Lithographic apparatus and a method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic apparatus
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsRaymond Wilhelmus Louis LAFARRE, Michel Riepen, Rogier Hendrikus Magdalena Cortie, Ralph Joseph Meijers, Fabrizio Evangelista
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid handling structure for a lithographic apparatus comprises a droplet controller configured to allow a droplet of immersion liquid to be lost from the structure and to prevent the droplet from colliding with the meniscus of the confined immersion liquid. The droplet controller may comprise gas knives arranged to overlap to block an incoming droplet. There may be extraction holes lined up with gaps between gas knives to extract liquid that passes through the gap. A droplet is allowed to escape through the gaps.
Claims20
An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate;
- and
- a droplet controller radially outward of the space configured to allow a droplet of immersion liquid to pass from radially inward of the droplet controller to radially outward of the droplet controller and to prevent a droplet from passing from radially outward of the droplet controller to radially inward of the droplet controller.
An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate;
- and
- a plurality of elongate gas outlet openings radially outward of the space configured to direct a gas flow toward the facing surface, wherein an adjacent pair of the elongate gas outlet openings overlap when viewed in a scanning direction of the facing surface and/or when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.
An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate;
- and
- a droplet controller radially outward of the space, the droplet controller comprising:
- a plurality of elongate gas outlet openings configured to direct a gas flow toward the facing surface;
- and
- a plurality of liquid extraction openings, each liquid extraction opening lined up, with respect to a scanning direction and/or a stepping direction of the facing structure, with a respective gap between adjacent elongate gas outlet openings.
A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- confining liquid using a confinement structure in a space between a projection system and a facing surface of a table, a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate;
- moving the facing surface relative to the projection system in a scanning direction;
- and
- manipulating a droplet of immersion liquid by:
- allowing the droplet to pass from radially inward of a droplet controller to radially outward of the droplet controller, wherein the droplet controller is radially outward of the space;
- and
- preventing the droplet from passing from radially outward of the droplet controller to radially inward of the droplet controller.
A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- confining liquid using a confinement structure in a space between a projection system and a facing surface of a table, a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate;
- moving the facing surface relative to the projection system in a scanning direction;
- and
- directing a gas flow toward the facing surface through a plurality of elongate gas outlet openings radially outward of the space, wherein an adjacent pair of the elongate gas outlet openings overlap when viewed in the scanning direction of the facing surface and/or when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.
A liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate, the liquid handling structure comprising a droplet controller radially outward of the space configured to allow a droplet of immersion liquid to pass from radially inward of the droplet controller to radially outward of the droplet controller and to prevent a droplet from passing from radially outward of the droplet controller to radially inward of the droplet controller.
A liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate, the liquid handling structure comprising a plurality of elongate gas outlet openings radially outward of the space configured to direct a gas flow toward the facing surface, wherein an adjacent pair of the elongate gas outlet openings overlap when viewed in a scanning direction of the facing surface and/or when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.
A liquid handling structure configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space between a projection system and a facing surface comprising a table, or a substrate supported by the table, or both the table and the substrate, the liquid handling structure comprising a droplet controller radially outward of the space that comprises:
- a plurality of elongate gas outlet openings configured to direct a gas flow toward the facing surface;
- and
- a plurality of liquid extraction openings, each liquid extraction opening lined up, with respect to a scanning direction and/or a stepping direction of the facing surface, with a respective gap between adjacent elongate gas outlet openings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.