EP0605103A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Projection apparatus for immersed exposure
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1993-11-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2013-11-26
Abstract
Abstract A projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system (3) for illuminating a pattern of an original (1), a holder (12) for holding a substrate (2), a projection optical system (4,7) for projecting an image of the pattern of the original onto the substrate held by the holding means, the projection optical system including a plane optical element (7) spaced from the main part (4) of the projection optical system and being disposed to be opposed to the surface of the substrate, and a casing (9) effective to fill the interspace between the optical element and the substrate opposed to each other, wherein the optical element provides an upper cover of the casing.
Inventors
- 👤 Kazuo C/O Canon K.K. Takahashi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 05:10
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/707; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341; G03F7/70733; G03F7/7075; G03F7/708; G03F7/70858; G03F7/70866; G03F7/70875; G03F7/70883; G03F7/70891
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
99 words
A projection exposure apparatus, comprising: illumination means for illuminating a pattern of an original; holding means for holding a substrate; a projection optical system for projecting an image of the pattern of the original onto the substrate held by said holding means, said projection optical system including a plane optical element spaced from said projection optical system and being disposed to be opposed to the surface of the substrate; and a casing effective to fill the interspace between said optical element and the substrate opposed to each other; wherein said optical element provides an upper cover of said casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
111 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising an alignment measuring system for detecting the positional relationship between the substrate and the image projected by said projection optical system with respect to a horizontal direction, a focus position detecting system for detecting the positional relationship between the substrate and the focus position of said projection optical system with respect to a vertical direction, and tilt means for moving and/or tilting said holding means in X, Y and/or ϑ direction on the basis of the detection through said alignment measuring system and the focus position detecting system so as to bring a pattern on the substrate into coincidence with the projected image.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising conveying means for loading and unloading said casing onto and from said holding means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, further comprising means for executing the filling of the interspace with the liquid, upon said holding means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, further comprising means for executing the filling of the interspace with the liquid, at a position spaced from said holding means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the substrate provides a bottom of said casing.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
47 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said holding means includes a portion for directly supporting the substrate which portion is separated from said holding means, and wherein said portion provides a bottom of said casing while the remaining portion of said holding means holds said casing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the substrate is detachable from said casing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said casing is arranged to provide one of a positive pressure and a negative pressure in the interspace.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein a portion of said casing is made of a low thermal expansion material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein a portion of the outer wall of said casing is covered by a heat insulating material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
62 words
An apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said alignment measuring system includes a measurement reference mirror, wherein at least two adjoining faces of the outer wall of said casing extend perpendicularly to each other, and wherein said at least two faces extend substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate whereby said reference mirror is provided by said at least two faces.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said optical element is detachable from said casing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said casing includes pipe means with a valve, for injection and discharging of the liquid into and out of said closed space.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said casing has a reference mark to be used for placing the same on said holding means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a pressure gauge for detecting the pressure of the filling liquid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising pressure control means for controlling the pressure of the filling liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a vacuum pump for providing a negative pressure of the filling liquid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a thermometer for measuring the temperature of the filling liquid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising temperature controlling means for controlling the temperature of the filling liquid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising ultrasonic vibration means for vibrating the filling liquid with ultrasonics.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising a pump for injecting and discharging the liquid into and out of the closed space.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 22, further comprising filtering means coupled to said pump, for filtering the liquid.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising attitude control means for tilting or holding said casing upright, wherein during injection of the liquid into the closed space said casing is tilted or held upright so that the liquid is injected thereinto from below.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the injection of the liquid into the closed space and the exposure operation are done at independent timings.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said casing is openable and closable so as to allow loading and unloading of the substrate into and out of the inside of said casing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said holding means includes a passageway for holding the substrate through vacuum attraction, and an openable/closable shutter for preventing flow of the liquid into said passageway.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising measuring means provided in said casing, for measuring any non-uniformness of illuminance during the exposure operation.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein said casing has a member operable as a reference in respect to the positioning on another portion of said holding means.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising means for providing at least one of electric connection, pneumatic communication and vacuum communication to said casing.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to Claim 1, further comprising means for measuring the refractive index of the filling material.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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