Re-flow and buffer system for immersion lithography
AssigneesASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.
InventorsHarry Sewell, Erik Theodorus Maria Bijlaart, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Louis John Markoya, Diane McCafferty, Ralph Joseph Meijers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system is disclosed to isolate an environmental chamber of an immersion lithographic apparatus, to which an immersion fluid comprising liquid, is provided from an external environment. Further, there is disclosed a system for measuring flow rate and/or vapor concentration of a gas using a transducer to send and/or receive an acoustic signal.
Claims35
An immersion lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- an environmental chamber enclosing at least part of a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, the substrate being supported on a substrate table, and enclosing at least part of the substrate table;
- an immersion fluid handling system configured to provide an immersion fluid, comprising liquid, in the environmental chamber;
- and
- an environmental conditioning system configured to isolate the environmental chamber from an external environment.
A method, comprising:
- projecting a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate using a projection system, the substrate being supported on a substrate table;
- providing an immersion fluid, comprising liquid, to an environmental chamber enclosing at least part of the projection system and enclosing the substrate or at least part of the substrate table;
- and
- isolating the environmental chamber from an external environment using an environmental conditioning system.
The method of claim 27, further comprising regulating an atmosphere within the environmental chamber or confining immersion liquid vapor within the environmental chamber.
The method of any of claims 27, further comprising conditioning the atmosphere in the environmental chamber using an inert gas.
The method of claim 27, further comprising conditioning the atmosphere in the environmental chamber to substantially saturate the atmosphere with immersion liquid vapor.
The method of claim 27, further comprising regulating a temperature of the atmosphere in the environmental chamber.
A lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate table configured to support a substrate;
- a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
- a structure configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate and/or substrate table;
- and
- an environmental isolating system configured to isolate liquid provided by the structure and vapor of the liquid from an external environment.
An immersion lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate table being configured to supported a substrate;
- a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
- and
- an environmental conditioning system configured to isolate an isolated environment from an external environment, the isolated environment comprising at least part of the projection system, and at least part of the substrate table, and to provide to the isolated environment an inert gas substantially saturated with immersion liquid vapor.
The immersion lithographic apparatus of claim 43, further comprising a structure in the isolated environment, the structure configured to supply immersion liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate or substrate table.
A method, comprising:
- projecting a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate using a projection system, the substrate being supported on a substrate table;
- isolating an isolated environment from an external environment, the isolated environment comprising at least part of the projection system and at least part of the substrate table;
- and
- providing an immersion liquid vapor to the isolated environment.
An immersion lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a substrate table configured to support a substrate;
- a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of said substrate;
- an environmental chamber enclosing at least part of the substrate table and at least part of the projection system, during operation the enclosed portions of the substrate table being in contact with an immersion liquid, the environmental chamber being isolated from an external environment;
- and
- an immersion fluid handling system configured to provide an inert gas substantially saturated with immersion liquid vapor to the environmental chamber.
An apparatus for use in immersion lithography, the apparatus comprising:
- a substrate table configured to support a substrate;
- an environmental chamber enclosing at least a part of the substrate table, during operation the enclosed portions of the substrate table being in contact with an immersion liquid, the environmental chamber being isolated from an external environment;
- and
- an immersion fluid handling system configured to provide an inert gas substantially saturated with immersion liquid vapor to the environmental chamber.
A system, comprising:
- a first transducer configured to transmit a first acoustic signal;
- a second transducer configured to receive the first acoustic signal;
- a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a gas between the first and second transducers;
- a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the gas;
- and
- control logic configured to measure a first time period between sending and receiving the first acoustic signal and to determine a vapor concentration in the gas based on a distance between the first and second transducers, the first time period, the temperature of the gas, and the pressure of the gas.
A system, comprising:
- a speaker configured to transmit an acoustic signal;
- a metal plate configured to reflect the acoustic signal back to the speaker;
- a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of a gas located between the speaker and the metal plate;
- a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure of the gas;
- and
- control logic configured to measure a time period between sending the acoustic signal from the speaker to be reflected from the metal plate and receiving the acoustic signal back at the speaker and to determine a vapor concentration in the gas based on a distance between the speaker and the metal plate, the time period, the temperature of the gas, and the pressure of the gas.
A method, comprising:
- sending a first acoustic signal from a first transducer;
- receiving the first acoustic signal at a second transducer;
- measuring a first time period between sending and receiving of the first acoustic signal;
- measuring a temperature of a gas between the first and second transducers;
- measuring a pressure of the gas;
- and
- determining a vapor concentration in the gas based on a distance between the first and second transducers, the first time period, the temperature, and the pressure of the gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.