Chuck, lithography apparatus, substrate stage, top plate, and method for manufacturing article

Abstract

This chuck is supported by a top plate and supports a substrate. The chuck includes: a base having a front surface facing the substrate and a rear surface on a side opposite to the front surface; a rear surface partition wall provided on the rear surface; and a plurality of rear surface pins provided on the rear surface and in contact with the top plate, wherein the plurality of rear surface pins are arranged inside the rear surface partition wall and include a plurality of first pins arranged at equal intervals along the rear surface partition wall, and the height of the rear surface partition wall is lower than the heights of the plurality of rear surface pins.

Description

Chuck, Lithography Apparatus, Substrate Stage, Top Plate, and Method of Manufacturing an Article

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a chuck, a lithography apparatus, a substrate stage, a top plate, and a method of manufacturing an article.

[0002] With the increase in density and miniaturization of semiconductor devices, in exposure apparatuses used for manufacturing them, the numerical aperture (NA) of the projection optical system has been increasing. Although the resolution is improved, the effective depth of focus decreases. Therefore, it is required to hold the substrate with high flatness in the exposure apparatus. In addition, in order to achieve high throughput of the exposure apparatus for the purpose of high productivity, in order to realize high acceleration of the substrate stage, the weight of the chuck that holds the substrate is being reduced. Patent Document 1 shows a configuration for holding a substrate with high flatness even when the chuck is thinned to reduce its weight.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-203860

[0004] When the chuck is thinned, the rigidity of the chuck itself decreases. Therefore, when a foreign object is caught between the chuck and the top plate that holds the chuck, the chuck may be distorted, which may affect the performance of correcting the substrate to a flat plane.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a technique advantageous for suppressing a decrease in the performance of correcting a substrate of a chuck to a flat plane.

[0006] In view of the above problems, a chuck according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is a chuck supported by a top plate and supporting a substrate, the chuck including a base having a surface facing the substrate and a back surface on the side opposite to the surface, a back surface partition provided on the back surface, and a plurality of back surface pins provided on the back surface and contacting the top plate, the plurality of back surface pins including a plurality of first pins arranged inside the back surface partition and arranged at equal intervals along the back surface partition, and the height of the back surface partition being lower than the height of the plurality of back surface pins.

[0007] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a technique advantageous for suppressing a decrease in the performance of correcting a substrate of a chuck to a flat plane.

[0008] Other features and advantages of the technical ideas derived from this disclosure will become apparent from the following description with reference to the attached drawings. In the attached drawings, the same or similar components are given the same reference numeral.

[0009] The attached drawings are included in the specification and constitute part thereof, illustrating embodiments in this disclosure and used to explain the technical ideas derived from this disclosure together with the description thereof. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a lithography apparatus as one aspect of this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure. A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a substrate stage in this disclosure.

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are necessary, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example configuration of a lithography apparatus 100 as one aspect of the present disclosure. The lithography apparatus 100 is an apparatus for forming (transferring) a pattern onto a substrate, and in this embodiment, it is embodied as an exposure apparatus that forms a pattern on the substrate by exposing it through a projection optical system. However, the lithography apparatus 100 is not limited to an exposure apparatus. For example, the lithography apparatus 100 may be an imprint apparatus that forms a pattern on a substrate by molding an imprint material (such as resin) on the substrate using a mold.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the lithography apparatus 100 may include an illumination optical system 102, a reticle stage (not shown) for holding a reticle 104, a projection optical system 106, and a substrate stage 110 for holding a substrate 108. In the lithography apparatus 100, light from a light source (not shown) illuminates the reticle 104 held on the reticle stage via the illumination optical system 102. The light that has passed through the reticle 104 is projected onto the substrate 108 via the projection optical system 106 (i.e., an image of the pattern of the reticle 104 is formed on the substrate 108). The substrate stage 110 is a holding device that holds and moves the substrate 108, and may include a chuck 112, a top plate 114 for holding (placing) the chuck 112, a top plate base 113, and an XY stage 115. The specific configuration of the substrate stage 110 in this embodiment will be described below.

