Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method utilizing a substrate handler

• US 20060158634A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Luttikhuis, Bernardus Antonius Johannes, Jacobs, Hernes, Van Der Schoot, Harmen Klaas, Vosters, Petrus Matthijs Henricus
• Granted Patent: US 7,656,506 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70691 Handling of masks or workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70791 Large workpieces, e.g. glass substrates for flat panel displays or solar panels

Abstract

A substrate handler for moving a substrate relative to a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus. The substrate handler comprises at least one support surface or platform adapted to carry a plurality of independent substrates simultaneously. The substrate handler adapted to load substrates onto and unload substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate handler for moving a substrate relative to a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus, the substrate handler being adapted to load substrates onto and unload substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure by a projection system, and comprising at least one support surface or platform that carries a plurality of independent substrates simultaneously.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one support surface is sized to accommodate the plurality of substrates simultaneously.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate handler comprises:

first and second ones of the at least one support surface, each of the first and second support surfaces being suitably sized to accommodate at least one substrate.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the first support surface is disposed on one side of the projection system; and

the second support surface is disposed on an opposite side of the projection system.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second support surfaces are disposed on the same side of the projection system.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein first and second support surfaces are individually moveable with respect to the substrate table.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second support surfaces are fixed relative to one another and moveable together with respect to the substrate table.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein:

the first support surface is an upper support surface; and

the second support surface is a lower support surface.

9. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the substrate handler further comprises:

at least one spacer portion between the first and second support surfaces.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the spacer portion is pivotally attached between the first and second support surfaces, and is adapted to pivot between a first configuration, in which the first and second support surfaces are substantially apart, and a second configuration, in which the first and second support surfaces are substantially together.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one support surface comprises a substrate transfer device adapted to move the substrate on or off the support surface.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate transfer device comprises:

at least one roller in contact with the substrate, the roller being adapted to rotate such that, upon rotation, the substrate is moved with respect to the support surface.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate transfer device comprises:

a plurality of pivotal members that are pivotally movable between a first position, in which they are upstanding from the support, and a second position, in which they are in a stowed configuration.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate transfer device comprises:

a plurality of pins that are moveable in a linear direction along a direction of movement of the substrate.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the substrate transfer device comprises:

a transfer member extending substantially perpendicular to a direction of transfer; and

drive means for translating the transfer member in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of transfer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the transfer member is an elongate bar that extends across the substrate surface and is connected to the drive means flanking the surface.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

the support surface has at least one groove; and

there is provided at least one finger for translation in the groove and for holding the substrate, the finger being connected to the elongate bar.

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the at least one support surface comprises a plurality of apertures arranged to output gas to form an air cushion that supports the substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate handler comprises a pre-conditioning unit.

20. An apparatus, comprising:

a substrate handler that moves a substrate relative to a substrate table, the substrate handler comprising,

a support surface or platform arranged to carry a substrate, and

a pre-conditioning unit arranged to pre-condition the substrate.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pre-conditioning unit comprises a device for controlling the temperature of the substrate.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the device comprises a heat-exchanging element that transfers heat away from or to the substrate.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the heat-exchanging element comprises a heat exchanging plate arranged to be in thermal contact with a substrate during pre-conditioning.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat exchanging plate comprises at least one channel extending therealong, which heats or cools the substrate by thermal conduction.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the pre-conditioning unit comprises fluid arranged to flow along the at least one channel so as to conduct heat to or away from the substrate.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the fluid is maintained at a constant temperature.

27. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the pre-conditioning unit is either integrated with or disposed substantially adjacent the substrate handler.

28. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein:

the pre-conditioning unit generates an air film between the plate and the substrate during pre-conditioning; and

the air film transfers heat to or from the substrate.

29. The apparatus of claim 28, wherein the air film is approximately between 10 μ

m and 1000 μ

m thick.

30. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table that supports a substrate, which substrate table is supported by a base plate;

a patterning system that applies a pattern to a target portion of the substrate; and

a substrate handler that moves a substrate relative to the substrate table, the substrate handler being positioned substantially over the base plate.

31. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:

a guide member adapted to support a substrate support surface of the substrate handler over the base plate.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the substrate support surface is supported on the guide member via at least one guide element that permits movement in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the substrate table.

33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein, during substrate movement, the guide element allows the support surface to move vertically up and down the guide member.

34. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the guide element comprises a roller, a bush, a ball bush or air bearings.

35. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the guide member is a side wall.

