Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
- a substrate table which holds a substrate;
a projection system which projects a patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
a liquid supply system which provides an immersion liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the projection system and the substrate;
a plate member; and
a controller that controls movement of the plate member so that the plate member is moved to keep the projection system in contact with liquid when the substrate table holding the substrate is moved away from under the projection system,wherein the plate member is separate from the substrate table, andwherein the controller moves the plate member, when keeping the projection system in contact with liquid, so as to position the plate member opposite the liquid supply system.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A hydrostatic pad (32) and a hydrostatic pad (34) hold a wafer (W) and a table (TB) on which the wafer is mounted. The hydrostatic pad (32) maintains the distance between the bearing surface and the wafer (W) in the direction of the optical axis of a projection optical system (PL) at a predetermined value. Further, since the hydrostatic pads, unlike static gas bearings, utilize the static pressure of incompressible fluid (liquid) between the bearing surface and a support object (substrate), the rigidity of the bearing is high and the distance between the bearing surface and the substrate is maintained stable and constant. In addition, liquid (e.g., pure water) is higher in viscosity than gas (e.g., air), and is superior in vibration damping compared to gas. Accordingly, pattern transfer on a wafer (substrate) substantially free from defocus can be achieved, without necessarily having to arrange a focal position detection system.
358 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
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a substrate table which holds a substrate; a projection system which projects a patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system which provides an immersion liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the projection system and the substrate; a plate member; and a controller that controls movement of the plate member so that the plate member is moved to keep the projection system in contact with liquid when the substrate table holding the substrate is moved away from under the projection system, wherein the plate member is separate from the substrate table, and wherein the controller moves the plate member, when keeping the projection system in contact with liquid, so as to position the plate member opposite the liquid supply system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 16)
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10. A device manufacturing method comprising:
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providing an immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate; projecting a patterned beam of radiation, through the liquid, onto a target portion of the substrate using the projection system; and moving a plate member to maintain the projection system in contact with liquid after a substrate table holding the substrate has been moved away from under the projection system; wherein the plate member is separate from the substrate table, and wherein the plate member is moved, when keeping the projection system in contact with liquid, so as to position the plate member opposite a liquid supply system which is used to provide the immersion liquid to the space. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17)
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Specification