Coupling apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method

• US 20060103944A1
• Filed: 12/30/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi, Ono, Kazuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,619,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/649
• 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 7/70833 Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground

Abstract

An exposure apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and the substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, wherein the projection optical system has a first group comprising an optical member that contacts the liquid, and a second group that differs from that first group; the first group is supported by a first support member; and the second group is separated from the first group and is supported by the second support member that differs from the first support member.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and said substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto said substrate via said projection optical system and said liquid, wherein

said projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that contacts said liquid, and a second group that differs from said first group;

said first group is supported by a first support member; and

said second group is separated from said first group and is supported by a second support member that is different from said first support member.

2. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first support member and said second support member are isolated so that vibrations do not mutually transmit.

3. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a substrate stage that moves while holding said substrate; and

a first base member that movably and noncontactually supports said substrate stage;

wherein,

said first support member is affixed to said first base member.

4. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a substrate stage that moves while holding said substrate;

a first base member that movably and noncontactually supports said substrate stage; and

a second base member that supports said first base member;

wherein,

said first support member is affixed to said second base member.

5. An exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said first base member and said second base member are isolated so that vibrations do not mutually transmit.

6. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said first support member noncontactually supports said first group.

7. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a measuring apparatus that measures the positional relationship between said first group and said second group.

8. An exposure apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a drive mechanism that moves said first group and said second group relatively, based on a measurement result of said measuring apparatus to adjust the positional relationship between said first group and said second group.

9. An exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

said optical member has a lens.

10. An exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said optical member has a plane parallel plate.

11. An exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

an immersion area is formed at only one part on said substrate during exposure of said substrate.

12. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a drive mechanism that moves said first group.

13. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said optical member includes a lens.

14. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

said optical member includes a plane parallel plate.

15. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an immersion area is formed at only one part on said substrate during exposure of said substrate.

17. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 1 is used.

16. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and said substrate, forming an immersion area at one part on said substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto said substrate via said projection optical system and said liquid, wherein

said projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that contacts said liquid, and a second group that is different from said first group;

and

a drive mechanism, which moves said first group, adjusts the position of said first group with respect to said second group.

18. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 16 is used.

19. A coupling apparatus that couples a first object and a second object, comprising:

a parallel link mechanism that couples said first object and said second object; and

a vibration isolating mechanism that is built in said parallel link mechanism so that vibrations of one of said first object and said first object do not transmit to the other.

20. A coupling apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism has a counter mass for absorbing the vibrations of said one.

21. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and said substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto said substrate via said projection optical system and said liquid, wherein

said projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that contacts said liquid, and a second group disposed between said first group and said pattern;

and

said exposure apparatus comprises;

a first holding member that holds said first group;

a second holding member that holds said second group isolated from said first holding member; and

a frame member that supports said first holding member and said second holding member.

22. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a linking means for linking said first holding member and said frame member.

23. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

said linking means includes a parallel link mechanism.

24. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

said linking means includes a vibration isolating mechanism so that vibrations of one of said first holding member and said second holding member do not transmit to the other.

25. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism performs vibration isolation dynamically.

26. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism performs vibration isolation in accordance with the operation of the apparatus itself.

27. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism detects at least one of a plurality of physical quantities and performs vibration isolation based on the detected physical quantity.

28. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism has a counter mass that absorbs the vibrations of said one.

29. An exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein

said linking means has a first linking member linked to said first holding member, and a second linking member linked to said frame member;

and

said first and second linking members and said counter mass are movable relative to a common predetermined direction, and are mechanically guided in a direction that is different from said predetermined direction.

30. An exposure apparatus according to claim 29, wherein

an air guide is used to guide in a direction that is different from said predetermined direction.

31. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

said linking means has a first linking member linked to said first holding member, and a second linking member linked to said frame member.

32. An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein

said first linking member and said second linking member are linked in a non-contact manner.

33. An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein

the space between said first linking member and said second linking member is positively pressurized or negatively pressurized.

34. An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein

said linking means is capable of expanding and contracting by moving said first linking member and said second linking member relatively, using Lorentz'"'"'s force.

35. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

said linking means is capable of expanding and contracting.

36. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

the pattern image formed via said projection optical system is adjusted by controlling the attitude of said first group by expanding and contracting said linking means.

37. An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein

the control of said pattern image is the control of at least one among the image plane, the image position, and the distortion.

38. An exposure apparatus according to claim 36, further comprising:

a measuring means that measures the position information of said first group;

wherein,

said linking means controls the attitude of said first group based on a measurement result of said measuring means.

39. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a measuring means that measures the position of said first group.

40. An exposure apparatus according to claim 39, wherein

said measuring means has an interferometer system that measures the position of said first holding member.

41. An exposure apparatus according to claim 39, wherein

said measuring means measures the positional relationship between said first holding member and said second holding member.

42. An exposure apparatus according to claim 39, wherein

the attitude of said first group is adjusted based on the position information measured by said measuring means.

43. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

said optical member has a lens.

44. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

said optical member has a plane parallel plate.

45. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

an immersion area is formed in only one part on said substrate during exposure of said substrate.

46. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 21 is used.

47. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by irradiating said substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, wherein

said projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that contacts said liquid, and a second group disposed between said first group and a pattern;

and said exposure apparatus comprises;

a first holding member that holds said first group;

a second holding member that holds said second group isolated from said first holding member;

a frame member for supporting said first holding member; and

a linking mechanism has a vibration isolating mechanism for suppressing the vibrations of at least one of said first holding member and said frame member, and that links said first holding member and said frame member.

48. An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism functions dynamically.

49. An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said vibration isolating mechanism functions passively.

50. An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said optical member includes a plane parallel plate.

51. An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

said optical member includes a lens.

52. An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein

an immersion area is formed in at least one part on said substrate during exposure of said substrate.

53. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 47 is used.

54. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by irradiating said substrate with an exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid, comprising:

a liquid immersion mechanism that forms an immersion area in only one part of said substrate during exposure of said substrate;

wherein,

said projection optical system has a first group including an optical member that contacts said liquid, and a second group disposed between said first group and said pattern; and

said first group and said second group are supported and vibrationally isolated from each other.

55. An exposure apparatus according to claim 54, wherein

said optical member includes a plane parallel plate.

56. An exposure apparatus according to claim 54, wherein

said optical member includes a lens.

57. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 54 is used.