Maintenance method, maintenance device, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 8,456,608 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2010
• Issued: 06/04/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Fujiwara, Tomoharu, Nishii, Yasufumi, Shiraishi, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIDDLE, CHRISTINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/805,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20100315609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,023 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/50, 355/52, 355/53, 355/55, 355 72- 74, 355/77, 430/5, 430/8, 430/30, 430/311, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/30
• 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 7/70925 Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70975 Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus

Abstract

An exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member that has at least one of a supply outlet which supplies the liquid and a collection inlet which recovers the liquid. By immersing the nozzle member in cleaning liquid LK stored in container, the nozzle member is cleaned.

Claims

1. A maintenance method comprising:

moving a stage of an exposure apparatus in which a nozzle member is used for forming a liquid immersion region of a first liquid on a substrate and in which the substrate is exposed via the first liquid, the nozzle member having a liquid flow passage and the stage being moved to a position away from under the nozzle member;

placing a container of a maintenance system under the nozzle member in the exposure apparatus; and

cleaning the nozzle member with a second liquid, the second liquid being supplied from a supply outlet different from the liquid flow passage, such that the second liquid comes into contact with the nozzle member and the container placed under the nozzle member receiving the supplied second liquid.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stage holds the substrate to expose the substrate.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the exposure apparatus has a projection optical system, and

the substrate is irradiated with exposure light via the projection optical system and the first liquid.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the nozzle member is disposed in the vicinity of a first optical element which, among a plurality of optical elements constituting the projection optical system, is located nearest to an image plane of the projection optical system, and

the first optical element is immersed together with the nozzle member.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the exposure apparatus has a supporting system that supports the nozzle member in a predetermined positional relationship relative to the projection optical system, and

the nozzle member is immersed in a state such that the nozzle member is supported by the supporting system.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein

the exposure apparatus irradiates the substrate with the exposure light, in a state such that an optical path space between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the first liquid, and

the nozzle member is in contact with the first liquid that is in contact with the substrate.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the projection optical system includes a first optical element which is located closest to an image plane of the projection optical system,

the nozzle member is an annular nozzle member which is provided around the first optical element in the exposure apparatus,

the nozzle member has a lower surface in which the recovery inlet is formed, and

the container is placed in the exposure apparatus such that the lower surface of the nozzle member is immersed in the second liquid in the container.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the supply outlet is formed in the lower surface of the nozzle member.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle member is immersed in a state such that the container is connected to the nozzle member.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle member is immersed while the second liquid is being circulated by a circulation system using the supply outlet provided at the container.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein ultrasonic waves are applied to the second liquid in the container.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein an ultrasonic generator is attached on the container.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the ultrasonic waves are applied to the second liquid by vibrating the container using the ultrasonic generator.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein the container includes a first portion and a second portion, the container is placed in the exposure apparatus such that the first portion is opposite to a lower surface of the nozzle member and the second portion extends upwardly from the first portion toward the nozzle member, the second liquid is contained in a space defined by the first portion and the second portion, and the ultrasonic generator is attached on the second portion.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the second liquid includes oxygenated water.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first liquid is purified water.

17. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid differ from each other.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein after immersing the nozzle member in the second liquid, the nozzle member is immersed in the first liquid in the container.

19. The method according to claim 18,

wherein the nozzle member is immersed in a state such that the container is connected to the nozzle member,

the method further comprising disconnecting the container from the nozzle member after immersing the nozzle member in the second liquid, and connecting the container to the nozzle member before immersing the nozzle member in the first liquid.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second liquid includes oxygenated water.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the first liquid is purified water.

22. The method according to claim 17, further comprising removing the second liquid from the nozzle member by using the first liquid after immersing the nozzle member in the second liquid.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein the second liquid includes oxygenated water.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the first liquid is purified water.

25. The method according to claim 1, wherein the second liquid comprises oxygenated water.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the first liquid is purified water.

27. A maintenance device comprising:

a stage of an exposure apparatus in which a nozzle member is used for forming a liquid immersion region of a first liquid on a substrate and in which the substrate is exposed via the first liquid, the nozzle member having a liquid flow passage and the stage being moved to a position away from under the nozzle member;

a container adapted to be placed under the nozzle member in the exposure apparatus;

the nozzle member having at least one of a supply outlet that supplies the first liquid and a collection inlet that recovers the first liquid,

the container being configured in order that the nozzle member can be cleaned by immersion of the nozzle member in a second liquid in the container; and

a supply outlet, different from the liquid flow passage, provided at the container and via which the second liquid is supplied to the container placed in the exposure apparatus.

28. The device according to claim 27, wherein the stage holds the substrate to expose the substrate.

29. The device according to claim 27, wherein

the exposure apparatus has a projection optical system, and

exposure light is irradiated onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the first liquid.

30. The device according to claim 27, further comprising a connecting portion that is connectable with an object in the exposure apparatus.

31. The device according to claim 30, wherein the nozzle member is immersed in a state such that the connecting portion and the object are connected with each other.

32. The device according to claim 30, wherein the connecting portion is connectable with the nozzle member.

33. The device according to claim 27, further comprising a supporting device that movably supports the container.

34. The device according to claim 27, further comprising a circulation system that circulates the second liquid in the container using the supply outlet provided at the container.

35. The device according to claim 27, further comprising an ultrasonic generator that applies ultrasonic waves to the second liquid in the container placed in the exposure apparatus.

36. The device according to claim 35, wherein the ultrasonic generator is attached on the container.

37. The device according to claim 36, wherein the ultrasonic waves are applied to the second liquid by vibrating the container using the ultrasonic generator.

38. The device according to claim 36, wherein the container includes a first portion and a second portion, the container is adapted to be placed in the exposure apparatus such that the first portion is opposite to a lower surface of the nozzle member and the second portion extends upwardly from the first portion toward the nozzle member, the second liquid is contained in a space defined by the first portion and the second portion, and wherein the ultrasonic generator is attached on the second portion.

39. The device according to claim 27, wherein the first liquid and the second liquid differ from each other.

40. The device according to claim 27, wherein

the exposure apparatus irradiates exposure light onto the substrate, in a state such that an optical path space between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the first liquid, and

the nozzle member is in contact with the first liquid that is in contact with the substrate.