Exposure Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method

• US 20080100811A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nakagawa, Chiaki
• Application Number:
  US11/792,231
• Publication Number:
  US 20080100811A1
• 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 7/70525 Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/708 Construction of apparatus, e.g. environment aspects, hygiene aspects or materials

Abstract

To provide an exposure apparatus that allows an understanding of the condition of the apparatus and that can prevent a leakage or scattering of a liquid. The exposure apparatus (EX) includes a display apparatus (D) that indicates at least one of a status of filling of an optical path space (K1) of the exposure light (EL) with the liquid (LQ) and a status of recovering of the liquid (LQ) from the optical path space (K1).

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus that irradiates a substrate with exposure light via a liquid to expose the substrate, comprising

a display apparatus that indicates at least one of a status of filling of an optical path space of the exposure light with the liquid and a status of recovery of the liquid from the optical path space.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when filling of the optical path space with the liquid is completed, the display apparatus indicates that the optical path space is in a state of being filled with a liquid.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, when recovery of the liquid from the optical path space is completed, the display apparatus indicates that the optical path space is in a state free from a liquid.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a sensor that detects a size of a liquid immersion region consisting of the liquid at the optical path space, wherein

the display apparatus indicates at least one of the status of filling with the liquid and the status of recovery of the liquid based on a detection result from the sensor.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the display apparatus indicates a status of removal of the liquid remaining on the substrate, after completion of recovery of the liquid from the optical path space.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising

a projection optical system from which the exposure light exits, wherein

the optical path space comprises a space between an object and the projection optical system, the object facing the projection optical system.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display apparatus indicates whether or not the space between the projection optical system and the object is filled with a liquid.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the display apparatus also indicates that the determination whether or not the space between the projection optical system and the object is filled with a liquid cannot be made.

9. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

providing an exposure apparatus constructed to irradiate a substrate with exposure light via a liquid to expose the substrate, the exposure apparatus including a display apparatus that indicates at least one of a status of filling of an optical path space of the exposure light with the liquid and a status of recovery of the liquid from the optical path space; and

using the exposure apparatus to expose a substrate.