Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide immersion lithography equipment suitable for preventing or reducing generation of bubbles by preventing bubbles from leaking to a radiation beam passage through one or more gaps in a substrate table, or by extracting bubbles possibly generated in the gap. SOLUTION: The lithography equipment is configured to project a desired pattern image on a substrate W held on a substrate table WT through liquid; in the surface of the substrate table, a gap 22 exists between the substrate table and the outer edge of the substrate, or between the substrate table and other component which comes in contact with the liquid during normal use; and a bubble holding device configured to hold bubbles 24 possibly generated in the gap is provided in the gap. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography projector decreasing deformation caused by contaminants and the severity of requirements for a plane surface against the rear surface of a plate with a projection and the front surface of a chuck simultaneously by using the plate with the projection between a removable item and a flexible member. SOLUTION: The lithography projector comprises a radiation system for supplying a projection beam of radiation, a supporting structure for supporting a patterning means of making the projection beam patternized by a desired pattern, a substrate table for supporting the substrate, and a projection system for projecting a patternized beam on a target section of the substrate. Further, the projector comprises at least one supporting structure providing at least one flexible member supporting the plate with the projection which supports the removable item used for the lithography projector. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography system which improves precision of an image projected on a substrate and reduces an idle time. SOLUTION: According to a viewpoint of the invention, a lithographic apparatus has a coupling system for positioning a patterning means with respect to a reticle stage. A projection system of a lithographic projection apparatus has an operation cycle including a projection phase in which a patterned beam is projected onto a target portion of the substrate and the reticle stage supports a patterning means, and an exchange phase in which the patterning means is exchanged and the coupling system positions the patterning means with respect to the reticle stage. The lithographic apparatus has an advantage that the coupling system is apart from the patterning means during the projection phase, so as to obtain the projection image with high accuracy. COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic projection apparatus preventing the existence of bubbles in a liquid through which an emitted projection beam is passed, or taking countermeasures to reduce them. SOLUTION: This is performed, for example, by ensuring that a gap between a substrate and a substrate table is filled with an immersion liquid, or by inducing a local flow from an optical axis toward a radially outward side in the vicinity of the edge of the substrate. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem of excess exposure of an optical element and a problem due to the excess exposure of the optical element caused when using a cleaning method by a conventional technology. SOLUTION: A radiation beam produced in a radiation source LA, which is applied in an illumination system IL, enters the illumination system IL and impinges on a first optical element, a mirror SPF. The radiation beam is then reflected by a plurality of other mirrors, FF, FF, N1, N2 and G, and finally departs from the illumination system as a projection beam PB. A light path of radiation can be selectively blocked, by using shutters SH1 and SH2. The excess exposure of the photo-element can be prevented by measures of the excess cleaning of the optical element. COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To remove unwanted contaminants generated by a radiation source. SOLUTION: Contaminant particles which move together with a projected beam are ionized. A purge gas can be attracted toward a gettering plate provided on the upstream of a purge gas supply source. The ionization of the purge gas is improved, by enclosing electrons generated by an ionizing device by means of a magnetic field. The contaminant particles can be ionized, by generating a plasma in a pipe having a larger length than its width.
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic projection apparatus capable of suppressing the conveyance of contaminants, stray light, temperature gradients and/or the effect of air bubbles on imaging quality; and to provide a method of manufacturing a device. SOLUTION: There is disclosed an immersion lithographic apparatus supplying a liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate, and provided with a plate structure for dividing the space into two parts. The plate structure has an opening for permitting the transmission of projection beams, a through-hole for suppressing a damping effect due to the existence of the plate, and optionally one or a plurality of inlets and outlets for providing various flows to the circumference of the opening of the plate. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide immersion lithography equipment suitable for preventing or reducing generation of bubbles by preventing bubbles from leaking to a radiation beam passage through one or more gaps in a substrate table, or by extracting bubbles possibly generated in the gap. SOLUTION: The lithography equipment is arranged to project an image of desired pattern onto a substrate W held on a substrate table WT through liquid. A gap 22 exists in the surface of the substrate table between the substrate table and the outer edge of the substrate, or between the substrate table and other component touching the liquid during normal use. The lithography equipment is provided, in the gap, with a bubble holding device arranged to hold a bubble 24 possibly generated in the gap. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography apparatus and a device manufacturing method that improves thermal loading. SOLUTION: The lithography apparatus, which has an illumination system IL, a support structure MT supporting a patterning means M, a substrate table WT holding a substrate W, a projecting system PL that projects a patterned beam onto a target part of the substrate W, and a reference frame MF wherein at least one of position sensors IF at least for either one of the patterning means M and the substrate W, and the projection system PL are located, has a heat transport system HT-PL/HT-MF that thermally interacts with at least either one of the projection system PL and the reference frame MF, and transports heat at least to or from either one of the projection system PL and the reference frame MF. The heat transport system HT-PL/HT-MF is joined to another frame mechanically separated from the reference frame. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithographic system that improves the accuracy of images projected upon a substrate and, at the same time, is shortened in idling time. SOLUTION: The lithographic system is provided with a coupling system which positions a patterning means with respect to a reticle stage. The projecting system of the lithographic system has an operation cycle containing a projecting phase in which a patterned beam is projected upon the target portion of a substrate. The reticle stage supports the patterning means and an exchanging phase in which the patterning means is exchanged with another patterning means. The coupling system positions the exchanged patterning means with respect to the reticle stage. Since the coupling system is separated from the patterning means during the projecting phase, more accurate projected images can be obtained. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI