公开(公告)号：US20070126999A1

公开(公告)日：2007-06-07

申请号：US11601771

申请日：2006-11-20

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

IPC分类号： G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03B27/52 ,  G03F7/70341

摘要： Immersion liquid is contained in the immersion area located between the last optical member of a projection system and a surface that is the subject of exposure by providing a liquid seal located adjacent to the immersion area. The liquid seal extends between the surface to be exposed and a seal-holding-surface located adjacent to the immersion area. The liquid seal is a seal-forming-liquid that is different from the immersion liquid and that is maintained in place between the surface to be exposed and the seal-holding-surface only by surface tension.

摘要翻译： 浸没液体通过提供位于与浸渍区域相邻的液体密封而被包含在位于投影系统的最后一个光学构件和作为曝光对象的表面之间的浸没区域中。 液体密封件在要暴露的表面与位于浸没区域附近的密封保持表面之间延伸。 液体密封是与浸没液体不同的密封形成液体，并且仅通过表面张力保持在要暴露的表面和密封保持表面之间的适当位置。

公开(公告)号：US20070131879A1

公开(公告)日：2007-06-14

申请号：US11655578

申请日：2007-01-19

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

IPC分类号： A61N5/00

CPC分类号： G03F7/70758 ,  F04B49/00

摘要： A stage assembly (220A) includes a stage (206A) and a force provider (232A) that provides an acceleration/deceleration force on the stage (206A). The force provider (232A) includes a provider housing (238A) and a piston assembly (240A). The provider housing (238A) defines a piston chamber (344), and includes a first beam aperture (352F), a first cylinder aperture (350F) that is in fluid communication with a fluid at a first pressure and a spaced apart second cylinder aperture (350S) that is in fluid communication with a fluid at the first pressure. The piston assembly (340) includes a piston (356) positioned in the piston chamber (344), and a first beam (358F)) extending through the first beam aperture (352F). The first beam (358F)) is secured to the piston (356). The piston (356) moves along a piston path (462). At a second piston region (462S) of the piston path (462) the piston (356) is positioned between the cylinder apertures (350F)(350S). A control assembly (933) controls the characteristics of the acceleration/deceleration force such as the ramping characteristics of the acceleration/deceleration force and the magnitude of the acceleration/deceleration force.

摘要翻译： 舞台组件（220A）包括在舞台（206A）上提供加速/减速力的舞台（206A）和力提供者（232A）。 力提供者（232A）包括提供者外壳（238A）和活塞组件（240A）。 提供器壳体（238A）限定活塞室（344），并且包括第一梁孔（352F），第一气缸孔（350F），其在第一压力下与流体流体连通并且间隔开 第二气缸孔（350S），其在第一压力下与流体流体连通。 活塞组件（340）包括位于活塞室（344）中的活塞（356）和延伸穿过第一梁孔（352F）的第一梁（358F））。 第一梁（358F））固定到活塞（356）上。 活塞（356）沿着活塞路径（462）移动。 在活塞路径（462）的第二活塞区域（462S）处，活塞（356）位于气缸孔（350°F）（350S）之间。 控制组件（933）控制加速/减速力的特性，例如加减速力的斜坡特性和加速/减速力的大小。

公开(公告)号：US20070091289A1

公开(公告)日：2007-04-26

申请号：US11583069

申请日：2006-10-19

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70925 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70725

摘要： Immersion fluid remaining on a portion of a substrate after that portion has passed an immersion nozzle is removed by moving the substrate relative to an immersion nozzle so that the portion of the substrate on which the immersion fluid remains is passed by the immersion nozzle again. A path is determined along which the substrate is to be moved to remove the remaining immersion fluid. The path can be determined based upon previous movements of the substrate, including factors such as the speed and/or length of the previous movements. Alternatively, portions of the substrate on which immersion fluid remains can be detected, and then the substrate can be moved so that the portion of the substrate on which the immersion fluid remains is passed by the immersion nozzle based on the results of the detection. Immersion fluid also can be removed from the stage surface located beyond the substrate.

摘要翻译： 通过移动衬底相对于浸入式喷嘴使基板的剩余部分已经通过浸入式喷嘴的方式残留在衬底的一部分上的浸入流体，使得残留有浸没流体的衬底部分再次被浸入式喷嘴通过。 确定要移动衬底以移除剩余浸没流体的路径。 该路径可以基于先前的基底移动来确定，包括先前移动的速度和/或长度等因素。 或者，可以检测浸入液体残留的基板的部分，然后基于检测结果，移动基板以使浸没流体保留的基板的部分通过浸渍喷嘴。 浸没流体也可以从位于基底之外的载物台表面除去。

公开(公告)号：US20070046910A1

公开(公告)日：2007-03-01

申请号：US11443361

申请日：2006-05-31

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani

IPC分类号： G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03F7/70341

摘要： A apparatus and methods recover a fluid from an immersion area formed in a gap between a projection system and an object of exposure in an immersion lithography system. A porous member is disposed adjacent to the immersion area. A pressure control system provides a first low pressure to a first portion of the porous member to remove immersion fluid that escapes from the immersion area, and provides a second low pressure to a second portion of the porous member to remove immersion fluid that escapes from the immersion area. The second low pressure is different from the first low pressure.

