Abstract:
The present invention relates to a substrate transporting method that transports substrates such as wafers or reticles, a substrate transport apparatus, and an exposure apparatus for use in lithography of, for example, semiconductor integrated circuits, and it is an object of the present invention to efficiently heat a substrate. Furthermore, a substrate transporting method that, after transporting a substrate disposed in the ambient atmosphere into a vacuum chamber and drawing a vacuum therein, transports the substrate to a stage apparatus disposed in a vacuum atmosphere, comprises the step of: transporting the substrate, which is disposed in the ambient atmosphere, to the stage apparatus in a state wherein the substrate is held by a holding means, which can regulate the temperature of the substrate.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a substrate transporting method that transports substrates such as wafers or reticles, a substrate transport apparatus, and an exposure apparatus for use in lithography of, for example, semiconductor integrated circuits. The present invention more particularly relates to an exposure apparatus that uses, for example, X-rays or a charged particle beam, such as an electron beam or an ion beam, to perform exposure in a vacuum.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In an apparatus, such as an electron beam exposure apparatus, that performs exposure in a vacuum atmosphere, a load chamber or a chamber called a load lock chamber is provided between the exposure apparatus main body and a preprocessing apparatus, such as a prealigner. A vacuum pump is provided to the load lock chamber as an accessory so that a vacuum can be drawn in the chamber. With a load lock chamber, masks (reticles), wafers (sensitive substrates), or the like are received from the preprocessing apparatus under normal pressure and a vacuum is drawn inside the chamber, after which they are transported to the inside of the exposure apparatus.  
         [0003]     Furthermore, when evacuating the load lock chamber in such an operation, the temperature of the masks or the wafers therein drops to approximately 2°-4° C. due to the adiabatic expansion of a gas. When the temperature drops in this manner, there are cases wherein the masks, the wafers, or the like warp due to the change in temperature. For example, with a silicon wafer that has a diameter of 200 mm, a 1° C. temperature change causes a dimensional change of approximately 0.5 μm. Thus, if the dimensions of the masks or wafers change, the dimensions of the patterns will change, which makes it impossible to obtain highly accurate patterns. Accordingly, it is necessary, for example, to stand by for several tens of minutes until the temperature rises to its original value and to perform realignment any number of times before performing the exposure.  
         [0004]     An exposure apparatus that solves such problems is conventionally known in the art as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-234268, wherein, prior to evacuating a load lock chamber, the temperature of masks, wafers, or the like is pre-raised by heating them with a heating wire, which is embedded in a robot arm.  
         [0000]     Patent Document 1  
         [0005]     Japanese Published Unexamined Patent Application No. 2003-234268  
       DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION  
       [0000]     Problems Solved by the Invention  
         [0006]     Nevertheless, because the exposure apparatus discussed above heats substrates, such as masks or wafers, with a heating wire that is embedded in a robot arm, there is a problem in that the substrates cannot be heated when they are not being transported by the robot arm, which makes it difficult to heat the substrates efficiently.  
         [0007]     The present invention considers the problems of the conventional art, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a substrate transporting method and a substrate transport apparatus that can efficiently heat substrates. It is another object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus that uses this substrate transport apparatus.  
         [0000]     Means for Solving the Problems  
         [0008]     A substrate transporting method according to a first aspect of the invention is a substrate transporting method that, after transporting a substrate disposed in the ambient atmosphere into a vacuum chamber and drawing a vacuum therein, transports the substrate to a stage apparatus disposed in a vacuum atmosphere, comprising the step of: transporting the substrate, which is disposed in the ambient atmosphere, to the stage apparatus in a state wherein the substrate is held by a holding means, which can regulate the temperature of the substrate.  
         [0009]     A substrate transporting method according to a second aspect of the invention is a substrate transporting method according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the holding means sets a first temperature so that, when the temperature of the substrate is raised to the first temperature before drawing a vacuum around the substrate, and, after drawing a vacuum around the substrate, is subsequently raised to a target temperature, the substrate temperature when it drops is lower than the target temperature.  
         [0010]     A substrate transporting method according to a third aspect of the invention is a substrate transporting method according to the first aspect of the invention, wherein the holding means is detachable from the stage apparatus.  
