Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 7,671,963 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2005
• Issued: 03/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Cox, Henrikus Herman, Zaal, Koen Jacobus Johannes M, Streefkerk, Bob, Mertens, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria, Hoogendam, Christiaan Alexander, Cuperus, Minne
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews; Alan A
• Application Number:
  US11/132,415
• Publication Number:
  US 20050270506A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/67, 355/72, 355/77, 430/30, 430/311
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70641 Focus
• 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

An immersion lithographic apparatus includes a liquid supply system member configured to contain a liquid in a space between a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and the substrate and a liquid supply system member compensator arranged to compensate an interaction between the liquid supply system member and substrate table.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a liquid supply system member configured to contain a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate; and

a liquid supply system member compensator configured to apply a force to the liquid supply system member to at least partially compensate for an interaction between the liquid supply system member and the substrate table and coupled to a frame that is substantially mechanically isolated from the projection system, the isolated frame capable of supporting at least part of a reaction to a force applied by the liquid supply system member compensator to the liquid supply system member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid supply system member compensator controller and a liquid supply system member position determining device, the liquid supply system member compensator controller configured to apply a control force to the liquid supply system member, via the liquid supply system member compensator, based on a position of the liquid supply system member as measured by the liquid supply system member position determining device.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid supply system member position determining device is configured to determine a position of the liquid supply system member, relative to the projection system, a frame supporting at least a part of the projection system, or the frame substantially mechanically isolated from the projection system but which supports the reaction to the force applied by the liquid supply system member compensator to the liquid supply system member, along an axis substantially parallel to the optical axis of the projection system.

4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the liquid supply system member position determining device determines a position of the liquid supply system member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection system.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid supply system member compensator controller configured to apply a control force to the liquid supply system member, via the liquid supply system member compensator, according to data representing the magnitude of the interaction between the liquid supply system member and the substrate table.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply system member compensator comprises a focus calibration device configured to compensate a relative position of the substrate and a plane of best focus of the lithographic apparatus according to compensation data.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply system member compensator is coupled to the projection system or a frame supporting at least a part of the projection system, the projection system or frame being capable of supporting via the coupling at least part of the reaction to the force applied by the liquid supply system member compensator to the liquid supply system member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate table force compensator configured to determine the magnitude of the interaction between the liquid supply system member and the substrate table and transmit data representing the magnitude to the liquid supply system member compensator.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the liquid supply system member compensator operates by means of at least one mechanism selected from the following list:

an electromagnetic force using the Lorentz principle, an electromagnetic force using the reluctance principle, a bellows, and a mechanical spring.

10. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate;

a liquid supply system member configured to contain a liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate; and

a liquid supply system member compensator configured to compensate for a disturbance caused to the substrate table by a force exerted by the liquid supply system member toward the substrate table by applying a force to the liquid supply system member,

wherein the liquid supply system member compensator comprises a liquid supply system member compensation device configured to apply a force to the liquid supply system member to at least partially compensate for the force exerted by the liquid supply system member toward the substrate table and coupled to a frame that is substantially mechanically isolated from the projection system, the isolated frame capable of supporting via the coupling at least part of the reaction to the force applied by the liquid supply system member compensation device to the liquid supply system member.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a liquid supply system member compensator controller and a liquid supply system member position determining device, the liquid supply system member compensator controller configured to cause application of a force to the liquid supply system member based on a position of the liquid supply system member as measured by the liquid supply system member position determining device.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising a liquid supply system member compensator controller configured to cause application of a control force to the liquid supply system member according to data representing the magnitude of the force applied by the liquid supply system member toward the substrate table.

13. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

containing a liquid in a space between a projection system of a lithographic apparatus and a substrate table using a liquid supply system member;

compensating for an interaction between the liquid supply system member and the substrate table by using a liquid supply system member compensator coupled to a frame that is substantially mechanically isolated from the projection system; and

projecting a patterned radiation beam through the liquid onto a target portion of the substrate using the projection system.

14. The method according to claim 13, comprising compensating a relative position of the substrate and a plane of best focus of the lithographic apparatus according to compensation data.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the compensation data is derived from determining a surface height profile, a surface tilt profile, or both of the substrate table when disturbed by the interaction with the liquid supply system member, the surface height profile being defined in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of a final element of the projection system and the surface tilt profile being defined with respect to one or two orthogonal axes of a plane substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the final element of the projection system.

16. The method according to claim 14, comprising applying a force to the liquid supply system member to at least partially compensate for the interaction between the liquid supply system member and the substrate table.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the isolated frame supports, via the coupling, at least part of the reaction to the force applied by the liquid supply system member compensator to the liquid supply system member.

18. The method according to claim 16, comprising applying a control force to the liquid supply system member based on a position of the liquid supply system member.

19. The method according to claim 18, comprising determining a position of the liquid supply system member, relative to the projection system, a frame supporting at least a part of the projection system or the frame substantially mechanically isolated from the projection system, in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the projection system, determining a position of the liquid supply system member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection system, or both.