Substrate stage, substrate unloading method, exposure device and method for producing article

Abstract

To provide a substrate stage with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A substrate stage includes an unloading mechanism for unloading a substrate. The unloading mechanism includes a holder that holds the substrate, a driver that is driven in a straight-line direction and drives the holder, and a guidance mechanism that guides the holder in a direction different from the straight-line direction, in accordance with the movement of the holder driven by the driver.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate stage, a substrate carrying-out method, an exposure apparatus, and a method for manufacturing an article. [Background technology]

[0002] In the lithography process used in the manufacture of liquid crystal panels, organic EL displays, semiconductor devices, etc., an exposure apparatus is used to transfer a pattern from an original onto a substrate coated with a photosensitive agent. In the lithography process, an exposure apparatus that can efficiently transport the substrate is required so as not to reduce productivity.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses that substrate replacement can be performed quickly by carrying out the unloading operation of an exposed substrate and carrying in the next substrate to be exposed in parallel. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-146045 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the operation of unloading the substrate requires a mechanism for moving the substrate stage that holds the substrate in the horizontal direction, and a mechanism for moving the substrate stage in the vertical direction, and each mechanism requires a moving mounting part such as an electric cable or tube. It is difficult to design a large number of cables in a limited space, and there is also a high risk of dust and dirt being generated due to contact between the cables, which may adversely affect the exposure performance.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT EMBODIMENTS An object of the present invention is to provide a substrate stage that is advantageous in terms of simplifying the configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, a substrate stage as one aspect of the present invention is a substrate stage having an ejection mechanism for ejecting a substrate, the ejection mechanism being characterized in having a holding section for holding the substrate, a drive section which drives the holding section in a linear direction, and a guide mechanism which guides the holding section in a direction different from the linear direction as the holding section is driven by the drive section. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a substrate stage that is advantageous in terms of having a simple configuration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus. [Diagram 2] 2 is a schematic diagram of a substrate stage 6 in the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a detailed view of a cam follower in the first embodiment. [Figure 4] 5A to 5C are diagrams for explaining a substrate unloading mechanism in the first embodiment. [Diagram 5] 13 is a diagram for explaining a substrate unloading mechanism in the second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is a detailed view of a cam follower in the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram for explaining wire driving. [Figure 8] 13 is a diagram for explaining a substrate unloading mechanism in the third embodiment. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a top view of a substrate stage in a third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a detailed view of a cam follower in the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 13 is a top view showing the process of transferring the substrate to the buffer stage. [Figure 12] FIG. 13 is a top view of the substrate unloading mechanism and the ωZ stopper. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the optimum shape of the base. [Figure 14] 10 is a flowchart from the end of exposure of a substrate to the start of exposure of the next substrate. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to refer to the same components, and duplicated explanations will be omitted.

[0011] First Embodiment The configuration of an exposure apparatus in this embodiment will be described. The exposure apparatus in this embodiment is an apparatus used in a lithography process when manufacturing devices such as semiconductor devices and flat panel displays (FPDs). The exposure apparatus transfers a pattern of an original (mask) onto a substrate coated with resist, thereby forming a latent image pattern in a pattern area of ​​the substrate. The exposure apparatus in this embodiment is a so-called step-and-scan scanning exposure apparatus that transfers the pattern of the original onto multiple pattern areas on the substrate via a projection optical system.

[0012] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 in this embodiment. In this embodiment, a coordinate system is defined with the surface on which the substrate P is placed as the XY plane, and the direction perpendicular to the XY plane as the Z direction. The exposure apparatus 100 can include an illumination optical system 1, an alignment measurement unit 2a, off-axis measurement units 2b and 2c, an original stage 3, a control unit 4, a projection optical system 5, and a substrate stage 6.

[0013] Light emitted from a light source (not shown) illuminates the original M via an optical system in the illumination optical system 1. The illumination optical system 1 has a member that defines an area for illuminating the original M, and for example, a strip-shaped or arc-shaped light is illuminated onto the original M.

[0014] The original M and substrate P (e.g., a glass substrate, a wafer) are held by an original stage 3 and a substrate stage 6, respectively, and are positioned at approximately optically conjugate positions (the object plane and image plane of the projection optical system 5) via the projection optical system 5.

[0015] The projection optical system 5 is, for example, a mirror projection type projection optical system composed of multiple mirrors, has a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1x, 1 / 2x, 2x, etc.), and projects the pattern formed on the original M onto the substrate P.

[0016] The original stage 3 and the substrate stage 6 scan in a direction (Y direction in this embodiment) perpendicular to the optical axis direction (Z direction) of the projection optical system 5 in synchronization with each other at a speed ratio according to the projection magnification of the projection optical system 5.

[0017] The exposure apparatus 100 can complete the exposure process for one substrate P by sequentially repeating the stepwise movement of the substrate stage 6 for each of the multiple pattern areas on the substrate P. When transferring the pattern of the original M to each pattern area on the substrate P in this manner, alignment between the pattern area and the original M may be performed.

[0018] The exposure apparatus 100 has an alignment measurement unit 2a between the illumination optical system 1 and the original M, and the alignment measurement unit 2a includes at least one alignment scope. In this embodiment, the alignment measurement unit 2a has two alignment scopes spaced a predetermined distance apart in the X direction. Furthermore, the exposure apparatus 100 is configured so that each alignment scope can be driven in the XY plane. Therefore, the alignment measurement unit 2a can observe each of the alignment marks formed in the pattern area on the substrate P and each of the alignment marks formed on the original M via the projection optical system 5.

