Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for manufacturing device

Claim 2

An exposure method for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: placing a substrate stage under the projection optical system; moving an object so that the object is close to the substrate stage; and placing the object under the projection optical system in place of the substrate stage by moving the object together with the substrate stage under a condition such that the object is disposed close to the substrate stage.

Claim 3

An exposure method according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a plate member that is disposed such that a distance from the projection optical system is approximately similar to a distance from the substrate.

Claim 4

An exposure method according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a stage among a plurality of stages that support the substrate.

Claim 5

An exposure method according to claim 1 , wherein the object is a spare stage.

Claim 6

An exposure method according to claim 4 , wherein a height of a surface of the spare stage is set to be the same as a height of a surface of the substrate stage when the substrate is exchanged.

Claim 7

An exposure method according to claim 5 , wherein the substrate stage moves to a position in which the substrate is exchanged after the spare stage is disposed under the projection optical system.

Claim 8

An exposure method according to claim 6 , wherein the substrate stage that supports a next substrate moves together in a same direction with the spare stage after the substrate stage moves close to the spare stage, and the spare stage moves from under the projection optical system.

Claim 9

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising: a substrate stage disposed under the projection optical system; a first driver connected to the substrate stage and that drives the substrate stage; an object that can be disposed under the projection optical system in place of the substrate stage; a second driver connected to the object and that drives the object; and a controller connected to the first and second drivers and that causes the object to move together with the substrate stage under a condition such that the object is disposed close to the substrate stage so that the object is placed under the projection optical system.

Claim 10

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising: a substrate stage disposed under the projection optical system; a first driver connected to the substrate stage and that drives the substrate stage; an object that can be disposed under the projection optical system in place of the substrate stage; a second driver connected to the object and that drives the object; and a controller connected to the first and second drivers and that causes the object to move together with the substrate stage under a condition such that the object is disposed close to the substrate stage so that the object is placed under the projection optical system.

Claim 11

An exposure apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the object is disposed such that a distance between the object and the projection optical system is approximately the same as a distance between the substrate and the projection optical system.

Claim 12

An exposure apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the substrate stage has an end portion that is adjacent to the object when the substrate is exchanged.

Claim 13

An exposure apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein: the object has a platelike member having an aperture that has a shape approximately the same as a shape of the substrate; and a surface of the substrate stage forms a surface that is continuous from the surface of the substrate.

Claim 14

An exposure apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the object is a spare stage that is distinct from the substrate stage.

Claim 15

An exposure apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the controller sets a surface of the spare stage and a surface of the substrate stage at a same height when the substrate is exchanged.

Claim 16

An exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , wherein the substrate stage moves to a position where the substrate is exchanged after the spare stage is disposed under the projection optical system.

Claim 17

An exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein: the controller moves the substrate stage that supports a next substrate close to the spare stage; after that, the controller moves the spare stage together in a same direction with the substrate stage; and the controller moves the spare stage to a distant region from under the projection optical system.

Claim 18

An exposure apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the spare stage is provided with a plate member that is disposed such that: a distance between a surface of the spare stage and the projection optical system is approximately the same as a distance between a surface of the substrate and the projection optical system.

Claim 19

An exposure apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a plurality of stages that support the substrate, wherein the object is a stage among the plurality of stages.

Claim 20

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with an energy beam; and a second substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage by moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage, so as to expose the second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam, after completing the exposure of the first substrate.

Claim 21

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with an energy beam; and a second substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage by moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage, so as to expose the second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam, after completing the exposure of the first substrate.

Claim 22

A exposure apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein the first substrate stage is disposed such that a height of the first substrate is the same as a height of the second substrate when the second substrate stage moves close to the first substrate stage.

Claim 23

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18 , wherein: the first substrate stage has a plate member with a surface height that is the same as a surface height of the first substrate; and the second substrate stage has a plate member with a surface height that is the same as a surface height of the second substrate.

Claim 24

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with an energy beam; a second substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage so as to expose a second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam; and a spare stage that is disposed between the first substrate stage and the second substrate stage, wherein: the second substrate stage is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage by moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage and the spare stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage and the spare stage are disposed close to the first substrate stage, after completing the exposure of the first substrate.

Claim 25

An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with an energy beam; a second substrate stage that is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage so as to expose a second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam; and a spare stage that is disposed between the first substrate stage and the second substrate stage, wherein: the second substrate stage is placed under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage by moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage and the spare stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage and the spare stage are disposed close to the first substrate stage, after completing the exposure of the first substrate.

Claim 26

An exposure apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein a surface of the first substrate, a surface of the second substrate, and a surface of the spare stage form a continuous surface under a condition that the first substrate stage, the second substrate stage, and the spare stage are disposed close to one another.

Claim 27

An exposure apparatus according to claim 22 , wherein: the first substrate stage has a plate member with a surface height that is the same as a surface height of the first substrate; and the second substrate stage has a plate member with a surface height that is the same as a surface height of the second substrate.

