Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9482966-B2
Application number	US-201213615190-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 13, 2012
Priority date	Nov 12, 2002
Publication date	Nov 1, 2016
Grant date	Nov 1, 2016

Abstract

A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space between the projection system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. An edge seal member at least partly surrounds the substrate or other object on a substrate table to prevent liquid loss when edge portions of the substrate or other object are, for example, imaged or illuminated. A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate; and a shutter configured to isolate the space from the substrate or a space to be occupied by a substrate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, the substrate table comprising:
an edge seal member configured to at least partly surround an edge of the substrate, an object positioned on the substrate table, or both, and
a vacuum port to provide vacuum to a gap between the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both, the vacuum port positioned on a side of the gap opposite the projection system; and
a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the projection system and the substrate, the object, or both and to confine the liquid essentially to a localized area on the substrate table smaller than an area of the substrate.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate table further comprises a channel positioned radially inwardly of the vacuum port, the channel being connected to a gas source such that on actuation of the vacuum a flow of gas radially outwardly from the channel towards the vacuum can be established.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein one or more burls configured to be in contact with the substrate, the object, or both, are present radially outwardly of the channel and inwardly of the vacuum port.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the substrate table comprises a portion which extends below the the substrate, the object, or both, and is radially outwardly of the vacuum port.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the portion has one or more parts which extend up to at least partly support the substrate, the object, or both.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the portion is part of a pimple table configured to support the substrate.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a compartment in the substrate table in fluid connection with the gap via the vacuum port and in fluid connection with the vacuum.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is annular.

9. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is discontinuous.

10. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is continuous.

11. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the vacuum port is positioned adjacent an edge portion of the edge seal member.

12. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein an object is positioned on the substrate table and wherein the object comprises a sensor system component.

13. An apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the edge seal member is glued to the substrate, the object, or both, around a periphery of the substrate, the object, or both.

14. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, the substrate table comprising:
an edge seal member configured to at least partly surround an edge of a substrate, an object, or both, positioned on the substrate table and to provide a primary surface facing the projection system substantially co-planar with a primary surface of the substrate, the object, or both, and
a port to drain liquid entering a gap between the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both, the port positioned on a side of the gap opposite the projection system; and

a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid, through which the beam is to be projected, in a space between the said-projection system and the substrate, the object, or both, and to confine the liquid essentially to a localized area on the substrate table smaller than an area of the substrate.

15. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both, are moveably mounted relative to one another.

16. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the edge seal member is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to the primary surface of the edge seal member to vary the distance between the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both.

17. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the substrate table comprises an actuator configured to move the edge seal member relative to a remainder of the substrate table in a direction substantially parallel to the optical axis of the apparatus.

18. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the substrate table comprises a hydrophobic layer adjacent an edge portion of the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both, and located at an opposite side, to the projection system, of the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both.

19. An apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the liquid has a contact angle of greater than 90° with the hydrophobic layer.

20. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the edge seal member has a projection with a top surface co-planar with the primary surface of the edge seal member and extending towards the optical axis of the apparatus.

21. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the substrate table comprises a gap seal member configured to abut or at least partly overlap, in the direction of the optical axis, both the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both.

22. An apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the gap seal member is configured to be in contact with the primary surfaces thereby spanning a gap between the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both.

23. An apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the gap seal member has inner and outer edges at least one of which edges is tapered such that the distance of the surface of the gap seal member facing away from the primary surface of the edge seal member or the substrate, the object, or both, decreases towards the edge of the gap seal member.

24. An apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the substrate table comprises a vacuum port in the primary surface of the edge seal member configured to hold the gap seal member in place.

25. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the substrate table comprises an actuator configured to vary the distance of the primary surface of the substrate, the object, or both, relative to the remainder of the substrate table.

26. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein an object is positioned on the substrate table and wherein the object comprises a sensor system component.

27. An apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the edge seal member is glued to the substrate, the object, or both, around a periphery of the substrate, the object, or both.

28. A lithographic projection apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a patterned beam onto a target portion of a photosensitive substrate;
a substrate table configured to hold the substrate, the substrate table comprising:
an edge seal member configured to at least partly surround an edge of a substrate, an object, or both, positioned on the substrate table and configured to provide an upward-facing primary surface substantially co-planar with a primary surface of the substrate, the object, or both, and
a further edge seal member configured to extend across a gap between the edge seal member and the substrate, the object, or both, and to be in contact with the substrate, the obj

Assignees

• Lof Joeri
• Bijlaart Erik Theodorus Maria
• Donders Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus
• Hoogendam Christiaan Alexander
• Loopstra Erik Roelof
• Meijer Hendricus Johannes Maria
• Mertens Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria
• Mulkens Johannes Catharinus Hubertus
• Ritsema Roelof Aeilko Siebrand
• Sengers Timotheus Franciscus
• Simon Klaus
• De Smit Joannes Theodoor
• Straaijer Alexander
• Streefkerk Bob
• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Lof Joeri
• Bijlaart Erik Theodorus Maria
• Donders Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus
• Hoogendam Christiaan Alexander
• Loopstra Erik Roelof
• Meijer Hendricus Johannes Maria
• Mertens Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria
• Mulkens Johannes Catharinus Hubertus
• Ritsema Roelof Aeilko Siebrand
• Sengers Timotheus Franciscus
• Simon Klaus
• De Smit Joannes Theodoor
• Straaijer Alexander
• Streefkerk Bob

Classifications

• G03F7/70716

  Stages · CPC title

• G03F7/7085

  Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load · 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

• G03F7/70775 Primary

  Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position · CPC title

• G03F7/70858 Primary

  Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature (pollution aspects G03F7/70916) · CPC title