Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

a technology of exposure apparatus and producing device, which is applied in the direction of microlithography exposure apparatus, printers, instruments, etc., can solve the problems of insufficient margins, and difficulty in matching substrate surfaces with respect to the image plane of projection optical systems, etc., to achieve the effect of suppressing the deterioration of pattern images

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-02-01
NIKON CORP
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  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] The present invention has been made taking the foregoing circumstances into consideration, an object of which is to provide an exposure apparatus which makes it possible to suppress the deterioration of a pattern image which would be otherwise caused by any bubble in a liquid when the exposure process is performed while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with the liquid, and a method for producing a device based on the use of the exposure apparatus.
[0021] According to the present invention, the bubble-suppressing unit is provided, which suppresses the generation of the bubbles in the liquid between the projection optical system and the substrate. Therefore, the exposure process can be performed in a state in which no bubble exists in the liquid on the optical path for the exposure light beam. Accordingly, it is possible to avoid the deterioration of the pattern image which would be otherwise caused by the bubble. It is possible to produce a device having a high pattern accuracy. For example, when the bubble-suppressing unit, which suppresses the generation of the bubble in the liquid, is provided for the liquid supply unit which supplies the liquid to the space between the projection optical system and the substrate, the liquid can be supplied to the space between the projection optical system and the substrate after sufficiently suppressing the generation of the bubble in the liquid. Therefore, no bubble is generated from the liquid which fills the space between the projection optical system and the substrate. Even if any bubble is generated in the flow passage through which the liquid flows, including, for example, the lower surface of the projection optical system and the surface of the substrate, then the liquid, in which the generation of the bubble is sufficiently suppressed, flows through the flow passage, and thus the liquid can absorb and remove the bubble generated in the flow passage. As described above, the exposure process can be performed in the state in which no bubble exists in the liquid on the optical path for the exposure light beam. Therefore, it is possible to avoid the deterioration of the pattern image which would be otherwise caused by the bubble. It is possible to produce a device having a high pattern accuracy.

Problems solved by technology

If the depth of focus δ is too narrowed, it is difficult to match the substrate surface with respect to the image plane of the projection optical system.
It is feared that the margin is insufficient during the exposure operation.
As a result, the pattern image, which is to be formed on the substrate, is deteriorated.

Method used

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  • Exposure apparatus and method for producing device
  • Exposure apparatus and method for producing device
  • Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

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first embodiment

[0038] With reference to FIG. 1, an exposure apparatus EX comprises a mask stage MST which supports a mask M, a substrate stage PST which supports a substrate P, an illumination optical system IL which illuminates, with an exposure light beam EL, the mask M supported by the mask stage MST, a projection optical system PL which performs projection exposure for the substrate P supported by the substrate stage PST with an image of a pattern of the mask M illuminated with the exposure light beam EL, and a control unit CONT which collectively controls the overall operation of the exposure apparatus EX.

[0039] The embodiment of the present invention will now be explained as exemplified by a case of the use of the scanning type exposure apparatus (so-called scanning stepper) as the exposure apparatus EX in which the substrate P is exposed with the pattern formed on the mask M while synchronously moving the mask M and the substrate P in mutually different directions (opposite directions) in ...

second embodiment

[0066] Next, an explanation will be made with reference to FIG. 5 about a second embodiment of the exposure apparatus EX of the present invention. In the following description, the same or equivalent constitutive parts as those of the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, any explanation of which is simplified or omitted. The characteristic feature of this embodiment is that a pressure-reducing unit 23 is provided in place of the heating unit 21.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 5, the liquid supply unit 1 includes a filter 20 which removes any foreign matter from the liquid 50, for example, by filtering the liquid 50 recovered by the liquid recovery unit 2 in order to avoid any pollution of the substrate P and the projection optical system PL and / or avoid any deterioration of the pattern image projected onto the substrate P, the pressure-reducing unit 23 which degasses the liquid 50 by reducing the pressure of the liquid 50 from which the foreign matter h...

third embodiment

[0073] An explanation will be made with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7 about a third embodiment of the exposure apparatus EX of the present invention. The exposure apparatus of this embodiment is provided with a membrane degassing unit 24 and a heating unit 25 as shown in FIG. 6 in place of the heating unit of the liquid supply unit in the first embodiment. In the following description, the same or equivalent constitutive parts as those of the embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, any explanation of which is simplified or omitted.

[0074]FIG. 6 shows an arrangement of the liquid supply unit 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the liquid supply unit 1 includes a filter 20 which removes any foreign matter or the like from the liquid 50 recovered by the liquid recovery unit 2, for example, by filtering the liquid 50 recovered by the liquid recovery unit 2 in order to avoid any pollution of the substrate P and the projection optical system PL and / or avoid any deteriora...

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Abstract

An exposure apparatus, wherein exposure is carried out while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with a liquid, enables to suppress deterioration of a pattern image caused by any bubble in the liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a liquid supply unit 1 which fills at least a part of the space between the projection optical system and the substrate with a liquid 50, and exposes the substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via the projection optical system. The liquid supply unit 1 includes a degassing unit 21 which suppresses the generation of the bubble in the liquid 50.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE [0001] This application is a Continuation Application of application Ser. No. 11 / 144,827 filed Jun. 6, 2005, which in turn is a Continuation Application of International Application No. PCT / JP03 / 015407 which was filed on Dec. 2, 2003 claiming the conventional priority of Japanese patent Application No. 2002-357961 filed on Dec. 10, 2002, No. 2003-002820 filed on Jan. 9, 2003, and No. 2003-049367 filed on Feb. 26, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with a pattern image projected by a projection optical system in a state in which at least a part of a space between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with a liquid. The present invention also relates to a method for producing a device based on the use of the exposure apparatus. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices ar...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): G03B27/42G03F7/20
CPCG03F7/70341
Inventor OWA, SOICHI
Owner NIKON CORP
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