Nikon Corporation

Hideaki Hara

Hiroaki Takaiwa

Dai Arai

Yuji Imai

Yutaka Hayashi

Masayuki Murayama

A carrier system and method carries an object to an object mounting member provided with an object mounting section. The system includes: a measurement device which obtains information related to a flatness of the object; a carrier member that carries the object; and a controller which controls a driving speed of the carrier member using the information related to the flatness of the object obtained by the measurement device.

Carrier system, exposure apparatus, carrier method, exposure method, device manufacturing method, and suction device

A carrier system and method carries a plate-like object to an object mounting section. The system imparts vibration to the object that has been moved such that the object is vibrating when the object is placed onto the mounting section.

A carrier system and method carries a plate-like object to an object mounting member provided with an object mounting section. The system includes an adjustment device that changes a shape of the plate-like object into a predetermined shape before the plate-like object is mounted onto the object mounting section. The plate-like object whose shape is changed into the predetermined shape is mounted onto the object mounting section.

An exposure apparatus includes a projection system having an optical element via which an exposure beam is projected; an immersion area forming member having an opening through which the exposure beam is projected, the immersion area forming member having a liquid supply inlet facing downward, a liquid recovery outlet facing downward, and a liquid supply port disposed between the liquid supply inlet and the liquid recovery outlet; a frame by which the projection system and the immersion area forming member are supported; a first vibration isolator by which transmission of vibration from the frame to the projection system is limited; and a second vibration isolator by which transmission of vibration from the immersion area forming member to the frame is limited. A liquid immersion area is formed, using the immersion area forming member, on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate, which is exposed to the exposure beam.

Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method

A carrier system is provided with a wafer stage which holds a mounted wafer and is also movable along an XY plane, a chuck unit which holds the wafer from above in a non-contact manner above a predetermined position and is vertically movable, and a plurality of vertical movement pins, which can support from below the wafer held by the chuck unit on the wafer stage when the wafer stage is positioned at the predetermined position above and can also move vertically. Then, flatness of the wafer is measured by a Z position detection system, and based on the measurement results, the chuck unit and the vertical movement pins that hold (support) the wafer are independently driven.

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a last optical element, a liquid supply system having a first path through which immersion liquid is supplied to a supply opening, and a liquid removal system having a second path connected to the first path. The liquid removal system removes the immersion liquid from the first path using the second path so that the supply flow path becomes a substantially gas filled space.

Liquid recovery apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a last optical element, a first member having a liquid supply port, a second member having a liquid recovery port, and a driving system which electromagnetically moves the first member, the second member, or both of the first and second members. A substrate is moved below and relative to the last optical element, the first member and the second member. A liquid supply from the liquid supply port and a liquid recovery from the liquid recovery port are performed to form a liquid immersion area on a portion of an upper surface of the substrate. The substrate is exposed with a beam through liquid in the liquid immersion area.

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and the substrate, and projecting the image of a pattern onto the substrate through the projection optical system and the liquid, and includes a liquid removing mechanism that intermittently blows a gas against a reference member, movable mirror, and the like, to which the liquid is adhered in order to remove that liquid.

Exposure apparatus with component from which liquid is protected and/or removed and device fabricating method

An exposure apparatus is provided which can supply and collect a liquid in a prescribed state, and that can suppress degradation of a pattern image projected onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus is provided with a nozzle member having a supply outlet that supplies a liquid and a collection inlet that collects a liquid, and a vibration isolating mechanism that supports the nozzle member and vibrationally isolates the nozzle member from a lower side step part of a main column.

A lithographic projection apparatus includes a substrate table by which a substrate is held, a projection system via which a patterned beam is projected onto the substrate to expose the substrate through liquid, and a liquid supply system. The liquid supply system includes a supply flow path, and supplies the liquid via the supply flow path during the exposure. The liquid supply system also includes a device by which the supply flow path is connected with a vacuum system to prevent liquid in the supply flow path from leaking.

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate via a projection optical system and liquid includes a movable member having an upper surface, a part of which holds the substrate. A liquid immersion system that has a supply port and a recovery port supplies the liquid to a space between the projection optical system and the upper surface via the supply port of a supply path and recovers the liquid of a liquid immersion region formed in the space via the recovery port of a recovery path. A flow path is connected to the supply path between the supply port and a source of the liquid, the flow path permitting flow therethrough to remove liquid that remains in the supply path, the liquid that remains in the supply path having been supplied from the source of the liquid without being discharged from the supply port.

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid that fills a space between the projection optical system and the substrate. The exposure apparatus has a liquid supply system having a supply path that supplies liquid to the space between the projection optical system and the substrate. A liquid recovery system having a recovery path recovers the liquid from the space during the exposure. The apparatus also includes a suction path with which at least part of the supply path of the liquid supply system is connected when the exposure apparatus functions abnormally.

An immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical member, a supply outlet that supplies a liquid to a space between an upper surface of the optical member and a movable object, and an annular member at least a portion of which is arranged around the optical member, the space between the upper surface of the optical member and the object being filled with the liquid.

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Kumagaya, Japan

Hideaki Hara