Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

a patterning support constructed to hold a patterning device, the patterning support being movable along a line of movement;

at least one position sensor supported by the patterning support and configured to measure a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support and to generate a measuring signal; and

a positioning device configured to control a position of the patterning support based on the measuring signal input to The positioning device.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , comprising two position sensors spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of the patterning support.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein The at least one position sensor is selected from a group of position sensors consisting of a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, an optical sensor, and a piezo-electric sensor.

4. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

a patterning support constructed to hold a patterning device, the patterning support being movable along a line of movement, and the patterning device being configured to impart a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;

a substrate support constructed to hold a substrate, wherein the patterned radiation beam is projected onto a target portion of the substrate,

at least one position sensor supported by the patterning support and configured to measure a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support and to generate a measuring signal; and

a positioning device configured to control a position of at least one of the patterning support and the substrate support based on the measuring signal input to the positioning device.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , comprising two position sensors spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of the patterning support.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the at least one position sensor is selected from a group of position sensors consisting of a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, an optical sensor, and a piezo-electric sensor.

7. A device manufacturing method comprising:

holding a patterning device on a patterning support;

moving the patterning support along a line of movement;

measuring a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support with a position sensor supported by the patterning support; and

controlling a position of the patterning support based on the measurement of the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

8. The device manufacturing method of claim 7 , wherein the controlling of the position of the patterning support includes compensating for a slip of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

9. The device manufacturing method of claim 7 , wherein during a movement of the patterning support in one direction along the line of movement, the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support is measured, and wherein during a subsequent movement of the patterning support the position of the patterning support is controlled.

10. The device manufacturing method of claim 9 , wherein said subsequent movement of the patterning support is in said one direction.

11. The device manufacturing method of claim 9 , wherein the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support is measured during a constant velocity part of said movement of the patterning support in said one direction.

12. The device manufacturing method of claim 7 , wherein the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support is measured at two or more locations for different degrees of freedom.

13. The device manufacturing method of claim 7 , wherein the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support is measured at two locations spaced apart in a direction substantially perpendicular to the line of movement of the patterning support, and wherein a position of the patterning support is controlled based on a difference between the measurements at the two locations of the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

14. The device manufacturing method of claim 13 , wherein the controlling of the position of the patterning support includes compensating for a rotation of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

15. The device manufacturing method of claim 7 , wherein the patterning support is moved in said line of movement in opposite directions at least once before measuring a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.

16. A device manufacturing method comprising:

holding a patterning device on a patterning support, the patterning device being configured to impart a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;

holding a substrate on a substrate support;

moving the patterning support and the substrate support along a line of movement;

generating a radiation beam;

projecting the patterned radiation beam on a target portion of the substrate;

measuring a position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support with a position sensor supported by the patterning support; and

controlling a position of at least one of the patterning support and the substrate support based on the measurement of the position of the patterning device relative to the patterning support.