Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

• US 20070064210A1
• Filed: 11/22/2006
• Published: 03/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Owa, Soichi, Mizuno, Yasushi, Tanimoto, Akikazu, Nakano, Katsushi, Kobayashi, Naoyuki, Shiraishi, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,125,612 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/52 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70316 Details of optical elements, e.g. of Bragg reflectors, extreme ultraviolet [EUV] multilayer or bilayer mirrors or diffractive optical elements
• 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 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70958 Optical materials or coatings, e.g. with particular transmittance, reflectance or anti-reflection properties
• 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 9/7088 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

There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illumination system adapted to condition 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 adapted to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and an object on the substrate table with a liquid; and

an active drying station configured to actively remove the liquid from the object, the substrate table, or both.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active drying station is positioned between the projection system and a substrate post exposure processing module.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table transports the object to the active drying station.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table supports the object during active removal of liquid from the object by the active drying station.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active drying station comprises a gas flow device configured to provide a flow of gas over a surface of the object, the substrate table, or both.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active drying station comprises a gas inlet configured to provide gas onto a surface of the object, substrate table, or both.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas inlet forms a gas knife.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas knife further comprises a further gas inlet and a gas outlet positioned between the gas inlets.

9. An apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a gas outlet to remove gas from the surface of the object, substrate table, or both, the gas inlet substantially surrounding the periphery of the gas outlet.

10. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the gas inlet comprises a gas shower with at least ten inlets.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is a first liquid and the active drying station comprises a first liquid dissolving liquid supply device configured to provide a second liquid, in which the first liquid dissolves, to a surface of the object, the substrate table, or both.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second liquid is more volatile than the first liquid.

13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the second liquid comprises a ketone or an alcohol.

14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active drying station comprises a gas outlet configured to remove gas, liquid, or both from the surface of the object, substrate table, or both.

15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the active drying station comprises a spinner configured to spin the object, substrate table, or both.

16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a substrate.

17. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the object comprises a sensor.

18. A device manufacturing method comprising:

providing a liquid between a projection system and an object on the substrate table;

projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through the liquid, onto a target portion of a substrate using the projection system; and

actively removing the liquid from the object, the substrate table, or both.

19. A method according to claim 18, comprising providing a flow of gas over a surface of the object, the substrate table, or both.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the flow of gas forms a gas knife.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein the gas knife comprises providing gas at two positions and removing the gas from a position between the two positions.

22. A method according to claim 19, further comprising removing gas from the surface of the object, substrate table, or both at a position substantially surrounding a periphery of a position where the gas is provided.

23. A method according to claim 19, comprising providing the gas using a gas shower with at least ten inlets.

24. A method according to claim 18, wherein the liquid comprises a first liquid, and further providing a dissolving liquid, in which the first liquid dissolves, to a surface of the object, the substrate table, or both.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the dissolving liquid is more volatile than the first liquid.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the dissolving liquid comprises a ketone or an alcohol.

27. A method according to claim 18, comprising removing gas, liquid, or both from the surface of the object, substrate table, or both.

28. A method according to claim 18, comprising spinning the object, substrate table, or both.

29. A method according to claim 18, wherein the object comprises a substrate.

30. A method according to claim 18, wherein the object comprises a sensor.

31. A measuring system for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface of the imaging system in an image surface of the imaging system, the imaging system being designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid arranged on at least one of the object-side and the image-side of the imaging system;

comprising;

at least one structure carrier having a measuring structure, the structure carrier being provided to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid, the structure carrier being assigned a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid.

32. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, comprising:

an object-side structure carrier having an object-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system;

an image-side structure carrier having an image-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system;

the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and

a detector for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern;

wherein at least one of the object-side structure carrier and the image-side structure carrier is provided to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid and is assigned a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid.

33. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the structure carrier comprises a substrate on which a coating forming the measuring structure is applied to at least one substrate surface.

34. The measuring system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the coating consists of a metal or a metal alloy, particularly of chromium or a chromium-containing metal.