摘要翻译： 一种设备和方法从浸没式光刻系统中的投影系统和曝光对象之间的间隙中形成的浸没区域中回收流体。 多孔构件邻近浸入区域设置。 压力控制系统向多孔构件的第一部分提供第一低压以去除从浸没区域逸出的浸没流体，并且向多孔构件的第二部分提供第二低压以除去从该多孔构件逸出的浸没流体 沉浸区域。 第二低压与第一低压不同。

公开(公告)号：US08400610B2

公开(公告)日：2013-03-19

申请号：US13532195

申请日：2012-06-25

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon ,  Daishi Tanak

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon ,  Daishi Tanak

IPC分类号： G03B27/32 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70733

摘要： Apparatus and methods keep immersion liquid in a space adjacent to an optical assembly. An optical assembly projects an image onto a substrate supported adjacent to the optical assembly by a substrate table. An insertion member insertable into the space between the optical assembly and the substrate, the substrate table, or both, divides the immersion liquid into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion disposed between the optical assembly and the insertion member, and the second portion disposed between the insertion member and the substrate, the substrate table, or both. The insertion member keeps the optical assembly in contact with the first portion when the substrate is moved away from being disposed adjacent to the optical assembly.

摘要翻译： 装置和方法将浸没液体保持在与光学组件相邻的空间中。 光学组件通过衬底台将图像投影到靠近光学组件支撑的衬底上。 可插入到光学组件和衬底之间的空间，衬底台或两者中的插入构件将浸没液体分成第一部分和第二部分，第一部分设置在光学组件和插入构件之间， 第二部分设置在插入构件和衬底之间，衬底台或两者。 当基板移动远离邻近光学组件时，插入构件保持光学组件与第一部分接触。

公开(公告)号：US20060152697A1

公开(公告)日：2006-07-13

申请号：US11362833

申请日：2006-02-28

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70358 ,  G03F7/708 ,  G03F7/70858

摘要： Systems and methods control the fluid flow and pressure to provide stable conditions for immersion lithography. A fluid is provided in a space between a lens and a substrate during the immersion lithography process. Fluid is supplied to the space and is recovered from the space through a porous member in fluidic communication with the space. Maintaining the pressure in the porous member under the bubble point of the porous member can eliminate noise created by mixing air with the fluid during fluid recovery. The method can include drawing the fluid from the space via a recovery flow line through a porous member, and maintaining a pressure of the fluid in the porous member below a bubble point of the porous member during drawing of the fluid from the space.

摘要翻译： 系统和方法控制流体流动和压力，为浸没式光刻提供稳定的条件。 在浸没光刻工艺期间，在透镜和基板之间的空间中提供流体。 流体被供应到空间，并通过与该空间流体连通的多孔构件从空间中回收。 保持多孔构件在多孔构件的泡点之下的压力可以消除在流体回收过程中将空气与流体混合而产生的噪声。 该方法可以包括通过多孔构件经由回收流线从空间抽出流体，并且在从空间抽出流体期间将多孔构件中的流体的压力保持在多孔构件的起泡点以下。

公开(公告)号：US20060050262A1

公开(公告)日：2006-03-09

申请号：US10937172

申请日：2004-09-09

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho

IPC分类号： G03B27/58

CPC分类号： G03B27/58

摘要： Methods and apparatus for enabling a fine stage to be moved using pneumatics such that disturbances associated with a pneumatic transfer system are not transmitted to the fine stage are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, a stage apparatus includes a first stage, a second stage, and a pneumatic transfer system. The pneumatic transfer system includes at least one transfer mechanism and a transfer block. The transfer mechanism is substantially directly coupled be coupled between the first stage and the transfer block, and the first stage provides a flow through the transfer mechanism to the transfer block. The transfer block is arranged to be positioned over a surface of the second stage to provide the flow to the second stage substantially without contacting the second stage.

