Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US9477153B2/en
Timestamp: 2019-07-16 12:48:29
Document Index: 380159086

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 200810095615', 'Application No. 07', 'Application No. 06252237', 'Application No. 2009', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 099129747']

US9477153B2 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - Google Patents
US9477153B2
US9477153B2 US14/484,076 US201414484076A US9477153B2 US 9477153 B2 US9477153 B2 US 9477153B2 US 201414484076 A US201414484076 A US 201414484076A US 9477153 B2 US9477153 B2 US 9477153B2
US14/484,076
US20140375973A1 (en
2012-08-20 Priority to US13/589,841 priority patent/US8860924B2/en
2014-09-11 Application filed by ASML Netherlands BV filed Critical ASML Netherlands BV
2014-09-11 Priority to US14/484,076 priority patent/US9477153B2/en
2014-09-12 Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. reassignment ASML NETHERLANDS B.V. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: DE GRAAF, ROELOF FREDERIK, DONDERS, SJOERD NICOLAAS LAMBERTUS, HOOGENDAM, CHRISTIAN ALEXANDER, JANSEN, HANS, LEENDERS, MARTINUS HENDRIKUS ANTONIUS, LIEBREGTS, PAULUS MARTINUS MARIA, MERTENS, JEROEN JOHANNES SOPHIA MARIA, RIEPEN, MICHEL, STREEFKERK, BOB, VAN DER TOORN, JAN-GERARD CORNELIS
2014-12-25 Publication of US20140375973A1 publication Critical patent/US20140375973A1/en
2016-10-25 Publication of US9477153B2 publication Critical patent/US9477153B2/en
This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/589,841, filed Aug. 20, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,860,924, which is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/120,186, filed May 3, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,248,577, the contents of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous, for example, to reduce bubble formation in and evaporation of the immersion liquid.
The support structure holds the patterning device in a manner that depends on the orientation of the patterning device, the design of the lithographic apparatus, and other conditions, such as for example whether or not the patterning device is held in a vacuum environment, The support structure can use mechanical, vacuum, electrostatic or other clamping techniques to hold the patterning device. The support structure may be a frame or a table, for example, which may be fixed or movable as required. The support structure may ensure that the patterning device is at a desired position, for example with respect to the projection system. Any use of the terms “reticle” or “mask” herein may be considered synonymous with the more general term “patterning device.”
Bubbles may be formed in the immersion liquid due to movement of the substrate W and substrate table WT beneath the projection system PL and the substantially stationary liquid confinement system such as that illustrated in FIG. 4 or FIG. 5. In particular, when an edge of the substrate W passes under the space occupied by immersion liquid 11, bubbles may be formed in the immersion liquid and thereby reduce the imaging quality of the apparatus
Other types of liquid confinement structure 12 may be used. For example, the gas seal may be replaced by a combination of a single phase extractor, a recess and a gas knife as is described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/098,615, filed 5 Apr. 2005, hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. Alternatively, a gas seal may be replaced by a hydrostatic or hydrodynamic bearing as is described in U.S. patent application publication no. US 2005-018155, each of which are hereby incorporated in their entirety by reference
The surface 20 of the liquid confinement structure 12 which defines the space 10 in which the liquid is confined is shaped to transfer smoothly from the shape of the upper opening 60 to the lower opening 40 and accommodates the shape of the final element of the projection system and allows some relative movement of the confinement system as is described in European patent application publication no. EP 1477856, the contents of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety by reference. However, such a transfer can result in difficulties in the flow conditions and so, in an embodiment, the shapes of the upper and lower openings, 40, 60 are similar, at least both rectilinear. This is particularly easy to arrange for if the projection system is close to the substrate. The further the projection system is from the substrate the more circular the projection system bottom needs to be because of the greater angles (there tend to be more pupil shapes). A rectilinear situation is illustrated in FIG. 7 in which the upper opening 60 is square and the lower opening 40 is rectangular. In this arrangement, it should be easy to achieve parallel flow of immersion liquid across the target portion TP without re-circulation of immersion liquid. Re-circulation of immersion liquid is to be avoided because re-circulated immersion liquid may be heated up by the projection beam PB more than non-re-circulated immersion liquid and the variation in temperature can lead to variations in refractive index of the immersion liquid in the space
In FIG. 8, a space 10 is illustrated which has a cross-section in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate W which decreases as the substrate W is approached. This need not necessarily be the case and it may be that the upper and lower openings 40, 60 are the same or substantially the same size so that the side walls of the space defined by the liquid confinement structure 12 are parallel in cross-section. As is illustrated in FIG. 8, the rate of increase/decrease in cross-sectional area as the substrate W is left/approached is not necessarily constant and a space 10 with two gradients of inner side wall 20 is provided, a steep gradient between the substrate 20 and substantially the bottom of the projection system and another shallower gradient above that
FIG. 10 is a three dimensional illustration of the final element of the projection system in which the transition from a curved upper surface to a non-curved lower surface is clearly seen. The top half of the element is normally shaped and it is the bottom half of the element which has flat sides joined by straight edges 70 i.e. has a rectilinear cross-sectional shape in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate W
In an embodiment, there is provided a lithographic apparatus comprising: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate and having an element immediately adjacent the substrate, the element having a cross-sectional shape in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate which is rectilinear.
In an embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is similar to the shape of the target portion. In an embodiment, a bottom surface closest to the substrate of the element is curved. In an embodiment, the target portion is substantially rectangular. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the element in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate has an area which is less than 1.5 times the area of the target portion. In an embodiment, the apparatus further comprises a liquid confinement structure having a surface at least in part defining a space configured to contain a liquid between the projection system and the substrate, wherein in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate the space has a cross-section which substantially conforms in shape to the shape of the target portion. In an embodiment, the cross-section of the space has an area which is less than 1.5 times the area of the target portion. In an embodiment, the surface of the liquid confinement structure extends beyond a bottom surface closest to the substrate of the element, and, in a plane which intersects both the space and the element and which is substantially parallel to the substrate, the cross-sectional shapes and areas of the space and element closely conform.
In an embodiment, there is provided a lithographic apparatus, comprising: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and a liquid confinement structure having a surface at least in part defining a space configured to contain liquid between the projection system and the substrate, wherein in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate, at a position closest to the substrate, the space has a cross-section which substantially conforms in shape, area, or both to that of the target portion.
In an embodiment, the cross-section of the space has an area which is less than 1.5 times the area of the target portion. In an embodiment, in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate and which intersects both the space and a final element of the projection system, the periphery of the cross-section of the final element is substantially evenly surrounded by the periphery of the cross-section of the space. In an embodiment, a final element of the projection system has a cross-section in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate which substantially conforms in shape to the shape of the target portion, the cross-section of the space, or both. In an embodiment, the target portion is substantially rectangular.
In an embodiment, there is provided a lithographic apparatus, comprising: a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and a liquid confinement structure having a surface at least in part defining a space configured to contain liquid between the substrate and an element of the projection system immediately adjacent the substrate, wherein in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate an area, a shape, or both of the cross-section of the element, of the space, or both, substantially conform(s) to that of the target portion.
In an embodiment, the space is tapered such that the cross-sectional area of the space in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate reduces as the substrate is approached. In an embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the space in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate changes from a position furthest from the substrate to a position closest to the substrate, wherein at the position closest to the substrate the cross-sectional shape is substantially the same as the shape of the target portion.
In an embodiment, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising using a projection system to project on a target portion of a substrate a patterned beam of radiation, wherein an element of the projection system immediately adjacent the substrate has a cross-sectional shape in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate which is rectilinear.
In an embodiment, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising using a projection system to project on a target portion of a substrate a patterned beam of radiation, wherein a space configured to be filled with liquid between the projection system and the substrate is defined at least in part by a surface of a liquid confinement structure and wherein in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate at a position closest to the substrate the space has a cross-section which substantially conforms in shape, area, or both to that of the target portion.
In an embodiment, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising using a projection system to project on a target portion of a substrate a patterned beam of radiation, wherein a liquid is provided in a space between the projection system and the substrate and which space is defined at least in part by a surface of a liquid confinement structure and the space, an element of the projection system immediately adjacent the substrate, or both, has a cross-section in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate which conforms closely in size, shape, or both to that of the target portion.
a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam via an exposure field at the substrate, the projection system having an optical element immediately adjacent the substrate, the optical element having a radiation emitting surface adjacent the substrate, the radiation emitting surface having a cross-sectional shape in a plane parallel to the substrate that has a plurality of sides, and the optical element comprising at least two lateral surfaces, each of the at least two lateral surfaces extending diagonally upwardly from a respective side of the radiation emitting surface and two of at least two lateral surfaces joining at an edge defined by an essentially straight line extending diagonally upwardly; and
a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the optical element and the substrate table,
wherein the exposure field is not, in plan, centered under the middle of the projection system.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape is similar to the shape of the exposure field.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure field is substantially rectangular.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional shape has an area which is less than 1.5 times the area of the exposure field.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a liquid confinement structure having a surface at least in part defining the space, at least part of the liquid confinement structure extending below the radiation emitting surface of the optical element and defining an aperture, wherein, in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate, the aperture has a cross-section which substantially conforms in shape to the shape of the exposure field.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cross-section of the aperture has an area which is less than 1.5 times the area of the exposure field.
a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam via an exposure field at the substrate, the projection system having an optical element immediately adjacent the substrate, the optical element having a radiation emitting surface adjacent the substrate, the radiation emitting surface having a cross-sectional shape, in a plane parallel to the substrate, with an area that is less than 1.5 times the area of the exposure field and the optical element comprising at least two lateral surfaces, each of the at least two lateral surfaces extending diagonally upwardly from the radiation emitting surface and two of the at least two lateral surfaces joining at an edge defined by an essentially straight line extending diagonally upwardly; and
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein, in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate and which intersects both the space and the optical element of the projection system, the periphery of the cross-section of the optical element is substantially evenly surrounded by the periphery of the cross-section of the space.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the cross-sectional substantially conforms in shape to the shape of the exposure field.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the exposure field is substantially rectangular.
a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam via an exposure field at the substrate, the projection system having an optical element immediately adjacent the substrate, the optical element having a radiation emitting surface and comprising at least two lateral flat surfaces, each of the at least two flat surfaces extending diagonally upwardly from the radiation emitting surface; and
a liquid confinement structure at least in part defining a space configured to contain liquid between the substrate and the radiation emitting surface of the optical element, at least part of the liquid confinement structure extending below the radiation emitting surface of the optical element and defining an aperture, the aperture having a cross-sectional shape, in a plane parallel to the substrate, with an area that is less than 1.5 times the area of the exposure field and wherein, in a horizontal plane, there is a gap between the liquid confinement structure and each of the at least two flat surfaces so as to allow liquid therein to contact the at least two flat surfaces.
12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein at least part of the liquid confinement structure is tapered such that the cross-sectional area of the space in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate reduces as the substrate is approached.
13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the space within the liquid confinement structure in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate changes from a position furthest from the substrate to a position closest to the substrate, wherein at the position closest to the substrate the cross-sectional shape is substantially the same as the shape of the exposure field.
14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the radiation emitting surface of the optical element has a cross-sectional shape that substantially conforms to the exposure field.
15. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the exposure field is not, in plan, centered under the middle of the projection system.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein a central axis of the exposure field substantially coincides with a central axis of the radiation emitting surface.
17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the projection system is an off-axis, catadioptric projection system.
18. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a liquid confinement structure having a surface at least in part defining the space, at least part of the liquid confinement structure extending below the radiation emitting surface of the optical element and defining an aperture, wherein, in a plane substantially parallel to the substrate, the aperture has a cross-section which substantially conforms in shape to the shape of the exposure field.
19. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the projection system is an off-axis, catadioptric projection system.
20. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a central axis of the exposure field substantially coincides with a central axis of the radiation emitting surface.
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Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:STREEFKERK, BOB;DONDERS, SJOERD NICOLAAS LAMBERTUS;DE GRAAF, ROELOF FREDERIK;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:033729/0126