Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7948604
Timestamp: 2014-03-17 04:26:58
Document Index: 76511865

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2002', 'Application No. 2003', 'Application No. 2003', 'Application No. 200380105396', 'Application No. 2007101383468', 'Application No. 092134802', 'Application No. 03812697', 'Application No. 200704276', 'Application No. 2007101383468']

Patent US7948604 - Exposure apparatus and method for producing device - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsAn exposure apparatus, wherein exposure is carried out while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with a liquid, enables to suppress deterioration of a pattern image caused by any bubble in the liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a liquid supply unite 1 which fills...http://www.google.com/patents/US7948604?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7948604 - Exposure apparatus and method for producing deviceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7948604 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/144,827Publication dateMay 24, 2011Filing dateJun 6, 2005Priority dateDec 10, 2002Also published asUS20050219490, US20070024832Publication number11144827, 144827, US 7948604 B2, US 7948604B2, US-B2-7948604, US7948604 B2, US7948604B2InventorsSoichi OwaOriginal AssigneeNikon CorporationExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (112), Non-Patent Citations (31), Classifications (7), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetExposure apparatus and method for producing deviceUS 7948604 B2Abstract An exposure apparatus, wherein exposure is carried out while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with a liquid, enables to suppress deterioration of a pattern image caused by any bubble in the liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a liquid supply unite 1 which fills at least a part of the space between the projection optical system and the substrate with a liquid 50, and exposes the substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via the projection optical system. The liquid supply unite 1 includes a degassing unit 21 which suppresses the generation of the bubble in the liquid 50. Images(10) Claims(56)
CROSS-REFERENCE This application is a Continuation Application of International Application No. PCT/JP03/015407 which was filed on Dec. 2, 2003 claiming the conventional priority of Japanese patent Application No. 2002-357961 filed on Dec. 10, 2002, No. 2003-002820 filed on Jan. 9, 2003, and No. 2003-049367 filed on Feb. 26, 2003.
R=k1�λ/NA (1) δ=�k2�λ/NA 2 (2)
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made taking the foregoing circumstances into consideration, an object of which is to provide an exposure apparatus which makes it possible to suppress the deterioration of a pattern image which would be otherwise caused by any bubble in a liquid when the exposure process is performed while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with the liquid, and a method for producing a device based on the use of the exposure apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION An explanation will be made below about the exposure apparatus and the method for producing the device according to the present invention with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a schematic arrangement illustrating an embodiment of the exposure apparatus of the present invention.
First Embodiment With reference to FIG. 1, an exposure apparatus EX comprises a mask stage MST which supports a mask M, a substrate stage PST which supports a substrate P, an illumination optical system IL which illuminates, with an exposure light beam EL, the mask M supported by the mask stage MST, a projection optical system PL which performs projection exposure for the substrate P supported by the substrate stage PST with an image of a pattern of the mask M illuminated with the exposure light beam EL, and a control unit CONT which collectively controls the overall operation of the exposure apparatus EX.
Second Embodiment Next, an explanation will be made with reference to FIG. 5 about a second embodiment of the exposure apparatus EX of the present invention. In the following description, the same or equivalent constitutive parts as those of the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, any explanation of which is simplified or omitted. The characteristic feature of this embodiment is that a pressure-reducing unit 23 is provided in place of the heating unit 21.
The degassing level of the liquid 50 to be supplied to the space between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P, i.e., the concentration of dissolved gas of the liquid 50 may be determined depending on the condition of use of the liquid 50 (for example, the exposure condition). In the case of the liquid immersion exposure, the temperature of the liquid 50 disposed between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P is entirely or partially raised during the exposure due to the radiation of the exposure light beam EL or the heat of the substrate P heated by the radiation of the exposure light beam EL. The increase in the temperature of the liquid 50 differs, for example, depending on the intensity of the exposure light beam EL, which is about several degrees (1 to 3� C.). However, if the degassing level of the liquid 50 is low, there is such a possibility that the gas, which has been dissolved in the liquid 50, may be converted into the generated bubble due to the increase in the temperature of the liquid 50. Therefore, it is necessary to set the degassing level of the liquid 50 so that the bubble is not generated even when the increase in the temperature arises in the liquid 50 between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P. For example, as described above, when the liquid, which is temperature-controlled to about 23� C., is supplied to the space between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P, the degassing level may be set so that the bubble is not generated, for example, even when the temperature of the liquid is raised to 30� C., in view of the safety. Specifically, the degassing level of the liquid 50, i.e., of water may be set to be not more than the saturation amount of air dissolved in water at 30� C., i.e., 0.016 cm3/cm3 (not more than 13 ppm for N2 and not more than 7.8 ppm for O2 as expressed by the mass ratio). The expression �cm3/cm3� indicates the volume cm3 of air dissolved in 1 cm3 of water.
Third Embodiment An explanation will be made with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 about a third embodiment of the exposure apparatus EX of the present invention. The exposure apparatus of this embodiment is provided with a membrane degassing unit 24 and a heating unit 25 as shown in FIG. 6 in place of the heating unit of the liquid supply unit in the first embodiment. In the following description, the same or equivalent constitutive parts as those of the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, any explanation of which is simplified or omitted.
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