Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

• US 8,134,682 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2007
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kobayashi, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/704,340
• Publication Number:
  US 20070132968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/55, 355/67, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/52 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/00 Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor using photoresist structures for special production processes, see the relevant places, e.g. B44C, H01L, e.g. H01L21/00, H05K
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/2041 in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70316 Details of optical elements, e.g. of Bragg reflectors, extreme ultraviolet [EUV] multilayer or bilayer mirrors or diffractive optical elements
• 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 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7085 Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70958 Optical materials or coatings, e.g. with particular transmittance, reflectance or anti-reflection properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7096 Arrangement, mounting, housing, environment, cleaning or maintenance of apparatus

Abstract

A lens cleaning module is provided for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens. The system includes a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens. A cleaning module coupling with the lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

Claims

1. A lens cleaning module for a liquid immersion lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens, comprising:

an immersion fluid supply system from which an immersion liquid is supplied to fill a space between a wafer and the objective lens in a liquid immersion lithography process;

a scanning stage by which the wafer is supported beneath the objective lens; and

a cleaning module coupling with the liquid immersion lithography system for cleaning the objective lens in a cleaning process, the cleaning module comprising a member and the member being moved below the objective lens,

wherein the immersion liquid is supplied from the immersion fluid supply system to a space between the objective lens and a surface of the member to clean the objective lens in the cleaning process.

2. The lens-cleaning module of claim 1, wherein the cleaning module further comprises a cleaning fluid supply system for providing a cleaning fluid.

3. The lens-cleaning module of claim 2, wherein the cleaning module comprises a part for collecting or removing the used cleaning fluid.

4. The lens-cleaning module of claim 3, further comprising a drying module associated with the cleaning module for drying the objective lens.

5. The lens-cleaning module of claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus has a light source which emits light having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm.

6. The lens-cleaning module of claim 1, wherein the objective lens has an NA of greater than about 0.75.

7. The lens-cleaning module of claim 2, wherein the cleaning fluid supply system supplies the cleaning fluid on the objective lens.

8. The lens-cleaning module of claim 2, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

9. The lens-cleaning module of claim 2, wherein the cleaning module includes a nozzle that emits a stream of the cleaning fluid directly onto the surface of the objective lens.

10. The lens-cleaning module of claim 9, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

11. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising:

filling an immersion liquid between a semiconductor wafer on a stage of an immersion lithography apparatus and an objective lens of the immersion lithography apparatus;

exposing the semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm through the immersion liquid; and

cleaning a surface of the objective lens after the exposing utilizing a lens cleaning module, wherein the lens cleaning module includes a member, which is moved below the objective lens, and wherein the immersion liquid is supplied to a space between the objective lens and a surface of the member to clean the objective lens.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the lens cleaning module further comprises a cleaning fluid distribution supply system.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the lens cleaning module further comprises a cleaning fluid removing/collecting system.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the cleaning module includes a nozzle that emits a stream of the cleaning fluid directly onto the surface of the objective lens.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

17. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising:

utilizing a lens cleaning module to clean a surface of an objective lens before wafer exposure processing, the lens cleaning module comprising a member and the member being moved below the objective lens;

filling an immersion liquid between a semiconductor wafer on a stage of an immersion lithography apparatus and the objective lens of the immersion lithography apparatus; and

exposing the semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm through the immersion liquid,

wherein the immersion liquid is supplied to a space between the surface of the objective lens and a surface of the member to clean the surface of the objective lens.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the lens cleaning module further comprises a cleaning fluid distribution supply system.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the lens cleaning module further comprises a cleaning fluid removing/collecting system.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the cleaning module includes a nozzle that emits a stream of the cleaning fluid directly onto the surface of the objective lens.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the cleaning fluid is a cleaning liquid.

23. A lens cleaning module for a liquid immersion lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens, comprising:

an immersion fluid supply system from which an immersion liquid is supplied to fill a space between a wafer and the objective lens in a liquid immersion lithography process;

a scanning stage by which the wafer is supported beneath the objective lens;

a cleaning module coupling with the lithography system for cleaning the objective lens in a cleaning process, the cleaning module comprising a member and the immersion liquid being supplied to a space between the objective lens and the member to clean the objective lens in the cleaning process; and

a drying module associated with the cleaning module for drying the objective lens.

24. The lens-cleaning module of claim 23, wherein the cleaning module comprises a part collecting or removing a used cleaning fluid.

25. The lens cleaning module of claim 23, wherein the cleaning module utilizes a distribution mechanism for distributing a cleaning fluid on the objective lens.

26. The lens cleaning module of claim 23, further comprising:

a collecting system for collecting a cleaning fluid.

27. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising:

filling an immersion liquid between a semiconductor wafer on a stage of a liquid immersion lithography apparatus and an objective lens of the liquid immersion lithography apparatus;

exposing the semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm through the immersion liquid; and

cleaning a surface of the objective lens after the exposing utilizing a lens cleaning module, the lens cleaning module comprising a cleaning fluid removing/collecting system and a member and the member being moved below the objective lens,

wherein the immersion liquid is supplied to a space between the objective lens and a surface of the member to clean the objective lens.

28. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising:

utilizing a lens cleaning module to clean a surface of an objective lens before wafer exposure processing, the lens cleaning module comprising a cleaning fluid removing/collecting system and a member and the member being moved below the objective lens;

filling an immersion liquid between a semiconductor wafer on a stage of a liquid immersion lithography apparatus and the objective lens of the liquid immersion lithography apparatus; and

exposing the semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm through the immersion liquid,

wherein the immersion liquid is supplied to a space between the surface of the objective lens and a surface of the member to clean the surface of the objective lens.