US20070139628A1
Active / In Force
US
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Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 2006-12-21
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2026-12-21
Abstract
Abstract Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroyuki Nagasaka
- 👤 Takeshi Okuyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 15:38
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B27/00; G03B27/32; G03B27/52; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
97 words
1 . A system for extracting a stream of multi-phase fluid from a photolithography tool comprising: a pumping arrangement for drawing the fluid from the tool; separating means located upstream from the pumping arrangement for separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases; the pumping arrangement further comprising a first pumping unit for extracting gas from the separating means and a second pumping unit for extracting liquid from the separating means; and a pressure control system for controlling the pressure within the separating means by regulating the amounts of gas and liquid therein.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
97 words
1 . A system for extracting a stream of multi-phase fluid from a photolithography tool comprising: a pumping arrangement for drawing the fluid from the tool; separating means located upstream from the pumping arrangement for separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases; the pumping arrangement further comprising a first pumping unit for extracting gas from the separating means and a second pumping unit for extracting liquid from the separating means; and a pressure control system for controlling the pressure within the separating means by regulating the amounts of gas and liquid therein.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
2 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure control system comprises control means for controlling the flow of gas from the separating means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
3 . A system according to claim 2 , wherein the pressure control system comprises a variable flow control device through which gas is extracted from the separating means by the first pumping unit, the control means configured to control the conductance of the variable flow control device to control the pressure within the separating means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
4 . A system according to claim 3 , wherein the control means comprises a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of the pressure within the separating means, and to control the conductance of the variable flow control device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
5 . A system according to claim 1 , wherein the separation means comprises an extraction tank.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
6 . A system according to claim 1 , comprising a flexible tube for conveying gas from the separating means to the first pumping unit.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
7 . A system according to claim 1 , comprising a flexible tube for conveying liquid from the separating means to the second pumping unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
8 . A system according to claim 1 , comprising a flexible tube for conveying liquid from the photolithography tool to the separating means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
88 words
9 . A method of extracting a stream of multi-phase fluid from a photolithography tool, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a pumping arrangement to the tool via an extraction tank; operating the pumping arrangement to draw the fluid from the tool; separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases within the extraction tank, the pumping arrangement extracting separately gas and liquid from the extraction tank; and controlling the pressure within the extraction tank by regulating the amounts of gas and liquid therewithin.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
88 words
9 . A method of extracting a stream of multi-phase fluid from a photolithography tool, the method comprising the steps of: connecting a pumping arrangement to the tool via an extraction tank; operating the pumping arrangement to draw the fluid from the tool; separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases within the extraction tank, the pumping arrangement extracting separately gas and liquid from the extraction tank; and controlling the pressure within the extraction tank by regulating the amounts of gas and liquid therewithin.
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