Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

• US 7,528,931 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2004
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Modderman, Theodorus Marinus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung Henry
• Application Number:
  US11/015,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20060132733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 355/30, 355/53, 355/55, 355 72- 76
• 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 7/7075 Handling workpieces outside exposure position, e.g. SMIF box
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70883 of optical system

Abstract

In a single or multiple stage lithography apparatus, a table provides a confining surface to a liquid supply system during, for example, substrate table exchange and/or substrate loading and unloading. In an embodiment, the table has a sensor to make a measurement of the projection beam during, for example, substrate table exchange and/or substrate loading and unloading.

Claims

1. A positioning apparatus for use in a lithographic apparatus for projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, the positioning apparatus comprising:

a first table connected to a first positioning system configured to displace the first table into and out of a path of the patterned beam of radiation, the first table being configured to hold a substrate; and

a second table connected to a second positioning system configured to position the second table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation when the first table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation, the second table not being configured to hold a substrate and comprising a sensor configured to sense a property of the patterned beam of radiation.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is selected from the group comprising:

an energy sensor, a transmission image sensor, a polarization sensor, and a shearing interferometer sensor.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space between a projection system and the substrate, and wherein the second table provides a surface to at least partly bound the space when the first table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller connected to the first and second positioning systems and configured to control the respective positioning systems to position the second table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation in synchronism with displacement of the first table out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second positioning system comprises a long stroke module and a short stroke module, the short stroke module having a smaller range of movement but a higher precision than the long stroke module.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third table configured to hold a substrate;

an exposure station at which a substrate carried by either one of the first and third tables can be exposed; and

a measurement station at which a substrate carried by either one of the first and third tables can be measured,

wherein the first positioning system is configured to exchange the first and third tables between the measurement station and the exposure station.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third table configured to hold a substrate;

an exposure station at which a substrate carried by either one of the first and third tables can be exposed; and

first and second measurement stations at which a substrate carried by either one of the first and third tables can be measured,

wherein the first positioning system is configured to exchange the first and third tables between the exposure station and the respective one of the measurement stations.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second table has mounted thereon a cleaning device configured to clean a projection system of the lithographic apparatus.

9. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

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

a first positioning system connected to the substrate table and configured to displace the substrate table into and out of a path of the patterned beam of radiation;

a sensor table not configured to hold a substrate and comprising a sensor configured to sense a property of the patterned beam of radiation; and

a second positioning system configured to position the sensor table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation when the substrate table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a liquid supply system configured to supply a liquid to a space between a projection system and the substrate, and wherein the sensor table provides a surface to at least partly bound the space when the substrate table is displaced out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.

11. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a controller connected to the first and second positioning systems and configured to control the respective positioning systems to position the sensor table into the path of the patterned beam of radiation in synchronism with displacement of the substrate table out of the path of the patterned beam of radiation.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sensor is selected from the group comprising:

an energy sensor, a transmission image sensor, a polarization sensor, and a shearing interferometer sensor.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a further substrate table configured to hold a substrate;

an exposure station at which a substrate carried by either one of the substrate table and the further substrate table can be exposed; and

a measurement station at which a substrate carried by either one of the substrate table and the further substrate table can be measured,

wherein the first positioning system is configured to exchange the substrate table and the further substrate table between the measurement station and the exposure station.