Lithographic apparatus having a liquid detection system

• US 9,104,117 B2
• Filed: 11/26/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Streefkerk, Bob, Baselmans, Johannes Jacobus Matheus, Donders, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus, Hoogendam, Christiaan Alexander, Mertens, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria, Mulkens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus
• Primary Examiner(s): Liu, Chia-How Michael
• Application Number:
  US13/685,410
• Publication Number:
  US 20130135595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 7/70866 of mask or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7026 Focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7034 Leveling

Abstract

In immersion lithography after exposure of a substrate is complete, a detector is used to detect any residual liquid remaining on the substrate and/or substrate table.

Claims

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table; and

a residual liquid detector configured to detect the liquid on i) the substrate when held by the substrate table, ii) the substrate table, iii) a further movable table of the lithographic apparatus, or iv) any combination selected from i) to iii), wherein the residual liquid detector comprises an alignment sensor configured to detect the liquid or a sensor configured to measure a distance and/or tilt of a solid surface and to detect the liquid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector comprises the sensor configured to measure the distance and/or tilt of the solid surface, the sensor configured to measure the distance of the surface in a direction substantially parallel to an optical axis of the projection system, the tilt of the surface about an axis substantially perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection system, or both.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein detection of the liquid is effected by the sensor configured to measure the distance and/or tilt of the solid surface giving a measurement outside a normal operating range or varying significantly from a previous measurement or reference value.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector comprises the alignment sensor, the alignment sensor configured to measure the position of a marker, the position being in a direction substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein detection of the liquid is effected by the alignment sensor giving a measurement outside a normal operating range or varying significantly from a previous measurement or reference value.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector comprises one or more devices selected from:

an air gauge, a capacitive sensor, an automatically focusing spot projector, a scatterometer, a camera, an infrared sensor, and/or a laser configured to supply a grazing angle laser beam of radiation and a detector to detect scattered radiation.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection system is provided at an exposure station and the residual liquid detector is provided at a measurement station, the measurement station being physically separate from the exposure station.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector is configured to detect residual liquid remaining on the exposed substrate after the exposed portion of the substrate is moved from under the projection system.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector is arranged to detect residual liquid in parallel with the projection of the patterned beam by the projection system.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a drying station configured to remove the detected liquid in the event that the liquid is detected by the residual liquid detector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector is configured to generate, upon detection of residual liquid, a signal to instruct performance of a drying action.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the residual liquid detector is configured to detect residual liquid after an exposure of the substrate is completed and before the exposed substrate is developed.

13. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and a movable table; and

a same detector configured to both determine a distance, tilt and/or alignment of a solid object and detect the liquid on the object.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the object comprises the substrate when held by a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the object comprises a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus or a further movable table of the lithographic apparatus.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detector comprises an alignment sensor, the alignment sensor configured to measure a position of a marker and detect the liquid.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detector comprises a level sensor, the level sensor configured to measure a position or orientation of a surface of the object and detect the liquid.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the detector is configured to emit radiation onto the object and to detect the liquid while there is relative movement between the radiation and the object.

19. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and a movable table; and

a detector configured to detect, after exposure of a surface to the liquid in the space, presence of the liquid on the surface, the detector comprising an alignment sensor or a sensor configured to measure a distance and/or tilt of a solid surface.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein a measurement of a property by the alignment sensor or level sensor that is outside a normal operating range or varies significantly from a previous measurement before application of the liquid to the surface is indicative of the presence of the liquid on the surface.

21. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:

a projection system arranged to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate;

a liquid supply system configured to supply liquid to a space between the projection system and a movable table;

a radiation output configured to direct a beam of radiation onto or adjacent a surface in the lithographic apparatus, the surface exposed to liquid in the space; and

a detector configured to detect, after exposure of a surface to the liquid in the space, presence of the liquid on the surface, the detector configured to detect reflected or refracted radiation from the beam and determine, from the detection, the presence of the liquid on the surface, the detector comprising an alignment sensor or a level sensor configured to measure a distance and/or tilt of a solid surface, the alignment sensor or level sensor configured to detect the reflected or refracted radiation in parallel with projection of the patterned beam by the projection system.