Dual stage lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
First Claim
1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a measuring system configured to measure characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus;
a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate;
a positioning system and at least two substrate stages, each stage constructed to hold a substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed to move the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed to position one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate;
wherein the stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement to bring the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a first substrate held by a first stage of the two stages and the projection system, towards a second situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a second substrate held by a second stage of the two stages and the projection system, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within the space with respect to the projection system.
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Abstract
The invention relates to a dual stage lithographic apparatus, wherein two substrate stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement. The joint scan movement brings the lithographic apparatus from a first configuration, wherein immersion liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the stages and a projection system of the apparatus, to a second configuration, wherein the immersion liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the projection system, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within the space with respect to the projection system.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a measuring system configured to measure characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus; a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate; a positioning system and at least two substrate stages, each stage constructed to hold a substrates, wherein the positioning system is constructed to move the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed to position one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate; wherein the stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement to bring the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a first substrate held by a first stage of the two stages and the projection system, towards a second situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a second substrate held by a second stage of the two stages and the projection system, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within the space with respect to the projection system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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supporting a substrate on a first stage, wherein the first stage is laterally movable with respect to a second stage; at least partly confining liquid in a space between a projection system and the first stage, the substrate or both; jointly moving the first stage with the second stage wherein the liquid in the space is transferred from being confined by the first stage, the substrate, or both, to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the first stage and an opposing edge of the second stage; and collecting liquid from the space flowing down the edge or the opposing edge during the joint movement using a horizontal surface of the first stage and/or second stage located under the edge or the opposing edge. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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supporting a substrate on a first stage, wherein the first stage is laterally movable with respect to a second stage; at least partly confining liquid in a space between a projection system and the first stage, the substrate or both; jointly moving the first stage with the second stage wherein the liquid in the space is transferred from being confined by the first stage, the substrate, or both, to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the first stage and an opposing edge of the second stage; and generating a fluid flow at the edge or opposing edge during the joint movement using a channel system in fluid communication with an opening at the edge or opposing edge, the fluid flow including liquid from the space.
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25. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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supporting a substrate on a first stage, wherein the first stage is laterally movable with respect to a second stage; at least partly confining liquid in a space between a projection system and the first stage, the substrate or both; jointly moving the first stage with the second stage wherein the liquid in the space is transferred from being confined by the first stage, the substrate, or both, to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the first stage and an opposing edge of the second stage; and collecting liquid flowing between the edge and opposing edge during the joint movement using a fluid extraction system of the first stage, the second stage, or both.
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26. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
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at least partly confining liquid in a space between a projection system and a substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both, the substrate stage having an edge; jointly moving the substrate stage with a further stage such that confinement of liquid in the space by the substrate stage, the substrate, or both, is replaced by the further stage, the further stage having a corresponding edge to mutually co-operate with the edge when the substrate stage and the further stage are arranged adjacently to define a gap; and collecting liquid in the gap during joint movement using a fluid extraction system of the substrate stage, the further stage, or both. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification