Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9753380-B2
Application number	US-201615251915-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 18, 2004
Publication date	Sep 5, 2017
Grant date	Sep 5, 2017

Abstract

A lithographic apparatus is disclosed including a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid, an outlet configured to remove a mixture of liquid and gas passing through a gap between a liquid confinement structure of the liquid supply system and the substrate, and an evacuation system configured to draw the mixture through the outlet, the evacuation system having a separator tank arranged to separate liquid from gas in the mixture and a separator tank pressure controller, connected to a non-liquid-filled region of the separator tank, configured to maintain a stable pressure within the non-liquid-filled region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid, the liquid supply system comprising a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partly confine the liquid within the space;
a chamber arranged to receive a mixture of gas and liquid from the space, the chamber having an inlet into the chamber in a bottom surface of the chamber and comprising a porous element through which liquid can pass; and
an evacuation system configured to draw the mixture of gas and liquid from the space through the inlet into the chamber and configured to exhaust gas that is separated from the mixture of gas and liquid.

2. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pump configured to pump liquid from the chamber.

3. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust line from the chamber, the exhaust line configured to exhaust gas from the mixture, wherein an opening of the exhaust line is arranged in or on the chamber above at least part of the porous element.

4. The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising at least two lines to remove fluid from the chamber.

5. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a first line of the at least two lines has an opening in the chamber lower than an opening in the chamber of a second line of the at least two lines.

6. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein at least one of the lines is connected to a pump.

7. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , comprising a hydrophobic surface to block liquid from passing through a line of the at least two lines.

8. The lithographic apparatus of claim 4 , wherein a line of the at least two lines comprises a filter to block liquid.

9. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid, the liquid supply system comprising a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partly confine the liquid within the space;
a chamber arranged to receive a mixture of gas and liquid from the space, the chamber having an exhaust line from the chamber;
an evacuation system configured to draw the mixture of gas and liquid from the space into the chamber; and
a structure, at the exhaust line, configured to block liquid in the chamber from passing through at least part of the exhaust line.

10. The lithographic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the structure comprises a hydrophobic surface to block liquid from passing through at least part of the exhaust line.

11. The lithographic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the structure comprises a filter in the exhaust line to block liquid from passing through at least part of the exhaust line.

12. The lithographic apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the chamber comprises a porous element through which liquid can pass.

13. The lithographic apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the exhaust line is configured to exhaust gas from the mixture, and wherein an opening of the exhaust line is arranged in or on the chamber above at least part of the porous element.

14. The lithographic apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising a removal line having an opening in the chamber located below an opening in the chamber of the exhaust line.

15. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
using a liquid confinement structure to at least partly confine a liquid between a projection system of a lithographic apparatus and a substrate;
projecting a radiation beam through the liquid onto a target portion of the substrate;
drawing a mixture of gas and liquid from the space into a chamber through an inlet in a bottom surface of the chamber; and
exhausting gas that is separated from the mixture of gas and liquid through an exhaust line from the chamber.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising pumping liquid from the chamber.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising passing liquid through a porous element of the chamber.

18. The method of claim 15 , comprising blocking liquid in the chamber from passing through at least part of the exhaust line using a structure at the exhaust line.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein an opening of the exhaust line is arranged in or on the chamber above at least part of the porous element.

20. The method of claim 15 , comprising blocking liquid from passing through at least part of the exhaust line using a hydrophobic surface.

Assignees

• Asml Netherlands Bv

Inventors

• Mertens Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria
• Donders Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus
• De Graaf Roelof Frederik
• Hoogendam Christiaan Alexander
• Van Der Net Antonius Johannus
• Teunissen Franciscus Johannes Herman Maria
• Tinnemans Patricius Aloysius Jacobus
• Verhagen Martinus Cornelis Maria
• Verspay Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus
• Van Gompel Edwin Augustinus Matheus

Classifications

• G03F7/70716 Primary

  Stages · 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

• G03F7/70808

  Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus · CPC title

• G03F7/2041

  in the presence of a fluid, e.g. immersion; using fluid cooling means · CPC title