The present invention provides a substrate processing apparatus that processes a substrate, the apparatus including a stage configured to hold and move the substrate, a conveying unit configured to hold and convey the substrate between conveying unit and the stage, an accumulation unit configured to accumulate control information concerning the stage and the conveying unit which is generated by processing the substrate, and a determination unit configured to determine a conveying procedure when conveying the substrate between the stage and the conveying unit by selecting one of a plurality of conveying procedures which can be set for the stage and the conveying unit based on control information accumulated in the accumulation unit.

Methods of producing grating materials with variable height fins are provided. In one example, a method may include providing a mask layer atop a substrate, the mask layer including a first opening over a first processing area and a second opening over a second processing area. The method may further include etching the substrate to recess the first and second processing areas, forming a grating material over the substrate, and etching the grating material in the first and second processing areas to form a plurality of structures oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical extending from a top surface of the substrate.

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and computer program products are provided for determining a free form flatness of a substrate table. An example system can include a substrate table that includes a first substrate table surface and a grounded substrate table electrical connection configured to ground the substrate table. The system can further include a substrate that includes a semiconducting layer, a thermally-grown insulating layer, a first substrate surface disposed on the insulating layer, and a substrate electrical connection configured to transmit a voltage to the semiconducting layer. The system can further include a metrology system configured to apply a voltage to the substrate electrical connection to electrostatically clamp the substrate to the substrate table, measure a flatness of the first substrate surface, and determine a free form flatness of the first substrate table surface based on the measured flatness of the first substrate surface.

A method for monitoring a lithographic process, and associated lithographic apparatus. The method includes obtaining height variation data relating to a substrate supported by a substrate support and fitting a regression through the height variation data, the regression approximating the shape of the substrate; residual data between the height variation data and the regression is determined; and variation of the residual data is monitored over time. The residual data may be deconvolved based on known features of the substrate support.

A substrate holder, for a lithographic apparatus, having a main body, a plurality of support elements to support a substrate and a seal unit. The seal unit may include a first seal positioned outward of and surrounding the plurality of support elements. A position of a substrate contact region of an upper surface of the first seal may be arranged at a distance from the plurality of support elements sufficient enough such that during the loading/unloading of the substrate, a force applied to the first seal by the substrate is greater than a force applied to the plurality of support elements by the substrate. A profile of the contact region, in a cross section through the seal, may have a shape which is configured such that during the loading/unloading of the substrate, the substrate contacts the seal via at least two different points of the profile.

A method, system and program for determining a position of a feature referenced to a substrate. The method includes measuring a position of the feature, receiving an intended placement of the feature and determining an estimate of a placement error based on knowledge of a relative position of a first reference feature referenced to a first layer on a substrate with respect to a second reference feature referenced to a second layer on a substrate. The updated position may be used to position the layer of the substrate having the feature, or another layer of the substrate, or another layer of another substrate.

Methods of producing grating materials with variable height fins are provided. In one example, a method may include providing a mask layer atop a substrate, the mask layer including a first opening over a first processing area and a second opening over a second processing area. The method may further include etching the substrate to recess the first and second processing areas, forming a grating material over the substrate, and etching the grating material in the first and second processing areas to form a plurality of structures oriented at a non-zero angle with respect to a vertical extending from a top surface of the substrate.

Apparatus for and method of removing a contaminant from a working surface of a lithography support such as a reticle or wafer stage in an EUV or a DUV photolithography system in which abase supporting the substrate is provided with a surface profile so as to be thicker towards a middle portion of the base so that when a substrate supported by the base is pressed between the working surface and the base the contaminant is transferred from the working surface to the substrate.

A substrate, a substrate holder, a substrate coating apparatus, a method for coating the substrate and a method for removing the coating. A monomolecular layer is applied to the backside of the substrate or a clamp surface of the substrate holder. The friction force between the substrate backside and the substrate is small when the substrate does not experience full clamping force. After loading the substrate on the substrate holder full clamping force is exerted in order to fix the substrate. The clamping force causes local removal of the monomolecular layer, resulting in an increase of the friction force between the substrate and the substrate holder.

A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus or an inspection system, having a mirror substrate (205), a reflection layer (220), which is configured to have a reflectivity of at least 50% for electromagnetic radiation of a predefined operating wavelength that is incident on the optically effective surface (200a) of the mirror at an angle of incidence of at least 65° relative to the respective surface normal, and a barrier layer system (210), which is arranged between the reflection layer and the mirror substrate and has a sequence of alternating layer plies composed of a first material and at least one second material. The barrier layer system reduces penetration of hydrogen atoms that would otherwise penetrate the mirror substrate by at least a factor of 10.