Claim 28

An exposure apparatus according to claim 21 , wherein the first substrate stage and the spare stage move distantly from the second substrate stage after disposing the second substrate stage under the projection optical system.

Claim 29

An exposure method for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: placing a first substrate stage under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with the energy beam; moving a second substrate stage so that the second substrate stage is close to the first substrate stage, so as to expose a second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam after completing the exposure of the first substrate; moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage; and placing the second substrate stage under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage.

Claim 30

An exposure method for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: placing a first substrate stage under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with the energy beam; moving a second substrate stage so that the second substrate stage is close to the first substrate stage, so as to expose a second substrate on the second substrate stage with the energy beam after completing the exposure of the first substrate; moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage; and placing the second substrate stage under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage.

Claim 31

An exposure method for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: placing a first substrate stage under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with the energy beam; providing a second substrate stage that holds a second substrate so as to expose the second substrate with the energy beam; disposing a spare stage between the first substrate stage and the second substrate stage after completing the exposure of the first substrate; moving the spare stage close to the first substrate stage and moving the second substrate stage close to the spare stage; moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage and the spare stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage and the spare stage; and placing the second substrate stage under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage.

Claim 32

An exposure method for forming a pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: placing a first substrate stage under the projection optical system so as to expose a first substrate on the first substrate stage with the energy beam; providing a second substrate stage that holds a second substrate so as to expose the second substrate with the energy beam; disposing a spare stage between the first substrate stage and the second substrate stage after completing the exposure of the first substrate; moving the spare stage close to the first substrate stage and moving the second substrate stage close to the spare stage; moving the second substrate stage together with the first substrate stage and the spare stage under a condition such that the second substrate stage is disposed close to the first substrate stage and the spare stage; and placing the second substrate stage under the projection optical system in place of the first substrate stage.

Claim 33

An exposure method for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, wherein a light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy beam is removed from a periphery of the substrate via a piping mouth that moves together with the substrate so as to maintain a condition under which the energy beam can be transmitted through a space between the substrate and an energy beam emission end of the projection optical system.

Claim 34

An exposure method for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, wherein a light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy beam is removed from a periphery of the substrate via a piping mouth that moves together with the substrate so as to maintain a condition under which the energy beam can be transmitted through a space between the substrate and an energy beam emission end of the projection optical system.

Claim 35

An exposure method according to claim 27 , wherein the piping mouth is disposed on a stage that supports the substrate.

Claim 36

An exposure method according to claim 27 , wherein the light absorbing substance is an oxygen or an organic substance.

Claim 37

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising a piping mouth that moves together with the substrate and removes a light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy beam from a periphery of the substrate so as to maintain a condition under which the energy beam can be transmitted through a space between the substrate and an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system.

Claim 38

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising a piping mouth that moves together with the substrate and removes a light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy beam from a periphery of the substrate so as to maintain a condition under which the energy beam can be transmitted through a space between the substrate and an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system.

Claim 39

An exposure apparatus according to claim 30 , wherein the piping mouth is disposed on a substrate stage that supports the substrate.

Claim 40

An exposure apparatus according to claim 30 , wherein the light absorbing substance is an oxygen or an organic substance.

Claim 41

An exposure method for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: removing a light absorbing substance that absorbs an energy of the energy beam from a space between the substrate and an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system through which the energy beam should be transmitted when the substrate is exposed by the energy beam; and disposing an exhausting duct that has an exhausting mouth near the energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system instead of the substrate when the substrate is moved or exchanged so as to exhaust the light absorbing substance via the exhausting mouth.

Claim 42

An exposure method for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the method comprising the steps of: removing a light absorbing substance that absorbs an energy of the energy beam from a space between the substrate and an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system through which the energy beam should be transmitted when the substrate is exposed by the energy beam; and disposing an exhausting duct that has an exhausting mouth near the energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system instead of the substrate when the substrate is moved or exchanged so as to exhaust the light absorbing substance via the exhausting mouth.

Claim 43

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising an exhausting duct that has an exhausting mouth that exhausts a light absorbing substance near an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system so as to maintain a condition under which the light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy of the energy beam near the energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system not only when the substrate is exposed by the energy beam but also when the substrate is moved or exchanged.

Claim 44

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system using an energy beam, the exposure apparatus comprising an exhausting duct that has an exhausting mouth that exhausts a light absorbing substance near an energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system so as to maintain a condition under which the light absorbing substance that absorbs the energy of the energy beam near the energy beam emitting end portion of the projection optical system not only when the substrate is exposed by the energy beam but also when the substrate is moved or exchanged.

Claim 45

A method for manufacturing a device comprising: an exposure step; a developing step; a pattern forming step; a bonding step; a packaging step; and a transcribing step that transcribes a device pattern formed on a mask onto the substrate by the exposure method of claim 1 .