Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 20090153820A1
• Filed: 02/04/2009
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Nikon Engineering Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation, Nikon Engineering Co. Ltd. (Nikon Corporation)
• Inventors: Nagasaka, Hiroyuki, Okuyama, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 8,218,127 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• 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 7/70883 of optical system

Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by forming a liquid immersion region on the substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid that forms the liquid immersion region. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system having a plurality of optical elements, by which a pattern image is projected onto a substrate via a liquid to expose the substrate and a liquid recovery system that recovers the liquid along with a gas and has a separator that separates the recovered liquid and the recovered gas.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection optical system having a plurality of optical elements, by which a pattern image is projected onto a substrate via a liquid to expose the substrate; and

a liquid recovery system that recovers the liquid along with a gas and has a separator that separates the recovered liquid and the recovered gas.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the liquid recovery system has a recovery port, and

the separator is arranged between the recovery port and a vacuum system.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the recovery port is arranged to surround a projection region where the pattern image is projected.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:

a liquid supply system that supplies liquid onto the substrate and has a supply port that supplies the liquid between the projection region and the recovery port.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

the substrate is exposed while moving the substrate in a scanning direction, and

the supply port is arranged on at least both sides of the projection region.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

a liquid confinement member which includes a buffer space on a supply flow passage through which the liquid is supplied to the supply port.

7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein

the liquid covers only a portion of a surface of the substrate during the projection.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the recovery port is configured to surround a projection region to which the pattern image is projected, and

the recovery port recovers the liquid from above the substrate during the projection.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein

the separator includes a tank.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the vacuum system is connected to an upper gas portion in the tank.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the separator includes a discharging flow passage which is connected to a lower liquid portion in the tank.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

the separator includes a valve provided at the discharging flow passage.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the liquid recovery system includes a recovery flow passage provided between the recovery port and the tank of the separator, and

the recovery flow passage is connected to an upper gas portion in the tank.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the separator includes a tank.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

a vacuum system is connected to an upper gas portion in the tank.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the separator includes a discharging flow passage which is connected to a lower liquid portion in the tank.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the separator includes a discharging flow passage which is connected to a lower liquid portion in the tank.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein

the separator includes a valve provided at the discharging flow passage.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

the discharging flow passage is opened or closed by the valve.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein

the liquid recovery system includes a recovery flow passage provided between the recovery port and the tank of the separator, and

the recovery flow passage is connected to an upper gas portion in the tank.

21. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1; and

processing the exposed substrate.

22. An exposure apparatus comprising:

means for projecting a pattern image onto a substrate via a liquid to expose the substrate;

means for recovering the liquid along with a gas; and

means for separating the recovered liquid and the recovered gas.

23. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 22; and

processing the exposed substrate.

24. An exposure method comprising:

exposing a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate via a liquid;

recovering the liquid along with a gas; and

separating the recovered liquid and the recovered gas.

25. The exposure method according to claim 24, wherein

the liquid covers only a portion of a surface of the substrate during the exposure, the liquid being recovered from above the substrate.

26. The exposure method according to claim 25, wherein

the recovered liquid and the recovered gas are moved to a tank of a separator.

27. The exposure method according to claim 26, further comprising:

collecting the recovered gas from an upper gas portion in the tank.

28. The exposure method according to claim 26, further comprising:

discharging the recovered liquid from a lower liquid portion in the tank.

29. The exposure method according to claim 24, wherein

the recovered liquid and the recovered gas are moved to a tank of a separator.

30. The exposure method according to claim 29, further comprising:

collecting the recovered gas from an upper gas portion in the tank.

31. The exposure method according to claim 29, further comprising:

discharging the recovered liquid from a lower liquid portion in the tank.

32. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate via a liquid;

recovering the liquid along with a gas;

separating the recovered liquid and the recovered gas; and

processing the exposed substrate.