Reflector, optical element, interferometer system, stage device, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method

• US 20070008548A1
• Filed: 06/27/2006
• Published: 01/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi, Hidaka, Yasuhiro
• Granted Patent: US 8,693,006 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/498
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position

Abstract

A reflecting member has: a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a first direction component; a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and a third reflecting surface, which extends in a fourth direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

Claims

1. A reflecting member, comprising:

a first reflecting surface that extends in a second direction, which includes a first direction component;

a second reflecting surface that extends in a third direction, which includes the first direction component, and is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface; and

a third reflecting surface that extends in a fourth direction substantially orthogonal to the first direction.

2. A reflecting member according to claim 1, wherein

the third reflecting surface is provided between the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface.

3. A reflecting member, comprising:

a reference reflection surface;

a first reflecting surface that extends in a first inclination angle direction with respect to the reference reflection surface; and

a second reflecting surface that extends in a second inclination angle direction, which is symmetric to the first inclination angle direction with respect to the reference reflection surface.

4. A reflecting member according to claim 3, wherein

the reference reflection surface is provided between the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface.

5. A stage apparatus, comprising:

a movable stage that moves in a plane of motion;

a first reflecting member that comprises;

a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a component of a first direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the plane of motion; and

a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface with respect to a fourth direction included in the plane of motion; and

is provided to the movable stage; and

a measuring apparatus that measures positional information of the movable stage in the first direction based on a first beam, which is reflected by the first reflecting surface, and a second beam, which is reflected by the second reflecting surface;

wherein, the movable stage is movable in the fourth direction; and

the first reflecting member comprises a third reflecting surface that extends in the fourth direction.

6. A stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the movable stage comprises a second reflecting member that is spaced apart from the first reflecting member in the first direction, and extends along the fourth direction;

and

the measuring apparatus measures the positional information of the movable stage in the first direction based on the third beam reflected by the third reflecting surface and the fourth beam reflected by the second reflecting member.

7. A stage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the measuring apparatus measures the inclination of the movable stage about the fourth direction based on the third beam and the fourth beam.

8. A stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the first reflecting member is provided to the movable stage via a modified absorbing member that is capable of absorbing deformation of the movable stage.

9. A stage apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the modified absorbing member comprises a kinematic mount mechanism.

10. A stage apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

the length of the first reflecting member along the fourth direction is greater than the length of the second reflecting member along the fourth direction.

11. A stage apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a third reflecting member, which is optically connected to the first reflecting surface; and

a fourth reflecting member, which is optically connected to the second reflecting surface.

12. A stage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the third reflecting member and the fourth reflecting member are supported by the same support body.

13. A stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the movable stage is movable in the fourth direction, which is included in the plane of motion;

further comprising;

a detection apparatus that detects information related to the curvatures of the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface when the movable stage is moved in the fourth direction based on the first beam, which is reflected by the first reflecting surface, and the second beam, which is reflected by the second reflecting surface.

14. A stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the first reflecting member is provided on each side of the movable stage so that the movable stage is interposed therebetween.

15. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern onto a substrate using a stage apparatus, wherein

a stage apparatus according to claim 5 is used as the stage apparatus.

16. An interferometer system, comprising:

an interferometer that irradiates a measuring beam and a reference beam in a first direction toward a movable body, and measures positional information of the movable body in the second direction, which intersects the first direction;

a first reflecting part, which is provided to the movable body, reflects the measuring beam and the reference beam, and bends the measuring beam by a prescribed angle from the first direction to the second direction; and

a second reflecting part that shifts the optical axis of the measuring beam from the first reflecting part, and returns the measuring beam to the first reflecting part.

17. An interferometer system according to claim 16, wherein

the second reflecting part comprises at least one of a roof mirror and a roof prism.

18. An interferometer system according to claim 17, wherein

the second reflecting part comprises at least two reflecting surfaces, and the line of intersection of the two reflecting surfaces lies within a plane that includes the first direction and the second direction.