[0013] Figures 2 to 4 show examples of the configuration of the substrate stage 110 in this embodiment. Figures 2 and 3 show cross-sectional views of the substrate stage 110. Figure 4 shows a plan view of the back surface 252 of the chuck 112 that constitutes the substrate stage 110, facing the top plate 114.

[0014] The chuck 112 is supported by the top plate 114 and supports the substrate 108. The chuck 112 may be made of a material with excellent thermal conductivity, such as SiC ceramics. The chuck 112 includes a base 202 having a surface 251 facing the substrate 108 and a back surface 252 on the opposite side of the surface 251. To reduce the weight of the substrate stage 110, the thickness of the chuck 112 may be, for example, 10 mm or less, and even 5 mm or less. Similarly, the thickness of the base 202 may be, for example, 8 mm or less, and even 4 mm or less. By reducing the weight of the chuck 112 and the base 202, the substrate stage 110 is made lighter, and it becomes possible to obtain a greater effect on increasing the acceleration of the substrate stage 110.

[0015] The base 202 is provided with a plurality of through holes 302, 304 that penetrate through the base 202. The through holes 302 are for suction holding the substrate 108. One or more through holes 302 are arranged on the base 202. The top plate 114 is provided with substrate vacuum holes 403 that communicate with the through holes 302 and are connected to a vacuum source 402. Furthermore, the top plate 114 is provided with chuck vacuum holes 404 for suction holding the chuck 112 to the top plate 114 and is connected to a vacuum source 402.

[0016] The top plate 114 and the top plate base 113 are fastened together by fasteners such as bolts 406. A counterbore hole is formed in the fastening portion 405 that penetrates the top plate 114. The bolt 406 has a through hole, so it is not sealed even when fastening the top plate 114 to the base plate stage 110. In Figure 2, the atmospheric outlet 401 of the piping that communicates with the through hole of the bolt 406 is shown.

[0017] When transporting the substrate 108 to the chuck 112 or when retrieving the substrate 108 from the chuck 112, a lift pin (a pin that moves the substrate 108 up and down relative to the top plate 114) is required for transferring the substrate 108. For this reason, the base 202 is provided with a lift pin hole, which has a diameter larger than the diameter of the lift pin, as a through hole 304 that penetrates the base 202.

[0018] An annular partition wall (not shown) is provided on the surface 251 of the base 202 so as to surround the through hole 304 through which the lift pin passes in order to attract and hold the substrate 108. The chuck 112 is also provided with a surface partition wall 204 on the surface 251 of the base 202. The surface partition wall 204 may be provided to separate the internal space between the base 202 and the substrate 108 from the atmosphere. The base 202 may be circular in shape, for example, as shown in Figure 4, and the surface partition wall 204 is arranged annularly along the outer edge of the surface 251 of the base 202. However, the shape of the base 202 is not limited to a circular shape, and may be rectangular or polygonal, for example. The partition wall and the surface partition wall 204 arranged to surround the through hole 304 contact the substrate 108 and define the substrate holding surface that holds the substrate 108.

[0019] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the surface partition wall 204 may be the outermost member among the members that come into contact with the substrate 108, which is placed on the surface 251 of the base 202. The surface partition wall 204 is formed to have a diameter smaller than the diameter of the substrate 108.

[0020] The chuck 112 has a plurality of surface pins 206 provided on the surface 251 of the base 202, in the area surrounded by the surface partition wall 204, in other words, between the surface partition wall 204 and the partition wall surrounding the through hole 304, which are in contact with the substrate 108. The surface pins 206 may be pin-shaped protrusions. The surface pins 206, together with the partition wall surrounding the through hole 304 and the surface partition wall 204, also define the substrate holding surface for holding the substrate 108. In this way, the partition wall surrounding the through hole 304, the surface partition wall 204 and the surface pins 206 define the substrate holding surface, so that the substrate stage 110 can hold the substrate 108 while maintaining high flatness when vacuum sucking the substrate 108.

