Exposure apparatus with a substrate holding mechanism

Claim 2

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a valve which can be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; pressure control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve during exposure of the substrate with radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the valve measured by said pressure gauge, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during the exposure by a controlled pressure difference; and temperature control means for controlling the temperature of said holding table.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said temperature control means supplies constant temperature water to said holding table.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said pressure control means controls said valve so as to provide a predetermined contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 5

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a tank for containing gas to be supplied to said reduced pressure passageway; a first valve provided between said reduced pressure passageway and said pump; a second valve provided between said reduced pressure passageway and said tank; and pressure control means for controlling opening/closing of said first and second valves during exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, so as to provide a predetermined pressure in said reduced pressure passageway, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during exposure by a controlled pressure difference.

Claim 6

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a tank for containing gas to be supplied to said reduced pressure passageway; a first valve provided between said reduced pressure passageway and said pump; a second valve provided between said reduced pressure passageway and said tank; and pressure control means for controlling opening/closing of said first and second valves during exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, so as to provide a predetermined pressure in said reduced pressure passageway, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during exposure by a controlled pressure difference.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 4, wherein said pressure control means controls said first and second valves so as to provide a predetermined contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 8

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a valve which can be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; and pressure control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve during the exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, so as to provide a predetermined pressure in said reduced pressure passageway, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during the exposure by a controlled pressure difference.

Claim 9

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a valve which can be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; and pressure control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve during the exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, so as to provide a predetermined pressure in said reduced pressure passageway, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during the exposure by a controlled pressure difference.

Claim 10

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a valve which can be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; and pressure control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve during the exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during the exposure by a controlled pressure difference and with a predetermined contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 11

A substrate holding device for holding a substrate for exposure thereof with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a holding table including a reduced pressure passageway; a pressure gauge for measuring a value related to the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; a pump for producing a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate to be attracted to said holding table and a second surface of the substrate not to be attracted to said holding table; a valve which can be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway; and pressure control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve during the exposure of the substrate with the radiation, on the basis of an output corresponding to the value measured by said pressure gauge, such that the substrate is held on said holding table during the exposure by a controlled pressure difference and with a predetermined contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 14

A device according to claim 8, wherein said temperature control means controls the temperature of each of the original and the substrate, through said holding table.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 8, wherein said pressure control means controls the pressure in said reduced pressure passageway so as to provide a predetermined contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 8, further comprising a chamber for surrounding the original and the substrate with a predetermined ambience.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 8, wherein said device is used with an exposure apparatus having a chamber, for exposing the original and the substrate with radiation, and wherein said holding table is accommodated in the chamber.

Claim 18

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with radiation to form a pattern on the substrate, said apparatus comprising: a holding table for holding the substrate thereon, said holding table including a reduced-pressure passageway; exposing means for exposing the substrate, held by said holding table, with radiation; a chamber for surrounding said holding table with a predetermined reduced-pressure ambience; a pressure gauge for measuring a level related to the pressure in said reduced-pressure passageway; pump means for producing through said reduced-pressure passageway a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate facing said holding table and a second surface on the opposite side of the substrate, such that the substrate is held on said holding table by the produced pressure difference; valve means to be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced-pressure passageway; and control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve means during exposure of the substrate with radiation on the basis of the measurement by said pressure gauge, such that during exposure of the substrate with the radiation the substrate is held on said holding table with a controlled pressure difference and with a controlled contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 19

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with radiation to form a pattern on the substrate, said apparatus comprising: a holding table for holding the substrate thereon, said holding table including a reduced-pressure passageway; exposing means for exposing the substrate, held by said holding table, with radiation; a chamber for surrounding said holding table with a predetermined reduced-pressure ambience; a pressure gauge for measuring a level related to the pressure in said reduced-pressure passageway; pump means for producing through said reduced-pressure passageway a pressure difference between a first surface of the substrate facing said holding table and a second surface on the opposite side of the substrate, such that the substrate is held on said holding table by the produced pressure difference; valve means to be opened/closed for control of the pressure in said reduced-pressure passageway; and control means for controlling the opening/closing of said valve means during exposure of the substrate with radiation on the basis of the measurement by said pressure gauge, such that during exposure of the substrate with the radiation the substrate is held on said holding table with a controlled pressure difference and with a controlled contact thermal resistance between the substrate and said holding table.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising temperature controlling means for controlling the temperature of said holding table.

Claim 23

A method according to claim 15, further comprising holding the substrate on the holding table only by the controlled pressure difference during the exposure.