1 - 15 . (canceled)
16 . An apparatus for determining a distance of the apparatus to an object comprising: a transmissive device with a predefined distance between a first surface and a second surface of the device, wherein: the first surface is arranged to reflect a first part of a radiation beam, and the second surface is arranged to reflect a second part of the radiation beam, a detector configured to receive at least a portion of: the first part of the radiation beam on a first location on the detector, the second part of the radiation beam on a second location on the detector, and the radiation beam after interaction with the transmissive device and with the object on a third location on the detector, and a processor configured to receive a signal from the detector to determine the distance of the apparatus to the object based on the spatial distance between the first location and the second location, and at least one of: the spatial distance between the first location and the third location, and the spatial distance between the second location and the third location.
17 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein: the transmissive device is a transmissive plate, the first surface is on one side of the transmissive plate, and the second surface is on the opposite side of the transmissive plate.
18 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmissive device is plane-parallel.
19 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmissive device is provided with at least one tunable reflective surface.
20 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmissive device comprises at least: a first transmissive plate with a first predefined thickness, a second transmissive plate with a second predefined thickness, or a plurality of transmissive plates, each with a predefined thickness.
21 . The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the transmissive device is arranged not to intersect the radiation beam reflected from the object.
22 . The apparatus of claim 21 , wherein the transmissive device comprises a recess configured to pass the radiation beam reflected from the object without interaction with the transmissive device.
23 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein: the radiation beam comprises at least a first and a second radiation beam, and the first and second radiation beams intersect the transmissive device geometrically different.
24 . The apparatus of claim 16 , further comprising a temperature sensor.
25 . The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the processor is configured to control at least one of the intensity of the radiation beam or the wavelength of the radiation beam.
26 . A lithographic apparatus comprising at least one apparatus of claim 16 .
27 . A metrology apparatus comprising at least one apparatus of claim 16 .
28 . A camera system comprising at least one apparatus of claim 16 .
29 . A method for determining a distance of an apparatus to an object, the method comprising: providing a beam of radiation; projecting the beam of radiation onto a transmissive device arranged in the apparatus; irradiating the object with at least a portion of the beam of radiation transmitted through the transmissive device; receiving at least a portion of a first part of the beam of radiation reflected by a first surface of the transmissive device on a first location on a detector; receiving at least a portion of a second part of the beam of radiation reflected by a second surface of the transmissive device on a second location on the detector; receiving at least a portion of the beam of radiation after interaction with the transmissive device and with the object on a third location on the detector; and deriving the distance of the apparatus to the object based on the spatial distance between the first location and the second location, and at least one of: the spatial distance between the first location and the third location, and the spatial distance between the second location and the third location.
30 . The method of claim 29 , wherein the transmissive device has a predefined distance between the first surface and the second surface of the transmissive device.
31 . The method of claim 29 , wherein: the transmissive device is a transmissive plate, the first surface is on one side of the transmissive plate, and the second surface is on the opposite side of the transmissive plate.
32 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the transmissive device is plane-parallel.
33 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the transmissive device is provided with at least one tunable reflective surface.
34 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the transmissive device comprises at least: a first transmissive plate with a first predefined thickness, a second transmissive plate with a second predefined thickness, or a plurality of transmissive plates, each with a predefined thickness.
35 . The apparatus of claim 29 , wherein the transmissive device is arranged not to intersect the radiation beam reflected from the object.