Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 7,880,860 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Stavenga, Marco Koert, Van Der Hoeven, Jan Cornelis, Grouwstra, Cedric Desire, Donders, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus, Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Jansen, Hans, Mulkens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus, Streefkerk, Bob, Mertens, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria, Hoogendam, Christiaan Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/015,767
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,234 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/67, 355/77, 356/239.2
• 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 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for cleaning the inside of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. In particular, a liquid supply system of the lithographic apparatus may be used to introduce a cleaning fluid into a space between the projection system and the substrate table of the lithographic apparatus. Additionally or alternatively, a cleaning device may be provided on the substrate table and an ultrasonic emitter may be provided to create an ultrasonic cleaning liquid.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate, the projection system comprising a final optical element adjacent the substrate;

a liquid supply system having an immersion liquid outlet configured to provide an immersion liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table for projection of the patterned beam; and

a cleaning device configured to clean the final optical element, the substrate table, or both, the cleaning device comprising;

a liquid confinement structure of the liquid supply system, the liquid confinement structure configured to partially'"'"'confine immersion liquid in the space during a projection of the patterned beam onto the substrate and to partially confine a cleaning fluid in the space during a cleaning using the cleaning device; and

a cleaning fluid outlet, different from the immersion liquid outlet, to supply cleaning fluid to the space for cleaning,

wherein the immersion liquid flow through the immersion liquid outlet does not share a flow path with cleaning fluid flow through the cleaning fluid outlet immediately before supply of immersion liquid or cleaning fluid to the space.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is configured to clean the final optical element in-line in the lithographic apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device comprises an ultrasonic transmitter configured to turn cleaning fluid in the space into an ultrasonic cleaning fluid.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device comprises an optical element configured to supply low wavelength ultraviolet radiation.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the liquid supply system comprises a surface that is transparent to the low wavelength ultraviolet radiation.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the low wavelength ultraviolet radiation has a wavelength of about 193 nm.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning device is configured to supply cleaning fluid to the space.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a solvent.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning fluid comprise a detergent.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a dissolved gas.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the gas is selected from oxygen, ozone or nitrogen.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a part of the cleaning device is in the substrate table.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the cleaning device comprises a spray unit.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the spray unit comprises the cleaning fluid outlet and is configured to spray cleaning fluid onto the optical element, the substrate table, or both.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises ozone.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises plasma.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises liquid carbon dioxide.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a non-polar organic solvent.

19. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning fluid comprises a polar organic solvent.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the cleaning device is configured to clean only the final optical element or to clean only the substrate table.

28. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning is separate from the projection of the patterned beam onto the substrate.

21. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate, the projection system comprising a final optical element adjacent the substrate; and

a liquid supply system having an immersion liquid outlet configured to provide an immersion liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table for projection of the patterned beam onto the substrate and having a different cleaning fluid outlet configured to provide cleaning fluid to clean the final optical element, the substrate table, or both,

wherein the immersion liquid flow through the immersion liquid outlet does not share a flow path with cleaning fluid flow through the cleaning fluid outlet immediately before supply of immersion liquid or cleaning fluid to the space.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the liquid supply system comprises a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partially confine liquid in the space and to clean the final optical element in-line in the lithographic apparatus.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the liquid supply system is configured to supply cleaning fluid to the space.

29. The apparatus according to claim 21, configured to clean at a time when the patterned beam is not being projected onto the substrate.

24. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate, the projection system comprising a final optical element adjacent the substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table;

a cleaning device configured to clean the final optical element, the substrate table, or both; and

a coater configured to coat the final optical element, the substrate table, or both with a coating fluid.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the coater comprises a spray unit in the substrate table.

26. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the coater comprises a liquid confinement structure of the liquid supply system, the coater configured to coat the final optical element in-line in the lithographic apparatus.

27. The apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the cleaning device and coater comprise the same apparatus.