The present invention provides a vibration control apparatus which controls vibration of an object supported via a support having a damping coefficient, the apparatus comprising a driving device configured to drive the object, and a controller configured to perform negative feedback control of the driving device based on information of vibration of the object, wherein the controller is configured to perform positive feedback control of the driving device based on information of a velocity of the object so as to reduce a force which the support causes to act on the object in accordance with the velocity.

A liquid immersion member is used in a liquid immersion exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by exposure light via a first liquid between an emitting surface of an optical member and the substrate, and is capable of forming a liquid immersion space on an object movable below the optical member. The liquid immersion member includes a first member that is disposed at at least a portion of surrounding of the optical member; a second member that is capable of being opposite to the object and is movable outside an optical path of the exposure light; and a protection part that protects the optical member. The protection part decreases a change in pressure which the optical member receives from the liquid in the liquid immersion space.

The invention relates to a vibration isolator, comprising: a base; a coupling element to be coupled to a vibration sensitive object; a decoupling mass; a first vibration isolator pan arranged between the base and the decoupling mass; and a second vibration isolator part arranged between the decoupling mass and the coupling element, and wherein at least one of the first and second vibration isolator part comprises a pneumatic isolator.

An exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage having a substrate holder to hold a substrate, a gap being formed between an edge of the held substrate and a surface surrounding the held substrate, and a controller that controls an exposure operation in which shot areas of the substrate are exposed sequentially and respectively with an image through liquid of a liquid immersion area which covers a portion of an upper surface of the substrate. The controller moves the substrate stage at a first speed to expose one of the shot areas to the image through the liquid, moves the substrate stage at a second speed, that is lower than the first speed, to expose another one of the shot areas to the image through the liquid, and during the exposing of the another one of the shot areas, the liquid immersion area is formed over a portion of the gap.

The present disclosure provides a method, system, and fabrication facility that eliminates or substantially reduces process-limiting vibrations within a high-precision device manufacturing facility, wherein an elevated structure supports high-precision device manufacturing equipment and provides vibration reduction spacing between a floor and an upper surface of said elevated structure.

A lithographic apparatus including: a projection system to project radiation onto a substrate supported on a substrate stage, during an exposure phase; a sensing system to sense a property of the substrate on the stage during a sensing phase; and a positioning system to determine a position of the stage relative to a reference system via a radiation path between the stage and the reference system, wherein the apparatus is configured to control stage movement relative to the reference system in the sensing phase and to control other movement relative to the reference system during the exposure phase; the stage or reference system having an outlet to provide a gas curtain to reduce ingress of ambient gas into the path; and the apparatus is operative such that a characteristic of the gas curtain is different in at least part of the sensing phase compared to in the exposure phase.

A measurement system for a lithographic apparatus includes a sub-frame compliantly mounted on a reference frame. A measurement device, e.g. an alignment sensor, is mounted on the sub-frame. Soft mounting of the sub-frame isolates the alignment sensor from high-frequency disturbances, e.g. acoustic noise, by acting as a low-pass filter with a cut-off frequency, e.g. in the range of from 100 to 200 Hz.

A temperature conditioning system for a lithographic apparatus. Temperature variations in an object cause object deformation which prevents the object being accurately positioned. Temperature condition systems use conduit systems, provided with fluid, in or on the object to control the temperature of the object to reduce object deformation. In this way, parts of the object can be more accurately positioned. However, acceleration of the object and the temperature conditioning system induces variation in pressure within the fluid inside the conduit system on or in the object, which may also cause object deformation. To provide an improved conduit system, the lithographic apparatus further includes a control system which is used to control the movement of the object based on measurements indicating pressure variation in the conduit.

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a liquid supply inlet, a first liquid collection outlet, and a separator fluidically connected to the first liquid collection outlet, the separator separating one of liquid and gas, which have been collected via the first liquid collection outlet, from the other. A stage which holds a substrate has a second liquid collection outlet that collects a portion of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply inlet which comes from a gap between an upper surface of the substrate and an upper surface of the stage.

The invention relates to arrangements for actuating an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, an arrangement for actuating an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a first number (n.sub.R) of degrees of freedom, wherein an adjustable force can be transmitted to the optical element in each of the degrees of freedom, and a second number (n.sub.A) of actuators, which are coupled to the optical element in each case via a mechanical coupling for the purpose of transmitting force to the optical element, wherein the second number (n.sub.A) is greater than the first number (n.sub.R). In accordance with one aspect, at least one of the actuators is arranged in a node of at least one natural vibration mode of the optical element.