[0019] Further, off-axis measurement units 2b and 2c are provided between the projection optical system 5 and the substrate P, and the off-axis measurement units 2b and 2c include at least one off-axis scope. Each of the off-axis measurement units 2b and 2c in this embodiment has two off-axis scopes spaced a predetermined distance apart in the X direction. Furthermore, the exposure apparatus 100 is configured so that each off-axis scope can be driven in the XY plane. Therefore, the off-axis measurement units 2b and 2c can observe each of the alignment marks formed in the pattern area on the substrate P. The control unit 4 controls each unit of the exposure apparatus 100.

[0020] 2 is a cross-sectional view of substrate stage 6 in this embodiment. Substrate stage 6 has mounting table 20, X driving section 30, air bearings 30a, 50a, Y driving section 50, Y guide 60, drive control section 80, X bar mirror 90, and columns 201, 202. Substrate stage 6 also has Y guide 401, Y driving section 402 (driving section), Z guide 403, base 404, first guide 410a, second guide 410b, cam followers 420a, 420b, and holders 430a, 430b. In this embodiment, the Y guide 401, the Y drive section 402 (drive section), the Z guide 403, the base 404, the first guide 410a, the second guide 410b, the cam followers 420a, 420b, and the holders 430a, 430b are also collectively referred to as a substrate unloading mechanism (unloading mechanism). The substrate unloading mechanism is a mechanism provided for unloading the substrate P after exposure. The first guide 410a, the second guide 410b, and the cam followers 420a, 420b are also collectively referred to as a guide mechanism.

[0021] The mounting table 20 mounts a substrate P (for example, a rectangular glass substrate). The X driving unit 30 drives the substrate in the X direction on the Y driving unit 50 by a linear motor (not shown) or the like via an air bearing 30a. The mounting table 20 is fixed on the X driving unit 30 by supports 201 and 202. The Y driving unit 50 drives the substrate in the Y direction on the Y guide 60 by a linear motor (not shown) or the like via an air bearing 50a. A substrate unloading mechanism may be configured on the X driving unit 30. The substrate stage 6 is driven and controlled by a drive control unit 80. The X bar mirror 90 reflects light from an interferometer (not shown) and may be used for positioning the substrate P in the X coordinate. Although not shown in FIG. 1, a Y bar mirror may be disposed for positioning the substrate P in the Y coordinate.

[0022] The Y guide 401 is a Y-direction guide of the substrate discharge mechanism, and is configured to be disposed on the upper surface of the X drive unit 30. The Y drive unit 402 drives in the Y direction along the Y guide 401. The Y drive unit 402 may be a linear guide or the like. The Z guide 403 is a Z-direction guide of the substrate discharge mechanism, and is connected to the Y drive unit 402. The Z drive unit 405 is connected to the base 404, and drives the base 404 in the Z direction by driving in the Z direction along the Z guide 403. The cam followers 420a and 420b are cylindrical shaft bearings provided on the base 404, and are disposed apart from each other in the Y direction. The first guide 410a and the second guide 410b are rails having sliding surfaces, and are disposed apart from each other in the Z direction. The cam followers 420a and 420b drive along the sliding surfaces of the first guide 410a or the second guide 410b provided in the substrate discharge mechanism.

[0023] First guide 410a is a guide rail for the outward path, and 410b is a guide rail for the return path. The sliding surface of second guide 410b is installed below the sliding surface of first guide 410a. A force is applied to base 404 and Z drive unit 405 in a direction that drives them in the -Z direction along Z guide 403 due to their own weight. Cam followers 420a and 420b contact the sliding surface of first guide 410a or second guide 410b to support the weight of base 404 and Z drive unit 405.

[0024] Holding portions 430a, 430b hold substrate P, and are formed on the upper surface of base 404. Since the substrate unloading mechanism performs high acceleration drive in the horizontal direction, it is preferable that holding portions 430a, 430b have high frictional force to prevent substrate P from slipping.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the detailed configuration of cam followers 420a and 420b provided on base 404. As shown in FIG. 3(a), base 404 may further include Z guide for deflection 421, Z drive for deflection 422, spring for deflection 423, and mechanical stopper 424. These members may be arranged to drive cam follower 420b in the Z direction. In the following, a configuration in which only cam follower 420b is configured to be driven in the Z direction and cam follower 420a is fixed will be described, but this is not limiting. For example, depending on the shapes of first guide 410a and second guide 410b, only cam follower 420a may be configured to be driven in the Z direction, or both cam follower 420a and cam follower 420b may be configured to be driven in the Z direction. Also, a configuration in which cam follower 420a can be driven in a direction deviated from the Z direction may be used. That is, at least one of cam follower 420a and cam follower 420b may be configured to be capable of being driven vertically.

[0026] The Z guide for dodging 421 is fixed to the base 404, and the Z drive for dodging 422 drives in the Z direction along the Z guide for dodging 421. In this embodiment, the cam follower 420b is connected to the Z drive for dodging 422, and the cam follower 420a is connected to the base 404. The spring for dodging 423 is connected to the Z drive for dodging 422 and the base 404. The mechanical stopper 424 is connected to the base 404, and is disposed so that a part of the upper surface of the Z drive for dodging 422 and a part of the lower surface of the mechanical stopper 424 are in contact with each other. The mechanical stopper 424 is disposed so that the tension of the spring for dodging 423 is generated in order that the Z drive for dodging 422 and the Z drive for dodging 422 are always in contact with each other. For the avoidance spring 423, a spring having a spring constant such that the tension is greater than the gravity of the cam follower 420b and the avoidance Z drive part 422 can be used.

