Patent ID: 7277185

Claim:
A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising: an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device being configured to pattern the beam of radiation, and the patterning device being provided with a reference alignment mark having a first period; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate, the substrate being provided with a substrate overlay mark having a second period, the second period being smaller than the first period, the substrate being at least partially coated with a resist layer, the resist layer being provided with a resist overlay mark having a third period; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate; and an alignment measuring system configured to measure overlay between the resist layer and the substrate by measuring an interference pattern that is generated by illuminating the substrate overlay mark and the resist overlay mark, the interference pattern having a fourth period that is larger than the second and third periods, and measuring alignment of a substrate alignment mark having a fifth period with respect to the reference alignment mark.