Method and apparatus for positioning a substrate on a substrate table

• US 7,405,810 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2004
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Vink, Jacob Willem, Hennus, Pieter Renaat Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews; Alan A
• Application Number:
  US10/875,537
• Publication Number:
  US 20050018167A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,495 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/75, 355/77, 356/399, 356/400, 356/401, 382/141, 382/143, 382/151, 430/22
• US Class Current: 355/75
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70633 Overlay, i.e. relative alignment between patterns printed by separate exposures in different layers, or in the same layer in multiple exposures or stitching
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7011 Pre-exposure scan; original with original holder alignment; Prealignment, i.e. workpiece with workpiece holder
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for positioning a substrate relative to a substrate table, is presented. When the substrate is positioned on the substrate table for a first time, a first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate table is determined. When the substrate is positioned on the substrate table a second subsequent time, a second relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate table is determined and the position of the substrate table with respect to the substrate is adjusted based on the first and second relative positions, so that the substrate is positioned with respect to the substrate table substantially equally to the first relative position.

Claims

1. A method for positioning a substrate relative to a substrate holder, comprising:

determining a first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder for a first time;

determining a second relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder a second time; and

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, such that the second time the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder, the relative position is substantially the same as the first relative position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second relative position of the substrate is determined after the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder, and wherein the method further comprises:

removing the substrate from the substrate holder,

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, and

delivering the substrate to the repositioned substrate holder.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the substrate holder is provided with a displacement device that is configured to displace the substrate to and from the substrate holder and wherein the method further comprises:

removing the substrate from the substrate holder with the displacement device,

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the displacement device and the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, and

delivering the substrate to the repositioned substrate holder with the displacement device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the second relative position of the substrate before the substrate is delivered onto the substrate holder, and

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the substrate holder is provided with a displacement device that is configured to displace the substrate to and from the substrate holder and wherein the method further comprises:

determining the second relative position of the substrate before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder by the displacement device, and

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder by the displacement device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the position of the substrate on the substrate holder is measured using an alignment system and the relative position of the substrate before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder is measured with an additional alignment system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the additional alignment system comprises a CCD camera.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the position of the substrate holder is determined using an interferometric measurement device that cooperates with a mirror attached to at least one of a chuck and the substrate holder and wherein the position of the mirror with respect to the interferometric measurement system is chosen to be substantially perpendicular when the first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder is determined.

9. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

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

positioning the substrate relative to a substrate holder, wherein the positioning comprises;

determining a first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder for a first time;

determining a second relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder for a second time; and

adjusting the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, such that the second time the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder, the relative position is substantially the same as the first relative position;

conditioning a beam of radiation using a radiation system;

providing a support configured to support a patterning device;

configuring the beam of radiation with a desired pattern in its cross-section based on the patterning device; and

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target area of the layer of radiation-sensitive material.

10. An apparatus for positioning a substrate, comprising

a substrate holder configured to hold the substrate;

a carrier including a displacement device that is configured to displace the substrate to and from the substrate holder;

a positioning device that is configured to displace the substrate holder relative to the carrier; and

an alignment system configured to determine a first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder for a first time and to determine a second relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder a second subsequent time,

wherein the positioning device is configured to adjust the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, such that the second time the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder it is substantially the same as the first relative position.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the alignment system is further configured to determine the second relative position of the substrate before the substrate is delivered onto the substrate holder, and

the positioning device is further configured to adjust the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein:

the alignment system is further configured to determine the second relative position of the substrate on the displacement device before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder by the displacement device,

the positioning device is further configured to adjust the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate while the substrate is removed from the substrate holder by the displacement device, and

the displacement device is configured to deliver the substrate to the repositioned substrate holder.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the position of the substrate on the substrate holder is measured using the alignment system and the relative position of the substrate before the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder is measured with an additional alignment system.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the additional alignment system comprises a CCD camera.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the second relative position of the substrate is determined after the substrate is delivered to the substrate holder and:

the displacement device is configured to remove the substrate from the substrate holder,

the positioning device is further configured to adjust the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions while the substrate is removed from the substrate holder by the displacement device, and

the displacement device is configured to deliver the substrate to the repositioned substrate holder.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the substrate holder comprises a support structure formed by a plurality of pimples.

17. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to condition a beam of radiation;

a support structure configured to support a patterning device that imparts a desired pattern to the beam of radiation;

a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate; and

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

a substrate positioning apparatus, comprising;

a carrier including a displacement device that is configured to displace the substrate to and from the substrate holder;

a positioning device that is configured to displace the substrate holder relative to the carrier; and

an alignment system configured to determine a first relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder for a first time and to determine a second relative position of the substrate with respect to the substrate holder when the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder a second subsequent time,

wherein the positioning device is configured to adjust the position of the substrate holder with respect to the substrate based on the first and second relative positions, such that the second time the substrate is positioned relative to the substrate holder it is substantially the same as the first relative position.