EP0359497A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
An exposure method
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1989-09-11
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-09-11
Abstract
Abstract A method of exposing a wafer to exposure energy such as ultraviolet rays or X-rays through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer, for example. The temperature of the mask and/or the wafer increases during the exposure operation by absorption of the exposure energy. During the wafer being exposed, the temperature of the mask and/or the wafer is detected. If the temperature is going to exceed the exposable temperature range determined on the basis of the line width of the pattern to be transferred, the exposure operation is interrupted. Then, the heat accumulated in the mask and/or the wafer is removed. Thereafter, the exposure operation is resumed. This is repeated until the predetermined or required amount of exposure is reached, for one shot. By this, the thermal expansion of the mask and the wafer during the exposure operation is prevented to assure the precision of the pattern transfer.
Inventors
- 👤 Makiko Mori
- 👤 Kunitaka Ozawa
- 👤 Koji Uda
- 👤 Isamu Shimoda
- 👤 Shunichi Uzawa
- 👤 Fiji Sakamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:56
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/708; G03F7/70858; G03F7/70866; G03F7/70875
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
An exposure method, comprising: supporting a mask on a mask stage; supporting a wafer on a wafer stage; exposing the mask to exposure energy from exposure energy source through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; interrupting the exposure operation so that temperature of the mask and/or the wafer exceeds an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; emitting, during the interruption period, heat accumulated in the mask and/or the wafer due to the exposure energy; and resuming the exposure operation after the heat emission.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
An exposure method, comprising: supporting a mask on a mask stage; supporting a wafer on a wafer stage; exposing the mask to exposure energy from exposure energy source through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; interrupting the exposure operation so that temperature of the mask and/or the wafer exceeds an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; emitting, during the interruption period, heat accumulated in the mask and/or the wafer due to the exposure energy; and resuming the exposure operation after the heat emission.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein temperature of the mask and/or the wafer is detected by a temperature detector, and the interruption and the resumption are controlled in accordance with an output of the temperature detector.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein the exposure energy from the energy source is blocked by a shutter for the interruption.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to Claim 1, wherein the mask stage and/or the wafer stage is supplied with temperature-controlled liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to Claim 4, wherein a rate of the flow of the liquid is different during the exposure operation than during the rest period.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
113 words
An exposure method, comprising: supporting a mask on a mask stage; supporting a wafer on a wafer stage; making alignment between the mask and the wafer using an alignment error detector; exposing the wafer to exposure energy from exposure energy source through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; interrupting the exposure operation so that temperature of the mask and/or the wafer does not exceed an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; emitting, during the interruption, heat accumulated in the mask and/or wafer by the exposure energy; and resuming the exposure operation after making the alignment using the alignment error detector.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
113 words
An exposure method, comprising: supporting a mask on a mask stage; supporting a wafer on a wafer stage; making alignment between the mask and the wafer using an alignment error detector; exposing the wafer to exposure energy from exposure energy source through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; interrupting the exposure operation so that temperature of the mask and/or the wafer does not exceed an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; emitting, during the interruption, heat accumulated in the mask and/or wafer by the exposure energy; and resuming the exposure operation after making the alignment using the alignment error detector.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein temperature of the mask and/or the wafer is detected by a temperature detector, and the interruption and the resumption are controlled in accordance with an output of the temperature detector.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to Claim 6, wherein the exposure energy from the energy source is blocked by a shutter for the interruption.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
92 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask stage for supporting a mask; a wafer stage for supporting a wafer; exposure means for exposing the wafer to exposure energy through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; means for stopping the exposure of the wafer to the exposure energy; and control means for controlling said stopping means to interrupt the exposure of the wafer so that temperature of the mask and/or wafer does not exceed an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
92 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask stage for supporting a mask; a wafer stage for supporting a wafer; exposure means for exposing the wafer to exposure energy through a mask to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; means for stopping the exposure of the wafer to the exposure energy; and control means for controlling said stopping means to interrupt the exposure of the wafer so that temperature of the mask and/or wafer does not exceed an exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said control means includes a temperature detector for detecting temperature of the mask and/or the wafer, and controls said stopping means in accordance with an output of the temperature detector to interrupt the exposure of the wafer.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
106 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask stage for supporting a mask; a wafer stage for supporting a wafer; exposure means for exposing the wafer to exposure energy to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; stopping means for stopping the exposure of the wafer; control means for controlling said stopping means for interrupting the exposure of the wafer so that temperature of the mask and/or wafer does not exceed the exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; and heat removing means for removing, during the interruption, heat accumulated in the mask and/or the wafer by the exposure energy.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
106 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a mask stage for supporting a mask; a wafer stage for supporting a wafer; exposure means for exposing the wafer to exposure energy to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer; stopping means for stopping the exposure of the wafer; control means for controlling said stopping means for interrupting the exposure of the wafer so that temperature of the mask and/or wafer does not exceed the exposable temperature range determined in accordance with a line width of the pattern; and heat removing means for removing, during the interruption, heat accumulated in the mask and/or the wafer by the exposure energy.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
In a process for manufacturing a semi-conductor device of the kind which includes exposing a wafer to radiation energy through a mask to transfer a pattern on the mask to the wafer, characterised in that the temperature of the wafer as a result of its exposure to said radiation energy is controlled by interrupting the radiation energy during the exposure cycle for that wafer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
In a process for manufacturing a semi-conductor device of the kind which includes exposing a wafer to radiation energy through a mask to transfer a pattern on the mask to the wafer, characterised in that the temperature of the wafer as a result of its exposure to said radiation energy is controlled by interrupting the radiation energy during the exposure cycle for that wafer.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for manufacturing a semi-conductor device of the kind which includes means for exposing a wafer to radiation energy through a mask to transfer a pattern on the mask to the wafer is characterised in that means are provided for interrupting the radiation energy during the exposure cycle for that wafer in order to control the temperature of the wafer as a result of exposure to said radiation energy.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
69 words
Apparatus for manufacturing a semi-conductor device of the kind which includes means for exposing a wafer to radiation energy through a mask to transfer a pattern on the mask to the wafer is characterised in that means are provided for interrupting the radiation energy during the exposure cycle for that wafer in order to control the temperature of the wafer as a result of exposure to said radiation energy.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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