MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD AND MOVABLE BODY DRIVE SYSTEM, PATTERN FORMATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD

• US 20090040488A1
• Filed: 07/24/2008
• Published: 02/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: SHIBAZAKI, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,264,669 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/55
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70508 Data handling in all parts of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. handling pattern data for addressable masks or data transfer to or from different components within the exposure apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection

Abstract

Positional information of a stage within a movement plane is measured, using three encoders which include at least one each of an X encoder and a Y encoder. Based on position measurement values of the stage, the encoder used in position measurement is switched from an encoder (Enc1, Enc2 and Enc3) to an encoder (Enc4, Enc2 and Enc3). On the switching, a coordinate linkage method or a phase linkage method is applied to set an initial value of an encoder (Enc4) which is to be newly used. Accordingly, position measurement values of the stage before and after the switching are stored even though the encoder used in position measurement of the stage is sequentially switched, and the stage can be driven accurately two-dimensionally.

Claims

1. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the method comprising:

a first process in which a position coordinate of the movable body is obtained, based on measurement values of three encoder heads among a plurality of first encoder heads whose position in a direction parallel to the second axis is different and a plurality of second encoder heads whose position in a direction parallel to the first axis is different, with the three encoder heads respectively facing three gratings selected from a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body; and

a second process in which a measurement value of an encoder head to be newly used is set again so that the position coordinate is maintained before and after the switching of the encoder head.

2. The movable body drive method according to claim 1 wherein

in the second process, on switching a set of three encoder heads used in position control of the movable body to a different set of three encoder heads including at least one encoder head which is different from the set of three encoder heads, a measurement value of an encoder head to be newly used is to be set again.

31. A pattern formation method, comprising:

a process in which an object is mounted on a movable body that can move in a movement plane; and

a process in which the movable body is driven by the movable body drive method according to claim 1, to form a pattern to the object.

32. A device manufacturing method including a pattern formation process, wherein

in the pattern formation process, a pattern is formed on an object using the pattern formation method according to claim 31.

33. An exposure method in which a pattern is formed on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam wherein

for relative movement of the energy beam and the object, a movable body on which the object is mounted is driven, using the movable body drive method according to claim 1.

3-30. -30. (canceled)

34. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the method comprising:

a first process in which a position coordinate of the movable body is obtained, based on measurement values of three encoder heads among a plurality of first encoder heads whose position in a direction parallel to the second axis is different and a plurality of second encoder heads whose position in a direction parallel to the first axis is different, with the three encoder heads respectively facing three gratings selected from a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body; and

a second process in which only a measurement value by a measurement unit of an encoder head to be newly used after the switching is to be set again, based on a position coordinate of the movable body.

35. A pattern formation method, comprising:

a process in which an object is mounted on a movable body that can move in a movement plane; and

a process in which the movable body is driven by the movable body drive method according to claim 34, to form a pattern to the object.

36. A device manufacturing method including a pattern formation process, wherein

in the pattern formation process, a pattern is formed on an object using the pattern formation method according to claim 35.

37. An exposure method in which a pattern is formed on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam wherein

for relative movement of the energy beam and the object, a movable body on which the object is mounted is driven, using the movable body drive method according to claim 34.

38. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the method comprising:

a first process in which a position of the movable body within the predetermined plane is controlled, based on measurement values of a set of heads of an encoder including three heads among a plurality of first heads whose position in a direction parallel to the second axis is different and a plurality of second heads whose position in a direction parallel to the first axis is different, with the three heads respectively facing three gratings selected from a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body; and

a second process in which a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is switched to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads so that the position of the movable body within the plane becomes successive before and after the switching.

39. The movable body drive method according to claim 38 wherein

the second process includes

a specifying process in which the three heads used in position control of the movable body is specified based on positional information of the movable body;

a judgment process in which judgment is made of whether or not the three heads which were specified are coincident with three heads of a set of heads currently used in position control of the movable body;

a deciding process in which when the heads are not coincident, an offset by a measurement unit is decided by predicting a measurement value of a specific head which is not currently used in position control of the movable body among the three specified heads based on the position of the movable body;

a deciding process in which an offset equal to or less than the measurement unit of the specific head is decided based on the offset by the measurement unit which has been decided so that the position of the movable body is coincident before and after the switching; and

a changing process in which a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is changed from the set of heads currently used to the set of heads that are specified.

