A method for localizing an abnormality in a travel path of an optical component in or for a lithography apparatus includes: a) moving the optical component in at least one first degree of freedom; b) detecting a movement (R.sub.z) of the optical component and/or a force acting on the optical component in at least one second degree of freedom; and c) localizing the abnormality as a function of the movement detected in b) and/or the force detected in b).

A method is for creating an upscaled master for an imprinting process. At least two masters are welded together, whereby at least one master includes at least partially at least one textured area. A photosensitive resin is at least applied between the two masters, whereby light of a light source is guided within a waveguiding system and cures the photosensitive resin at least between the at least two submasters when the photosensitive resin comes into contact with the waveguiding system. An upscaled master is obtained by the method, and an imprinting product is obtained from the upscaled master. An apparatus makes an upscaled master by carrying out the method.

A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. The photolithography system senses contamination of a collector mirror by the tin droplets and adjusts the flow of a buffer fluid to reduce the contamination.

A method for producing a mirror of a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography includes providing at least one material blank. The material blank comprises a material with a very low coefficient of thermal expansion and has fault zones within which at least one material parameter deviates from a specified value by more than a minimum deviation. A first mirror part having a first connecting surface is produced from the material blank. A second mirror part having a second connecting surface is produced from the material blank or a further material blank. The first and second mirror parts are permanently connected to one another in the region of the first and second connecting surfaces.

Degradation of the reflectivity of one or more reflective optical elements in a system for generating EUV radiation is reduced by the controlled introduction of a gas into a vacuum chamber containing the optical element. The gas may be added to the flow of another gas such as hydrogen or alternated with the introduction of hydrogen radicals.

A set of tracking devices can be placed within a geographic area as part of a scavenger hunt. A user with a mobile device can traverse the area, and when the user moves within a threshold proximity or communicative range of a tracking device, the mobile device can receive a communication from the tracking device identifying the tracking device. In response to determining that the tracking device is part of the set of tracking devices and thus part of the scavenger hunt, the mobile device can modify a tracking device interface displaying a representation of the tracking device to indicate that the tracking device has been found. In response to each tracking device being found, the mobile device can modify the tracking device interface to indicate that the scavenger hunt has been completed.

A photolithography system utilizes tin droplets to generate extreme ultraviolet radiation for photolithography. The photolithography system irradiates the droplets with a laser. The droplets become a plasma and emit extreme ultraviolet radiation. The photolithography system senses contamination of a collector mirror by the tin droplets and adjusts the flow of a buffer fluid to reduce the contamination.

Extreme ultraviolet light source systems may include a chamber including a condensing mirror and having an intermediate focus, by which extreme ultraviolet light reflected from the condensing mirror is emitted along a first optical path, a blocking plate that may be on the chamber so as to intersect the first optical path and may include an opening through which the extreme ultraviolet light is emitted, a transparent cover on the blocking plate so as to cover the opening, a nozzle that may be between the chamber and the blocking plate so that an end portion faces the intermediate focus and may spray a first gas in a direction intersecting the first optical path, and an exhaust pipe between the chamber and the blocking plate so as to face the end portion of the nozzle.

Extreme ultraviolet light source systems may include a chamber including a condensing mirror and having an intermediate focus, by which extreme ultraviolet light reflected from the condensing mirror is emitted along a first optical path, a blocking plate that may be on the chamber so as to intersect the first optical path and may include an opening through which the extreme ultraviolet light is emitted, a transparent cover on the blocking plate so as to cover the opening, a nozzle that may be between the chamber and the blocking plate so that an end portion faces the intermediate focus and may spray a first gas in a direction intersecting the first optical path, and an exhaust pipe between the chamber and the blocking plate so as to face the end portion of the nozzle.

An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light generating apparatus includes a vessel including a first end and a second end opposite to each other and providing an internal space extending from the first end to the second end, a concave mirror adjacent to the first end of the vessel, a droplet generator supplying a droplet to the internal space of the vessel, a laser light source irradiating a laser beam to cause the droplet to emit EUV light, and a gas jet receiving a flow control gas and spraying the received flow control gas into the internal space of the vessel. The gas jet includes a ring-shaped main body including nozzles spaced apart from one another in a circumferential direction. The nozzles spray the received flow control gas in a downward direction.