Coupling apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method

• US 20060126045A1
• Filed: 02/10/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi, Ono, Kazuya
• Application Number:
  US11/350,937
• Publication Number:
  US 20060126045A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• 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. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

an illumination system arranged to condition a radiation beam;

a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system comprising two separate physical parts that are decoupled, wherein each part comprises an optical element or the projection system; and

a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate, with a liquid.

2. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the parts of the projection system are separated at a location between two lens elements.

3. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor configured to establish a position between a first optical element in the first part of the projection system and a second optical element in the second part of the projection system;

an actuator configured to vary the position between the first and second optical elements; and

a controller configured to control the actuator on the basis of output from the sensor to maintain a predetermined position between the first and second optical elements.

4. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the position is a distance in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of the optical axis of the projection system.

5. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator configured to vary the position between the first and second parts; and

a controller configured to control the actuator to maintain a predetermined relative positioning between the first and second parts.

6. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second part is at least partly supported by a resilient member connected between the second part and a base frame.

7. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the base frame is decoupled from a frame to which the first part is attached.

8. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a liquid to a space between a substrate on a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus and a first part of a projection system of the lithographic apparatus, a second part of the projection system being substantially decoupled from the first part; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation, using the first and second parts of the projection system, through the liquid onto a target portion of a substrate.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

establishing a position between a first optical element in the first part of the projection system and a second optical element in the second part of the projection system; and

adjusting the position of the first optical element, the second optical element, or both such that the established position is maintained at a predetermined position.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the position is a distance in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of the optical axis of the projection system.

11. The method according to claim 8, further comprising adjusting the relative positioning of the first and second parts of the projection system to maintain a predetermined relative positioning between them.

12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the parts of the projection system are separated at a location between two lens elements.

13. The method according to claim 8, comprising at least partly supporting the second part using a resilient member connected between the second part and a base frame of the lithographic apparatus.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the base frame is decoupled from a frame to which the first part is attached.

15. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

an illumination system arranged to condition a radiation beam;

a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system comprising two separate physical parts that are decoupled, wherein each part comprises an optical element of the projection system; and

a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate, with a liquid.

16. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the parts of the projection system are separated at a location between two lens elements.

17. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

a sensor configured to establish a position between a first optical element in the first part of the projection system and a second optical element in the second part of the projection system;

an actuator configured to vary the position between the first and second optical elements; and

a controller configured to control the actuator on the basis of output from the sensor to maintain a predetermined position between the first and second optical elements.

18. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the position is a distance in the direction substantially parallel to the direction of the optical axis of the projection system.

19. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising:

an actuator configured to vary the position between the first and second parts; and

a controller configured to control the actuator to maintain a predetermined relative positioning between the first and second parts.

20. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the second part is at least partly supported by a resilient member connected between the second part and a base frame.

21. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the base frame is decoupled from a frame to which the first part is attached.