Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby

1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:

a radiation system configured to provide a beam of radiation, the beam being patterned by a patterning device;

a substrate table configure to hold a substrate;

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate;

a processing unit configured to process the substrate at least one of before and after the substrate has been exposed to the beam of radiation;

a transport unit configured to transport the substrate between the substrate table and the processing unit; and

a contamination control device configured to control the partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −2 mbar, the partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −4 mbar, and the partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −6 mbar.

2. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contamination control device is configured to control the partial pressure of contaminants in the transport unit to be less than 1 mbar.

3. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein contamination control device is configured to control the partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −5 mbar, the partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −7 mbar, and the partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −7 mbar.

4. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contamination control device substantially evacuates the transport unit.

5. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of a space surrounding the substrate table and a space surrounding the processing unit is substantially evacuated.

6. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the contamination control device comprises a gas supply configured to supply a substantially contaminant-free gas to fill the transport unit.

7. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the substantially contaminant-free gas is one of substantially pure nitrogen and synthetic air.

8. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the beam of radiation is EUV radiation.

9. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to at least one of:

apply a layer of resist to the substrate;

bake the substrate to process the resist;

cool the substrate after it has been baked; and

develop the substrate with the resist.

10. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the transport unit is configured to at least one of:

bake the substrate to process the resist; and

cool the substrate after it has been baked.

11. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material at least partially covering a substrate; and

transporting the substrate in a transport unit between a substrate table and a processing unit configured to process the substrate at least one of before and after it has been exposed by the patterned beam of radiation, wherein a partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −2 mbar, a partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −4 mbar, and a partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −6 mbar.

12. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , wherein a partial pressure of contaminants in the transport unit is less than 1 mbar.

13. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , the partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −5 mbar, the partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −7 mbar, and the partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit is less than 1×10 −7 mbar.

14. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , further comprising substantially evacuating the transport unit.

15. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , further comprising filling the transport unit with a substantially contaminant-free gas.

16. A device manufacturing method according to claim 15 , wherein the substantially contaminant-free gas is one of substantially pure nitrogen and synthetic air.

17. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , further comprising at least one of:

applying a layer of resist to the substrate;

baking the substrate to process the resist;

cooling the substrate after it has been baked; and

developing the substrate with the resist.

18. A device manufacturing method according to claim 11 , wherein the beam of radiation is EUV radiation.

19. A device manufactured by the method of claim 11 .

20. A transport unit configured to transport a substrate between a lithographic projection apparatus and a processing unit, wherein the transport unit comprises a contamination control device configured to control the partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −2 mbar, the partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −4 mbar, and the partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −6 mbar.

21. A transport unit according to claim 20 , wherein the contamination control device is configured to control the partial pressure of contaminants in the transport unit to be less than 1 mbar.

22. A transport unit according to claim 20 , wherein contamination control device is configured to control the partial pressure of H 2 O in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −5 mbar, the partial pressure of hydrocarbons in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −7 mbar, and the partial pressure of amine bases in the transport unit to be less than 1×10 −7 mbar.

23. A transport unit according to claim 20 , wherein the contamination control device substantially evacuates the transport unit.

24. A transport unit according to claim 20 , wherein the contamination control device comprises a gas supply configured to supply a substantially contaminant-free gas to fill the transport unit.

25. A transport unit according to claim 24 , wherein the substantially contaminant-free gas is one of substantially pure nitrogen and synthetic air.