[0021] The chuck 112 is provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202 to hold the substrate 108 by suction and includes a partition wall 306 formed in an annular shape that surrounds the through hole 304 through which the lift pin passes. The chuck 112 also includes an annular partition wall 308 provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202 that surrounds the through hole 302 for sucking the substrate 108 by suction. The chuck 112 also includes an annular partition wall 307 provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202 that surrounds the counterbore hole of the fastening part 405 that fastens the top plate 114 and the substrate stage 110 by suction. The partition wall 307 separates the internal space of the partition wall 307 from the atmosphere through the through hole of the bolt 406. Furthermore, the chuck 112 includes a back partition wall 208 provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202. The rear partition wall 208 may be positioned to separate the internal space between the base 202 and the top plate 114 from the atmosphere. Here, the rear partition wall 208 is a partition wall in which a plurality of rear pins 210 (described next) are positioned on its inside. On the other hand, partition walls 306 to 308 are partition walls in which none of the plurality of rear pins 201 are positioned on their inside. This is because partition walls 306 and 308 are positioned to surround the through holes 302 and 304, and partition wall 307 is positioned to surround the counterbore hole of the fastening portion 405 of the top plate 114.

[0022] The chuck 112 is provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202 and further comprises a plurality of back pins 210 that contact the top plate 114. The back pins 210 may be pin-shaped projections. The back pins 210 are arranged inside the back partition wall 208 and include a plurality of back pins 210a arranged at equal intervals along the back partition wall 208. It can also be said that the pins among the plurality of back pins 210 that are arranged inside the back partition wall 208 are composed of a plurality of back pins 210a arranged at equal intervals along the back partition wall 208 and back pins arranged inside the back pins 210a. Furthermore, the back pins 210a are arranged inside the back partition wall 208 and are the back pins 210 that are closest to the back partition wall 208. As shown in Figure 4, the back pins 210a may be arranged concentrically with the back partition wall 208 with respect to the center of the base 202. Let R1 be the radius from each of the back pins 210a to the center position of the chuck 112 (back surface 252 of the base 202), and R2 be the radius from the back partition wall 208 to the center position of the chuck 112 (back surface 252 of the base 202). In this case, the deflection of the outer edge (periphery) of the chuck 112 (base 202) is affected by the positional difference (R2 - R1) between the back partition wall 208 and the back pins 210a. As will be described later, in this embodiment, the height of the back partition wall 208 is lower than the height of the back pins 210a, so this effect can be large. Therefore, by arranging the back pins 210a, which are arranged at equal intervals along the back partition wall 208, the deflection of the outer edge (periphery) of the chuck 112 can be equalized.

[0023] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 5 and 6, the back pins 210 may include a plurality of back pins 210b that contact the top plate 114 on the outside of the back partition wall 208, that is, between the back partition wall 208 and the outer edge of the base 202. The back pins 210b may be arranged at equal intervals along the back partition wall 208. As shown in Figure 6, the back pins 210b may be arranged concentrically with the back partition wall 208 with respect to the center of the base 202. The back pins 210b are arranged on the outside of the back partition wall 208. This suppresses the bending of the outer edge (periphery) of the chuck 112 (base 202) due to its own weight and suction, which becomes more pronounced as the chuck 112 (base 202) is made thinner, and reduces deformation of the chuck 112.

