US 7,256,866 B2Granted

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.

InventorsHenrikus Herman Marie Cox, Hans Butler, Ronald Casper Kunst, Harmen Klaas Van Der Schoot, Youssef Karel Maria De Vos

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Abstract

To enable high acceleration and high moving speed of a pattern support or a substrate table of a lithographic apparatus, one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator for relatively large displacements, whereas an actuator for accurately positioning is omitted. The other one of the pattern support and the substrate table is supported by an actuator assembly including an actuator for accurate positioning and an actuator for relatively large displacements. An alignment accuracy of a patterning device and a substrate is achieved by providing a control system that is adapted to position the other one of the pattern support and the substrate table such that a positioning error of the one of the pattern support and the substrate table is compensated by the positioning of the other one.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A lithographic apparatus comprising:

(a) an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
(b) a pattern support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, the pattern support being moveably supported by a first actuator assembly, the first actuator assembly comprising a long stroke actuator configured to position the patterning device with respect to a fixed reference point;
(c) a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, the substrate table being moveably supported by a second actuator assembly, the second actuator assembly comprising a long stroke actuator and a short stroke actuator configured to position the substrate with respect to the fixed reference point;
(d) a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate;
and
(e) a control system comprising
(i) a determination system configured to determine an actual position of said patterning device, and
(ii) control circuitry operatively connected to said determination system, said first actuator assembly, and said second actuator assembly, the control circuitry being configured to:
position said patterning device to obtain a desired pattern position;
determine a pattern positioning error by comparing said desired pattern position and said actual position of said patterning device;
determine a desired substrate position to substantially compensate said pattern positioning error;
and
position said substrate at said desired substrate position.

10 more elements

A lithographic apparatus comprising:

(a) an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam;
(b) a pattern support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam, the pattern support being moveably supported by a first actuator assembly, the first actuator assembly comprising a long stroke actuator and a short stroke actuator configured to position the patterning device with respect to a fixed reference point;
(c) a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, the substrate table being moveably supported by a second actuator assembly, the second actuator assembly comprising a long stroke actuator configured to position the substrate with respect to the fixed reference point;
(d) a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and
(e) a control system comprising
(i) a determination system configured to determine an actual position of said substrate, and
(ii) control circuitry operatively connected to said determination system, said first actuator assembly, and said second actuator assembly, the control circuitry being configured to:
position said substrate to obtain a desired substrate position;
determine a substrate positioning error by comparing said desired substrate position and said actual position;
determine a desired patterning device position to substantially compensate said substrate positioning error;
and
position said patterning device at said desired patterning device position.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.