公开(公告)号：US20060028632A1

公开(公告)日：2006-02-09

申请号：US11237799

申请日：2005-09-29

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： An environmental system controls an environment in a gap between an optical assembly and a device and includes a fluid barrier and an immersion fluid system. The fluid barrier is positioned near the device. The immersion fluid system delivers an immersion fluid that fills the gap and collects the immersion fluid that is directly between the fluid barrier and the device. The fluid barrier can include a scavenge inlet that is positioned near the device, and the immersion fluid system can include a low pressure source that is in fluid communication with the scavenge inlet. The fluid barrier confines any vapor of the immersion fluid and prevents it from perturbing a measurement system. Additionally, the environmental system can include a bearing fluid source that directs a bearing fluid between the fluid barrier and the device to support the fluid barrier relative to the device.

公开(公告)号：US20070132974A1

公开(公告)日：2007-06-14

申请号：US11701378

申请日：2007-02-02

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： A lithographic projection apparatus includes a liquid confinement structure extending along at least a part of a boundary of a space between a projection system and a substrate table, the space having a cross-sectional area smaller than the area of the substrate. The liquid confinement structure includes a first inlet to supply liquid, through which the patterned beam is projected, to the space, a first outlet to remove liquid after the liquid has passed under the projection system, a second inlet formed in a face of the structure, the face arranged to oppose a surface of the substrate, and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the space to supply gas, and a second outlet formed in the face and located radially outward, with respect to an optical axis of the projection system, of the second inlet to remove gas.

摘要翻译： 光刻投影装置包括沿着投影系统和基板台之间的空间的边界的至少一部分延伸的液体限制结构，该空间的横截面积小于基板的面积。 液体限制结构包括：第一入口，用于将图案化的光束投射到该空间上的液体供给液体经过投影系统之前的第一出口以去除液体，形成在该结构的表面上的第二入口 相对于投影系统的光轴径向向外设置有供给气体的空间的面以及形成在该表面上并位于径向外侧的第二出口，该第二出口相对于基板的表面 到第二入口的投影系统的光轴，以除去气体。

公开(公告)号：US20070247603A1

公开(公告)日：2007-10-25

申请号：US11819089

申请日：2007-06-25

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： An environmental system controls an environment in a gap between an optical assembly and a device and includes a fluid barrier and an immersion fluid system. The fluid barrier is positioned near the device. The immersion fluid system delivers an immersion fluid that fills the gap and collects the immersion fluid that is directly between the fluid barrier and the device. The fluid barrier can include a scavenge inlet that is positioned near the device, and the immersion fluid system can include a low pressure source that is in fluid communication with the scavenge inlet. The fluid barrier confines any vapor of the immersion fluid and prevents it from perturbing a measurement system. Additionally, the environmental system can include a bearing fluid source that directs a bearing fluid between the fluid barrier and the device to support the fluid barrier relative to the device.

摘要翻译： 环境系统控制光学组件和装置之间的间隙中的环境，并且包括流体屏障和浸液系统。 流体屏障位于设备附近。 浸没流体系统提供填充间隙的浸没流体并且收集直接在流体屏障和装置之间的浸没流体。 流体屏障可以包括位于装置附近的扫气入口，并且浸没流体系统可以包括与清流入口流体连通的低压源。 流体屏障限制浸没流体的任何蒸气，并防止其扰动测量系统。 此外，环境系统可以包括轴承流体源，其将轴承流体引导在流体屏障和装置之间以相对于装置支撑流体屏障。

公开(公告)号：US20070103662A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-10

申请号：US11646238

申请日：2006-12-28

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a beam of radiation, and a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device serving to impart the beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus also includes a substrate table configured to hold a substrate, a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate and a fluid supply system configured to provide a fluid to a volume, the volume comprising at least a portion of the projection system, at least a portion of the illumination system, or both. The apparatus also includes a coupling device configured to couple the fluid supply system to the substrate table, substrate, support structure, patterning device, or any combination thereof.

摘要翻译： 光刻设备包括被配置为调节辐射束的照明系统和被配置为保持图案形成装置的支撑结构，所述图案形成装置用于在其横截面中赋予辐射束以图案。 该设备还包括：被配置为保持基板的基板台，配置成将图案化的光束投影到基板的目标部分上的投影系统;以及配置成向流体提供流体的流体供应系统，该流体供应系统包括至少一部分 投影系统的至少一部分，或者两者。 该装置还包括被配置为将流体供应系统耦合到衬底台，衬底，支撑结构，图案形成装置或其任何组合的耦合装置。

公开(公告)号：US20060114435A1

公开(公告)日：2006-06-01

申请号：US11329269

申请日：2006-01-11

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： An environmental system controls an environment in a gap between an optical assembly and a device and includes a fluid barrier and an immersion fluid system. The fluid barrier is positioned near the device. The immersion fluid system delivers an immersion fluid that fills the gap and collects the immersion fluid that is directly between the fluid barrier and the device. The fluid barrier can include a scavenge inlet that is positioned near the device, and the immersion fluid system can include a low pressure source that is in fluid communication with the scavenge inlet. The fluid barrier confines any vapor of the immersion fluid and prevents it from perturbing a measurement system. Additionally, the environmental system can include a bearing fluid source that directs a bearing fluid between the fluid barrier and the device to support the fluid barrier relative to the device.