36. A method of manipulating substrates in a lithographic apparatus comprising a substrate table, a patterning system, and a substrate handler adapted to carry a plurality of substrates simultaneously, the method comprising:

(a) placing an unexposed substrate onto a first support surface of the substrate handler;

(b) moving the substrate handler so that the first support surface is substantially aligned in a horizontal plane with the substrate table;

(c) loading the unexposed substrate onto the substrate table from the first support surface of the substrate handler;

(d) applying a pattern to the substrate using the patterning system;

(e) unloading the patterned substrate from the substrate table onto a second support surface of the substrate handler; and

(f) removing the patterned substrate from the second support surface of the substrate handler.

37. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein:

in step (a), the first support surface of the substrate handler is substantially aligned in the horizontal plane with the substrate table prior to placing the substrate thereupon; and

after step (d), the second support surface of the substrate handler is aligned in the horizontal plane with the substrate table for the patterned substrate to be moved thereupon.

38. The method as claimed in claim 37, wherein the first and second support surfaces of the substrate handler are moved relative to one side of the patterning system.

39. The method as claimed in claim 36, wherein:

the loading of the unexposed substrate is performed on one side of the patterning system; and

the unloading of a previous patterned substrate is performed substantially simultaneously on the opposite side of the patterning system.

40. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

(a) providing a substrate on a substrate table;

(b) applying a pattern onto a target portion of the substrate; and

(c) moving a substrate relative to the substrate table using a substrate handler comprising a pre-conditioning unit.

41. The device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 40, wherein a flowing fluid in a heat exchanger of the pre-conditional unit is used to deliver heat to or remove heat from the substrate.

42. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

(i) providing a substrate on a substrate table supported by a base plate;

(ii) applying a pattern onto a target portion of the substrate; and

(iii) moving a substrate relative to the substrate table using a substrate handler, the substrate handler being positioned substantially over the base plate.

43. The device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 42, wherein the substrate handler is moved in a vertical direction.

44. The device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 43, wherein the substrate table travels relative to the base plate during scanning.

45. A device manufacturing method as claimed in claim 44, further comprising:

moving a loading platform of the substrate handler vertically between raised and lowered positions over the base plate;

moving an unloading platform of the substrate handler vertically between raised and lowered positions to one side of the base plate;

raising the platforms during the pattern application stage and lowering the platforms to the level of the substrate table when the pattern application stage is complete; and

loading an unexposed substrate from the loading platform onto the table substantially at the same time as an exposed substrate is unloaded from the table to the unloading platform.

46. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table that supports a substrate, the substrate table being supported on a base plate and adapted to travel therealong during a scanning operation between a start position and an end position;

a patterning system that applies a pattern to a target portion of the substrate, and

a substrate handler that moves a substrate relative to the substrate table, the substrate handler comprising;

a loading platform disposed on one side of the substrate table above the base plate; and

an unloading platform disposed on an opposite side of the substrate table and to one side of the base plate,

wherein the loading platform is vertically movable between a raised position above the substrate table and a lowered position, in which it is substantially aligned in a horizontal plane with the substrate table,

wherein the loading platform loads a substrate on to the table when in the lowered position,

wherein the unloading platform receives a substrate from the substrate table when it is at the end position after the scanning operation, and

wherein both the loading and the unloading platforms are level with the substrate table when they are at the end position, so that loading and unloading can be performed substantially simultaneously.

47. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table that supports a substrate, the substrate table being supported on a base plate and adapted to travel therealong during a scanning operation between a start position and an end position;

a patterning system that applies a pattern to a target portion of the substrate, and

a substrate handler that moves a substrate relative to the substrate table, the substrate handler comprising;

a loading platform disposed on one side of the substrate table above the base plate; and

an unloading platform disposed on an opposite side of the substrate table and to one side of the base plate,

wherein at least the unloading platform is vertically movable between a raised position above the substrate table and a lowered position in which it is substantially aligned in a horizontal plane with the substrate table,

wherein the loading platform is adapted to load a substrate on to the table,

wherein the unloading platform is adapted to receive a substrate from the substrate table when the unloading platform is in the lowered position and the substrate table is at the end position after the scanning operation, and

wherein both the loading and the unloading platform are level with the substrate table when they are at the end position, so that loading and unloading can be performed substantially simultaneously.

48. A substrate handler adapted for use in lithographic apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a substrate table that supports a substrate during exposure to a beam of radiation,

wherein the substrate handler loads substrates on to and unloads substrates from the substrate table before and after exposure, and

wherein the substrate handler comprises a plurality of platforms, each adapted to carry at least one substrate.