Stage device, exposure apparatus and method

• US 6,788,385 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Martinek, Robert, Binnard, Michael, Tanaka, Keiichi, Hazelton, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/134,607
• Publication Number:
  US 20020196421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/75, 355/77
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70766 Reaction force control means, e.g. countermass
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

In a stage device of an exposure apparatus, a first stage is driven in the X-axis direction by a first X-axis motor while being supported at one side by a first guide bar, and a second stage is driven in the X-axis direction by a second X-axis motor while being supported at one side by a second guide bar. The first guide bar and the second guide bar are independently driven in the Y-axis direction by a Y-axis linear motor. In a state in which the first guide bar and the second guide bar are closest to each other, the end of the first stage opposite from the side supported by the first guide bar is placed above the second guide bar, and the end of the second stage opposite from the side supported by the second guide bar is placed above the first guide bar. First and second substrate tables are supported above the first and second stages, respectively, via first and second minutely driving devices. The above configuration of the stage device permits and restrains a change in attitude of each stage due to driving of the substrate table.

Claims

1. A switching-motion twin stage device having a first cantilevered stage and a second cantilevered stage, comprising:

a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member that drives the first cantilevered stage in a first direction;

a second driving device having a second moving member and a second stationary member that drives the second cantilevered stage in the first direction;

a first table disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first sample;

a second table disposed on the second cantilevered stage to hold a second sample;

a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member that movably supports one side of the first cantilevered stage;

a second guide bar provided with the second stationary member that movably supports one side of the second cantilevered stage, the second guide bar provided at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and

a controller that performs a switching of a position of the first table and the second table without divorcing between the first table and the first cantilevered stage, and between the second table and the second cantilevered stage, the controller being coupled to the first and second driving devices to move the second cantilevered stage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first cantilevered stage to perform the switching of the positions of the first and second tables.

2. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third driving device for driving at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar in the second direction.

3. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 2, wherein the third driving device drives the at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar at both ends.

4. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 2, wherein the third driving device further comprises:

an armature unit having at least one magnet; and

a magnetic pole unit having an armature coil that is magnetically coupled to the armature unit,

wherein the controller controls a yawing and a rolling of at least one of the first and second guide bars along at least one of the first and second directions in a non-contact manner.

5. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 2, wherein the controller actively controls the third driving device.

6. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, wherein the first driving device further comprises:

a first pair of electromagnets disposed on an outer bottom surface of the cantilevered stage body opposed to a first plate;

a second pair of electromagnets disposed on the outer bottom surface of the cantilevered stage body opposed to a second plate; and

a third pair of electromagnets disposed on an outer side surface of the cantilevered stage body opposed to a third plate,

wherein the first, second and third pairs of electromagnets are symmetrically placed about a center of gravity of the cantilevered stage such that a point of action of a driving force is set at the center of gravity of the cantilevered stage, and

wherein the first, second and third pairs of electromagnets are controlled by the controller to prevent a change in an attitude of the cantilevered stage resulting from a reaction force produced due to the driving of at least one of a first table and a second table.

7. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first countermass floatingly supported for movement in the first direction, wherein when at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages is driven in the first direction, a reaction force in an opposite direction is applied to the first countermass to absorb the reaction force; and

a second countermass floatingly supported for movement in the second direction, wherein when at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages is driven in the second direction, a reaction force in an opposite direction is applied to the second countermass to absorb the reaction force.

8. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first trim motor that maintains the first countermass within a first predetermined stroke position so that drifting of the first countermass over time is compensated; and

a second trim motor that maintains the second countermass within a second predetermined stroke position so that drifting of the second countermass over time is compensated.

9. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 8, wherein the controller causes the first and second countermasses to be reset after each scan.

10. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, wherein a point of action of a driving force in at least one of the first direction and the second direction is set at a center of gravity of at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages.

11. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first minutely driving device connected to the first cantilevered stage that minutely drives the first table in at least one degree-of-freedom; and

a second minutely driving device connected to the second cantilevered stage that minutely drives the second table in at least one degree-of-freedom.

12. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 11, further comprising:

a first restraint force generating mechanism that generates a restraint force to restrain a change in an attitude of the first cantilevered stage resulting from a reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the first table; and

a second restraint force generating mechanism that generates a restraint force to restrain a change in the attitude of the second cantilevered stage resulting from a reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the second table.

13. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 12, wherein:

the controller subjects the first restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the first table by the first minutely driving device, and subjects the second restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the second table by the second minutely driving device.

14. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1, wherein the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage move in a synchronized manner along paths defined by a predetermined minimum distance between the first guide bar and the second guide bar.

15. An exposure apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

the switching-motion stage device according to claim 1;

a first table disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first sample; and

a second table disposed on the second cantilevered stage to hold a second sample, and wherein an overhang distance of the cantilever is minimized such that concurrent movement of exposure and alignment of the first and second samples is synchronized into a similar predetermined region on the first sample and a similar predetermined region on the second sample.

16. An exposure apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern on a substrate by exposing the substrate to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

the switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 1; and

a third driving device for driving at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar in the second direction.

17. A method for performing a switching stage configuration sequence for an exposure apparatus including the switching-motion twin stage device of claim 2, the method comprising the steps of:

moving at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages which has completed an exposure procedure from an exposed position; and

synchronously moving the other cantilevered stage which has completed an alignment procedure from an alignment position to the exposure position.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

providing an operating base size area having a dimension of 3×

3 WS, wherein WS is defined as a length approximately equal to a side of the wafer stage; and

switching the first and second cantilevered stages in one synchronized step by a length approximately equal to WS.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

providing an operating base size area having a dimension of 2×

3 WS, wherein WS is defined as a length approximately equal to a side of the wafer stage; and

switching the first and second cantilevered stages in two synchronized steps by a length approximately equal to WS+WS.

20. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

providing an operating base size area having a dimension of 2×

2 WS, wherein WS is defined as a length approximately equal to a side of the wafer stage; and

switching the first and second cantilevered stages in three synchronized steps by a length approximately equal to ½

WS+WS+½

WS.

21. An exposure apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern on a plurality of substrates by exposing the substrates to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a base having an alignment area and an exposure area along a first direction;

a first cantilevered stage that is movably supported by the base;

a second cantilevered stage that is movably supported by the base;

a first guide bar disposed on the base along the first direction to guide one of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage between the alignment area and the exposure area;

a second guide bar disposed on the base along the first direction to guide other of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage between the alignment area and the exposure area, the second guide bar provided at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction; and

a controller that moves the second cantilevered stage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first cantilevered stage to perform a switching of the positions of the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage.

22. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a first restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the first cantilevered stage resulting from reaction force produced due to minute driving of the first table; and

a second restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the second cantilevered stage resulting from reaction force produced due to minute driving of the second table.

23. An exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the controller subjects the first restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the first table by a first minutely driving device, and subjects the second restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the second table by a second minutely driving device.

24. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a single mark detection system for detecting a position detection mark formed on the substrate of each of the first and second cantilevered stages when either of the cantilevered stages is moved into a first region; and

a single projection optical system for projecting the energy beam onto the substrate on each of the first and second cantilevered stages when either of the cantilevered stages is moved into a second region.

25. An exposure apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising:

a first table disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first substrate; and

a second table disposed on the second cantilevered stage to hold a second substrate.

26. An exposure apparatus according to claim 25, wherein:

the controller performs a switching of a position of the first table and the second table without divorcing between the first table and the first cantilevered stage, and between the second table and the second cantilevered stage.

27. A switching-motion twin stage device having a first cantilevered stage and a second cantilevered stage, comprising:

a first driving device that drives the first cantilevered stage in a first direction;

a second driving device that drives the second cantilevered stage in the first direction;

a first guide bar magnetically coupled at one end of the first guide bar to movably support the first cantilevered stage in a second direction;

a second guide bar magnetically coupled at one end of the second guide bar, opposite to the one end of the first guide bar, to movably support the second cantilevered stage in the second direction, the first guide bar and the second guide bar being capable of traversing each other along a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;

an actuator that applies a counteracting torque to prevent movement of a wafer stage disposed on at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages; and

a controller that performs a switching stage configuration sequence wherein the position of the first and the second cantilevered stages are switched in a synchronized manner.

28. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, wherein the first guide bar and the second guide bar traverse each other when the cantilevered stages are in a fully retracted position.

29. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, further comprising:

a third driving device that drives at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar only at the one end.

30. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, wherein a point of action of a driving force in at least one of the first direction and the second direction is set at a center of gravity of at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages.

31. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, wherein at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar is supported by a guide surface connected to reaction frame supports that move in at least one of the first and second directions along a guide device.

32. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, wherein:

the first cantilevered stage extends and retracts in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first guide bar; and

the second cantilevered stage extends and retracts in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second guide bar.

33. A switching-motion twin stage device according to claim 27, wherein the controller controls the first cantilevered stage and the second cantilevered stage such that:

the first cantilevered stage which has received a first operation in a first position is moved from the first position; and

the second cantilevered stage which has received a second operation is simultaneously moved into the first position.

34. A method for operating a twin stage device, the twin stage device having a first cantilevered stage and a second cantilevered stage, and including:

a first driving device and a second driving device that drive the first and second cantilevered stages in a first direction; and

a first guide bar and a second guide bar that movably support the first and second cantilevered stages, respectively, the second guide bar provided at a predetermined minimum distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction, the method comprising the steps of;

providing a first table that is disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first substrate;

providing a second table that is disposed on the second cantilevered stage to hold a second substrate;

moving at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages which has completed an exposure procedure from an exposure position;

synchronously moving the other cantilevered stage, which has completed an alignment procedure, from an alignment position to the exposure position; and

switching a position of the first table and the second table without divorcing between the first table and the first cantilevered stage, and between the second table and the second cantilevered stage, the second cantilevered stage moving in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first cantilevered stage in the switching step.

35. A method according to claim 34, further comprising:

preventing a change in an attitude of at least one of the first and second cantilevered stages resulting from a reaction force produced due to the driving of at least one of a first table and a second table disposed on the first and second cantilevered stages respectively.

36. A method according to claim 34, further comprising:

absorbing a first reaction force by applying the first reaction force to a first movable countermass;

absorbing a second reaction force by applying the second reaction force to a second movable countermass.

37. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

compensating for a drift of the first countermass from a first predetermined stroke range along a first direction; and

compensating for a drift of the second countermass from a second predetermined stroke range along a second direction.

38. A method according to claim 37, further comprising:

resetting the first and second countermasses to within each of their respective predetermined stroke ranges after each scan.

39. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

preventing movement of a wafer stage by applying a counteracting torque.

40. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

applying a driving force at a point of action set at a center of gravity of at least one of the first and the second cantilevered stages.

41. A method according to claim 36, further comprising:

controlling a yawing motion and a rolling motion of at least one of the first and second guide bars along at least one of predetermined first and second directions in a non-contact manner.

42. A stage device having a first stage and a second stage, comprising:

a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member so as to drive the first stage in a first direction;

a first table associated with the first stage, the first table having a first reflective portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion;

a first actuator system that is connected to the first stage and the first table to move the first table relative to the first stage in six degrees-of-freedom;

a second driving device having a second moving member and a second stationary member so as to drive the second stage in the first direction;

a second table associated with the second stage, the second table having a third reflective portion extending in the second direction and a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion;

a second actuator system that is connected to the second stage and the second table to move the second table relative to the second stage in six degrees-of-freedom;

a first position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the first reflective portion and the third reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;

a second position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the second reflective portion and the fourth reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;

a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member so as to movably support one side of the first stage; and

a second guide bar provided with the second stationary member so as to movably support one side of the second stage, the second guide bar being placed at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

43. A stage device according to claim 42, further comprising:

a third driving device for driving at least one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar in the second direction.

44. A stage device according to claim 42, wherein the point of action of driving force in the first direction is set at the center of gravity of each of the first and second stages.

45. A stage device according to claim 42, further comprising:

a first table disposed on the first stage so as to hold a first sample;

a first minutely driving device connected to the first stage so as to minutely drive the first table in at least one degree-of-freedom;

a second table disposed on the second stage so as to hold a second sample; and

a second minutely driving device connected to the second stage so as to minutely drive the second table in at least one degree-of-freedom.

46. A stage device according to claim 45, further comprising:

a first restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the first stage resulting from reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the first table; and

a second restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the second stage resulting from reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the second table.

