Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and method of applying a pattern to a substrate

A device manufacturing method comprising transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, the method comprising:

• holding the substrate on a substrate support at a patterning location;
• applying said pattern to a portion of said substrate held at the patterning location using a patterning subsystem;
• measuring locations of a plurality of alignment marks on said substrate so as to locate those marks directly or indirectly with reference to the patterning location;
• operating said patterning subsystem while using results of said measuring step to position said substrate support, said patterning subsystem and said patterning device relative to each other in a sequence of movements such that said pattern is applied repeatedly at a plurality of desired portions of the substrate;
• and
• processing said substrate to create product features in accordance with the applied pattern,
• wherein said measuring step is performed using one or more alignment sensors directed at the substrate, by operating each alignment sensor in the course of said sequence of movements to recognize and measure alignment marks on the substrate after applying the pattern to a first substrate portion to generate updated measurements, and wherein said updated measurements are used in combination with previous measurements in positioning said substrate support, said patterning subsystem and said patterning device relative to each other for the applying of said pattern to a subsequent substrate portion.

A method of transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, the method comprising:

• holding the substrate on a substrate support at a patterning location;
• applying said pattern to a portion of said substrate held at the patterning location using a patterning subsystem;
• holding the substrate on a substrate support;
• measuring the locations of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the patterning device;
• using results of said measuring step to position said substrate support, said patterning subsystem and said patterning device relative to each other such that said pattern is applied a desired portion of the substrate, the location of said portion being defined accurately with respect to alignment marks present on the substrate;
• and
• processing said substrate to create product features in accordance with the applied pattern, wherein said measuring step is performed using a plurality of alignment sensors directed at locations on the substrate distributed around the patterning location, by operating said alignment sensors in the course of said sequence of movements to recognize and measure alignment marks on the substrate after applying the pattern to a first substrate portion to generate updated measurements, and wherein said updated measurements are used in positioning said substrate support, said patterning subsystem and said patterning device relative to each other for the applying of said pattern to a subsequent substrate portion.