Substrate Holding Apparatus, Exposure Apparatus, and Device Fabrication Method

• US 20080111984A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 05/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibuta, Makoto
• Granted Patent: US 9,224,632 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• 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 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6838 with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68735 characterised by edge profile or support profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions

Abstract

To provide a substrate holding apparatus that can rapidly recover liquid that has infiltrated the rear surface side of a substrate. A substrate holding apparatus comprises: a base; a first support part, which is formed on the base and supports a rear surface of a substrate to be processed; a first circumferential wall part, which is formed on the base and is provided so that it opposes the rear surface of the substrate to be processed and surrounds the first support part; and a first recovery port, which is provided on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part; wherein, the flow of a gas along the first circumferential wall part moves the liquid on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part to the first recovery port, where the liquid is recovered.

Claims

1. A substrate holding apparatus that holds a substrate to be processed whereto a liquid is supplied, comprising:

a base;

a first support part, which is formed on the base and supports a rear surface of the substrate to be processed;

a first circumferential wall part, which is formed on the base and is provided so that it opposes the rear surface of the substrate to be processed and surrounds the first support part; and

a first recovery port, which is provided on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part, wherein,

the flow of a gas along the first circumferential wall part moves the liquid on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part to the first recovery port, where the liquid is recovered.

2. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a suction apparatus that is connected to the first recovery port, wherein, suctioning through the first recovery port via the suction apparatus generates a flow of gas that moves toward the first recovery port.

3. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first circumferential wall part is provided on the inner side of an edge part of the substrate to be processed;

and

the liquid recovered through the first recovery port includes the liquid that is adhering to an area of the rear surface of the substrate to be processed on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part.

4. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first recovery port is provided on the base at a prescribed position in the vicinity of the first circumferential wall part.

5. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first recovery port is provided on the base on the inner side of the edge part of the substrate to be processed.

6. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first recovery port is provided at each position of a plurality of prescribed positions along the first circumferential wall part.

7. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first support part chucks the rear surface of the substrate to be processed by negatively pressurizing a first space, which is surrounded by the substrate to be processed, the first circumferential wall part, and the base.

8. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first circumferential wall part comprises a recessed part, which is in accord with a notch formed in the substrate to be processed;

and

the first recovery port is provided on the inner side of the recessed part.

9. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the first recovery port is provided at a position that is shifted from a center position of the recessed part by a prescribed distance in the circumferential direction of the first circumferential wall part.

10. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a second circumferential wall part, which guides the flow of gas that moves toward the first recovery port, is provided on the outer side of the first circumferential wall part.

11. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 10, wherein

an upper surface of the second circumferential wall part and the rear surface of the substrate to be processed oppose one another.

12. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the upper surface of the second circumferential wall part is formed so that it is lower than the upper surface of the first circumferential wall part.

13. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a passageway wherethrough a second space between the first circumferential wall part and the second circumferential wall part and a third space on the outer side of the second space communicate.

14. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the passageway comprises a hole, which is provided to one part of the second circumferential wall part.

15. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the passageway comprises a slit part, which is provided to one part of the second circumferential wall part.

16. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 13, wherein

the passageway comprises a gap, which is provided between the second circumferential wall part and the substrate to be processed.

17. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a second recovery port that is farther on the outer side of the second circumferential wall part.

18. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

a plate holding part, which is formed on the base and holds a plate member so that it surrounds the circumference of the substrate to be processed, wherein, the plate holding part holds the plate member so that a space is formed on the rear surface side of the plate member, and

the second recovery port is provided on the rear surface side of the plate member held by the plate holding part.

19. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the substrate to be processed and an area of one part of the upper surface of the second circumferential wall part oppose one another;

and

the plate member and another area of the upper surface of the second circumferential wall part oppose one another.

20. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 19, wherein

a gap is formed between the rear surface of the plate member and the upper surface of the second circumferential wall part.

21. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the plate holding part comprises a second support part, which supports the rear surface of the plate member, and an outer wall part, which surrounds the second support part, and chucks the rear surface of the plate member by the second support part by negatively pressurizing a fourth space, which is surrounded by the plate member, the outer wall part, and the base, and

the second recovery port is provided on the outer side of the fourth space.

22. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the plate member is liquid repellent with respect to the liquid.

23. A substrate holding apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the first recovery port and the second recovery port recover the liquid that infiltrates from between the substrate to be processed and the plate member.

24. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

a substrate holding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

a substrate to be processed, which is held by the substrate holding apparatus, is exposed through a liquid.

25. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

the recovery operation using the first recovery port is stopped during exposure through the liquid.

26. An exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

after the exposure through the liquid is complete, the recovery operation using the first recovery port is performed in a state wherein the substrate to be processed is held by the substrate holding apparatus.

27. An exposure apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a drive apparatus that moves the substrate holding apparatus between a first position, at which the exposure is performed, and a second position, which is separate from the first position, wherein,

the recovery operation using the first recovery port is performed during the movement of the substrate holding apparatus.

28. A device fabricating method, wherein

an exposure apparatus according to claim 24 is used.