LIthographic apparatus and device manufacturing method utilizing a flat panel display handler

• US 20060252270A1
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Jacobs, Hernes
• Granted Patent: US 7,738,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/706
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/141 includes means for gripping wafer

Abstract

A lithographic apparatus comprises an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam, a patterning device that modulates the radiation beam, a substrate table that supports a substrate, and a projection system that projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus further comprises a substrate handler that loads and/or unloads a substrate on/from the substrate table. The substrate handler supports the substrate in a support plane and comprises a conveyor device for moving the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support plane. The conveyor device comprises a gripping device configured to push or pull the substrate in the indicated direction and a driving device for driving the gripping device in the indicated direction.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system that conditions a radiation beam;

a patterning device that modulates the radiation beam;

a substrate table that supports a substrate;

a projection system that projects the modulated radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and

a substrate handler that positions the substrate with respect to the substrate table and loads and/or unloads the substrate on/from the substrate table, the substrate handler supporting the substrate in a support plane, and comprising a conveyor device that moves the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support plane, the conveyor device comprising,

a gripping device that moves the substrate in the direction, and

a driving device that drives the gripping device in the direction.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripping device, during gripping of the substrate, contacts only one side of the substrate.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the gripping device comprises a vacuum device for gripping the substrate.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 3, wherein the vacuum device comprises a number of fingers that grip one side of the substrate by use of vacuum.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support surface comprises a number of grooves to accommodate at least partially the gripping device.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support table comprises a friction reducing device that reduces the friction between the support surface and the substrate.

7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 6, wherein the friction reducing device provides an air bed on which the substrate is supported.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 7, wherein the substrate table comprises recesses for accommodating a part of the gripping device during positioning of a substrate with respect to the substrate table.

9. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a flat panel display.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate handler simultaneously loads and/or unloads two or more substrates on/from the substrate handler.

11. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate;

supporting the substrate on a substrate support during the projection step;

using a substrate handler for loading and/or unloading of the substrate on/from the substrate support;

using the substrate handler to support the substrate in a support plane;

using a conveyor device of the substrate handler to move the substrate in a direction substantially parallel to the support plane;

using a gripping device of the conveyor device to push or pull the substrate in the direction; and

using a driving device of the conveyor device to drive the gripping device in the direction.