Immersion exposure apparatus and immersion exposure method, and device manufacturing method

• US 7,872,730 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2007
• Issued: 01/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kiuchi, Tohru
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/896,891
• Publication Number:
  US 20080068571A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355 72- 76, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/53
• 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 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask

Abstract

An immersion type exposure apparatus comprises: an optical member from which an exposure beam is emitted; a first movable member that is movable while holding a substrate, in a predetermined region including a first region including a position facing the optical member and a second region different from the first region; a second movable member that is movable while holding the substrate independently from a first movable member, in a predetermined region including the first region and the second region; a first connection member that is releasably and alternately connected with the first movable member and the second movable member, and moves one movable member in the first region; a second connection member that is releasably and alternately connected with the first movable member and the second movable member, and moves the other movable member in the second region; and a third movable member that is provided on the first connection member and is movable to a position facing the optical member, and at least one of the first movable member, the second movable member, and the third movable member is moved to the position facing the optical member so that a beam path on the emitting side of the optical member is kept filled with a liquid.

Claims

1. An immersion type exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with an exposure beam, comprising:

an optical member from which the exposure beam is emitted;

a first movable member that is movable while holding a substrate, in a predetermined region including a first region including a position facing the optical member and a second region different from the first region;

a second movable member that is movable while holding a substrate independently from the first movable member, in a predetermined region including the first region and the second region;

a first connection member that is releasably and alternately connected with the first movable member and the second movable member, and allows the movement of one of the first and the second movable members in the first region;

a second connection member that is releasably and alternately connected with the first movable member and the second movable member, and allows the movement of the other one of the first and the second movable members in the second region;

a third movable member that is provided at the first connection member and has a surface between which and the optical member can be held a liquid;

a first driving device that moves the first connection member,

a second driving device that moves the second connection member; and

a third driving device that moves the third movable member with respect to the first connection member substantially parallel to the surface of the third movable member;

wherein at least one of the first movable member, the second movable member,

and the third movable member is moved to the position facing the optical member so that a beam path on the emitting side of the optical member is kept filled with a liquid.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the movements of the first movable member, the second movable member, and the third movable member are controlled so as to change a first state where the optical member and one of the first movable member and the second movable member are opposed, through a second state where the third movable member and the optical member are opposed, to a third state where the optical member and the other one of the first movable member and the second movable member are opposed.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first state is changed into the second state by simultaneously moving the third movable member and one of the first movable member and the second movable member in a state where they are close to or in contact with each other, and the second state is changed into the third state by simultaneously moving the third movable member and the other one of the first movable member and the second movable member in a state where they are close to or in contact with each other.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

the first movable member has a first surface that is substantially flush with a surface of the substrate held on the first movable member;

the second movable member has a second surface that is substantially flush with a surface of the substrate held on the second movable member;

the third movable member has a third surface that is substantially flat;

the first state is changed into a second state in a state where the third surface is substantially flush with one of the first surface and the second surface; and

the second state is changed into a third state in a state where the third surface is substantially flush with the other one of the first surface and the second surface.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third driving device moves the third movable member with respect to the first connection member while a status in which one of the first and the second movable members is connected to the first connection member is changed into a status in which the other one of the first and the second movable members is connected to the first connection member.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the third driving device moves the third movable member with respect to the first connection member so that the surface of the third movable member is kept opposite the optical member.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first movable member and the second movable member respectively have a measurement portion that is irradiated with measuring light for measuring the position of the first movable member and the second movable member.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the third movable member has an aperture for passing the measuring light.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the first movable member and the second movable member is used to perform an exposure process of a substrate held on the one movable member, while the other movable member is used to execute a predetermined process.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

after exposure of the substrate held on one of the first movable member and the second movable member is completed, an exchanging operation between the first connection member and the second connection member is executed;

and

in the exchanging operation, the first connection member that has been connected to the one movable member is connected to the other movable member, and the second connection member that has been connected to the other movable member is connected to the one movable member.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in at least a part of the exchanging operation period, the third movable member faces the optical member.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the third movable member has a measuring device, and

at least a part of the exposure beam is incident into the measuring device via the liquid when the optical member and the third movable member are opposed.

13. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1; and

developing the exposed substrate.