[0027] When an external force of a predetermined value or more is applied to cam follower 420b in the -Z direction, as shown in FIG. 3(b), deflection spring 423 extends, and cam follower 420b and deflection Z drive unit 422 are driven in the -Z direction along deflection Z guide 421. When the external force becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, deflection spring 423 drives cam follower 420b and deflection Z drive unit 422 in the +Z direction. Then, as shown in FIG. 3(a), cam follower 420b and deflection Z drive unit 422 come to rest at a position where mechanical stopper 424 and deflection Z drive unit 422 come into contact with each other. In this way, the Z direction positions of cam follower 420b and deflection Z drive unit 422 always return to the same position even when subjected to an external force. To improve reproducibility, the contact surface of mechanical stopper 424 that comes into contact with the flat surface of avoidance Z drive part 422 is preferably spherical. Alternatively, the contact surface of avoidance Z drive part 422 may be spherical, and the contact surface of mechanical stopper 424 may be flat. To reduce the load on avoidance Z guide 421, it is preferable that the center of cam follower 420b and the Y coordinate position of avoidance Z guide 421 coincide.

[0028] Next, the substrate unloading operation of the substrate unloading mechanism will be described with reference to Fig. 4. In Fig. 4, the substrate unloading operation is an operation of unloading the substrate P for which exposure processing has been completed from the substrate stage 6 to a buffer stage 70 arranged outside the exposure apparatus 100. As shown in Fig. 4, the buffer stage 70 is composed of a base plate and pins, and is configured so that it can receive the substrate P by the pins.

[0029] The substrate unloading operation is divided into an outgoing operation and a returning operation. First, the outgoing operation will be described with reference to Fig. 4(a) to Fig. 4(f). Here, the outgoing operation is the operation of the substrate unloading mechanism from the origin position to the transfer of substrate P to buffer stage 70.

[0030] 4(a) is a diagram showing a state in which the substrate ejection mechanism is at the origin position. At this time, the standby position of the substrate ejection mechanism is located below the upper surface of the mounting table 20, the mounting table 20 holds the substrate P, and the holding parts 430a and 430b do not hold the substrate P.

[0031] When the substrate unloading operation starts, Y drive unit 402 drives in the -Y direction along Y guide 401, and with this drive, Z guide 403, Z drive unit 405, base 404, and cam followers 420a, 420b connected to Y drive unit 402 also drive in the -Y direction. Cam followers 420a, 420b drive along the sliding surface of first guide 410a.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 4(b), when the Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, the cam follower 420b is also driven in the +Z direction along the first guide 410a, and the base 404 and the Z driving unit 405 connected to the cam follower 420b are driven along the Z guide 403. The amount of drive in the Z direction in the drive depends on the shape of the first guide 410a, and the upper surfaces of the holding units 430a and 430b become higher than the upper surface of the mounting table 20. In addition, the shape of the first guide 410a can be designed so that the substrate P is at a height that does not contact the mounting table 20 due to the deflection of the substrate P in the Z direction when the substrate unloading mechanism unloads the substrate P. The upper surfaces of the holding units 430a and 430b come into contact with the lower surface of the substrate P due to the drive, so that the substrate P is held by the holding units 430a and 430b, and the substrate P is lifted in the +Z direction according to the amount of drive of the first guide 410a in the Z direction.

[0033] That is, the Y driving unit 402 is driven in a certain linear direction, but the first guide 410a can guide the holders 430a, 430b in a direction (diagonal direction) different from the linear direction. The linear direction is a direction parallel to the contact surface of the substrate P where the holders 430a, 430b contact. The first guide 410a is configured to be able to lift the holders 430a, 430b in response to the driving of the Y driving unit 402. Specifically, the first guide 410a or the second guide 410b has a shape including a guide extending in the linear direction (first direction) and a guide extending in a direction (diagonal direction) different from the linear direction.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 4(c), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam followers 420a, 420b are driven along the sliding surface of first guide 410a. Then, base 404, holders 430a, 430b, and substrate P are driven in the -Y direction while maintaining the height (Z coordinate position) of FIG. 4(b). At this time, at least one of cam follower 420a and cam follower 420b may be in contact with first guide 410a. In order to prevent substrate P from shifting in the horizontal direction during the driving, the acceleration of Y driving unit 402 may be set so that the frictional force of the contact surface between substrate P and holders 430a, 430b is greater than the inertial force associated with the driving.

[0035] 4(d), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420a drives along the sliding surface of first guide 410a, and cam follower 420b derails from the sliding surface of first guide 410a. That is, only cam follower 420a is in contact with the sliding surface of first guide 410a.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 4(e), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420a drives along the sliding surface of first guide 410a, and base 404 and Z driving unit 405 drive in the -Z direction along Z guide 403. At this time, if the drive amount in the -Z direction is set so that the upper surfaces of holding units 430a and 430b are lower than the upper surfaces of the pins of buffer table 70, substrate P is separated from the substrate discharge mechanism and substrate P is transferred to buffer table 70. While substrate P is being held by driving holding units 430a and 430b, substrate P, base 404, and Z driving unit 405 are driven with acceleration in the -Z direction, so that the normal force of substrate P is reduced and the frictional force is also reduced. At this time, the acceleration of Y driving unit 402 can be set so that substrate P does not move horizontally on holding units 430a and 430b.

[0037] That is, first guide 410a is configured so that holding portions 430a and 430b can be lowered as Y driving portion 402 is driven.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 4(f), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420a as well as cam follower 420b deviates from the sliding surface of first guide 410a. Then, base 404 and Z driving unit 405 are driven in the -Z direction along Z guide 403 by their own weight. Thereafter, at least one of cam follower 420a and cam follower 420b comes into contact with the sliding surface of second guide 410b, and base 404 and Z driving unit 405 move to a position lower than the height in the Z direction in Fig. 4(e).

[0039] The above is a description of the forward operation. Next, the return operation will be described with reference to Figures 4(g) to 4(j). The return operation is an operation in which the substrate unloading mechanism, having delivered the substrate to the buffer 70, returns to the origin position.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4(g), when Y drive unit 402 is driven in the +Y direction, cam followers 420a, 420b are driven along the sliding surface of second guide 410b, and base 404 and Z drive unit 405 are driven in the +Y direction while maintaining the height of FIG. 4(f).

[0041] As shown in FIG. 4(h), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420a drives along the sliding surface of second guide 410b, and base 404 and Z drive unit 405 drive in the +Z direction along Z guide 403. At this time, cam follower 420b contacts the lower surface of first guide 410a, and cam follower 420b receives an external force in the -Z direction, so that cam follower 420b and avoidance Z drive unit 422 drive in the -Z direction along avoidance Z guide 421 as shown in FIG. 3(b). Due to the drive of cam follower 420b and avoidance Z drive unit 422, base 404 and Z drive unit 405 can drive in the +Z direction even if cam follower 420b contacts the lower surface of first guide 410a.

[0042] As shown in Fig. 4(i), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420a drives along the sliding surface of second guide 410b, and base 404 and Z drive unit 405 drive in the +Z direction along Z guide 403. At this time, cam follower 420b moves away from the lower surface of first guide 410a, and cam follower 420a and avoidance Z drive unit 422 are driven in the +Z direction along avoidance Z guide 421 by avoidance spring 423. Then, by contacting mechanical stopper 424, cam follower 420b returns to its original position as shown in Fig. 3(a).

[0043] As shown in Fig. 4(j), when the Y driving unit 402 is driven in the -Y direction, the cam follower 420a is driven along the sliding surface of the second guide 410b. The shapes of the first guide 410a and the second guide 410b can be designed so that the amount of drive in the -Y direction at this time can be such that the cam follower 420b can be driven until it contacts the sliding surface of the first guide 410a. By driving further in the -Y direction than the above drive, the substrate discharge mechanism can be returned to the origin position shown in Fig. 4(a).

[0044] 4(b) is also called a holding step in which substrate P is held by holding parts 430a, 430b. Also, Figs. 4(c) to 4(e) are also called a driving step in which holding parts 430a, 430b are driven by driving Y driving part 402 in a linear direction (-Y direction). Also, in this embodiment, after driving the Y driving part in a predetermined direction (-Y direction), the Y driving part is driven in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction (+Y direction), whereby the substrate is carried out by base 404 and then returned to the origin. A method including these steps is also called a substrate moving method.

[0045] In this embodiment, two cam followers are arranged so that when the substrate ejection mechanism performs the substrate ejection operation, the driving of the cam followers 420a and 420b is not hindered and the substrate ejection mechanism can return to the origin. The cam follower 420a has a role of driving the base 404 in the +Z direction as shown in Fig. 4(g) to (i), and the cam follower 420b has a role of maintaining the position of the base 404 in the Z direction as shown in Fig. 4(j). Note that the number of cam followers is not limited to two, and three or more may be arranged as long as the above operation is possible. The arrangement and shape of the first guide 410a and the second guide 410b are not limited to those shown in Fig. 2, and other arrangements and shapes may be used as long as the above operation can be realized.

[0046] In this embodiment, by controlling the Y driving unit 402 with the driving control unit 80, it is possible to drive not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction. In other words, there is no need to provide a separate Z direction driving unit, and the moving mounting unit of the substrate stage can be configured simply. As a result, the difficulty of design and the risk of dust generation can be reduced.

[0047] <Second embodiment> In the first embodiment, a configuration has been described in which the cam follower 420b comes into contact with the lower surface of the first guide 410a during the substrate ejection operation, thereby allowing the substrate ejection mechanism to return to the origin position. In this embodiment, an example different from the first embodiment will be described. Matters not mentioned in this embodiment will follow the first embodiment.

[0048] Next, the substrate unloading operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5(a) to Fig. 5(h) are diagrams showing the substrate unloading operation. In the first embodiment, base 404 is configured to always receive a force in the -Z direction due to its own weight, but in this embodiment, base 404 is configured to always receive a force in the direction opposite to gravity (+Z direction) by compression coil spring 460. That is, cam followers 420a, 420b are driven along the lower surfaces, not the upper surfaces, of first guide 450a and second guide 450b as Y drive unit 402 is driven in the Y direction.

[0049] Compression coil spring 460 is connected to the upper surface of Y drive unit 402 and the lower surface of base 404. With this configuration, base 404 and Z drive unit 405 always receive a force in the +Z direction from compression coil spring 460 along Z guide 403. First guide 450a and second guide 450b are guide rails having sliding surfaces for cam followers 420a and 420b, and receive the force of compression coil spring 460 at the contact surfaces between cam followers 420a, 420b and first guide 450a and second guide 450b. Compression coil spring 460 is one of the guide mechanisms.

[0050] In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 5(d) to (f), base 404 is driven in the -Z direction, and two cam followers are required to maintain the height in the Z direction. In this embodiment, cam follower 420b has the role of driving base 404 in the -Z direction as shown in Figures 5(d) and (e), and cam follower 420a has the role of maintaining the position of base 404 in the Z direction as shown in Figure 5(f). In addition, cam follower 420a comes into contact with the upper surface of second guide 450b, but the configuration described below allows it to avoid second guide 450b.

[0051] Here, the configuration of cam followers 420a and 420b in this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 6. The difference from the first embodiment is that cam follower 420a is connected to Z drive unit 422 for avoiding, cam follower 420b is connected to 404, and avoiding spring 425 is connected to Z drive unit 422 for avoiding and base 404. Also, the difference from the first embodiment is that a force in the -Z direction is always applied to Z drive unit 422, the orientation of mechanical stopper 424 changes, and the upper surface of mechanical stopper 424 and the lower surface of Z drive unit 422 for avoiding are installed so as to come into contact with each other.

[0052] Mechanical stopper 424 is installed to compress avoidance spring 425 so that avoidance Z drive unit 422 always comes into contact with mechanical stopper 424. With the above configuration, when an external force in the +Z direction is applied to cam follower 420a, avoidance spring 425 is compressed as shown in FIG. 6(b), and cam follower 420a and avoidance Z drive unit 422 are driven in the +Z direction. When the external force is removed, cam follower 420a and avoidance Z drive unit 422 are driven in the -Z direction by compressed avoidance spring 425 and gravity, and come to rest at a position where avoidance Z drive unit 422 and mechanical stopper 424 come into contact with each other. With the configuration of FIG. 6 in this way, when no external force is applied and when the external force is removed, the Z direction positions of cam follower 420a and avoidance Z drive unit 422 always come to rest at the same position.

[0053] Returning to the explanation of Figures 5(a) to (h), as shown in Figure 5(a), the standby position of the substrate unloading mechanism is located at a position lower than the upper surface of the mounting table 20. This position is also called the origin position.

[0054] 5(b), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420a receives the force of compression coil spring 460 in the +Z direction, and drives in the +Z direction along the lower surface of guide rail 450a. Then, base 404 connected to cam follower 420a and Z driving unit 405 connected to base 404 drive in the +Z direction along Z guide 403. The amount of drive in the Z direction in the drive depends on the shape of first guide 450a, and the shape can be designed so that the upper surfaces of holding units 430a, 430b are higher than the upper surface of mounting table 20, as in the first embodiment.

[0055] As shown in FIG. 5(c), when Y drive portion 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam followers 420a and 420b slide on the lower surface of first guide 450a.

[0056] 5(d), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420b drives along the sliding surface of guide rail 450a, and base 404 and Z driving unit 405 drive in the -Z direction along Z guide 403. At this time, the upper surfaces of holding units 430a, 430b are positioned lower than the upper surfaces of the pins of buffer table 70, causing substrate P to separate from the substrate unloading mechanism and be delivered to buffer table 70. As in the first embodiment, the normal force of substrate P decreases and the amount of friction decreases, so the acceleration of Y driving unit 402 can be set so that substrate P does not move in the horizontal direction.

[0057] During the above-described drive, cam follower 420a comes into contact with the upper surface of second guide 450b, and cam follower 420a receives an external force in the +Z direction, so that cam follower 420a and Z drive unit for avoiding 422 are driven in the +Z direction along Z guide for avoiding 421, as shown in Fig. 6(b). Due to the above-described drive of cam follower 420a and Z drive unit for avoiding 422, base 404 and Z drive unit 405 can be driven in the -Z direction even if cam follower 420a comes into contact with the upper surface of second guide 450b.

[0058] As shown in Fig. 5(e), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420b is driven along the sliding surface of first guide 450a, and base 404 and Z drive unit 405 are further driven in the -Z direction along Z guide 403. At this time, cam follower 420a separates from the upper surface of second guide 450b, and cam follower 420a and avoidance Z drive unit 422 are driven in the -Z direction along avoidance Z guide 421 by avoidance spring 425 and its own weight. Then, cam follower 420a returns to its original position by contacting mechanical stopper 424 as shown in Fig. 6(a).

[0059] As shown in Fig. 5(f), when the Y driving unit 402 is driven in the +Y direction, the cam follower 420b is driven along the sliding surface of the first guide 450a, and the base 404 and the Z driving unit 405 are driven in the +Y direction. At this time, even if the cam follower 420b contacts the sliding surface of the first guide 450a and the cam follower 420b is separated from the sliding surface of the second guide 450b, the base 404 and the Z driving unit 405 can be driven in the +Y direction while maintaining the height in the Z direction in Fig. 5(e). In order to enable the above drive, the distance in the Y direction between the first guide 450a and the second guide 450b can be designed to be larger than the diameter of the cam followers 420a and 420b and smaller than the distance in the Y direction between the cam followers 420a and 420b. By setting the Z-direction position of the sliding surface of the second guide 450b to the same position as the lowest surface of the sliding surface of the first guide 450a, or to a position lower than that position, the upper surfaces of the holding portions 430a, 430b do not come into contact with the lower surface of the substrate P, so that the base 404 can be driven.

[0060] As shown in FIG. 5(g), when Y drive portion 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam followers 420a, 420b slide on the lower surface of second guide 450b.

[0061] 5(h), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam followers 420a and 420b deviate from the sliding surface of second guide 450b. Then, compressed compression spring 460 drives base 404 and Z driving unit 405 in the +Z direction along Z guide 403 until cam follower 420a or 420b contacts the sliding surface of first guide 450a. This driving allows base 404 to return to the origin position.

[0062] The Y driving unit 402 may be, for example, a linear motor, a ball screw, or a wire drive. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the wire drive. A wire 82 is connected to the Y driving unit 402, and the wire 82 is configured to drive the Y driving unit 402 by the rotation of a drum 83. The Y driving unit 402 constitutes a motor 81 for rotating the drum 83, and the motor 81 is controlled by a drive control unit 80.

[0063] In this embodiment, by controlling the Y driving unit 402 with the driving control unit 80, it is possible to drive not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction. In other words, there is no need to provide a separate Z direction driving unit, and the moving mounting unit of the substrate stage can be configured simply. As a result, the difficulty of design and the risk of dust generation can be reduced.

[0064] <Third embodiment> In this embodiment, a substrate unloading mechanism having a different configuration from those in the first and second embodiments will be described. Matters not mentioned in this embodiment will follow those in the second embodiment.

[0065] The substrate unloading operation of this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 8. Figs. 8(a) to (k) are views showing the substrate unloading operation. The difference from the second embodiment is that four cam followers 420a to 420d are provided on the base 404. Note that this embodiment is configured with six guides, and the respective guides are called the first guide 450a, the first guide 450b, the third guide 481, the fourth guide 483, the fifth guide 482, and the sixth guide 484.

[0066] The bearing unit 470 in FIG. 8(a) is configured on the Z drive unit 405 and the base 404. It is attached so that the X-axis is the rotation axis. With the above configuration, the base 404 can rotate in the pitching direction (the X-axis is the rotation axis) with respect to the Z drive unit 405. The portion of the base 404 that is away from the bearing unit 470 and the compression spring 460 in the -Y direction (specifically, the portion where the cam followers 420c and 420d in FIG. 8 are installed) receives gravity due to its own weight in the -Z direction with the bearing unit 470 as the rotation center. The weight is supported by the contact surfaces of the cam follower 420c and the third guide 481 and the fourth guide 483, or the contact surfaces of the cam follower 420d and the third guide 481, the fifth guide 482, and the sixth guide 484. The third guide 481 and the fourth guide 483 are installed in the X drive unit 30, and the fifth guide 482 and the sixth guide 484 are installed in the buffer table 70.

[0067] In the first and second embodiments, the base 404 is supported by a cantilever, and vibration in the Z direction during the substrate unloading of the base 404 can be a problem. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the cam followers 420a to 420d are configured to support both ends of the base 404, and therefore the vibration can be reduced.

[0068] The relationship in the X direction between the cam followers 420c, 420d and the third to sixth guides 481 to 484 is shown in FIG. 9. FIG. 9 shows the substrate discharge section 40 in FIG. 8 as viewed from the +Z direction. As shown in FIG. 9, the cam followers 420c and 420d are arranged at positions shifted in the X direction. In this embodiment, the cam follower 420c is arranged in the -X direction, and the cam follower 420d is arranged in the +X direction. The third guide 481 has a sliding surface that is wide in the X direction so that it can come into contact with both the cam followers 420c and 420d. The fifth guide 482 and the sixth guide 484 have sliding surfaces that come into contact only with the cam follower 420d, and the fourth guide 483 has a sliding surface that comes into contact only with the cam follower 420c.

[0069] The cam follower 420c has a role of supporting the base 404's own weight when it is on the stage side, and the cam follower 420d has a role of supporting the base's own weight when it is on the stage side and on the buffer table 70. They are also arranged so that they can return to their original position when performing the substrate unloading operation as shown in Figs. 8(i) to (k). The configuration shown in Fig. 10 is such that the cam follower 420d can avoid the third guide 481 as shown in Figs. 8(i) and 8(j). The configurations in Figs. 10(a) and 10(b) are similar to those in the second embodiment, although the arrangement positions are different.

[0070] Returning to the description of Fig. 8, in the following description, the same contents as those in the second embodiment will be omitted, and only the points unique to this embodiment will be described.

[0071] As shown in FIG. 8(a), when Y drive portion 402 is driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420d is driven in the -Y direction along the sliding surface of third guide 481.

[0072] As shown in FIG. 8(b), when Y drive portion 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420d is driven in the +Z direction along the sliding surface of third guide 481.

[0073] As shown in FIG. 8(c), when Y driving unit 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420d drives along the sliding surface of third guide 481. Because the sliding surfaces of third guide 481 and fifth guide 482 are discontinuous, there is a moment when cam follower 420d leaves the sliding surface of the guide as Y driving unit 402 drives in the -Y direction. However, because cam follower 420c contacts third guide 481, the weight of base 404 and substrate P can be supported by the contact surface. The Y-direction interval between third guide 481 and fifth guide 482 and the interval between cam followers 420c and 420d are adjusted so that cam follower 420c contacts third guide 481 and cam follower 420d contacts fifth guide 482 installed on buffer stand 70. As a result, the base 404, the holders 430a, 430b and the substrate P are driven in the -Y direction while maintaining the height in the Z direction in FIG. 8(b).

[0074] As shown in FIG. 8( d ), when Y drive portion 402 is further driven in the −Y direction, cam follower 420 d drives along the sliding surface of fifth guide 482 .

[0075] As shown in Fig. 8(e), when Y drive section 402 is further driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420d is driven in the -Z direction along the sliding surface of fifth guide 482. If the weight of base 404 is supported by the contact surface between cam follower 420d and fifth guide 482 until substrate P is delivered to buffer stand 70, the attitude of substrate P can be kept horizontal, and the placement position of substrate P can be prevented from shifting significantly and substrate P can be prevented from being damaged. However, the clearance between the bottom surface of fifth guide 482 and the top surface of sixth guide 484 is designed to be larger than the outermost diameter of cam follower 420d so as not to interfere with the drive of cam follower 420d in the +Y direction in Figs. 8(f) and 8(g).

[0076] As shown in FIG. 8(f), when Y drive portion 402 is further driven in the −Y direction, cam follower 420d separates from the sliding surface of fifth guide 482, falls due to its own weight, and comes into contact with sixth guide 484.

[0077] 8(g), when Y drive unit 402 is driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420d drives along the sliding surface of sixth guide 484. As Y drive unit 402 is driven in the +Y direction, there is a moment when cam follower 420d moves away from the sliding surface of sixth guide 484. At this time, the Y direction distance between fourth guide 483 and sixth guide 484 and the Y direction distance between cam followers 420c and 420d are adjusted so that cam follower 420c comes into contact with the sliding surface of fourth guide 483.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 8(h), when Y drive portion 402 is driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420c is driven along the sliding surface of fourth guide 483.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 8(i), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420b moves away from the sliding surface of the second guide as in the second embodiment, and Z drive unit 405 is driven in the +Z direction along Z guide 403 by compression spring 460. Meanwhile, cam follower 420c is driven along the sliding surface of fourth guide 483, so that base 404 is also driven in the +Z direction. At this time, cam follower 420d comes into contact with the lower surface of third guide 481 and receives a force in the -Z direction, but as shown in Fig. 10(b), avoiding Z drive unit 422 and cam follower 420d are driven in the -Z direction along avoiding Z guide 421.

