IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHODS

• US 20070091287A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: LIN, Chin-Hsiang, CHANG, Ching-Yu, LIN, Burn Jeng
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,395 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• 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 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning

Abstract

A lithography apparatus includes an imaging lens module; a substrate table positioned underlying the imaging lens module and configured to hold a substrate; and a cleaning module adapted to clean the lithography apparatus. The cleaning module is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic unit, a scrubber, a fluid jet, an electrostatic cleaner, and combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A lithography apparatus, comprising:

an imaging lens module;

a substrate table positioned underlying the imaging lens module and configured to hold a substrate; and

a cleaning module adapted to clean the lithography apparatus, wherein the cleaning module is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic unit, a scrubber, a fluid jet, an electrostatic cleaner, and combinations thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an immersion fluid retaining module configured to provide an immersion fluid to a space between the imaging lens module and a substrate on the substrate table.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cleaning module is operable to clean at least one of the imaging lens, the substrate table, and the immersion fluid retaining module.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the cleaning module is integrated with at least one of the immersion fluid retaining module and the substrate table.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning module is integrated with a robot.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning module is configured to move in a mode selected from the group consisting of rotation, vibration, horizontal movement, and combinations thereof.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning module comprises a cleaning fluid inlet to provide a cleaning fluid for use with the cleaning module.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cleaning fluid is selected from the group consisting of an immersion fluid, a chemical solution, and a purge gas.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a material selected from the group consisting of surfactant, solvent, NH₄OH, H₂O₂, O₃, NMP, PGME/PGMEA cyclohexanol, IPA, acetone, alcohol, MEA, and HA.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cleaning module comprises a vacuum component configured to draw the cleaning fluid.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubber is selected from a sponge and a brush.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the scrubber comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Polyethylene (PE), Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA), and Polypropylene (PP).

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid jet is operable at various pressures, angles, and movements.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the fluid jet is configured to use a liquid gas for cleaning.

15. An immersion lithography apparatus, comprising:

an imaging lens module;

a substrate table configured to secure a substrate and positioned under the imaging lens;

a fluid module configured to provide a fluid to a space between the imaging lens module and a substrate on the stage; and

an ultrasonic module configured to provide ultrasonic energy to clean the immersion lithography apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic module is embedded in at least one of the stage and the fluid module.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic module is operable to move for optimized cleaning.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the ultrasonic module is operable to provide an ultrasonic energy with a power ranging between about 1 milliwatt to about 1 kilowatt and a frequency ranging between about 1 KHz and about 1 GHz.

19. A method, comprising:

providing a lithography apparatus having a cleaning module, wherein the cleaning module includes at least one of a scrubber, a fluid jet, an ultrasonic unit, and an electrostatic cleaner;

performing a cleaning process to the lithography apparatus by utilizing the cleaning module; and

performing an exposure process to a substrate coated with an imaging layer.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the performing of the exposure process comprises exposing a semiconductor wafer.