Projection optical device and exposure apparatus

• US 20110043781A1
• Filed: 10/28/2010
• Published: 02/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Martin E., Ebihara, Akimitsu, Yuan, Bausan
• Granted Patent: US 8,767,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70808 Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70833 Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70891 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

A projection optical device includes a projection optical system which projects an image of a pattern, a support member attached to the projection optical system, and a plurality of coupling members connected to the support member. The coupling members suspend and support the projection optical system through the support member from an upper direction of the support member. The projection optical device can include a frame to which one end of each of the coupling members is attached, such that the projection optical system hangs from the frame via the support member and the coupling members. A projection optical device also can include a liquid supply which supplies a temperature-controlled liquid to a side surface of a projection optical system utilizing gravity to cause the temperature-controlled liquid to flow along the side surface of the projection optical system.

Claims

1. A projection optical device, comprising:

a frame member;

a projection optical system which projects an image of a pattern;

a support device having a flexible structure which has flexibility in a direction that crosses to a vertical direction and a vibration isolation device which reduces a vibration, the support device supporting the projection optical system along the vertical direction via the flexible structure and the vibration isolation device; and

an actuator which generates a driving force and provides the driving force to the projection optical system.

2. The projection optical device of claim 1, wherein the vibration isolation device reduces the vibration, in the vertical direction, that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

3. The projection optical device of claim 2, wherein the flexible structure is formed to prevent vibration that transmits to the projection optical system via the frame member in the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

4. The projection optical device of claim 3, wherein the flexible structure has a lower characteristic frequency in the direction that crosses to the vertical direction than in the vertical direction.

5. The projection optical device of claim 2, wherein the support device supports the projection optical system from an upper side of the projection optical system.

6. The projection optical device of claim 5, wherein the projection optical system hangs from the frame member.

7. The projection optical device of claim 2, wherein the support device supports the projection optical system from below the projection optical system.

8. The projection optical device of claim 2, wherein the actuator provides the driving force to the projection optical system in one of the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

9. The projection optical device of claim 8, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system with respect to the frame member in a non-contact manner.

10. The projection optical device of claim 9, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the vertical direction.

11. The projection optical device of claim 9, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

12. The projection optical device of claim 9, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

13. The projection optical device of claim 8, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

14. The projection optical device of claim 13, wherein the projection optical system and the frame member have a predetermined relationship to each other.

15. The projection optical device of claim 14, further comprising a displacement sensor which obtains displacement information of the projection optical system with respect to the frame member.

16. The projection optical device of claim 2, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

17. The projection optical device of claim 1, wherein the actuator provides the driving force to the projection optical system in one of the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

18. The projection optical device of claim 17, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system with respect to the frame in a non-contact manner.

19. The projection optical device of claim 18, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the vertical direction.

20. The projection optical device of claim 18, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

21. The projection optical device of claim 18, wherein the actuator moves the projection optical system along the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

22. The projection optical device of claim 21, wherein the projection optical system and the frame member have a predetermined relationship to each other.

23. The projection optical device of claim 22, further comprising a displacement sensor which obtains displacement information of the projection optical system.

24. The projection optical device of claim 17, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

25. The projection optical device of claim 1, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

26. The projection optical device of claim 25, wherein the support device supports the projection optical system by an active suspension way by using the actuator.

27. An exposure apparatus provided with the projection optical device of claim 1 and a substrate holder, wherein an image of the pattern is transferred and exposed onto a substrate held by the substrate holder by the projection optical system.

35. A method for patterning a substrate using a lithography process, wherein the lithography process utilizes an exposure apparatus as recited in claim 27.

28. A method of supporting a projection optical system which projects an image of a pattern in a projection optical device, the method comprising:

supporting the projection optical system relative to a frame member in a vertical direction by a support device, the support device having a flexible structure which has flexibility in a direction that crosses to the vertical direction and a vibration isolation device, the support device supporting the projection optical system along the vertical direction via the flexible structure and the vibration isolation device;

providing a driving force generated by an actuator to the projection optical system; and

reducing the vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member by the vibration isolation device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the vibration isolation device reduces the vibration, in the vertical direction, that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the actuator provides the driving force to the projection optical system in one of the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the actuator provides the driving force to the projection optical system in one of the vertical direction and the direction that crosses to the vertical direction.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the actuator isolates vibration that transmits to the projection optical system from the frame member.