Exposure apparatus

• US 7,486,378 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2006
• Issued: 02/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Aichi, Shintaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Diane I
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITESELL GORDON, STEVEN H
• Application Number:
  US11/468,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20070046911A1
• Time in Patent Office: 888 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature

Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages, which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station. A first blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station, a second blowing unit blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station, and an air curtain unit forms an air curtain between the alignment station and the exposure station. The air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between the alignment station and the exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition the alignment station and the exposure station, and a third temperature adjusting unit supplies temperature-adjusted gas to the third blowing unit.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages, which can be swapped between said alignment station and said exposure station, the apparatus comprising:

a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said alignment station;

a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said exposure station; and

an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between said alignment station and said exposure station,

wherein said air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between said alignment station and said exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition said alignment station and said exposure station, and a third temperature adjusting unit which supplies temperature-adjusted gas to said third blowing unit.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said third blowing unit ejects gas substantially vertically downward to form a downflow.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to a direction along which said alignment station and said exposure station are arranged.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said first blowing unit;

a second temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said second blowing unit;

a first temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said first blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said first temperature sensor; and

a second temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said second blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said second temperature sensor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are a substantially horizontal direction.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are a substantially vertical direction.

7. An exposure apparatus which includes an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed, an exposure station where an exposure process is executed, and two stages, which can be swapped between said alignment station and said exposure station, the apparatus comprising:

a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said alignment station;

a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward said exposure station; and

an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between said alignment station and said exposure station,

wherein said air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between said alignment station and said exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition said alignment station and said exposure station, and a suction unit which draws gas by suction.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said third blowing unit ejects gas substantially vertically downward to form a downflow.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are substantially perpendicular to a direction along which said alignment station and said exposure station are arranged.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a first temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said first blowing unit;

a second temperature sensor which measures a temperature of the gas blown from said second blowing unit;

a first temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said first blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said first temperature sensor; and

a second temperature adjusting unit which supplies, to said second blowing unit, the gas that is temperature-adjusted in accordance with a temperature measurement result sent from said second temperature sensor.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are a substantially horizontal direction.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the directions in which said first blowing unit and said second blowing unit blow the gases are a substantially vertical direction.

13. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

(a) causing an exposure apparatus to form a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate; and

(b) developing the latent image pattern to manufacture a device,

wherein the exposure apparatus includes;

(i) an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed;

(ii) an exposure station where an exposure process is executed;

(iii) two stages which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station;

(iv) a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station;

(v) a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station; and

(vi) an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between the alignment station and the exposure station,

wherein the air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between the alignment station and the exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition the alignment station and the exposure station, and a third temperature adjusting unit which supplies temperature-adjusted gas to the third blowing unit.

14. A device manufacturing method comprising steps of:

(a) causing an exposure apparatus to form a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent applied to a substrate; and

(b) developing the latent image pattern to manufacture a device,

wherein the exposure apparatus includes;

(i) an alignment station where an alignment measurement process is executed;

(ii) an exposure station where an exposure process is executed;

(iii) two stages which can be swapped between the alignment station and the exposure station;

(iv) a first blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the alignment station;

(v) a second blowing unit which blows temperature-adjusted gas toward the exposure station; and

(vi) an air curtain unit which forms an air curtain between the alignment station and the exposure station,

wherein the air curtain unit includes a third blowing unit which is arranged between the alignment station and the exposure station and blows gas so as to form an air curtain to partition the alignment station and the exposure station, and a suction unit which draws gas by suction.