Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device fabrication method
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorsMotokatsu Imai, Susumu Makinouchi
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exposure apparatus forms an immersion area by supplying a liquid onto a part of a substrate, and forms a prescribed pattern on the substrate through the liquid. A spare immersion area which is capable of holding part of the liquid on the substrate, is formed at the outer circumference of the immersion area. It is possible to prevent the separation of the liquid, which is disposed between a lower surface of a projection optical system and a substrate surface, from the lower surface of the projection optical system in accordance with the relative movement of the projection optical system and the substrate.
Claims55
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the apparatus comprising:
- a projection system having an optical element, via which the exposure beam is projected;
- and
- a liquid containment member which surrounds a lower portion of the projection system,
- wherein the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure,
- the lower surface of the liquid containment member has a first portion arranged around a path of the exposure beam and a second portion which surrounds the first portion, and
- a liquid supply opening and a liquid recovery opening are formed in the second portion.
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the apparatus comprising:
- a projection system having an optical element, via which the exposure beam is projected;
- and
- a liquid containment member which surrounds a lower portion of the projection system,
- wherein:
- the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure;
- the lower surface of the liquid containment member has a first portion arranged around a path of the exposure beam and a second portion which surrounds the first portion;
- a liquid supply opening configured to supply a liquid into the liquid immersion area and a liquid recovery opening configured to recover a liquid from the liquid immersion area are formed in the second portion;
- and
- the lower surface of the liquid containment member is configured such that, a first distance between the substrate and the first portion of the lower surface is greater than a second distance between the substrate and the second portion of the lower surface during the exposure.
A liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the apparatus comprising:
- a projection system having an optical element, via which the exposure beam is projected;
- and
- a liquid containment member which surrounds a lower portion of the projection system
- wherein:
- the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure,
- the lower surface of the liquid containment member has a wall portion arranged around a path of the exposure beam,
- the wall portion has a side surface that extends at least upwardly from an inner end of a bottom surface of the wall portion,
- the lower surface includes an inner bottom surface that extends inwardly from an upper end of the side surface of the wall portion, and
- the bottom surface of the wall portion has a liquid supply opening configured to supply a liquid into the liquid immersion area and a liquid recovery opening configured to recover a liquid from the liquid immersion area.
A method of forming a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the method comprising:
- providing a projection system having an optical element that projects the exposure beam;
- surrounding a lower portion of the projection system with a liquid containment member, the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure;
- arranging a first portion of the lower surface of the liquid containment member around a path of the exposure beam;
- arranging a second portion of the lower surface of the liquid containment member to surround the first portion;
- and
- forming a liquid supply opening and a liquid recovery opening in the second portion.
A method of forming a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the method comprising:
- providing a projection system having an optical element that projects the exposure beam;
- and
- surrounding a lower portion of the projection system with a liquid containment member, the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure;
- arranging a first portion of the lower surface of the liquid containment member around a path of the exposure beam,
- arranging a second portion of the lower surface of the liquid containment member to surround the first portion;
- and
- forming in the second portion a liquid supply opening configured to supply a liquid into the liquid immersion area and a liquid recovery opening configured to recover a liquid from the liquid immersion area, wherein
- the lower surface of the liquid containment member is configured such that, a first distance between the substrate and the first portion of the lower surface is greater than a second distance between the substrate and the second portion of the lower surface during the exposure.
A method for forming a liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam through a liquid of a liquid immersion area, the method comprising:
- providing a projection system having an optical element that projects the exposure beam;
- surrounding a lower portion of the projection system with a liquid containment member, the liquid containment member has a lower surface which is provided such that the substrate faces the lower surface of the liquid containment member during the exposure;
- arranging a wall portion of the lower surface of the liquid containment member around a path of the exposure beam;
- extending a side surface of the wall portion at least upwardly from an inner end of a bottom surface of the wall portion;
- extending an inner bottom surface of the lower surface inwardly from an upper end of the side surface of the wall portion;
- providing a liquid supply opening at the bottom surface of the wall portion that is configured to supply a liquid into the liquid immersion area;
- and
- providing a liquid recovery opening at the bottom surface of the wall portion that is configured to recover a liquid from the liquid immersion area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.