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

• US 20090115982A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 05/07/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: KANAYA, Yuho
• Granted Patent: US 9,256,140 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling

Abstract

On the +X and −X sides of a projection unit, a plurality of Z heads are arranged in parallel to the X-axis, by a predetermined distance half or less than half the effective width of the Y scale so that two Z heads each constantly form a pair and face a pair of Y scales. Of the pair of heads consisting of two Z heads which simultaneously face the scale, measurement values of a priority head is used, and when abnormality occurs in the measurement values of the priority head due to malfunction of the head, measurement values of the other head is used, and the positional information of the stage in at least the Z-axis direction can be measured in a stable manner and with high precision.

Claims

1. A movable body apparatus including a movable body which substantially moves along a predetermined plane, the apparatus comprising;

a reflection surface which is arranged at one of the movable body and the outside of the movable body, with a first direction within a plane parallel to the predetermined plane serving as a longitudinal direction, and having a predetermined width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and

a measurement device which measures positional information of the movable body in a third direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of measurement points placed on the reflection surface, whereby

the placement of the plurality of measurement points is decided so that of the plurality of measurement points, n points (wherein, n is an integer of two or more) or more are positioned within the predetermined width on the reflection surface, and when the movable body is at a predetermined position, n+1 or more of the plurality of measurement points are positioned to be within the predetermined width on the reflection surface.

2. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the reflection surface is arranged on a surface substantially parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body.

3. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising;

a controller which performs position control of the movable body, preferentially using a first measurement information including measurement information at a first measurement point out of the n points or more measurement points positioned within the predetermined width on the reflection surface or the n+1 or more measurement points positioned within the predetermined width on the reflection surface when the movable body is at the predetermined position, whereby

the controller switches measurement information to preferentially use in position control of the movable body to a second measurement information including measurement information at a second measurement point which is different from the first measurement point, in the case abnormality occurs in the measurement information at a measurement point positioned within the predetermined width of the reflection surface.

4. The movable body apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

the controller switches measurement information to use in position control of the movable body to the second measurement information when abnormality occurs in the measurement information at the first measurement point.

5. The movable body apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

each of the first measurement information and the second measurement information include measurement information at a plurality of measurement points.

6. The movable body apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

each of the first measurement information and the second measurement information are measurement information at one measurement point.

7. The movable body apparatus according to claim 3 wherein

the measurement device has a plurality of heads which irradiate measurement beams on a measurement point, and the controller performs the switching when abnormality in measurement information occurs due to malfunction of the heads.

8. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the measurement device has a plurality of heads which irradiate measurement beams on a measurement point, and each of the plurality of heads irradiate the measurement beams on different measurement points.

9. The movable body apparatus according to claim 2 wherein

in the movable body, the reflection surface is arranged apart in a pair in the second direction, and

the placement of the measurement points is decided so that n or more measurement points are constantly positioned in at least one of the pair of reflection surfaces when the movable body is in the predetermined range within the predetermined plane.

10. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the measurement points are placed in the second direction, each spaced apart by half or less than half the predetermined width of the reflection surface at a substantially equal distance.

11. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the measurement device has a first and second head which irradiate measurement beams on the same measurement point, and

an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the first head is in proximity with an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated by the second head, without overlapping.

12. A pattern formation apparatus that forms a pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device which forms a pattern on the object, and

the movable body apparatus according to claim 1 in which the object is mounted on the movable body.

13. The pattern formation apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

the object has a sensitive layer, and the patterning device forms a pattern on the object by exposing the sensitive layer.

14. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by irradiating an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

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

the movable body apparatus according to claim 1 in which the object is mounted on the movable body, and

a driver which drives the movable body to make the object relatively move with respect to the energy beam.

15. A device manufacturing method which uses the exposure apparatus according to claim 14.

16. A movable body apparatus including a movable body which substantially moves along a predetermined plane, the apparatus comprising:

a reflection surface which is arranged at one of the movable body and the outside of the movable body, with a first direction within a plane parallel to the predetermined plane serving as a longitudinal direction, and having a predetermined width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and

a measurement device which measures positional information of the reflection surface in a third direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of measurement points plated on the reflection surface, whereby the measurement device has a plurality of head sets including a first head which irradiates a measurement beam on a first measurement point and a second head which irradiates a measurement beam on the first measurement point or in its vicinity.

