A system (500) includes an illumination system (502), a lens element (506), and a detector (504). The illumination system generates a beam of radiation (510) having a first spatial intensity distribution (800) at a pupil plane (528) and a second spatial intensity distribution (900) at a plane of a target (514). The first spatial intensity distribution comprises an annular intensity profile (802) or an intensity profile corresponding to three or more beams. The lens element focuses the beam onto the target. The second spatial intensity distribution is a conjugate of the first intensity distribution and has an intensity profile corresponding to a central beam (902) and one or more side lobes (904) that are substantially isolated from the central beam. The central beam has a beam diameter of approximately 20 microns or less at the target. The detector receives radiation scattered by the target and generates a measurement signal based on the received radiation.

An optical element includes: a substrate, a reflective coating, applied to the substrate, for reflecting radiation in a first wavelength range (Δλ.sub.1) between 100 nm and 700 nm, preferably between 100 nm and 300 nm, more preferably between 100 nm and 200 nm, and a protective coating applied to the reflective coating. The substrate is formed from a material which is transparent to the radiation in the first wavelength range (Δλ.sub.1). The reflective coating is applied to a rear face of the substrate and is structured to reflect radiation that passes through the substrate to the reflective coating. Also disclosed are an optical arrangement with at least one such optical element and a method of producing such an optical element.

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection lens for projecting structures of a mask into a substrate plane via exposure radiation. At least one optical element of the projection lens is provided with a manipulator configured for the targeted input of thermal energy into the optical element, without one of further optical elements of the projection lens being significantly heated in the process. The projection exposure apparatus furthermore comprises a control device configured for controlling the exposure radiation and for controlling the manipulator so that an effect on an optical property of the projection lens that is caused by a decrease in a thermal energy input into the projection lens due to an exposure pause is at least partly compensated for by the energy input via the manipulator. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a corresponding method for controlling a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.

In accordance with some embodiments, a lithography method in semiconductor manufacturing is provided. The lithography method includes transmitting a main pulse laser to a zone of excitation through a first optic assembly. The lithography method further includes supplying a coolant to the first optic assembly and detecting a temperature of the coolant with a use of at least one sensor. The lithography method also includes adjusting a heat transfer rate between the coolant and the first optic assembly based on the temperature of the first optic assembly. In addition, the lithography method includes generating a droplet of a target material into the zone of excitation. The lithography method further includes exciting the droplet of the target material into plasma with the main pulse laser in the zone of excitation.

The present disclosure relates to a wafer processing apparatus and a wafer transfer method. The wafer processing apparatus includes: a first machine; a second machine, including a manipulator, the manipulator transfers a wafer to the machine through a connection port; the connection port is provided between the first machine and the second machine; door panels, provided on the first machine and used to close the connection port; a detector, for detecting a current position of the door panel; a driver, connected to the door panel, for driving the door panel to move to open or close the connection port; and a controller, connected to the detector, the driver and the manipulator, for controlling the door panel to move according to the current position of the door panel to open or close the connection port, and control the manipulator to transfer the wafer.

The invention relates to a method for removing particles from a mask system for a projection exposure apparatus, comprising the following method steps: detecting the particle in the mask system, providing laser radiation, removing the particle by irradiating the particle with laser radiation.

According to the invention, the wavelength of the laser radiation corresponds to that of used radiation used by the projection exposure apparatus.

Some implementations herein include a detection circuit and a fast and accurate in-line method for detecting blockage on a droplet generator head of an extreme ultraviolet exposure tool without impacting the flow of droplets of a target material through the droplet generator head. In some implementations described herein, the detection circuit includes a switch circuit that is configured in an open configuration, in which the switch is electrically open between two electrode elements. When an accumulation of the target material occurs across two or more electrode elements on the droplet generator head, the accumulation functions as a switch that closes the detection circuit. A controller may detect closure of the detection circuit.

A multi-channel device and method for measuring the distortion and magnification of objective lens. The multi-channel device for measuring the distortion and magnification of objective lens comprises an illumination system, a reticle stage, a test reticle, a projection objective lens, a wafer stage and a multi-channel image plane sensor, wherein the multi-channel image plane sensor simultaneously measures the image placement shifts between actual image points and nominal image points after a plurality of object plane test marks are imaged by the projection objective lens, and calculates the distortion and magnification errors of the objective lens by fitting, which shortens the measurement time, eliminates the influence of wafer stage errors on the measurement accuracy and improves the measurement accuracy.

The present invention provides an evaluation method for evaluating a state in an apparatus concerning particles existing inside a substrate processing apparatus for processing a substrate, including arranging a plate in a charged state inside the apparatus and obtaining the number of particles adhered to the plate by performing a dummy operation different from an operation of processing the substrate, and evaluating the state in the apparatus based on a coefficient representing a ratio of the number of particles adhered to the plate by performing the dummy operation for the plate in an uncharged state to the number of particles adhered to the plate in the charged state, and the number of particles obtained in the arranging the plate.

When replacing a mirror in a projection exposure apparatus, a mirror for replacement is initially removed (41). Position- and orientation data of the removed mirror for replacement are measured (43) by a position -and orientation data measuring device. Furthermore, position- and orientation data of a replacement mirror, to be inserted in place of the mirror for replacement, are measured (46) using the position- and orientation data measuring device. Bearing points of the replacement mirror are reworked (48) on the basis of ascertained differences between, firstly, the position- and orientation data of the mirror for replacement and, secondly, the position- and orientation data of the replacement mirror. The reworked replacement mirror is installed (54). This yields a mirror replacement method, in which an adjustment outlay of the replacement mirror in the projection exposure apparatus is reduced.