[0080] As shown in Fig. 8(j), when Y drive unit 402 is further driven in the +Y direction, cam follower 420b comes into contact with the sliding surface of first guide 450a to support the +Z direction force of compression spring 460, and cam follower 420c drives along fourth guide 483. At this time, cam follower 420d moves away from the lower surface of third guide 481, no longer receives the force in the -Z direction, and is driven in the +Z direction by tension spring 423 to a position where avoiding Z drive unit 422 and mechanical stopper 424 come into contact, as shown in Fig. 10(a). As a result of the above drive, the Z direction position of avoiding Z drive unit 422 comes into contact with mechanical stopper 424, and base 404 can return to the same position as in Fig. 8(a).

[0081] As shown in FIG. 8(k), when Y drive unit 402 is driven in the -Y direction, cam follower 420b is driven along the sliding surface of first guide 450a, and cam follower 420c is driven along the sliding surface of fourth guide 483. When driven further in the -Y direction than the above, cam follower 420c moves away from the sliding surface of fourth guide 483. Therefore, the Y-direction interval between cam followers 420c and 420d or the Y-direction interval between third guide 481 and fourth guide 483 can be adjusted so that cam follower 420d contacts the sliding surface of third guide 481. By the above drive, base 404 can return to the original position of FIG. 8(a).

[0082] In this embodiment, by controlling the Y driving unit 402 with the driving control unit 80, it is possible to drive not only in the horizontal direction but also in the vertical direction. In other words, there is no need to provide a separate Z direction driving unit, and the moving mounting unit of the substrate stage can be configured simply. As a result, the difficulty of design and the risk of dust generation can be reduced.

[0083] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the base 404 can be driven stably, the attitude of the substrate P can be kept horizontal, and the placement position of the substrate P can be prevented from shifting significantly and the substrate P can be prevented from being damaged.

[0084] Here, FIG. 11 shows the substrate ejection mechanism and the entire stage as viewed from above when substrate P is placed on buffer stage 70. In the first to third embodiments, as shown in FIG. 11, mounting stage 20 is divided in the X direction, and substrate ejection mechanism is disposed so as to be driven in the +Z direction through the gap between divided mounting stage 20. When substrate P is ejected by the substrate ejection mechanism, the Z direction deformation amount of substrate P is determined by the number of bases 404 and their positions in the X and Y directions, and the number of holders 430a, 430b, their contact areas with substrate P, and their positions in the X and Y directions. Also, the drive amount in the +Z direction of bases 404 and Z drive unit 405 may be larger than the deformation amount of substrate P.

[0085] In the first to third embodiments, as shown in Fig. 11, the X direction position of X driving unit 30 may wait at the position where it is driven most in the +X direction, and an X mechanical stopper may be provided so that X driving unit 30 does not move in the +X direction. By performing the substrate unloading operation of base 404 at the waiting position, even if the stage runs out of control due to an error or the like, substrate P and X bar mirror 90 will not interfere with each other, so the Y direction transfer position of substrate P may be set to a position overlapping with the Y direction position of X bar mirror 90. By setting it to the transfer position, the Y direction drive stroke of base 404 can be reduced, and an increase in the size of the Y direction outer shape of X driving unit 30 can be avoided.

[0086] In the first to third embodiments, the base 404 and the Z drive unit 405 are fixed only to the Z guide 403. Z Therefore, when driving by high-speed transportation, the base 404 and the Z drive unit 405 rotate in the ω direction due to the acceleration and disturbance. z When the base 404 rotates, the base 404 and the substrate holder 20 collide with each other, which may result in damage to the components or the risk of dust generation. Z Any number of stoppers 100 may be installed on the stage side and on the buffer table 70. ZThe clearance between the stopper 100 and the end face of the base 404 is made smaller than the clearance between the end face of the base 404 and the end face of the substrate holder 20. This prevents the base 404 and the Z drive unit 405 from colliding with the substrate holder 20 even if they are rotated by θ due to an external force, and prevents the base 404 and the Z drive unit 405 from colliding with the substrate holder 20. Z Collision with stopper 100. ω Z The stopper 100 is a rotating body such as a roller, and it is preferable that the contact surface is made of a low-dust generating material such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene. Z When the stopper 100 collides, it collides with the corner of the base 404, so the impact force is large and the substrate discharge part 40 and ω Z This may cause damage to the stopper or may result in an external force being applied to the stage. In order to mitigate the impact force, it is desirable to form the tip of the base 404 in the -Y direction into a tapered shape as shown in FIG.

[0087] In the first to third embodiments, when the cam followers 420a, 420b and the respective guides are disposed on only one side of the Y central axis of the base 404, the base 404 is Y As a result, the edges of the cam followers 420a and 420b come into contact with the sliding surfaces of the guides, and the Z guide 403 is tilted in the ω direction. Y A force in the direction is applied. Therefore, by arranging cam followers 420a, 420b and each guide symmetrically, it is possible to suppress the inclination of base 404. Cam followers 420c, 420d and each guide in the third embodiment may be arranged on one side of the Y-axis center of base 404 or on both sides symmetrically. In addition, since a heavy weight can cause breakage, it is desirable for base 404 to be made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) or aluminum, which have high specific rigidity.

[0088] Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the substrate unloading operation and the steps before and after in the first to third embodiments. Each step is executed by controlling each part of the substrate stage 6 by the drive control unit 80. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing the flow from the completion of exposure processing of a substrate to the start of exposure processing of the next substrate.

