IP Library Granted Patent US 9,354,525
Granted Patent B2
US 9,354,525 · App. 13/897,989 · Granted May 31, 2016

Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device

Inventor: Hiroyuki Nagasaka (Kumagaya, JP)
Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
G03F7/70341G03B27/42G03F7/2041G03F7/70325
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,354,525
App. No.
13/897,989
Granted
May 31, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam, includes a projection optical system by which the substrate is exposed to the exposure beam, a first inlet disposed at a first position, which is capable of supplying a first liquid to a space adjacent to a bottom surface of the projection optical system, and a second inlet disposed at a second position which is different from the first position, the second inlet being capable of supplying a second liquid that is different from the first liquid to the space.

Claims (111)

1. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a liquid immersion member provided surrounding an optical element of the projection optical system and configured to form, with the liquid, a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system, the optical element being arranged to be in contact with the liquid;

a substrate stage having a holder to hold the substrate, the substrate stage being configured to move below the projection optical system such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate; and

a driving system having an electromagnetic motor of which a portion is provided in the substrate stage, the driving system being configured to drive the substrate stage, in the relative movement, at least one of a velocity and an acceleration that are determined based on information about a contact angle between the substrate and the liquid of the liquid immersion area.

2. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a controller configured to control the driving system to drive the substrate stage based on at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined.

3. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein

the substrate stage is configured such that each of substrates having surfaces of which the contact angles are different to each other is placed on the substrate stage, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined is different between the substrates.

4. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein

the substrates include a first substrate and a second substrate, the contact angle of the second substrate being smaller than the contact angle of the first substrate, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined for the second substrate is greater than at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined for the first substrate.

5. A liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the apparatus comprising:

a liquid immersion member provided surrounding an optical element of the projection optical system and configured to form, with the liquid, a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system, the optical element being arranged to be in contact with the liquid;

a substrate stage having a holder to hold each of substrates, the substrates having surfaces of which contact angles with the liquid of the liquid immersion area are different to each other;

a driving system having an electromagnetic motor of which a portion is provided in the substrate stage, the driving system being configured to move the substrate stage below the projection optical system such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate; and

a controller configured to control the driving system to drive the substrate stage such that at least one of a velocity and an acceleration in the relative movement is different between the substrates.

6. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration is relatively greater for a substrate, of which the contact angle is relatively smaller.

7. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the substrates include a first substrate and a second substrate, the contact angle of the second substrate being smaller than the contact angle of the first substrate, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the second substrate is greater than at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the first substrate.

8. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the substrate stage is driven such that at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the exposure operation of the substrate is different between the substrates.

9. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

a scanning exposure is performed for each of the substrates, and wherein

the substrate stage is driven such that at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the scanning exposure is different between the substrates.

10. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

the controller controls the driving system to drive the substrate stage, in the relative movement, at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined based on information about the contact angle of the substrate that is held by the substrate stage.

11. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the information about the contact angle includes information about a film member of the substrate, the film member being arranged to be in contact with the liquid.

12. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein

the film member is provided as a photoresist layer of the substrate or a protective layer of the substrate.

13. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

an input device that is connected to the controller, wherein

the controller determines at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the substrate stage in the relative movement, based on the information about the contact angle, the information being input via the input device.

14. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising:

a memory that stores the information about the contact angle, wherein

the controller determines at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the substrate stage in the relative movement, based on the information about the contact angle that is stored in the memory.

15. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are allowed in the relative movement is different between the substrates.

16. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein

the substrate stage is driven at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are allowed in the relative movement.

17. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

a liquid immersion condition for forming the liquid immersion area is different depending on at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the relative movement.

18. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

a liquid immersion condition for forming the liquid immersion area is adjusted corresponding to information about the contact angle.

19. The liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein

a liquid is supplied to the liquid immersion area via the liquid immersion member and a liquid is recovered from the liquid immersion area via the liquid immersion member, and wherein

a portion of the liquid immersion member is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection optical system.

20. A method for producing a device comprising:

a step of an exposure process; and

a step of a device assembling, wherein

in the step of the exposure process, a substrate is exposed by using the liquid immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 5 .

21. A liquid immersion exposure method that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

forming a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system with the liquid; and

moving, below the projection optical system, a substrate stage on which the substrate is placed, such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate, wherein

in the relative movement, the substrate stage is driven at least one of a velocity and an acceleration that are determined based on information about a contact angle between the substrate and the liquid of the liquid immersion area.

22. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 21 , wherein

the driving of the substrate stage is controlled based on at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined.

23. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 22 , wherein

the substrate stage is configured such that each of substrates having surfaces of which the contact angles are different to each other is placed on the substrate stage, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined is different between the substrates.

24. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 23 , wherein

the substrates include a first substrate and a second substrate, the contact angle of the second substrate being smaller than the contact angle of the first substrate, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined for the second substrate is greater than at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined for the first substrate.

25. A liquid immersion exposure method that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

forming a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system with the liquid; and

moving, below the projection optical system, a substrate stage on which the substrate is placed, such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate, wherein

each of substrates having surfaces of which contact angles with the liquid of the liquid immersion area are different to each other is placed on the substrate stage, and wherein

the substrate stage is moved such that at least one of a velocity and an acceleration in the relative movement is different between the substrates.

26. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration is relatively greater for a substrate, of which the contact angle is relatively smaller.

27. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

the substrates include a first substrate and a second substrate, the contact angle of the second substrate being smaller than the contact angle of the first substrate, and wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the second substrate is greater than at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration of the first substrate.

28. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

the substrate stage is driven such that at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the exposure operation of the substrate is different between the substrates.

29. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

a scanning exposure is performed for each of the substrates, and wherein

the substrate stage is driven such that at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the scanning exposure is different between the substrates.

30. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

the substrate stage is moved, in the relative movement, at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are determined based on information about the contact angle of the substrate that is held by the substrate stage.

31. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 30 , wherein

the information about the contact angle includes information about a film member of the substrate, the film member being arranged to be in contact with the liquid.

32. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 31 , wherein

the film member is provided as a photoresist layer of the substrate or a protective layer of the substrate.

33. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 30 , wherein

at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are allowed in the relative movement is different between the substrates.

34. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 30 , wherein

the substrate stage is driven at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration that are allowed in the relative movement.

35. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

a liquid immersion condition for forming the liquid immersion area is different depending on at least the one of the velocity and the acceleration in the relative movement.

36. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

a liquid immersion condition for forming the liquid immersion area is adjusted corresponding to information about the contact angle.

37. The liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 , wherein

a liquid is supplied to the liquid immersion area via a liquid immersion member that is provided surrounding an optical element of the projection optical system, the optical element being arranged to be in contact with the liquid, and a liquid is recovered from the liquid immersion area via the liquid immersion member, and wherein

a portion of the liquid immersion member is movable in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis of the projection optical system.

38. A method for producing a device comprising:

a step of an exposure process; and

a step of a device assembling, wherein

in the step of the exposure process, a substrate is exposed by using the liquid immersion exposure method according to claim 25 .

39. A method for producing a liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

providing a liquid immersion member provided surrounding an optical element of the projection optical system and configured to form, with the liquid, a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system, the optical element being arranged to be in contact with the liquid;

providing a substrate stage having a holder to hold the substrate, the substrate stage being configured to move below the projection optical system such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate; and

providing a driving system having an electromagnetic motor of which a portion is provided in the substrate stage, the driving system being configured to drive the substrate stage, in the relative movement, at least one of a velocity and an acceleration that are determined based on information about a contact angle between the substrate and the liquid of the liquid immersion area.

40. A method for producing a liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, the method comprising:

providing a liquid immersion member provided surrounding an optical element of the projection optical system and configured to form, with the liquid, a liquid immersion area below the projection optical system, the optical element being arranged to be in contact with the liquid;

providing a substrate stage having a holder to hold the substrate, the substrate stage being configured to hold each of substrates, the substrates having surfaces of which contact angles with the liquid of the liquid immersion area are different to each other;

providing a driving system having an electromagnetic motor of which a portion is provided in the substrate stage, the driving system being configured to move the substrate stage below the projection optical system such that the substrate is relatively moved with respect to the liquid immersion area that is maintained between the projection optical system and a portion of the substrate; and

providing a controller configured to control the driving system to drive the substrate stage such that at least one of a velocity and an acceleration in the relative movement is different between the substrates.

Priority Claims (1)
JP 2003-146424 · May 23, 2003 · national
Continuity (4)
Continuation 12222029 · Jul 31, 2008
Division 11283724 · Nov 22, 2005
Continuation PCTJP2004007415 · May 24, 2004
Related Publication 20130250258A1 · Sep 26, 2013