Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device

• US 8,233,133 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Hirukawa, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Peter B
• Application Number:
  US11/312,478
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,414 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/72, 355/77, 430/30, 430/311
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70258 Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system
• 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 7/70433 Layout for increasing efficiency or for compensating imaging errors, e.g. layout of exposure fields for reducing focus errors; Use of mask features for increasing efficiency or for compensating imaging errors
• 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 7/70858 Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature pollution aspects G03F7/70916
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70891 Temperature

Abstract

A liquid immersion photolithography system has an exposure system that exposes a substrate with electromagnetic radiation and includes a projection optical system that focuses the electromagnetic radiation on the substrate. A liquid supply system provides liquid flow between the projection optical system and the substrate. In addition, a plurality of nozzles are arranged so as to provide a substantially uniform velocity distribution of the liquid flow between the substrate and the projection optical system.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table that holds a substrate;

a projection system that projects a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate through a liquid in a space, the liquid having an optical property that can be adjusted;

a liquid supply system that has a first supply port and a second supply port; and

an adjustment device that adjusts the optical property of the liquid in the space, and controls temperatures of liquid to be supplied to the space from the first and second supply ports, respectively, such that a liquid at a first temperature is supplied to the space from the first supply port and a liquid at a second temperature, different from the first temperature, is supplied to the space from the second supply port.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the space is located between the projection system and the substrate.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment device provides a uniform optical property of the liquid in the space.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment device controls the temperatures of the liquid to be supplied from the first and second supply ports, and thereby the refractive index of the liquid in the space.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the adjustment device establishes a temperature distribution within the liquid in the space.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the first and second supply ports are arranged to exchange the temperature controlled liquid with the liquid in the space.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first and second supply ports are arranged at different heights relative to an axis lying in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second supply ports are arranged to exchange the temperature controlled liquid with the liquid in the space.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising one or more liquid sensors that measure a property of the liquid in the space including temperature and temperature distribution.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, comprising a device that corrects a focus of the apparatus as measured by the one or more liquid sensors.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adjustment device comprises a computer controller that calculates a required amount of correction to one or more optical properties of the projection system, the liquid, or both, based on a measured property.

12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a lens is formed from the liquid in the space.

13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the space is positioned such that the beam of radiation that passes therethrough transmits from the projection system to the substrate.

14. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

adjusting an optical property of a liquid in a space by providing a liquid at a first temperature to the space from a first supply port and providing a liquid at a second temperature different from the first temperature to the space from a second supply port different from the first supply port; and

projecting a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate through the liquid in the space.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the space is between the substrate and a projection system used to project the patterned beam.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjusting comprises providing a uniform optical property of the liquid in the space.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein the adjusting comprises controlling a temperature of the liquid to be supplied from the first and second supply ports, and thereby the refractive index of the liquid in the space.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the adjusting comprises establishing a temperature distribution within the liquid in the space.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the adjusting comprises exchanging the temperature controlled liquid with the liquid in the space.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein the adjusting comprises establishing a temperature distribution within the liquid in the space at different heights relative to an axis lying in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the adjusting comprises exchanging temperature controlled liquid with the liquid in the space.

22. The method according to claim 14, further comprising measuring a property of the liquid in the space including any one or more of the following:

temperature, pressure, refractive index and temperature distribution.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising correcting a focus based on the measured property.

24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the adjusting comprises calculating an amount of correction to one or more optical properties of a projection system used to project the patterned beam, the liquid, or both, based on a measured property.

25. The method according to claim 19, wherein the space with the liquid therein forms a liquid lens.

26. The method according to claim 14, wherein the space is positioned such that the beam of radiation that passes therethrough has been patterned and transmits the patterned beam from a projection system to the substrate.