Provided is a substrate deforming device for proximity exposure, the device comprising: a mask holder for holding an exposure mask; a first plate which is spaced apart from the exposure mask in a certain direction, and holds a to-be-exposed substrate; a position adjustment part for adjusting the position of the exposure mask; a gap adjustment part for adjusting a gap between the exposure mask and the to-be-exposed substrate; a first sensor for measuring the position of at least one among the exposure mask and the to-be-exposed substrate; a second sensor for measuring the gap between the exposure mask and the to-be-exposed substrate; and a control unit which performs a first control according to the measurement result from the first sensor, and after the first control, performs a second control according to the measurement result from the second sensor. The first control reduces the relative distance between the exposure mask and the to-be-exposed substrate by means of the position adjustment part. The second control deforms the to-be-exposed substrate by means of the gap adjustment part in response to deflection of the exposure mask.

A sensor includes two shear-mode piezoelectric transducers, wherein each piezoelectric transducer has a bottom surface and a top surface, wherein the top surfaces of the piezoelectric transducers are rigidly connected to each other, and wherein the bottom surfaces of the piezoelectric transducers are configured to be attached to an object to be measured.

A holding apparatus includes a holding portion that includes a first member which contacts a portion of an object, a second member which at least a portion thereof is fixed to a base, and a connection member which is configured to connect the first and second members, and a driving unit which drives the holding portion to change at least a posture of the first member, wherein a relative positional relationship between the first member and the second member is changed via the connection member.

The present invention relates to a method for transforming measurement data of a photolithographic mask for the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) wavelength range from first surroundings into second surroundings. The method includes the steps of: (a) determining the measurement data for the photolithographic mask in the first surroundings, wherein the measurement data are influenced by the effects of internal stresses on the photolithographic mask; (b) ascertaining at least one change in the measurement data during the transition from the first surroundings into the second surroundings, in which change the effects of the internal stresses on the photolithographic mask are at least partly compensated; and (c) correcting the measurement data determined in step (a) with the at least one change in the measurement data ascertained in step (b).

The invention provides a stage apparatus comprising an object support, a plurality of support members, a gripper and a control unit. The object support comprises a surface for mounting an object on, the surface extending in a plane. The plurality of support members are for supporting the object, and are arranged to receive the object from a gripper and to arrange the object on the surface and/or vice versa. The support members are moveable in at least a first direction which is perpendicular to the plane. The control unit is arranged to receive shape information regarding an out-of-plane-shape of the object, and is arranged to control positions of the support members. The control unit is arranged to tilt the object while supported by the support members by controlling the positions so as to reduce a space consumption of the object in the first direction, based on the shape information.

An electrostatic clamp (300) and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed. The electrostatic clamp includes a first layer (302) having a first ultra-low expansion (ULE) material, a second layer (304) coupled to the first layer, having a second ULE material, and a third layer (306), coupled to the second layer, having a third ULE material. The electrostatic clamp further includes a plurality of fluid channels (316) located between the first layer and the second layer and a composite layer (308) interposed between the second layer and the third layer. The method for manufacturing the electrostatic clamp includes forming the plurality of fluid channels, disposing the composite layer on the third layer, and coupling the third layer to the second layer. The plurality of fluid channels is configured to carry a thermally conditioned fluid for temperature regulation of a clamped object.

A patterning device support (200), for example, a patterning device (202) or substrate support, can be configured to release internal stresses of a patterning device loaded thereon. The patterning device support can include a positive pressuring generating interface (206a, 206b) or an acoustic vibration generating interface (206a, 206b), or can be configured to oscillate while at least a portion of patterning device is decoupled from the patterning device support. A method of transferring a patterning device between a patterning device handling apparatus and a patterning device support configured to move the patterning device can include positioning the patterning device onto a surface of the patterning device support, and performing a process that releases internal stress of the patterning device.

A holding device includes a holding member having holes for evacuating air in a space between a substrate and the holding member and an annular seal member on a lower surface of a stepped portion of the holding member for defining the space. A first region is the area of a figure having the same center as that of a plane figure of a surface of the holding member and obtained by reducing the plane figure's size by ⅔ or more and ⅘ or less. A second region is between the first region and the seal member. The holes are formed to satisfy a relationship of (total hole area in second region/area of second region)>(total hole area in sum region of first and second regions/area of sum region of first and second regions) and communicate with a pipe at a position corresponding to the first region of the holding member.

An apparatus including an illumination system to condition a radiation beam, a support to support a patterning device, the patterning device capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, a projection system to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and a control system configured to: receive pattern data characterizing a pattern distribution, receive radiation data characterizing the radiation beam, determine a dissipation distribution of the pattern based on the pattern data and the radiation data, determine deformation of the pattern by applying the dissipation distribution in a thermo-mechanical model of the patterning device, and determine a control signal to control a component of the apparatus based on the deformation of the pattern.

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate, the apparatus including a convey unit configured to convey the substrate while chucking and holding a lower surface of the substrate, and a control unit configured to control a conveyance condition of the convey unit so that a conveyance acceleration is lower when the convey unit conveys the substrate in a vertical direction with downward acceleration than when the convey unit conveys the substrate in the vertical direction with upward acceleration.