# US 8,786,830 B2 · Immersion lithographic apparatus including a pressure sensor to measure pressure of the immersion liquid and a device manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,786,830 B2 - Document ID: US8786830B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/761,038 - Filed: 2010-04-15 - Published: 2010-11-18 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-05-14 - Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V. - Applicants: Christophe De Metsenaere; Ronald Casper Kunst; Paul Petrus Joannes Berkvens; Mauritius Gerardus Elisabeth Schneiders; Jimmy Matheus Wilhelmus Van De Winkel; Gregory Martin Mason Corcoran - Inventors: Christophe De Metsenaere; Ronald Casper Kunst; Paul Petrus Joannes Berkvens; Mauritius Gerardus Elisabeth Schneiders; Jimmy Matheus Wilhelmus Van De Winkel; Gregory Martin Mason Corcoran - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8786830B2 ## CPC - G03B 27/52: Details - G03F 7/70341: {Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply (chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041)} - G03F 7/70725: {control} - G03F 7/7085: {Detection arrangement, e.g. detectors of apparatus alignment possibly mounted on wafers, exposure dose, photo-cleaning flux, stray light, thermal load} - G03B: APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FOR PROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ACCESSORIES THEREFOR (optical parts of such apparatus G02B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; apparatus for processing exposed photographic materials G03D) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) ## Abstract An immersion lithographic apparatus has a pressure sensor configured to measure the pressure of immersion liquid in a space between the substrate and a projection system. A control system is responsive to a pressure signal generated by the pressure sensor and controls a positioner to exert a force on the substrate table to compensate for the force exerted on the substrate table by the immersion liquid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising: a projection system arranged to project an image onto a substrate held by a substrate table through an immersion liquid provided in a space between the projection system and the substrate; a pressure sensor configured to generate a pressure signal indicative of the pressure of the immersion liquid in the space the pressure sensor associated with an immersion fluid flow which flows out of the space through an opening in an opening surface; an extraction conduit configured to extract immersion liquid from the space through the opening; a positioner configured to position the substrate table to position the substrate table relative to the projection system; and a control system responsive to the pressure signal and configured to control a force applied to the substrate table by the positioner based on the pressure signal, wherein the sensor is located in the extraction conduit, and wherein the apparatus comprises an additional pressure sensor that is provided in the opening surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the extraction conduit and its associated opening is one of a plurality of extraction conduits each having an opening, the plurality of extraction conduits being configured to extract immersion liquid from the space. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the openings of the plurality of extraction conduits define a pinning device in the opening surface, wherein the pinning device separates in use a part of the opening surface which is in contact with liquid and a part of the opening surface which is in contact with gas. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising a manifold in fluid communication with the extraction conduits. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pressure sensor is arranged to measure the pressure in the manifold. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: a further extraction conduit configured to extract fluid from the manifold; wherein the pressure sensor is arranged to measure the pressure in the further extraction conduit. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the pressure sensor comprises a plurality of spaced-apart pressure sensor elements. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is located in the part of the opening surface which in use is in contact with liquid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The surface of claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor is located in the part of the opening surface which in use is in contact with gas. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the opening surface faces a substrate, a substrate table or both. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a barrier member, the opening surface being a surface of a barrier member, wherein the barrier member is configured to at least partly confine the immersion liquid to the space. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the barrier member surrounds the space. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid flow is a two-phase fluid flow comprising liquid. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control system comprises a storage device configured to store a calibration function relating the pressure signal to a force exerted on the substrate table by the immersion liquid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the calibration function comprises a gain value. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the positioner includes a long stroke module and a short module to move the substrate table relative to the projection system. ### Claim 17 A device manufacturing method, comprising: projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate held by a substrate table through an immersion liquid provided in a space adjacent the substrate using a lithographic apparatus; measuring the pressure of the immersion liquid in the space using a pressure sensor associated with an immersion fluid flow which flows out of the space through an opening in an opening surface; and controlling a force applied to the substrate table by a positioner responsive to the pressure, the positioner adapted to move the substrate table to position the substrate table relative to a projection system that is adapted to project the pattern beam of radiation, the force being controlled based on a pressure signal, wherein the pressure sensor is located in an extraction conduit configured to extract immersion liquid from the space through the opening, and wherein the apparatus comprises an additional pressure sensor that is provided in the opening surface. ### Claim 18 An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising: a projection system arranged to project an image onto a substrate held by a substrate table through an immersion liquid provided in a space between the projection system and the substrate; an extraction conduit configured to extract immersion liquid from the space, through an inlet formed in a surface, along with a gas in a two-phase flow, wherein the surface faces a substrate, a substrate table or both; and a pressure sensor located in the inlet of the extraction conduit and configured to generate a signal indication of the pressure of the immersion liquid in the space, and an additional pressure sensor that is provided in the surface. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18, comprising a plurality of extraction conduits configured to extract immersion liquid from the space along with a gas in a two-phase flow and a plurality of pressure sensors each located in or near the inlet of a respective one of the extraction conduits and configured to generate a signal indication of the pressure of the immersion liquid in the space. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the number of pressure sensors is less than or equal to the number of extraction conduits. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the plurality of extraction conduits form a meniscus pinning device configured to pin a meniscus of the immersion liquid in the space.