摘要翻译： 公开了使用气动装置移动细级的方法和装置，使得与气动传送系统相关的干扰不传递到细级。 根据本发明的一个方面，一种舞台装置包括第一舞台，第二舞台和气动传送系统。 气动传送系统包括至少一个传送机构和传送块。 传送机构基本上直接耦合在第一级和传送块之间，第一级提供通过传送机构的流向传送块的流动。 转移块布置成定位在第二阶段的表面上，以在不接触第二阶段的情况下提供流到第二阶段的流动。

公开(公告)号：US20080043211A1

公开(公告)日：2008-02-21

申请号：US11889893

申请日：2007-08-17

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03B27/42 ,  G03F7/70341

摘要： Immersion liquid is recovered in an immersion lithography apparatus. A confinement member includes first and second outlets, each of which recovers an immersion liquid from an immersion area including a gap between a projection system and an object. The second outlet is radially farther from the gap than the first outlet. A porous member covers the second outlet. The first outlet is not covered by any porous member. A first low pressure provided to the first outlet causes more than 50% of recovered immersion liquid to flow through the first outlet. A second low pressure provided to the second outlet maintains a pressure at a surface of the porous member below the porous member's bubble point. A porous member can be disposed on the substrate-holding table adjacent the substrate holding area. Immersion liquid overflowing from the substrate is collected by the porous member.

摘要翻译： 在浸没式光刻设备中回收浸液。 限制构件包括第一和第二出口，每个出口从包括投影系统和物体之间的间隙的浸没区域中恢复浸没液体。 第二出口比第一出口径向远离间隙。 多孔构件覆盖第二出口。 第一个出口不被任何多孔构件覆盖。 提供给第一出口的第一低压导致超过50％的回收的浸没液体流过第一出口。 提供给第二出口的第二低压将多孔构件的表面处的压力保持在多孔构件的起泡点下方。 可以在与基板保持区域相邻的基板保持台上设置多孔构件。 通过多孔构件收集从基板溢出的浸液。

公开(公告)号：US20050012918A1

公开(公告)日：2005-01-20

申请号：US10623004

申请日：2003-07-17

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Toru Kawaguchi ,  Hisashi Tazawa ,  Saburo Kamiya ,  Yasuhiro Hidaka

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Toru Kawaguchi ,  Hisashi Tazawa ,  Saburo Kamiya ,  Yasuhiro Hidaka

IPC分类号： G03B27/58 ,  G03B27/62 ,  G03F7/20

CPC分类号： G03F7/70775

摘要： A measurement system (222) for measuring the position of a stage (248) along a first axis includes a first system (260) having a first beam source (260A) that directs a first beam (260H) on a first path that is parallel with a second axis and a first redirector (260D) that redirects the first beam so that the redirected first beam (260H) is on a first redirected path that is parallel with the first axis irrespective to the orientation of the first redirector (260D) about a third axis. The measurement system (222) can include a shield (380) that protects the first beam (260H) from environmental conditions.

摘要翻译： 用于测量载物台（248）沿着第一轴线的位置的测量系统（222）包括第一系统（260），该第一系统（260）具有第一光束源（260A），该第一光束源引导第一光束（260H） 具有重定向第一光束的第二轴和第一重定向器（260D），使得重定向的第一光束（260H）在与第一重定向器（260D）的取向相关的第一重定向路径上，与第一重定向器（260D）的取向无关 第三轴。 测量系统（222）可以包括保护第一光束（260H）免受环境条件影响的屏蔽（380）。

公开(公告)号：US08237911B2

公开(公告)日：2012-08-07

申请号：US11976898

申请日：2007-10-29

申请人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon

发明人： Alex Poon ,  Leonard Kho ,  Gaurav Keswani ,  Derek Coon

IPC分类号： G03B27/32 ,  G03B27/42 ,  G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70733

摘要： Apparatus and methods keep immersion liquid in a space adjacent to an optical assembly. An optical assembly projects an image onto a substrate supported adjacent to the optical assembly by a substrate table. An insertion member insertable into the space between the optical assembly and the substrate, the substrate table, or both, divides the immersion liquid into a first portion and a second portion, the first portion disposed between the optical assembly and the insertion member, and the second portion disposed between the insertion member and the substrate, the substrate table, or both. The insertion member keeps the optical assembly in contact with the first portion when the substrate is moved away from being disposed adjacent to the optical assembly.

摘要翻译： 装置和方法将浸没液体保持在与光学组件相邻的空间中。 光学组件通过衬底台将图像投影到靠近光学组件支撑的衬底上。 可插入到光学组件和衬底之间的空间，衬底台或两者中的插入构件将浸没液体分成第一部分和第二部分，第一部分设置在光学组件和插入构件之间， 第二部分设置在插入构件和衬底之间，衬底台或两者。 当基板移动远离邻近光学组件时，插入构件保持光学组件与第一部分接触。