[0089] In step S1, the substrate stage 6 moves to a substrate unloading position. In step S2, the substrate is unloaded by the substrate unloading mechanism to the outside of the exposure apparatus (e.g., to a buffer stage) (unloading process). Instead of the buffer stage, the substrate may be unloaded directly to a manufacturing apparatus for the next process (e.g., a developing apparatus). In step S3, the substrate transport mechanism is stored inside the substrate stage 6. In step S4, the next substrate is placed on the mounting stage 20. In step S5, the substrate stage 6 moves to an exposure start position.

[0090] <Embodiments of the method for manufacturing an article> The method for manufacturing an article according to an embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as flat panel displays (FPDs), semiconductor devices, sensors, and optical elements. The method for manufacturing an article according to this embodiment includes a step of forming a latent image pattern on a photosensitive material applied on a substrate by exposure using the above-mentioned exposure apparatus to obtain an exposed substrate (exposure step), a step of carrying out the exposed substrate (carrying out step), and a step of developing the exposed substrate to obtain a developed substrate (development step). The carrying out step is performed by the above-mentioned substrate carrying out mechanism. Furthermore, this manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, deposition, doping, flattening, etching, resist peeling, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The method for manufacturing an article according to this embodiment is advantageous in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article compared to conventional methods.

[0091] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the present invention. For example, the present invention may be a substrate stage of a substrate processing apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus (film forming apparatus, sputtering apparatus, annealing apparatus, etc.), an organic electroluminescence deposition apparatus, or a nanoimprint apparatus. [Explanation of symbols]

[0092] 6 Substrate stage 402 Y drive unit (drive unit) 410a, 450a First guide (guide mechanism) 410b, 450b Second guide (guide mechanism) 420a, 420b Cam follower (guide mechanism) 430a, 430b holding part P board

Claims

1. A substrate stage having a discharge mechanism for discharging a substrate, The discharge mechanism includes: A holder for holding the substrate; A drive unit that is drivable in a first direction; A drive control unit that controls the drive unit; A first guide that guides the movement of the holding portion; having the holding portion is connected so as to move in association with the driving of the driving portion, The substrate stage is characterized in that, when the drive control unit controls the drive unit to drive in the first direction, the first guide guides the holding unit to move in the first direction and in a direction different from the first direction.

2. 2. The substrate stage according to claim 1, wherein the first direction is a direction parallel to a contact surface of the substrate where the substrate and the holder are in contact with each other.

3. 2. The substrate stage according to claim 1, wherein the first guide is configured to be able to lift the holding portion in conjunction with the driving of the driving portion.

4. 2. The substrate stage according to claim 1, wherein the first guide is configured to be able to lower the holding portion in association with the driving of the driving portion.

5. 2. The substrate stage according to claim 1, wherein the first guide has a shape including a guide extending in the first direction and a guide extending in a direction different from the first direction.

6. Further comprising a second guide for guiding the movement of the holding portion, The drive unit is drivable in a second direction opposite to the first direction, 2. The substrate stage according to claim 1, wherein the second guide guides the holding portion to move in the second direction and in a direction different from the second direction when the drive control portion controls the drive portion to drive in the second direction.

7. the first guide guides the holder to move while the holder holds the substrate, the second guide guides the holder to move in a state where the holder is not holding the substrate.

7. The substrate stage according to claim 6.

8. 7. The substrate stage according to claim 6, wherein the first guide is disposed at a position closer to the holder than the second guide.

9. The discharge mechanism further includes a cam follower provided in the holding portion, 7. The substrate stage according to claim 6, wherein the cam follower slides on a sliding surface of the first guide, so that the holding portion moves in response to the driving of the driving portion.

10. 10. The substrate stage according to claim 9, wherein the number of the cam followers is multiple, and at least one of the multiple cam followers is configured to be capable of being driven up and down.

11. 10. The substrate stage according to claim 9, wherein the cam follower slides on an upper surface of the first guide due to the weight of the holding portion.

12. The discharge mechanism further includes a coil spring connected to the holding portion, 10. The substrate stage according to claim 9, wherein the coil spring applies a force to the holding portion in a direction opposite to the direction of gravity, the force causing the cam follower to slide along the underside of the first guide.

13. When the drive unit is driven in the first direction with the holding unit at the origin position, the cam follower slides on the slide surface of the first guide, and then the cam follower moves from the first guide to the second guide, The substrate stage according to claim 9, characterized in that the drive portion is driven in the second direction, so that the holding portion can return to the origin position after the cam follower slides along the sliding surface of the second guide.

14. A substrate stage having a discharge mechanism for discharging a substrate, The discharge mechanism includes: A holder for holding the substrate; a drive unit that moves the holding unit by driving the holding unit in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction; a first guide that guides the holding portion so as to move in the first direction and in a direction different from the first direction when the driving portion is driven in the first direction; a second guide configured to guide the holding portion so as to move in the second direction and in a direction different from the second direction when the driving portion is driven in the second direction; A substrate stage comprising:

15. A substrate moving method, comprising: ejecting a substrate on a substrate stage by a substrate stage ejection mechanism described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A substrate processing apparatus having the substrate stage according to any one of claims 1 to 14, The substrate processing apparatus, wherein the unloading mechanism unloads the substrate processed by the substrate processing apparatus to the outside of the substrate processing apparatus.

17. 15. An exposure apparatus having a substrate stage according to claim 1, a projection optical system for exposing a pattern of the original onto a substrate; The exposure apparatus, wherein the unloading mechanism unloads the substrate exposed by the projection optical system to the outside of the exposure apparatus.

18. an exposure step of exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 17 to obtain an exposed substrate; a carrying-out step of carrying out the exposed substrate by the carrying-out mechanism; a developing step of developing the exposed substrate to obtain a developed substrate, A method for manufacturing an article, comprising the steps of: manufacturing an article from the developed substrate.

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