[0024] Here, let h0 be the height of the back partition walls 208, 306, and 307 from the back surface 252 of the base 202, and let h1 be the height of the partition wall 308 and the back pin 210 from the back surface 252 of the base 202. In this embodiment, the height h0 of the back partition walls 208, 306, and 307 is lower than the respective heights h1 of the partition wall 308 and the back pin 210. In other words, the back partition walls 208, 306-308, and the back pin 210 are formed such that h0 < h1. As a result, when the chuck 112 is placed on the top plate 114, the partition walls 308 and the back pin 210 come into contact with the top plate 114. On the other hand, the back partition walls 208, 306, and 307 do not come into contact with the top plate 114, and a gap is formed between them and the top plate 114. In this case, the gap formed may be 1 μm or less. In other words, the difference between the heights of the back partitions 208, 306, and 307 and the heights of the partition 308 and the back pin 210 can be 1 μm or less. Because the gap formed is small, the back partitions 208 and 307 can seal the space between the back surface 252 of the base 202 and the top plate 114, and the chuck 112 is held in place by suction to the top plate 114. A gap of 1 μm or less is provided between the back partitions 208, 306, and 307 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 that supports (places) the chuck 112. As a result, even if foreign matter 299 such as particles smaller than 1 μm exists between the back partitions 208 and 306, 307 of the chuck 112 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114, the pinching of the foreign matter 299 can be avoided, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. On the other hand, the partition wall 308 surrounding the through-hole 302 for attracting the substrate 108 may be positioned to be in contact with the top plate 114 in order to efficiently attract the substrate 108. Therefore, as described above, the height of the partition wall 308 from the back surface 252 may be the same as the height of the back surface pins 210 (both with height h1).

[0025] The gap between the rear partition wall 208 and partition walls 306 and 307 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 reduces deformation of the chuck 112 caused by foreign matter getting caught in the chuck 112, which becomes more pronounced when the chuck 112 is made thinner. Therefore, even if the chuck 112 is made thinner, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the flatness of the chuck 112 (the flatness correction performance of the substrate 108), and the substrate 108 can be held in place by suction while maintaining a high degree of flatness.

[0026] Furthermore, this gap reduces the contact area between the chuck 112 and the top plate 114. This reduces the impact on the chuck 112 due to insufficient flatness of the support surface 411 on the top plate 114 that holds (places) the chuck 112.

[0027] Furthermore, the area near the fastening portion 405 of the top plate 114 may experience surface irregularities due to stress from fastening with the top plate base 113, potentially reducing its flatness. Therefore, when the base 202 is supported near the fastening portion 405 of the top plate 114, this may affect the flatness of the chuck 112. In this embodiment, the partition wall 307, which is positioned in the area overlapping the fastening portion 405, does not contact the support surface 411 of the top plate 114, and a gap is provided. This reduces the influence of deformation that may occur near the fastening portion 405 of the top plate 114 on the flatness of the chuck 112.

[0028] In this embodiment, the chuck 112 has a back pin 210 and is supported on the top plate 114. However, the top plate 114 may have a support surface 411 and may be provided with a plurality of pins that contact the base 202 of the chuck 112. In other words, the support surface 411 on which the chuck 112 is supported (placed) on the top plate 114 does not have to be flat other than the counterbore hole of the fastening portion 405. When the pins that support the chuck 112 (base 202) are arranged on the top plate 114, when the side of the top plate 114 that supports the chuck 112 is cleaned, foreign matter is more likely to fall off the support surface (the collection of pin tips) that supports the chuck 112, and furthermore, the pinching of foreign matter can be avoided.

[0029] The rear partition wall 208 is arranged in a ring along the outer edge of the back surface 252 of the base 202. In this case, as shown in Figures 4 and 6, the rear partition wall 208 may be formed continuously along the outer edge of the base 202. Alternatively, for example, the rear partition wall 208 may be formed intermittently along the outer edge of the base 202. In other words, the rear partition wall 208 may be formed discontinuously at least at one location. For example, the rear partition wall 208 may be composed of multiple arc-shaped sections. The size of the discontinuous section of the rear partition wall 208 can be appropriately set according to its ability to suction and hold the chuck 112 on the top plate 114. Similarly, the partition walls 306 and 307 may be formed continuously as shown in Figures 4 and 6, or they may be formed intermittently. By forming the rear partition wall 208, etc., intermittently, the contact area between the chuck 112 and the top plate 114 can be further reduced. This reduces the impact on the chuck 112 caused by insufficient flatness of the support surface 411 on which the top plate 114 supports (places) the chuck 112.

