Lithographic apparatus and surface cleaning method
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsTakeshi KANEKO, Kornelis Tijmen Hoekerd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for cleaning a contaminated surface of a lithographic apparatus are provided. A liquid confinement structure comprises at least two openings used to supply and extract liquid to a gap below the structure. The direction of flow between the openings can be switched. Liquid may be supplied to the gap radially outward of an opening adapted for dual flow. Supply and extraction lines to respectively supply liquid to and extract liquid from the liquid confinement structure have an inner surface that is resistant to corrosion by an organic liquid. A corrosive cleaning fluid can be used to clean photo resist contamination.
Claims21
-20. (canceled)
An immersion lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a movable table;
- a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a radiation-sensitive substrate;
- a fluid handling structure located above the table and configured to at least partly confine an immersion liquid within a space between the projection system and the movable table, the fluid handling structure comprising a recovery opening configured to recover immersion liquid into the fluid handling structure, the recovery opening comprising a porous member through which immersion liquid is recovered;
- and
- a control system configured to cause supply of a cleaning fluid of different composition than the immersion liquid out through the porous member of the recovery opening, during a cleaning operation, such the cleaning fluid flows toward a path of the radiation beam through the space and outward, relative to the path of the radiation beam, of the porous member.
An immersion lithographic apparatus, comprising:
- a movable table;
- a projection system configured to project a radiation beam onto a radiation-sensitive substrate;
- a fluid handling structure located above the table and configured to at least partly confine an immersion liquid within a space between the projection system and the movable table, the fluid handling structure comprising a recovery opening configured to recover immersion liquid into the fluid handling structure, the recovery opening comprising a porous member through which immersion liquid is recovered;
- a fluid opening located outward, relative to a path of the radiation beam, of the porous member;
- and
- a control system configured to cause supply, during a cleaning operation, of a cleaning fluid of different composition than the immersion liquid out through the porous member of the recovery opening and to cause the fluid opening to exhaust fluid, such that the cleaning fluid flows in a horizontal direction between the porous member and the movable table.
A method comprising:
- at least partly confining an immersion liquid within a space between a projection system of a lithographic apparatus and a movable table of the lithographic apparatus using a fluid handling structure of the lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure located above the table and comprising a recovery opening having a porous member;
- causing removal of immersion liquid into the fluid handling structure through the porous member of the recovery opening, during an exposure operation;
- and
- causing supply, during a cleaning operation, of a cleaning fluid of different composition than the immersion liquid out through the porous member of the recovery opening such the cleaning fluid flows toward a path of a radiation beam through the space and outward, relative to the path of the radiation beam, of the porous member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.