17. The movable body apparatus according to claim 16 wherein

the reflection surface is arranged on a surface substantially parallel to the predetermined plane of the movable body.

18. The movable body apparatus according to claim 16 wherein

measurement points on which the measurement beams are irradiated by the first head and the second head are placed, each by a predetermined width, at a substantially equal distance.

19. The movable body apparatus according to claim 16 wherein

in the measurement device, at least a part of a measurement area where the measurement beam of the first head irradiates overlaps a part of a measurement area where the measurement beam of the second head irradiates.

20. The movable body apparatus according to claim 16, the apparatus further comprising:

a controller which controls a position of the movable body preferentially using measurement information generated by the first head, and also switches the measurement information preferentially used from the measurement information generated by the first head to measurement information generated by the second head in the case abnormality occurs in the measurement information generated by the first head.

21. The movable body apparatus according to claim 20 wherein

the controller performs the switching when abnormality in measurement information occurs due to malfunction of the heads.

22. A pattern formation apparatus that forms a pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device which forms a pattern on the object, and

the movable body apparatus according to claim 16 in which the object is mounted on the movable body.

23. The pattern formation apparatus according to claim 22 wherein

the object has a sensitive layer, and the patterning device forms a pattern on the object by exposing the sensitive layer.

24. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by irradiating an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

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

the movable body apparatus according to claim 16 in which the object is mounted on the movable body; and

a driver which drives the movable body to make the object relatively move with respect to the energy beam.

25. A device manufacturing method which uses the exposure apparatus according to claim 24.

26. A movable body apparatus including a movable body which substantially moves along a predetermined plane, the apparatus comprising:

a measurement device which measures positional information of the movable body in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane, at a plurality of measurement points placed in a movement range of the movable body, whereby

the measurement device has a plurality of heads which generate measurement information by irradiating a measurement beam on at least one of the plurality of measurement points when the movable body is located at a predetermined position.

27. The movable body apparatus according to claim 26 wherein

the head is placed at the movable body.

28. The movable body apparatus according to claim 26 wherein

the movable body has a reflection surface which reflects the measurement beam irradiated from the head.

29. The movable body apparatus according to claim 26 wherein

the plurality of heads include a first head and a second head which irradiate measurement beams on the same one measurement point of the plurality of measurement points when the movable body is at the predetermined position, and

at the measurement point, at least a part of an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the first head overlaps at least a part of an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the second head.

30. The movable body apparatus according to claim 26 wherein

the plurality of heads include a first head and a second head which irradiate measurement beams on the same one measurement point of the plurality of measurement points when the movable body is at the predetermined position, and

at the measurement point, an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the first head is in proximity with an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the second head, without overlapping.

31. The movable body apparatus according to claim 26 wherein

the plurality of heads include a first head and a second head which irradiate measurement beams on the same one measurement point of the plurality of measurement points when the movable body is at the predetermined position, and the apparatus further comprises;

a controller which controls a position of the movable body preferentially using measurement information generated by the first bead of the plurality of heads irradiating measurement beams on the same measurement point, and also switches the measurement information preferentially used from the measurement information generated by the first head to measurement information generated by the second head of the plurality of heads in the case abnormality occurs in the measurement information generated by the first head.

32. The movable body apparatus according to claim 31 wherein

the controller performs the switching when abnormality in measurement information occurs due to malfunction of the heads.

33. A pattern formation apparatus that forms a pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device which forms a pattern on the object, and

the movable body apparatus according to claim 26 in which the object is mounted on the movable body.

34. The pattern formation apparatus according to claim 33 wherein

the object has a sensitive layer, and the patterning device forms a pattern on the object by exposing the sensitive layer.

35. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by irradiating an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

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

the movable body apparatus according to claim 26 in which the object is mounted on the movable body, and

a driver which drives the movable body to make the object relatively move with respect to the energy beam.

36. A device manufacturing method which uses the exposure apparatus according to claim 35.