40. The movable body drive method according to claim 38, the method further comprising:

a third process in which a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is switched to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads, using the offset by the measurement unit computed based on the position of the movable body and the offset equal to or less that the measurement unit kept for each head.

41. The movable body drive method according to claim 38 wherein

the switching of the set of heads is performed from when the specific head used only after the switching faces the grating until the specific head which will not be used after the switching moves off of the grating.

42. A pattern formation method, comprising:

a process in which an object is mounted on a movable body that can move in a movement plane; and

a process in which the movable body is driven by the movable body drive method according to claim 38, to form a pattern to the object.

43. A device manufacturing method including a pattern formation process, wherein

in the pattern formation process, a pattern is formed on an object using the pattern formation method according to claim 42.

44. An exposure method in which a pattern is formed on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam wherein

for relative movement of the energy beam and the object, a movable body on which the object is mounted is driven, using the movable body drive method according to claim 38.

45. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the method comprising:

a first process in which a position of the movable body within the predetermined plane is controlled, based on measurement values of a set of heads of an encoder including three heads among a plurality of first heads whose position in a direction parallel to the second axis is different and a plurality of second heads whose position in a direction parallel to the first axis is different, with the three heads respectively facing three gratings selected from a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body; and

a second process in which a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is switched to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads, using the offset by the measurement unit computed based on the position of the movable body and the offset equal to or less than the measurement unit set for each head.

46. The movable body drive method according to claim 45 wherein

the second process includes

a specifying process in which the three heads used in position control of the movable body is specified;

a judgment process in which judgment is made of whether or not the three heads which were specified are coincident with three heads of a set of heads currently used in position control of the movable body; and

a deciding process in which when the heads are not coincident, an offset by a measurement unit is decided by predicting a measurement value of a specific head which is not currently used in position control of the movable body among the three specified heads based on the position of the movable body.

47. The movable body drive method according to claim 45 wherein

the switching of the set of heads is performed from when the specific head used only after the switching faces the grating until the specific head which will not be used after the switching moves off of the grating.

48. A pattern formation method, comprising:

a process in which an object is mounted on a movable body that can move in a movement plane; and

a process in which the movable body is driven by the movable body drive method according to claim 45, to form a pattern to the object.

49. A device manufacturing method including a pattern formation process, wherein

in the pattern formation process, a pattern is formed on an object using the pattern formation method according to claim 48.

50. An exposure method in which a pattern is formed on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam wherein

for relative movement of the energy beam and the object, a movable body on which the object is mounted is driven, using the movable body drive method according to claim 45.

51. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the method comprising:

a first process in which a position of the movable body within the predetermined plane is controlled, based on measurement values of a set of heads of an encoder including three heads among a plurality of first heads whose position in a direction parallel to the second axis is different and a plurality of second heads whose position in a direction parallel to the first axis is different, with the three heads respectively facing three gratings selected from a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body;

a second process in which a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is switched to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads so that the position of the movable body within the predetermined plane becomes successive before and after the switching, and also on the switching, a processing in which an offset by the measurement unit of a specific head used only after the switching is decided based on the position of the movable body, and an offset equal to or less than the measurement unit of the specific head is decided based on the decided offset by the measurement unit, so that the position of the movable body is coincident before and after the switching, with the plurality of first heads and/or the plurality of second heads serving as the specific head; and

a third process in which until the offset equal to or less than the measurement unit is updated, a set of heads used in position control of the movable body is switched at every timing when switching of the set of heads occurring with the movement of the movable body becomes required to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads, using the offset by the measurement unit computed based on the position of the movable body and the offset equal to or less than the measurement unit kept for each head.

52. The movable body drive method according to claim 51 wherein

the processing in the second process is repeatedly performed each time a predetermined condition is satisfied.

53. The movable body drive method according to claim 51 wherein

in the second process, on the switching of the set of heads, the movable body is maintained in a state where acceleration is zero.

54. The movable body drive method according to claim 51 wherein

the switching of the set of heads is performed from when the specific head used only after the switching faces the grating until the specific head which will not be used after the switching moves off of the grating.

55. A pattern formation method, comprising:

a process in which an object is mounted on a movable body that can move in a movement plane; and

a process in which the movable body is driven by the movable body drive method according to claim 51, to form a pattern to the object.

56. A device manufacturing method including a pattern formation process, wherein

in the pattern formation process, a pattern is formed on an object using the pattern formation method according to claim 55.

57. An exposure method in which a pattern is formed on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam wherein

for relative movement of the energy beam and the object, a movable body on which the object is mounted is driven, using the movable body drive method according to claim 51.

58. A movable body drive system in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the system comprising:

a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body;

a first encoder system which has a plurality of first heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the second axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the first axis, based on measurement values of the first heads respectively facing the pair of first gratings;

a second encoder system which has a plurality of second heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the first axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the second axis, based on measurement values of the second heads respectively facing the pair of second gratings; and

a controller which obtains a position coordinate of the movable body within the predetermined plane based on measurement values of a set of heads including three heads respectively facing three gratings selected from the pair of first gratings and the pair of second gratings, and sets a measurement value again of a head which is to be newly used so that the position coordinate is maintained before and after the switching when switching the head to be used in position measurement of the movable body.

59. The movable body drive system according to claim 58 wherein

the controller sets a measurement value again of a head which is to be newly used when switching a set of three heads used in position control of the movable body to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head different from the set of three heads.

60. The movable body drive system according to claim 59 wherein

the controller sets a measurement value by a measurement unit according to a head which is to be newly used after the switching, based on a position coordinate of the movable body.

61. The movable body drive system according to claim 59 wherein

the controller obtains a position coordinate of the movable body in the predetermined plane, based on the measurement values of the set of heads including the three heads respectively facing the three gratings selected from the pair of first gratings and the pair of second gratings, and can drive the movable body by performing switching of a first mode in which a measurement value of a head to be newly used is set again so that the position coordinate is maintained before and after the switching of the head and a second mode in which only a measurement value by a measurement unit according to a head to be newly used after the switching is set again.

62. A pattern formation apparatus, comprising:

the movable body drive system according to claim 58 that drives the movable body on which an object is mounted, for pattern formation to the object; and

a pattern generation system which generates a pattern on the object.

63. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device that irradiates the energy beam on the object; and

the movable body drive system according to claim 58, whereby

the movable body drive system drives the movable body on which the object is mounted for relative movement of the energy beam and the object.

64. A movable body drive system in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the system comprising:

a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body;

a first encoder system which has a plurality of first heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the second axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the first axis, based on measurement values of the first heads respectively facing the pair of first gratings;

a second encoder system which has a plurality of second heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the first axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the second axis, based on measurement values of the second heads respectively facing the pair of second gratings; and

a controller which obtains a position coordinate of the movable body in the predetermined plane, based on the measurement values of the set of heads including the three heads respectively facing the three gratings selected from the pair of first gratings and the pair of second gratings, and sets only a measurement value by a measurement unit according to a head to be newly used after the switching again, based on the position coordinate when switching the head to be used for position measurement of the movable body.

65. A pattern formation apparatus, comprising:

the movable body drive system according to claim 64 that drives the movable body on which an object is mounted, for pattern formation to the object; and

a pattern generation system which generates a pattern on the object.

66. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device that irradiates the energy beam on the object; and

the movable body drive system according to claim 64, whereby

the movable body drive system drives the movable body on which the object is mounted for relative movement of the energy beam and the object.

67. A movable body drive system in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the system comprising:

a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body;

a first encoder system which has a plurality of first heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the second axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the first axis, based on measurement values of the first heads respectively facing the pair of first gratings;

a second encoder system which has a plurality of second heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the first axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the second axis, based on measurement values of the second heads respectively facing the pair of second gratings; and

a controller which controls the position of the movable body in the predetermined plane, based on the measurement values of the set of heads including the three heads respectively facing the three gratings selected from the pair of first gratings and the pair of second gratings, and also switches a set of heads used in position control of the movable body to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads so that the position of the movable body within the predetermined plane becomes successive before and after the switching.

