Exposure apparatus and method

• US 20050140948A1
• Filed: 12/17/2004
• Published: 06/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Tokita, Toshinobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,227,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• 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

Abstract

An exposure method includes the steps of introducing fluid between a surface of an object to be exposed, and a final surface of a projection optical system, displacing an interface of the fluid arranged between the surface of the object and the final surface of the projection optical system, and projecting a pattern on a mask onto the object via the projection optical system and the fluid.

Claims

1. An exposure method comprising the steps of:

introducing fluid between a surface of an object to be exposed, and a final surface of a projection optical system;

displacing an interface of the fluid arranged between the surface of the object and the final surface of the projection optical system; and

projecting a pattern on a mask onto the object via the projection optical system and the fluid.

2. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said introducing step uses a supply nozzle for introducing the fluid, and

wherein said displacing step displaces the fluid so as to connect the fluid to a supply port of the supply nozzle during said projecting step.

3. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said displacing step depends upon a positional relationship between the interface of the fluid and the object in said projecting step.

4. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said projecting step uses a step and scan manner, and

wherein said displacing step depends upon a scan direction in said projecting step.

5. An exposure method comprising the steps of:

introducing, via a supply nozzle, fluid between a surface of an object to be exposed, and a final surface of a projection optical system;

removing gas from the fluid from the supply nozzle; and

projecting a pattern on a mask onto the object via the projection optical system and the fluid.

6. An exposure apparatus for projecting, via a projection optical system and fluid, a pattern on a mask onto an object to be exposed, while immersing a surface of the object and a final surface of the projection optical system in the fluid, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a supply nozzle for introducing the fluid between the surface of the object and the final surface of the projection optical system; and

a displacement unit, provided to said supply nozzle, for displacing an interface of the fluid between the surface of the object and the final surface of the projection optical system.

7. An exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said exposure apparatus is a step and scan exposure apparatus.

10. An exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the supply nozzle serves as a recovery nozzle for recovering the fluid.

11. An exposure apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a first valve, provided to said supply nozzle, for turning on and off a supply of the fluid; and

a second valve, provided to said displacement unit, for turning on and off a displacement by said displacement unit.

12. An exposure apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a controller for controlling opening and closing of the first and second valves at the time of recovery and supply of the fluid.

13. An exposure apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a gas-liquid separator, connected to said supply nozzle, for removing gas from the fluid from the supply nozzle; and

a third valve for turning on and off a removal of the gas by said gas-liquid separator.

14. An exposure apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a first pipe connected to said displacement unit and said supply nozzle;

a gas-liquid separator, provided to said first pipe, for removing the gas from the liquid at the supply nozzle;

a second pipe connected to said displacement unit and said supply nozzle parallel to the first pipe;

a third valve, provided to said second pipe, for turning on and off a recovery of the fluid.

15. An exposure apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a controller for controlling opening and closing of the first, second and third valves at the time of recovery and supply of the fluid and at the time of the removal of the gas.

16. An exposure apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising a controller for controlling opening and closing of the first, second and third valves at the time of recovery and supply of the fluid and at the time of the removal of the gas.

17. A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

exposing an object using an exposure apparatus according to claim 6;

and

developing an object that has been exposed.

8. An exposure apparatus for projecting, via a projection optical system and fluid, a pattern on a mask onto an object to be exposed, while immersing a surface of the object and a final surface of the projection optical system in the fluid, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a supply nozzle for introducing the fluid between the surface of the object and the final surface of the projection optical system; and

a gas-liquid separator, provided to said supply nozzle, for removing gas from the liquid at said supply nozzle.

9. An exposure apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a valve for turning on and off a removal of the gas by said gas-liquid separator.

18. A device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

exposing an object using an exposure apparatus according to claim 8;

and

developing an object that has been exposed.