Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 20060038969A1
• Filed: 08/17/2004
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Bleeker, Arno Jan, De Jager, Pieter Willem Herman, Troost, Kars Zeger
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70383 Direct write, i.e. pattern is written directly without the use of a mask by one or multiple beams maskless lithography using a programmable mask G03F7/70291

Abstract

An array of individually controllable elements, comprising a plurality of control areas consisting of a plurality of rows of reflectors. Alternate rows of reflectors are actuated in a common manner such that the control areas function as a grating to provide a control element that can be used as a diffractive optical element.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system that supplies a beam of radiation;

an array of reflectors that pattern the beam, each reflector having an associated actuator that positions the reflector, and the array of reflectors having a plurality of control areas that each comprise one or more rows of the reflectors;

a controller that provides control signals to the actuators, such that alternate ones of the one or more rows of the reflectors in each of the plurality of control areas are set to a first common position and the remaining one or more rows of the reflectors in the plurality of control areas are set to a second common position; and

a projection system that projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of control areas comprise at least three adjacent ones of the one or more rows of the reflectors.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more rows of the reflectors comprises at least three adjacent ones of the reflectors.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein a common control signal from the controller is provided to the actuators corresponding to the alternate ones of the one or more rows of the reflectors in a respective one of the plurality of control areas to set the first common position.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4, wherein a second common control signal from the controller is provided to the actuators associated with the remaining one or more rows of the reflectors in the plurality of control areas to set the second position.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

a common control signal from the controller is provided to the actuators associated with all of the reflectors in a first one of the plurality of control areas to set a position of the reflectors;

the actuators associated with the reflectors in the alternate rows of the first one of the plurality of control areas actuate the reflectors in a first direction in response to the control signal; and

the actuators associated with the remaining reflectors in the first one of the plurality of control areas actuate the remaining reflectors in a second direction in response to the control signals.

7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 6, wherein:

the reflectors in the first one of the plurality of control areas rotate about respective tilt axes when actuated;

the respective tilt axes are mutually parallel; and

the first and second directions are opposite rotations about the tilt axes.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the reflectors in the plurality of control areas rotate about respective tilt axes that are substantially parallel to a first direction; and

the one or more rows of the reflectors are arranged substantially perpendicular to the first direction.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the reflectors in the plurality of control areas rotate about respective tilt axes that are substantially parallel to a first direction; and

the one of more rows of the reflectors are arranged substantially parallel to the first direction.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the reflectors in the plurality of control areas rotate about respective tilt axes that are substantially parallel to a first direction; and

the one or more rows of the reflectors are arranged at substantially 45°

to the first direction.

11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuators associated with the reflectors in the one or more rows of the reflectors in the plurality of control areas share a common component, such that the reflectors are actuated together.

12. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the actuators are capacitive actuators that generate a force between a conductor that moves with the reflector and a conductor on a base of the array of reflectors; and

the actuators associated with the reflectors in the row have a common conductor on the base.

13. An array of reflectors having one or more control areas, the array of reflectors modulating a beam of radiation in a lithographic apparatus, the lithographic apparatus comprising:

actuators that position respective reflectors in the array of reflectors; and

a controller that provides control signals to the actuators, such that alternate rows of the reflectors in each of the one or more control areas are set to a first common position and remaining ones of the rows of the reflectors are set to a second common position.

14. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein each of the one or more control areas comprise at least three adjacent ones of the rows of the reflectors.

15. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is switched to a second configuration in which it provides control signals to the actuators, such that each of the reflectors is independently set to a desired position.

16. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

(a) patterning a beam of radiation using an array of reflectors;

(b) providing one or more control areas within the array of reflectors, each respective reflector in the array of reflectors being positioned by an associated actuator;

(c) providing control signals to the actuators, such that alternate rows of the reflectors in each of the one or more control areas are set to a first common position and remaining one of the rows of the reflectors are set to a second common position; and

(d) projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein step (b) comprises using at least three adjacent ones of the rows of the reflectors in each of the one or more control areas.