Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 20080137047A1
• Filed: 01/08/2008
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Okumura, Masahiko, Kohno, Hirotaka, Mizutani, Takeyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/007,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20080137047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70975 Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus

Abstract

An exposure apparatus is provided with a first stage and a second stage. A maintenance apparatus carries out maintenance on the second stage during exposure processing of a wafer held on the first stage.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a first stage;

a second stage;

a maintenance apparatus that performs maintenance on the second stage; and

a control apparatus that causes the maintenance performed by the maintenance apparatus to be executed during exposure processing of a substrate that is placed on the first state.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein there are further provided:

a projection optical system that projects a pattern image onto the substrate;

a first drive apparatus that is able to move the first stage to a position facing the projection optical system; and

a second drive apparatus that is able to move the second stage to a position facing the projection optical system.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second stage is a measurement stage that makes measurements relating to exposure.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the maintenance apparatus cleans the second stage.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the maintenance apparatus comprises a supply apparatus that supplies cleaning agent to the second stage;

and a recovery apparatus that recovers the cleaning agent.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the maintenance apparatus comprises a photochemical cleaning apparatus that irradiates ultraviolet light onto at least a portion of the area of the second stage.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second stage comprises a replaceable component that is able to be replaced;

and

the maintenance apparatus replaces the replaceable component.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the maintenance apparatus comprises an adjustment apparatus that adjusts the position of the replaceable component relative to the second stage.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

a liquid repellent coating is coated on at least a portion of the second stage, and

the maintenance apparatus performs maintenance on the liquid repellent coating.

15. A device manufacturing method that includes a step of transferring a device pattern onto a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

10. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a first stage;

a second stage; and

a temperature control apparatus that controls the temperature of at least one of the first stage and the second stage by controlling the flow of gas in a space between the first stage and the second stage.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the temperature control apparatus is provided in the first stage or the second stage.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the temperature control apparatus supplies a gas that has been adjusted to a predetermined temperature to the space between the first stage and the second stage.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the temperature control apparatus suctions gas from the space between the first stage and the second stage.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the temperature control apparatus is provided with a baffle component that guides a gas flowing through another space into the space between the first stage and the second stage.

16. An exposure method for exposing a substrate, the method comprising:

executing predetermined processing by use of a first stage that holds the substrate, and

executing maintenance, during the predetermined processing, on a second stage that is different from the first stage.

17. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the second stage includes a measurement stage that makes measurements relating to exposure.

18. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the maintenance includes cleaning of the second stage.

19. The exposure method according to claim 18, wherein the cleaning is performed by supplying cleaning solution to a top surface of the second stage.

20. The exposure method according to claim 18, wherein the cleaning is performed by irradiating ultraviolet light onto the top surface of the second stage.

21. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the predetermined processing includes exposure processing of the substrate held on the first stage.

22. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing the substrate using the exposure method according to claim 16; and

performing developing processing on the exposed substrate.