Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

• US 20070035711A1
• Filed: 10/25/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hirukawa, Shigeru, Chiba, Hiroshi, Kobayashi, Naoyuki, Nei, Masahiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,817,244 B2
• 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 9/7011 Pre-exposure scan; original with original holder alignment; Prealignment, i.e. workpiece with workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7019 Calibration
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7046 Strategy, e.g. mark, sensor or wavelength selection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7096 Arrangement, mounting, housing, environment, cleaning or maintenance of apparatus

Abstract

An exposure apparatus performs exposure for a substrate by filling a space between a projection optical system and the substrate with a liquid and projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate through the liquid by using the projection optical system. The exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage for holding the substrate, a liquid supply unit for supplying the liquid to a side of an image plane of the projection optical system, and a focus/leveling-detecting system for detecting surface information about a surface of the substrate not through the liquid. The exposure apparatus performs liquid immersion exposure for the substrate while adjusting a positional relationship between the surface of the substrate and the image plane formed through the projection optical system and the liquid, on the basis of the surface information detected by the focus/leveling-detecting system. The liquid immersion exposure can be performed at a satisfactory pattern transfer accuracy.

Claims

1. A liquid immersion exposure method for exposing a substrate by transferring an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid, comprising the steps of:

determining a surface information about a surface of the substrate by performing measurement not through the liquid supplied onto the substrate;

supplying the liquid onto the substrate; and

performing liquid immersion exposure for the substrate while adjusting a positional relationship between the substrate surface and an image plane formed through the liquid on the basis of the determined surface information.

2. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a relationship between the surface information about the surface of the substrate and the image plane of the pattern formed through the liquid by supplying the liquid onto the substrate, in the step of determining the surface information about the surface of the substrate by performing the measurement not through the liquid supplied onto the substrate.

3. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the step of determining the surface information of the surface of the substrate and the step of performing the liquid immersion exposure are carried out on different stations.

4. A liquid immersion exposure method for exposing a substrate by transferring an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid, comprising the steps of:

detecting an alignment mark on the substrate when the liquid is not supplied onto the substrate;

supplying the liquid onto the substrate; and

performing liquid immersion exposure for the substrate while performing alignment of the pattern and the substrate onto which the liquid has been supplied, on the basis of a result of the detection of the alignment mark.

5. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 4, wherein the step of detecting the alignment mark and the step of performing the liquid immersion exposure are carried out on different stations.