19. An interferometer system according to claim 16, wherein

the direction to which the optical axis of the measuring beam shifts is a third direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

20. An interferometer system according to claim 16, wherein

the shift of the optical axis of the measuring beam reduces the sensitivity of the interferometer with respect to a change in the inclination of the movable body about the first direction or the second direction.

21. An interferometer system according to claim 16, further comprising:

a third reflecting part that shifts the optical axis of the reference beam from the first reflecting part in accordance with the shift of the optical axis of the measuring beam.

22. An interferometer system according to claim 21, further comprising:

a fourth reflecting part, which is provided to the movable body, that bends the reference beam by a prescribed angle in a direction that differs from the direction to which the first reflecting part bends the measuring beam;

wherein,

the third reflecting part shifts the optical axis of the reference beam from the fourth reflecting part, and returns the reference beam to the fourth reflecting part.

23. An interferometer system according to claim 21, wherein

the direction to which the optical axis of the reference beam shifts is a third direction, which is orthogonal to the first direction and the second direction.

24. An interferometer system according to claim 21, wherein

the shift of the optical axis of the reference beam reduces the sensitivity of the interferometer with respect to a change in the inclination of the movable body about the first direction or the second direction.

39. A stage apparatus that comprises a stage, which moves within a prescribed plane, and a position measuring apparatus that measures the position of the stage by a beam, wherein

the position measuring apparatus comprises an interferometer system according to claim 16.

42. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern onto a substrate using a stage apparatus, wherein

a stage apparatus according to claim 39 is used as the stage apparatus.

43. A device fabricating method, comprising the step of:

performing a lithographic process that uses an exposure apparatus according to claim 42 to form a prescribed pattern on an object.

25. An interferometer system that irradiates a measuring beam to a movable body and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction that intersects the irradiation direction, wherein

the measurement sensitivity decreases with respect to a change in the inclination of the movable body about the irradiation direction or the measurement direction.

26. An interferometer system according to claim 25, wherein

a reference beam irradiates the movable body in a direction that is the same as the measuring beam.

27. An interferometer system according to claim 25, wherein

the optical axis of the measuring beam is shifted, and the reflection count of the measuring beam at the movable body is restricted to two times.

28. An interferometer system according to claim 25, wherein

the direction to which the optical axis of the measuring beam shifts is a direction that is orthogonal to the reference direction and the measuring direction.

29. An interferometer system according to claim 25, wherein

the measuring beam, which is reflected by the movable body, proceeds in the measurement direction at a prescribed angle inclined with respect to the irradiation direction, and then returns to the movable body by the retroreflection that is attendant with the shift of the optical axis.

30. An interferometer system according to claim 29, wherein

the measuring beam once again reflected by the movable body interferes with the reference beam.

31. An interferometer system according to claim 29, wherein

the optical path length of the measuring beam and the optical path length of the reference beam change relative to one another attendant with the movement of the movable body in the measurement direction.

40. A stage apparatus that comprises a stage, which moves within a prescribed plane, and a position measuring apparatus that measures the position of the stage by a beam, wherein

the position measuring apparatus comprises an interferometer system according to claim 25.

32. An optical member, comprising:

a polarizing surface that splits an entrance beam into a first beam and a second beam in accordance with the polarization state thereof;

a first surface, wherefrom the first beam split by the polarizing surface emerges;

a second surface, wherefrom the second beam split by the polarizing surface emerges;

a reflecting member that reflects a third beam, which is incident from the second surface, and is provided so that the third beam emerges from a position that differs from an emergent position of the second beam at the second surface;

a first polarization switching member, which is disposed along the optical path of the second beam after it has been split by the polarizing surface, that switches the polarization state of the second beam; and

a second polarization switching member, which is disposed along the optical path of the third beam after it has emerged from the second surface, that switches the polarization state of the third beam;

wherein,

a fourth beam, which enters from the emergent position of the third beam at the second surface, and a fifth beam, which enters from a position that differs from the emergent position of the first beam at the first surface, proceed along substantially the same optical path.

