Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 7,375,796 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Hoogedam, Christiaan Alexander, Donders, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus, Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Jansen, Hans, Mulkens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus, Streefkerk, Bob, Mertens, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): RUTLEDGE, DELLA J
• Application Number:
  US11/092,964
• Publication Number:
  US 20050219483A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,147 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/67
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7096 Arrangement, mounting, housing, environment, cleaning or maintenance of apparatus

Abstract

An immersion lithography apparatus is disclosed having a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate table, with a first liquid, and a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate, the measurement system being arranged such that measurements take place through a second liquid, the second liquid not being supplied by the liquid supply system.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a first liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table, with a first liquid; and

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate, the measurement system being arranged such that measurements take place through a second liquid, the second liquid not being supplied by the first liquid supply system.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a second liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table, with the second liquid.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first liquid supply system and the second liquid supply system have the same liquid source.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure extending along at least part of the boundary of the space between the measurement system and the substrate table.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second liquid supply system further comprises a seal configured to form a seal between the liquid confinement structure and the surface of the substrate.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the seal is a gas seal, a hydrostatic seal or a hydrodynamic seal.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the liquid confinement structure is actuatable in a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the measurement system.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure extending along at least a part of the boundary of the space between the projection system and the substrate table.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first liquid supply system further comprises a seal configured to form a seal between the liquid confinement structure and the surface of the substrate.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the seal is a gas seal, a hydrostatic seal or a hydrodynamic seal.

11. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the liquid confinement structure is actuatable in a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the projection system.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement system comprises a level sensor configured to measure a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table has a reference and the measurement system measures a location of the reference.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the reference comprises a transmission image sensor.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the measurement system is configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate relative to the reference of the substrate table.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1, comprising an exposure station and a separate measurement station, the projection system being provided at the exposure station and the measurement system being provided at the measurement station and the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, comprising a plurality of substrate tables, each movable between an exposure station and a measurement station.

21. The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the projection station and the measurement station are arranged such that a substrate cannot simultaneously be at the projection station and the measurement station.

22. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

measuring, through a first liquid, a location of each of a plurality of points on a substrate, the first liquid not being supplied by a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between the substrate and a final element of the projection system with a second liquid; and

projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through second liquid supplied between the substrate and the projection system, onto a target portion of the substrate.

23. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system configured to project the patterned beam at an exposure station;

a measurement system configured to measure a location of each of a plurality of points on the substrate using a measurement beam, the measurement system configured to measure the location of each of the plurality of points at a measurement station displaced from the exposure station, the substrate table being movable between the exposure and measurement stations and arranged not to be simultaneously in the path of the projection beam and the measurement beam; and

a liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table and a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table with a liquid.

24. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the liquid supply system comprises a first liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the projection system and the substrate table and separate second liquid supply system configured to at least partially fill a space between a final element of the measurement system and the substrate table.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first liquid supply system is configured to supply a first liquid and the second liquid supply system is configured to supply a second liquid.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first liquid supply system and the second liquid supply system have the same liquid source.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the first liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure extending along at least part of the boundary of the space between the projection system and the substrate table and the second liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure extending along at least part of the boundary of the space between the measurement system and the substrate table.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the liquid confinement structure of the first liquid supply system is actuatable in a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the projection system and the liquid confinement structure of the second liquid supply system is actuatable in a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the measurement system.

29. The apparatus according to claim 23, comprising a plurality of substrate tables, each movable between the exposure station and the measurement station.

30. The apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the measurement system comprises an alignment system configured to measure a position of each of a plurality of alignment marks on the substrate.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the measurement system comprises a level sensor configured to measure a height, tilt or both of each of a plurality of points on the substrate.