A diagnostic apparatus monitors a lithographic manufacturing system. First measurement data representing local deviations of some characteristic across a substrate is obtained using sensors within a lithographic apparatus, and/or a separate metrology tool. Other inspection tools perform substrate backside inspection to produce second measurement data. A high-resolution backside defect image is processed into a form in which it can be compared with lower resolution information from the first measurement data. Cross-correlation is performed to identify which of the observed defects are correlated spatially with the deviations represented in the first measurement data. A correlation map is used to identify potentially relevant clusters of defects in the more detailed original defect map. The responsible apparatus can be identified by pattern recognition as part of an automated root cause analysis. Alternatively, reticle inspection data may be used as second measurement data.

A system having a sub-system that is configured to change a thermal condition of a physical component from a set-point to a new set-point, wherein the sub-system includes: a mixer operative to receive a first conditioning fluid having a first temperature and a second conditioning fluid having a second temperature different from the first temperature, and operative to supply to the physical component a mix of the first conditioning fluid and the second conditioning fluid; and a controller configured to control the mixer in dependence on the new set-point. Also a method of operating a lithographic apparatus as well as a device manufactured using the system described herein or according to methods described herein.

Methods for processing a substrate having a structure formed thereon and a system for processing a substrate are provided. A substrate is received from first processing equipment, where the first processing equipment has formed the structure on the substrate. A lithography process is performed on the received substrate. The lithography process includes exposing the substrate under an optical condition. The lithography process further includes polishing a backside of the substrate prior to the exposing of the substrate, where the polishing is configured to remove a topographical feature of the backside of the substrate or to remove a contaminant from the backside of the substrate. The substrate does not undergo a cleaning procedure during a period of time between i) the forming of the structure on the substrate, and ii) the exposing of the substrate.

A substrate support system is provided that includes: a support part configured to support a bottom surface of a substrate on a support plane; a moveable part moveable between a retracted position, in which a top end of the moveable part is below the support plane, and an extended position, in which the top end of the moveable part is above the support plane, such that the top end supports the bottom surface of the substrate above the support plane in the extended position; and a measurement system configured to measure a time taken for the moveable part to move from the retracted position to the extended position, to compare the measured time with a reference time, and to generate a signal when the measured time deviates from the reference time by more than a predetermined amount.

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 carrier system is provided with a wafer stage which holds a mounted wafer and is also movable along an XY plane, a chuck unit which holds the wafer from above in a non-contact manner above a predetermined position and is vertically movable, and a plurality of vertical movement pins, which can support from below the wafer held by the chuck unit on the wafer stage when the wafer stage is positioned at the predetermined position above and can also move vertically. Then, flatness of the wafer is measured by a Z position detection system, and based on the measurement results, the chuck unit and the vertical movement pins that hold (support) the wafer are independently driven.

A component for a lithography tool, the component including a member having a primary surface; a conduit defined within the member and configured to receive a fluid under pressure; a compressible region within the member and located between the conduit and the primary surface; and a deformable region between the compressible region and the conduit, wherein the compressible region and the deformable region are configured to accommodate local deformation of the member resulting from the pressure of the fluid.

A lithographic apparatus with a cover plate formed separately from a substrate table and means for stabilizing a temperature of the substrate table by controlling the temperature of the cover plate is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus with thermal insulation provided between a cover plate and a substrate table so that the cover plate acts as a thermal shield for the substrate table is disclosed. A lithographic apparatus comprising means to determine a substrate table distortion and improve position control of a substrate by reference to the substrate table distortion is disclosed.

According to one embodiment, an adjusting unit adjusts a refracting angle of incident light with respect to a substrate, a detector detects reflected light from the substrate, and a calculating unit calculates positional deviation of the pattern based on patterns respectively reflected in reflected lights obtained from the incident light generating N number of refracting angles with respect to the substrate, where N is an integer of two or greater.

The present invention provides a conveyance apparatus which conveys a substrate to a stage, the apparatus comprising a holding unit configured to hold and rotate the substrate, a detection unit configured to detect a height of the substrate held by the holding unit, a conveyance unit configured to convey the substrate from the holding unit to the stage, and a control unit configured to control, based on a detection result of the detection unit obtained while the holding unit rotates the substrate, conveyance of the substrate by the conveyance unit.