System and method for compensating for thermal expansion of lithography apparatus or substrate

• US 7,391,503 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Issued: 06/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Venema, Willem Jurrianus
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US11/257,398
• Publication Number:
  US 20070075315A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/77, 355/30, 355/52, 430/394
• US Class Current: 355/77
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70466 Multiple exposures, e.g. combination of fine and coarse exposures, double patterning or multiple exposures for printing a single feature stitching G03F7/70475
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70791 Large workpieces, e.g. glass substrates for flat panel displays or solar panels
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 27/1296 adapted to increase the uniformity of device parameters

Abstract

To prevent a substrate from expanding significantly to generate overlay errors an exposure operation takes place in two parts. A first part exposes boundary areas and a second part exposes the larger, bulk areas. In one example, a portion of the substrate is fixed and the substrate is exposed progressively from parts furthest from the fixed portions towards the fixed portion. In another example, a plurality of high velocity scans take place instead of a single slow scan, and the substrate is allowed to cool between the high velocity scans. In another example, a lithographic apparatus is heated in order to maintain a temperature differential between the apparatus and the surrounding environment, and to minimize any fluctuation due to the exposing radiation.

Claims

1. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a feature on a substrate, the feature having a boundary, comprising,

performing a first exposure by projecting a modulated radiation beam onto the substrate to expose a fine perimeter area the feature within a predetermined distance of the boundary,

measuring an expansion of the exposed fine perimeter area; and

performing a second exposure, based upon the measured expansion by projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto the substrate to expose a coarse inside area of the feature, separate from the fine perimeter area, unexposed during the first exposure.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein substantially all the coarse inside area of the feature unexposed in the first exposure is exposed in the second exposure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a plurality of the features are exposed on the substrate; and

during the first exposure areas within a predetermined distance of all the boundaries of the features within a region of the substrate are exposed by projecting the modulated radiation beam onto the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of exposing the feature further comprises:

performing a third exposure by projecting the modulated beam of radiation onto the substrate to expose at least a part of the feature unexposed in the first exposure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the fine perimeter area is substantially smaller than the coarse inside area.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is greater than a sum of a displacement caused by the expansion of the substrate and an expansion of a projection system used for performing the first and the second exposures.