Apparatus and method for maintaining immersion fluid in the gap under the projection lens during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine
First Claim
1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
- a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
a liquid supply system configured to provide an immersion liquid, through which said beam is to be projected, in a space between said projection system and said substrate; and
a shutter configured to keep said projection system in contact with liquid when said substrate, at least while on the substrate table, substantially comes out of contact with the liquid.
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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.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
a liquid supply system configured to provide an immersion liquid, through which said beam is to be projected, in a space between said projection system and said substrate; and
a shutter configured to keep said projection system in contact with liquid when said substrate, at least while on the substrate table, substantially comes out of contact with the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A device manufacturing method comprising:
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providing an immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate;
projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through said liquid, onto a target portion of the substrate using the projection system; and
maintaining said projection system in contact with liquid when said substrate, at least while on the substrate table, substantially comes out of contact with the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification