Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8134685?dq=5527183
Timestamp: 2016-09-30 06:04:05
Document Index: 514778138

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 52', 'art 52', 'art 52', 'art 51', 'art 51', 'art 52', 'art 52', 'art 52', 'art 52', 'art 52']

Patent US8134685 - Liquid recovery system, immersion exposure apparatus, immersion exposing ... - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA liquid recovery system is used by an immersion exposure apparatus. The liquid recovery system comprises: a plate that has a first surface and a second surface on the side opposite the first surface; and a liquid recovery part, at least part of which opposes the second surface with a first gap interposed...http://www.google.com/patents/US8134685?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8134685 - Liquid recovery system, immersion exposure apparatus, immersion exposing method, and device fabricating methodAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS8134685 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/076,331Publication dateMar 13, 2012Filing dateMar 17, 2008Priority dateMar 23, 2007Fee statusPaidAlso published asUS9013675, US20080233512, US20120133912, WO2008117808A1Publication number076331, 12076331, US 8134685 B2, US 8134685B2, US-B2-8134685, US8134685 B2, US8134685B2InventorsYasufumi Nishii, Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Takeshi OkuyamaOriginal AssigneeNikon CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (44), Non-Patent Citations (2), Referenced by (12), Classifications (6), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetLiquid recovery system, immersion exposure apparatus, immersion exposing method, and device fabricating method
US 8134685 B2Abstract
The substrate stage 2 comprises a substrate holder 2H, which holds the substrate P, and an upper surface 2T, which is disposed around the substrate holder 2H and is capable of opposing the emergent surface 5 of the last optical element 4. The substrate holder 2H is disposed in a recessed part 2C, which is provided in the substrate stage 2. The substrate holder 2H holds the substrate P so that its front surface and the XY plane are substantially parallel. The front surface of the substrate P held by the substrate holder 2H is capable of opposing the emergent surface 5 of the last optical element 4. In addition, the upper surface 2T of the substrate stage 2 is a flat surface that is substantially parallel to the XY plane. The front surface of the substrate P held by the substrate holder 2H and the upper surface 2T of the substrate stage 2 are disposed in substantially the same plane and are substantially flush with one another. The upper surface 2T is formed from a material that includes, for example, fluorine, and is therefore liquid repellent with respect to the liquid LQ. The contact angle between the upper surface 2T and the liquid LQ is, for example, 80� or greater.
In the present embodiment, the lower surface 7 of the liquid immersion member 6 comprises the first lower surface 21, the second lower surface 29, and the third lower surface 52. The first lower surface 21 is disposed so that it surrounds the optical path of the exposure light EL. The second lower surface 29 is disposed on the outer side of the first lower surface 21 with respect to the optical path of the exposure light EL so that it surrounds the optical path of the exposure light EL and the first lower surface 21. The third lower surface 52 is disposed on the outer side of the first area 29A of the second lower surface 29 with respect to the optical path of the exposure light EL so that it surrounds the optical path of the exposure light EL, the first lower surface 21, and the first area 29A of the second lower surface 29. In other words, the second lower surface 29 and the third lower surface 52 are disposed radially outside the first lower surface 21, and the third lower surface 52 is disposed radially outside the part (i.e., the first area 29A) of the second lower surface 29 As shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment, a distance D3 (the size of the gap G9) between the flat part 52A of the third lower surface 52 and the front surface of the substrate P is smaller than a distance D1 (the size of the gap G5) between the first lower surface 21 and the front surface of the substrate P. In addition, the distance D1 (the size of the gap G5) between the first lower surface 21 and the front surface of the substrate P is smaller than a distance D2 (the size of the gap G7) between the second lower surface 29 and the front surface of the substrate P.
When the substrate P is disposed at a position that opposes the lower surface 7 of the liquid immersion member 6, the liquid immersion member 6 can hold the liquid LQ between at least the first lower surface 21 and the front surface of the substrate P. In the present embodiment, at least the first lower surface 21 of the first member 12 is formed from, for example, titanium and is lyophilic with respect to the liquid LQ. For example, the contact angle between the first lower surface 21 and the liquid LQ can be less than or equal to 90�, 80�, 70�, 60�, 50�, 40�, 30�, 20�, or 10�. The contact angle preferably be less than or equal to 40�, and more preferably be less than or equal to 200. The first lower surface 21, which is lyophilic with respect to the liquid LQ and is substantially parallel to the front surface (the XY plane) of the substrate P, can continue to contact the liquid LQ of the immersion space LS even if the substrate P is moved in the X and Y directions. At least during the exposure of the substrate P, the first lower surface 21 is a liquid contact surface that contacts the liquid LQ of the immersion space LS.
In addition, the first area 29A of the second lower surface 29 is capable of contacting the liquid LQ on the substrate P, and the liquid immersion member 6 can hold the liquid LQ between the first area 29A of the second lower surface 29 and the front surface of the substrate P when the substrate P is disposed at a position that opposes the lower surface 7 of the liquid immersion member 6. In addition, the second area 29B of the second lower surface 29 is capable of contacting the liquid LQ that flows into the first gap G8. In addition, in the present embodiment, at least the portion of the second member 13 that contacts the liquid LQ is formed from, for example, titanium, and is lyophilic with respect to the liquid LQ. For example, the contact angle between the second lower surface 29 and the liquid LQ can be less than or equal to 90�, 80�, 70�, 60�, 50�, 40�, 30�, 20�, or 10�. The contact angle preferably be less than or equal to 40�, and more preferably be less than or equal to 20�.
In addition, the third lower surface 52 is capable of contacting the liquid LQ on the substrate P, and the liquid immersion member 6 can hold the liquid LQ between the third lower surface 52 and the front surface of the substrate P when the substrate P is disposed at a position that opposes the lower surface 7 of the liquid immersion member 6. In the present embodiment, the flat part 52A of the third lower surface 52 is liquid repellent with respect to the liquid LQ, and the inclined part 52B of the third lower surface 52 is lyophilic with respect to the liquid LQ. In addition, the third upper surface 51, which includes the flat part 51A and the inclined part 51B, is lyophilic with respect to the liquid LQ. In the present embodiment, the third member 14 is formed from titanium, and a film of a material that is liquid repellent with respect to the liquid LQ, such as a material that includes fluorine, is formed on the flat part 52A of the third lower surface 52. The third upper surface 51 and the inclined part 52B of the third lower surface 52 are formed from titanium. For example, the contact angle between the flat part 52A of the third lower surface 52 and the liquid LQ can be greater than or equal to 100�, 110�, 120�, 130�, or 140�. The contact angle more preferably be 110� or greater. In addition, the contact angle between the third upper surface 51 and the liquid LQ and the contact angle between the inclined part 52B of the third lower surface 52 and the liquid LQ both can be less than or equal to 90�, 80�, 70�, 60�, 50�, 40�, 30�, 20�, or 10�. The contact angle preferably be less than or equal to 40�, and more preferably be less than or equal to 20�. Furthermore, the flat part 52A of the third lower surface 52 does not have to be liquid repellent.
Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the external shape of the liquid immersion member 6 in the XY plane is a rectangle (square shape) with sides that are substantially parallel to the X axis and the Y axis as shown in, for example, FIG. 3; however, as shown in FIG. 7, the external shape of a liquid immersion member 6B in the XY plane may be a rectangle (square shape) with sides that are inclined with respect to the X axis and the Y axis. In FIG. 7, the liquid immersion member 6B comprises the substantially rectangular (slit shaped) opening 24, the longitudinal directions of which are set in the X axial directions, and the first lower surface 21, which is a rectangle (square shape) with sides that are inclined within the XY plane at approximately 45� with respect to the X axis and the Y axis. In addition, the external shapes of the second lower surface 29 and the lower surface 52 in the XY plane are rectangles (square shapes) that have sides that are inclined at approximately 45� with respect to the X axis and the Y axis.
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20080424 TO 20080508Owner name: NIKON CORPORATION, JAPANFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:NISHII, YASUFUMI;NAGASAKA, HIROYUKI;OKUYAMA, TAKESHI;SIGNING DATES FROM 20080424 TO 20080508;REEL/FRAME:021036/0772Aug 26, 2015FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services