33. An optical member according to claim 32, wherein

the entrance beam enters the polarizing surface from the first direction;

and the reflecting member is provided so that when it reflects the second beam, the optical path of the second beam is shifted to a direction that intersects the first direction.

34. An optical member according to claim 32, wherein

the entrance beam travels within a prescribed plane and enters the polarizing surface;

and

the reflecting member comprises two reflecting surfaces, the line of intersection of which lies within the prescribed plane.

35. An optical member according to claim 32, wherein

the reflecting member comprises at least one of a roof mirror and a roof prism.

36. An optical member according to claim 32, wherein

the first beam that emerges from the first surface is reflected by a first reflecting part and enters the first surface as the fifth beam;

the second beam that emerges from the second surface is reflected by a second reflecting part, which is provided to a reference member, and enters the second surface as the third beam; and

the third beam that emerges from the second surface is reflected by the second reflecting part and enters the second surface as the fourth beam.

37. An optical member according to claim 36, wherein

the first reflecting part shifts the optical path of the first beam when it reflects the first beam.

38. An interferometer system, comprising:

an optical member according to claim 32.

41. A stage apparatus that comprises a stage, which moves within a prescribed plane, and a position measuring apparatus that measures the position of the stage by a beam, wherein

the position measuring apparatus comprises an interferometer system according to claim 38.

44. A method of manufacturing an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

providing a movable stage that moves in a plane of motion;

providing the movable stage with a first reflecting member that comprises;

a first reflecting surface, which extends in a second direction that includes a component of a first direction, that is substantially orthogonal to the plane of motion;

a second reflecting surface, which extends in a third direction that includes the first direction component, that is substantially symmetric to the first reflecting surface with respect to a fourth direction included in the plane of motion; and

a third reflecting surface that extends in the fourth direction; and

providing a measuring apparatus that measures positional information of the movable stage in the first direction based on a first beam that is reflected by the first reflecting surface and a second beam that is reflected by the second reflecting surface.

45. A method according to claim 44, wherein

the movable stage comprises a second reflecting member that is spaced apart from the first reflecting member in the first direction, and extends along the fourth direction;

and

the measuring apparatus measures the positional information of the movable stage in the first direction based on the third beam reflected by the third reflecting surface and the fourth beam reflected by the second reflecting member.

46. An interferometer system, comprising:

a first reflecting member that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are inclined with respect to a specified axis;

an irradiation system that irradiates a first beam in a first direction toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam in the first direction toward the second reflecting surface; and

a second reflecting member that comprises a third reflecting surface, which returns the first beam reflected by the first reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface, and a fourth reflecting surface, which returns the second beam reflected by the second reflecting surface to the second reflecting surface, wherein the third reflecting surface and the fourth reflecting surface each comprise at least two reflecting surfaces and the line of intersection of the two reflecting surfaces lies within a plane that includes the first direction and a direction that is parallel to the specified axis;

wherein,

positional information related to the specified axis of a movable body is obtained.

47. An interferometer system according to claim 46, wherein

the first reflecting part is provided to a side surface of the movable body.

48. A system that acquires positional information of a table, comprising:

a table that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, in the same side surface associated with a line that is parallel to the specified axis;

an interferometer that irradiates a first beam in a first direction toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam in a first direction toward the second reflecting surface, and that comprises an interferometer optical member that is positioned with respect to a detector; and

a reflecting member that is disposed with respect to the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface so that the first beam that is reflected by the first reflecting surface and the second beam that is reflected by the second reflecting surface are combined by the interferometer optical member;

wherein,

the reflecting member is longer than the interferometer optical member.

50. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a substrate, which is held by a table, wherein

an apparatus that measures a position of the table comprises a system according to claim 48.