47. A stage device according to claim 46, further comprising:

a control device for subjecting the first restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the first table by the first minutely driving device and for subjecting the second restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the second table by the second minutely driving device.

48. A stage device according to claim 43, wherein the third driving device drives the at lease one of the first guide bar and the second guide bar at both ends.

49. A stage device according to claim 48, wherein:

a base of the first moving member is partially enclosed by the first guide bar; and

a base of the second moving member is partially enclosed by the second guide bar.

50. A stage device according to claim 42, further comprising:

a controller connected to the first position detector and the second position detector to control a switching of a position of the first and second tables in accordance with the first and second position detectors.

51. A stage device according to claim 42, further comprising a controller that moves the second stage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first stage to perform a switching of the position of the first stage and the second stage.

52. An exposure apparatus for forming a predetermined pattern on a plurality of substrates by exposing the substrates to an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a base having an alignment area and an exposure area along a first direction;

a first stage that is movably supported by the base;

a second stage that is movably supported by the base;

a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member so as to drive the first stage in the first direction;

a first table associated with the first stage, the first table having a first reflective portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion;

a first actuator system that is connected to the first stage and the first table to move the first table relative to the first stage in six degrees-of-freedom;

a second driving device having a second moving member and a second stationary member so as to drive the second stage in the first direction;

a second table associated with the second stage, the second table having a third reflective portion extending in the second direction and a fourth reflective portion parallel to the third reflective portion;

a second actuator system that is connected to the second stage and the second table to move the second table relative to the second stage in six degrees-of-freedom;

a first position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the first reflective portion and the third reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;

a second position detector that is capable of emitting a measurement beam to the second reflective portion and the fourth reflective portion to detect a position of each of the first and second tables;

a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member so as to movably support one side of the first stage; and

a second guide bar provided with the second stationary member so as to movably support one side of the second stage, the second stage guide bar being placed at a predetermined distance from the first guide bar in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction.

53. An exposure apparatus according to claim 52, further comprising:

a first restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the first stage resulting from reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the first table; and

a second restraint force generating mechanism for generating restraint force for restraining a change in attitude of the second stage resulting from reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the second table.

54. An exposure apparatus according to claim 53, further comprising:

a control device for subjecting the first restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the first table by the first minutely driving device and for subjecting the second restraint force generating mechanism to feed-forward control in synchronization with the driving of the second table by the second minutely driving device.

55. An exposure apparatus according to claim 52, further comprising:

a single mark detection system for detecting a position detection mark formed on the substrate on each of the first and second stages when the stage is moved into a first region; and

a single projection optical system for projecting the energy beam onto the substrate on each of the first and second stages when the stage is moved into a second region.

56. An exposure apparatus according to claim 52, wherein:

the first guide bar is disposed on the base along the first direction.

57. An exposure apparatus according to claim 52, further comprising:

a controller connected to the first position detector and the second position detector to control a switching of a position of the first and second tables in accordance with the first and second position detectors.

58. An exposure apparatus according to claim 57, wherein:

the controller performs a switching of the position of the first table and the second table without divorcing between the first table and the first stage, and between the second table and the second stage.

59. An exposure apparatus according to claim 52, further comprising a controller that moves the second stage in a direction opposite to the direction of movement of the first stage to perform a switching of the position of the first stage and the second stage.

60. A stage device having a first cantilevered stage, comprising:

a first driving device having a first moving member and a first stationary member that drives the first cantilevered stage in a first direction;

a first table disposed on the first cantilevered stage to hold a first sample;

a first minutely driving device connected to the first cantilevered stage that minutely drives the first table in at least one degree-of-freedom;

a first restraint force generating mechanism that generates a restraint force to restrain a change in an attitude of the first cantilevered stage resulting from a reaction force produced due to the minute driving of the first table; and

a first guide bar provided with the first stationary member that movably supports one side of the first cantilevered stage.

61. A stage device according to claim 60, wherein:

the first table comprises a first reflective portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and a second reflective portion parallel to the first reflective portion.

62. A stage device according to claim 60, further comprising:

a position detector that detects a position of the first table, the position detector emitting a beam to one of the first reflective portion and the second reflective portion.