         [0011]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a fourth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus that, after transporting a substrate disposed in the ambient atmosphere, into a vacuum chamber and drawing a vacuum therein, transports the substrate to a stage apparatus disposed in a vacuum atmosphere, comprising: a holding means that holds the substrate; and a transporting means that transports the substrate, which is disposed in the ambient atmosphere, to the stage apparatus in a state wherein the substrate is held by the holding means; wherein, the holding means comprises a temperature regulating means that regulates the temperature of the substrate.  
         [0012]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a fifth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein: the temperature regulating means sets a first temperature so that, when the temperature of the substrate is raised to the first temperature before drawing a vacuum around the substrate, and, after drawing a vacuum around the substrate, is subsequently raised to a target temperature, the substrate temperature when it drops is lower than the target temperature.  
         [0013]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a sixth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the holding means is detachable from the stage apparatus.  
         [0014]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a seventh aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the holding means comprises: an electrostatic chuck that detachably holds the substrate; and a power supplying means that supplies electric power to the electrostatic chuck.  
         [0015]     A substrate transport apparatus according to an eighth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the temperature regulating means comprises: an electric heater that heats the substrate; a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the substrate; a controlling means that controls the temperature of the substrate based on a signal from the temperature sensor; and a power supplying means that supplies electric power to the electric heater.  
         [0016]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a ninth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the seventh aspect of the invention, wherein the power supplying means is a storage battery that is disposed in the electrostatic chuck.  
         [0017]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a tenth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the ninth aspect of the invention, comprising a charging means for charging the storage battery.  
         [0018]     A substrate transport apparatus according to an eleventh aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the substrate is exposed while it is held by the holding means as is.  
         [0019]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a twelfth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein with the substrate held by the holding means as is after the exposure is complete, the substrate is transported to the location where it was transferred in order to be held by the holding means.  
         [0020]     A substrate transport apparatus according to a thirteenth aspect of the invention is a substrate transport apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein the transporting means, which transfers the substrate to the holding means, is used to transfer the holding means at least in one part of the section through which it is transported.  
         [0021]     An exposure apparatus according to a fourteenth aspect of the invention comprises: an illumination optical system; a stage apparatus, which is disposed inside a vacuum apparatus; a transport robot that transports a substrate to a holding means, which adjusts the temperature of the substrate; a transport robot that transports the holding means, whereon the substrate is mounted, to the stage apparatus, which is disposed inside a vacuum atmosphere; and a temperature regulating means that regulates the temperature of the substrate.  
         [0022]     An exposure apparatus according to a fifteenth aspect of the invention is an exposure apparatus according to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, wherein the holding means comprises: an electrostatic chuck that detachably holds the substrate; and a power supplying means that supplies electric power to the electrostatic chuck.  
         [0023]     An exposure apparatus according to a sixteenth aspect of the invention is an exposure apparatus according to the fourteenth aspect of the invention, wherein the temperature regulating means comprises: an electric heater that heats the substrate; a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the substrate; a controlling means that controls the temperature of the substrate based on a signal from the temperature sensor; and a power supplying means that supplies electric power to the electric heater.  
         [0000]     Effects of the Invention  
         [0024]     The substrate transporting method and the substrate transport apparatus of the present invention can efficiently heat substrates.  
         [0025]     The exposure apparatus of the present invention can improve throughput by reducing the time that substrate temperature is controlled. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  is an explanatory diagram that shows an exposure apparatus wherein one embodiment of a substrate transport apparatus of the present invention is provided.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  is an explanatory diagram that shows the details of a wafer holder shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  is an explanatory diagram that shows wafer temperature control, which is performed by a CPU.  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is an explanatory diagram that shows the details of an optical system of the exposure apparatus shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0030]     The following explains the details of the embodiments of the present invention, referencing the drawings.  
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a plan view that schematically shows an exposure apparatus wherein one embodiment of a substrate transport apparatus of the present invention is provided.  
         [0032]     With the present exposure apparatus, a wafer stage  13  is disposed in a wafer stage chamber  11 . A wafer prealignment chamber  15  is coupled to the wafer stage chamber  11 . A wafer prealigner  17  and a vacuum robot arm  19  are disposed in the wafer prealignment chamber  15 .  
         [0033]     A load lock chamber  23  is coupled to the wafer prealignment chamber  15  via a gate valve  21 . A wafer prealignment chamber  27  is coupled to the load lock chamber  23  via a gate valve  25 . The wafer prealignment chamber  27  is open to the ambient atmosphere. A vacuum pump (not shown) is provided to the load lock chamber  23  in order to draw a vacuum inside the chamber.  
         [0034]     A wafer prealigner  29  is disposed in the wafer prealignment chamber  27 . In addition, an ambient atmosphere robot arm  31  is disposed between the wafer prealigner  29  and the gate valve  25 . An ambient atmosphere robot arm  33  is disposed on the outer side of the wafer prealignment chamber  27 . A wafer cassette  35  and a wafer holder detachable stocker  37  are disposed on the outer side of the ambient atmosphere robot arm  33 .  
         [0035]     With the present embodiment, a wafer holder  39  is housed in the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 . Furthermore, the transport and exposure of a wafer W are performed in a state wherein the wafer W is continuously held by the wafer holder  39 .  
         [0036]      FIG. 2  shows a detailed cross sectional view of the wafer holder  39 .  
         [0037]     The wafer holder  39  comprises an electrostatic chuck  41  and a holder main body  43 . The electrostatic chuck  41  is joined to an upper surface of the wafer holder  39 .  
         [0038]     The electrostatic chuck  41  comprises an electrode  45 , an electric heater  47 , and a temperature sensor  49 . The electrode  45  generates static electricity for chucking the wafer W. The electric heater  47  heats the wafer W. The temperature sensor  49  measures the temperature of the wafer W.  
         [0039]     The holder main body  43  comprises a storage battery  51 , a charging terminal  53 , a power supply switch  55 , and a CPU  57 . The storage battery  51  supplies the electricity that is needed inside the wafer holder  39 . The charging terminal  53  is connected to the storage battery  51  and charges such with electricity that is supplied from an external power supply terminal, which is discussed later. Turning the power supply switch  55  on and off turns the CPU  57  on and off. In a state wherein the power supply switch  55  is turned on, an urging means (not shown) projects the power supply switch  55  from the holder main body  43 . Furthermore, the power supply switch  55  transitions back to the off state if pressed.  
         [0040]     Turning the power supply switch  55  on starts the operation of the CPU  57 , which controls the operation of the wafer holder  39 . Namely, when the power supply switch  55  is turned on, the CPU  57  impresses a prescribed voltage to the electrode  45  in order to chuck the wafer W to the electrostatic chuck  41 . Furthermore, turning the power supply switch  55  off terminates the impression of the voltage on the electrode  45 . In addition, a temperature signal from the temperature sensor  49  is input to the CPU  57 , which controls the temperature of the wafer W as shown in  FIG. 3  by turning the electric heater  47  on and off based on this temperature signal.  
         [0041]     With the exposure apparatus discussed above, the transport of the wafer W to the inside of the wafer stage chamber  11  is performed as discussed below. The transport is performed in a state wherein the wafer W is continuously held by the wafer holder  39 .  
         [0042]     First, the ambient atmosphere robot arm  33  retrieves one of a plurality of wafers W that is inside the wafer cassette  35  and transports it to the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 . The wafer holder  39  is housed inside the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 . In this housed state, the power supply switch  55  of the wafer holder  39  is pressed by the inner surface of the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 , and the power supply switch  55  thereby transitions to the off state. In addition, the storage battery  51  of the wafer holder  39  is precharged. In the present embodiment, an external power supply terminal  59 , which is connected to the charging terminal  53  of the wafer holder  39 , is provided to the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 . Thus, by housing the wafer holder  39  in the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 , the storage battery  51  is charged automatically.  
         [0043]     Next, the ambient atmosphere robot arm  33  mounts the wafer W on the upper surface of the electrostatic chuck  41  of the wafer holder  39 . Furthermore, an arm bar  33   a  (refer to  FIG. 2 ) of the ambient atmosphere robot arm  33  lifts the wafer holder  39 , whereupon the pressing of the power supply switch  55  by the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  is released and the power supply switch  55  is thereby turned on.  
         [0044]     When the power supply switch  55  transitions to the on state, the operation of the CPU  57  starts. Thereby, a voltage is impressed upon the electrode  45 , which chucks the wafer W to the electrostatic chuck  41 . In addition, the temperature signal from the temperature sensor  49  is input to the CPU  57 , which controls the temperature of the wafer W as shown in  FIG. 3  by turning the electric heater  47  on and off based on this temperature signal. Furthermore, the relevant details are discussed later.  
