A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography having a projection optical unit. The projection optical unit includes a sensor frame, a carrying frame, and a module. The module includes an optical element and actuators for positioning and orienting the optical element. The module is on the carrying frame, and the sensor frame is a reference for the positioning of the optical element. The module includes an infrastructure which includes interfaces for separating a module from the projection optical unit. A method exchanges the module of a projection optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, wherein the module includes an optical element, while the reference remains in the projection exposure apparatus.

A light source apparatus includes a holder configured to hold a lamp including a metal base having a cylindrical surface, a condensing mirror configured to condense light generated by the lamp, and a nozzle including an ejection hole configured to eject a gas to cool the metal base. A distance between a straight line including a center axis of the ejection hole and a center axis of the metal base ranges from not less than ½ of a radius of the cylindrical surface to not more than the radius.

A lithographic apparatus or frame assembly, comprising: a first and second pneumatic support, being arranged to control position of a frame, each of said pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber; a frame position control system, comprising; a first position sensor device, configured to generate measurement data relating to the position of the frame; a first pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data generated by the first position sensor device; a pressure differential sensor device, configured to generate data relating to the difference between the pressure in the pressure chambers of the first and the second pneumatic support; a second pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data from the pressure differential sensor device.

An actuator for an optic mount in a vacuum environment includes a bellows around an actuator compartment. The bellows provides a seal around the actuator. A filter assembly is positioned between the actuator compartment and an interior of a vacuum chamber. The filter assembly includes a first particle filter, a second particle filter, and a purifier medium between the first particle filter and the second particle filter. Vacuum conditions in the actuator compartment can be achieved with a pump for the vacuum chamber, but particles and contaminants from the actuator or actuator compartment are captured by the filter assembly.

A liquid crystal exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with an illumination light via a projection optical system is equipped with: a substrate holder that holds the substrate; a substrate encoder system that includes head units and scales, and acquires the position information of the substrate holder on the basis of the output of the head units; and a drive section that relatively moves one of the head units and the scales on the substrate holder with respect to the other.

An exposure system is equipped with: chambers in a first row that are disposed on the +X side with respect to a C/D installed on a floor surface; chambers in a second row that are disposed on the +Y side of the chambers in the first row, facing the chambers in the first row; and a measurement chamber and a control rack that are disposed adjacently on the −X side with respect to the chambers in the first row and the second row and besides on the +X side of the C/D. Inside at least some of the chambers, an exposure room where exposure is performed is formed, and the control rack distributes utility supplied from below the floor surface to each of the chambers in the first row and the second row.

A lithographic apparatus or frame assembly, comprising: a first and second pneumatic support, being arranged to control position of a frame, each of said pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber; a frame position control system, comprising; a first position sensor device, configured to generate measurement data relating to the position of the frame; a first pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data generated by the first position sensor device; a pressure differential sensor device, configured to generate data relating to the difference between the pressure in the pressure chambers of the first and the second pneumatic support; a second pressure controller, configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data from the pressure differential sensor device.

A module for a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes at least one optical element arranged in a holder. At least one spacer is arranged between the holder and a further holder or a main body. The spacer is designed to semi-actively vary its extent. A method for positioning at least one holder in a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes using a semi-active spacer is to position the holder.

A method adjusts a first element of a lithography apparatus toward a second element of the lithography apparatus via a tunable spacer which is arranged between the first element and the second element. The method includes: determining an actual location of the first element; determining a nominal location of the first element; unloading the tunable spacer; adjusting a height of the tunable spacer to bring the first element from the actual location to the nominal location; and loading the tunable spacer.

A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system which includes a plurality of optical elements configured to project a beam of radiation onto a radiation sensitive substrate. The lithographic apparatus also includes a metrology frame structure which includes a part of one or more optical element measurement systems to measure the position and/or orientation of at least one of the optical elements. The plurality of optical elements, a patterning device stage, and a substrate stage are arranged such that, in a two dimensional view on the projection system, a rectangle is defined such that it envelops the plurality of optical elements, the patterning device stage, and the substrate stage. The rectangle is as small as possible. The metrology frame structure is positioned within the rectangle.