35. The measuring system as claimed in claim 33, wherein the protective system is applied in relation to the coating forming the measuring structure and the substrate in such a way that the coating is enclosed by the substrate and the protective system in a manner which is substantially liquid-tight on all sides.

36. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the protective system comprises at least one protective layer that is transparent to measuring radiation.

37. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the protective system is formed exclusively by a protective layer applied to the measuring structure.

38. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is formed by a single material layer that is transparent to measuring radiation.

39. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer comprises at least one barrier layer that is substantially impermeable to the immersion liquid.

40. The measuring system as claimed in claim 39, wherein the barrier layer consists of at least one barrier layer material that is substantially chemically resistant to the immersion liquid and is substantially free from pores which go through from an outer side of the barrier layer, facing away from the measuring structure, to a side of the barrier layer facing the measuring structure.

41. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is a single layer of silicon dioxide.

42. The measuring system as claimed in claim 41, wherein the individual layer of silicon dioxide has a geometric layer thickness between about 30 nm and about 100 nm.

43. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer comprises a plurality of material layers lying one above another.

44. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is designed as a reflection-reducing layer for a solid-liquid interface formed between the protective layer and the immersion liquid.

45. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is an electroplated coating of a metallic coating forming the measuring structure and made of a metal which is chemically more stable with respect to the immersion liquid than the material of the coating.

46. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is formed in the manner of a passivation layer from a reaction product of the material of a metallic coating forming the measuring structure, which is chemically more stable with respect to the immersion liquid than the material of the coating.

47. The measuring system as claimed in claim 36, wherein the protective layer is corrected with respect to possible shape deviations on account of an underlying coating forming the measuring structure in such a way that an outer side of the protective layer, serving as a radiation entry surface, is a planar surface.

48. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the protective system is a component that is separate from the structure carrier and which is or can be fitted between the measuring structure and the immersion liquid.

49. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the protective system is constructed in such a way that an interspace that can be filled with a gas or a liquid can be produced between the measuring structure and the protective system.

50. The measuring system as claimed in claim 31, wherein the protective system comprises a plane-parallel plate that is transparent to measuring radiation and which, during the measurement, is arranged between the measuring structure and the immersion liquid.

51. The measuring system as claimed in claim 50, wherein the protective system comprises a holding structure for the plate which, when it is placed on the structure carrier, laterally encloses the measuring structure to be protected, so that the measuring structure is enclosed in a liquid-tight manner by the protective system formed by the plate and the holding structure.

52. The measuring system as claimed in claim 32, wherein an evaluation device for determining at least one imaging parameter describing the imaging quality of the imaging system from the superposition pattern is provided, which comprises an evaluation program for evaluating the superposition pattern and a correction program to take account by computation of an optical effect of the protective system on the structure of the superposition pattern.

53. The measuring system as claimed in claim 52, wherein a determination of the optical effect of the protective system comprises a determination of at least one measured variable on a measuring structure with protective system in order to determine a first measured value for the measured variable and on an otherwise identical measuring structure without protective system in order to determine a second measured value for the measured variable, and the difference is formed between the first and the second measured values.

54. The measuring system as claimed in claim 53, wherein the measuring structure with protective system and the measuring structure without protective system are formed by a measuring structure provided with a protective system only in a subregion.

55. A structure carrier for a measuring system for the optical measurement of optical imaging systems, the structure carrier having at least one measuring structure which is protected by a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by immersion liquid.

56. The structure carrier as claimed in claim 55, wherein the measuring structure is a diffraction grating.

57. The structure carrier as claimed in claim 55, wherein the measuring structure is a line structure for a Moire measuring method.

58. The structure carrier as claimed in claim 55, wherein the measuring structure comprises at least one pinhole.

59. The structure carrier as claimed in claim 55, wherein the protective system is formed by a protective layer which is arranged on the measuring structure, is transparent to measuring radiation and is substantially impermeable to the immersion liquid.

60. The structure carrier as claimed in claim 59, wherein the protective layer is a single layer of silicon dioxide.

61. A structure carrier for a measuring system for the optical measurement of optical imaging systems, the structure carrier having a diaphragm structure to restrict the measuring field, which is protected by a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by immersion liquid.