Nikon Corporation

Hidemi Kawai

W Thomas Novak

Douglas C Watson

Andrew J Hazelton

An immersion lithography apparatus and method places an object for a cleanup process on a holder of a movable stage of the immersion lithography apparatus, a wafer being held on the holder of the stage and exposed during a liquid immersion lithography process. During the liquid immersion lithography process, device pattern projection is performed and a device pattern image is projected onto the wafer held on the holder to fabricate semiconductor devices. During the cleanup process, a liquid is supplied via a supply port from above the stage holding the object on the holder. During the cleanup process, the object is held on the holder in place of the wafer and the object is used without performing device pattern projection.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography using object on wafer holder in place of wafer

A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical system via which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam, and a cleaning device which performs a cleaning operation by filling a space adjacent the optical system with a liquid including bubbles.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography using bubbles

An immersion lithography apparatus and a cleanup method used for the immersion lithography apparatus in which an immersion liquid is supplied from a liquid supply member to a gap between an optical element of a projection optics and a workpiece during an immersion lithography process. A surface of an object, which is different from the workpiece, is provided such that the surface of the object and the optical element are opposite to each other. During a cleanup process, a cleaning liquid is supplied from the liquid supply member onto the surface of the object.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography with cleaning liquid opposed by a surface of object

An immersion lithography apparatus and cleanup method used for the immersion lithography apparatus in which an immersion liquid is supplied to a gap between an optical element of a projection optics and a workpiece during an immersion lithography process. A surface of an object, which is different from the workpiece, is provided below the optical element, a supply port and a recovery port. During a cleanup process, a cleaning liquid is supplied onto the object such that the cleaning liquid covers only a portion of the surface of the object.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography supplying cleaning liquid onto a surface of object below optical element, liquid supply port and liquid recovery port

A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table on which a substrate is held, a projection system including a final optical element, the projection system projecting a patterned beam of radiation through an immersion liquid onto the substrate adjacent the final optical element to expose the substrate during an immersion lithography process, and a liquid supply system including an inlet. The liquid supply system supplies the immersion liquid during the immersion lithography process and supplies a cleaning liquid, which is different from the immersion liquid, during a cleanup process. The cleanup process and the immersion lithography process are performed at different times.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography supplying cleaning liquid at different times than immersion liquid

A megasonic immersion lithography exposure apparatus includes an optical transfer chamber for containing an exposure liquid, at least one megasonic plate operably engaging said optical transfer chamber for propagating sonic waves through the exposure liquid, and an optical system provided adjacent to said optical transfer chamber for projecting light through a mask and said exposure liquid and onto a wafer.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography using sonic device

An immersion lithography apparatus has a reticle stage arranged to retain a reticle, a working stage arranged to retain a workpiece, and an optical system including an illumination source and an optical element opposite the workpiece for having an image pattern of the reticle projected by radiation from the illumination source. A gap is defined between the optical element and the workpiece, and a fluid-supplying device serves to supply an immersion liquid into this gap such that the supplied immersion liquid contacts both the optical element and the workpiece during an immersion lithography process. A cleaning device is incorporated for removing absorbed liquid from the optical element during a cleanup process. The cleaning device may make use of a cleaning liquid having affinity to the absorbed liquid, heat, a vacuum condition, ultrasonic vibrations or cavitating bubbles for the removal of the absorbed liquid. The cleaning liquid may be supplied through the same fluid-applying device provided with a switching device such as a valve.

Growing community of inventors

Palo Alto, CA, United States of America

Hidemi Kawai