Lithographic projection apparatus, supporting assembly and device manufacturing method

• US 6,473,161 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2001
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Auer, Frank, Cuijpers, Martinus Agnes Willem, van Ballegoij, Robertus Nicodemus Jacobus
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Khaled
• Application Number:
  US09/866,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20020005939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/55, 355/72, 355/75, 355/76, 355/73, 355/77, 430/22, 430/311, 356/399, 356/358, 356/363
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: F16F 15/0275 Control of stiffness
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

A supporting assembly for use in a lithographic projection apparatus includes a moveable member which is journalled in a housing such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between the moveable member and the housing. The assembly comprises a gas filled pressure chamber in which the gas in the pressure chamber acts on the moveable member so as to at least partially counteract the force due to the weight of the moveable member and any other object which it carries. The pressure chamber is supplied with gas and the whole assembly is constructed and arranged such that substantially no gas flows through the pressure chamber when the moveable member is substantially stationary. The supporting assembly may be applied to a lithographic projection apparatus, object table, or metrology frame.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a radiation system to supply a projection beam of radiation;

a first object table provided with a first object holder to hold a mask;

a second object table provided with a second object holder to hold a substrate; and

a projection system to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;

at least one of said first and second object tables being connected to positioning structure constructed and arranged to position said one object table with respect to the projection system, wherein the apparatus further comprises a supporting assembly comprising;

a moveable member associated with a supported structure;

a housing in which said moveable member is journalled such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between said moveable member and said housing;

a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in said pressure chamber acting on said moveable member so as to at least partially counteract a force due to weight of the supported structure; and

a gas supply to supply gas to said pressure chamber;

the supporting assembly being constructed and arranged such that substantially no gas flows through the pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.

2. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the supporting assembly further comprises:

a further gas-filled pressure chamber adjacent to said pressure chamber and at least partially surrounding said moveable member;

a further gas supply to supply to said further pressure chamber such that a gas pressure in said pressure chamber is substantially identical to a gas pressure in said further pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.

3. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said gas supply and said further gas supply are combined.

4. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the supporting assembly further comprises a pneumatic resistor comprising a gap formed between said moveable member and an opposite wall connecting said pressure chamber and said further pressure chamber.

5. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the supporting assembly further comprises at least one gas bearing and said moveable member comprises a channel in fluid communication with said further gas supply to supply gas to said at least one gas bearing.

6. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the positioning structure comprises the supporting assembly and the supported structure is one of said object tables.

7. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus further comprises:

a metrology frame to support said projection system; and

a base frame to support said metrology frame, said metrology frame being supported with respect to said base frame by the supporting assembly, wherein the supported structure is said metrology frame.

8. A supporting assembly comprising:

a moveable member associated with a supported structure;

a housing in which said moveable member is journalled, said journalling being such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between said moveable member and said housing;

a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in said pressure chamber acting on said moveable member so as to at least partially counteract the force due to the weight of the supported structure; and

a gas supply to supply gas to said pressure chamber;

the supporting assembly being constructed and arranged such that substantially no gas flows through the pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.

9. A supporting assembly according to claim 8, wherein the supporting assembly further comprises:

a further gas-filled pressure chamber adjacent to said pressure chamber and at least partially surrounding said moveable member;

a further gas supply to supply gas to said further pressure chamber such that a gas pressure in said pressure chamber is substantially identical to a gas pressure in said further pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.

10. A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;

projecting an image of at least part of a mask pattern onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;

providing a moveable member associated with a supported structure;

providing a housing in which said moveable member is journalled such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between said moveable member and said housing;

providing a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in said pressure chamber acting on said moveable member so as to at least partially counteract the force due to the weight of the supported structure;

supplying gas to the pressure chamber; and

preventing gas from flowing through said pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.

11. A method according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of:

providing a further pressure chamber adjacent to said pressure chamber and at least partially surrounding said moveable member;

supplying gas to said further pressure chamber such that a gas pressure in said pressure chamber is substantially identical to a gas pressure in said further pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary; and

ensuring a gas pressure in said pressure chamber is substantially identical to a gas pressure in said further pressure chamber.

12. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a radiation system to supply a projection beam of radiation;

a first object table provided with a first object holder to hold a mask;

a second object table provided with a second object holder to hold a substrate; and

a projection system to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;

at least one of said first and second object tables being connected to positioning structure constructed and arranged to position said one object table with respect to the projection system, wherein the apparatus further comprises a supporting assembly comprising;

a moveable member associated with a supported structure;

a housing in which said moveable member is journalled such that substantially no vibration forces are transmitted between said moveable member and said housing;

a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in said pressure chamber acting on said moveable member so as to at least partially counteract a force due to weight of the supported structure; and

a gas supply to supply gas to said pressure chamber;

the supporting assembly including means for preventing gas from flowing through the pressure chamber when said moveable member is substantially stationary.