Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsMichel Riepen, Nicolaas Rudolf Kemper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A meniscus pinning device has a plurality of openings through which liquid and gas from the environment are extracted. The openings are of an intermediate size, having a maximum cross-sectional dimension (e.g., diameter) in the range of from about 75 μm to about 150 μm.
Claims22
A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- a table configured to hold a substrate;
- a projection system configured to project an image onto the substrate while the table and the projection system are moved relative to each other;
- and
- a liquid confinement structure arranged to confine a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate and/or table, the liquid confinement structure having a meniscus pinning device arranged to pin a meniscus of the liquid, the meniscus pinning device comprising a plurality of openings arranged in use to be connected to an under-pressure, the openings having a maximum cross-sectional dimension in the range of from 75 μm to 150 μm.
A device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
- confining a body of liquid to a space in contact with the surface of a substrate, the confining comprising pinning a meniscus of the body of liquid by extracting liquid and gas from the environment through a plurality of openings, the openings having a maximum cross-sectional dimension in the range of from 75 μm to 150 μm;
- and
- projecting an image onto the substrate through the body of liquid while moving the substrate in a scanning direction.
A fluid handling structure for an immersion lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure comprising a two dimensional pattern of two phase fluid extraction openings configured to pin a meniscus of immersion liquid confined to a space, the openings comprising a first line of three or more of the openings arranged at a first pitch and a second line of three or more of the openings arranged at a second pitch different than the first pitch, the second line being radially outward with respect to a geometric center of the undersurface of the fluid handling structure of the first line, wherein the meniscus is pinned to a pinning opening in a linear array of the openings traversing the first and second lines, the linear array substantially perpendicular to the meniscus and extending generally in a radial direction from the geometric center.
A fluid handling structure for an immersion lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure comprising a two dimensional pattern of two phase fluid extraction openings configured to pin a meniscus of immersion liquid confined to a space, the openings comprising a first line of five or more of the openings having a first opening cross-sectional dimension and a second line of five or more of the openings having a second opening cross-sectional dimension different than the first cross-sectional dimension, the second line being radially outward with respect to a geometric center of the undersurface of the fluid handling structure of the first line, wherein the meniscus is pinned to a pinning opening in a linear array of the openings traversing the first and second lines, the linear array substantially perpendicular to the meniscus and extending generally in a radial direction from the geometric center.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.