CLEANING MEMBER, CLEANING METHOD, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD

• US 20080202555A1
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: SHIBAZAKI, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,927,428 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/6
• 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 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67051 using mainly spraying means, e.g. nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68735 characterised by edge profile or support profile
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6875 characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49 Method of mechanical manufacture

Abstract

A cleaning member is smaller than a substrate for exposure where exposure light is irradiated, and at least part of a substrate-holding member that holds a rear face of the substrate for exposure is held by the substrate-holding member in order to clean.

Claims

1. A cleaning member for cleaning at least part of a substrate-holding member that holds a rear face of a substrate onto which exposure light is irradiated, the cleaning member being held by the substrate-holding member, and having an outer diameter that is smaller than the substrate.

2. The cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein the substrate-holding member is cleaned in a state where at least part of a first top face of a first peripheral wall, provided on the substrate-holding member such as to be opposite a peripheral region of the rear face of the substrate, is opened.

3. The cleaning member according to claim 2, wherein

the cleaning member has substantially the same external shape as the first peripheral wall, substantially the same thickness as the substrate, and an outer diameter that is smaller than an outer rim of the first top face of the first peripheral wall.

4. The cleaning member according to claim 3, wherein the outer diameter is smaller than the diameter of an inner rim of the first top face of the first peripheral wall.

5. The cleaning member according to claim 2, wherein a supporting member that supports the rear face of the substrate is formed at an inner side of the first peripheral wall of the substrate-holding member, and supports the rear face of the substrate by creation of negative pressure in a space surrounded by the first peripheral wall.

6. The cleaning member according to claim 1, wherein cleaning of the substrate-holding member is performed using liquid.

7. The cleaning member according to claim 6, having a liquid-contacting face having liquid repellency.

8. A cleaning method of cleaning at least part of the substrate-holding member by holding the cleaning member of claim 1 with the substrate-holding member.

9. A cleaning method of cleaning at least part of a substrate-holding member that holds a substrate onto which exposure light is irradiated, the method comprising:

holding a cleaning member with the substrate-holding member, the cleaning member having substantially the same external shape as the substrate, and an outer diameter that is smaller than the substrate; and

supplying a liquid that is used for cleaning at least part of the substrate-holding member.

10. The cleaning method according to claim 9, wherein the liquid contacts a region of part of the substrate-holding member at the outer side of an edge of the cleaning member.

11. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein

the substrate-holding member comprises a first peripheral wall having a first top face opposite a peripheral region of a rear face of the substrate, and

the cleaning member is held by the substrate-holding member such that at least part of the first top face of the first peripheral wall is opened.

12. The cleaning method according to claim 11, wherein

the external shape of the cleaning member is substantially the same as the first peripheral wall.

the outer diameter of the cleaning member is smaller than the outer rim of the first peripheral wall, and

the cleaning member has substantially the same thickness as the substrate.

13. The cleaning method according to claim 12, wherein the outer diameter of the cleaning member is smaller than an inner rim of the first top face of the first peripheral wall.

14. The cleaning method according to claim 11, wherein

the substrate-holding member comprises a supporting member that is disposed at an inner side of the first peripheral wall and supports the rear face of the substrate, and

the supporting member supports the rear face of the substrate by creation of negative pressure in a space surrounded by the first peripheral wall.

15. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein

the substrate-holding member comprises a second peripheral wall arranged such as to surround the first peripheral wall, and

the region comprises a region between the first peripheral wall and the second peripheral wall.

16. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein the region comprises the first top face of the first peripheral wall.

17. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein

the substrate-holding member comprises a first suction hole that is formed at an outer side of the first peripheral wall and can suck liquid

the first suction hole sucks at least part of the liquid.

18. The cleaning method according to claim 10, wherein

the substrate-holding member comprises a second suction hole that is formed at an inner side of the first peripheral wall and can suck liquid,

the second suction hole sucks at least part of the liquid.

19. The cleaning method according to claim 9, further comprising:

moving the substrate-holding member holding the cleaning member such that at least part of the substrate-holding member is opposite a predetermined member; and

forming a liquid immersion region between the cleaning member and the substrate-holding member, and the predetermined member.

20. The cleaning method according to claim 19, wherein the liquid is supplied from a liquid supply port of the predetermined member.

21. The cleaning method according to claim 20, wherein

the predetermined member comprises a liquid collection port, and

a liquid supply operation from the liquid supply port and at least part of a liquid collection operation via the liquid collection port are performed in parallel.

22. The cleaning method according to claim 21, wherein

the substrate-holding member holding the cleaning member and the predetermined member are relatively moved while performing the liquid supply operation from the liquid supply port and at least part of the liquid collection operation via the liquid collection port in parallel.

23. The cleaning method according to claim 19, wherein

the predetermined member comprises a liquid ejection hole, and

a rapid flow of liquid in the liquid immersion section is formed by ejection of the liquid from the liquid ejection hole.

24. The cleaning method according to claim 9, further comprising:

irradiating light having a photochemical cleaning function onto the substrate-holding member.

25. The cleaning method according to claim 24, wherein the light comprises the exposure light.

26. A device manufacturing method comprising:

cleaning a substrate-holding member using the cleaning method according to claim 9;

holding a substrate by use of the substrate-holding member; and

exposing the substrate held by the substrate-holding member with exposure light.