Patent EP1098225A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP1098225A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Lithographic projection apparatus with purge gas system and method using the same
Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV
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Filing: 2000-11-01
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2020-11-01
Abstract
Abstract A lithographic apparatus has at least one compartment closely surrounding at least one of the mask and substrate holders but not either of the illumination or projection systems so as to reduce the volume that must be purged with gas transparent to the projection radiation. In a scanner, the compartment surrounding the mask holder preferably moves with the mask table and may be formed by a combination of a frame-shaped mask table driven in the scanning operation and stationary plates fixed relative to the projection and illumination systems.
Inventors
- 👤 Erik Roelof Loopstra
- 👤 Raymond Laurentius Johannes Schrijver
- 👤 Tjarko Adriaan Rudolf Van Empel
- 👤 Marcel Koenraad Baggen
- 👤 Bernardus Antonius Johannes Luttikhuis
- 👤 Yim Bun Patrick Kwan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 08:31
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/708; G03F7/70908; G03F7/70933; G03F7/70691; G03F7/70716; G03F7/70858; G03F7/70866; G03F7/70983
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a first object table for holding a mask; a second object table for holding a substrate; and a projection system for imaging an irradiated portion of said mask onto a
target portion of said substrate; characterized by: a compartment closely surrounding at least one of said first and second
object tables but not surrounding either said illumination system or said projection
system, said compartment, in use, being supplied with a purge gas more transparent
than air to the radiation of said projection beam.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said compartment surrounds said
first object table.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said compartment is mounted to a
long-stroke module of positioning means for positioning said first object table.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first object table is moveable in
at least a scanning direction relative to said projection system and said compartment
is arranged to move with said first object table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein first object table is in the form of a
frame surrounding said object table, and said compartment is formed by said frame
and by first and second purge plates closely conforming to the upper and lower
surfaces of said first object table respectively.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said first and second purge plates
have apertures respectively corresponding to the illumination and projection systems
and purge gas supply orifices surrounding said apertures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said first and second purge
plates extend to the vicinity of a mask exchange device to allow masks to be
exchanged in a purged atmosphere.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first object table is in the form
of a box generally surrounding said first object table to provide said compartment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, 5 or 8 wherein windows are provided in said
first object table to allow measurement beams to be distributed onto said first object
table.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
59 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first object table has a well in
which said mask is held and said first object table has parts extending over the sides
of said object table and into said well, the apparatus further comprising upper and
lower plates, fixed relative to said illumination and projection systems respectively,
for forming said compartment.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising gas bearings provided
between said upper and lower plates and said first object table.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
72 words
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a first object table for holding a mask; a second object table for holding a substrate;
and a projection system for imaging an irradiated portion of said mask onto a
target portion of said substrate; characterized by: a purge compartment provided between said projection system and said
second object table and fixed relative to said projection system.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the purge
gas comprises one or more gases selected from N 2 , He, Ar, Kr, Ne and Xe.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said
radiation of said projection beam has a wavelength less than 180 nm, preferably with
a value of 157 ± 5 nm or 126 ± 5 nm.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
154 words
A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic projection
apparatus comprising: an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a first object table for holding a mask; a second object table for holding a substrate; and a projection system for imaging irradiated portions of said mask onto target
portions of said substrate; the method comprising the steps of: providing a mask bearing a pattern to said first object table; providing a substrate provided with a radiation-sensitive layer to said second
object table; irradiating portions of the mask and imaging said irradiated portions of the
mask onto said target portions of said substrate; characterized by the step of: providing purge gas to a compartment closely surrounding at least one of
said first and second object tables but not surrounding either said illumination system
or said projection system, said purge gas being more transparent than air to the
radiation of said projection beam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
10 words
A device manufactured according to the method of claim 15.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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