MOVABLE BODY DRIVE METHOD, MOVABLE BODY APPARATUS, EXPOSURE METHOD, EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD

• US 20110177461A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 07/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: OKUTOMI, Akira, HIRANO, Kazuhiro, SHIBAZAKI, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 8,488,106 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 430/325
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position

Abstract

A stage is driven (position control) using a hybrid signal which is obtained by synthesizing an output signal of an interferometer (an interferometer system) and an output signal of an encoder (an encoder system) that are made to pass through a high pass filter and a low pass filter, respectively. A cutoff frequency is set to a frequency corresponding to a speed slightly smaller than the speed of the stage at the time of scanning exposure. This allows the stage to be driven using an interferometer whose linear measurement is high at the time of scanning exposure, and using an encoder whose measurement reproducibility is high at the time of stepping.

Claims

1. A movable body drive method in which a movable body is driven along a predetermined plane, the method comprising:

driving the movable body based on one of

a synthesized signal of a first signal which is a first detection signal that has been made to pass through a high pass filter and a second signal which is a second detection signal that has been made to pass through a low pass filter having a cut off frequency which is the same as the high pass filter, the first detection signal corresponding to a position of the movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the movable body, and the second detection signal being obtained by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating provided on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane on one of the movable body and an outside of the movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating by a measurement system which has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the movable body and an outside of the movable body, and

a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal.

2. The movable body drive method according to claim 1 wherein

positional information of the movable body is obtained based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and the movable body is driven based on the positional information.

3. The movable body drive method according to claim 1 wherein

the first and second detection signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized as the synthesized signal.

4. The movable body drive method according to claim 1 wherein

the second detection signal includes a plurality of components which are obtained by irradiating the measurement beam on each of a plurality of irradiation points on the measurement plane, and

each of the plurality of components of the second detection signals are synthesized with components of the corresponding first detection signal.

5. The movable body drive method according to claim 1 wherein

the cutoff frequency increases and decreases depending on the speed of the movable body.

6. An exposure method, comprising:

making a movable body hold an object subject to exposure; and

driving the movable body by using the movable body drive method according to claim 1 when irradiating an energy beam on the object held by the movable body and forming a pattern on the object.

7. A device manufacturing method, including:

a pattern on an object by the exposure method according to claim 6; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

8. A movable body apparatus, comprising:

a movable body which moves along a predetermined plane;

a first measurement system which outputs a first detection signal corresponding to a position of the movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the movable body;

a second measurement system which outputs a second detection signal by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on one of the movable body and an outside of the movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating, and has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the movable body and an outside of the movable body; and

a drive system which drives the movable body based on a synthesized signal of a first signal which is the first detection signal that has passed through a high pass filter and a second signal which is the second detection signal that has passed through a low pass filter having the same cutoff frequency as the high pass filter, or a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal.

9. The movable body apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the drive system obtains positional information of the movable body based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and drives the movable body based on the positional information.

10. The movable body apparatus according to claim 9 wherein

the first and second measurement systems output at least one component each of the first and second detection signals that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

the drive system synthesizes a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis as the synthesized signal.

11. The movable body apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the second measurement system has a plurality of head sections which irradiates the measurement beam on each of a plurality of irradiation points on the measurement plane, and

the drive system synthesizes each of the plurality of components of the second detection signals with components of the corresponding first detection signal.

12. The movable body apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the cutoff frequency increases and decreases depending on the speed of the movable body.

13. The movable body apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the first measurement system is an interferometer system.

14. The movable body apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the second measurement system is an encoder system.

15. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

the movable body apparatus according to claim 8 in which an object is held by the movable body; and

a pattern generation device which generates a pattern by irradiating an energy beam on the object held by the movable body and exposing the object.

16. An exposure method in which an energy beam is irradiated on a mask on which a pattern is formed, and the pattern is transferred on an object, the method comprising:

driving at least one of a first movable body which moves along a predetermined plane holding the object and a second movable body which holds the mask, based on one of a synthesized signal of a first signal which is a first detection signal that has been made to pass through a high pass filter and a second signal which is a second detection signal that has been made to pass through a low pass filter having a cut off frequency which is the same as the high pass filter, the first detection signal corresponding to a position of the movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the first movable body, and the second detection signal being obtained by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating provided on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane on one of the movable body and an outside of the movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating by a measurement system which has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the movable body and an outside of the movable body, and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal.

17. The exposure method according to claim 16 wherein

in the driving, the first movable body is driven.

18. The exposure method according to claim 17 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and the first movable body is driven based on the positional information.

19. The exposure method according to claim 16 wherein

in the driving, follow up drive of the second movable body holding the mask is performed with respect to the first movable body.

20. The exposure method according to claim 19 wherein

the method further includes driving the first movable body based on the first signal.

21. The exposure method according to claim 20 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and the second movable body is driven based on the positional information, and

positional information of the first movable body is obtained using the first signal, and the first movable body is driven based on the positional information.

