Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby

• US 7,528,935 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Van Empel, Tjarko Adriaan Rudolf, Hopman, Jan, Le Kluse, Marco, Meijer, Hendricus Johannes Maria, Ottens, Joost Jeroen, Zaal, Koen Jacobus Johannes Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/312,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20060158638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355 72- 76, 310/10, 310/12, 361/234, 378/34, 378/35
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70783 Handling stress or warp of chucks, masks or workpieces, e.g. to compensate for imaging errors or considerations related to warpage of masks or workpieces due to their own weight

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation, and an article holder. The article holder includes a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation. The protrusions are generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance. The article holder also includes a pair of electrodes for clamping the article to the holder. The electrodes are disposed in substantially the same plane above or below the protrusions, and are spaced apart from one another by a gap. Neighboring protrusions within the plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:

an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation;

and an article holder comprising

a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

a pair of electrodes for clamping the article to the holder, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions, and being spaced apart from one another by a gap,

wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

2. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pair of electrodes are part of a bi-polar electrode.

3. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance by a distance that is approximately equal to the gap.

4. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the first distance and the gap is about 2.0 to about 3.0.

5. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the ratio of the first distance and the gap is about 2.5.

6. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article is a patterning device configured to pattern the conditioned beam of radiation.

7. A lithographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the article is a substrate.

8. An article holder for supporting an article in a lithographic apparatus, the article holder comprising:

a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting the article, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

a pair of electrodes for clamping the article to the article holder, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions, and being spaced apart from one another by a gap,

wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.

9. An article holder according to claim 8, wherein the pair of electrodes are part of a bi-polar electrode.

10. An article holder according to claim 8, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance by a distance that is approximately equal to the gap.

11. An article holder according to claim 8, wherein the ratio of the first distance and the gap is about 2.0 to about 3.0.

12. An article holder according to claim 11, wherein the ratio of the first distance and the gap is about 2.5.

13. An article holder according to claim 8, wherein the article is a patterning device.

14. An article holder according to claim 8, wherein the article is a substrate.

15. A device manufacturing method comprising:

conditioning a beam of radiation with an illumination system;

supporting a patterning device with an article holder, said article holder comprising a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting the article, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

clamping the patterning device to the article holder with a pair of electrodes, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions and being spaced apart from one another by a gap, wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance;

patterning the conditioned beam of radiation; and

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate.

16. A device manufacturing method according to claim 15, wherein the pair of electrodes are part of a bi-polar electrode.

17. A device manufactured according to a method comprising:

conditioning a beam of radiation with an illumination system;

supporting a patterning device with an article holder, said article holder comprising a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting the article, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

clamping the patterning device to the article holder with a pair of electrodes, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions and being spaced apart from one another by a gap, wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance;

patterning the conditioned beam of radiation; and

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate.

18. A device manufacturing method comprising:

conditioning a beam of radiation with an illumination system;

patterning the conditioned beam of radiation;

supporting a substrate with an article holder, said article holder comprising a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting the article, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

clamping the patterning device to the article holder with a pair of electrodes, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions and being spaced apart from one another by a gap,

wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance; and

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate.

19. A device manufacturing method according to claim 18, wherein the pair of electrodes are part of a bi-polar electrode.

20. A device manufactured according to a method comprising:

conditioning a beam of radiation with an illumination system;

patterning the conditioned beam of radiation;

supporting a substrate with an article holder, said article holder comprising a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting the article, said protrusions being generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance; and

clamping the patterning device to the article holder with a pair of electrodes, said electrodes being disposed in substantially the same plane above or below said protrusions and being spaced apart from one another by a gap,

wherein neighboring protrusions within said plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance; and

projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate.