Methods to control the environment and exposure apparatus

• US 6,002,987 A
• Filed: 03/26/1997
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 03/26/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kamiya, Saburo, Kobayashi, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US08/824,467
• Time in Patent Office: 993 Days
• Field of Search: 364/528.15, 364/507, 364/508, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 355/30, 355/53, 355/55, 355/77, 702/189, 702/190, 702/191, 702/56, 73/570, 73/579, 73/432.1, 73/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 702/56
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 2013/247 Active noise-suppression
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70858 Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature pollution aspects G03F7/70916
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70866 of mask or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate; a chamber in which the exposure system is housed; an air-conditioner which is associated with the chamber and which air-conditions the chamber; and a noise eliminating device which is arranged between the exposure system and the air-conditioner and which eliminates at least a portion of the noise components near a resonant frequency of the exposure system from noise that is generated in the air-conditioner.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the environment of an exposure system for use in making semiconductor circuits using photolithography comprising the steps of:

detecting a noise in a chamber in which an exposure system for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate is housed; and

controlling an operational environment of said exposure system by generating sounds of opposite phase to the detected noise, whereby vibration of said exposure system is substantially prevented.

2. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure system and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

a reactive silencer, which is arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner, and reduces noise at a resonant frequency of said exposure system, said noise being part of noise that is generated in said air-conditioner.

3. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said air-conditioner includes an air-blower and said reactive silencer is provided near said air blower.

4. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said reactive silencer comprises a generator generating sounds which resonate with sounds at a resonant frequency band that is characteristic of said exposure system.

5. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a microphone that is provided between said silencer and said exposure system, and which detects sounds being transmitted to said exposure system.

6. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure system and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

an active silencer, which is arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner, and reduces noise at a resonant frequency of said exposure system, said noise being part of noise that is generated in said air-conditioner.

7. An exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said active silencer includes a signal-generating device which generates sound signals of opposite phase that cancel sound near a specific resonant frequency of said exposure system and a speaker which outputs sound formed on the basis of said sound signals.

8. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure system and houses said exposure system, said chamber having a wall member between said chamber and said exposure system; and

a noise-absorbing member which is provided between said exposure system and the wall member of said chamber, said noise-absorbing member being arranged at a predetermined distance from the wall member of said chamber, according to a characteristic resonant frequency of said exposure system.

9. An exposure apparatus comprising

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure system and which houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and which performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

a plurality of silencers housed in a noise-suppressing unit, which is arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner, and which reduces noise generated by said air-conditioner, said noise-suppressing unit being spaced apart from and connected by ducts to said chamber and to an air-conditioning room in which said air-conditioner is housed.

10. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said noise-suppressing unit includes a reactive silencer.

11. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said noise-suppressing unit includes an active silencer.

12. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a temperature sensor and a temperature controller in said chamber for controlling a temperature of air in said chamber at a selected target temperature.

13. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a dust and dirt filter and a chemical substance filter for cleaning the air in the chamber.

14. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a microphone for detecting sound signals and for converting said sound signals being supplied to a signal-processing circuit.

15. An exposure apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising an amplifier for amplifying and supplying signals of opposite phase from said sound signals, said signals of opposite phase being supplied from said signal-processing circuit to a speaker for generating acoustic signals in said chamber.

16. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising means for controlling vibrations of a moving mirror attached to a wafer stage in said chamber.

17. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure apparatus and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

a reactive means for reducing at least a portion of noise components from sound waves propagating through air from said air-conditioner at a frequency near a resonant frequency of said exposure system, the means being arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner.

18. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure apparatus and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

an active silencer, which is arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner, and reduces noise at a resonant frequency of said exposure system, said noise being a part of sound waves that are propagated through air from said air-conditioner.

19. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure apparatus and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

an active means for reducing noise at a resonant frequency of said exposure system from sound waves propagated through air from said air-conditioner, the means being arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner.

20. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

a chamber which is provided around said exposure apparatus and houses said exposure system;

an air-conditioner which is associated with said chamber and performs air-conditioning of said chamber; and

a reactive silencer, which is arranged between said exposure system and said air-conditioner to reduce noise at a resonant frequency of said exposure system, said noise being part of sound waves propagated through air from said air-conditioner.

21. Method for exposure apparatus environment control, comprising following steps:

providing a chamber around said exposure apparatus, the apparatus having an exposure system which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

providing an air-conditioner associated with said chamber for air-conditioning of the chamber;

detecting a characteristic resonant frequency of said exposure system; and

reducing at least a portion of noise components from sound waves propagating through air from said air-conditioner at a frequency near the characteristic resonant frequency of said exposure system by arranging a reactive silencer between said air-conditioner and said exposure system on a way of the sound waves.

22. Method of exposure apparatus environment control, comprising following steps:

providing a chamber around said exposure apparatus, the apparatus having an exposure system for transfer a pattern of a mask onto a substrate;

providing an air-conditioner associated with said chamber for air-conditioning of the chamber;

detecting noise at a frequency near a mechanical resonant frequency of the exposure system, said noise being a part of sound waves propagated through air from said air-conditioner; and

reducing the detected noise by generating sound signals of opposite phase to cancel the noise near the resonant frequency of said exposure system.

23. Method of exposure apparatus environment control according to claim 22, further comprising selecting a target temperature and controlling a temperature of air in said chamber.