[0030] Furthermore, the pins of the back surface pins 210 that are positioned inside the back surface pins 210a are not limited to being aligned at equal intervals in the x and y directions, as shown in Figures 4 and 6. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the pins of the back surface pins 210 that are positioned inside the back surface pins 210a may include pins that are arranged concentrically with respect to the center of the base 202. This makes it possible to equalize the deflection of the chuck 112.

[0031] In the configurations shown in Figures 3 and 5, the surface pins 206 are positioned to overlap with the back pins 210 in the orthogonal projection onto the surface 251 of the base 202. However, the configuration is not limited to this, and as shown in Figure 8, the multiple surface pins 206 may include pins that are positioned so as not to overlap with the multiple back pins 210. As the chuck 112 is made thinner, the flatness of the chuck 112 (the ability to correct the planar shape of the substrate 108) decreases significantly due to the back pins 210 trapping foreign matter 299 or insufficient flatness of the support surface 411 of the top plate 114. By providing a configuration in which the surface pins 206 and the back pins 210 do not overlap, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the flatness of the chuck 112 (the ability to correct the planar shape of the substrate 108). As a result, the substrate 108 can be held by suction while maintaining a high degree of flatness.

[0032] Furthermore, the surface partition 204 and the back partition 208 may be arranged to overlap in an orthogonal projection onto the surface 251 of the base 202, as shown in Figures 3 and 5. Providing the surface partition 204 and the back partition 208 at the overlapping positions of the surface 251 and back surface 252 of the base 202 is advantageous in maintaining the strength of the chuck 112 compared to the case where they do not overlap. On the other hand, the surface partition 204 for suction holding the substrate 108 may be affected by the shape of the outer edge of the substrate 108. For example, the outer edge of the substrate 108 may have lower flatness than the inside due to the process, etc. Therefore, the surface partition 204 may be positioned inside the back partition 208.

[0033] As described above, a gap is formed between the chuck 112 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 by making the height h0 of the back partition wall 208 (and partition walls 306, 307) lower than the height h1 of the back pin 210 (and partition wall 308). However, the method of forming the gap is not limited to this. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of Figure 5. In the configuration shown in Figure 9, the height of the back partition wall 208 provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202 of the chuck 112 and the height of the back pin 210 are the same. On the other hand, the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 for supporting the chuck 112 has a recess 412 in at least a part of the portion that overlaps with the back partition wall 208. As a result, a gap exists between the back partition wall 208 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 in the recess 412. Furthermore, the support surface 411 of the top plate 114 may have a recess 412 in at least a portion of the part that overlaps with the partition walls 306 and 307, and a gap may exist between the partition walls 306 and 307 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114.

[0034] In the configuration shown in Figure 9, when the chuck 112 is placed on the top plate 114, the partition wall 308 and the back pin 210 contact the top plate 114, while the back partition wall 208 (partition walls 306, 307) does not contact the top plate 114, creating a gap. In this case, the gap can be, for example, 1 μm or less, as described above. By providing such a gap of 1 μm or less, even if there is foreign matter 299 less than 1 μm in size between the back partition wall 208, partition walls 306, 307 of the chuck 112 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114, pinching can be avoided as described above. As a result, deformation of the chuck 112 caused by the chuck 112 pinching foreign matter, which becomes more pronounced with the thinning of the chuck 112, can be reduced. Therefore, even if the chuck 112 is made thinner, it is possible to suppress a decrease in the flatness of the chuck 112 (the flatness correction performance of the substrate 108), so that the substrate 108 can be held in place by suction while maintaining a high degree of flatness.

[0035] The recesses 412 may be formed continuously so as to overlap the rear partition wall 208. Alternatively, for example, the recesses 412 may be formed intermittently. In other words, the recesses 412 may be formed discontinuously at least in one place. Similarly, when the recesses 412 are arranged so as to overlap the partition walls 306 and 307, they may be formed continuously or intermittently.

