Wafer stage assembly, servo control system, and method for operating the same

• US 6,686,991 B1
• Filed: 11/06/2000
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Ueta, Toshio, Binnard, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown, Khaled
• Application Number:
  US09/705,953
• Time in Patent Office: 1,184 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/55, 355/67, 355/72, 355/77, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 356/399, 356/400
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7026 Focusing

Abstract

A wafer stage assembly, wafer table servo control system, and method for operating the same, are provided for use in combination with a projection lens assembly in a semiconductor wafer manufacturing process. The wafer stage assembly includes a wafer stage base supporting a wafer stage to position the semiconductor wafer, a wafer table connected to the wafer stage to support the wafer, a plurality of sensors, and an actuator. The sensors include a first sensor to determine a position of an exposure point on the wafer relative to the projection lens assembly, and a second sensor to determine a position of a focal point of the projection lens assembly relative to the exposure point. To increase focusing properties of the projection lens assembly, in response to the determined positions of the exposure point and the focal point, the actuator moves the wafer table so that the exposure point substantially coincides with the focal point. The wafer table servo control system is provided to operate the wafer stage assembly. The servo control system includes a first sensor controller to generate a first position signal of an exposure point on the wafer table relative to a projection lens assembly, and a second sensor controller to generate a second position signal of a focal point of the projection lens assembly relative to the exposure point. The servo control system also includes a wafer table controller to determine and generate a correction force corresponding to the first and second position signals. The correction force is then exerted onto the wafer table to bring the exposure point to substantially coincide with the focal point.

Claims

1. A stage assembly for use in combination with a projection optical assembly in a photolithography process for processing a substrate, comprising:

a stage that positions the substrate;

a stage base that supports the stage;

a table connected to the stage to support the substrate;

a first sensor that determines a position of an exposure point on the table relative to the projection optical assembly, wherein the first sensor comprises;

a first sub-sensor to determine a position of the stage base relative to the projection optical assembly; and

a second sub-sensor to determine a position of the table relative to the stage;

a second sensor that determines a position of a focal point of the projection optical assembly relative to the exposure point; and

an actuator that moves the table so that the exposure point substantially coincides with the focal point.

2. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sub-sensor is at least one interferometer to determine a distance and rotation of the stage base relative to the projection optical system.

3. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the second sub-sensor is at least one encoder to determine a distance and rotation of the table relative to the stage.

4. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the first sensor further comprises:

a first input controller to generate a first input position of the stage relative to the stage base; and

a second input controller to generate a second input position of the exposure point relative to the table.

5. The stage assembly of claim 4, wherein the first input position is a first known value.

6. The stage assembly of claim 4, wherein the second input controller is a second known value.

7. The stage assembly of claim 1, wherein the second sensor is an auto-focus and auto-leveling sensor.

8. The stage assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a set of flexures connected to the stage to support the table.

9. The stage assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a bearing separating the stage from the stage base, the bearing being connected to the remote source to provide the input corresponding to the position of the stage relative to the stage base.

10. The stage assembly of claim 9, wherein the bearing comprises a pressurized fluid.

11. The stage assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a first vibration isolation system to support the projection optical system; and

a second vibration isolation system to support the stage base.

12. A lithography system comprising a stage assembly as claimed in claim 1.

13. An object in which an image has been formed by the lithography system of claim 12.

14. A method for determining a position of a table relative to a projection optical assembly in a semiconductor substrate manufacturing device, the table being supported by a stage and a stage base, comprising the steps of:

determining a position of the stage base relative to the projection optical assembly;

determining a position of the stage relative to the stage base; and

determining a position of the table relative to the stage.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a position of the stage base comprises:

using a first sensor to measure a distance and rotation of the stage base relative to the projection optical assembly.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first sensor includes at least one interferometer.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a position of the table comprises:

using a second sensor to measure a distance and rotation of the table relative to the stage.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second sensor includes at least one encoder.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a position of the stage comprises:

inputting a distance and rotation of the stage relative to the stage base from a remote source.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of determining a position of the exposure point comprises:

inputting a distance and rotation of the exposure point relative to the table from the remote source.

