The invention relates to support structure, comprising: a first body; a second body; a first support having a first stiffness; a second support having a second stiffness, wherein the second body supports the first body at a first location via the first support, wherein the second body supports the first body at a second location via the second support; a position measurement system arranged to generate a deformation signal representative of a difference of deformation of the first body and the second body relative to each other; a first actuator to apply a force between the first body and the second body at or near the first location; a second actuator to apply a force between the first body and the second and body at or near the second location; wherein the support structure comprises a controller arranged to determine a deformation compensation signal on the basis of the first stiffness, the second stiffness and the deformation signal and to drive at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator on the basis of the deformation compensation signal to prevent or at least reduce deformation of the first body.

The invention pertains to a stage system, and to a lithographic apparatus and a method for manufacturing a device in which a stage system is used. In the stage system a positioning system is provided comprising an actuator adapted to position an object table. The actuator comprises a magnet assembly and a coil assembly. The magnet assembly comprises a first magnetic body and a second magnetic body, which are in use subjected to a internal magnetic force. The magnet assembly has a separate interface for connecting each magnetic body to the object table separately. The magnet assembly further comprises a spacer device, which holds the first and second magnetic body at a relative distance to each other in at least the direction of the internal magnetic force.

A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes at least one component, and a support device with at least one support actuator which acts on at least one support location of the component so that deformations of the component are reduced. The support device includes a control unit for triggering the at least one support actuator. The control unit is configured to trigger the support actuator in the event of a dynamic acceleration acting on the component. The disclosure also relates to a method for reducing deformations, resulting from dynamic accelerations, of a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography.

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.

A mask inspection apparatus includes a booth, a carrier, two linear scanners, a light source module and a control unit. The booth includes a platform including a slot. The carrier is movable along the slot. The carrier includes a support face for supporting the mask, guiding elements on the support face, and an inspection window in the support face. The support face extends above the platform. The linear image scanners are vertically movable respectively blow and above the platform. The light source module includes two light boxes on the platform. The light boxes are operable to cast light on an upper face of the mask in an upper position. The light boxes are operable to cast light on a lower face of the mask in a lower position. The control unit is electrically connected to the carrier, the linear image scanner and the light source module.

A lithographic apparatus comprises a base frame constructed to form a supporting structure of the lithographic apparatus, an active base frame support arranged between the base frame and a ground floor. The active base frame support is configured to support the base frame on the ground floor. The active base frame support comprises an actuator configured to exert a force in a horizontal direction between the base frame and the ground plane. The lithographic apparatus further comprises a control device configured to drive the actuator, a signal representative of a disturbance force on the base frame being provided to the control device, the control device being configured to drive the actuator using the force sensor signal.

A connection arrangement is provided for a force-fit connecting ceramic components for a lithography apparatus. The connection arrangement includes first and a second ceramic components and a clamping device. The clamping device directly clamps the first and the second ceramic component against one another in a force-fit manner.

The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, comprising: a primary frame (10) which is provided with a functional unit (11, 12, 14), a secondary frame (20), a primary frame support (30), which is adapted to support the primary frame onto the secondary frame, a flexible utility connection (40), adapted to connect the functional unit to an auxiliary system (51, 52, 53), a vibration isolation body (60) having a body mass, which is moveably connected to the secondary frame by a flexible passive body support (61) having a body support stiffness, wherein the flexible utility connection is fixed to the vibration isolation body at a distance from the primary frame.

The present invention relates to a lithographic apparatus, comprising: a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate, comprising optical elements, a sensor frame, a first position measurement system configured to measure a position of an optical element relative to the sensor frame, comprising a sensor adapted to monitor an optical element, with a sensor element mounted to the sensor frame, a sensor frame support supporting the sensor frame on a reference, a force measurement device adapted to generate force measurement data relating to force exerted on the sensor frame by the sensor frame support, a position control device adapted to control the relative position of the substrate and the patterned radiation beam wherein the position control device is configured to receive the force measurement data and to control said relative position based on at least the force measurement data.

The invention relates to a bearing device arranged to support in a vertical direction a first part of an apparatus with respect to a second part of the apparatus, comprising a magnetic gravity compensator. The magnetic gravity compensator comprises:

a first permanent magnet assembly mounted to one of the first part and the second part and comprising at least a first column of permanent magnets, the first column extending in the vertical direction, wherein the permanent magnets have a polarization direction in a first horizontal direction or in a second horizontal direction opposite to the first horizontal direction, wherein vertically adjacent permanent magnets have opposite polarization directions,

a second permanent magnet assembly mounted to the other of the first part and the second part and comprising at least one other column of permanent magnets, the at least one other column extending in the vertical direction, wherein vertically adjacent permanent magnets of the at least one other column have opposite polarization directions in the first horizontal direction or the second horizontal direction,

wherein the first permanent magnet assembly at least partially encloses the second permanent magnet assembly.