Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device
First Claim
1. An exposure method for exposing a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element which is arranged opposite to the substrate and a second optical element, the exposure method comprising:
- a first step for filling, with a liquid, a predetermined optical path space for the exposure light beam in the optical system or exchanging the liquid filled in the optical path space;
a second step for successively exposing, after the first step, a predetermined number of the substrate through the liquid filled in the optical path space; and
a third step for judging, after the second step, whether or not the liquid, filled in the optical path space, is to be exchanged based on an elapsed time elapsed after the first step has been performed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exposure method includes a first step filling a liquid in a predetermined optical path space for exposure light (EL) in an optical system (PL), or for exchanging the liquid (LQ) filled in the space; a second step for successively exposing a predetermined number of substrates (P) through the liquid (LQ) filled in the optical path space or through the exchanged liquid; and a third step for judging, after the completion of the second step and based on an elapsed time elapsed after the first step, whether or not to exchange the liquid (LQ) filled in the optical path space. Exposure processing and measurement processing can be satisfactorily performed by making the liquid filled in the optical path space held in a desired state.
30 Citations
49 Claims
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1. An exposure method for exposing a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element which is arranged opposite to the substrate and a second optical element, the exposure method comprising:
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a first step for filling, with a liquid, a predetermined optical path space for the exposure light beam in the optical system or exchanging the liquid filled in the optical path space; a second step for successively exposing, after the first step, a predetermined number of the substrate through the liquid filled in the optical path space; and a third step for judging, after the second step, whether or not the liquid, filled in the optical path space, is to be exchanged based on an elapsed time elapsed after the first step has been performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 37)
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12. An exposure method for exposing a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element which is arranged opposite to the substrate and a second optical element, the exposure method comprising:
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a liquid exchange step for exchanging, at a predetermined time interval, the liquid filled in a predetermined optical path space for the exposure light beam in the optical system, when the exposure light beam is not radiated; and an exposure step for exposing the substrate by radiating the exposure light beam via the predetermined optical path space filled with the liquid, after exchanging the liquid at the predetermined time interval. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 43, 44, 45)
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18. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element which is arranged opposite to the substrate and a second optical element, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a first liquid immersion mechanism which fills, with a liquid, a predetermined optical path space for the exposure light beam in the optical system and which exchanges the liquid filled in the optical path space; and a controller which controls the first liquid immersion mechanism; wherein the controller controls the first liquid immersion mechanism to fill the optical path space with the liquid or to exchange the liquid filled in the optical path space at a first point of time, and then the controller performs an exposure process for successively exposing a predetermined number of the substrate through the liquid which is filled in the optical path space or which is exchanged; and the controller judges, after completing the exposure for the predetermined number of the substrate, whether or not the liquid in the optical path space is to be exchanged by using the first liquid immersion mechanism based on an elapsed time elapsed after the first point of time. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 42)
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24. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element which is arranged opposite to the substrate and a second optical element, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a first liquid immersion mechanism which fills, with a liquid, a predetermined optical path space for the exposure light beam in the optical system and which exchanges the liquid filled in the optical path space; and a controller which controls the first liquid immersion mechanism to exchange the liquid, filled in the optical path space, at a predetermined time interval when the exposure light beam is not radiated. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 47)
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28. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate via an optical system having a first optical element and a second optical element, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a first liquid immersion mechanism which fills, with a liquid, an optical path space for the exposure light beam between the first optical element and the second optical element and which exchanges the liquid filled in the optical path space; a measuring device which is arranged on a side of a light-exit surface of the first optical element and which receives the exposure light beam through the liquid between the first optical element and the second optical element to perform predetermined measurement in relation to an exposure process; and a controller which controls the first liquid immersion mechanism to execute an exchange operation for the liquid and which controls the measuring device to execute the measurement before starting the exposure for a next substrate, after the exchange operation for the liquid. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 48)
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32. An exposure method for exposing a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate through a liquid, the exposure method comprising:
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exchanging the liquid; performing measurement in relation to an exposure process through the exchanged liquid; and exposing, after the measurement, the substrate by radiating the exposure light beam onto the substrate through the exchanged liquid. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 46)
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38. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by radiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate through a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a liquid immersion mechanism which exchanges the liquid; and a measuring device which performs measurement in relation to an exposure process by receiving the exposure light beam through the liquid, after the liquid is exchanged. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 49)
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Specification