Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby
First Claim
1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
- a radiation system which provides a projection beam of radiation;
a patterning structure support to support projection beam patterning structure which patterns the projection beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table to hold a substrate;
a projection system which projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a support member constructed and arranged to support a portion of the lithographic projection apparatus along a support direction and having a finite stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction, wherein the stiffness of the support member is such that a deformation force in the perpendicular direction by the support member due to a deformation of the support member in the perpendicular direction substantially counteracts an opposite displacing force in the perpendicular direction due to a force substantially parallel to the support direction acting on the support member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lithographic projection apparatus comprises a vacuum chamber having a wall enclosing at least one of first and second object tables, the or each object table within the vacuum chamber being connected to positioning means for positioning the object table with respect to a projection system of the apparatus. The positioning means is provided with a pneumatic gravity compensator comprising a piston associated with the object table; a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in the pressure chamber acting on the movable member to at least partially counteract the weight of the object table; a gas bearing; and evacuating means for evacuating gas escaping through a gap between the movable member and a bearing surface of a cylindrical housing towards the vacuum chamber. A partially flexible rod connects the piston to the object table.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a radiation system which provides a projection beam of radiation;
a patterning structure support to support projection beam patterning structure which patterns the projection beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table to hold a substrate;
a projection system which projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a support member constructed and arranged to support a portion of the lithographic projection apparatus along a support direction and having a finite stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction, wherein the stiffness of the support member is such that a deformation force in the perpendicular direction by the support member due to a deformation of the support member in the perpendicular direction substantially counteracts an opposite displacing force in the perpendicular direction due to a force substantially parallel to the support direction acting on the support member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in the pressure chamber acting on a movable member such as to at least partially counteract a force substantially parallel to the support direction, and a pressure relief structure constructed and arranged to allow evacuation of gas escaping towards the vacuum chamber through a gap between the movable member and a bearing surface.
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12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the support member comprises a rod connected to the movable member.
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13. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the support member further comprises a bearing supporting the movable member and maintaining the gap between the movable member and the bearing surface, the bearing comprising a gas bearing constructed and arranged to provide pressurized gas into the gap thereby generating forces tending to hold the movable member away from the bearing surface, and the pressure relief structure provided between the gas bearing and the vacuum chamber along the movable member so as to remove gas from the gap.
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14. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pressure relief structure comprises a conduit providing a fluid communication between the gap and at least one reservoir at a pressure higher than that of the vacuum chamber and lower than that of the gas to be removed from the gap.
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15. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the pressure relief structure includes a fluid communication between the gap and at least one vacuum pump.
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16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the fluid communication comprises more than one elongated vacuum groove in the surface defining the gap, the vacuum grooves being generally parallel and each of the respective grooves being in communication with a progressively lower pressure vacuum in the direction of the vacuum chamber.
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17. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a radiation system which provides a projection beam of radiation;
a patterning structure support to support projection beam patterning structure which patterns the projection beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table to hold a substrate;
a projection system which projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a support member constructed and arranged to support a portion of the lithographic projection apparatus along a support direction and having a finite stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction;
wherein an auxiliary support structure to apply an additional force on the support member along the support direction is provided. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
wherein a conduit is arranged through the hollow part. -
20. An apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a vacuum chamber having a wall enclosing the support member, wherein the support member comprises:
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a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in the pressure chamber acting on a movable member such as to at least partially counteract a force substantially parallel to the support direction, and a pressure relief structure constructed and arranged to allow evacuation of gas escaping towards the vacuum chamber through a gap between the movable member and a bearing surface.
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21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the support member further comprises a bearing supporting the movable member and maintaining the gap between the movable member and the bearing surface, the bearing comprising a gas bearing constructed and arranged to provide pressurized gas into the gap thereby generating forces tending to hold the movable member away from the bearing surface, and the pressure relief structure provided between the gas bearing and the vacuum chamber along the movable member so as to remove gas from the gap.
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22. An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the apparatus further comprises an isolated reference frame, and the support member is arranged to support the isolated reference frame.
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23. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a radiation system which provides a projection beam of radiation;
a patterning structure support to support projection beam patterning structure which patterns the projection beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table to hold a substrate;
a projection system which projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
a support member constructed and arranged to support a portion of the lithographic projection apparatus along a support direction and having a finite stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction; and
a vacuum chamber having a wall enclosing the support member, wherein the support member comprises;
a rod, a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in the pressure chamber acting on a movable member such as to at least partially counteract a force substantially parallel to the support direction, and a pressure relief structure constructed and arranged to allow evacuation of gas escaping towards the vacuum chamber through a gap between the movable member and a bearing surface. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A device manufacturing method, using a lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
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providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;
providing a projection beam of radiation;
patterning the projection beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section;
projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material, and supporting along a support direction one of a support structure of the lithographic projection apparatus, a substrate table of the lithographic projection apparatus and an isolated reference frame of the lithographic projection apparatus with a support member having a finite stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction of the support member, said stiffness of the support member is such that a deformation force in the perpendicular direction by the support member due to a deformation of the support member in the perpendicular direction substantially counteracts an opposite displacing force in the perpendicular direction due to a force substantially parallel to the support direction acting on the support member. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a radiation system which provides a projection beam of radiation;
a patterning structure support to support projection beam patterning structure which patterns a projection beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table to hold a substrate;
a projection system which projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a support member, supporting a portion of the lithographic projection apparatus along a support direction and having a finite negative stiffness in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the support direction. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
a gas-filled pressure chamber, the gas in the pressure chamber acting on a movable member such as to at least partially counteract a force substantially parallel to the support direction, and a pressure relief structure constructed and arranged to allow evacuation of gas escaping towards the vacuum chamber through a gap between the movable member and a bearing surface.
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38. An apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the support member bearing surface, comprises a bearing supporting the movable member and maintaining the gap between member and the bearing surface, the bearing comprising a gas bearing and arranged to provide pressurized gas into the gap thereby generating forces hold the movable member away from the bearing surface, and the pressure relief provided between the gas bearing and the vacuum chamber along the movable to remove gas from the gap.
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39. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the apparatus further comprises an isolated reference frame, and the support member is arranged to support the isolated reference frame.
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40. An apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the support member is provided with a hollow part, and
wherein a conduit is arranged through the hollow part.
Specification