Exposure apparatus and exposure method

• US 20070097367A1
• Filed: 10/04/2006
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hideaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,433,050 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/400
• 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 7/70833 Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

Disclosed is an exposing apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by a projection optical system, comprising a measuring unit having a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the projection optical system and a member which is positioned in relation to the projection optical system, and a first support device which has a first soft structure and which supports the measuring unit in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system.

Claims

1. An exposing apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by a projection optical system, comprising

a measuring unit having a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the projection optical system and a member which is positioned in relation to the projection optical system, and

a first support device which has a first soft structure and which supports the measuring unit in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system.

2. The exposing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second support device which has a second soft structure and which supports the projection optical system in a hanging manner.

3. The exposing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the number of supporting points at which the first support device supports the measuring unit and the number of supporting points at which the second support device supports the projection optical system are the same, and

the first and second support devices are disposed on a side face of the projection optical system at substantially the same angle positions.

4. The exposing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first and second support devices have wires or chains.

5. The exposing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second support devices is provided at a portion thereof with a vibration isolating section which reduces vibration of the projection optical system in an optical axis thereof.

6. The exposing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a positioning device which positions the projection optical system in a non-contact manner.

7. The exposing apparatus according to claim 6,

wherein the first support device includes a frame which supports the first soft structure, and

the positioning device positions the projection optical system with respect to the frame.

8. The exposing apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the positioning device includes

a displacement sensor which measures displacement information of six-degrees of freedom of the projection optical system with respect to the frame, and

an actuator of six-degrees of freedom which positions the projection optical system with respect to the frame in a non-contact manner based on a result of measurement of the displacement sensor.

9. The exposing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first support device includes a moving mechanism which moves the measuring unit along an optical axis of the projection optical system.

10. The exposing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first stage to hold and move an object onto which the projection optical system projects the image of the pattern, wherein

the sensor of the measuring unit includes at least one of a first laser interferometer which measures a position of the first stage and a focus position measuring device which measures a position of a surface of the object in an optical axis of the projection optical system.

11. The exposing apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a second stage to hold and move a mask formed with the pattern, wherein

the sensor of the measuring unit includes a second laser interferometer which measures a position of the second stage.

19. An exposing method which transfers an image of the pattern onto an object using the exposing apparatus according to claim 1.

12. An exposing apparatus which projects an image of a pattern on an object by a projection optical system, comprising

a liquid supply device which supplies liquid between the projection optical system and the object, and

a first support device which has a first soft structure, and which supports at least a portion of the liquid supply device in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system.

13. The exposing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a recovery device which sucks the liquid between the projection optical system and the object, wherein

at least a portion of the recovery device is supported by the first support device.

14. The exposing apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the first support device supports a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the projection optical system and a member which is positioned in relation to the projection optical system.

15. The exposing apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a second support device which has a second soft structure and which supports the projection optical system in a hanging manner.

16. The exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the number of supporting points at which the first support device supports the liquid supply device and the number of supporting points at which the second support device supports the projection optical system are the same,

the first and second support devices are disposed on a side face of the projection optical system at substantially the same angle positions.

17. The exposing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the first and second support devices have wires or chains,

the second support device is provided at a portion thereof with a vibration isolating section which reduces vibration of the projection optical system in an optical axis thereof.

18. The exposing apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a positioning device which positions the projection optical system in a non-contact manner.