Lithographic projection apparatus, device manufacturing method and device manufactured thereby

• US 20070085984A1
• Filed: 10/18/2005
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Ivanov, Vladimir, Banine, Vadim, Wolschrijn, Bastiaan, Moors, Johannes Hubertus, Mertens, Bastiaan
• Application Number:
  US11/252,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20070085984A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70841 Constructional issues related to vacuum environment, e.g. load-lock chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70908 Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70933 Purge, e.g. exchanging fluid or gas to remove pollutants

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus includes a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation; a mask table provided with a mask holder for holding a mask; a substrate table provided with a substrate holder for holding a substrate; a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed radiation is directed toward the substrate table; the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube; a flushing system is configure to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of gas, wherein the gas is hydrogen, the flow of the gas is opposed to the flow of contaminants from the substrate and/or the hollow tube is in fluid communication with the intervening space.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

a flushing system is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas; and

the gas is hydrogen.

2. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed beam of radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

a flushing system is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas; and

the gas is deuterium or heavy hydrogen.

3. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

a flushing system is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas; and

the gas is deuterated hydrogen.

4. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that the beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

a flushing system is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas; and

the gas is a light gas.

5. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the beam of radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

there is no member separating the intervening space from the space including the hollow tube;

a flushing system is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas, wherein the hollow tube contains a region in which a flow of contaminants issuing from the substrate and a flow of the gas are opposed.

6. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to supply a beam of radiation;

a mask table configured to hold a mask;

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein the projection system is separated from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the employed radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

the intervening space contains a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube;

a flushing is configured to continually flush the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas;

the solid surface is a reflecting surface and the optical path from the reflecting surface to the target portion of the substrate held by the substrate table traverses only fluid.

7. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a beam of radiation;

patterning the beam of radiation;

projecting at least part of the patterned beam of radiation onto a target area of a layer of radiation-sensitive material at least partially covering a substrate supported by a substrate table using a projection system;

separating the projection system from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the beam of radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

providing the intervening space with a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube; and

continually flushing the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas, wherein the gas is hydrogen.

10. A device manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 7.

8. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a beam of radiation;

patterning the beam of radiation;

projecting at least part of the patterned beam of radiation onto a target area of a layer of radiation-sensitive material at least partially covering a substrate supported by a substrate table using a projection system;

separating the projection system from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the beam of radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

providing the intervening space with a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube; and

continually flushing the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas, wherein the flow of gas in a region of the hollow tube opposes the flow of contaminants issuing from the substrate and there is no member separating the intervening space from the space including the hollow member.

11. A device manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 8.

9. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a beam of radiation;

patterning the beam of radiation;

projecting at least part of the patterned beam of radiation onto a target area of a layer of radiation-sensitive material at least partially covering a substrate supported by a substrate table using a projection system;

separating the projection system from the substrate table by an intervening space that is at least partially evacuated and is delimited at the location of the projection system by a solid surface from which the beam of radiation is directed toward the substrate table;

providing the intervening space with a hollow tube located between the solid surface and the substrate table and situated around the path of the beam of radiation, the tube being configured such that beam of radiation focused by the projection system onto the substrate table does not intercept a wall of the hollow tube; and

continually flushing the inside of the hollow tube with a flow of a gas, wherein the solid surface is a reflecting surface and the optical path between the reflecting surface and the target portion of the substrate held by the substrate table traverses only fluid.

12. A device manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 9.