68. The movable body drive system according to claim 67 wherein

to switch the set of heads, the controller

specifies the three heads used in position control of the movable body based on positional information of the movable body, and judges whether or not the three heads which were specified are coincident with three heads of a set of heads currently used in position control of the movable body, and when the heads are not coincident, decides an offset by a measurement unit by predicting a measurement value of a specific head which is not currently used in position control of the movable body among the three specified heads based on the position of the movable body, and based on the offset by the measurement unit which has been decided, decides an offset equal to or less than the measurement unit of the specific head so that the position of the movable body is coincident before and after the switching.

69. The movable body drive system according to claim 68 wherein

the controller furthermore switches a set of heads used in position control of the movable body to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads, using the offset by the measurement unit computed based on the position of the movable body and the offset equal to or less than the measurement unit kept for each head.

70. The movable body drive system according to claim 67 wherein

the controller performs the switching of the set of heads from when the specific head used only after the switching faces the grating until the specific head which will not be used after the switching moves off of the grating.

71. A pattern formation apparatus, comprising:

the movable body drive system according to claim 67 that drives the movable body on which an object is mounted, for pattern formation to the object; and

a pattern generation system which generates a pattern on the object.

72. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device that irradiates the energy beam on the object; and

the movable body drive system according to claim 67, whereby

the movable body drive system drives the movable body on which the object is mounted for relative movement of the energy beam and the object.

73. A movable body drive system in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane including a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other, the system comprising:

a pair of first gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the first axis and a pair of second gratings whose periodic direction is in a direction parallel to the second axis that are arranged on a surface parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body;

a first encoder system which has a plurality of first heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the second axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the first axis, based on measurement values of the first heads respectively facing the pair of first gratings;

a second encoder system which has a plurality of second heads whose positions are different in a direction parallel to the first axis and measures positional information of the movable body in a direction parallel to the second axis, based on measurement values of the second heads respectively facing the pair of second gratings; and

a controller which controls the position of the movable body in the predetermined plane, based on the measurement values of the set of heads including the three heads respectively facing the three gratings selected from the pair of first gratings and the pair of second gratings, and also switches a set of heads used in position control of the movable body to a different set of heads including three heads that have at least one head which is different from the set of heads, using the offset by the measurement unit computed based on the position of the movable body and the offset equal to or less than the measurement unit kept for each head.

74. The movable body drive system according to claim 73 wherein

to switch the set of heads, the controller

specifies the three heads used in position control of the movable body based on positional information of the movable body, and judges whether or not the three heads which were specified are coincident with three heads of a set of heads currently used in position control of the movable body, and when the heads are not coincident, an offset by a measurement unit is decided by predicting a measurement value of a specific head which is not currently used in position control of the movable body among the three specified heads based on the position of the movable body.

75. The movable body drive system according to claim 74 wherein

to switch the set of heads, the controller

furthermore sets an offset equal to or less than the measurement unit of the specific head based on the offset by the measurement unit which has been decided, so that the position of the movable body is coincident before and after the switching each time a predetermined condition is satisfied.

76. The movable body drive system according to claim 75 wherein

the controller performs the switching of the set of heads while maintaining the movable body in a state where acceleration is zero.

77. The movable body drive system according to claim 73 wherein

the controller performs the switching of the set of heads from when the specific head used only after the switching faces the grating until the specific head which will not be used after the switching moves off of the grating.

78. A pattern formation apparatus, comprising:

the movable body drive system according to claim 73 that drives the movable body on which an object is mounted, for pattern formation to the object; and

a pattern generation system which generates a pattern on the object.

79. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by an irradiation of an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device that irradiates the energy beam on the object; and

the movable body drive system according to claim 73, whereby

the movable body drive system drives the movable body on which the object is mounted for relative movement of the energy beam and the object.