22. The exposure method according to claim 16 wherein

the first and second signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized.

23. The exposure method according to claim 16 wherein

the second signal includes a plurality of components which are obtained by irradiating the measurement beam on each of a plurality of irradiation points on the measurement plane, and

each of the plurality of components of the second signals are synthesized with components of the corresponding first signal.

24. The exposure method according to claim 16 wherein

the cutoff frequency increases and decreases depending on the speed of the first movable body.

25. A device manufacturing method, including:

forming a pattern on an object by the exposure method according to claim 16; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

26. An exposure method in which a mask and an object is synchronously moved in a predetermined direction while an energy beam is irradiated on the mask on which a pattern is formed, and the pattern is transferred onto the object, the method comprising:

driving at least one of a first movable body moving along a predetermined plane holding the object and a second movable body holding the mask, according to a predetermined temporal change curve of speed and also along a predetermined path, while switching between a first detection signal corresponding to a position of the first movable body output by an interferometer system which detects positional information of the first movable body and a second detection signal corresponding to a position of the first movable body output by an encoder system which detects positional information of the first movable body that serves as a drive signal, by making the first detection signal and the second detection signal pass through a high pass filter and a low pass filter that have the same cutoff frequency, respectively; and

performing a weighting of a first drive period in which the at least one movable body is driven based on the first detection signal and a second drive period in which the at least one movable body is driven based on the second detection signal by setting the cutoff frequency.

27. The exposure method according to claim 26 wherein

the switching of the drive signal is performed by generating one of a synthesized signal of a first signal which is the first detection signal that has been made to pass through the high pass filter and a second signal which is the second detection signal that has been made to pass through the low pass filter, and a signal substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal as the drive signal.

28. The exposure method according to claim 27 wherein

the first and second signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized.

29. The exposure method according to claim 27 wherein

in the driving, the first movable body is driven.

30. The exposure method according to claim 29 wherein

the encoder system has at least a part of the system placed outside of the first movable body, and irradiates a measurement beam on a diffraction grating on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on the first movable body, receives a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating, and outputs a second detection signal.

31. A device manufacturing method, including:

forming a pattern on an object by the exposure method according to claim 26; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

32. An exposure apparatus which irradiates an energy beam on a mask on which a pattern is formed, and transfers the pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a first movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

a second movable body which moves holding the mask;

a first measurement system which outputs a first detection signal corresponding to a position of the first movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the first movable body;

a second measurement system which outputs a second detection signal by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on one of the first movable body and an outside of the first movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating, and has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the first movable body and an outside of the first movable body; and

a movable body drive system which drives at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body, based on a synthesized signal of a first signal which is the first detection signal that has passed through a high pass filter and a second signal which is the second detection signal that has passed through a low pass filter having the same cutoff frequency as the high pass filter, and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal.

33. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the movable body drive system drives the first movable body.

34. The exposure apparatus according to claim 33 wherein

the movable body drive system obtains positional information of the first movable body based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and drives the first movable body based on the positional information.

35. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the movable body drive system performs a follow up drive of the second movable body with respect to the first movable body.

36. The exposure apparatus according to claim 35 wherein

the movable body drive system drives the first movable body based on the first signal.

37. The exposure apparatus according to claim 36 wherein

the movable body drive system

obtains positional information of the first movable body based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and drives the second movable body based on the positional information, and

obtains positional information of the first movable body using the first signal, and drives the first movable body based on the positional information.

38. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the first and second signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

in the movable body drive system, one of a synthesized signal in which a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal is used.

39. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the second measurement system has a plurality of head sections which irradiates the measurement beam on each of a plurality of irradiation points on the measurement plane, and

in the movable body drive system, one of a synthesized signal of each of the second signals obtained by putting second detection signals from the plurality of head sections through the low pass filter and the first signals obtained by putting the corresponding first detection signals through the high pass filter, and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal is used.

40. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the cutoff frequency increases and decreases depending on the speed of the movable body.

41. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the first measurement system is an interferometer system.

42. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32 wherein

the second measurement system is an encoder system.

43. A device manufacturing method, including:

forming a pattern on an object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 32; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

44. An exposure apparatus that synchronously moves a mask and an object in a predetermined direction while irradiating an energy beam on the mask on which a pattern is formed, and transfers the pattern onto the object, the apparatus comprising:

a first movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

a second movable body which moves holding the mask;

an interferometer system which detects positional information of the first movable body, and outputs a first detection signal corresponding to the position of the first movable body;

an encoder system which detects positional information of the first movable body, and outputs a second detection signal corresponding to the position of the first movable body;

a drive system which drives at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body, according to a predetermined temporal change curve of speed and also along a predetermined path, while switching between the first detection signal and the second detection signal that serves as a drive signal, by making the first detection signal and the second detection signal pass through a high pass filter and a low pass filter that have the same cutoff frequency, respectively; and

a setting device which performs a weighting of a first drive period in which the at least one movable body is driven based on the first detection signal and a second drive period in which the at least one movable body is driven based on the second detection signal by setting the cutoff frequency.

