Apparatus and method for providing a confined liquid for immersion lithography
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
- a proximity head configured to generate a fluid meniscus to facilitate patterning of a photoresist on a substrate surface, the fluid meniscus being constantly replenished with fluid by addition of the fluid into the fluid meniscus and by removal of the fluid from the fluid meniscus by a vacuum, the proximity head having source inlets that introduce a surface tension reducing gas, the surface tension reducing gas being configured to reduce surface tension of the fluid meniscus relative to the substrate surface, and the proximity head further having a head surface that has flat surface regions, the head surface is defined with discrete holes to pass the fluid, the vacuum, and the surface tension reducing gas, the discrete holes reside at the head surface and extend through the flat surface regions of the head surface; and
a lithography lens structure at least partially defined within the proximity head, the lithography lens structure having a lithography lens configured to be in direct contact with the fluid meniscus during operation, the lithography lens structure configured to apply a patterned light from the lithography lens through the fluid meniscus to pattern the photoresist on the substrate surface.
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Abstract
A method for processing a substrate is provided which includes generating a meniscus on the surface of the substrate and applying photolithography light through the meniscus to enable photolithography processing of a surface of the substrate.
130 Citations
22 Claims
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1. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
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a proximity head configured to generate a fluid meniscus to facilitate patterning of a photoresist on a substrate surface, the fluid meniscus being constantly replenished with fluid by addition of the fluid into the fluid meniscus and by removal of the fluid from the fluid meniscus by a vacuum, the proximity head having source inlets that introduce a surface tension reducing gas, the surface tension reducing gas being configured to reduce surface tension of the fluid meniscus relative to the substrate surface, and the proximity head further having a head surface that has flat surface regions, the head surface is defined with discrete holes to pass the fluid, the vacuum, and the surface tension reducing gas, the discrete holes reside at the head surface and extend through the flat surface regions of the head surface; and a lithography lens structure at least partially defined within the proximity head, the lithography lens structure having a lithography lens configured to be in direct contact with the fluid meniscus during operation, the lithography lens structure configured to apply a patterned light from the lithography lens through the fluid meniscus to pattern the photoresist on the substrate surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. An apparatus for processing a substrate, comprising:
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a proximity head capable of generating a fluid meniscus to process a photoresist on a substrate surface, the fluid meniscus being constantly replenished with fluid by addition of the fluid into the fluid meniscus and by removal of the fluid from the fluid meniscus by a vacuum, the proximity head having source inlets that introduce a surface tension reducing gas, the surface tension reducing gas being configured to reduce surface tension of the fluid meniscus relative to the substrate surface, and the proximity head further having a head surface that has flat surface regions, the head surface is defined with discrete holes to pass the fluid, the vacuum, and the surface tension reducing gas, the discrete holes reside at the head surface and extend through the flat surface regions of the head surface; and a light generating source at least partially defined within the proximity head, the light generating source configured to be in direct contact with the fluid meniscus during operation, the light generating source capable of applying a patterned light into and through the fluid meniscus, the patterned light having a first wavelength before entrance into the fluid meniscus and an effective wavelength when applied to the photoresist through the fluid meniscus, the effective wavelength being shorter than the first wavelength. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A photolithography apparatus, comprising:
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a proximity head, the proximity head being capable of generating a meniscus on a surface of a substrate, the proximity head having source inlets that introduce a surface tension reducing gas, the surface tension reducing gas being configured to reduce surface tension of the fluid meniscus relative to a substrate surface and the proximity head further having a head surface that has flat surface regions, the head surface is defined with discrete holes to pass a fluid, a vacuum, and the surface tension reducing gas, and the discrete holes reside at the head surface and extend through the flat surface regions of the head surface; and a light source for applying photolithography light from the proximity head and through the meniscus, the photolithography light being configured to contact the surface of the substrate to enable photolithography processing. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification