Exposure method, substrate stage, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 8,384,880 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2008
• Issued: 02/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Owa, Soichi, Magome, Nobutaka, Hirukawa, Shigeru, Kudo, Yoshihiko, Inoue, Jiro, Nei, Masahiro, Imai, Motokatsu, Nagasaka, Hiroyuki, Shiraishi, Kenichi, Nishii, Yasufumi, Takaiwa, Hiroaki, Kohno, Hirotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIDDLE, CHRISTINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/232,064
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/52, 355/50, 355/53, 355/55, 355 72- 75, 355/67, 355/77, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/548, 430/8, 430/30, 430/311
• US Class Current: 355/72
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/58 Baseboards, masking frames, or other holders for the sensitive material G03B27/53 takes precedence ; for electrophotographic copiers G03G15/65
• 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 7/707 Chucks, e.g. chucking or un-chucking operations or structural details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages

Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate through a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which the pattern image is projected onto the substrate, and a movable member which is movable relative to the projection optical system. A liquid-repellent member, at least a part of a surface of which is liquid-repellent, is provided detachably on the movable member, the liquid-repellent member being different from the substrate.

Claims

1. A substrate stage apparatus used in a liquid immersion exposure in which a substrate is exposed by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, comprising:

a movable stage which holds the substrate, the movable stage including a substrate holder to hold the substrate, a flat portion, and an inner side surface provided below the flat portion,

wherein at least a part of the inner side surface includes a surface of a fluoroplastic material,

the inner side surface faces an edge of the substrate held by the substrate holder, and

at least a part of the surface of the fluoroplastic material of the inner side surface is disposed so as to suppress a flow of the liquid through a first gap between the inner side surface and the edge of the substrate held by the substrate holder.

2. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least the part of the surface of the fluoroplastic material of the inner side surface is provided so that the fluoroplastic material is applied or a thin film made of the fluoroplastic material is attached to the inner side surface.

3. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the inner side surface is formed of the fluoroplastic material.

4. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate holder includes a supporting portion that supports the substrate and a wall portion that is provided so as to surround the supporting portion, the wall portion is provided so that a side surface of the wall portion faces the inner side surface, and a size of the first gap is less than a size of a second gap between the inner side surface and the side surface of the wall portion.

5. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein at least a part of the side surface of the wall portion that faces the inner side surface is provided with liquid-repellent material.

6. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the liquid-repellent material includes fluoroplastic material.

7. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the wall portion is provided so that a top surface of the wall portion faces an underside surface of the substrate supported by the supporting portion, at least a part of the top surface of the wall portion is provided with liquid-repellent material.

8. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the liquid-repellent material includes fluoroplastic material.

9. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a distance between the top surface of the wall portion and the underside surface of the substrate supported by the supporting portion is less than the size of the first gap.

10. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the substrate holder further includes a flow channel that is connected to a space surrounded by the wall portion and a gas in the space is sucked via the flow channel.

11. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the movable stage further includes a flow channel that is connected to a space between the inner side surface and the side surface of the wall portion and at least a part of an internal surface of the flow channel is provided with liquid-repellent material.

12. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the liquid-repellent material includes fluoroplastic material.

13. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the liquid that penetrates from the first gap to the space is recovered via the flow channel.

14. The substrate stage apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the movable stage further include a storing section that stores the liquid recovered from the space via the flow channel.

15. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, comprising:

the substrate stage apparatus according to claim 1 that holds the substrate and moves the substrate with respect to the projection optical system.

16. An exposure method for exposing a pattern onto a substrate, including:

holding the substrate by the substrate stage apparatus according to claim 1; and

projecting an image of the pattern onto the substrate held by the substrate stage apparatus via a projection optical system and a liquid.

17. A method for manufacturing a device that includes a substrate, including:

exposing a pattern onto the substrate using the exposure method according to claim 16; and

fabricating the substrate onto which the pattern is exposed.