ASML Netherlands B.V

A pellicle for an apparatus for semiconductor processes comprising: a pellicle film; a border forming at least part of a support layer for supporting the pellicle film; and a sacrificial layer; wherein the sacrificial layer is disposed between and directly contacts the pellicle film and the support layer. Also described is an apparatus for semiconductor processes comprising such a pellicle. In addition, there is provided method of manufacturing a pellicle for an exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing processes, the method comprising: depositing an sacrificial layer on a front side of a silicon support layer; applying a mask to define border regions at a back side of the silicon support layer; and depositing a metal silicide layer directly onto the sacrificial layer.

The present disclosure provides a position control method for a stage comprising a long-stroke module and a short-stroke module, the method comprising: providing a short-stroke trajectory setpoint; determining a long-stroke feedforward force; applying a first filter (N) to the long-stroke feedforward force; determining a short-stroke feedforward force; applying the first filter (N) to the short-stroke feedforward force; and determining a feedforward position correction by applying a position correction filter (Q) to the short-stroke trajectory setpoint.

The present disclosure relates to a method of bonding a first substrate to a second substrate. The method may comprise, while bringing a bonding surface of the first substrate into contact with a bonding surface of the second substrate, driving at least one vibrational mode of the first substrate to modify a speed of propagation of a bond front. The present disclosure also relates to another method of bonding a first substrate and a second substrate. The method may comprise, while bringing a bonding surface of the first substrate into contact with a bonding surface of the second substrate, generating a wave configured to interact with a bond front to modify a speed of propagation of the bond front. The present disclosure also relates to other, related methods, and apparatuses for performing the methods.

A metrology tool for measuring a target on a substrate, comprising a moveable substrate support configured to support the substrate and move the substrate at a first velocity. The metrology tool further comprises a radiation source configured to emit pulsed radiation to illuminate the target, and a detector configured to detect diffracted or reflected pulse radiation from the target to measure the target. The detector has a resolution such that a multiplication of the pulse length of the pulsed radiation and the first velocity is not greater than 2x the resolution.

A broadband light source device comprising a radiation source for generating pulses of pump radiation, and a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber (HC-PCF) comprising a hollow core (HC). The HC-PCF comprises: a first region in which the HC has a first diameter; a second down-tapered region wherein a diameter of the HC reduces over its length from the first to a second diameter; a third region in which the HC has the second diameter; and a fourth up-tapered region, wherein a diameter of the HC increases over its length from the second to the first diameter. Parameter(s) of each of (i) a working medium disposed in the HC (ii) a pulse of pump radiation, and (iii) the regions, is selected such that the pulse is broadened in the first, second and third regions based on soliton-self compression, and further broadened in the fourth region based on self-steepening.

A substrate holder for a bonding tool that is configured to bond a first substrate to a second substrate, is configured to hold the first substrate and comprises: a plurality of burls protruding from a base surface of the substrate holder and configured to contact the first substrate, wherein the substrate holder is configured to clamp the first substrate to the substrate holder by a clamping force through the burls.

The invention provides a processing system for an incremental position measurement system arranged to determine a position of a movable object, wherein the processing system comprises an input to receive, from an incremental measurement device of the incremental position measurement system, a signal representative for a position of the movable object, wherein the processing system is arranged to determine a velocity dependent cyclic error value and/or a velocity dependent correction value of the incremental position measurement system based on the signal and a velocity of the movable object.

The invention provides a substrate support assembly configured to support a substrate, the substrate support assembly comprising: a support table configured to support the substrate in a support plane, the support table having a top surface facing the substrate and a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, the support plane being parallel to the top surface of the support table, the support table comprising a plurality of bottom burls at the bottom surface, a support configured to clamp the substrate to the support table, wherein the support table is held within a recess provided in the support, the plurality of bottom burls facing a base of the recess, an actuator assembly comprising one or more actuators arranged in the recess and configured to move the support table relative to the support in a transverse direction with respect to the support plane.

A fluid handling structure configured to confine immersion liquid to an immersion space and comprising: a liquid supply opening to supply immersion liquid to the immersion space; a extraction opening outwards of the liquid supply opening to extract fluid from the immersion space; a gas supply opening outwards of the fluid extraction opening to supply a soluble gas to the vicinity of the immersion space; and a gas extraction opening outwards of the gas supply opening to extract gas from the vicinity of the immersion space; wherein the bottom surface has: an outer portion outward of the gas extraction opening, the outer portion facing the substrate in use and separated from the substrate by a first distance; and a barrier projecting toward the substrate by a second distance, the second distance being in the range of from 40% to 99% of the first distance.

A method of forming a feature on a substrate. The method comprises performing an exposure process comprising projecting an image of the feature in the vicinity of the substrate. The method comprises adjusting a focal position of the image relative to a top surface of the substrate during the exposure process. The method comprises adjusting an intensity of the image during the exposure process.