EXPOSURE APPARATUS

• US 20070046911A1
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: AICHI, Shintaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,486,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature

Abstract

An exposure apparatus is disclosed, which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station. The exposure apparatus includes a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station, and a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station. The directions in which the first blowing unit and the second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to the direction along which the alignment station and the exposure station are arranged.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between said alignment station and said exposure station, the apparatus comprising:

a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said alignment station; and

a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said exposure station,

wherein directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to a direction along which said alignment station and said exposure station are arranged.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said first blowing unit;

a second temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said second blowing unit;

a first temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said first blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said first temperature sensor; and

a second temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said second blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said second temperature sensor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gasses are a substantially horizontal direction.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gasses are a substantially vertical direction.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between said alignment station and said exposure station.

12. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

causing an exposure apparatus defined in claim 1 to form a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate; and

developing the latent image pattern.

6. An exposure apparatus which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between said alignment station and said exposure station, the apparatus comprising:

a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said alignment station;

a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said exposure station; and

an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between said alignment station and said exposure station.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between said alignment station and said exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition said alignment station and said exposure station.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said air curtain unit further includes a third temperature adjusting unit which supplies temperature-adjusted gas to said third blowing unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said air curtain unit further includes a suction unit which draws gas by suction.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said third blowing unit ejects gas substantially vertically downward to form a downflow.

13. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

causing an exposure apparatus defined in claim 6 to form a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate; and

developing the latent image pattern.

11. An exposure apparatus which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages which can be swapped between said alignment station and said exposure station, the apparatus comprising

an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between said alignment station and said exposure station.

14. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

causing an exposure apparatus defined in claim 11 to form a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate; and

developing the latent image pattern.