# US 2008/0187872 A1 · Exposure apparatus

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- Number: US 2008/0187872 A1
- Document ID: US20080187872A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 12/024,332
- Filed: 2008-02-01
- Published: 2008-08-07
- Earliest claimed: 2007-02-07
- Assignees: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Izumi Tsukamoto; Hideki Nogawa
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080187872A1

## CPC

- G03F 7/70341: {Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply (chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041)}
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)

## Abstract

An exposure apparatus exposing a plurality of shot areas on a substrate to light through a liquid includes a movable stage including a chuck configured to hold the substrate and a plate arranged around of the chuck, a projection optical system configured to project a light through an original onto the substrate held by the chuck, a first liquid supply nozzle arranged along a periphery of a final optical element of the projection optical system, and a plurality of second liquid supply nozzles arranged on the stage. The exposure apparatus supplies the liquid to a gap between the final optical element and the substrate through the first liquid supply nozzle. The exposure apparatus selects a nozzle for supplying the liquid from among the plurality of the second liquid supply nozzles based on a location of an exposure shot area on the substrate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exposure apparatus for exposing a plurality of shot areas on a substrate to light through a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
a movable stage including a chuck configured to hold the substrate and a plate arranged around of the chuck;
a projection optical system configured to project a light through an original onto the substrate held by the chuck;
a first liquid supply nozzle arranged along a periphery of a final optical element of the projection optical system; and
a plurality of second liquid supply nozzles arranged on the stage;
wherein the exposure apparatus supplies the liquid to a gap between the final optical element and the substrate through the first liquid supply nozzle; and
wherein the exposure apparatus selects a nozzle for supplying the liquid from among the plurality of the second liquid supply nozzles based on a location of an exposure shot area on the substrate and supplies the liquid to a gap between the chuck and the plate using the selected second liquid supply nozzle.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the second liquid supply nozzles are arranged around of the chucks.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a level gauge configured to measure a level of the liquid in the gap between the chuck and the plate, wherein the exposure apparatus controls a supply of the liquid through the second liquid supply nozzles based on the measured liquid level.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a first liquid recovery nozzle arranged along a periphery of the final optical element of the projection optical system and a plurality of second liquid recovery nozzles arranged on the stage;
wherein the exposure apparatus recovers the liquid from the gap between the final optical element and the substrate held by the chuck through the first liquid recovery nozzle; and
wherein the exposure apparatus selects a nozzle configured to recover the liquid from the plurality of the second liquid recovery nozzles based on a location of the exposure shot area on the substrate, or based on a location of the exposure shot area on the substrate and a drive condition of the stage, and recovers the liquid from the gap between the chuck and the plate through the selected second liquid recovery nozzle.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of the second liquid recovery nozzles are arranged around of the chuck.

### Claim 6

A device manufacturing method utilizing an exposure apparatus for exposing a plurality of shot areas on a substrate to light through a liquid, the apparatus including,
a movable stage including a chuck configured to hold the substrate and a plate arranged around of the chuck;
a projection optical system configured to project a light through an original onto the substrate held by the chuck;
a first liquid supply nozzle arranged along a periphery of a final optical element of the projection optical system; and
a plurality of second liquid supply nozzles arranged on the stage;
wherein the exposure apparatus supplies the liquid to a gap between the final optical element and the substrate through the first liquid supply nozzle; and
wherein the exposure apparatus selects a nozzle for supplying the liquid from among the plurality of the second liquid supply nozzles based on a location of an exposure shot area on the substrate and supplies the liquid to a gap between the chuck and the plate using the selected second liquid supply nozzle; the method including:
exposing a substrate to light using the exposure apparatus; and developing the substrate exposed to light.

### Claim 7

An exposure apparatus for exposing a plurality of shot areas on a substrate to light through a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
a movable stage including a chuck configured to hold the substrate and a plate arranged around of the chuck;
a projection optical system configured to project a light through an original onto the substrate held by the chuck;
a first liquid supply nozzle arranged along a periphery of a final optical element of the projection optical system; and
a plurality of second liquid supply nozzles arranged on the stage;
wherein the exposure apparatus supplies the liquid to a gap between the final optical element and the substrate through the first liquid supply nozzle; and
wherein the exposure apparatus selects a nozzle for supplying the liquid from among the plurality of the second liquid supply nozzles based on a location of an exposure shot area on the substrate and a drive condition of the stage and supplies the liquid to a gap between the chuck and the plate using the selected second liquid supply nozzle.