Stage drive method and stage unit, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 8,547,528 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2009
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US12/461,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20090296067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,518 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/55, 355/72
• US Class Current: 355/72
• 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 7/70666 Aerial image, i.e. measuring the image of the patterned exposure light at the image plane of the projection system
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

When a transition from a first state where one stage is positioned at a first area directly below projection optical system to which liquid is supplied to a state where the other stage is positioned at the first area, both stages are simultaneously driven while a state where both stages are close together in the X-axis direction is maintained. Therefore, it becomes possible to make a transition from the first state to the second state in a state where liquid is supplied in the space between the projection optical system and the specific stage directly under the projection optical system. Accordingly, the time from the completion of exposure operation on one stage side until the exposure operation begins on the other stage side can be reduced, which allows processing with high throughput. Further, because the liquid can constantly exist on the image plane side of the projection optical system, generation of water marks on optical members of the projection optical system on the image plane side is prevented.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a first stage and a second stage that are movable independently from each other;

a mark detection system placed apart from the projection optical system in a first direction, which detects a mark on the substrate; and

a drive system that drives the first and second stages in a second direction intersecting the first direction so that a transition from a first state where one of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system to a second state where the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system is performed while holding the liquid in a space between the projection optical system and at least one of the stages.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

a substrate can be mounted on the first stage, scanning exposure of the substrate is performed, and the drive system drives the first stage in the first direction during the scanning exposure.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a mounting area of a substrate and a surrounding area of the mounting area, a surface of the surrounding area being substantially flush with a surface of the substrate mounted on the mounting area.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a reference mark member whose surface is substantially flush with the surface of the surrounding area.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein

during an exposure operation of a plurality of substrates, at least one of the first and second stages constantly faces the projection optical system via the liquid.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

during the transition operation, a substrate after exposure is mounted on the one of the stages and a substrate after mark detection by the mark detection system is mounted on the other of the stages.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein

an exposure operation of a substrate mounted on the one of the stages and a mark detection operation of a substrate mounted on the other of the stages are performed in parallel, and exposure processing is performed alternately to the substrate mounted on the one of the stages and to the substrate mounted on the other of the stages.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

during the transition operation, the first and second stages are simultaneously driven while their positional relation is maintained.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the other of the stages is made to approach the one of the stages so that the first and second stages come into contact or come close.

10. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

a lithography process of exposing a substrate with an energy beam by using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

30. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the first and second stages, one of which faces the projection optical system, are relatively moved so that the first and second stages come close to each other, and the close first and second stages are moved relative to the projection optical system in the second direction so that the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system in place of the one stage for the transition.

31. The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, wherein

the drive system drives the close first and second stages while substantially keeping a positional relationship of the close first and second stages in the second direction during the transition.

11. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a first stage and a second stage that are movable independently from each other; and

a drive system that drives the first stage on which the substrate is mounted in a first direction to perform scanning exposure of the substrate, and also drives the first and second stages in a second direction intersecting the first direction so that a transition from a first state where one of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system to a second state where the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system is performed while holding the liquid in a space between the projection optical system and at least one of the stages.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

each of the first and second stages is movable in a predetermined area that includes a first area where the projection optical system is placed and a second area located on one side in the first direction with respect to the first area.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

a mark detection system placed in the second area, which detects a mark on the substrate.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a mounting area of a substrate and a surrounding area of the mounting area, a surface of the surrounding area being substantially flush with a surface of the substrate mounted on the mounting area.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a reference mark member whose surface is substantially flush with the surface of the surrounding area.

16. The exposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

during an exposure operation of a plurality of substrates, at least one of the first and second stages constantly faces the projection optical system via the liquid.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

during the transition operation, the first and second stages are simultaneously driven while their positional relation is maintained.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the other of the stages is made to approach the one of the stages so that the first and second stages come into contact or come close.

19. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

a lithography process of exposing a substrate with an energy beam by using the exposure apparatus according to claim 11.

32. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the first and second stages, one of which faces the projection optical system, are relatively moved so that the first and second stages come close to each other, and the close first and second stages are moved relative to the projection optical system in the second direction so that the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system in place of the one stage for the transition.

33. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32, wherein

the drive system drives the close first and second stages while substantially keeping a positional relationship of the close first and second stages in the second direction during the transition.

20. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a first stage and a second stage that are movable independently from each other in a predetermined area that includes a first area where the projection optical system is placed and a second area located on one side in a first direction with respect to the first area; and

a drive system that drives the first and second stages in a second direction intersecting the first direction so that a transition from a first state where one of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system to a second state where the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system is performed while holding the liquid in a space between the projection optical system and at least one of the stages.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising:

a mark detection system placed in the second area, which detects a mark on the substrate.

22. The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein

during the transition operation, a substrate after exposure is mounted on the one of the stages and a substrate after mark detection by the mark detection system is mounted on the other of the stages.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein

an exposure operation of a substrate mounted on the one of the stages and a mark detection operation of a substrate mounted on the other of the stages are performed in parallel, and exposure processing is performed alternately to the substrate mounted on the one of the stages and to the substrate mounted on the other of the stages.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a mounting area of a substrate and a surrounding area of the mounting area, a surface of the surrounding area being substantially flush with a surface of the substrate mounted on the mounting area.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

each of the first and second stages has a reference mark member whose surface is substantially flush with the surface of the surrounding area.

26. The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein

during an exposure operation of a plurality of substrates, at least one of the first and second stages constantly faces the projection optical system via the liquid.

27. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

during the transition operation, the first and second stages are simultaneously driven while their positional relation is maintained.

28. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, wherein

the other of the stages is made to approach the one of the stages so that the first and second stages come into contact or come close.

29. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

a lithography process of exposing a substrate with an energy beam by using the exposure apparatus according to claim 20.

34. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

the first and second stages, one of which faces the projection optical system, are relatively moved so that the first and second stages come close to each other, and the close first and second stages are moved relative to the projection optical system in the second direction so that the other of the first and second stages faces the projection optical system in place of the one stage for the transition.

35. The exposure apparatus according to claim 34, wherein

the drive system drives the close first and second stages while substantially keeping a positional relationship of the close first and second stages in the second direction during the transition.