Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9274437-B2
Application number	US-201514669326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 19, 2003
Publication date	Mar 1, 2016
Grant date	Mar 1, 2016

Abstract

An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid supplied to an immersion area below the projection optical system. First and second movable members move below the projection optical system. The first movable member has a mount area that mounts a substrate located in a hole of an upper surface of the first movable member. The upper surface outside the hole can maintain at least a part of the immersion area outside the substrate mounted in the hole. A drive system drives the first and second movable members to move the first and second movable members below the projection optical system relative to the liquid immersion region to replace one member positioned below the projection optical system with the other member such that the liquid immersion area is maintained below the projection optical system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with illumination light via liquid, the apparatus comprising:
a catadioptric projection system having (a) a plane-convex lens arranged such that a plane surface is in contact with the liquid and (b) a plurality of lenses at least a part of which is used for adjustment of magnification and distortion;
a detection system arranged apart from the projection system and configured to detect a mark on the substrate;
a liquid immersion member having an opening through which the illumination light passes and arranged to surround the plane-convex lens and such that a liquid immersion region is formed with the liquid beneath the projection system;
a first movable member having an upper surface and arranged below the projection system and below the detection system, the upper surface having a hole in which the substrate can be placed, the first movable member being arranged such that at least part of the liquid immersion region is maintained by the upper surface when the at least part of the liquid immersion region is located outside the substrate, which is placed in the hole;
a second movable member having an upper surface and arranged below the projection system and below the detection system, the second movable member being arranged to be movable relative to the first movable member;
a drive system having a motor, parts of which are provided at the first and second movable members respectively, the drive system being configured to move the first and second movable members by use of the motor; and
a controller coupled to the drive system and configured to control a drive for the first and second movable members, wherein
the controller is configured to control the drive system such that, while one of the first and second movable members is arranged opposite to the projection system, another one of the first and second movable members approaches the one of the first and second movable members, and such that the first and second movable members in an approached state move relative to the liquid immersion member in a predetermined direction, which is orthogonal to an optical axis of the projection system, so that the another one of the first and second movable members is arranged opposite to the projection system in place of the one of the first and second movable members while the liquid immersion region is substantially maintained beneath the projection system,
when the liquid immersion region is maintained beneath the projection system by the one of the first and second movable members, which is arranged opposite to the projection system, the another one of the first and second movable members is away from beneath the projection system,
the exposure apparatus is configured such that the liquid immersion region is formed with the liquid which is supplied via the liquid immersion member, and such that the liquid of the liquid immersion region is collected via the liquid immersion member, and
the exposure apparatus is configured such that the substrate is exposed with the illumination light via the projection system and via the liquid of the liquid immersion region, and such that the mark is detected by the detection system not via the liquid.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the liquid immersion member has a collection port provided at a lower surface side thereof and surrounding the opening, and has a collection flow path provided inside the liquid immersion member, an edge of the collection flow path being connected to the collection port, and
the liquid of the liquid immersion region is collected via the collection port and via the collection flow path.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2 ,
wherein the liquid immersion member has another collection port that is arranged at the lower surface side and that is arranged further away from the opening than the collection port.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
a supply port is provided at the lower surface side of the liquid immersion member and between the opening and the collection port,
a supply flow path is provided inside the liquid immersion member, an end of the supply flow path being connected to the supply port, and
the liquid is supplied to the liquid immersion region via the supply flow path and via the supply port.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the liquid immersion member is provided movably with respect to the projection system.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5 ,
wherein the liquid immersion member is arranged adjacent a lower end portion of the projection system so that the plane-convex lens is located substantially inside the liquid immersion member.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein, when the first and second movable members in the approached state move relative to the liquid immersion member, a positional relationship of the first and second movable members in the predetermined direction is substantially maintained.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7 ,
wherein the relative movement between the first and second movable members includes (a) an approach between the first and second movable members in the predetermined direction and (b) an adjustment of the positional relationship between the first and second movable members in a direction, which intersects the predetermined direction.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 8 ,
wherein the exposure apparatus is configured such that the liquid immersion region is transferred from the one to the another one of the first and second movable members along with the movement of the first and second movable members, in the approached state, relative to the liquid immersion member.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9 ,
wherein, when the first and second movable members in the approached state move relative to the liquid immersion member, the liquid immersion region is maintained beneath the projection system by at least one of the first and second movable members in the approached state.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second movable member is arranged such that the substrate can be placed in a hole on the upper surface of the second movable member, and such that at least part of the liquid immersion region is maintained by the upper surface of the second movable member when the at least part of the liquid immersion region is located outside the substrate, which is placed in the hole on the upper surface of the second movable member.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11 ,
wherein, when the substrate is arranged opposite to the projection system by the first movable member or by the second movable member and is exposed with the illumination light, the liquid immersion region is formed on a part of the substrate and covers an irradiated area of the illumination light.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 ,
wherein the first and second movable members are each arranged such that, when the substrate is placed in the hole, a gap is provided between the upper surface thereof and a surface of the substrate, and the upper surface thereof and the surface of the substrate are substantially coplanar.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 ,
wherein each of the first and second movable members has a reference provided on the upper surface thereof, and is arranged to move such that a measurement using the reference is executed via the projection system.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 ,
wherein the first a

Assignees

• Nikon Corp

Inventors

• Ebihara Akimitsu

Classifications

• G03F7/70725

  control · 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

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G03F7/70758

  Drive means, e.g. actuators, motors for long- or short-stroke modules or fine or coarse driving · CPC title

• G03F7/70333 Primary

  Focus drilling, i.e. increase in depth of focus for exposure by modulating focus during exposure [FLEX] · CPC title