EP1420298A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Immersion lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV
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Filing: 2003-11-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2023-11-10
Abstract
Abstract In a lithographic projection apparatus a seal member (12) surrounds a space between the final element of a projection system and a substrate table of the lithographic projection apparatus. A gas seal (16) is formed between said seal member and the surface of said substrate to contain liquid (11) in the space.
Inventors
- 👤 Joeri Lof
- 👤 Antonius Theodorus Anna Maria Derksen
- 👤 Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam
- 👤 Aleksey Kolesnychenko
- 👤 Erik Roelof Loopstra
- 👤 Theodorus Marinus Modderman
- 👤 Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens
- 👤 Roelof Aeilko Siebrand Ritsema
- 👤 Klaus Simon
- 👤 Joannes Theodoor De Smit
- 👤 Alexander Straaijer
- 👤 Bob Streefkerk
- 👤 Helmar Van Santen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 14:17
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/707; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341; G03F7/708; G03F7/7085; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7088
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: a radiation system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a support structure for supporting patterning means, the patterning means serving
to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate table for holding a substrate; a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the
substrate; and a liquid supply system for at least partly filling a space between the final element
of said projection system and said substrate with a liquid, characterized in that said liquid
supply system comprises: a seal member extending along at least a part of the boundary of said space
between the final element of said projection system and said substrate table; and a gas seal means for forming a gas seal between said seal member and the surface
of said substrate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gas seal means is a gas bearing for
supporting said seal member over said substrate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
54 words
Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said gas seal means comprises a gas
inlet and a first gas outlet formed in a face of said seal member that opposes said substrate,
means for supplying gas under pressure to said gas inlet and vacuum means for extracting
gas from said first gas outlet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a further inlet connected to a
gas source and positioned between said first gas outlet and said gas inlet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said further inlet comprises a continuous
annular groove in a surface of said seal member facing said substrate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a radially innermost comer of said
groove has a radius.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein said first gas outlet
comprises a continuous annular groove in a surface of said seal member facing said
substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 7, wherein said first gas outlet
and/or said gas inlet comprise chambers between said means for supplying and said
vacuum means respectively and an opening of said inlet or outlet in said surface which
chamber provides a lower flow restriction than said opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein said gas inlet comprises
a series of discrete openings in a surface of said seal member facing said substrate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 9, wherein a porous member is
disposed over said gas inlet for evenly distributing gas flow over the area of said gas inlet.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
47 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 10, wherein said seal member
further comprises a second gas outlet formed in said face of said seal member that opposes
said substrate, said first and second gas outlets being formed on opposite sides of said gas
inlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 11, further comprising means for
varying the level of a portion of said face between said first gas outlet and said gas inlet
relative to the remainder of said face.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
45 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 12, further comprising means for
varying the level of a portion of said face between said first gas outlet and an edge of said
face nearest said optical axis relative to the remainder of said face.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein said gas seal means
comprises a channel formed in said face and located nearer to the optical axis of the
projection system than said first gas outlet.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said channel is a second gas inlet.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said channel is open to the environment
above the level of liquid in said space.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 16, wherein said gas inlet is located
further outward from the optical axis of said projection system than is said first gas outlet.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 17, wherein said gas in- and out-lets
each comprise a groove in said face of said seal member opposing said substrate and a
plurality of conduits leading into said groove at spaced locations.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 18, further comprising sensors for
measuring the distance between said face of said seal member and said substrate and/or the
topography of said substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 19, further comprising control means to
control the gas pressure in said gas seal means to control the stiffness between said seal
member and said substrate and/or the distance between said seal member and said
substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gap between
said seal member and the surface of said substrate inwardly of said gas seal means is small
so that capillary action draws liquid into the gap and/or to prevent gas from said gas seal
means entering said space between said projection system and said substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said seal
member forms a closed loop around said space between said projection system and said
substrate.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
182 words
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: a radiation system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a support structure for supporting patterning means, the patterning means serving
to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate table for holding a substrate; a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the
substrate; and a liquid supply system for at least partly filling a space between the final element
of said projection system and said substrate with a liquid, characterized in that said space is in liquid connection with a liquid reservoir through a duct, and the
minimum cross sectional area of said duct in a plane perpendicular to the direction of fluid
flow is at least π 8Δ V η L πΔ P max t min ½ where Δ V is the volume of liquid which has to be
removed from said space within time t min , L is the length of the duct, η is viscosity of liquid
in said space and Δ P max is the maximum allowable pressure on said final element.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said space is enclosed such that when liquid is
present in said space, said liquid has no free upper surface.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
116 words
A lithographic projection apparatus comprising: a radiation system for supplying a projection beam of radiation; a support structure for supporting patterning means, the patterning means serving
to pattern the projection beam according to a desired pattern; a substrate table for holding a substrate; a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the
substrate; and a liquid supply system for at least partly filling a space between the final element
of said projection system and said substrate with a liquid, characterized in that said liquid supply system further comprises on a top surface
of liquid in said liquid supply system, suppression means for suppressing development of
waves and including pressure release means.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
13 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said suppression means comprises a
flexible membrane.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus according to claim 25 or 26, wherein said suppression means comprises
a mesh such that the maximum area of said top surface of said liquid is equal to the mesh
opening.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein said suppression means
includes a safety valve for allowing the passage of liquid above a certain pressure
therethrough.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said suppression means is a high
viscosity liquid which is immiscible with said liquid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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