Systems, methods, and devices for thermal conditioning of reticles in lithographic apparatuses

A patterning device cooling system for thermally conditioning a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus, the cooling system comprising:

• a thermal conditioner configured to thermally condition the patterning device;
• and
• a controller configured to control the thermal conditioner to:
• determine a temperature state of the patterning device,
• determine a production state of the lithographic apparatus,
• determine a conditioning state of the patterning device when the patterning device is detected at a load port of the lithographic apparatus, and
• thermally condition the patterning device for exposures based on the temperature state, the production state, and the conditioning state of the patterning device.

A method for thermally conditioning a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

• determining a temperature state of a patterning device comprising detecting a temperature or a predicting temperature of the patterning device;
• determining a production state of the lithographic apparatus;
• the thermally conditioning, by a conditioning device, the patterning device for exposures based on the temperature state and the production state;
• optimizing exposure throughput of the patterning device in response to the production state of the lithographic apparatus being a production priority state;
• and
• prioritizing conditioning of the patterning device in response to the production state of the lithographic apparatus being an overlay priority state.

A method for thermally conditioning a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

• determining a temperature state of a patterning device;
• determining a production state of the lithographic apparatus;
• and
• determining an conditioning state of the patterning device;
• the thermally conditioning of the patterning device for exposures based on the temperature state, the production state, and the conditioning state of the patterning device;
• determining the conditioning state when the patterning device is detected at a load port of the lithographic apparatus;
• placing the patterning device in an active conditioning slot within a thermal conditioner, and changing the conditioning state of the patterning device to an active conditioning state, in response to the conditioning state of the patterning device being a not conditioned state;
• and
• the thermally conditioning of the patterning device by at least one of air and fluid circulation.

A method for thermally conditioning a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

• determining a temperature state of a patterning device;
• determining a production state of the lithographic apparatus;
• the thermally conditioning, by a conditioning device, the patterning device for exposures based on the temperature state and the production state;
• and
• changing the production state of the lithographic apparatus between a production priority state that prioritizes exposure throughput of the patterning device and an overlay priority state that prioritizes conditioning of the patterning device in response to the production state of the lithographic apparatus being a recipe dependent state.