Lithographic apparatus with a patterning device environment
AssigneeASML Holding N.V.
InventorsPeter KOCHERSPERGER, David RAMIREZ
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lithographic apparatus injects gas between a patterning device and a patterning device masking blade to help protect the patterning device from contamination. The gas may be injected into the space defined between the patterning device and the patterning device blade by one or more gas supply nozzles that are arranged on at least one side of the patterning device. The one or more gas supply nozzles are coupled to a frame which a patterning device support structure moves relative to. Each nozzle may be constructed and arranged to supply gas over at least the patterning region of the reflective patterning device.
Claims29
A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a support structure constructed and arranged to support a reflective patterning device, the reflective patterning device configured to impart an illumination beam with a pattern to form a patterned radiation beam;
- a projection system constructed and arranged to receive the patterned radiation beam reflected by the reflective patterning device and configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate;
- a frame, the support structure being movable relative to the frame;
- and
- a gas supply nozzle coupled to the frame and constructed and arranged to supply gas therefrom, the gas supply nozzle arranged to supply gas from a side of a patterning region of the reflective patterning device.
A method comprising:
- supporting a reflective patterning device with a support structure, the reflective patterning device configured to impart an illumination beam with a pattern to form a patterned radiation beam;
- patterning the illumination beam with the reflective patterning device,
- projecting the patterned radiation beam from the reflective patterning device onto a substrate with a projection system, and
- supplying a gas via a gas supply nozzle, the gas supply nozzle coupled to a frame, the support structure being movable relative to the frame,
- wherein the gas is supplied from the gas supply nozzle from a side of a patterning region of the reflective patterning device.
A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a support structure constructed and arranged to support a reflective patterning device, the reflective patterning device configured to impart an illumination beam with a pattern to form a patterned radiation beam;
- a projection system constructed and arranged to receive the patterned radiation beam reflected by the reflective patterning device and configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate;
- a frame, the support structure being movable relative to the frame;
- and
- a plurality of gas supply nozzles coupled to the frame and constructed and arranged to supply gas therefrom, the plurality of gas supply nozzles arranged such that at least one of the plurality of gas supply nozzles is on one side of a patterning region of the reflective patterning device and at least another of the plurality of gas supply nozzles is on an opposite side of the patterning region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.