Environmental system including a transport region for an immersion lithography apparatus

• US 7,929,110 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Watson, Douglas C., Novak, W. Thomas, Hazelton, Andrew J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITESELL GORDON, STEVEN H
• Application Number:
  US11/819,446
• Publication Number:
  US 20070252961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,392 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/67, 355/77, 134/95
• 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 7/70866 of mask or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7095 Materials, e.g. materials for housing, stage or other support having particular properties, e.g. weight, strength, conductivity, thermal expansion coefficient

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus that is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system has a liquid supply system arranged to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a liquid collecting system having a liquid collection member having a liquid-permeable member through which a liquid is collected from a surface of an object opposite to the liquid collection member.

Claims

1. A method of making a system for a liquid immersion lithography apparatus in which a wafer is exposed through a liquid filled in a space between an optical member and the wafer, the method comprising:

providing a liquid collection member configured to surround the optical member; and

attaching a liquid-permeable member to the liquid collection member through which the liquid is collected from a gap between the liquid-permeable member and a surface of the wafer opposite to the liquid-permeable member, the liquid-permeable member surrounding the optical member.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-permeable member includes a mesh.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-permeable member includes a wick structure.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-permeable member is liquid attracting.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid collection member has an inner space, and wherein the liquid-permeable member has a first end facing the inner space, a second end opposite to the first end, and a plurality of passages between the first end and the second end in which the collected liquid flows from the second end toward the first end.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the liquid which exists in the gap between the second end of the liquid-permeable member and the surface of the wafer facing the second end is collected through the liquid-permeable member.

7. The method according to claim 5, further comprising providing a pressure adjusting system that controls a pressure in the inner space so that the collected liquid flows in the passages of the liquid-permeable member from the second end toward the first end.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the pressure adjusting system creates a pressure differential between the first end and the second end of the liquid-permeable member so that the collected liquid flows in the passages of the liquid-permeable member from the second end toward the first end.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the liquid collection member is movable relative to the optical member.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-collection member is attached to the optical member or attached to another part which is attached to a lens.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the liquid-collection member is flexibly attached to the optical member.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-permeable member is attached on a bottom surface of the liquid collection member.

13. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid-collection member is configured to be floating on the wafer.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid moving away from the optical member is collected through the liquid-permeable member.

15. A method used in a liquid immersion lithography apparatus, the method comprising:

placing a wafer to be exposed under an optical member with a space therebetween which is filled with a liquid; and

collecting the liquid, through a liquid-permeable member of a liquid collection member configured to surround the optical member, from a gap between the liquid-permeable member and a surface of the wafer opposite to the liquid-permeable member, the liquid-permeable member being configured to surround the optical member.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid-permeable member includes a mesh.

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid-permeable member includes a wick structure.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid collection member has an inner space, and wherein the liquid-permeable member has a first end facing the inner space, a second end opposite to the first end, and a plurality of passages between the first end and the second end in which the collected liquid flows from the second end toward the first end.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the liquid which exists in the gap between the second end of the liquid-permeable member and the surface of the wafer facing the second end is collected through the liquid-permeable member.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising adjusting a pressure in the inner space so that the collected liquid flows in the passages of the liquid-permeable member from the second end toward the first end.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein a pressure differential is created between the first end and the second end of the liquid-permeable member.

22. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid-collection member is attached to the optical member or attached to another part which is attached to a lens.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the liquid-collection member is flexibly attached to the optical member.

24. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid-permeable member is attached on a bottom surface of the liquid collection member.

25. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid-collection member is configured to be floating on the wafer.

26. The method according to claim 15, wherein the liquid moving away from the optical member is collected through the liquid-permeable member.