Immersion lithographic apparatus and method for rinsing immersion space before exposure

• US 8,704,997 B2
• Filed: 06/06/2008
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shiraishi, Kenichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIU, CHIA HOW MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US12/134,950
• Publication Number:
  US 20080239260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,146 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355 72- 74, 355/53
• US Class Current: 355/30
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/42 for automatic sequential copying of the same original G03B27/34, G03B27/53 take precedence
• 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 7/70875 Temperature, e.g. temperature control of masks or workpieces via control of stage temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70916 Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps

Abstract

There is provided an immersion type lithographic apparatus. The immersion type lithographic apparatus is provided with at least one immersion space and an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a liquid. The apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, and the apparatus is configured to move a substrate holder with respect to a projection system during the rinsing, such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing.

Claims

1. A cleaning method for an immersion type projection apparatus, the apparatus comprising i) a substrate stage having a substrate holder and a stage upper surface configured to surround a substrate held by the substrate holder and ii) an immersion space that is at least partially filled with an immersion liquid using a member when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation from an optical element of a projection system through the immersion liquid covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate onto the substrate held by the substrate holder through an opening of the member that has a liquid supply inlet and a liquid recovery outlet and that is arranged to surround the optical element, the method comprising:

at least partially filling the immersion space with a rinsing liquid using the member;

rinsing at least part of the apparatus using the immersion space that is at least partially filled with the rinsing liquid, while holding a dummy substrate by the substrate holder of the substrate stage during the rinsing; and

varying the location of the immersion space with respect to the substrate holder by moving the substrate stage such that at least part of the stage upper surface comes into contact with the rinsing liquid during the rinsing to clean different parts and/or areas of the apparatus, other than the dummy substrate that are moved by moving the substrate stage and that come into contact with the rinsing liquid by moving the substrate stage,

wherein the member is not in contact with the substrate holder, and

the substrate stage is moved below and relative to the member during the rinsing.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the rinsing occurs during a non-exposure period of the apparatus.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said immersion liquid and said rinsing liquid are the same liquid.

4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:

placing the dummy substrate held by the substrate holder under the projection system, wherein said immersion space at least extends between the dummy substrate on one side, and the projection system on an opposite side.

5. A method according to claim 4, further comprising:

replacing the dummy substrate with the substrate.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a lithographic projection apparatus.

7. An immersion type lithographic apparatus comprising:

an immersion space;

a substrate stage having a substrate holder and a stage upper surface configured to surround a substrate held by the substrate holder;

a projection system having an optical element; and

an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a liquid, the immersion system having a member that has a liquid supply inlet and a liquid recovery outlet and that is arranged to surround the optical element of the projection system, and a beam of radiation being projected onto the substrate held by the substrate holder, through an opening of the member and an immersion liquid at least partially filling the immersion space covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate, wherein

the apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the apparatus using the immersion space that is at least partially filled with a rinsing liquid using the member,

the apparatus is configured to move the substrate stage holding a dummy substrate on the substrate holder with respect to the projection system during the rinsing, such that the position of the immersion space changes with respect to the substrate holder during the rinsing, at least part of the stage upper surface comes into contact with the rinsing liquid in the immersion space during the rinsing, and different parts and/or areas of the apparatus that are moved and that come into contact with the rinsing liquid by moving the substrate stage, other than the dummy substrate are cleaned during the rinsing,

the member is not in contact with the substrate holder, and

the substrate stage is moved below and relative to the member during the rinsing.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the apparatus during a non-exposure period of the apparatus.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to provide the dummy substrate in said immersion space and/or in an adjoining position with respect to the immersion space during the rinsing.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said immersion liquid and said rinsing liquid are the same liquid.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to move the substrate stage holding the dummy substrate by the substrate holder, such that said immersion space extends between the dummy substrate on one side and part of the projection system of the apparatus on an opposite side.

12. An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is configured to replace the dummy substrate with the substrate.

13. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said apparatus is configured to have the immersion space on an area extending along an edge of the dummy substrate held by the substrate holder by moving the substrate stage, during the rinsing.

14. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to rinse at least an area extending along an edge of the dummy substrate held by the substrate holder, using said immersion space that is at least partially filled with said rinsing liquid.

15. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the stage upper surface of the substrate stage and/or one or more components that are moved along with the substrate, using said immersion space that is at least partially filled with said rinsing liquid.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said components are selected from a sensor, and a positioning device.

17. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising at least two substrate stages one of which has the substrate holder.

18. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the apparatus is configured to start said rinsing after a predetermined amount of time of the apparatus.

19. An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a computer control to control said rinsing.

20. An immersion type lithographic apparatus comprising:

an immersion space;

a substrate stage having a substrate holder and a stage upper surface configured to surround a substrate held by the substrate holder;

a projection system having an optical element; and

an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a liquid, the immersion system having a member that has a liquid supply inlet and a liquid recovery outlet and that is arranged to surround the optical element of the projection system, and a beam of radiation being projected onto the substrate held by the substrate holder through an opening of the member and an immersion liquid at least partially filling the immersion space covering a portion of an upper surface of the substrate, wherein

the apparatus is configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a rinsing liquid using the member,

the apparatus is configured to move the substrate stage such that at least part of the stage upper surface comes into contact with the rinsing liquid at least partially filling the immersion space to rinse at least part of the stage upper surface of the substrate stage and one or more components that are provided on the stage and that are moved along with the substrate stage, using said immersion space that is at least partially filled with said rinsing liquid,

the member is not in contact with the substrate holder, and

the substrate stage is moved below and relative to the member during the rinsing.

21. An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said components are selected from the group consisting of a sensor, and a positioning device.