Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small.

A method of determining a field of view setting for an inspection tool having a configurable field of view, the method including: obtaining a process margin distribution of features on at least part of a substrate; obtaining a threshold value; identifying, in dependence on the obtained process margin distribution and the threshold value, one or more regions on at least part of the substrate; and determining the field of view setting in dependence on the identified one or more regions.

A method for drying a component interior of a component can be used in a lithographic process chain. The method includes a first drying step, in which simultaneously heated air is admitted into a component interior through an inlet, and the heated air is sucked out of the component interior through an outlet. The method also includes a succeeding second drying step, in which the inlet for the heated air is closed and the air is sucked out of the component interior, resulting in a reduced pressure is generated in the component interior.

The invention provides a method for thermo-mechanical control of a heat sensitive element (Ml) subject to a heat load, comprising: -providing a non-linear thermo-mechanical model of the heat sensitive element describing a dynamical relationship between characteristics of the heat load and deformation of the heat sensitive element; -calculating a control signal on the basis of an optimization calculation of the non-linear model, -providing an actuation signal to a heater (HE), wherein the actuation signal is at least partially based on the control signal, -heating the heat sensitive element by the heater on the basis of the actuation signal.

An adaptive optical element for microlithography comprises at least one manipulator for changing the shape of an optical surface of the optical element. The manipulator comprises a one-piece dielectric medium which is deformable by applying an electric field, electrodes that are arranged in interconnection with the one-piece dielectric medium, and a voltage generator which is wired to the electrodes and configured to apply to the electrodes, firstly, a control voltage that serves to change a longitudinal extent of the dielectric medium and, secondly, an AC voltage that serves to heat the dielectric medium.

An adaptive optical element for microlithography comprises at least one manipulator for changing the shape of an optical surface of the optical element. The manipulator comprises a dielectric medium which is deformable via an electric field, work electrodes for generating the electric field in the dielectric medium, and a measuring electrode for measuring temperature. The measuring electrode is arranged in a direct assemblage with the dielectric medium. The measuring electrode has a temperature-dependent resistance.

A method for measuring an actuator in a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, comprises: driving and deflecting a first actuator with a constant control signal; deflecting a further actuator by way of the mechanical coupling; and determining the capacitance of the further actuator, which was deflected by way of the coupling. A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography comprises a control device and a measuring device, wherein the measuring device is configured to determine the capacitance of at least one actuator in the projection exposure apparatus.

An arrangement of a microlithographic optical imaging device includes first and supporting structures. The first supporting structure supports an optical element of the imaging device. The first supporting structure supports the second supporting structure via supporting spring devices of a vibration decoupling device. The supporting spring devices act kinematically parallel to one another between the first and second supporting structures. Each supporting spring device defines a supporting force direction and a supporting length along the supporting force direction. The second supporting structure supports a measuring device configured to measure the position and/or orientation of the optical element in relation to a reference in at least one degree of freedom and up to all six degrees of freedom in space. A creep compensation device compensates a change in a static relative situation between the first and second supporting structures in at least one correction degree of freedom.

A metrology system includes a light beam metrology apparatus configured to sense one or more aspects of an amplified light beam and to make adjustments to the amplified light beam based on the sensed one or more aspects; a target metrology apparatus configured to measure one or more properties of a modified target after a target has interacted with the amplified light beam, and to determine a moment when the modified target achieves a reference calibration state; and a control apparatus configured to: receive the reference calibration state and the moment at which the reference calibration state is achieved from the target metrology apparatus; determine a light beam calibration state of the amplified light beam based on the received reference calibration state and the moment at which the reference calibration state is achieved; and provide the light beam calibration state to the light beam metrology apparatus.

A device (20) for detecting a temperature on a surface (15) of an optical element (14) for semiconductor lithography. The device includes an optical element (14) having a face (16) irradiated with electromagnetic radiation (7, 8, 43), a temperature recording device (21), and a temperature controlled element (22) configured to be temperature-controlled and arranged so that the predominant proportion of the intensity of the thermal radiation (25.2) detected by the temperature recording device and reflected by reflection at the surface of the optical element is emitted by the temperature-controlled element.

Also disclosed are an installation (1) for producing a surface (15) of an optical element (14) for semiconductor lithography and a method for producing a surface (15) of an optical element (14) of a projection exposure apparatus (30), wherein the surface is temperature-controlled and the surface temperature is detected during the temperature control.