21. The method of claim 14, further comprising the further steps of:

determining a position of an exposure point on the substrate relative to the table; and

determining a distance and rotation of the exposure point of the projection optical assembly relative to the position of the exposure point.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of determining a position of a focal point further comprises:

using a third sensor to measure a distance and rotation of the focal point relative to the exposure point.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the third sensor includes an auto-focus and auto-leveling sensor.

24. A method of operating an exposure apparatus to form an image onto a substrate utilizing a projection optical assembly, the substrate is supported by a table that is connected to a stage supported by a stage base, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of the table relative to the projection optical assembly by utilizing the method of claim 14; and

irradiating the substrate with radiation to form the image on the substrate by the projection optical assembly.

25. A method for making an object including at least the photolithography process, wherein the photolithography process utilizes the method of operating an exposure apparatus of claim 24.

26. A table servo control system of a stage assembly having a stage base for supporting a stage and positioning a semiconductor substrate, a table connected to the stage for supporting the substrate, comprising:

a first sensor controller to generate a first position signal of an exposure point on the table relative to a projection optical assembly, wherein the first sensor controller comprises;

a first sub-sensor to generate a first sub-position signal of the stage base relative to the projection optical assembly;

a first input controller to input a first input position signal of the stage relative to the stage base;

a second sub-sensor controller to generate a second sub-position signal of the table relative to the stage; and

a second input controller to generate a second input position signal of the exposure point relative to the table;

a second sensor controller to generate a second position signal of a focal point of the projection optical assembly relative to the exposure point; and

a table controller to determine a correction force corresponding to the first and second position signals, the correction force being exerted on the table to bring the exposure point to substantially coincide with the focal point.

27. The table servo control system of claim 26, wherein the first sensor controller further comprises:

a first sensor controller to generate the first position signal corresponding to a sum of the first sub-position signal, the first input position signal of the stage relative to the stage base, the second sub-position signal of the table relative to the stage, and the second input position signal of the exposure point relative to the table.

28. The table servo control system of claim 26, wherein the first sub-sensor comprises at least one interferometer sensor to measure a distance and a rotation of the stage base relative to the projection optical assembly.

29. The table servo control system of claim 26, wherein the second sub-sensor comprises at least one encoder to measure a distance and a rotation of the table relative to the stage.

30. The table servo control system of claim 26, wherein the second sensor comprises an auto-focus and auto-leveling sensor.

31. The table servo control system of claim 26, wherein the table controller comprises:

a first summing junction to combine the first position signal and the second position signal, and generate an exposure point desired position signal;

a second summing junction to compare the exposure point desired position signal with the first position signal, and generate an exposure point position error signal; and

an actuator to determine the correction force corresponding to the exposure point position error signal.

32. A lithography system comprising a table servo control system as claimed in claim 26.

33. An object in which an image has been formed by the lithography system of claim 32.

34. A method for operating a table servo control system of a stage assembly, comprising the steps of:

creating a first loop to generate a first position signal of an exposure point on a table relative a projection optical system, wherein the step of creating a first loop comprises;

generating a first position signal of a stage base relative to the projection optical system;

generating a second position signal of a stage relative to the stage base;

generating a third position signal of a table relative to the stage; and

generating a fourth position signal of the exposure point relative to the table;

creating a second loop to generate a second position signal of a focal point of the projection optical system relative to the exposure point; and

exerting a correction force, in response to the first and second position signals, onto the table to bring the exposure point to substantially coincide with the focal point.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of creating a second loop comprises:

generating a fifth position signal of the focal point relative to the exposure point.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the step of exerting a correction force comprises:

combining the first, second, third, and fourth position signals to generate an exposure point position signal;

combining the fifth position signal and the exposure point position signal to generate an exposure point desired position signal;

comparing the exposure point desired position signal with the exposure point position signal to generate an exposure point position error signal; and

generating the correction force corresponding to the exposure point position error signal.

37. A method of operating an exposure apparatus to form an image onto a substrate utilizing a projection optical system, the substrate is supported by a table that is connected to a stage supported by a stage base, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a position of the table relative to the projection optical system by utilizing the method of claim 34; and

irradiating the substrate with radiation to form the image on the substrate by the projection optical system.

38. A method for making an object including at least the photolithography process, wherein the photolithography process utilizes the method of operating an exposure apparatus of claim 37.