Substrate conveyance device and substrate conveyance method, exposure apparatus and exposure method, device manufacturing method

• US 20060257553A1
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Published: 11/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Zao Nikon Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Zao Nikon Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Horiuchi, Takashi, Ohta, Atsushi
• Granted Patent: US 8,345,216 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 427/8
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/42 for automatic sequential copying of the same original G03B27/34, G03B27/53 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 3/00 Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion G03D9/00, G03D11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• 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 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box

Abstract

A substrate conveyance device that conveys a substrate having been exposed with a pattern image via a projection optical system and a liquid, the substrate conveyance device comprising: a liquid detector that detects the liquid adhering on the substrate.

Claims

1. A substrate conveyance device that conveys a substrate having been exposed with a pattern image via a projection optical system and a liquid, the substrate conveyance device comprising:

a liquid detector that detects the liquid adhering on the substrate.

2. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 1, further comprising a determination device that determines, based on a detection result of the liquid detector, whether the liquid adhering on the substrate should be removed.

3. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 2, further comprising a removal device that based on the determination results of the determination device, removes the liquid adhering on the substrate.

4. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 3, wherein the removal device sets, based on the detection results of the liquid detector, removal conditions under which the liquid adhering on the substrate is removed.

5. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 4, wherein the removal conditions include a time required for removing the liquid.

6. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein by comparing first information on the surface of the substrate having not yet been exposed with second information on the surface of the substrate having been exposed, the liquid detector detects the liquid.

7. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 6, wherein the first information is imaging information obtained by imaging the surface of the substrate having not yet been exposed, and the second information is imaging information obtained by imaging the surface of the substrate having been exposed.

8. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 6, wherein the first information includes reflectivity information of the substrate surface, and the second information includes reflectivity information of the substrate surface and reflectivity information of the liquid.

9. A substrate conveyance device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid detector has an irradiation unit that irradiates a detection light on the surface of the substrate having been exposed and a light receiving unit that receives the detection light reflected on the substrate surface.

10. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image, via a projection optical system and a liquid, onto the substrate held by a substrate stage, wherein the substrate is conveyed from the substrate stage by use of a substrate conveyance device according to claim 1.

11. A substrate conveyance method in which a substrate having been exposed with a pattern image via a projection optical system and a liquid is conveyed, the substrate conveyance method comprising:

detecting the liquid adhering on the substrate on a conveyance path of the substrate.

12. A substrate conveyance method according to claim 11, further comprising:

determining, based on a detection result of the liquid, whether the liquid adhering on the substrate should be removed.

13. A substrate conveyance method according to claim 12, further comprising:

removing the liquid adhering on the substrate based on the determination results.

14. A substrate conveyance method according to claim 13, wherein based on the detection results of the liquid, removal conditions under which the liquid adhering on the substrate is removed are set.

15. A substrate conveyance method according to claim 11, wherein the detection of the liquid is performed by comparing the surface of the substrate having not yet been exposed with the surface of the substrate having been exposed.

16. A substrate conveyance method according to claim 11, wherein a detection light is irradiated on the surface of the substrate having been exposed, and the detection light reflected on the substrate surface is received, and the detection of the liquid is performed based on the light-reception results.

17. An exposure method in which a substrate is exposed by projecting a pattern image, via a projection optical system and a liquid, onto the substrate held by a substrate stage, comprising:

conveying the substrate from the substrate stage by use of a substrate conveyance method according to claim 11.

18. A device manufacturing method which uses an exposure method according to claim 17.