         [0045]     Next, the ambient atmosphere robot arm  33  retrieves the wafer holder  39  inside the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  and transports it to the wafer prealigner  29 . At the wafer prealigner  29 , a detector  61  detects a mark (notch) for aligning the wafer W. Furthermore, the wafer holder  39  is aligned so that the alignment mark is at a prescribed position.  
         [0046]     After alignment is complete, the ambient atmosphere robot arm  31  retrieves the wafer holder  39 . Furthermore, the gate valve  25  of the load lock chamber  23  opens and the ambient atmosphere robot arm  31  transports the wafer holder  39  to the inside of the load lock chamber  23 .  
         [0047]     Moreover, with the present embodiment, the CPU  57  heats the wafer W as shown in  FIG. 3  by energizing the electric heater  47  of the wafer holder  39  while the wafer holder  39  is transported from the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  to the inside of the load lock chamber  23 . Furthermore, the relevant details are discussed later.  
         [0048]     Because the wafer W is heated as discussed above, the temperature of the wafer W, which was transported to the load lock chamber  23 , rises just to a prescribed temperature. Thereafter, the gate valve  25  closes and a vacuum is drawn until the interior of the load lock chamber  23  reaches a target degree of vacuum. When the load lock chamber  23  is evacuated, the temperature of the wafer W drops as shown in  FIG. 3 . Furthermore, the hatched arrows in the figure indicate the movement pathways of the ambient atmosphere robot arms  33 ,  31 .  
         [0049]     When the interior of the load lock chamber  23  reaches the prescribed degree of vacuum, the gate valve  21  between the load lock chamber  23  and the wafer prealignment chamber  15  opens. Furthermore, the vacuum robot arm  19 , which is provided to the wafer prealignment chamber  15 , retrieves the wafer holder  39  from the load lock chamber  23 . The retrieved wafer holder  39  is transported to the wafer prealigner  17 , after which the gate valve  21  is closed. At the wafer prealigner  17 , a detector  63  thereof detects the mark (notch) for aligning the wafer W. Furthermore, the wafer holder  39  is aligned so that the alignment mark coincides with a prescribed position.  
         [0050]     When the alignment of the wafer holder  39  is complete, the vacuum robot arm  19  transports the wafer holder  39  from the wafer prealignment chamber  15  to the wafer stage chamber  11 . A holding member (not shown), such as an electrostatic chuck, is provided to the wafer stage  13  inside the wafer stage chamber  11 , and the wafer W is fixed to the holding member (not shown) along with the wafer holder  39 . Furthermore, the outline arrows in the figure indicate the movement pathways of the vacuum robot arm  19 .  
         [0051]     Furthermore, the wafer W is aligned in this state and then exposed. After exposure is complete, the wafer W and the wafer holder  39  are transported to the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  in the reverse direction of the movement pathways, and the wafer W is housed in the wafer cassette  35 , thus completing the sequence of the operation.  
         [0052]      FIG. 3  schematically shows the relationship between time and the temperature of the wafer W when the wafer holder  39  is transported in a state wherein it is holding the wafer W.  
         [0053]     When the wafer holder  39 , whereon the wafer W is mounted, is lifted from the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 , the power supply switch  55  is turned on and the CPU  57  starts temperature control of the wafer W. First, the CPU  57  heats the wafer W by turning the electric heater  47  on. A signal from the temperature sensor  49  is input to the CPU  57 , which turns the electric heater  47  off when the temperature of the wafer W that is detected by the temperature sensor  49  reaches a first temperature t 1 .  
         [0054]     Thereafter, the wafer W is transported to the load lock chamber  23  and, when a vacuum is drawn inside the load lock chamber  23 , the temperature of the wafer W drops due to adiabatic cooling and reaches a temperature t 2  that is slightly lower than a target temperature t 0 . When the temperature of the wafer W detected by the temperature sensor  49  has stopped falling, the CPU  57  once again heats the wafer W by turning the electric heater  47  on at temperature t 2 , which is. Furthermore, when the temperature of the wafer W detected by the temperature sensor  49  reaches the target temperature t 0 , the CPU  57  turns the electric heater  47  off.  
