Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A stage drive method in which a first stage and a second stage are independently driven within an area in a two-dimensional plane of a predetermined range including a first area where liquid is locally supplied and a second area located on one side of the first area in a first axis direction, whereinduring a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned at the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned at the first area, the first stage and the second stage are simultaneously driven in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction while one of a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the second axis direction and a state where the first stage and the second stage are in contact in the second axis direction is maintained.
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Accused Products
Abstract
When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented.
208 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A stage drive method in which a first stage and a second stage are independently driven within an area in a two-dimensional plane of a predetermined range including a first area where liquid is locally supplied and a second area located on one side of the first area in a first axis direction, wherein
during a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned at the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned at the first area, the first stage and the second stage are simultaneously driven in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction while one of a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the second axis direction and a state where the first stage and the second stage are in contact in the second axis direction is maintained.
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5. A stage unit comprising:
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a first stage and a second stage that are independently driven within an area in a two-dimensional plane of a predetermined range, which includes a first area where liquid is locally supplied and a second area located on one side of the first area in a first axis direction; and a control unit that controls the first stage and second stage so as to simultaneously move the first stage and the second stage in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction while one of a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the second axis direction and a state where the first stage and the second stage are in contact in the second axis direction is maintained, during a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned at the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned at the first area.
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6. An exposure apparatus that supplies a liquid to a space between a projection optical system and a substrate and exposes the substrate with an energy beam via the projection optical system and the liquid, the apparatus comprising:
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a first stage that is movable within an area of a predetermined range including a first area directly below the projection optical system where the liquid is supplied and a second area located on one side of the projection optical system in a first axis direction; a second stage that is movable within an area of a predetermined range including the first area and a third area located on the other side of the projection optical system in the first axis direction; a stage drive system that drives the first stage and the second stage, and simultaneously drives the first stage and the second stage in the first axis direction while one of a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the first axis direction and a state where the first stage and the second stage are in contact in the first axis direction is maintained, during a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned in the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned in the first area; a first mark detection system arranged above the second area that detects a mark located on the first stage; and a second mark detection system arranged above the third area that detects a mark located on the second stage. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An exposure apparatus that supplies a liquid to a space between a projection optical system and a substrate and exposes the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, the apparatus comprising:
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a first stage that is movable within an area of a predetermined range including a first area directly below the projection optical system where the liquid is supplied and a second area located on one side of the first area in a first axis direction; a second stage that is movable independent from the first stage within an area of a predetermined range including the first area and the second area; and a stage drive system that drives the first stage and the second stage, and simultaneously drives the first stage and the second stage in a second axis direction intersecting the first axis direction while one of a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the second axis direction and a state where the first stage and the second stage are in contact in the second axis direction is maintained, during a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned in the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned in the first area. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. An exposure apparatus that supplies a liquid to a space between a projection optical system and a substrate and exposes the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, the apparatus comprising:
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a first stage that is movable within an area including a first area directly below the projection optical system where the liquid is supplied and an area different from the first area; a second stage that is movable independent from the first stage within the area including the first area and the area different from the first area; a stage drive system that drives the first stage and the second stage, and simultaneously drives the first stage and the second stage in a predetermined direction while a state where the first stage and the second stage are close together in the predetermined direction is maintained, during a transition from a first state in which one stage of the first stage and the second stage is positioned in the first area to a second state in which the other stage is positioned in the first area; and a suppressing member arranged in at least one of the first stage and the second stage, so as to suppress leakage of the liquid from a gap between the stages by being positioned in the gap between the stages during the transition. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification