Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 20090305150A1
• Filed: 04/28/2006
• Published: 12/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Tomoharu, Shiraishi, Kenichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,236,467 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• 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

Abstract

An exposure method comprises: forming an immersion region on a substrate; exposing the substrate by irradiating the substrate with an exposure light via a liquid of the immersion region; and preventing an integration value of a contact time during which the liquid of the immersion region and a first region on the substrate are in contact, from exceeding a predetermined tolerance value.

Claims

1. An exposure method, comprising:

forming an immersion region on a substrate;

exposing the substrate by irradiating the substrate with an exposure light via a liquid of the immersion region; and

preventing an integration value of a contact time during which the liquid of the immersion region and a first region on the substrate are in contact, from exceeding a predetermined tolerance value.

2. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the immersion region is formed on a partial region of the substrate, and

the exposing of the substrate comprises executing a relative movement between the substrate and the exposure light.

3. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of shot regions set on the substrate are exposed successively and the first region comprises at least one of the shot regions.

4. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the preventing of the integration value from exceeding the tolerance value comprises adjusting a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the immersion region.

5. The exposure method according to claim 4, wherein the adjusting of the relative positional relationship comprises measuring the relative positional relationship.

6. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the preventing of the integration value from exceeding the tolerance value comprises adjusting movement conditions of the substrate.

7. The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein the movement conditions comprise at least one among the group consisting of:

movement speed;

movement acceleration/deceleration rate; and

movement direction.

8. The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein the movement conditions comprise a stationary time during which the substrate is substantially stationary with respect to the immersion region.

9. The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein the preventing of the integration value from exceeding the tolerance value comprises moving the immersion region to a second region other than the first region on the substrate.

10. The exposure method according to claim 9, wherein the second region comprises a region other than the first region on the substrate.

11. The exposure method according to claim 9, wherein the second region comprises a surface of an object other than the substrate.

12. The exposure method according to claim 11, wherein the second region comprises a surface of a first movable member, enabled to move while holding the substrate.

13. The exposure method according to claim 11, wherein the second region comprises a surface of a second movable member, enabled to move while carrying a measuring instrument related to the exposure process.

14. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the preventing of the integration value from exceeding the tolerance value comprises stopping the supply of the liquid to the immersion region.

15. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the preventing of the integration value from exceeding the tolerance value comprises removing the liquid from the immersion region.

16. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the integration value comprises the contact time before illumination of the exposure light onto the substrate and the contact time after illumination of the exposure light onto the substrate.

21. A device manufacturing method employing the exposure method according to claim 1.

17. An exposure method, comprising:

forming an immersion region on a substrate;

exposing the substrate via a liquid of the immersion region; and

preventing a stationary time during which at least a portion of the immersion region is substantially stationary on the substrate, from exceeding a predetermined tolerance value.

18. The exposure method according to claim 17, wherein the immersion region is formed on a partial region of the substrate, and

the preventing of the stationary time from exceeding the tolerance value comprises adjusting a relative positional relationship between the substrate and the immersion region.

19. The exposure method according to claim 17, wherein the forming of the immersion region comprises:

supplying the liquid outside the substrate and supplying the liquid onto the substrate.

20. The exposure method according to claim 19, wherein the forming of the immersion region comprises moving the immersion region from outside the substrate onto the substrate.

22. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via an immersion region, comprising:

an immersion mechanism that forms the immersion region; and

a control apparatus that prevents an integration value of a contact time during which a liquid of the immersion region and a predetermined region on the substrate are in contact, from exceeding a predetermined tolerance value.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the immersion region is formed on a partial region of the substrate, and

a relative movement between the substrate and the exposure light is executed.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising:

a movable member, enabled to move while holding the substrate,

wherein the control apparatus controls operations of the movable member in a manner such that the integration value does not exceed the tolerance value.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the control apparatus controls operations of the immersion mechanism in a manner such that the integration value does not exceed the tolerance value.

30. A device manufacturing method that employs the exposure apparatus according to claim 22.

26. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via an immersion region, the exposure apparatus comprising:

an immersion mechanism that forms the immersion region; and

a control apparatus that prevents a stationary time during which at least a portion of the immersion region is substantially stationary on the substrate, from exceeding a predetermined tolerance value.

27. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a movable member, enabled to move while holding the substrate,

wherein the control apparatus controls operations of the movable member in a manner such that the stationary time does not exceed the tolerance value.

28. The exposure apparatus according to claims 26, wherein the control apparatus controls operations of the immersion mechanism in a manner such that the stationary time does not exceed the tolerance value.

29. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising:

a processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process in a state in which a relative position of the immersion region and the substrate is substantially stationary,

wherein the control apparatus controls operations of the processing apparatus in a manner such that the stationary time does not exceed the tolerance value.