Exposure apparatus, substrate processing system, and device meanufacturing method
First Claim
1. An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:
- a mask stage that holds the mask;
a substrate stage that holds the substrate;
a first main body unit that supports at least one of the mask stage and the substrate stage;
four first vibration isolators that support the first main body unit at four points and isolate vibration in the first main body unit;
a second main body unit that supports the projection optical system; and
three second vibration isolators that support the second main body unit at three points on different straight lines on the first main body unit and isolate vibration in the second main body unit.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A first main body unit for supporting a substrate stage is supported at four points by vibration isolators, and a second main body unit is supported on the first main body unit at three points by second vibration isolators. This allows the first main body unit and the substrate stage to be supported in a stable manner with high rigidity, and for example, allows maintenance operations on the stage portion from the back side of the apparatus (−X side), which is not possible when the first main body unit is supported at three points. In addition, since the apparatus comprises vibration isolation units that are connected in series in two platforms, such an arrangement has a great effect of suppressing background vibration from the floor surface. Accordingly, exposure with high precision can be performed which improves the yield of devices, and the time reduced for maintenance operations can improve the operation rate of the apparatus, consequently leading to an improvement in productivity of devices as end products.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a mask stage that holds the mask;
a substrate stage that holds the substrate;
a first main body unit that supports at least one of the mask stage and the substrate stage;
four first vibration isolators that support the first main body unit at four points and isolate vibration in the first main body unit;
a second main body unit that supports the projection optical system; and
three second vibration isolators that support the second main body unit at three points on different straight lines on the first main body unit and isolate vibration in the second main body unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 27)
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9. An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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an optical system holding unit that holds the projection optical system;
a stage chamber where a substrate chamber that houses a substrate stage holding the substrate is formed inside, along with a first opening in which members on an image plane side of the projection optical system can be inserted; and
a first connecting member that connects a periphery portion of the first opening of the stage chamber to a circumferential portion of the projection optical system while isolating the inside of the substrate chamber from outside air in a sealed state, the first connecting member having flexibility. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 28)
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21. An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a stage chamber where members on an image plane side of the projection optical system are inserted and a sealed chamber that houses a substrate stage holding the substrate is formed inside;
a first main body unit that supports the stage chamber by suspension; and
reaction bars that absorb reaction force occurring when the substrate stage is driven, one end of the reaction bar being connected to the stage chamber. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 29)
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26. An exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a stage chamber where a substrate chamber that houses a substrate stage holding the substrate is formed inside, along with a first opening in which members on an image plane side of the projection optical system can be inserted; and
an optical system holding unit where a second opening is formed at a position opposing the first opening, the optical system holding unit having a holding member for holding the projection optical system;
a connecting member that connects a periphery portion of the first opening of the stage chamber to the second opening of the holding member;
a cover that covers a circumferential portion on an object surface side of the projection optical system, one end of the cover being connected to a surface of the holding member opposite to the stage chamber;
a planar glass mounted on an opening edge surface of the cover via a double-structured O-ring; and
an exhaust pipe that exhausts gas inside a ring-shaped space enclosed by the double structured O-ring, the planar glass, and the cover, the exhaust pipe being connected to the space via the cover. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A substrate processing system that performs a predetermined process on a substrate, the substrate processing system comprising:
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an exposure apparatus comprising an exposure apparatus main body that forms a predetermined pattern on the substrate by exposure, the exposure apparatus main body having a stage chamber that houses a substrate stage holding the substrate and a main unit that detachably supports the stage chamber by suspension, and a total chamber that houses the exposure apparatus main body almost entirely;
a substrate processor that performs at least one of resist coating and development on the substrate; and
an interface section that connects the total chamber and the substrate processor inline, the interface section being freely detachable to the total chamber and the substrate processor, with a substrate carriage system housed inside.
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Specification