Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method

• US 8,111,373 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2005
• Issued: 02/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hara, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A
• Application Number:
  US10/593,802
• Publication Number:
  US 20070263188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/72, 355/77, 355/52
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/42 for automatic sequential copying of the same original G03B27/34, G03B27/53 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 7/70325 Resolution enhancement techniques not otherwise provided for, e.g. darkfield imaging, interfering beams, spatial frequency multiplication, nearfield lenses or solid immersion lenses
• 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 7/70758 Drive means, e.g. actuators, motors for long- or short-stroke modules or fine or coarse driving
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70833 Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member (70) having a supply outlet (12) that supplies a liquid (LQ) and a collection inlet (22) that collects a liquid (LQ), and a vibration isolating mechanism (60) that supports the nozzle member (70) and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member (70) from a lower side step part (7) of a main column (1).

Claims

1. An exposure method comprising:

providing a substrate such that the substrate is opposite to an optical member of an optical system and a nozzle member having at least any one of a supply outlet that supplies a liquid and a collection inlet that collects a liquid;

measuring a position of the nozzle member;

rotating the nozzle member around an axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical system based on the measured position of the nozzle member; and

exposing the substrate with an exposure beam through the optical system and the liquid.

2. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position around the axis perpendicular to the optical axis.

3. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

4. An exposure method according to claim 3, further comprising moving the nozzle member in the direction parallel to the optical axis based on the measured position.

5. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

6. An exposure method according to claim 5, further comprising moving the nozzle member in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis based on the measured position.

7. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position around the optical axis.

8. An exposure method according to claim 7, further comprising rotating the nozzle member around the optical axis based on the measured position.

9. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle member is moved under a feed-back control based on the measured position.

10. An exposure method according to claim 9, wherein the nozzle member is moved under a feed-forward control.

11. A device fabricating method comprising:

providing a substrate such that the substrate is opposite to an optical member of an optical system and a nozzle member having at least any one of a supply outlet that supplies a liquid and a collection inlet that collects a liquid;

measuring a position of the nozzle member;

rotating the nozzle member around an axis perpendicular to an optical axis of the optical system based on the measured position of the nozzle member;

exposing the substrate with an exposure beam through the optical system and the liquid; and

processing the exposed substrate.

12. A device fabricating method according to claim 11, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position around the axis perpendicular to the optical axis.

13. A device fabricating method according to claim 11, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position in a direction parallel to the optical axis.

14. A device fabricating method according to claim 13, further comprising moving the nozzle member in the direction parallel to the optical axis based on the measured position.

15. A device fabricating method according to claim 11, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position in a direction perpendicular to the optical axis.

16. A device fabricating method according to claim 15, further comprising moving the nozzle member in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis based on the measured position.

17. A device fabricating method according to claim 11, wherein the measured position of the nozzle member includes a position around the optical axis.

18. A device fabricating method according to claim 17, further comprising rotating the nozzle member around the optical axis based on the measured position.

19. A device fabricating method according to claim 11, wherein the nozzle member is moved under a feed-back control based on the measured position.

20. A device fabricating method according to claim 19, wherein the nozzle member is moved under a feed-forward control.