Method for the protection of an optical element, lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsLevinus Bakker, Frank Schuurmans
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for the protection of an optical element of a lithographic apparatus including the optical element and a source of radiation includes providing a material including one or more elements selected from B, C, Si, Ge and/or Sn, and arranging the material such that the source, in use, causes removal of at least part of the material, thereby providing depositable material, and such that at least part of the depositable material deposits on the optical element.
Claims27
A method for the protection of an optical element of a lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- providing a material comprising one or more elements selected from B, C, Si, Ge and/or Sn;
- and
- generating radiation from a source of radiation to cause removal of at least part of the material, wherein at least part of the removed material is deposited on the optical element.
A method for the protection of an optical element for a lithographic apparatus, the lithographic apparatus including a source of radiation, and one or more parts selected from the group comprising a gas barrier, a support, an apparatus wall, a wall of a chamber of the source of radiation, and an edge of an aperture, the method comprising:
- a) operating the source of radiation to generate a plasma comprising Sn, so as to provide a Sn deposition on the one or more parts;
- b) providing the optical element to the apparatus;
- and
- c) operating the source of radiation to generate a plasma comprising Sn, so as to provide a Sn deposition to the optical element.
A device manufacturing method through use of a lithographic apparatus having an optical element and a radiation source, the apparatus including a material comprising one or more elements selected from a group comprising B, C, Si, Ge and/or Sn, the method comprising:
- generating a radiation beam with radiation from the source of radiation;
- patterning the radiation beam;
- projecting the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
- and
- removing at least part of the material by operation of the source, wherein at least part of the removed material deposits on the optical element.
A lithographic apparatus. comprising:
- an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
- a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
- a substrate table configured to hold a substrate;
- a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
- an optical element;
- a source of radiation;
- one or more parts of the lithographic apparatus selected from a group comprising i) a gas barrier, ii) the support, iii) an apparatus wall, iv) a wall of a chamber of the source of radiation, v) an electrode, and vi) an edge of an aperture, having a deposition comprising one or more elements selected from B, C, Si, Ge and/or Sn, wherein the deposition has a layer thickness of 5-200 μm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.