Exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method

• US 20080239256A1
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nagasaka, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/149,226
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/27
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems
• 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 7/70991 Connection with other apparatus, e.g. multiple exposure stations, particular arrangement of exposure apparatus and pre-exposure and/or post-exposure apparatus; Shared apparatus, e.g. having shared radiation source, shared mask or workpiece stage, shared base-plate; Utilities, e.g. cable, pipe or wireless arrangements for data, power, fluids or vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7096 Arrangement, mounting, housing, environment, cleaning or maintenance of apparatus

Abstract

An exposure apparatus performs a multiple exposure of a substrate and comprises: a first station that exposes the substrate; a second station that exposes the substrate that was exposed at the first station; movable members each of that holds the substrate and is capable of moving between the first station and the second station; and a first detection system that is disposed in the first station and acquires alignment information about the substrate.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus for performing a multiple exposure, comprising:

a first station;

a second station;

a first movable member that holds a substrate and that is capable of moving between the first station and the second station;

a second movable member that holds a substrate and that is capable of moving between the first station and the second station; and

a first detection system that is disposed in the first station;

wherein,

alignment information about the substrate that is held by the first movable member is acquired using the first detection system in the first station;

the substrate that is held by the first movable member is exposed in the first station based on the alignment information;

the substrate that is held by the second movable member is exposed in the second station in parallel with at least part of the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station;

the first movable member is moved from the first station to the second station after the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station and the exposure of the substrate that is held by the second movable member at the second station are complete; and

the substrate that is held by the first movable member is exposed at the second station based on the alignment information.

2. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a second detection system that is disposed in the first station;

wherein,

the substrate that is held by the first movable member is exposed at the first station and the second station based on surface information of the substrate that is held by the first movable member and that was acquired using the second detection system in the first station.

3. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the second detection system acquires the surface information during the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station.

4. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first detection system acquires the alignment information of the substrate that is held by the first movable member even during the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station;

and

the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the second station is exposed based on the alignment information that was acquired during the exposure.

5. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

an exposure condition with respect to the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station differs from that in the second station.

6. An exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein

the exposure condition includes at least one of a movement condition of the substrate, an irradiation condition of an exposure beam with respect to the substrate, and a medium condition of a medium that fills a path of the exposure beam.

7. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the exposure beam is radiated through a liquid to the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station, at the second station, or at both.

8. An exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the exposure beam is radiated to the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station without going through the liquid;

and

the exposure beam is radiated through the liquid to the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the second station.

9. An exposure apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising:

an optical member that is disposed in the second station and has an emergent surface, which emits the exposure beam, that contacts the liquid;

wherein,

at least one of the first movable member and the second movable member is caused to oppose the optical member, and the optical path space on the emergent surface side of the optical member continues to be filled with the liquid after the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station and the exposure of the substrate that is held by the second movable member in the second station are complete and prior to the start of the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the second station.

10. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

in order to acquire the alignment information, the first detection system radiates a detection light to the substrate that is held by the first movable member without going through the liquid.

11. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the alignment information is acquired by using the first detection system to detect an alignment mark on the substrate that is held by the first movable member.

12. An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the second movable member is moved from the second station to the first station after the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station and the exposure of the substrate that is held by the second movable member in the second station are complete;

and

the substrate that has been subject to a multiple exposure is unloaded from the second movable member in the first station.

13. A device fabricating method, comprising:

performing a multiple exposure of a substrate using an exposure apparatus according to claim 1; and

developing the substrate that has undergone the multiple exposure.

14. An exposing method for performing a multiple exposure, comprising:

acquiring alignment information about a substrate that is held by a first movable member in a first station;

exposing the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station based on the alignment information;

exposing a substrate that is held by a second movable member in a second station in parallel with at least part of the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station;

moving the first movable member from the first station to the second station after the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the first station and the exposure of the substrate that is held by the second movable member at the second station are complete; and

exposing the substrate that is held by the first movable member at the second station based on the alignment information.

15. An exposing method according to claim 14, wherein

surface information about a front surface of the substrate that is held by the first movable member is acquired during the exposure of the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station;

and

the substrate that is held by the first movable member is exposed in the first station and the second station based on the surface information.

16. An exposing method according to claim 14, wherein

an exposure beam is radiated to the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the first station without going through the liquid;

and

an exposure beam is radiated through the liquid to the substrate that is held by the first movable member in the second station.

17. An exposing method according to claim 14, wherein

in the first station, the exposure beam is radiated to the substrate that is held by the first movable member, which is substantially stationary;

and

in the second station, the exposure beam is radiated to the substrate that is held by the first movable member while moving the substrate that is held by the first movable member.

18. A device fabricating method, comprising:

performing a multiple exposure on a substrate using an exposing method according to claim 14; and

developing the substrate that has undergone the multiple exposure.