Lithographic apparatus and method of a manufacturing device

• US 7,327,438 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Issued: 02/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Van Meer, Aschwin Lodewijk Hendricus Johannes, Miedema, Jan Rein, Ottens, Joost Jeroen, Van Empel, Tjarko Adriaan Rudolf, Zaal, Koen Jacobus Johannes Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): MATHEWS, ALAN A
• Application Number:
  US10/840,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20050002010A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,369 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/73, 355/75, 355/77, 361/234, 269/20
• US Class Current: 355/73
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70783 Handling stress or warp of chucks, masks or workpieces, e.g. to compensate for imaging errors or considerations related to warpage of masks or workpieces due to their own weight

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus having a radiation system for providing a projection beam of radiation; a support structure for supporting a patterning device, the patterning device serving to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate holder for holding a substrate the substrate holder provided with a device to provide a holding force for pressing the substrate against the substrate holder; a releasing structure constructed and arranged to eject the substrate from the holder against the holding force; and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The lithographic projection apparatus may include a controller for controlling the releasing structure so as to release the substrate from the holder with a release force that is reduced prior to final release.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a support structure for supporting a patterning device, said patterning device serving to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern to form a patterned beam;

a substrate holder for holding a substrate, said substrate holder comprising a clamp configured to provide a holding force for pressing said substrate against said substrate holder;

a releasing structure constructed and arranged to apply a release force to release said substrate from said substrate holder against said holding force;

a projection system for projecting said patterned beam onto a target portion of said substrate; and

a controller configured to control application of the release force such that a force acting on said substrate is reduced prior to final release of said substrate from said substrate holder.

2. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said release force such that said release force at final release is less than 70% of a maximum release force.

3. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said controller controls said release force relative to a preset release height of said releasing structure.

4. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said release force is chosen so as to generate a maximum angle of deflection of 2 mrad.

5. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said predetermined release height for a 200 mm substrate is smaller than 1.0 mm.

6. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said substrate holder comprises a protective rim for absorption of wear energy.

7. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said substrate holder comprises a plurality of protrusions, each of said plurality of protrusions having an extremity, said extremities of said plurality of protrusions defining a substantially flat plane of support for supporting a substantially flat substrate.

8. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a support structure for supporting a patterning device, said patterning device serving to pattern beam of radiation according to a desired pattern to form a patterned beam;

a substrate holder for holding a substrate said substrate holder comprising a clamp to provide a holding force for pressing said substrate against said substrate holder;

a releasing structure constructed and arranged to apply a release force to release said substrate from said substrate holder against said holding force; and

a projection system for projecting said patterned beam onto a target portion of said substrate,

wherein said substrate holder comprises a protective rim for absorption of excess energy upon final release of said substrate.

9. A method of a manufacturing device comprising:

providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;

providing a holding force for pressing the substrate against a substrate holder;

providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation system;

using a patterning device to endow the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned beam of radiation;

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;

applying a release force so as to release the substrate from the substrate holder against the holding force; and

controlling the application of the release force so as to apply the release force in a manner such that a force acting on said substrate is reduced prior to final release of said substrate from said substrate holder.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising:

controlling the application of the release force relative to a preset release height of a releasing structure used to apply said release force.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein one or both of the release force and the release height are determined in-process in an iterative way.

12. A method according to claim 10, wherein one or both of the release force and the release height are determined based on one or both of recently in-process applied release forces and release heights.

13. A method of a manufacturing device comprising:

providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material;

providing a holding force for pressing the substrate against a substrate holder;

providing a projection beam of radiation using a radiation system;

using a patterning device to endow the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned beam of radiation;

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the layer of radiation-sensitive material;

applying a release force so as to release the substrate from the substrate holder against the holding force;

determining one or both of the release force and a release height in-process in an iterative way; and

controlling the application of the release force so as to apply the release force in a manner such that a force acting on said substrate is reduced prior to final release of said substrate from said substrate holder.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein one or both of the release force and the release height are determined based on one or both of the recently in-process applied release forces and release heights of a release structure used to apply the release force.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein, in a batch process, a batch of substrates are ejected from the substrate holder in a subsequent lithographic process, the method comprising an ejection routine that ejects the substrates based on the average release force of most recent results.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein a statistical averaging of at last predetermined number of release forces is used to determine a subsequent release force.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein a more than average release force is application in a subsequent iterative step.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said more than average release force is a preset maximum release force.

19. A method according to claim 13, further comprising absorbing excess energy during final release of said substrate using a protective rim of said substrate holder.