Stage apparatus, scanning type exposure apparatus, and device produced with the same

• US 6,906,782 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2003
• Issued: 06/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nishi, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US10/347,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20030128348A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/76, 355/77, 269/55, 269/71, 414/676, 250/491.1, 250/492, 356/400, 356/401, 356/496, 356/498, 356/500, 356/399
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging
• 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 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70766 Reaction force control means, e.g. countermass
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/681 using optical controlling means

Abstract

An exposure apparatus has a triangular shaped stage which is movable in a two-dimensional plane while holding a substrate. The stage has a reflecting surface provided on a side face of the stage so that the surface extends in a specific direction intersecting Y axis and X axis. An interferometer radiates a beam onto the reflecting surface to measure a position of the stage in a direction perpendicular to the specific direction. Using the measured position and an angle of the specific direction, a calculator can calculate the position of the stage on rectangular coordinate system defined by X and Y axes. The size and weight of the stage can be reduced, and the throughput of the exposure apparatus is improved.

Claims

1. A scanning type exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate by synchronously moving the mask and the substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a base board;

a first movable member which holds the substrate, the first movable member being movable relative to the base board;

a second movable member which arranges the first movable member thereon, the second movable member being arranged on the base board to move relative to the base board and the first movable member respectively;

a driving system which drives the second movable member; and

a control unit which varies control response of the driving system in a plurality of operation processes including a scanning exposure operation process for the substrate respectively, wherein;

the control unit sets the control response of the driving system so that a relative position of the second movable member with respect to the base board is substantially maintained during the movement of the first movable member in a non-scanning direction after the scanning exposure; and

the control unit sets a response frequency of the driving system to be higher than that during the scanning exposure, when the first movable member is moved in the non-scanning direction after the scanning exposure.

2. An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

a first base board;

a plurality of substrate stages, each of which is arranged on the first base board and holds the substrate respectively;

a second base board which arranges the first base board thereon; and

a support apparatus which supports the first base board movably relative to the second base board so as to suppress any fluctuation of a position of a center of gravity due to movement of at least one of the plurality of substrate stages;

wherein a mass of each of the plurality of substrate stages is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the first base board.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein:

a first substrate stage of the plurality of substrate stages is moved so that the substrate is exposed in accordance with step-and-repeat manner or step-and-scan manner; and

the support apparatus includes a planar magnetically floating type linear actuator which supports the first base board movably relative to the second base board.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a second substrate stage, which is different from the first substrate stage, is driven so that an operation other than an exposure operation is executed on the second substrate stage during the exposure operation for the substrate on the first substrate stage.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising an alignment system which detects a mark on the substrate, wherein mark detection by the alignment system or load or unload of the substrate is executed on the second substrate stage.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a mask stage which holds the mask in order to transfer the pattern onto the substrate by synchronously moving the mask and the substrate, wherein the mask stage is capable of holding a plurality of masks in a direction of the synchronous movement.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a control unit which controls the substrate stages so that before one of scanning operation and stepping operation for one substrate stage of the plurality of stages is stopped, the other operation is started, when the pattern is transferred in accordance with step-and-scan manner to a plurality of areas on the substrate held by the one substrate stage of the plurality of substrate stages.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit drives the substrate stages such that an absolute value of a rate of acceleration during deceleration of the one substrate stage is smaller than that during acceleration in the stepping operation.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the control unit drives the substrate stages such that the one substrate stage is accelerated in the scanning operation on the basis of a rate of acceleration variation curve along which the rate of acceleration is gradually converged to zero.

10. A stage apparatus comprising:

a first movable member which holds a substrate and which is movable in a predetermined two-dimensional plane;

a second movable member which moves in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member such that the law of conservation of momentum with the first movable member is satisfied;

wherein a mass of the first movable member is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member.

11. The stage apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a first planar magnetically floating type linear actuator which is provided over a two-dimensional direction on the second movable member, whereby the first movable member moves in a non-contact manner with respect to the second movable member; and

a second planar magnetically floating type linear actuator which is provided over a two-dimensional direction on a guide plane which guides the second movable member, whereby the second movable member moves in a non-contact manner with respect to the guide plane in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member.

12. An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, comprising:

a mask stage which holds the mask;

the stage apparatus defined in claim 11; and

a projection system which projects and transfers the pattern on the mask onto the substrate held on the stage apparatus.

13. A stage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of first movable members each of which holds a substrate and is movable in a predetermined two-dimensional plane, respectively; and

a second movable member which moves in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the respective first movable members such that the law of conservation of momentum with the plurality of first movable members is satisfied;

wherein a mass of each of the plurality of first movable members is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member.