[0036] In the embodiments described above, the chuck 112 is described as comprising a base 202, a back partition wall 208 provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202, back pins 210, partition walls 306-308, etc. However, the configuration of the substrate stage 110 is not limited to that. Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a modified example of Figure 5. In the configuration shown in Figure 10, the back partition wall 208 and back pins 210 are not provided on the back surface 252 of the base 202. Instead, the top plate 114 is provided on a support surface 411 for supporting the chuck 112 and comprises a plurality of pins 410 that contact the chuck 112, and a partition wall 408 provided on the support surface 411. The partition wall 408 may be arranged to separate the internal space between the top plate 114 and the chuck 112 from the atmosphere. The partition wall 408 and pin 410 may be formed in the area where the above-described rear partition wall 208 and rear pin 210 are projected onto the top plate 114. Alternatively, a configuration similar to that of the above-described partition walls 306-308 may be arranged on the top plate 114.

[0037] As shown in Figure 10, the pins 410 that support the chuck 112 and the partition wall 408 that separates the internal space between the top plate 114 and the chuck 112 from the atmosphere are arranged on the top plate 114. This reduces the weight of components such as the rear partition wall 208 and the rear pins 210 in the chuck 112. As a result, the chuck 112 can be made lighter. Therefore, the force required for the top plate 114 to hold the chuck 112 by suction can be reduced, and thus higher acceleration of the stage can be achieved.

[0038] Here, let h0 be the height of the partition wall 408 (and partition walls 306, 307 with the same configuration) from the support surface 411 of the top plate 114, and let h1 be the height of the pin 410 (and partition wall 308 with the same configuration) from the support surface 411 of the top plate 114. In this case, the height h0 of the partition wall 408 (and partition walls 306, 307 with the same configuration) is lower than the height h1 of the pin 410 (and partition wall 308 with the same configuration). In other words, the partition wall 408 (and partition walls 306-308 with the same configuration) and the pin 410 are formed such that h0 < h1. As a result, when the chuck 112 is placed on the top plate 114, the chuck 112 comes into contact with the pin 410. On the other hand, the partition wall 408 does not come into contact with the chuck 112, and a gap is formed between it and the chuck 112 (base 202). In this case, the gap formed may be 1 μm or less. This seals the space between the back surface 252 of the base 202 and the support surface 411 of the top plate 114, allowing the chuck 112 to be held in place by suction. By providing a gap of 1 μm or less between the partition wall 408 and the chuck 112 (back surface 252 of the base 202), pinching can be avoided even if foreign matter 299 smaller than 1 μm is present between the partition wall 408 and the chuck 112 (back surface 252 of the base 202).

[0039] The gap between the partition wall 408 and the chuck 112 (back surface 252 of the base 202) reduces deformation of the chuck 112 caused by foreign matter getting caught in it, which becomes more pronounced when the chuck 112 is made thinner. Therefore, even if the chuck 112 is made thinner, it is possible to suppress the decrease in the flatness of the chuck 112 (the flatness correction performance of the substrate 108), and the substrate 108 can be held in place by suction while maintaining a high degree of flatness.

[0040] In the configuration shown in Figure 10, the configuration in which the chuck 112 protrudes from the back surface 252 of the base 202 is not shown. However, it is not limited to this configuration, and some of the back surface pins 210 and partition walls 306-308 described above may be arranged on the chuck 112.

[0041] The method for manufacturing articles in the embodiments of this disclosure is suitable for manufacturing articles such as microdevices, such as semiconductor devices, and elements having microstructures. The method for manufacturing articles in this embodiment includes the steps of transferring a pattern from a master plate onto a substrate (e.g., exposure) using a lithography apparatus 100 (such as an exposure apparatus, imprint apparatus, or drawing apparatus), and processing the substrate onto which the pattern has been transferred (e.g., developing). The manufacturing method may also include other well-known steps (such as oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, and packaging). The method for manufacturing articles in this embodiment is advantageous compared to conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the articles.

