A method of producing a substrate holder for use in a lithographic apparatus, the substrate holder comprising a main body having a main body surface, wherein the method includes the steps of: coating at least part of the main body with a layer of a first coating material; and treating a plurality of discrete regions of the first coating material with laser irradiation to selectively convert said first coating material in said regions to a second coating material having a different structure or density.

A reticle-masking structure is provided. The reticle-masking structure includes a magnetic substrate and a paramagnetic part disposed on the magnetic substrate. The paramagnetic part includes a plurality of fractions disposed on a plurality of protrusion structures. In some embodiments, the protrusion structures are irregularly arranged. A method for forming a reticle-masking structure and an extreme ultraviolet apparatus are also provided.

A method includes transferring a wafer over a wafer stage on a wafer table. The wafer table includes a table body, a wafer stage, a first sliding member, a second sliding member, a first cable, a first bracket and a second bracket, and a stopper. The second sliding member is movable along a first direction, in which the first sliding member is coupled to a track of the second sliding member, the first sliding member being movable along a second direction vertical to the first direction. The first bracket and the second bracket are connected by a leaf spring. The method includes moving the wafer stage toward the edge of the table body, such that the wafer stage pushes the first cable outwardly, such that the leaf spring is moved toward a first protective film on a surface of the stopper facing the leaf spring.

An ElectroStatic Chuck (ESC) including a chucking surface having at least a portion covered with a coating of silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2), silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4) or a combination of both. The coating can be applied in situ a processing chamber of a substrate processing tool and periodically removed and re-applied in situ to create fresh coating.

The present invention is a method for controlling flatness of a wafer including the steps of: providing a holding member having a holding surface including a plurality of segments, where each of the plurality of segments includes a dry adhesive fiber structure; making the holding surface of the holding member adhere to a wafer to make the holding member hold the wafer; obtaining information on flatness of the wafer by measuring flatness of the wafer to; and releasing adhesion of the dry adhesive fiber structures to the wafer in a part of the plurality of segments of the holding surface of the holding member based on the information on flatness. This can provide: a method for controlling flatness by which flatness of a wafer can be controlled sufficiently.

A positioning system to position a structure comprises an actuator and a control unit to control the actuator in response to a position setpoint received by the control unit. The actuator comprises a magnet assembly comprises a magnet configured to provide a magnetic flux, and a coil assembly, wherein the coil assembly and the magnet assembly are movable relative to each other, the coil assembly comprising a coil, an actuation of the coil by a drive current providing for a force between the magnet assembly and the coil assembly. The magnet assembly comprises a further electric conductor, the further electric conductor comprising a non-ferromagnetic electrically conductive material, wherein the further electric conductor is magnetically coupled to the coil of the coil assembly and forms a short circuit path for an inductive electrical current induced in the further electric conductor as a result of an actuator current in the coil.

A lithographic apparatus has an object, the object includes: a substrate and optionally a lower layer on the substrate; an upper layer; and an intermediate layer between the upper layer and the substrate, wherein a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the substrate or lower layer is greater than a bond strength between the intermediate layer and the upper layer and the intermediate layer has a Young's Modulus and/or a Poisson ratio within 20% of that of the upper layer.

A component for a mirror array for EUV lithography, particularly for use in faceted mirrors in illumination systems of EUV lithography devices. A component (500) for a mirror array for EUV lithography is proposed which is at least partially made from a composite material including matrix material (502) that contains copper and/or aluminium, and reinforcing material in the form of fibers (504). The composite material also includes particles (508) that consist of one or more of the materials from the group: graphite, adamantine carbon, and ceramic.

A substrate, a substrate holder, a substrate coating apparatus, a method for coating the substrate and a method for removing the coating. A monomolecular layer is applied to the backside of the substrate or a clamp surface of the substrate holder. The friction force between the substrate backside and the substrate is small when the substrate does not experience full clamping force. After loading the substrate on the substrate holder full clamping force is exerted in order to fix the substrate. The clamping force causes local removal of the monomolecular layer, resulting in an increase of the friction force between the substrate and the substrate holder.

An ElectroStatic Chuck (ESC) including a chucking surface having at least a portion covered with a coating of silicon oxide (SiO.sub.2), silicon nitride (Si.sub.3N.sub.4) or a combination of both. The coating can be applied in situ a processing chamber of a substrate processing tool and periodically removed and re-applied in situ to create fresh coating.