Lithography system and method of detecting fluid leakage in liquid storage tank of the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12259657-B2
Application number	US-202318306995-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2023
Priority date	Mar 21, 2023
Publication date	Mar 25, 2025
Grant date	Mar 25, 2025

Abstract

A lithography system includes an immersion lithographic apparatus, a fluid supply device, and a sensor. The fluid supply is configured to supply fluid to the immersion lithographic apparatus. The fluid supply device includes at least one liquid storage tank, an upper liquid pipe and a lower liquid pipe connected to the liquid storage tank. The sensor includes at least one hydraulic pressure gauge. The at least one hydraulic pressure gauge is arranged near a lower part of the liquid storage tank and connected to the lower liquid pipe and the upper liquid pipe so as to measure the hydraulic pressure at a bottom of the liquid storage tank. The height of the liquid level in the liquid storage tank is calculated from the hydraulic pressure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithography system, comprising:
an immersion lithographic apparatus;
a fluid supply device configured to supply liquid to the immersion lithographic apparatus, and comprising at least one liquid storage tank, an upper liquid pipe and a lower liquid pipe connected to the liquid storage tank; and
a sensor comprising at least one hydraulic pressure gauge, wherein the at least one hydraulic pressure gauge is arranged near a lower part of the liquid storage tank, connected to the lower liquid pipe and the upper liquid pipe, and configured to measure a hydraulic pressure at a bottom of the liquid storage tank,
wherein a height of a liquid level of the liquid storage tank is calculated from the hydraulic pressure.

2. The lithography system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one hydraulic pressure gauge comprises a micro-pressure hydraulic gauge.

3. The lithography system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises water.

4. The lithography system according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to receive the hydraulic pressure measured by the hydraulic pressure gauge so as to calculate the height of the liquid level.

5. The lithography system according to claim 4 , wherein the controller sends a notification signal when the height of the liquid level is lower than a predetermined value.

6. The lithography system according to claim 4 , wherein the controller sends a notification signal when the height of the liquid level is lower than a predetermined value within a predetermined time.

7. The lithography system according to claim 4 , further comprising stopping supplying the liquid to the liquid storage tank.

8. The lithography system according to claim 1 , wherein the fluid supply device comprises:
a lens liquid storage tank configured to supply liquid between a wafer and a lens;
a motor fluid storage tank configured to supply fluid to a motor; and
a clean dry air storage tank configured to supply dry air to the wafer.

9. The lithography system according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one hydraulic pressure gauge comprises:
a first hydraulic pressure gauge configured to measure a hydraulic pressure at a bottom of the lens liquid storage tank; and
a second hydraulic pressure gauge configured to measure a hydraulic pressure at a bottom of the motor fluid storage tank.

10. A method for detecting liquid leakage in a liquid storage tank of a lithography system, wherein the lithography system comprises:
an immersion lithographic apparatus;
a fluid supply device configured to supply liquid to the immersion lithographic apparatus, and comprising at least one liquid storage tank, an upper liquid pipe and a lower liquid pipe connected to the liquid storage tank; and
a sensor comprising at least one hydraulic pressure gauge, wherein the at least one hydraulic pressure gauge is arranged near a lower part of the liquid storage tank, and connected to the lower liquid pipe and the upper liquid pipe,
wherein the method comprises:
measuring a hydraulic pressure at a bottom of the liquid storage tank of the liquid supply device with the hydraulic pressure gauge, wherein the liquid supply device is configured to supply liquid to the immersion lithographic apparatus; and
calculating a height of a liquid level from the hydraulic pressure at the bottom of the liquid storage tank.

11. The method according to claim 10 , further comprising:
calculating the height of the liquid level with a controller of the lithography system.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the controller sends a notification signal when the height of the liquid level is lower than a predetermined value.

13. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:
setting an amount of liquid drop per unit time as a critical value, wherein the controller sends a notification signal when the critical value is exceeded.

14. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising stopping supplying the liquid to the liquid storage tank.

Assignees

• United Microelectronics Corp

Inventors

• Sun zhi fan
• Huang Kuo Feng
• Chung Ming Hsien
• Peng Hua-Wei
• Kuo Chih Chung

Classifications

• G03F7/70525 Primary

  Controlling normal operating mode, e.g. matching different apparatus, remote control or prediction of failure · CPC title

• G01F23/14

  by measurement of pressure · CPC title

• G03F7/70341 Primary

  Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply (chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041) · CPC title

• G01F23/18

  Indicating, recording or alarm devices actuated electrically · CPC title