System and method for resetting a reaction mass assembly of a stage assembly

• US 6,958,808 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2003
• Issued: 10/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Keiichi, Hazelton, Andrew J., Binnard, Mike
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US10/458,384
• Publication Number:
  US 20040051854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 867 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/76, 355/77
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/62 Holders for the original G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/60
• 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 7/70766 Reaction force control means, e.g. countermass
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

A stage assembly for moving and positioning a device is provided herein. The stage assembly includes a stage base, a stage, a stage mover assembly, a reaction mass assembly, a reaction mover assembly, and a control system. The stage mover assembly moves the stage relative to the stage base. The reaction mass assembly reduces the reaction forces created by the stage mover assembly that are transferred to the stage base. The reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base. Uniquely, the control system controls and directs current to the reaction mover assembly in a way that minimizes the influence of disturbances created by the reaction mover assembly on the stage assembly. More specifically, the timing and/or the amount of current from the control system directed to the reaction mover assembly is varied to minimize the influence of the disturbances created by the reaction mover assembly on the stage assembly. With this design, the reaction mover assembly has less influence upon the position of the stage base. This allows for more accurate positioning of the device by the stage assembly and better performance of the stage assembly.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an illumination source that has an on position and an off position; and

a stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base so that the device is properly positioned for one or more operations performed by the exposure apparatus, the stage assembly comprising;

a stage that retains the device;

a stage mover assembly connected to the stage, the stage mover assembly generating reaction forces;

a reaction mass assembly coupled to the stage mover assembly, the reaction mass assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage base;

a reaction mover assembly connected to the reaction mass assembly, the reaction mover assembly moving the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base; and

a control system connected to the reaction mover assembly, the control system controlling excitation of the reaction mover assembly during the one or more operations for an individual device based upon the on position and the off position of the illumination source;

wherein

in the on position, the illumination source directs a beam of light energy towards the stage assembly, and in the off position, the illumination source does not direct a beam of light energy towards the stage assembly.

2. The exposure apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system controls current to the reaction mover assembly based upon the position of the illumination source.

3. The exposure apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the on position.

4. The exposure apparatus of claim 3 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position.

5. The exposure apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position than when the illumination source is in the on position.

6. A device manufactured by the exposure apparatus of claim 1.

7. A wafer on which an image has been formed by the exposure apparatus of claim 1.

8. An exposure apparatus that forms images on a device, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage assembly that moves a device relative to a stage base so that the device is properly positioned for one or more operations performed by the exposure apparatus, the stage assembly comprising;

a stage that retains the device;

a stage mover assembly connected to the stage, the stage mover assembly generating reaction forces;

a reaction mass assembly coupled to the stage mover assembly, the reaction mass assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage base;

a reaction mover assembly connected to the reaction mass assembly, the reaction mover assembly moving the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base; and

a control system connected to the reaction mover assembly, the control system controlling excitation of the reaction mover assembly during the one or more operations for an individual device based upon a status of the operation for forming images on the individual device.

9. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the stage mover assembly moves the stage with two degrees of freedom and the reaction mass assembly is adapted to reduce the reaction forces in the two degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base.

10. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the stage mover assembly moves the stage with three degrees of freedom and the reaction mass assembly is adapted to reduce the reaction forces in the three degrees of freedom that are transferred to the stage base.

11. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with one degree of freedom.

12. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with two degrees of freedom.

13. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with three degrees of freedom.

14. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reaction mass assembly includes an X reaction component and a Y reaction component that are coupled to the stage mover assembly, the X reaction component moves relative to the Y reaction component along an X axis and the X reaction component and the Y reaction component move concurrently along a Y axis relative to the stage base.

15. The exposure apparatus of claim 14 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the X reaction component relative to the Y reaction component along the X axis.

16. The exposure apparatus of claim 15 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the Y reaction component and the X reaction component relative to the stage base along the Y axis.

17. The exposure apparatus of claim 16 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the Y reaction component and the X reaction component relative to the stage base about a Z axis.

