Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

• US 20070171391A1
• Filed: 02/23/2007
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Magome, Nobutaka, Takaiwa, Hiroaki, Arai, Dai
• Granted Patent: US 8,034,539 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• 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 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70991 Connection with other apparatus, e.g. multiple exposure stations, particular arrangement of exposure apparatus and pre-exposure and/or post-exposure apparatus; Shared apparatus, e.g. having shared radiation source, shared mask or workpiece stage, shared base-plate; Utilities, e.g. cable, pipe or wireless arrangements for data, power, fluids or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 430/146 Laser beam

Abstract

An exposure system includes an exposure section for irradiating a formed resist film with exposing light through a mask with an immersion liquid provided on the resist film, and a drying section for drying a surface of the resist film after irradiation.

Claims

1. An exposure system comprising:

an exposure section for irradiating a formed resist film with exposing light through a mask with an immersion liquid provided on said resist film; and

a drying section for drying a surface of said resist film after irradiation.

2. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein said drying section includes air blowing means.

3. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein said drying section includes dehumidification means.

4. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein said drying section includes warming means.

5. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein said resist film is formed on a wafer, and said drying section dries a whole top surface of said wafer.

6. The exposure system of claim 5, wherein said exposure section includes twin stages having at least two wafer placing portions, and the whole top surface of said wafer is dried on one of said wafer placing portions of said twin stages.

7. The exposure system of claim 2, wherein said air blowing means is an air fan capable of blowing warm air.

8. The exposure system of claim 3, wherein said dehumidification means is a dehumidification apparatus for lowering humidity of an environment around said resist film by using a refrigerant.

9. The exposure system of claim 3, wherein said dehumidification means is a drying agent for lowering humidity of an atmosphere around said resist film.

10. The exposure system of claim 4, wherein said warming means is a warming apparatus for warming an atmosphere around said resist film.

11. A pattern formation method comprising the steps of:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

performing pattern exposure by selectively irradiating said resist film with exposing light with an immersion liquid provided on said resist film;

removing said immersion liquid remaining on a surface of said resist film after the pattern exposure; and

forming a resist pattern by developing said resist film after removing said immersion liquid.

12. The pattern formation method of claim 11, wherein the step of removing said immersion liquid is a step of blowing air against said resist film after the pattern exposure, a step of dehumidifying an atmosphere around said resist film after the pattern exposure, or a step of warming said resist film after the pattern exposure.

13. The pattern formation method of claim 11, wherein said immersion liquid is water or perfluoropolyether.

14. The pattern formation method of claim 11, wherein said exposing light is KrF excimer laser, Xe₂ laser, ArF excimer laser, F₂ laser, KrAr laser or Ar₂ laser.

15. A pattern formation method comprising the steps of:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

performing pattern exposure by selectively irradiating said resist film with exposing light with an immersion liquid provided on said resist film;

blowing air against said resist film after the pattern exposure; and

forming a resist pattern by developing said resist film after blowing air against said resist film.

18. The pattern formation method of claim 15, wherein said air is warm air.

19. The pattern formation method of claim 15, wherein said immersion liquid is water or perfluoropolyether.

20. The pattern formation method of claim 15, wherein said exposing light is KrF excimer laser, Xe₂ laser, ArF excimer laser, F₂ laser, KrAr laser or Ar₂ laser.

16. A pattern formation method comprising the steps of:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

performing pattern exposure by selectively irradiating said resist film with exposing light with an immersion liquid provided on said resist film;

dehumidifying an atmosphere around said resist film after the pattern exposure; and

forming a resist pattern by developing said resist film after dehumidification.

21. The pattern formation method of claim 16, wherein the atmosphere is dehumidified by using a refrigerant.

22. The pattern formation method of claim 16, wherein the atmosphere is dehumidified by using a drying agent.

23. The pattern formation method of claim 16, wherein said immersion liquid is water or perfluoropolyether.

24. The pattern formation method of claim 16, wherein said exposing light is KrF excimer laser, Xe₂ laser, ArF excimer laser, F₂ laser, KrAr laser or Ar₂ laser.

17. A pattern formation method comprising the steps of:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

performing pattern exposure by selectively irradiating said resist film with exposing light with an immersion liquid provided on said resist film;

warming said resist film after the pattern exposure; and

forming a resist pattern by developing said resist film after warming said resist film.

25. The pattern formation method of claim 17, wherein said resist film is warmed by warming an atmosphere around said resist film.

26. The pattern formation method of claim 17, wherein said immersion liquid is water or perfluoropolyether.

27. The pattern formation method of claim 17, wherein said exposing light is KrF excimer laser, Xe₂ laser, ArF excimer laser, F₂ laser, KrAr laser or Ar₂ laser.