Asml Holding N.v.

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Lsi Logic Corporation

Asml Holding B.v.

Louis John Markoya

Harry Sewell

Diane Czop McCafferty

Aleksandr Khmelichek

Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders

Matthew Lipson

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens

Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders

Marcus Martinus Petrus Adrianus Vermeulen

Nicolaas Ten Kate

Raymond Wilhelmus Louis Lafarre

Johannes Petrus Martinus Bernardus Vermeulen

Antonius Franciscus Johannes De Groot

Tammo Uitterdijk

Ronald Van Der Wilk

Kenneth C Henderson

Diane Elaine Markoya

Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans

Arno Jan Bleeker

Justin Lloyd Kreuzer

Santiago E Del Puerto

Kars Zeger Troost

Nicholas K Eib

Erik Theodorus Maria Bijlaart

Neal Patrick Callan

Andrew W McCullough

Christopher John Mason

Ralph Joseph Meijers

Santiago E Delpuerto

Marina Khmelichek, Legal Representative

A lithographic apparatus is provided. The lithographic apparatus includes a reticle and an electrostatic clamp configured to releasably hold the reticle. The electrostatic clamp includes a first substrate having opposing first and second surfaces, a plurality of burls located on the first surface and configured to contact the reticle, a second substrate having opposing first and second surfaces. The first surface of the second substrate is coupled to the second surface of the first substrate. A plurality of cooling elements are located between the first surface of the second substrate and the second surface of the first substrate. The cooling elements are configured to cause electrons to travel from the second surface of the first substrate to the first surface of the second substrate. Each cooling element is substantially aligned with a respective burl.

Lithographic apparatus and method

A new way of drying and/or wetting a surface, such as a top surface of a substrate, is disclosed which is useful in immersion lithography. The surface is placed under a single phase extractor and a priming liquid is delivered between the single phase extractor and the surface. The single phase extractor is only activated after the priming liquid has been provided between the single phase extractor and the surface. Priming liquid is delivered to the single phase extractor during the whole of the drying and/or wetting process.

Lithographic apparatus, a dryer and a method of removing liquid from a surface

A support such as a clamp () is configured to releasably hold a patterning device such as a reticle () to secure it and prevent heat-induced deformation of it. For example, an electrostatic clamp includes a first substrate () having opposing first () and second () surfaces, a plurality of burls () located on the first surface and configured to contact the reticle, a second substrate () having opposing first () and second () surfaces. The first surface of the second substrate is coupled to the second surface of the first substrate. A plurality of cooling elements () are located between the first surface of the second substrate and the second surface of the first substrate. The cooling elements are configured to cause electrons to travel from the second surface of the first substrate to the first surface of the second substrate. Each cooling element is substantially aligned with a respective burl.

A new way of drying and/or wetting a surface, such as a top surface of a substrate, which is useful in immersion lithography. The surface is placed under a single phase extractor and a priming liquid is delivered between the single phase extractor and the surface. The single phase extractor is only activated after the priming liquid has been provided between the single phase extractor and the surface. Priming liquid is delivered to the single phase extractor during the whole of the drying and/or wetting process.

A system for tuning the refractive index of immersion liquid in an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. Two or more immersion liquids of different refractive index are mixed together in order to achieve a desired refractive index. Further, the fluids may be conditioned and treated to maintain optical characteristics.

Lithographic apparatus, fluid combining unit and device manufacturing method

An immersion lithography apparatus is provided that includes an energy source, a projection optical system, a stage, a showerhead including an immersion liquid supply device and an immersion liquid discharge device that produces a flow of liquid within an exposure zone, and a cleaning device that cleans a portion of the projection optical system having been contacted with the immersion liquid by means of a cleaning gas. In an embodiment, the cleaning device includes an ozone generation unit produces a flow of ozone into the exposure zone. In embodiments, the apparatus includes a stage that includes a dose sensor and/or an ultra-violet light source. A method for insitu cleaning of a final lens element within an immersion lithography system having an immersion fluid showerhead that provides immersion fluid to an exposure zone of the immersion lithography system is also provided.

Systems and methods for insitu lens cleaning using ozone in immersion lithography

Immersion lithography aberration control systems and methods that compensate for a heating effect of exposure energy in an immersion fluid across an exposure zone are provided. An aberration control system includes actuators that adjust optical elements within the immersion lithography system and a fluid heating compensation module coupled to the actuators. The fluid heating adjustment module determines actuator commands to make aberration adjustments to optical elements within the immersion lithography system based on changes in one or more of a flow rate of the immersion liquid, an exposure dose and a reticle pattern image. In an embodiment, the aberration control system includes an interferometric sensor that pre-calibrates aberrations based on changes in operating characteristics related to the immersion fluid. Methods are provided that calibrate aberrations, determine actuator adjustments and implement actuator adjustments upon changes in operating characteristics to control aberration effects.

Systems and methods for thermally-induced aberration correction in immersion lithography

An immersion lithography apparatus is provided that includes an energy source, a projection optical system, a stage, a showerhead including an immersion liquid supply device and an immersion liquid discharge device that produces a flow of liquid within an exposure zone, and a cleaning device that cleans a portion of the projection optical system having been contacted with the immersion liquid by means of a cleaning gas. In an embodiment, the cleaning device includes a gas supply device and a gas discharge device that produce a flow of cleaning gas into the exposure zone. In embodiments, the apparatus includes a stage that includes a dose sensor and/or an ultra-violet light source. A method for insitu cleaning of a final lens element within an immersion lithography system having an immersion fluid showerhead that provides immersion fluid to an exposure zone of the immersion lithography system is also provided.

Systems and methods for insitu lens cleaning in immersion lithography

A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system, a fluid handling structure, a metrology device, and a recycling control device. The projection system is configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate, the substrate being supported on a substrate table. The fluid handling structure is configured to provide an immersion fluid to a space between the projection system and the substrate and/or substrate table. The metrology device is configured to monitor a parameter of the immersion fluid. The recycling control device regulates a routing of the immersion fluid either to be reused by the fluid handling structure or to be reconditioned based on the quality of immersion fluid indicated by the metrology device.

Immersion lithographic apparatus with immersion fluid re-circulating system

A system is disclosed to isolate an environmental chamber of an immersion lithographic apparatus, to which an immersion fluid comprising liquid, is provided from an external environment. Further, there is disclosed a system for measuring flow rate and/or vapor concentration of a gas using a transducer to send and/or receive an acoustic signal.

Re-flow and buffer system for immersion lithography

A liquid immersion lithography system includes projection optics (PL) and a showerhead (). The projection optics are configured to expose a substrate (W) with a patterned beam. The showerhead includes a first nozzle () and a second nozzle () that are configured to be at different distances from a surface of the substrate during an exposure operation.

Liquid immersion lithography system comprising a tilted showerhead relative to a substrate

Lithographic apparatus with a fluid combining unit and related device manufacturing method

An alignment target with geometry designs provides a desired alignment offset for processes (both symmetric and asymmetric) on a wafer substrate. The alignment target includes one or more sub-targets, where each sub-target is defined as having a left portion and a right portion having a different geometric pattern, and where the left portion has a geometry density and the right portion has a geometry density.

Growing community of inventors

Sandy Hook, CT, United States of America

Louis John Markoya