Lithographic apparatus with actuator to compensate acoustic vibration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9378722-B2
Application number	US-33187008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 10, 2008
Priority date	Dec 19, 2007
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

A lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The lithographic apparatus includes an acoustical sensor to measure a first acoustic vibration in a sensor measurement area in the lithographic apparatus. An actuator is provided to generate a second acoustic vibration in at least an area of the lithographic apparatus. Further, a control device is provided having a sensor input to receive a sensor signal of the acoustical sensor and an actuator output to provide an actuator drive signal to the actuator. The control device is arranged to drive the actuator so as to let the second acoustic vibration at least partly compensate in the area the first acoustic vibration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, comprising:
a source to generate a first acoustic vibration that travels to an object of the lithographic apparatus;
an acoustical sensor configured to measure the first acoustic vibration generated by the source towards the object of the lithographic apparatus, the measurement of the first acoustic vibration by the acoustical sensor being representative of an impact of the first acoustic vibration on the object;
an actuator configured to generate a second acoustic vibration, the actuator being positioned spaced apart from said object so that, in use, the second acoustic vibration emitted by said actuator propagates towards said object and interacts with the first acoustic vibration such that said first acoustic vibration is at least partly compensated for by said second acoustic vibration when said first acoustic vibration travels towards the object; and
a control device having an actuator output to provide an actuator drive signal to the actuator and a sensor input to receive a sensor signal of the acoustical sensor that is representative of said measurement, the control device being adapted to drive the actuator in response to the sensor signal to at least partly compensate the first acoustic vibration in an area of the object by the second acoustic vibration.

2. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising a gas duct configured to guide a gas to a destination in the lithographic apparatus, the acoustical sensor being arranged to measure an acoustic vibration in the gas duct, the actuator being positioned so as to produce the second acoustic vibration in the gas duct.

3. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator is positioned to produce the second acoustic vibration in an outlet area of the gas duct.

4. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator is positioned to produce the second acoustic vibration in an area of the gas duct of the source of acoustic vibration.

5. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator is positioned in the gas duct.

6. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
a patterning device support constructed to support the patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a substrate support constructed to hold the substrate; and
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate,
wherein the acoustical sensor is positioned to measure the first acoustic vibration towards at least a part of the projection system, the actuator being positioned to emit the second acoustic vibration towards at least the part of the projection system.

7. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the actuator is mounted to a cooling structure circumfering at least the part of the projection system.

8. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein a plurality of actuators is provided, each of the actuators configured to emit a respective second acoustic vibration to a respective part of the projection system.

9. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
a patterning device support constructed to support the patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a substrate support constructed to hold the substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a metrology frame to hold the projection system,
wherein the acoustical sensor is positioned to measure the first acoustic vibration towards at least a part of the metrology frame, the actuator being positioned to emit the second acoustic vibration towards at least the part of the metrology frame.

10. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
a patterning device support constructed to support the patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a substrate support constructed to hold the substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a position sensor to measure a position of one Of the supports,
wherein the acoustical sensor is positioned to measure the first acoustic vibration towards the position sensor, the actuator being positioned to emit the second acoustic vibration towards the position sensor.

11. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
a support constructed to support the patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a substrate support constructed to hold the substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a position sensor to measure a position of one of the supports, the position sensor comprising a sensor head and a sensor target,
wherein the acoustical sensor is positioned to measure the first acoustic vibration towards the sensor target, the actuator being positioned to emit the second acoustic vibration towards the sensor target.

12. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , comprising:
an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
a patterning device support constructed to support the patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a substrate support constructed to hold the substrate;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a shield positioned between the patterning device support and the projection system, the shield having an aperture to allow passage of the patterned beam towards the projection system,
wherein the sensor is positioned to measure the first acoustic vibration directed from the support towards the passage, the actuator being positioned to emit the second acoustic vibration towards the passage.

13. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the source comprises a movable device of which a movement may in operation generate the first acoustic vibration.

14. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the control device comprises an input to receive a signal representing the movement of the movable device, and wherein the control device is arranged to determine the actuator drive signal from the signal representing the movement of the movable device.

15. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the actuator is positioned at a front edge or a rear edge of the movable device, seen in a direction of movement of the movable device.

16. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the movable device comprises at least a patterning device support to support the patterning device or a substrate table to hold the substrate.

Assignees

• Butler Hans
• Van Der Wijst Marc Wilhelmus Maria
• Geerke Johan Hendrik
• Hempenius Peter Paul
• De Vos Youssef Karel Maria
• De Pee Joost
• Beijers Clementius Andreas Johannes
• Roozen Nicolaas Bernardus
• Van Den Boogaert Erwin Antonius Henricus Fransiscu
• Oude Nijhuis Marco Hendrikus Hermanus
• Debiesme Francois Xavier
• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Butler Hans
• Van Der Wijst Marc Wilhelmus Maria
• Geerke Johan Hendrik
• Hempenius Peter Paul
• De Vos Youssef Karel Maria
• De Pee Joost
• Beijers Clementius Andreas Johannes
• Roozen Nicolaas Bernardus
• Van Den Boogaert Erwin Antonius Henricus Fransiscu
• Oude Nijhuis Marco Hendrikus Hermanus
• Debiesme Francois Xavier

Classifications

• G10K11/178 Primary

  by electro-acoustically regenerating the original acoustic waves in anti-phase · CPC title

• G03B27/42 Primary

  for automatic sequential copying of the same original (G03B27/34, G03B27/53 take precedence) · CPC title

• G03F7/709

  Vibration, e.g. vibration detection, compensation, suppression or isolation · CPC title

• G10K2210/129

  Vibration, e.g. instead of, or in addition to, acoustic noise · CPC title

• G10K11/17857

  Geometric disposition, e.g. placement of microphones · CPC title