14. The stage apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a first planar magnetically floating type linear actuator which is provided over a two-dimensional direction on the second movable member, whereby each of the plurality of first movable members moves in a non-contact manner with respect to the second movable member, respectively; and

a second planar magnetically floating type linear actuator which is provided over a two-dimensional direction on a guide plane which guides the second movable member, whereby the second movable member moves in a non-contact manner with respect to the guide plane in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the respective first movable members.

15. An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, comprising:

a mask stage which holds the mask;

the stage apparatus defined in claim 14; and

a projection system which projects and transfers the pattern on the mask onto the substrate held on the stage apparatus.

16. A stage apparatus comprising:

a first movable member which holds an object and is movable in a predetermined two-dimensional plane; and

a second movable member which moves in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member such that the law of conservation of momentum with the first movable member is satisfied;

wherein a mass of the first movable member is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member.

17. A stage apparatus comprising:

a plurality of first movable members each of which holds an object and is movable in a predetermined two-dimensional plane, respectively; and

a second movable member which moves in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the respective first movable members such that the law of conservation of momentum with the plurality of first movable members is satisfied;

wherein a mass of each of the plurality of first movable members is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member.

18. A stage apparatus comprising:

a base board;

a first movable member which is movable relative to the base board and holds a substrate;

a second movable member which arranges the first movable member thereon, the second movable member being arranged on the base board and being movable relative to the base board and the first movable member respectively; and

a driving unit which is provided on the second movable member and which moves the first movable member in a two-dimensional plane, wherein;

a mass of the first movable member is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member, and the second movable member is moved in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member.

19. The stage apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

the driving unit includes a linear actuator which drives the first movable member on the second movable member; and

the first movable member and the second movable member are supported in a non-contact maimer by the second movable member and the base board respectively.

20. The stage apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

the first movable member has a first reflecting surface which extends in a direction intersecting first and second axes respectively orthogonal to one another in the two-dimensional plane, a second reflecting surface which extends in the second axis direction, and a third reflecting surface which is arranged substantially symmetrically to the first reflecting surface with respect to the first axis; and

the apparatus further comprises three interferometers which radiate measuring beams to the first, second, and third reflecting surfaces respectively.

21. The stage apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first movable member includes:

a first plate which places the substrate thereon;

a driving mechanism which moves the first plate in a direction perpendicular to the two-dimensional plane, and inclines the first plate relative to the two-dimensional plane; and

a second plate which places the driving mechanism thereon.

22. The stage apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the first movable member is composed of a plurality of movable sections, the respective movable sections are arranged on the second movable member, the driving unit drives the respective movable sections in the two-dimensional plane, and the second movable member is moved in accordance with the reaction force brought about when the respective movable sections are driven.

23. The stage apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first movable member is composed of a plurality of movable sections, the respective movable sections are arranged on the second movable member, the driving unit drives the respective movable sections in the two-dimensional plane, and the second movable member is moved in accordance with the reaction force brought about when the respective movable sections are driven.

24. The stage apparatus according to claim 18, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a second driving unit which drives the second movable member at a low response frequency on the base board.

25. The stage apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a second driving unit which drives the second movable member at a low response frequency on the base board.

26. The stage apparatus according to claim 22, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a second driving unit which drives the second-movable member at a low response frequency on the base board.

27. An exposure apparatus comprising the stage apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein a pattern on a mask is transferred to a photosensitive substrate held by the stage apparatus.

28. An exposure apparatus comprising the stage apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein a pattern on a mask is transferred to a photosensitive substrate held by the first movable member.

29. The exposure apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising a second driving unit for driving the second movable member on the base board, and a control unit which varies control response of the second driving unit in a plurality of operations including an exposure operation for the photosensitive substrate.

30. The exposure apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the control unit moves the second movable member by the aid of the second driving unit after moving the first movable member, and a response frequency of the second driving unit is increased during the movement of the second movable member as compared with the movement of the first movable member.

31. A scanning type exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage apparatus including a base board;

a first movable member which is movable relative to the base board and holds a substrate;

a second movable member which arranges the first movable member thereon, the second movable member being arranged on the base board and being movable relative to the base board and the first movable member respectively; and

a driving unit which is provided on the second movable member and which moves the first movable member in a two-dimensional plane;

wherein a mass of the first movable member is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member; and

the second movable member is moved in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member;

a mask stage which holds a mask;

a projection optical system having an optical axis perpendicular to the mask and the substrate respectively;

a first pedestal which supports the projection optical system and suspends the base board thereby; and

a vibration-preventive apparatus which supports the first pedestal, wherein;

a pattern on the mask is transferred onto the substrate via the projection optical system by synchronously moving the mask and the substrate by the aid of the mask stage and the stage apparatus.

32. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

a second pedestal which places the mask stage thereon; and

a frame provided on a floor on which the vibration-preventive apparatus is arranged, and the frame having an actuator which applies a force corresponding to a reaction force generated by movement of the mask stage, to the mask stage or the second pedestal.

33. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising:

a base plate which places the vibration-preventive apparatus thereon; and

an elastic member which connects the base plate and the frame.

34. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein:

the first movable member has a first reflecting surface which extends in a direction intersecting a scanning direction for the substrate and a non-scanning direction orthogonal thereto respectively on the two-dimensional plane, a second reflecting surface which extends in the non-scanning direction, and a third reflecting surface which is arranged substantially symmetrically to the first reflecting surface in relation to the scanning direction; and

the apparatus further comprises three sets of interferometers which radiate measuring beams to the first, second, and third reflecting surfaces respectively.

35. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising:

a position-measuring unit which detects a relative position of the second movable member with respect to the base board; and

a second driving unit which positions the second movable member at a predetermined point on the base board on the basis of an output of the position-measuring unit during operation other than exposure operation for the substrate and alignment operation.

36. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the first movable member is composed of a plurality of movable sections, the respective movable sections are arranged on the second movable member, the driving unit drives the respective movable sections in the two-dimensional plane, and the second movable member is moved in accordance with the reaction force brought about when the respective movable sections are driven.

37. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising:

a position-measuring unit which detects a relative position of the second movable member to the base board; and

a second driving unit which positions the second movable member at a predetermined point on the base board on the basis of an output of the position-measuring unit during operation other than exposure operation for the substrate and alignment operation.

38. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the first movable member is a substrate stage.

39. The scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising a plurality of corner cubes attached to the mask stage in a direction intersecting a direction in which the mask is moved, and an interferometer system which radiates the light beam onto one of the plurality of corner cubes and receives a reflected light beam therefrom.

40. An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, comprising:

a base board;

at least two first movable members each of which is movable relative to the base board and holds the substrate to which the pattern of the mask is transferred, respectively;

a second movable member which places the respective first movable members thereon, the second movable member being arranged on the base board and being movable relative to the base board and each of the first movable members respectively; and

a driving unit which is provided on the second movable member and which drives the respective first movable members in a two-dimensional plane, wherein;

a mass of each of the first movable members is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member; and

the second movable member is moved in accordance with a reaction force brought about when the respective first movable members are driven.

41. The exposure apparatus according to claim 40, wherein:

the apparatus further comprises a second driving unit which drives the second movable member at a low response frequency on the base board.

42. The exposure apparatus according to claim 41, further comprising:

a projection optical system which projects the pattern on the mask onto the substrate, wherein;

the driving unit drives the first movable member which holds the substrate to which the pattern is transferred, in a scanning direction with respect to the projection optical system in synchronization with the mask, when the pattern on the mask is transferred to the substrate held by each of the first movable members.

43. A method for producing a stage apparatus, comprising:

providing a base board;

providing a first movable member which is movable relative to the base board and which holds a substrate;

arranging, on the base board, a second movable member which arranges the first movable member thereon, the second movable member being movable relative to the base board and the first movable member respectively; and

providing a driving unit which moves the first movable member in a two-dimensional plane, wherein;

the stage apparatus is constructed such that a mass of the first movable member is not more than about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member; and

the second movable member is moved in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member.

44. A method for producing a scanning type exposure apparatus, comprising:

producing a stage apparatus by providing a base board;

a first movable member which is movable relative to the base board and holds a substrate;

a second movable member which arranges the first movable member thereon, the second movable member being arranged on the base board and being movable relative to the base board and the first movable member respectively; and

a driving unit which is provided on the second movable member and which moves the first movable member in a two-dimensional plane respectively, and by setting a mass of the first movable member to be about {fraction (1/9)} of a mass of the second movable member;

whereby the second movable member is moved in accordance with a reaction force generated by the movement of the first movable member;

providing a mask stage which holds a mask;

providing a projection optical system having an optical axis perpendicular to the mask and the substrate respectively;

providing a first pedestal which supports the projection optical system and suspends the base board thereby; and

providing a vibration-preventive apparatus which supports the first pedestal, wherein;

the scanning type exposure apparatus is operated such that a pattern on the mask is transferred onto the substrate via the projection optical system by synchronously moving the mask and the substrate by the aid of the mask stage and the stage apparatus.