US9013675B2
Active / In Force
US
⏱️ 5.3 years remaining
Liquid recovery system, immersion exposure apparatus, immersion exposing method, and device fabricating method
Assignee: Nikon Corp
•
Filing: 2012-02-02
•
Granted: 2015-04-21
•
Expires: 2032-02-02
Abstract
Abstract A liquid recovery system is used by an immersion exposure apparatus. The liquid recovery system comprises: a plate that has a first surface and a second surface on the side opposite the first surface; and a liquid recovery part, at least part of which opposes the second surface with a first gap interposed therebetween. The liquid recovery system recovers the liquid on a movable object that opposes the first surface of the plate via the liquid recovery part.
Inventors
- 👤 Yasufumi Nishii
- 👤 Hiroyuki Nagasaka
- 👤 Takeshi Okuyama
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 05:21
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/20; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341; G03F7/2041; H; H10; H10P; H10P76/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
159 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface, wherein the liquid recovery surface is configured to recover the liquid that flows into the gap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
159 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface, wherein the liquid recovery surface is configured to recover the liquid that flows into the gap.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
147 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface, the liquid recovery surface comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned, a part of the suction region being adjacent to an optical path of the light and facing the movable object; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; and a second surface facing the liquid recovery surface, at least a part of the second surface being disposed between the first surface and the liquid recovery surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
147 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface, the liquid recovery surface comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned, a part of the suction region being adjacent to an optical path of the light and facing the movable object; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; and a second surface facing the liquid recovery surface, at least a part of the second surface being disposed between the first surface and the liquid recovery surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; and a first surface facing the movable object, the first surface covering a part of the suction region that is relatively far from the liquid contact surface, the first surface uncovering a part of the suction region that is relatively closer to the liquid contact surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; and a first surface facing the movable object, the first surface covering a part of the suction region that is relatively far from the liquid contact surface, the first surface uncovering a part of the suction region that is relatively closer to the liquid contact surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
An immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 3 , further comprising: a second surface facing the part of the suction surface that is relatively far from the liquid contact surface.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
165 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the liquid second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface, wherein a position of the second surface at the opening is closer to the movable object than the liquid contact surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
165 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the liquid second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface, wherein a position of the second surface at the opening is closer to the movable object than the liquid contact surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid contact surface and the liquid recovery surface; and a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
117 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid contact surface and the liquid recovery surface; and a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
An immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 6 , further comprising: a second surface facing the liquid recovery surface, at least a part of the second surface being disposed between the first surface and the liquid recovery surface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
165 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid contact surface and the recovery surface; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the liquid second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a second gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
165 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a liquid contact surface facing the movable object; a liquid recovery surface surrounding the liquid contact surface and comprising a suction region via which the liquid is suctioned; a first gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid contact surface and the recovery surface; a first surface facing the movable object, at least a part of the first surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the movable object; a second surface being disposed between the liquid recovery surface and the first surface, at least a part of the liquid second surface facing the liquid recovery surface; and a second gap into which the liquid flows via an opening between the liquid recovery surface and the second surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
26 words
An immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the movable object comprises a substrate being to be exposed with light from the optical member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A device fabricating method comprising: exposing a substrate using an immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 1 ; and developing the exposed substrate.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
132 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a first member having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being arranged to face the movable object, a second member having a third surface and a collection port, the second surface being arranged between the first surface and the third surface, at least a part of the second surface being arranged to face the third surface, the collection port being provided on the third surface such that the liquid in a gap between the second surface and the third surface is collected via the collection port.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
132 words
An immersion exposure apparatus comprising: an optical member comprising an exit surface from which light exits, the exit surface being in contact with a liquid, the liquid being disposed in at least a space between the exit surface and a movable object; a first member having a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being arranged to face the movable object, a second member having a third surface and a collection port, the second surface being arranged between the first surface and the third surface, at least a part of the second surface being arranged to face the third surface, the collection port being provided on the third surface such that the liquid in a gap between the second surface and the third surface is collected via the collection port.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the collection port is provided to prevent a gas from passing therethrough.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein a distance between the movable object and the first surface is smaller than a distance between the movable object and the third surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the second surface comprises an inclined part that is inclined with respect to the first surface.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
38 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the second surface comprises an inclined part, which is inclined with respect to the first surface, and a flat part, which is substantially parallel to the first surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first member is arranged to move relative to the second member.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
20 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the second surface is lyophilic with respect to the liquid.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The immersion exposure apparatus according to claim 11 , wherein the first surface is liquid repellent with respect to the liquid.
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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) | 2018-04-20 | 2018-10-20 | 2019-04-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2022-04-20 | 2022-10-20 | 2023-04-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2026-04-20 | 2026-10-20 | 2027-04-21 | $7700.00 | Surcharge Window Open |