45. The exposure apparatus according to claim 44 wherein

the drive system performs the switching of the drive signal by generating one of a synthesized signal of a first signal which is the first detection signal that has been made to pass through the high pass filter and a second signal which is the second detection signal that has been made to pass through the low pass filter, and a signal substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal as the drive signal.

46. The exposure apparatus according to claim 45 wherein

the first and second signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and in the drive system, one of a synthesized signal in which the components of the first and second signals corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal is used as the drive signal.

47. The exposure apparatus according to claim 45 wherein

the drive system drives the first movable body based on the drive signal.

48. The exposure apparatus according to claim 47 wherein

the encoder system has at least a part of the system placed outside of the first movable body, and irradiates a measurement beam on a diffraction grating on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on the first movable body, receives a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating, and outputs a second detection signal.

49. The exposure apparatus according to claim 44 wherein

the setting device increases and decreases the cutoff frequency, depending on the speed of the movable body.

50. A device manufacturing method, including

forming a pattern on an object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 44;

and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

51. An exposure method in which an energy beam is irradiated on a mask on which a pattern is formed, and the pattern is transferred on an object, the method comprising:

driving at least one of a first movable body which moves along a predetermined plane holding the object and a second movable body which holds the mask, based on one of a synthesized signal and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, the synthesized signal being of a first signal which is a first detection signal that has been made to pass through a first frequency filter that cuts off a signal lower than a predetermined frequency and a second signal which is a second detection signal that has been made to pass through a second frequency filter that cuts off a frequency higher than the predetermined frequency, the first detection signal corresponding to a position of the movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the first movable body, and the second detection signal being obtained by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating provided on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane on one of the movable body and an outside of the movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating by a measurement system which has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the movable body and an outside of the movable body.

52. The exposure method according to claim 51 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and the first movable body is driven based on the positional information.

53. The exposure method according to claim 51 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained, based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and a follow up drive of the second movable body is performed with respect to the first body, based on the positional information.

54. The exposure method according to claim 53 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained using the first signal, and the first movable body is driven based on the positional information.

55. The exposure method according to claim 51 wherein

the first and second signals include at least one component each that corresponds to a direction parallel to each of a first axis and a second axis which are orthogonal to each other within the predetermined plane, and

a component of the first detection signal and a component of the second detection signal corresponding to the direction parallel to each of the first axis and the second axis are synthesized.

56. A device manufacturing method, including:

forming a pattern on an object by the exposure method according to claim 51; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

57. An exposure apparatus which irradiates an energy beam on a mask on which a pattern is formed, and transfers the pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a first movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

a second movable body which moves holding the mask;

a first measurement system which outputs a first detection signal corresponding to a position of the first movable body obtained by receiving a return beam of a measurement beam via an optical member provided on the first movable body;

a second measurement system which outputs a second detection signal by irradiating a measurement beam on a diffraction grating on a measurement plane parallel to the predetermined plane provided on one of the first movable body and an outside of the first movable body and receiving a diffraction beam from the diffraction grating, and has at least a part of the system placed on the other of the first movable body and an outside of the first movable body; and

a movable body drive system which drives at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body, based on one of a synthesized signal of a first signal which is a first detection signal that has been made to pass through a first frequency filter that cuts off a signal lower than a predetermined frequency and a second signal which is a second detection signal that has been made to pass through a second frequency filter that cuts off a frequency higher than the predetermined frequency, and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal.

58. The exposure apparatus according to claim 57 wherein

the movable body drive system obtains positional information of the first movable body based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and drives the first movable body based on the positional information.

59. The exposure apparatus according to claim 57 wherein

the movable body drive system obtains positional information of the first movable body based on one of the synthesized signal and the signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal, and performs a follow up drive of the second movable body with respect to the first body, based on the positional information.

60. The exposure apparatus according to claim 59 wherein

positional information of the first movable body is obtained using the first signal, and the first movable body is driven based on the positional information.

61. The exposure apparatus according to claim 57 wherein the second measurement system has a plurality of head sections which irradiates the measurement beam on each of a plurality of irradiation points on the measurement plane, and

in the movable body drive system, one of a synthesized signal of each of the second signals obtained by putting second detection signals from the plurality of head sections through the second frequency filter and the first signals obtained by putting the corresponding first detection signals through the first frequency filter, and a signal which is substantially equivalent to the synthesized signal is used.

62. The exposure apparatus according to claim 57 wherein

the first measurement system is an interferometer system.

63. The exposure apparatus according to claim 57 wherein

the second measurement system is an encoder system.

64. A device manufacturing method, including:

forming a pattern on an object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 57; and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.