Lithographic projection apparatus positioning system, method of manufacturing, device manufactured thereby and computer program

A device manufacturing method using a lithographic projection apparatus, the lithographic apparatus including a positioning system to position at least one of a support structure to support patterning structure and a substrate table, said positioning system comprising a stator and a translator, one of said stator and said translator comprising a periodic magnet structure and the other of said stator and said translator comprising a plurality of coils configured to receive a movement signal to induce movement of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation system;
• using patterning structure to endow the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section;
• projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• applying to a plurality of said coils an oscillating signal sufficient to cause vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, said vibrations having an amplitude less than the period of said periodic magnet structure;
• measuring said vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom;
• and
• determining a phase relationship between said translator and said stator on the basis of said measured vibrations.

A device manufactured according to a method using a lithographic projection apparatus, the lithographic apparatus including a positioning system to position at least one of a support structure to support patterning structure and a substrate table, said positioning system comprising a stator and a translator, one of said stator and said translator comprising a periodic magnet structure and the other of said stator and said translator comprising a plurality of coils configured to receive a movement signal to induce movement of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, the method comprising:

• providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation system;
• using patterning structure to endow the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section;
• projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;
• applying to a plurality of said coils an oscillating signal sufficient to cause vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, said vibrations having an amplitude less than the period of said periodic magnet structure;
• measuring said vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom;
• and
• determining a phase relationship between said translator and said stator on the basis of said measured vibrations.

A computer program to determine a phase relationship of a stator and a translator in a lithographic projection apparatus, the lithographic projection apparatus including a positioning system to position at least one of a substrate table and a support structure to support patterning structure, said positioning system comprising a stator and a translator, one of said stator and said translator comprising a periodic magnet structure and the other of said stator and said translator comprising a plurality of coils configured to receive a movement signal to induce movement of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, the computer program comprising program code to, when executed on a computer, perform the method of:

• applying to a plurality of said coils an oscillating signal sufficient to cause vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom, said vibrations having an amplitude less than the period of said periodic magnet structure;
• measuring said vibrations of said translator in more than one degree of freedom;
• and
• determining a phase relationship between said translator and said stator on the basis of said measured vibrations.