51. A device fabricating method, comprising the steps of:

performing a lithographic process that uses an exposure apparatus according to claim 50 to form the prescribed pattern on an object.

49. A system that acquires positional information of a table, comprising:

a table that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, in the same side surface associated with a line that is parallel to the specified axis;

an interferometer that irradiates a first beam in a first direction toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam in a first direction toward the second reflecting surface, and that comprises an interferometer optical member that is positioned with respect to a detector; and

a reflecting member that is disposed with respect to the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface so that the first beam that is reflected by the first reflecting surface and the second beam that is reflected by the second reflecting surface are combined by the interferometer optical member;

wherein,

the interferometer optical member is disposed in the first direction spaced apart from the table further than the reflecting member.

52. A method of manufacturing an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a substrate, comprising the steps of:

providing a stage that is capable of moving in a direction parallel to a specified axis;

providing a first reflecting member that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are inclined with respect to a specified axis;

providing an irradiation system that irradiates a first beam in a first direction toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam in the first direction toward the second reflecting surface;

providing a second reflecting member that comprises a third reflecting surface, which returns the first beam reflected by the first reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface, and a fourth reflecting surface, which returns the second beam reflected by the second reflecting surface to the second reflecting surface, wherein the third reflecting surface and the fourth reflecting surface each comprise at least two reflecting surfaces and the line of intersection of the two reflecting surfaces lies within a plane that includes the first direction and a direction that is parallel to the specified axis;

providing an interferometer system that uses the first beam and the second beam to obtain positional information related to the specified axis of the stage; and

providing the first reflecting part to the side surface of the stage.

53. An exposure apparatus that uses two stages to form a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

a first reflecting member that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are inclined with respect to a specified axis;

an irradiation system that irradiates a first beam toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam toward the second reflecting surface; and

a second reflecting member that comprises a third reflecting surface, which returns the first beam reflected by the first reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface, and a fourth reflecting surface, which returns the second beam reflected by the second reflecting surface to the second reflecting surface;

wherein,

the first reflecting member is provided on each side of at least one of the two stages.

54. An exposure apparatus that uses two stages to form a pattern on a substrate, comprising:

a first reflecting member that comprises a first reflecting surface and a second reflecting surface, which has a prescribed angle with respect to the first reflecting surface, wherein the first reflecting surface and the second reflecting surface are inclined with respect to a specified axis;

an irradiation system that irradiates a first beam toward the first reflecting surface and irradiates a second beam toward the second reflecting surface; and

a second reflecting member that comprises a third reflecting surface, which returns the first beam reflected by the first reflecting surface to the first reflecting surface, and a fourth reflecting surface, which returns the second beam reflected by the second reflecting surface to the second reflecting surface;

wherein,

the first reflecting member is provided to each of the two stages.

55. An optical member that is used in an interferometer, which irradiates a measuring beam and a reference beam in a first direction toward a movable body and measures positional information of the movable body with respect to a second direction, which intersects the first direction, wherein

the optical member is provided to the movable body, reflects the measuring beam and the reference beam, shifts the optical axis of the measuring beam from a first reflecting part that bends the measuring beam by a prescribed angle, and returns the measuring beam to the first reflecting part;

and

the optical member comprises at least two reflecting surfaces, wherein the line of intersection of the two reflecting surfaces is disposed within a plane that includes the first direction and the second direction.

56. An optical member that is used in an interferometer, which irradiates a measuring beam and a reference beam in a first direction toward a movable body, uses an interferometer optical member to combine the measuring beam, which is bent at a prescribed angle by a first reflecting part provided to the movable body, and a reference beam, and measures positional information of the movable body in a second direction, which intersects the first direction, wherein

the optical member shifts the optical axis of the measuring beam from the first reflecting part, and returns the measuring beam to the first reflecting part;

and

the length of the optical member within the plane that includes the first direction and the second direction is greater than the interferometer optical member.