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US7656501B2 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Lithographic apparatus

Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV
•
Filing: 2005-11-16
•
Granted: 2010-02-02
•
Expires: 2025-11-16
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Abstract

Abstract A barrier member is provided for use in immersion lithography. The barrier member includes an extractor assembly on a bottom surface which faces the substrate. The extractor assembly includes a plate which splits the space between a liquid removal device and the substrate in two such that a meniscus is formed in an upper channel between the liquid removal device and the plate and a meniscus is formed in a lower channel between the plate and the substrate.

Inventors

  • 👤 Nicolaas Ten Kate
  • 👤 Nicolaas Rudolf Kemper
  • 👤 Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders
  • 👤 Joost Jeroen Ottens
  • 👤 Johannes Petrus Maria Smeulers

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-30 13:54
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim 118 words
A lithographic apparatus, comprising: a barrier member surrounding a space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate to at least partly constrain liquid in the space, the barrier member comprising: an extractor configured to remove liquid from between the barrier member and the substrate; and a plate member located between the extractor and the substrate such that a first radially extending channel, open to the space, is formed between the extractor and the plate member and a second radially extending channel, open to the space, is formed between the plate member and the substrate, wherein, in use, liquid flows into the first channel to form a meniscus extending from the extractor in the channel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 118 words
A lithographic apparatus, comprising: a barrier member surrounding a space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate to at least partly constrain liquid in the space, the barrier member comprising: an extractor configured to remove liquid from between the barrier member and the substrate; and a plate member located between the extractor and the substrate such that a first radially extending channel, open to the space, is formed between the extractor and the plate member and a second radially extending channel, open to the space, is formed between the plate member and the substrate, wherein, in use, liquid flows into the first channel to form a meniscus extending from the extractor in the channel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 17 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first channel is narrower than the second channel.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 17 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first channel narrows in a radially outward direction.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 17 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second channel widens in a radially outward direction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 35 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member has a meniscus pinning feature to make it energetically unfavorable for a meniscus attached to the feature to move radially outwardly of the feature.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 33 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the plate member has a step formed in it such that the second channel is wider radially outward of the step.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 27 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member has a radially inner most bottom edge which has a radius of less than 0.1 mm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member has a change in surface property on an underside from liquidphobic to liquidphilic in a direction radially outwardly.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 31 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member has a change in surface roughness from relatively rough to relatively smooth on an underside in a direction radially outwardly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 20 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the extractor further comprises a porous material through which liquid is removed.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 34 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the porous material extends in a radial direction and an extraction capacity of the extractor increases with increasing area of the porous material covered by liquid.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 25 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 60 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising a controller adapted to control the movement of the plate member in the substantially same direction relative to the projection system as the substrate is moved and at a speed equal to two times the speed of the substrate or less during at least a portion of movement of the substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 41 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member is constructed and arranged to make it energetically favorable for a meniscus below the plate member to be positioned attached to a radially inner most edge of the plate member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 113 words
A lithographic apparatus, comprising: a liquid supply system including a barrier member which surrounds a space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate; a liquid removal device configured to remove liquid and which surrounds the space and has an inlet which extends in the radial direction, the removal capacity of the liquid removal device being dependent on an amount of the inlet being covered by liquid; and a radially inwardly extending projection positioned between the inlet and the substrate to split the area between the inlet and the substrate in two, wherein, in use, a meniscus extends from the inlet in the area between the inlet and the projection.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 113 words
A lithographic apparatus, comprising: a liquid supply system including a barrier member which surrounds a space between a final element of a projection system and a substrate; a liquid removal device configured to remove liquid and which surrounds the space and has an inlet which extends in the radial direction, the removal capacity of the liquid removal device being dependent on an amount of the inlet being covered by liquid; and a radially inwardly extending projection positioned between the inlet and the substrate to split the area between the inlet and the substrate in two, wherein, in use, a meniscus extends from the inlet in the area between the inlet and the projection.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 19 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the moveable plate member is moveable relative to the barrier member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 35 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further adapted to move the moveable plate member in the substantially same direction as the substrate during a highest speed movement of the substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 76 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is further adapted to move the moveable plate member in a direction against the movement of the substrate during at least a portion of a low speed movement of the substrate in the direction or to move the moveable plate member in a direction in which the substrate is substantially stationary during a portion of time in which the substrate is substantially stationary in the direction.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 57 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plate member is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate and biased towards a neutral position and the barrier member is configured such that, in use, a meniscus of the liquid in the space extends between the plate member and the substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 45 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the biasing is such that forces transmitted through the liquid from the substrate to the plate member are high enough during high speed movement of the substrate to move the plate member relative to the barrier member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 27 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the area between the inlet and the projection is narrower than the area between the projection and the substrate.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 22 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the area between the inlet and the projection narrows in a radially outward direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 22 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the area between the projection and the substrate widens in a radially outward direction.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 34 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection has a meniscus pinning feature to make it energetically unfavorable for a meniscus attached to the feature to move radially outwardly of the feature.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 37 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the bottom surface of the projection has a step formed in it such that the area between the projection and the substrate is wider radially outward of the step.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 26 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection has a radially inner most bottom edge which has a radius of less than 0.1 mm.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 28 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection has a change in surface property on an underside from liquidphobic to liquidphilic in a direction radially outwardly.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 30 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection has a change in surface roughness from relatively rough to relatively smooth on an underside in a direction radially outwardly.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 22 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the liquid removal device further comprises a porous material through which liquid is removed.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 24 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the projection is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 59 words
The lithographic apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising a controller adapted to control the movement of the projection in the substantially same direction relative to the projection system as the substrate is moved and at a speed equal to two times the speed of the substrate or less during at least a portion of movement of the substrate.

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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2013-02-01 2013-08-03 2014-02-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2017-02-01 2017-08-03 2018-02-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2021-02-01 2021-08-03 2022-02-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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