Supporting plate, stage device, exposure apparatus, and exposure method

• US 20050094125A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Arai, Dai
• Granted Patent: US 7,301,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/72
• 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 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7095 Materials, e.g. materials for housing, stage or other support having particular properties, e.g. weight, strength, conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient

Abstract

For example, to control an effect due to entrance and leakage of liquid for exposure and allow a preferable exposure processing, a support surface is provided which supports an object. The support surface is liquid repellant, and a collection device is provided which collects liquid from the support surface.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a supporting plate having a support surface which supports an object, the supporting plate is liquid repellant; and

a collection device which collects liquid from the supporting plate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the collection device includes an inclined portion which discharges the liquid in a downward direction from the support surface.

3. A stage device comprising:

a movable body that holds an object to which liquid is supplied;

a supporting plate which movably supports the movable body; and

a collection device arranged to collect liquid that has been discharged to the supporting plate.

4. The stage device of claim 3, wherein the collection device includes a collection portion arranged along an outer circumference of the supporting plate.

5. The stage device of claim 4, wherein the collection portion includes an inclined portion which conveys the liquid in a downward direction from a surface of the supporting plate.

6. The stage device of claim 4, wherein the collection portion is liquid repellant.

7. The stage device of claim 3, wherein the supporting plate is liquid repellant.

8. The stage device of claim 3, wherein a stage structural body arranged above the supporting plate is provided with an inclined portion which conveys the liquid in a downward direction from the object.

9. The stage device of claim 8, wherein a through hole which passes through the stage structural body is formed in a low end portion of the inclined portion.

10. The stage device of claim 8, wherein the stage structural body is liquid repellant.

11. The stage device of claim 3, further comprising an actuator which inclines the supporting plate to facilitate removal of the liquid remaining on a surface of the supporting plate.

12. The stage device of claim 3, further comprising a spraying device which sprays fluid on a surface of the supporting plate to facilitate removal of the liquid remaining on the surface of the supporting plate.

13. An exposure apparatus which exposes, by a projection optical system, a pattern of a mask onto a photosensitive substrate which is held by a substrate stage, the exposure apparatus comprising:

the stage device of claim 3, which is used as the substrate stage, such that the photosensitive substrate is the object; and

wherein an image of the pattern is projected onto the photosensitive substrate through the liquid which is located between an end portion of the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate.

14. The stage device of claim 3, wherein the collection device includes a groove portion formed in the supporting plate.

15. An exposure method which exposes, using a projection optical system, a pattern of a mask onto a substrate that is located on a substrate stage which is movably supported over a supporting plate, the method comprising the steps of:

providing liquid between an end portion of the projection optical system and the substrate; and

collecting liquid which has been discharged onto the supporting plate.

16. The exposure method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

collecting the liquid directly from the substrate.

17. The exposure method of claim 15, further comprising the step of:

detecting an abnormality relating to the liquid.

18. The exposure method of claim 17, further comprising the step of:

displaying information relating to the abnormality when the abnormality relating to the liquid is detected.

19. A supporting plate having a support surface that supports an object, wherein the supporting plate is liquid repellent, and a groove portion is arranged in the supporting plate.

20. An exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern onto a substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a supporting plate having a surface;

a substrate stage which holds the substrate and is movable over the supporting plate;

a liquid supply device having a supply nozzle which supplies liquid to the substrate;

a first collection device which collects the liquid directly from the substrate; and

a second collection device which collects liquid which has been discharged to the supporting plate.

21. The exposure apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second collection device includes a groove portion formed in the supporting plate.

22. The exposure apparatus of claim 20, wherein the second collection device includes a collection portion which is arranged along an outer circumference of the supporting plate.

23. The exposure apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a detector which detects abnormality relating to the liquid in connection with at least one of the first and second collection devices.

24. The exposure apparatus of claim 23, further comprising a display which displays a detection result of the detector.