each SLM, the light is subjected to phase-amplitude modulation and is converted into an image-carrying beam, which convergently fells onto the object on which the target image is to be produced. Thus, a pattern is formed on the object by a maskless method in which a plurality of SLMs are combined into a common image-forming holographic unit.

A projector including a light source, a light valve, a projection lens and a displacement module is provided. The light source generates an illumination light. The light valve converts the illumination light into a multi-pixel area image light. The projection lens is disposed in a transmission path of the multi-pixel area image light. The image displacement module includes a carrier, an optical element, a frame and a base. The carrier, the frame and the base are substantially coplanar with each other, and the multi-pixel area image light provided is configured to be moved by the optical element and being moved along a third direction in response to the spinning of the carrier, and the first direction is different from the second direction. Furthermore, a three-dimensional printing apparatus is also provided.

A lithographic apparatus includes a number of sensors for measuring positions of features on a substrate prior to applying a pattern. Each sensor includes an imaging optical system. Position measurements are extracted from pixel data supplied by an image detector in each sensor. The imaging optical system includes one or more light field modulating elements and the processor processes the pixel data as a light-field image to extract the position measurements. The data processor may derive from each light-field image a focused image of a feature on the substrate, measuring positions of several features simultaneously, even though the substrate is not at the same level below all the sensors. The processor can also include corrections to reduce depth dependency of an apparent position of the feature include a viewpoint correction. The data processor can also derive measurements of heights of features on the substrate.

A device for moving a workpiece platform is provided, comprising a bottom frame (1) for supporting the workpiece platform, a pneumatic spring (2) disposed on a lower surface of the bottom frame (1), an air cushion unit (3) for generating flotation to support the workpiece platform when the workpiece platform is being moved, and a moving unit (200) disposed on the bottom frame (1). The moving unit (200) comprises: a roller unit (4), for driving the workpiece platform to move; a leaf spring (6), wherein one end of the leaf spring (6) is connected to a connecting block (5), and the other end thereof is connected to the roller unit (4); and a leaf spring deformation drive unit (8), connected to the leaf spring (6), to enable, by driving the leaf spring (6) to deform, the roller unit (4) to be in contact with the ground when the workpiece platform is being moved. The leaf spring deformation drive unit (8) is disposed such that the leaf spring (6) deforms, and the roller unit (4) is in contact with the ground when the workpiece platform is being moved in or out, driving the workpiece platform to move, preventing jamming in case of extremely high torque, and improving stability when the workpiece platform is being moved.

There is provided a pattern forming apparatus including a holding unit configured to suction and hold a substrate, and an optical system configured to detect, from a suction surface side of the substrate, an alignment mark formed on the substrate held by the holding unit. The pattern forming apparatus is provided with a wavelength separation element for performing wavelength separation between pattern forming light for forming a pattern on the substrate and alignment mark detection light for detecting the alignment mark.

A method and apparatus to expose photosensitive printing plates with a predetermined radiation density from the main side (top) and a predetermined radiation density from the back side (bottom). The method comprises executing the main exposure with a time delay after the back exposure. The time delay between back exposure and main exposure is optimized to create smaller stable single dot elements on the photosensitive printing plate after processing and smaller single element dot sizes printed on the print substrate. The plate floor may be adjusted by performing a back-side-only exposure prior to executing the combined back and main exposure with the time delay.

A control system controls a drive system of a substrate holder, based on correction information to compensate for measurement error of a measurement system including an encoder system that occurs due to movement of at least one of a plurality of grating areas (scale), a plurality of heads and a substrate holder, and position information measured by the measurement system, and a measurement beam from a head of each of the plurality of heads moves off from one of the plurality of grating areas and switches to another adjacent grating area, during the movement of the substrate holder in the X-axis direction.

In an exposure apparatus, on a substrate holder, a plurality of grating areas is arranged mutually apart in the X-axis direction, and a plurality of heads that irradiates a measurement beam with respect to the grating area and can move in the Y-axis direction is arranged outside of the substrate holder. A control system controls movement of the substrate holder in at least directions of three degrees of freedom within an XY plane, based on measurement information of at least three heads of the plurality of heads facing the grating area and measurement information of a measurement device that measures position information of the plurality of heads. The measurement beam of each of the plurality of heads, during the movement of substrate holder in the X-axis direction, moves off of one of the plurality of grating areas and switches to another adjacent grating area.

Provided are a pellicle for a photomask, which protects the photomask from external contamination and an exposure apparatus including the pellicle for the photomask. The pellicle for the photomask includes a pellicle membrane provided spaced apart from the photomask. The pellicle membrane includes a semiconductor having a two-dimensional (2D) crystalline structure.