Dual stage lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system for measuring characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a liquid confinement system for confining liquid between a final element of the projection system and the substrate;
a positioning system and at least two substrate stages constructed to hold substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed for moving the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed for positioning one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate;
wherein the stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement for bringing the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the said stages and the final element, towards a second situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the final element, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within said space with respect to the final element.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a dual stage lithographic apparatus, wherein to substrate stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement for bringing the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein immersion liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the said stages and a final element of a projection system of the apparatus, towards a second situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the final element, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within said space with respect to the final element.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system for measuring characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a liquid confinement system for confining liquid between a final element of the projection system and the substrate;
a positioning system and at least two substrate stages constructed to hold substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed for moving the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed for positioning one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate;
wherein the stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement for bringing the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the said stages and the final element, towards a second situation, wherein the said liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the final element, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within said space with respect to the final element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18)
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14. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system for measuring characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a positioning system and at least two stages constructed to hold substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed for moving the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed for positioning one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate;
a base frame carrying a metro frame which supports the measuring system and the projection system, wherein the metro frame is dynamically isolated from the base frame, and wherein the measuring system comprises an encoder system extending in both the metrology station and the exposure station for measuring the position of the stages. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system for measuring characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a positioning system for positioning at least two substrate stages of the lithographic apparatus, wherein the stages are constructed to hold substrates;
a machine frame which is provided with a first part of a planar motor for cooperating with respective second parts of the planar motor in the respective stages, wherein the positioning system is constructed and arranged to control the planar motor for moving the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station and for moving each of the said stages in the exposure station in six degrees of freedom on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of the substrate on the stage, wherein the machine frame is constructed and arranged to allow the stages to pass each other while moving between the metrology station and the exposure station.
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17. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system for measuring characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a positioning system and at least two stages constructed to hold substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed for moving the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed for positioning one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate, a machine frame having two essentially parallel guides extending in a first direction in a horizontal plane, wherein each guide is coupled to an element which can be moved along the guide by means of a motor, and wherein each element is coupled to a stage by means of a motor for moving the stage in a second direction directed in the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the positioning system is constructed and arranged for controlling the motors in order to move the stages in the plane, wherein the machine frame is constructed and arranged to allow the stages to pass each other while moving between the metrology station and the exposure station.
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Specification