         [0055]     The first temperature t 1  discussed above is preset in the CPU  57  based on the relationship between the ultimate target temperature t 0  of the wafer W and a predicted value, which is previously derived, of the wafer W temperature drop that is caused by the drawing of a vacuum in the load lock chamber  23 . In the present embodiment, the first temperature t 1  is set to a temperature so as to ensure that the temperature that is expected at the point in time when the temperature of the wafer W drops as a result of the drawing of a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber is slightly lower than the target temperature t 0 . Setting the first temperature t 1  to such a temperature makes it possible to bring the temperature of the wafer W to the target temperature t 0  by heating the wafer W once again using the electric heater  47  in a state wherein the wafer W is disposed in a vacuum by the load lock chamber  23 . Accordingly, it is possible to control the temperature of the wafer W by using just the electric heater  47 .  
         [0056]     With the substrate transport apparatus discussed above, the wafer W, which is disposed in the ambient atmosphere, is transported to the wafer stage  13  in a state wherein the wafer W is held by the wafer holder  39 , which can regulate the temperature of the wafer W; therefore, it is possible to heat the wafer W at an arbitrary position while it is being transported to the wafer stage  13 , and thereby to heat the wafer W efficiently.  
         [0057]     In addition, because the wafer holder  39  is detachable from the wafer stage  13 , if particles adhere to the wafer holder  39 , it is possible to easily and reliably clean it by detaching it from the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 . Furthermore, a plurality of wafer holders  39  is available. Accordingly, it is also possible to transport a plurality of wafers W and to immediately replace a wafer holder  39  should it become contaminated.  
       Details of the Exposure Apparatus  
       [0058]      FIG. 4  shows the details of an optical system of the exposure apparatus discussed above. This exposure apparatus is a charged particle beam (electron beam) exposure apparatus.  
         [0059]     With the present exposure apparatus, an illumination optical system lens barrel  101  is disposed at the upper part of an exposure apparatus  100 . A vacuum pump  102  is connected to this illumination optical system lens barrel  101  and evacuates such. An electron gun  103  is disposed at the upper part of the illumination optical system lens barrel  101  and radiates an electron beam downward. A condenser lens  104   a  and an electron beam deflector  104   b,  which constitute an illumination optical system  104 , are disposed below the electron gun  103 . Furthermore, the condenser lens  104   a  in the figure is one stage, but the illumination optical system is actually provided with, for example, multiple stages of lenses and beam forming apertures.  
         [0060]     A reticle chamber  118 , which is mounted on a base plate  116 , is disposed at a lower part of the illumination optical system lens barrel  101 . A vacuum pump (not shown) evacuates the reticle chamber  118 . A reticle stage  111  is disposed on the base plate  116  inside the reticle chamber  118 . A reticle R is fixed by, for example, electrostatically chucking it to a chuck  110 , which is provided at the upper part of the reticle stage  111 . A drive apparatus  112 , which is shown on the left side in the figure, is connected to the reticle stage  111 . Furthermore, the actual drive apparatus  112  is incorporated in the reticle stage  111 . The drive apparatus  112  is connected to a control apparatus  115  via a driver  114 .  
         [0061]     A laser interferometer  113 , which is shown on the right side in the figure, is provided to the reticle stage  111  as an accessory. The laser interferometer  113  is connected to the control apparatus  115 . When the positional information of the reticle stage  111 , which is measured by the laser interferometer  113 , is input to the control apparatus  115 , a command is sent from the control apparatus  115  to the driver  114 , which drives the drive apparatus  112 , in order to set the position of the reticle stage  111  at the target position. As a result, it is possible to reliably perform feedback control of the position of the reticle stage  111  in real time.  
         [0062]     The electron beam that is radiated from the electron gun  103  of the illumination optical system lens barrel  101  is converged by the condenser lens  104   a.  Continuing, successive scans by the deflector  104   b  in the transverse direction of the figure illuminates each subfield of the reticle R, which is chucked on the reticle stage  111  inside the reticle chamber  118  (in the visual field of the optical system).  
