Apparatus and method for maintaining immersion fluid in the gap under the projection lens during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine

• US 20070195300A1
• Filed: 04/18/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Binnard, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,081,298 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/52 Details
• 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 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask

Abstract

An apparatus and method maintain immersion fluid in the gap adjacent to the projection lens during the exchange of a work piece in a lithography machine. The apparatus and method include an optical assembly that projects an image onto a work piece and a stage assembly including a work piece table that supports the work piece adjacent to the optical assembly. An environmental system is provided to supply and remove an immersion fluid from the gap between the optical assembly and the work piece on the stage assembly. After exposure of the work piece is complete, an exchange system removes the work piece and replaces it with a second work piece. An immersion fluid containment system maintains the immersion liquid in the gap during removal of the first work piece and replacement with the second work piece.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;

a liquid confinement structure configured to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, configured to form a part of a boundary of the space; and

a closing plate configured to form a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, when moved without substantially disturbing the liquid, the liquid confinement structure, or both.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an actuator configured to move the closing plate along a horizontal plane to form the part of the boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an actuator configured to move the closing plate in a same plane as the substrate, the substrate table, or both, and to follow the substrate, the substrate table, or both, across the liquid confinement structure.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table comprises an active compensator configured to compensate for a change in load on the substrate table in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to the replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the closing plate comprises an active compensator configured to compensate for a change in load on the liquid confinement structure in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both, as a part of the boundary of the space.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table and the closing plate are releasably coupleable.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a first actuator configured to move the closing plate and a separate second actuator configured to move the substrate table.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the closing plate is at a same vertical level as the substrate table and neither the closing plate nor the substrate table is moved out of the vertical level to replace the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, to replace the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply system is configured to constantly circulate the liquid in a flow pattern and the flow pattern is not disturbed by the replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.

10. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing a liquid to a space through which a patterned beam passes, a substrate, a substrate table, or both, forming a part of a boundary of the space;

sealing the liquid to the space, the seal acting between the substrate, a substrate table, or both, and another structure;

replacing the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with a closing plate as the part of the boundary of the space without breaking the seal; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation through the liquid onto the substrate.

11. The method according to claim 10, comprising moving the closing plate along a horizontal plane to form the part of the boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both.

12. The method according to claim 10, comprising moving the closing plate in a same plane as the substrate, the substrate table, or both, and to follow the substrate, the substrate table, or both.

13. The method according to claim 10, comprising compensating for a change in load on the substrate table in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to the replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space.

14. The method according to claim 10, comprising compensating for a change in load on a liquid confinement structure, used to at least partly confine the liquid in the space, in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both, as a part of the boundary of the space.

15. The method according to claim 10, comprising releasably coupling the substrate table and the closing plate.

16. The method according to claim 10, comprising separately moving the closing plate and the substrate table.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the closing plate is at a same vertical level as the substrate table and neither the closing plate nor the substrate table is moved out of the vertical level to replace the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, to replace the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein the liquid is constantly circulated in a flow pattern and the flow pattern is not disturbed by the replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.

19. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;

a liquid confinement structure configured to confine a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the substrate, the substrate table, or both, configured to form a part of a boundary of the space;

a closing plate displaced in a horizontal plane from the substrate table and configured to form a part of a boundary of the space in place of the substrate, the substrate table, or both; and

an actuator configured to move the closing plate in the horizontal plane.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the actuator is configured to move the closing plate in a same plane as the substrate, the substrate table, or both, and to follow the substrate, the substrate table, or both, across the liquid confinement structure.

21. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate table comprises an active compensator configured to compensate for a change in load on the substrate table in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to the replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space.

22. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the closing plate comprises an active compensator configured to compensate for a change in load on the liquid confinement structure in a direction perpendicular to a direction of movement of the substrate table due to replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both, as a part of the boundary of the space.

23. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the substrate table and the closing plate are releasably coupleable.

24. The apparatus according to claim 19, comprising a separate actuator configured to move the substrate table.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, comprising a controller configured to separately control the closing plate and the substrate table.

26. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the actuator is configured to move both the closing plate and the substrate table.

27. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the closing plate is at a same vertical level as the substrate table and neither the closing plate nor the substrate table is moved out of the vertical level to replace the substrate, the substrate table, or both, with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, to replace the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.

28. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the actuator comprises a long stroke actuator and comprises a long stroke actuator configured to move the substrate table.

29. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the liquid supply system is configured to constantly circulate the liquid in a flow pattern and the flow pattern is not disturbed by the replacement of the closing plate with the substrate, the substrate table, or both as a part of the boundary of the space, replacement of the substrate, the substrate table, or both with the closing plate as a part of the boundary of the space, or both.