Disclosed is a thermo-mechanical actuator (100) comprising a piezo¬electric module (110), the piezo-electric module comprising at least one piezo-electric element (120), wherein the thermo-mechanical actuator is configured to: receive a thermal actuation signal (132) for controlling a thermal behaviour of the piezo-electric module, or provide a thermal sensing signal (132) representative of a thermal state of the piezo-electric module, and, wherein the thermo-mechanical actuator is configured to: receive a mechanical actuation (134) signal for controlling a mechanical behaviour of the piezo-electric module, or provide a mechanical sensing signal (134) representative of a mechanical state of the piezo-electric module.

An electrostatic clamp and a method for fabricating the same. The electrostatic clamp includes a first stack and a second stack, wherein the first stack is joined with the second stack. Each of the first and second stacks includes a clamp body, one or more electrodes disposed on the clamp body, a dielectric plate disposed on the electrodes, and a plurality of channels inside the clamp body.

A lithography system includes a radiation source and a photomask. The radiation source is configured to generate electromagnetic radiation traveling towards the photomask. The lithography system also includes an incident channel between the radiation source and the photomask for the electromagnetic radiation to travel through. There are a first injection nozzle configured to generate a first particle shield between the photomask and an exit port of the incident channel and a second injection nozzle configured to generate a second particle shield inside the incident channel.

A cooling device includes a circulation system configured to circulate a refrigerant in a condenser so as to return the refrigerant to the condenser via a pump, a heater, a throttle valve, and a vaporizer; and a cooling system that includes a heat exchanger arranged in the condenser. The condenser includes a first portion where the refrigerant is present in a liquid state and a second portion where the refrigerant is present in a gas state, and at least a portion of the heat exchanger is arranged in the second portion.

An illustrative device disclosed herein includes a plate and a reticle pod receiving structure on the front surface of the plate that at least partially bounds a reticle pod receiving area on the front surface. In this example, the back surface of the plate has a pin engagement structure that is adapted to engage a plurality of pins and a fluid flow channel that is adapted to allow fluid communication with an interior region of a reticle pod when the reticle pod is positioned in the reticle pod receiving area.

An exposure apparatus that performs a job process of exposing each of a plurality of substrates while exchanging the substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate, and a controller configured to control the job process. The controller corrects, based on a relationship between an elapsed time of the job process and a substrate deformation amount, an overlay error generated due to deformation of the substrate, and exposes the substrate. In the relationship, the substrate conveyed to the substrate holder upon a substrate exchange is given an initial deformation amount corresponding to residual heat of the substrate holder at the time of the substrate exchange.

A method of operating a semiconductor apparatus includes generating an electric field in peripheral areas of a first covering structure and a second covering structure; causing a photomask to move to a position between the first and second covering structures such that the photomask at least partially vertically overlaps the first and second covering structures and such that particles attached to the photomask are attracted to the first and second covering structures by the electric field; and irradiating the photomask with light through light transmission regions of the first and second covering structures.

A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a substrate table configured to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area and a heater and/or temperature sensor on a surface adjacent the substrate supporting area.

A substrate processing apparatus and method for effectively removing an organic material such as a photoresist without using sulfuric acid are provided. The substrate processing apparatus includes a support module, in which a substrate is inverted and seated, and an ultraviolet light source is installed, wherein the substrate is arranged so that one surface of the substrate faces the support module, and the ultraviolet light source irradiates ultraviolet rays to one surface of the substrate; a nozzle installed in the support module; and a fluid supply module for supplying a fluid to one surface of the substrate through the nozzle.

A method for temperature control of a component that is transferable between a first system and a second system includes: ascertaining a temperature drift of a temperature of the component that is to be expected after transfer of the component from the first system into the second system; and modifying a temperature prevailing in the first system and/or a temperature prevailing in the second system such that the temperature drift that is actually occurring after transfer of the component from the first system into the second system is reduced with respect to the expected temperature drift.