18. The exposure apparatus of claim 14 wherein the X reaction component includes a first X reaction mass and a second X reaction mass that move independently along the X axis relative to the Y reaction component and the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the X reaction masses relative to the Y reaction component.

19. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each image on the device.

20. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each row of images on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each row of images on the device.

21. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during each scan of the device.

22. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the manufacture of each device.

23. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device than during the forming of each image on the device.

24. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the transfer of each row of images onto the device than during the transfer of each row of images to the device.

25. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device than during each scan of the device.

26. The exposure apparatus of claim 8 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus than during the manufacture of each device.

27. An exposure apparatus for forming images on a device, the exposure apparatus comprising:

an illumination source having an on position and an off position, in the on position, the illumination source directs a beam of light energy, in the off position, the illumination source does not direct a beam of light energy;

a stage base;

a stage assembly that moves the device relative to the stage base, the stage assembly including (i) a stage that retains the device, (ii) a stage mover assembly that moves the stage relative to the stage base, the stage mover assembly generating reaction forces, (iii) a reaction mass assembly coupled to the stage mover assembly, the reaction mass assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage base, (iv) a reaction mover assembly that moves the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base, and (v) a control system connected to the reaction mover assembly, the control system controlling excitation of the reaction mover assembly based upon the position of the illumination source.

28. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the on position.

29. The exposure apparatus of claim 28 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position.

30. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position than when the illumination source is in the on position.

31. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each image on the device.

32. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each row of images on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each row of images on the device.

33. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during each scan of the device.

34. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the manufacture of each device.

35. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device than during the forming of each image on the device.

36. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each row of images on the device than during the forming of each row of images on the device.

37. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device than during each scan of the device.

38. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the control system directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus than during the manufacture of each device.

39. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with at least one degree of freedom.

40. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with two degrees of freedom.

41. The exposure apparatus of claim 27 wherein the reaction mover assembly adjusts the position of the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base with three degrees of freedom.

42. A device manufactured by the exposure apparatus of claim 27.

43. A wafer on which an image has been formed by the exposure apparatus of claim 27.

44. A method for manufacturing an exposure apparatus that forms images on a device, the exposure apparatus comprising an illumination source that has an on position and an off position, and a stage assembly that moves the device relative to a stage base so that the device is properly positioned for one or more operations performed by the exposure apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an illumination source; and

providing a stage assembly, the step of providing the stage assembly comprising the steps of;

providing a stage that retains the device;

connecting a stage mover assembly to the stage that moves the stage relative to the stage base, the stage mover assembly generating reaction forces;

coupling a reaction mass assembly to the stage mover assembly, the reaction mass assembly reducing the reaction forces that are transferred to the stage base;

connecting a reaction mover assembly to the reaction mass assembly, the reaction mover assembly moving the reaction mass assembly relative to the stage base; and

providing a control system that is connected to the reaction mover assembly and controls excitation of the reaction mover assembly during the one or more operations for an individual device based upon the on position and the off position of the illumination source;

wherein

in the on position, the illumination source directs a beam of light energy towards the stage assembly, and in the off position, the illumination source does not direct a beam of light energy towards the stage assembly.

45. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that controls current to the reaction mover assembly based upon the position of the illumination source.

46. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the on position.

47. The method of claim 46 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position.

48. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs more current to the reaction mover assembly when the illumination source is in the off position than when the illumination source is in the on position.

49. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each image on the device.

50. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each row of images on the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the forming of each row of images on the device.

51. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during each scan of the device.

52. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus and does not direct current to the reaction mover assembly during the manufacture of each device.

53. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the forming of each image on the device than during the forming of each image on the device.

54. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between the transfer of each row of images onto the device than during the transfer of each row of images to the device.

55. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each scan of the device than during each scan of the device.

56. The method of claim 44 wherein the step of providing a control system includes the step of providing a control system that directs more current to the reaction mover assembly between each device manufactured by the exposure apparatus than during the manufacture of each device.

57. A method of making a wafer utilizing the exposure apparatus made by the method of claim 44.

58. A method of making a device utilizing the exposure apparatus made by the method of claim 44.