Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an efficient and effective cleaning method of an optical element used in a lithographic projection apparatus without employing any unstable material. SOLUTION: Purge gas containing a small amount of molecular oxygen is supplied from a gas supplying source 4 into a space 2 receiving the optical element 3 used in a lithographic projection apparatus. The optical element is irradiated with a UV radiation beam from a radiation source LA for mask pattern projection or a radiation source 7 exclusive for purge whereby the beam of radiation decomposes oxygen and produces an oxygen radical which cleans the optical element very effectively. When the partial pressure of the molecular oxygen contained in the purge gas is from 1×10 -4 Pa to 1 Pa, sufficient cleaning can be effected within a short time. According to this method, an unstable material such as ozone or the like is not used whereby an excessive work such as the preparation of the purge gas is not required and the optical element can be cleaned simultaneously with the exposure of the substrate, thereby not requesting the optical element removed from the lithographic apparatus. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a box which is capable of protecting a lithography patterning device against external contaminants and making its throughput optimal. SOLUTION: The transfer box 2 is equipped with an internal space 10 provided with a housing position at which the patterning device is housed and a container 8 provided with an opening used for transferring the patterning device. The internal space 10 is pressurized before the patterning device is transferred from the internal space 10 to a lithography apparatus. The box is equipped with a closure which closes the opening and/or a channel system 18 which discharges gas from the internal space 10 of the box to / and/or supplies the gas from / to the internal space of the box, and the lithography apparatus which is so constituted as to collaborate with the box device is included. COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI
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 provide a lithographic projection apparatus in which optical components can be cleaned with stabilized detergent. SOLUTION: The cleaning of optical components for use in a lithographic projection apparatus can be carried out by irradiating a space within the apparatus containing the optical component with UV or EUV radiation having a wavelength of less then 250 nm, in the presence of an oxygen-containing species selected from water, nitrogen oxide and oxygen-containing hydrocarbons. Generally, the space is purged with purge gas which contains a small amount of the oxygen-containing species in addition to a usual purge gas composition. Technique can also be used in an evacuated space by introducing the low pressure of the oxygen-containing species into the space. This technique has an advantage that the use of unstable materials such as ozone is avoided. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography device for detecting and eliminating contamination in a patterning device, and to provide a method achieved thereby. SOLUTION: This lithography device comprises a patterning device MA for giving a pattern onto the section of a beam of radiation to form a patterned beam of radiation, a washing unit CU positioned to wash the patterning device MA on that place, and/or a detection unit positioned to detect patterning device contamination on the moment. The washing unit is also positioned in a way that fluid is sent to the surface of the patterning device. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a lithography device and a method for detecting contamination of a patterning device and removing contaminants. SOLUTION: A beam 11 is polarized by a polarizer 12 before incidence to a patterning device MA. When straightly polarized light with known orientation is incident to a surface obliquely, the reflected light is elliptically polarized. The reflected, elliptically polarized beam 11 passes through a quarter wave plate 13 and an analyzer 14 before detected by a detector 15. From the orientation of the quarter wave plate 13 and the analyzer 14 when light is no longer detected, it is possible to calculate a change in relative phase on the surface of the patterning device MA and also to calculate the width (or thickness) of contamination. A cleaning gas, such as carbon dioxide, is discharged from a nozzle end into the detected contaminants and the contaminants are removed. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method and an apparatus for measuring the contamination on the surfaces of the constituent components of a lithographic projection apparatus. SOLUTION: The measuring apparatus includes a radiation transmitter for projecting radiation onto at least a part of the surface of each component of a lithographic projection apparatus and a radiation receiver which receives radiation from each constituent component. A processor, which is connected to the radiation receiver through communication, obtains the characteristics of the received radiation, and then determines the characteristics of the contamination on the basis of the radiation characteristics. The measuring apparatus comprises the steps of: projecting the radiation to the surface of each component, receiving the radiation from each component, and determining the characteristics of the contamination on the basis of the received radiation. COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI
Abstract:
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent or to alleviate overlay errors or the like caused by a strain, such as deformation or the like of a mark in a lithography apparatus, having a non-telecentric projection system at the article side used in a method for manufacturing a device. SOLUTION: The method for manufacturing the device comprises a step of providing a substrate covered with a layer of a radiation-sensitive material, a step of providing a radiation projection beam by using a radiation system, a step of imparting a pattern to a section of the projection beam by using a reflective pattern forming means, and a step of forming an image on the target part of the layer of the radiation sensitive material by projecting the pattern-formed radiation beam, by using the non-telecentric projection system at the article side. The method further comprises the steps of shifting and/or inclining a nominal reflection surface of the pattern forming means, so as to separate from a flat surface of a nominal article of the projection system, and alleviating the strain and/or the overlay error of the projection image. COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO
Abstract:
In a lithographic projection apparatus, an object such as a mask is shielded from stray particles by a particle shield using electromagnetic fields. The fields may be a uniform electric field, a non-uniform electric field or an optical breeze. The particle shield is fixed to the mask holder rather than the mask.
Abstract:
Cleaning of optical components for use in a lithographic projection apparatus can be carried out by irradiating a space within the apparatus containing the optical component with UV or EUV radiation having a wavelength of less than 250nm, in the presence of an oxygen-containing species selected from water, nitrogen oxide and oxygen-containing hydrocarbons. Generally, the space will be purged with a purge gas which contains a small amount of the oxygen-containing species in addition to the usual purge gas composition. The technique can also be used in an evacuated space by introducing a low pressure of the oxygen-containing species into the space. This technique has the advantage that the use of unstable materials such as ozone is avoided.