Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 10,338,478 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2015
• Issued: 07/02/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Streefkerk, Bob, Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Donders, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus, Hoogendam, Christiaan Alexander, Mertens, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria, Mulkens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitesell Gordon, Steven
• Application Number:
  US14/800,493
• Publication Number:
  US 20150316858A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70866 of mask or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7026 Focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling

Abstract

In immersion lithography after exposure of a substrate is complete, a detector is used to detect any residual liquid remaining on the substrate and/or substrate table.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a projection system arranged to project a beam of radiation onto a substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply liquid to a space between the projection system and a movable table; and

a same detector configured to detect at least part of the liquid remaining on an object to produce a first output representing a first parameter about the liquid and configured to make a measurement to produce a second output separate from the first output, the second output representing a second parameter separate from the first parameter about the liquid.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drying station configured to dry the object in the event that liquid is detected by the detector.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a sensor configured to measure a position or orientation of a solid surface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein detection of at least part of the liquid on the object is effected by the level sensor giving a measurement outside a normal operating range.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises an alignment sensor configured to determine the position, in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection system, of a marker.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein detection of at least part of the liquid on the object is effected by the alignment sensor giving a measurement outside a normal operating range.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector comprises one or more devices selected from the group comprising an air gauge, a capacitive sensor, an automatically focusing spot projector, a scatterometer, a camera, an infrared sensor, and a grazing angle laser beam and a detector to detect scattered light.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection system is provided at an exposure station and the detector is provided at a measurement station, the measurement station being physically separate from the exposure station.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detector is configured to generate, upon detection of residual liquid, a signal to instruct performance of a drying action.

10. A device manufacturing method comprising:

projecting, using a projection system of a lithographic apparatus, a beam of radiation through a liquid onto a substrate;

detecting, using a detector, residual liquid on an object of the lithographic apparatus, the detecting producing a first output representing a first parameter about the liquid; and

using the same detector to make a measurement to produce a second output separate from the first output, the second output representing a second parameter separate from the first parameter about the liquid.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising drying the object in the event that residual liquid is detected.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein using the same detector to make the measurement of the parameter comprises measuring the position and/or orientation of a solid surface.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein using the same detector to make the measurement of the parameter comprises measuring the position, in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection system, of a marker.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein projecting the beam of radiation is performed at an exposure station and detecting residual liquid is performed at a measurement station, the measurement station being physically separate from the exposure station.

15. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a projection system arranged to project a beam of radiation onto a substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply liquid to a space between the projection system and a movable table; and

a sensor system configured to determine a position and/or orientation of the substrate, the sensor system further configured to detect at least part of the liquid on an object, wherein the sensor system uses a same detector to make a measurement to produce a first output to yield a first parameter representing the position and/or orientation of the substrate and make a measurement to produce a second output separate from the first output, the second output arranged to yield a second parameter, separate from the first parameter, representing detection of the at least part of the liquid on the object.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the object comprises a part of, or in, the movable table.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the object comprises the substrate when held by the table of the lithographic apparatus.

18. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sensor system is configured to emit radiation onto the object and to detect the at least part of the liquid while there is relative movement between the radiation and the object.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the sensor system is arranged to detect the at least part of the liquid in parallel with the projection of the beam by the projection system.

20. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein detection of the at least part of the liquid is effected by the sensor system giving a measurement outside a normal operating range or varying significantly from a previous measurement or reference value.

21. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the projection system is provided at an exposure station and the detector is provided at a measurement station, the measurement station being physically separate from the exposure station.