Substrate conveyance device and substrate conveyance method, exposure apparatus and exposure method, device manufacturing method

• US 8,107,055 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2007
• Issued: 01/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Zao Nikon Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Zao Nikon Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Ohta, Atsushi, Horiuchi, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): WHITESELL GORDON, STEVEN H
• Application Number:
  US11/889,288
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/72, 355/77
• US Class Current: 355/77
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/42 for automatic sequential copying of the same original G03B27/34, G03B27/53 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03D 3/00 Liquid processing apparatus involving immersion; Washing apparatus involving immersion G03D9/00, G03D11/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• 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 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box

Abstract

A method of pattern forming includes forming a resist film on a substrate, transferring a pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film, conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the liquid immersion fluid remains on the resist film after said forming the latent image, developing the resist film after the first inspection, and performing predetermined processing when residual of the liquid immersion fluid is found in the first inspection.

Claims

1. A method of pattern forming comprising:

forming a resist film on a substrate;

transferring a pattern onto the resist film by an immersion lithography method using a liquid immersion fluid to form a latent image on the resist film;

conducting a first inspection to inspect whether or not the liquid immersion fluid remains on the resist film after said forming the latent image;

developing the resist film after the first inspection;

performing predetermined processing before the developing when a residual of the liquid immersion fluid is found in the first inspection; and

developing the resist film without performing the predetermined processing when the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is not found in the first inspection,

wherein the predetermined processing includes drying the substrate to remove the residual of the liquid immersion fluid on the resist film.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein positional information of the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is obtained during the first inspection;

and

a second inspection is conducted in accordance with the positional information.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

forming a cover film on the resist film before said forming the latent immage, wherein

the first inspection includes whether or not the liquid immersion fluid remains on the cover film after said forming the latent image.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying the substrate includes blowing a predetermined gas against the substrate.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined gas includes a dry air.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying the substrate includes sucking the liquid immersion fluid.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying the substrate includes spinning the substrate around.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying the substrate includes removing the liquid immersion fluid by using an absorbent material.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the drying the substrate further includes blowing a predetermined gas against a back surface of the substrate.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein positional information of the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is obtained during the first inspection.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein an amount of the residual of the liquid immersion fluid is detected during the first inspection.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the liquid immersion fluid is optically detected during the first inspection.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein an image of a surface of the substrate is obtained to detect the liquid immersion fluid during the first inspection.