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US 10,503,085 B2Granted
Lithography apparatus and method
AssigneeTaiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd.
InventorShih-Ming Chang
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lithography apparatus is provided. The lithography apparatus includes an exposure system and a fluid handling system. The exposure system is configured to expose an exposure area on a substrate with an energy flow. The fluid handling system is configured to provide a heat transfer fluid flowing through a non-exposure area other than the exposure area on the substrate, to take heat away from the substrate.
Claims20
A lithography apparatus, comprising:
- an exposure system configured to expose an exposure area on a substrate with an energy flow;
- and
- a fluid handling system configured to provide a heat transfer fluid flowing through a non-exposure area other than the exposure area on the substrate,
- wherein the fluid handling system includes a fluid confinement structure configured to confine the heat transfer fluid in the non-exposure area surrounding the exposure area, and the non-exposure area is greater than the exposure area, the fluid confinement structure comprising:
- an open portion through which the exposure area is exposed, and the energy flow passes through the open portion to expose the exposure area;
- and
- a solid portion surrounding the open portion and configured to confine the heat transfer fluid between a bottom surface of the solid portion and the non-exposure area,
- wherein the fluid confinement structure is configured to form two gas seals between the bottom surface and the substrate and adjacent to an inner periphery and an outer periphery of the bottom surface, respectively, to confine the heat transfer fluid in the non-exposure area and avoid leakage of the heat transfer fluid to outside of the fluid confinement structure.
5 more elements
A lithography apparatus, comprising:
- an exposure system configured to expose an exposure area on a substrate with an energy flow in an operation environment;
- and
- a fluid handling system configured such that the exposure area is exposed to the operation environment and a non-exposure area other than the exposure area on the substrate is immersed under a heat transfer fluid that is provided by the fluid handling system,
- wherein the fluid handling system includes a fluid confinement structure configured to confine the heat transfer fluid in the non-exposure area surrounding the exposure area, and the non-exposure area is greater than the exposure area, the fluid confinement structure comprising:
- an open portion through which the exposure area is exposed, and the energy flow passes through the open portion to expose the exposure area;
- and
- a solid portion surrounding the open portion and configured to confine the heat transfer fluid between a bottom surface of the solid portion and the non-exposure area,
- wherein the fluid confinement structure is configured to form two gas seals between the bottom surface and the substrate and adjacent to an inner periphery and an outer periphery of the bottom surface, respectively, to confine the heat transfer fluid in the non-exposure area and avoid leakage of the heat transfer fluid to the operation environment.
5 more elements
A lithography method, comprising:
- exposing an exposure area on a substrate with an energy flow in an operation environment;
- dispensing a heat transfer fluid onto a non-exposure area other than the exposure area on the substrate, wherein the non-exposure area is greater than the exposure area;
- forming gas seals to confine the heat transfer fluid in the non-exposure area and avoid leakage of the heat transfer fluid to the operation environment;
- and
- removing the heat transfer fluid from the substrate.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.