Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

• US 20110051112A1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Published: 03/03/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nagasaka, Hiroyuki
• Application Number:
  US12/926,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20110051112A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps

Abstract

An exposure apparatus fills an optical path space of an exposure light beam with a liquid, and exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with the exposure light beam via a projection optical system and the liquid. A first optical element of the projection optical system is provided with a removing device for removing foreign matters in a space inside of the concave surface portion. Immersion exposure is performed by permitting the exposure light beam to excellently reach an image plane via the projection optical system and the liquid.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation into an image field that is positioned off the optical axis of the projection system and onto a target portion of a substrate, the projection system comprising a concave refractive lens adjacent the substrate through which the patterned beam is projected; and

a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the substrate and the lens.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection system is a catadioptric system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens is cut-away on the opposite side of the optical axis from the image field.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the liquid supply system is arranged to provide liquid from a position adjacent the cutaway of the lens.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens is asymmetric about a plane containing the optical axis.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the liquid supply system is arranged to provide liquid from a position at or near the optical axis.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens has a first side edge on a first side of the optical axis and a second side edge on a second side of the optical axis, the first side edge being nearer the optical axis than is the second side edge and the image field being on the second side of the optical axis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the liquid supply system is arranged to provide liquid from a position near the first side edge.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens extends substantially only to a position that will be traversed by the beam.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the lens is provided with a through-hole opening at or near the highest point of its concave side such that liquid can be provided through the through-hole.

11. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

projecting an image of a pattern through a liquid onto a target portion of a substrate using a projection system, the projection system comprising a concave refractive lens adjacent the substrate through which the image is projected and the image field of the projection system being off-axis.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the projection system is a catadioptric system.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens is cut-away on the opposite side of the optical axis from the image field.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising providing liquid from a position adjacent the cutaway of the lens.

15. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens is asymmetric about a plane containing the optical axis.

16. The method according to claim 15, comprising providing liquid from a position at or near the optical axis.

17. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens has a first side edge on a first side of the optical axis and a second side edge on a second side of the optical axis, the first side edge being nearer the optical axis than is the second side edge and the image field being on the second side of the optical axis.

18. The method according to claim 17, comprising providing liquid from a position near the first side edge.

19. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens extends substantially only to a position that will be traversed by the image.

20. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens is provided with a through-hole opening at or near the highest point of its concave side and comprising providing liquid through the through-hole.