         [0063]     A projection optical system lens barrel  121  is disposed on the lower surface side of the base plate  116 . A vacuum pump  122  is connected to the projection optical system lens barrel  121  and evacuates such. A projection optical system  124 , which includes a condenser lens (projection lens)  124   a  and a deflector  124   b,  and the wafer W are disposed inside the projection optical system lens barrel  121 . Furthermore, the condenser lens  124   a  in the figure is one stage, but the actual projection optical system  124  is provided with multiple stages of lenses, aberration correcting lenses, coils, and the like.  
         [0064]     The wafer stage chamber  11 , which is mounted on a base plate  136 , is disposed at the lower part of the projection optical system lens barrel  121 . A vacuum pump (not shown) evacuates the wafer stage chamber  11 . The wafer stage  13  is disposed on the base plate  136  inside the wafer stage chamber  11 .  
         [0065]     The wafer holder  39  (discussed above), which holds the wafer W, is fixed by electrostatically chucking it to an electrostatic chuck  13   a,  which is provided to the upper part of the wafer stage  13 . A drive apparatus  132 , which is shown on the left side of the figure, is connected to the wafer stage  13 . Furthermore, the actual drive apparatus  132  is incorporated inside the wafer stage  13 . The drive apparatus  132  is connected to the control apparatus  115  via a driver  134 .  
         [0066]     A laser interferometer  133 , which is shown on the right side of the figure, is provided to the wafer stage  13  as an accessory. The laser interferometer  133  is connected to the control apparatus  115 . When the positional information of the wafer stage  13 , which is measured by the laser interferometer  133 , is input to the control apparatus  115 , a command is sent from the control apparatus  115  to the driver  134 , which drives the drive apparatus  132 , in order to set the position of the wafer stage  13  at the target position. As a result, it is possible to reliably perform feedback control of the position of the wafer stage  13  in real time.  
         [0067]     The electron beam, which passes through the reticle R on the reticle stage  111  inside the reticle chamber  118 , is converged by the condenser lens  124   a  inside the projection optical system lens barrel  121 . The electron beam, which passes through the condenser lens  124   a,  is deflected by the deflector  124   b  and an image of the reticle R is formed at a prescribed position on the wafer W. Thereby, the wafer W is exposed.  
       Supplementary Points Concerning the Embodiments  
       [0068]     The above explained the present invention based on the embodiments discussed above, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to those embodiments and may encompass, for example, the following types of modes.  
         [0069]     (1) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the present invention is adapted to the transport of a wafer W, but the present invention can be widely adapted to the transport of substrates such as reticles (masks).  
         [0070]     (2) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the temperature of the wafer W is controlled by use of the electric heater  47 , which is disposed in the wafer holder  39 ; however, for example, a passageway for a refrigerant, such as a liquid, may be provided to the wafer holder and the wafer temperature may be controlled by use of the refrigerant.  
         [0071]     (3) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the temperature of the wafer W is controlled by heating it; however, the temperature of the wafer can be more reliably regulated by, for example, providing a heating means that heats the wafer and a cooling means to the holder main body.  
         [0072]     (4) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the temperature of the wafer W is controlled by turning the electric heater  47  on and off, but the temperature may be controlled by controlling the value of the electric current flowing through the electric heater.  
         [0073]     (5) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the wafer W is transported along with the wafer holder  39  from the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  to the wafer stage  13 ; however, if there is a temperature differential between the exposure apparatus and inline equipment, which performs various processes, then the present invention can also be adapted to the transport of the wafer W from the inline equipment.  
         [0074]     (6) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the present invention is adapted to a charged particle beam exposure apparatus, but the present invention can be widely adapted to exposure apparatuses that perform exposure with the substrate, such as the wafer W or the reticle, contained in a vacuum atmosphere.  
         [0075]     (7) The embodiments discussed above explained an example wherein the wafer W is transported along with the wafer holder  39  from the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  to the wafer stage  13 ; however, the wafer holder detachable stocker  37  does not necessarily need to be in the ambient atmosphere, and may be disposed in a vacuum. In this case, the temperature of the wafer W and the wafer holder  39  is regulated only in a vacuum.  
         [0076]     (8) The embodiments discussed above perform charging at the wafer holder detachable stocker  37 , but charging does not necessarily need to be performed there. For example, charging may be performed on the prealigner.  
         [0077]     (9) The embodiments discussed above describe an example wherein the temperature of the wafer W is controlled by controlling the on/off states of the electric heater  47 ; however, a Peltier element may be used and the temperature may be controlled using not only heating, but also cooling.