Position measuring device, position measuring system, lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 20040211921A1
• Filed: 05/14/2004
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Hoeks, Martinus H.H., Ariens, Andreas B.G., Loopstra, Erik R., Kwan, Yim Bun P., Castenmiller, Thomas J.M., Vogelsang, Patrick D.
• Granted Patent: US 6,875,992 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/492.1
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7049 Technique, e.g. interferometric

Abstract

A position measuring device includes a radiation source mounted on an isolated reference frame and a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted adjacent the radiation source. The object whose position is to be detected has a mirroring device, e.g. a retro-reflector, mounted on it so as to reflect light emitted from the radiation source along a return path that is parallel to but displaced from the incident light path. The amount of displacement is dependent on the position of the object and is measured by the two-dimensional detector. Three such devices can be combined in a system to measure the position of the object in all six degrees of freedom.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a first object table configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;

a second object table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a reference frame; and

a position measuring device comprising;

a radiation source mounted on the reference frame;

a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted in a fixed position on the reference frame; and

a mirroring device mounted on one of the object tables that is moveable relative to the reference frame so as to reflect radiation emitted by the radiation source toward the radiation detector onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source is a source of collimated radiation.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source is a source of monochromatic radiation.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mirroring device is a retro-reflector.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a light source mountable away from the reference frame, beam directing optics mountable on the reference frame and an optical fiber to couple the fight source to the beam directing optics.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a laser diode or an LED as a light source.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the two-dimensional position detector is a two-dimensional PSD, or a CCD camera, or a four quadrant photo-detector.

8. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the retro-reflector comprises a trapezoid form of a material transparent to the radiation and having three mutually perpendicular surfaces meeting at a corner, the three surfaces being provided with a reflective coating.

9. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the retro-reflector comprises a convergent lens and a reflective surface, the reflective surface being spaced a distance from the lens equal to the focal length of the lens.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising three position measuring devices.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein a first position measuring device and a second position measuring device of the three position measuring devices are orthogonal to each other.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second position measuring device and a third positioning measuring device are orthogonal to each other.

13. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system configured to supply a projection beam of radiation;

a first object table configured to hold a patterning device configured to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;

a second object table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a reference frame; and

a position measuring device comprising;

a radiation source mounted on the reference frame;

a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted in a fixed position on the reference frame;

a mirroring device mounted on one of the object tables that is moveable relative to the reference frame so as to reflect radiation emitted by the radiation source toward the radiation detector onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path;

an incremental position sensing device configured to detect a position of the moveable object table in a detection range wider than that of the position measuring device; and

a combiner configured to combine output signals from the incremental position sensing device and the position measuring device to determine an absolute position of the object table in the detection range.

14. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

projecting a patterned beam onto target portions of a substrate on an object table;

determining a reference position of the object table relative to a reference frame by;

emitting radiation from a radiation source mounted on the reference frame toward a mirroring device mounted on the object table;

reflecting the radiation onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path; and

detecting the reflected radiation in a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted in a fixed position on the reference frame.

15. A method according to claim 14, further comprising:

determining an absolute position of the object table by measuring incremental movements thereof relative to the reference position.

16. A device manufactured according to the method of claim 14.

17. A position measuring device, comprising:

a radiation source mounted on a reference frame;

a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted in a fixed position on the reference frame; and

a mirroring device mounted on an object that is moveable relative to the reference frame so as to reflect radiation emitted by the radiation source toward the radiation detector onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path.

18. A method of determining a reference position of a moveable object table, comprising:

emitting radiation from a radiation source mounted on a reference frame toward a mirroring device mounted on the moveable object table;

reflecting the radiation by the mirroring device onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path; and

detecting the reflected radiation in a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted on a fixed position on the reference frame.

19. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system configured to supply a projection beam of radiation;

a first object table configured to hold a patterning device configured to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;

a second object table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to image the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a reference frame; and

a position system including three position measuring devices, each position measuring device comprising;

a radiation source mounted on the reference frame;

a two-dimensional radiation detector mounted in a fixed position on the reference frame; and

a mirroring device mounted on one of the object tables that is moveable relative to the reference frame so as to reflect radiation emitted by the radiation source toward the radiation detector onto a return path that is parallel to but displaced from an incident light path, wherein the three position measuring devices are arranged non-parallel to each other.

20. An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the radiation source and the two-dimensional radiation detector of each position measuring device are adjacent to one another.