Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby

• US 7,397,040 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Issued: 07/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Vermeulen, Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus, Soemers, Hermanus Mathias Joannes Rene, Driessen, Johannes Cornelis, Rijken, Antonius Maria, Renkens, Michael Jozefa Mathijs, Bisschops, Theodorus Hubertus Josephus
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, KIET TUAN
• Application Number:
  US11/451,352
• Publication Number:
  US 20060249693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 250/442.11, 355/30, 355/53, 355/72, 355/76
• US Class Current: 250/442.11
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70691 Handling of masks or workpieces
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70991 Connection with other apparatus, e.g. multiple exposure stations, particular arrangement of exposure apparatus and pre-exposure and/or post-exposure apparatus; Shared apparatus, e.g. having shared radiation source, shared mask or workpiece stage, shared base-plate; Utilities, e.g. cable, pipe or wireless arrangements for data, power, fluids or vacuum

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus includes conduits which supply utilities to components in a vacuum chamber such as object tables and/or associated motors and/or sensors. The conduits are shielded from exposure to the vacuum by conduit conducts having at least the same number of degrees of freedom as their associated object table.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a radiation system for providing a projection beam of radiation;

a first object table for supporting a patterning device, the patterning device serving to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern;

a second object table for holding a first substrate;

a third object table for holding a second substrate;

a vacuum chamber with a first gas evacuator for generating a vacuum beam path for the projection beam;

a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of one of the first and second substrates; and

a plurality of conduit conducts for providing utilities to the second and third object tables via conduits, the conduit conducts being moveable in at least one degree of freedom in said vacuum chamber so as to allow the second and third object tables to exchange positions within the vacuum chamber.

2. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber comprises a measuring area for measuring a substrate and an exposure area for exposing the substrate and the second and third object tables are exchangeable between the measuring area and the exposure area.

3. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a planar motor.

4. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said planar motor comprises a planar motor magnet array and planar motor coils.

5. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second and third object tables are positioned with a positioner comprising long stroke and short stroke modules, and wherein the range of movement of the short stroke module is shorter than the range of movement of the long stroke module.

6. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said long stroke module comprises a planar motor.

7. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said planar motor comprises a planar motor magnet array and planar motor coils.

8. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said short stroke module comprises a Lorentz force motor.

9. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said Lorentz motor has 6-degrees of freedom.

10. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber is provided with an interferometric displacement measuring device for accurately moving the second and third object tables.

11. A lithographic according to claim 1, wherein each of said conduit conducts has at least two joints.

12. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 11, wherein moving co-operating surfaces of said joints are furnished with vacuum seals.

13. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said conduit conducts comprise at least one hollow elongate arm portion.

14. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 13, wherein one of said at least one hollow elongate arm portion is translatable along its elongate direction relative to another structure at a translation joint.

15. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 14, wherein moving co-operating surfaces of said joint are furnished with vacuum seals.

16. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a vacuum provided with a second gas evacuator to a space comprising the conduit within the conduit conduct has a higher pressure than the pressure of the vacuum provided with said first gas evacuator to the vacuum chamber.

17. A device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a vacuum to a vacuum chamber;

providing substrates that are at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material to second and third object tables;

providing utilities through conduits to the second and third object tables moveable in at least a first direction in the vacuum chamber;

protecting the conduits with a conduit conduct from the vacuum in the vacuum chamber;

projecting a projection beam of radiation using a radiation system through said vacuum chamber;

patterning the projection beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section;

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

exchanging the second and third object tables from two different areas within the vacuum; and

allowing the conduit conducts to follow positions of the second and third object tables.

18. A device manufactured in accordance with the method of claim 17.

19. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a first object table for supporting a patterning device, the patterning device serving to pattern a projection beam of radiation;

a second object table for holding a first substrate;

a third object table for holding a second substrate;

a vacuum generator for generating a vacuum beam path for the projection beam within a vacuum chamber;

a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of one of the first and second substrates; and

a plurality of pipes for providing utilities to the second and third object tables via conduits, the pipes being moveable in at least one degree of freedom in said vacuum chamber so as to allow the second and third object tables to exchange positions within the vacuum chamber.