[0042] While embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, it goes without saying that the present disclosure is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of its gist. For example, the present disclosure is applicable not only to lithography apparatus but also to other devices (such as measuring devices) that include a chuck and a top plate.

[0043] The technical ideas derived from this disclosure are not limited to the exemplary embodiments disclosed, but are intended to encompass various modifications of the exemplary embodiments, or substitutions with equivalent structures or functions. The scope of the following claims should be interpreted in the broadest way to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

[0044] This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-227964, filed on 24 December 2024, and all of its contents are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A chuck supported by a top plate and supporting a substrate, comprising: a base having a surface facing the substrate and a back surface on the opposite side of the surface; a back partition provided on the back surface; and a plurality of back pins provided on the back surface and in contact with the top plate, wherein the plurality of back pins include a plurality of first pins arranged inside the back partition and spaced equally along the back partition, and the height of the back partition is lower than the height of the plurality of back pins.

2. The chuck according to claim 1, characterized in that the plurality of back pins are arranged outside the back partition and include a plurality of second pins arranged at equal intervals along the back partition.

3. The chuck according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the base is circular in shape, and the rear partition wall is arranged in an annular manner along the outer edge of the rear surface.

4. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear partition wall is formed continuously along the outer edge of the base.

5. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rear partition wall is formed intermittently along the outer edge of the base.

6. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the difference between the height of the back surface partition and the height of the plurality of back surface pins is 1 μm or less.

7. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a first partition wall provided on the back surface and having no pins among the plurality of back surface pins located inside thereof, wherein the height of the first partition wall is lower than the height of the plurality of back surface pins.

8. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a second partition wall provided on the back surface and having no pins among the plurality of back surface pins located inside thereof, wherein the height of the second partition wall is the same as the height of the plurality of back surface pins.

9. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the thickness of the chuck is 5 mm or less.

10. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the thickness of the base is 4 mm or less.

11. The chuck further comprises a surface partition provided on the surface and a plurality of surface pins provided on the surface and in contact with the substrate, wherein the surface partition is arranged to overlap the back partition, as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The chuck further comprises a surface partition provided on the surface and a plurality of surface pins provided on the surface and in contact with the substrate, wherein the surface partition is positioned inward from the back partition, as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

13. The chuck according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the plurality of surface pins include pins that are arranged so as not to overlap with the plurality of back surface pins.

14. The chuck according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the pins among the plurality of back-surface pins that are arranged inside the back-surface partition wall are composed of the plurality of first pins and pins arranged inside the plurality of first pins.

15. A lithography apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original plate onto a substrate, characterized in that it comprises a chuck as described in any one of claims 1 to 14.

16. A substrate stage comprising a chuck for supporting a substrate and a top plate for supporting the chuck, wherein the chuck comprises a base having a surface facing the substrate and a back surface on the opposite side of the surface, and a back partition provided on the back surface, and the support surface of the top plate for supporting the chuck has a recess in at least a portion of the part that overlaps with the back partition, and a gap exists between the back partition and the support surface in the recess.

17. The substrate stage according to claim 16, wherein the chuck further comprises a plurality of back pins provided on the back surface and in contact with the top plate, and the top plate further comprises a plurality of pins provided on the support surface and in contact with the base.

18. A lithography apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original plate onto a substrate, characterized by comprising the substrate stage described in claim 16 or 17.

19. A top plate for supporting a chuck that supports a substrate, wherein the top plate comprises a plurality of pins provided on a support surface for supporting the chuck and in contact with the chuck, and a partition wall provided on the support surface, wherein the height of the partition wall is lower than the height of the plurality of pins.

20. A lithography apparatus for transferring a pattern of an original plate onto a substrate, characterized in that it comprises the top plate described in claim 19.

21. A method for manufacturing an article, comprising the steps of: forming a pattern on a substrate using a lithography apparatus according to any one of claims 15, 18, and 20; and processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed.

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