Movable body apparatus, pattern formation apparatus and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 8,422,015 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2008
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kanaya, Yuho
• Primary Examiner(s): Whitesell Gordon, Steven H
• Application Number:
  US12/264,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122286A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,624 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/55, 355/63, 355/72, 356/499, 356/500, 356/509, 356/399, 356/614, 356/615, 356/616, 356/624
• US Class Current: 356/399
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7049 Technique, e.g. interferometric

Abstract

On the +X and −X sides of a projection unit, a plurality of Z heads are arranged in parallel to the X-axis, by a distance half or less than half the effective width of the Y scale so that two Z heads each constantly form a pair and face a pair of Y scales. Of the pair of heads consisting of two Z heads which simultaneously face the scale, measurement values of a priority head is used, and when abnormality occurs in the measurement values of the priority head due to dust and the like adhering on the scale surface, measurement values of the other head is used, and the positional information of the stage in at least the Z-axis direction is measured in a stable manner and with high precision.

Claims

1. A movable body apparatus including a movable body which substantially moves along a predetermined plane, the apparatus comprising:

a reflection surface which is arranged at one of the movable body and an outside of the movable body, with a first direction within a plane parallel to the predetermined plane serving as a longitudinal direction, the reflection surface having a predetermined width in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction within the plane parallel to the predetermined plane;

a measurement device which has a plurality of measurement points placed in a movement area of the movable body, and measures positional information of the reflection surface in a third direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane by irradiating measurement beams on the measurement points placed on the reflection surface within the predetermined width; and

a controller which performs position control of the movable body, preferentially using a first measurement information including measurement information at a first measurement point out of n (wherein n is an integer of two or more) or more measurement points positioned within the predetermined width of the reflection surface, and which switches measurement information to preferentially use in position control of the movable body to a second measurement information including measurement information at a second measurement point different from the first measurement point when abnormality occurs in the first measurement information at the first measurement point due to abnormality of the reflection surface,

wherein the controller determines whether the abnormality has occurred by comparing the first measurement information with a threshold.

2. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

each of the first measurement information and the second measurement information includes measurement information at a plurality of measurement points.

3. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

each of the first measurement information and the second measurement information is measurement information at a single measurement point.

4. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the measurement device has a head which irradiates a measurement beam on the measurement point, and the head irradiates the measurement beam on the n or more measurement points of the plurality of measurement points.

5. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the reflection surface includes a pair of parts separated from each other in the second direction, and

the measurement points are set so that n or more measurement points are constantly positioned in at least one of the pair of parts of the reflection surface when the movable body is in the predetermined range within the predetermined plane.

6. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

the measurement device has a first head and a second head which irradiate measurement beams on the same measurement point, and

an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated from the first head is in proximity with an irradiation area of the measurement beam irradiated by the second head, without overlapping.

7. The movable body apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the measurement points are substantially equally spaced from each other in the second direction by half or less than half of the predetermined width of the reflection surface.

8. A pattern formation apparatus that forms a pattern on an object, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device which forms a pattern on the object; and

the movable body apparatus according to claim 1 in which the object is mounted on the movable body.

9. The pattern formation apparatus according to claim 8 wherein

the object has a sensitive layer, and the patterning device forms a pattern on the object by exposing the sensitive layer.

10. An exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on an object by irradiating an energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

a patterning device that irradiates the energy beam on the object;

the movable body apparatus according to claim 1 in which the object is mounted on the movable body; and

a controller which drives the movable body to make the object relatively move with respect to the energy beam.

11. A device manufacturing method comprising:

forming a pattern on an object with the exposure apparatus according to claim 10; and

developing the object on which the pattern has been formed.