Environmental system including a transport region for an immersion lithography apparatus
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsW. Thomas Novak, Andrew J. Hazelton, Douglas C. Watson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lithographic projection apparatus that is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system has a liquid supply system arranged to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a liquid collecting system that includes a liquid collection member having a permeable member through which a liquid is collected from a surface of an object opposite to the liquid collection member, wherein the permeable member has a plurality of passages that generate a capillary force.
Claims15
A liquid collecting device for a liquid immersion lithography apparatus, comprising:
- a liquid containment member which is located such that the liquid containment member surrounds an optical member in the liquid immersion lithography apparatus, a wafer being provided under the optical member and the liquid containment member, and the wafer being exposed through an immersion liquid in a gap between the optical member and the wafer;
- a porous member attached to the liquid containment member, through which the immersion liquid on one side of the porous member is collected;
- and
- a space formed in the liquid containment member, the space being formed on the other side of the porous member.
A liquid immersion lithography method, comprising:
- providing a wafer under an optical member and a liquid containment member located such that the liquid containment member surrounds the optical member;
- exposing the wafer through an immersion liquid in a gap between the optical member and the wafer;
- and
- collecting the immersion liquid through a porous member attached to the liquid containment member, the immersion liquid on one side of the porous member being collected and a space being formed on the other side of the porous member in the liquid containment member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.