A sealing device seals a first component part of a lithography apparatus vis-à-vis a multiplicity of second component parts of the lithography apparatus. The sealing device includes a multiplicity of sealing rings and a multiplicity of connection locations. The sealing rings are connected to one another with the aid of the connection locations.

A photoresist feeding device includes a cleaning member and a storage member. The cleaning member includes a first photoresist inlet and a first photoresist outlet. The storage member includes a second photoresist inlet and a second photoresist outlet. The first photoresist outlet is connected with the second photoresist inlet. An ultrasonic generator is arranged in the cleaning member, and the ultrasonic generator is configured to generate ultrasonic waves for separating bubbles of a photoresist solution in the cleaning member from the photoresist solution, and for gathering impurity particles in the photoresist solution. The storage member is configured to store the photoresist solution that has been subjected to ultrasonic treatment.

A method for improving uniformity of photoresist development includes: a substrate is provided, which is coated with a photoresist layer and includes a first area and a second area around a periphery of the first area; a second developer solution is transmitted to the second area, and the photoresist layer located in the second area is developed; a first developer solution is transmitted to the first area, and the photoresist layer located in the first area is developed.

An apparatus for containing a substrate and a method of manufacturing the apparatus are provided. The apparatus for containing a substrate includes: a base having a periphery and an upward-facing top horizontal planar surface with a plurality of contact elements, the contact elements being used for engaging the substrate to hold the substrate upon the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface, an upward-facing frame-like support surface extending from the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface and surrounding the contact elements at a position proximate to the periphery of the base; and a cover having a downward-facing frame-like support surface being in large-area contact with the upward-facing frame-like support surface to define a cavity for containing the substrate between the base and the cover. The downward-facing and upward-facing frame-like support surfaces in contact with each other are not at the same level as the upward-facing top horizontal planar surface.

This disclosure describes a test architecture that supports a common approach to testing individual die and dies in a 3D stack arrangement. The test architecture uses an improved TAP design to facilitate the testing of parallel test circuits within the die.

A lithography system includes a table body, a wafer stage, a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a first cable, a first bracket, a rail guide, and a first protective film. The first sliding member is coupled to the wafer stage. The second sliding member is coupled to an edge of the table body, in which the first sliding member is coupled to a track of the second sliding member. The first bracket fixes the first cable, the first bracket being coupled to a roller structure, in which the roller structure includes a body and a wheel coupled to the body. The rail guide confines a movement of the wheel of the roller structure. The first protective film is adhered to a surface of the rail guide, in which the roller structure is moveable along the first protective film on the surface of the rail guide.

The present invention provides a fluid purging system (100) for an optical element (120), comprising a fluid guiding unit arranged to guide a fluid, provided by a fluid supply system, over at least a curved portion of an optical surface (122) of the optical element. The fluid guiding unit comprises a fluid inlet and a first nozzle unit (110) for providing a fluid to the optical surface. The fluid guiding unit being formed by at least a first wall portion (102) and at least a second wall portion (104), wherein the second wall portion being configured to face the optical surface and to follow a contour of the optical surface. The second wall portion comprises a second nozzle unit (112).

Vacuum-integrated photoresist-less methods and apparatuses for forming metal hardmasks can provide sub-30 nm patterning resolution. A metal-containing (e.g., metal salt or organometallic compound) film that is sensitive to a patterning agent is deposited on a semiconductor substrate. The metal-containing film is then patterned directly (i.e., without the use of a photoresist) by exposure to the patterning agent in a vacuum ambient to form the metal mask. For example, the metal-containing film is photosensitive and the patterning is conducted using sub-30 nm wavelength optical lithography, such as EUV lithography.

A fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion fluid to a region of a lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure comprising an aperture formed therein for the passage therethrough of a radiation beam through the immersion fluid, the aperture defining an immersion space to be filled with the immersion fluid, and an inner part and an outer part; wherein the inner part and the outer part are arranged so as to form therebetween a variable space and a connecting space that connects the variable space to the immersion space, wherein the outer part is movable relative to the inner part in a first plane so as to change in shape the variable space but not the connecting space, and wherein the fluid handling structure is configured to contain the immersion fluid in the variable space.

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) source includes a module vessel and a scrubber system. The scrubber system may include a plurality of gutters in the module vessel. The plurality of gutters may include a first gutter and a second gutter. The second gutter may be lower than the first gutter in the module vessel. A unit volume of the second gutter is larger than a unit volume of the first gutter.