Semiconductor microlithography projection exposure apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9366977-B2
Application number	US-201113289560-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 4, 2011
Priority date	May 16, 2009
Publication date	Jun 14, 2016
Grant date	Jun 14, 2016

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an optical correction arrangement including at least one optical element and at least one irradiation mechanism for the targeted local irradiation of the optical element with electromagnetic heating radiation for the targeted local heating of the optical element. The optical correction arrangement also includes a mechanism for dissipating the thermal energy introduced into the optical element by the at least one irradiation mechanism. The disclosure furthermore relates to a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography including an optical correction arrangement according to the disclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus, comprising:
a first optical element;
a first mechanism configured to heat the first optical element by irradiating the first optical element with heating radiation;
a second mechanism configured to flow a fluid along a surface of the first optical element to dissipate heat from the first optical element; and
a member,
wherein:
during use of the apparatus, the heating radiation passes through the fluid before reaching the first optical element;
the apparatus is a semiconductor microlithography projection exposure apparatus; and
the member is selected from the group consisting of:
an absorbent element configured to absorb the heating radiation, the absorbent element being configured to absorb portions of the heating radiation not absorbed by the first optical element; and
reflective elements configured to direct non-absorbed portions of the heating radiation onto the first optical element or different components of the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the gas comprises hydrogen and/or argon.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, during use of the apparatus, the gas has a pressure of from 3 to 4 pascals.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second optical element, wherein the second mechanism is configured so that the fluid flows between the first and second optical elements during use of the apparatus.

6. The apparatus as of claim 5 , wherein:
the first optical element has a first plane surface;
the second optical element has a second plane surface; and
the second mechanism is configured so that, as the fluid flows between the first and second optical elements during use of the apparatus, the fluid is bordered by the first and second plane surfaces.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein a first surface of the first optical element and a second surface of the second optical element define a channel through with the fluid flows during use of the apparatus, and the first mechanism is configured so that the heating radiation is directed onto the first and second surfaces.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fluid flows parallel to a surface of the first optical element during use of the apparatus.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a direction of the fluid flow has a component which is oriented perpendicular to the surface of the first optical element during use of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heat sink, wherein:
the first optical element comprises first and second partial elements thermally contacting each other;
the second partial element has a higher thermal conductivity than the first partial element; and
the heat sink and the second partial element dissipate heat from the first optical component during use of the apparatus.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the second partial element comprises calcium fluoride.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the first partial element comprises quartz glass.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heating radiation is directed onto a side of the first partial element which is remote from the second partial element.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the heating radiation is directed onto a surface of the first partial element which is thermally linked to the second partial element.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an absorption layer configured to absorb the heating radiation, wherein the absorption layer is supported by one of the first and second optical partial elements.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 , further comprising an absorption layer configured to absorb the heating radiation, wherein the absorption layer is between the first and second partial elements.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first optical element is a mirror, and the apparatus is an EUV semiconductor microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the mirror has channels through with the fluid can flow during use of the apparatus.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the member comprises the absorbent element.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the apparatus has a housing with a window, and the absorbent element is outside the housing so that non-absorbed portions of the heating radiation can pass through the window before being absorbed by the absorbent element.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the member comprises the reflective elements.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination device; and
a projection objective, the projection objective comprising the first optical element.

23. An apparatus, comprising:
a first optical element;
a first mechanism configured to heat the first optical element by irradiating the first optical element with heating radiation;
a second mechanism configured to flow a fluid along a surface of the first optical element to dissipate heat from the first optical element; and
a heat sink,
wherein:
the first optical element comprises first and second partial elements thermally contacting each other;
the second partial element has a higher thermal conductivity than the first partial element;
the heat sink and the second partial element dissipate heat from the first optical component during use of the apparatus;
during use of the apparatus, the heating radiation passes through the fluid before reaching the first optical element and
the apparatus is a semiconductor microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the fluid comprises a gas.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the gas comprises hydrogen and/or argon.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein, during use of the apparatus, the gas has a pressure of from 3 to 4 pascals.

27. The apparatus of claim 23 , further comprising a second optical element, wherein the second mechanism is configured so that the fluid flows between the first and second optical elements during use of the apparatus.

28. The apparatus as of claim 27 , wherein:
the first optical element has a first plane surface;
the second optical element has a second plane surface; and
the second mechanism is configured so that, as the fluid flows between the first and second optical elements during use of the apparatus, the fluid is bordered by the first and second plane surfaces.

29. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein a first surface of the first optical element and a second surface of the second optical element define a channel through with the fluid flows during use of the apparatus, and the first mechanism is configured so that the heating radiation is directed onto the first and second surfaces.

30. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the fluid flows parallel to a surface of the first optical element during use of the apparatus.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein a direction of the fluid flow has a component which is oriented perpendicular to the surface of the first optical element during use of the apparatus.

32. The apparatus of claim 23 , wherein the second partial element comprises calcium fluoride.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein the first partial element comprises quartz glass.

34. The a

Assignees

• Bleidistel Sascha
• Conradi Olaf
• Kazi Arif
• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Bleidistel Sascha
• Conradi Olaf
• Kazi Arif

Classifications

• G02B27/0068

  having means for controlling the degree of correction, e.g. using phase modulators, movable elements (controlling the phase of light using moving or deformable elements G02B26/06) · CPC title

• G03F7/70308

  Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for manipulating imaging light, e.g. intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or image shift · CPC title

• G03F7/70891 Primary

  Temperature · CPC title

• G02B7/008

  with means for compensating for changes in temperature or for controlling the temperature; thermal stabilisation · CPC title

• G03F7/20 Primary

  Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) · CPC title