An optical element for a lithographic apparatus, the optical element including an anchor layer selected to support a top layer having self-terminating growth in an operating lithographic apparatus or plasma containing environment. Also described is a method of manufacturing an optical element, the method including depositing a top layer on anchor layer via exposure to plasma, preferably electromagnetically induced plasma. Lithographic apparatuses including such optical elements are also described.

Disclosed is an illumination system for delivering incoherent radiation to a metrology sensor system. Also disclosed is an associated metrology system and method. The illumination system comprises a spatial filter system for selective spatial filtering of a beam of said incoherent radiation outside of a module housing of the metrology sensor system. At least one optical guide is provided for guiding the spatially filtered beam of incoherent radiation to the metrology sensor system, the at least one optical guide being such that the radiation guided has a substantially similar output angle as input angle.

An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises an optical integrator having a plurality of light entrance facets and a beam deflection array of reflective or transparent beam deflecting elements. Each beam deflecting element is configured to illuminate a spot on the optical integrator at a position that is variable by changing a deflection angle produced by the beam deflecting element. The illumination system further comprises a control unit which is configured to control the beam deflection elements in such a manner that a light pattern assembled from the spots on at least one of the light entrance facets is varied in response to an input command that a field dependency of the angular irradiance distribution in a mask plane shall be modified.

The invention relates to a method for compensating at least one defect of an optical system which includes introducing an arrangement of local persistent modifications in at least one optical element of the optical system, which does not have pattern elements on one of its optical surfaces, so that the at least one defect is at least partially compensated.

An exposure apparatus including a substrate transporting unit configured to transport a substrate in a first direction, and including a first measuring part; and an exposure part disposed over the substrate transporting unit configured to irradiate the substrate with ultraviolet rays. The first measuring part is configured to measure an intensity of the ultraviolet rays before the substrate is irradiated.

A radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, a method of modulating radiation for use in lithography, and a device manufacturing method is disclosed. The radiation modulator for a lithography apparatus may have a plurality of waveguides supporting propagation therethough of radiation having a wavelength less than 450 nm; and a modulating section configured to individually modulate radiation propagating in each of the waveguides in order to provide a modulated plurality of output beams.

A photolithography device includes: a fixed slot, configured to install and fix the light source; a sensing module, configured to sense the distance information between the light source and the fixed slot; a prompt module, configured to send prompt information according to the distance information; and a determination module, configured to determine the installation status of the light source according to the prompt information.

A method for adjusting the magnification scale of an optical imaging device for exposing or inspecting substrates is provided. The optical imaging device includes a first optical element group, which includes a plurality of first optical elements in an imaging beam path. The method includes replacing optical elements of the first optical element group in the imaging beam path by optical elements of a second optical element group for the purposes of adjusting the magnification scale. The first optical element group includes two reflecting optical elements with first optical parameters, which define a first Petzval sum. The second optical element group includes two reflecting optical elements with second optical parameters, which define a second Petzval sum. The value of the first Petzval sum is at least substantially identical to the value of the second Petzval sum.

A lithographic apparatus comprising a projection system comprising at least one optical component and configured to project a pattern onto a substrate. The lithographic apparatus further comprises a control system arranged to reduce the effects of heating and/or cooling of an optical component in a lithographic process. The control system is configured at least: to select at least one of a plurality of mode shapes to represent a relationship between at least one input in the lithographic process and an aberration resulting from the input and to generate and apply a correction to the lithographic apparatus based on the mode shape.

An apparatus comprising at least one sealing aperture (40) comprising a hollow part (41), having an inner surface (42), extending at an interface between different zones (50;60) of the apparatus; and a member (43) positioned in the hollow part configured to substantially transmit EUV radiation and to substantially filter non-EUV radiation at the interface; wherein the inner surface of the hollow part has a surface treatment configured to increase absorption of the non-EUV radiation that is transferred by the member to the hollow part.