Contamination barrier and lithographic apparatus

• US 20080174751A1
• Filed: 03/19/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Van Den Wildenberg, Lambertus Adrianus
• Granted Patent: US 7,525,635 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70983 Optical system protection, e.g. pellicles or removable covers for protection of mask
• CPC Class Codes: H05G 2/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for producing X-rays, not involving X-ray tubes, e.g. involving generation of a plasma X-ray lasers H01S4/00

Abstract

A rotatable contamination barrier for use with an extreme ultraviolet radiation system includes a blade structure configured to trap contaminant material coming from a radiation source, and an eccentric mass element displaced relative to a central axis of rotation to balance the blade structure when the blade structure is rotated about the central axis.

Claims

1. A rotatable contamination barrier for use with an extreme ultraviolet radiation system, the barrier comprising:

a blade structure configured to trap contaminant material coming from a radiation source; and

an eccentric mass element displaced relative to a central axis of rotation to balance the blade structure when the blade structure is rotated about the central axis.

2. The barrier of claim 1, wherein a plurality of eccentric mass elements are provided in at least two planes displaced laterally along the central axis of rotation.

3. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the eccentric mass element is displaceable relative to the central axis of rotation.

4. The barrier of claim 3, further comprising:

a imbalance sensor configured to provide a signal of a sensed imbalance of the contamination barrier; and

an adjustment unit configured to automatically adjust the eccentric mass element in response to the signal.

5. The barrier of claim 4, wherein the imbalance sensor unit is configured to measure an eccentric displacement of the blade structure in a lateral plane that is the same as or parallel to the lateral plane wherein the eccentric mass element is provided.

6. The barrier of claim 1, wherein the blade structure comprises a rotatable shaft and a plurality of closely packed blades mounted to the rotatable shaft, the blades radially oriented relative to the rotatable shaft.

7. The barrier of claim 6, wherein the eccentric mass element comprises an addition of mass to the rotatable shaft, a shift of mass on or in the rotatable shaft, removal of mass from the rotatable shaft, or any combination of the foregoing.

8. The barrier of claim 6, wherein the rotatable shaft is thermally stabilized against thermal energy imparted on the plurality of blades by EUV radiation and/or debris.

9. The barrier of claim 8, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a thermally stabilizing coupling element configured to couple a first portion of the shaft and a second portion of the that provides a mount to the blade structure.

10. The barrier of claim 9, wherein the first portion of the shaft comprises an alloy comprising molybdenum, and wherein the coupling element is comprised of an alloy comprising tantalum.

11. The barrier of claim 6, further comprising a bearing structure constructed and arranged to support the rotatable shaft.

12. The barrier of claim 11, wherein the bearing structure comprises a pair of gas bearings.

13. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a rotatable contamination barrier configured to receive radiation from a radiation source, the contamination barrier comprising

a blade structure configured to trap contaminant material coming from the radiation source, and

an eccentric mass element displaced relative to a central axis of rotation to balance the blade structure when the blade structure is rotated about the central axis;

an illumination system configured to condition the beam of radiation;

a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;

a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and

a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate.

14. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a plurality of eccentric mass elements are provided in at least two planes displaced laterally along the central axis of rotation.

15. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the eccentric mass element is displaceable relative to the central axis of rotation.

16. The lithographic apparatus of claim 15, wherein the contamination barrier further comprises

a imbalance sensor configured to provide a signal of a sensed imbalance of the contamination barrier;

and

an adjustment unit configured to automatically adjust the eccentric mass element in response to the signal.

17. The lithographic apparatus of claim 16, wherein the imbalance sensor unit is configured to measure an eccentric displacement of the blade structure in a lateral plane that is the same as or parallel to the lateral plane wherein the eccentric mass element is provided.

18. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the blade structure comprises a rotatable shaft and a plurality of closely packed blades mounted to the rotatable shaft, the blades radially oriented relative to the rotatable shaft.

19. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the eccentric mass element comprises an addition of mass to the rotatable shaft, a shift of mass on or in the rotatable shaft, removal of mass from the rotatable shaft, or any combination of the foregoing.

20. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the rotatable shaft is thermally stabilized against thermal energy imparted on the plurality of blades by the beam of radiation and/or debris.

21. The lithographic apparatus of claim 20, wherein the rotating shaft comprises a thermally stabilizing coupling element configured to couple a first portion of the shaft and a second portion of the that provides a mount to the blade structure.

22. The lithographic apparatus of claim 21, wherein the first portion of the shaft comprises an alloy comprising molybdenum, and wherein the coupling element is comprised of an alloy comprising tantalum.

23. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a bearing structure constructed and arranged to support the rotatable shaft.

24. The lithographic apparatus of claim 23, wherein the bearing structure comprises a pair of gas bearings.

25. The lithographic apparatus of claim 13, wherein the radiation comprises extreme ultraviolet radiation.