Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device fabricating method

• US 20070030467A1
• Filed: 10/06/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Horikawa, Hiroto
• Application Number:
  US11/543,772
• Publication Number:
  US 20070030467A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• 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 9/7003 Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7011 Pre-exposure scan; original with original holder alignment; Prealignment, i.e. workpiece with workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7096 Arrangement, mounting, housing, environment, cleaning or maintenance of apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides an exposure apparatus that can satisfactorily perform a measurement process and can accurately perform an exposure process, even if a liquid immersion method is applied to a twin stage type exposure apparatus. An exposure apparatus (EX) comprises: two substrate stages (PST1, PST2) each capable of holding and moving a substrate (P); an exposure station (STE) that exposes, through a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (LQ), the substrate (P) held by one substrate stage (PST1); and a measuring station (STA) that measures the substrate (P) held by the other substrate stage (PST2) or the abovementioned substrate stage (PST2); and wherein, the measurement performed at the measuring station (STA) is performed in a state wherein the liquid (LQ) is disposed on the substrate stage (PST2) or the substrate (P).

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation;

a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart the beam with a pattern in its cross-section;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;

a first liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between the projection system and the substrate table, with a first liquid; and

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate, the measurement system being arranged such that measurements take place through a second liquid, the second liquid not being supplied by the first liquid supply system.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between the measurement system and the substrate table, with the second liquid.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second liquid supply system comprises a seal member extending along at least part of the boundary of the space between the measurement system and the substrate table.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement system comprises a level sensor configured to measure a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table has a reference and the measurement system measures a location of the reference.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reference comprises a transmission image sensor.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the measurement system is configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station and the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10, comprising a plurality of substrate tables, each movable between an exposure station and a measurement station.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

47. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first liquid supply system is configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table, with a first liquid.

48. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said second liquid supply system is configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table, with the second liquid.

14. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation;

a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart the beam with a pattern in its cross-section;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate using a measurement beam; and

a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between the projection system and the substrate table and a space between the measurement system and the substrate table with a liquid, wherein

the measurement system is arranged such that the substrate table cannot simultaneously be in the path of the projection beam and the measurement beam.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the measurement system comprises a level sensor configured to measure a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

16. Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

17. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

18. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the substrate table has a reference and the measurement system measures a location of the reference.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the reference comprises a transmission image sensor.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the measurement system is configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

21. Apparatus according to claim 14, comprising an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station and the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

23. Apparatus according to claim 21, comprising a plurality of substrate tables, each movable between an exposure station and a measurement station.

24. Apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

49. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the liquid supply system is configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table, with the liquid.

50. Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the liquid supply system is configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table, with the liquid.

25. A device manufacturing method comprising:

measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate using a measurement beam projected from a measurement system, the measurement taking place through a liquid but not through a liquid supplied between the substrate and a projection system; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through the liquid supplied between the substrate and the projection system, onto a target portion of the substrate.

26. Method according to claim 25, comprising at least partially filling a space between the measurement system and the substrate, between the projection system and the substrate, or both with a liquid.

27. Method according to claim 25, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

28. Method according to claim 27, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

29. Method according to claim 25, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

30. Method according to claim 25, comprising measuring a location of a reference of a substrate table holding the substrate.

31. Method according to claim 30, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

32. Method according to claim 25, comprising moving the substrate between an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station.

33. Method according to claim 32, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

34. Method according to claim 32, comprising moving each of a plurality of substrate tables between an exposure station and a measurement station.

35. Method according to claim 34, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

51. Method according to claim 25, comprising at least partially filling a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate, between a final element of the projection system and the substrate, or both with a liquid.

36. A device manufacturing method comprising:

measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate using a measurement beam projected, from a measurement system, through a liquid between the measurement system and the substrate; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation through a liquid onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein

the patterned beam and measurement beam are arranged such that the substrate is not simultaneously in the path of the patterned beam and the measurement beam.

37. Method according to claim 36, comprising at least partially filling a space between the measurement system and the substrate, between a projection system and the substrate, or both with a liquid.

38. Method according to claim 36, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

39. Method according to claim 38, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

40. Method according to claim 36, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

41. Method according to claim 36, comprising measuring a location of a reference of a substrate table holding the substrate.

42. Method according to claim 41, wherein the measuring a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate comprises measuring a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

43. Method according to claim 36, comprising moving the substrate between an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station.

44. Method according to claim 43, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

45. Method according to claim 43, comprising moving each of a plurality of substrate tables between an exposure station and a measurement station.

46. Method according to claim 45, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

52. Method according to claim 36, comprising at least partially filling a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate, between a final element of the projection system and the substrate, or both with a liquid.

53. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a first liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table, with a first liquid; and

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate, the measurement system being arranged such that measurements take place through a second liquid, the second liquid not being supplied by the first liquid supply system.

54. The apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising a second liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table, with the second liquid.

55. The apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the second liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure extending along at least part of the boundary of the space between the measurement system and the substrate table.

56. The apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the measurement system comprises a level sensor configured to measure a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

57. The apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

58. The apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

59. The apparatus according to claim 54, wherein the substrate table has a reference and the measurement system measures a location of the reference.

60. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the reference comprises a transmission image sensor.

61. The apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the measurement system is configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

62. The apparatus according to claim 54, comprising an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station and the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations.

63. The apparatus according to claim 62, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

64. The apparatus according to claim 62, comprising a plurality of substrate tables, each movable between an exposure station and a measurement station.

65. The apparatus according to claim 64, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

66. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

measuring, through a first liquid, a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate, the first liquid not being supplied by a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between the substrate and a final element of the projection system with a second liquid; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through the second liquid supplied between the substrate and the projection system, onto a target portion of the substrate.

67. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system configured to project the patterned beam at an exposure station;

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate using a measurement beam, the measurement system configured to measure the location of each of the plurality of points at a measurement station displaced from the exposure station, the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations and arranged not to be simultaneously in the path of the projection beam and the measurement beam; and

a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table and a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table with a liquid.