Exposure apparatus and exposure method

• US 8,064,067 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Hideaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Lyons; Michael A
• Application Number:
  US12/230,506
• Publication Number:
  US 20090161082A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 356/496, 356/498, 356/500, 356/508, 355/53
• US Class Current: 356/500
• 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 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70833 Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/709 Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation

Abstract

Disclosed is an exposing apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by a projection optical system, comprising a measuring unit having a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the projection optical system and a member which is positioned in relation to the projection optical system, and a first support device which has a first soft structure and which supports the measuring unit in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by an optical member, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a first support device which supports an object in a hanging manner;

a second support device which supports the optical member in a hanging manner separately from the object; and

a moving device which moves the object relative to the optical member along an optical axis of the optical member.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a number of supporting points at which the first support device supports the object and a number of supporting points at which the second support device supports the optical member are the same, and

the first and second support devices are disposed on a side face of the optical member at substantially the same angle positions.

3. An exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern by an optical member, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a measuring device having a sensor which measures a positional relationship between the optical member and a member which is positioned in relation to the optical member; and

a first support device which supports the measuring device in a hanging manner separately from the optical member.

4. An exposure apparatus which forms an image of a predetermined pattern on a substrate by a projection optical system and a liquid, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a base member;

a moving member which supports the substrate and which can move in relation to the base member;

a first support device which supports the projection optical system in relation to the base member;

a second support device which supports an object in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system in relation to the base member; and

a driving device which produces driving power so that the object and the projection optical system are in a predetermined positional relationship in a vertical direction.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising:

a vibration isolating device which includes the driving device and which is connected to the second support device to reduce influence of vibration in the vertical direction on the object.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the second support device is connected to the base member through the vibration isolating device.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the driving device includes an electromagnetic actuator which acts the driving power on the projection optical system without contact.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the driving device produces the driving power so that a relative position between the projection optical system and the base member is constant.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second support device supports the projection optical system in a hanging manner in relation to the base member.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first support device includes a supporting member extending along a substantial vertical direction.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the supporting member includes any one of a wire, chain or rod.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the object includes a liquid supply device which supplies a liquid between the substrate placed on the moving member and the projection optical system.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the object further includes a recovery device—

which recovers the liquid supplied from the liquid supply device.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a measurement device which includes a first portion provided on the moving member and a second portion which moves relatively with relation to the first portion to obtain position information of the moving member,

wherein the object includes the second portion.

15. A device manufacturing method comprising:

a lithography step, wherein

the lithography step includes transferring a device pattern on a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 4.

16. An exposure method which forms an image of a predetermined pattern on a substrate by a projection optical system and a liquid, the exposure method comprising:

supporting the projection optical system in relation to a base member;

supporting an object in a hanging manner separately from the projection optical system in relation to the base member; and

producing driving power so that the object and the projection optical system are in a predetermined positional relationship in a vertical direction.

17. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the driving power reduces influence of vibration in the vertical direction on the object.

18. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the driving power acts on the projection optical system without contact.

19. The exposure method according to claim 18, wherein the driving power acts on the projection optical system so that a relative position between the projection optical system and the base member is constant.

20. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the object includes a liquid supply device which supplies a liquid between the substrate placed on the moving member and the projection optical system.

21. The exposure method according to claim 16, wherein the object is a portion of a measurement device which obtains position information of a moving member which moves with the substrate placed thereon.

22. A device manufacturing method comprising:

a lithography step, wherein

the lithography step includes transferring a device pattern on a substrate using the exposure method according to claim 16.