Method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion type projection apparatus and an immersion type lithographic apparatus
First Claim
1. A method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion projection apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one immersion space that is at least partially filled with an immersion liquid when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate to be illuminated, the immersion space extending at least between at least part of a bare substrate, a bare dummy substrate, a substrate-shaped object or a substrate holder on one side, and a projection system on an opposite side, the method comprising:
- placing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object on the substrate holder;
rinsing at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project the beam of radiation onto the substrate to be illuminated to prevent or reduce contamination of the immersion projection apparatus, andreplacing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object with the substrate to be illuminated by the projected beam of radiation of the projection system after the rinsing has been completed,wherein the rinsing includes moving the substrate holder with respect to said projection system such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing in order to rinse at least part of a surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object and at least one component that is located on the surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object using the rinsing liquid, the at least one component being selected from the group consisting of;
an edge seal member, a sensor, a positioning device, and a mirror element.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion type projection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes at least one immersion space that is at least partially filled with a liquid when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate. The method includes rinsing at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project the beam of radiation onto a substrate.
109 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion projection apparatus, the apparatus comprising at least one immersion space that is at least partially filled with an immersion liquid when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate to be illuminated, the immersion space extending at least between at least part of a bare substrate, a bare dummy substrate, a substrate-shaped object or a substrate holder on one side, and a projection system on an opposite side, the method comprising:
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placing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object on the substrate holder; rinsing at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project the beam of radiation onto the substrate to be illuminated to prevent or reduce contamination of the immersion projection apparatus, and replacing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object with the substrate to be illuminated by the projected beam of radiation of the projection system after the rinsing has been completed, wherein the rinsing includes moving the substrate holder with respect to said projection system such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing in order to rinse at least part of a surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object and at least one component that is located on the surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object using the rinsing liquid, the at least one component being selected from the group consisting of;
an edge seal member, a sensor, a positioning device, and a mirror element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for preventing or reducing contamination of a lithographic projection apparatus, the apparatus including a substrate holder constructed to hold a substrate to be illuminated, a patterning device holder constructed to hold a patterning device, a projection system, and an immersion system configured to at least partially fill an immersion space of the apparatus with a liquid, the immersion space extending at least between at least part of a bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate a substrate-shaped object or the substrate holder on one side, and the projection system on an opposite side, the method comprising:
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placing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate or the substrate-shaped object on the substrate holder; moving at least one of the immersion system and at least part of the apparatus relative to each other; rinsing said at least part of the apparatus with the liquid before the apparatus is used to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate to be illuminated to prevent or reduce contamination of the lithographic projection apparatus, and replacing the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object with the substrate to be illuminated by the projected beam of radiation of the projection system after the rinsing has been completed, wherein the rinsing includes moving the substrate holder with respect to said projection system such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing in order to rinse at least part of a surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object and at least one component that is located on the surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object using the rinsing liquid, the at least one component being selected from the group consisting of;
an edge seal member, a sensor, a positioning device, and a mirror element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising:
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at least one immersion space extending at least between at least part of a bare substrate, a bare dummy substrate, a substrate-shaped object or a substrate holder on one side, and a projection system on an opposite side; and an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with an immersion liquid, wherein the apparatus is configured to place the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object on the substrate holder, rinse at least part of the immersion space with the rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate to prevent or reduce contamination of the immersion lithographic apparatus, and replace the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object with the substrate before illumination by the projected beam of radiation of the projection system, wherein the apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of a surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object and at least one component that is located on the surface of the substrate holder surrounding the bare substrate, the bare dummy substrate, or the substrate-shaped object using said immersion space and said rinsing liquid, the at least one component being selected from the group consisting of;
an edge seal member, a sensor, a positioning device, and a mirror element, by moving said substrate holder with respect to said projection system during the rinsing. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification