Immersion Lithography System Using Direction-Controlling Fluid Inlets

An immersion lithography apparatus, comprising:

• a lens assembly having an imaging lens disposed therein;
• a wafer stage configured to retain a wafer beneath the lens assembly;
• and
• a plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets disposed adjacent to the lens assembly, each direction-controlling fluid inlet in the plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets being configured to direct a flow of fluid beneath the lens assembly and being independently controllable with respect to the other fluid inlets in the plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets.

An immersion lithography apparatus comprising:

• a lens assembly having an imaging lens disposed therein;
• a wafer stage configured to retain a wafer beneath the lens assembly;
• and
• a double-nozzle direction-controlling fluid inlet disposed adjacent to the lens assembly, the direction-controlling fluid inlet including:
• a main nozzle configured to direct a first flow of fluid beneath the lens assembly;
• and
• a secondary nozzle configured to direct a second flow of fluid in a direction opposite of the lens assembly.

An immersion exposure method, comprising:

• loading a wafer onto a wafer stage disposed beneath a lens assembly having an imaging lens disposed therein;
• filling the area between the lens and the wafer with an immersion fluid;
• and
• selectively directing a flow of immersion fluid beneath the lens assembly with a plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets disposed adjacent to the lens assembly, each direction-controlling fluid inlet in the plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets being configured to direct fluid beneath the lens assembly and being independently controllable with respect to the other fluid inlets in the plurality of direction-controlling fluid inlets.