摘要翻译： 环境系统控制光学组件和装置之间的间隙中的环境，并且包括流体屏障和浸液系统。 流体屏障位于设备附近。 浸没流体系统提供填充间隙的浸没流体并且收集直接在流体屏障和装置之间的浸没流体。 流体屏障可以包括位于装置附近的扫气入口，并且浸没流体系统可以包括与清流入口流体连通的低压源。 流体屏障限制浸没流体的任何蒸气，并防止其扰动测量系统。 此外，环境系统可以包括轴承流体源，其将轴承流体引导在流体屏障和装置之间以相对于装置支撑流体屏障。

公开(公告)号：US20060033899A1

公开(公告)日：2006-02-16

申请号：US11253597

申请日：2005-10-20

申请人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Andrew Hazelton ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/2041 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70775 ,  G03F7/70816 ,  G03F7/70866 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： An environmental system controls an environment in a gap between an optical assembly and a device and includes a fluid barrier and an immersion fluid system. The fluid barrier is positioned near the device. The immersion fluid system delivers an immersion fluid that fills the gap and collects the immersion fluid that is directly between the fluid barrier and the device. The fluid barrier can include a scavenge inlet that is positioned near the device, and the immersion fluid system can include a low pressure source that is in fluid communication with the scavenge inlet. The fluid barrier confines any vapor of the immersion fluid and prevents it from perturbing a measurement system. Additionally, the environmental system can include a bearing fluid source that directs a bearing fluid between the fluid barrier and the device to support the fluid barrier relative to the device.

公开(公告)号：US20120099089A1

公开(公告)日：2012-04-26

申请号：US13277085

申请日：2011-10-19

申请人： Michael Sogard

发明人： Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/68 ,  G03B27/32

CPC分类号： G01M11/02 ,  G03F1/84 ,  G03F7/70 ,  G03F7/70783 ,  G03F7/7085 ,  G03F7/70875

摘要： An apparatus and method for measuring thermo-mechanically induced reticle distortion or other distortion in a lithography device enables detecting distortion at the nanometer level in situ. The techniques described use relatively simple optical detectors and data acquisition electronics that are capable of monitoring the distortion in real time, during operation of the lithography equipment. Time-varying anisotropic distortion of a reticle can be measured by directing slit patterns of light having different orientations to the reticle and detecting reflected, transmitted or diffracted light from the reticle. In one example, corresponding segments of successive time measurements of secondary light signals are compared as the reticle scans a substrate at a reticle stage speed of about 1 m/s to detect temporal offsets and other features that correspond to spatial distortion.

摘要翻译： 用于测量光刻设备中热机械感应掩模版失真或其它变形的装置和方法能够在原位检测纳米级的失真。 所描述的技术使用相对简单的光学检测器和数据采集电子器件，其能够在光刻设备的操作期间实时监测失真。 可以通过将具有不同取向的光的狭缝图案引导到掩模版并检测来自掩模版的反射的，透射的或衍射的光来测量光罩的时变各向异性失真。 在一个示例中，当光掩模版以大约1m / s的标线片级速度扫描衬底以检测对应于空间失真的时间偏移和其他特征时，比较次级光信号的相继的连续时间测量段。

公开(公告)号：US20100245829A1

公开(公告)日：2010-09-30

申请号：US12750356

申请日：2010-03-30

申请人： Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Daniel Gene Smith ,  Michael Sogard

发明人： Eric Peter Goodwin ,  Daniel Gene Smith ,  Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G01N21/55 ,  G02B27/14 ,  G02B15/14

CPC分类号： G02B7/28 ,  G01B11/02 ,  G02B27/40

摘要： An autofocus system and method designed to account for instabilities in the system, e.g. due to instabilities of system components (e.g. vibrating mirrors, optics, etc) and/or environmental effects such as refractive index changes of air due to temperature, atmospheric pressure, or humidity gradients, is provided. An autofocus beam is split into a reference beam component (the split off reference channel) and a measurement beam component, by a beam splitting optic located a predetermined distance from (and in predetermined orientation relative to) the substrate, to create a first space between the beam splitting optic and the substrate. A reflector is provided that is spaced from the beam splitting optic by the predetermined distance, to create a second space between the reflector and the beam splitting optic. The measurement beam component is directed at the substrate and a reflected measurement beam component through the first space between the substrate and the beam splitting optic, while the reference beam component is directed at the reflector and a reflected reference beam component is directed from the reflector through the second space between the beam splitting optic and the reflector. The reflected reference and measurement beam components are returned to the beam splitting optic, and emerge substantially collinear from the beam splitting optic. The reference and measurement beam components are then detected, and provide information that enables compensation for changes in the z position of the substrate that are due to instabilities in the autofocus system components and/or environmental factors.

摘要翻译： 一种自动对焦系统和方法，设计用于解决系统中的不稳定性，例如。 由于系统组件（例如振镜，光学等）的不稳定性和/或诸如由于温度，大气压力或湿度梯度引起的空气折射率变化的环境影响。 通过分束光学器件将自动聚焦光束分成参考光束分量（分离参考通道）和测量光束分量，所述分束光学元件位于距基板（并且在相对于基板的预定取向）预定距离处，以在基板之间产生第一空间， 分束光学元件和基板。 提供了一个与光束分离光学元件隔开预定距离的反射器，以在反射器和分束光学元件之间产生第二空间。 测量光束分量指向基板，反射的测量光束分量通过基板和分束光学元件之间的第一空间，而参考光束分量指向反射器，反射参考光束分量从反射器通过 分束光学元件和反射器之间的第二个空间。 反射的参考和测量光束分量返回到分束光学元件，并且从分束光学器件基本上共线地出射。 然后检测参考和测量光束分量，并且提供能够补偿由于自动聚焦系统部件和/或环境因素中的不稳定性导致的基板的z位置的变化的信息。

公开(公告)号：US07426014B2

公开(公告)日：2008-09-16

申请号：US11628960

申请日：2005-05-18

申请人： Michael Sogard

发明人： Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/42 ,  G03B27/52

CPC分类号： G03D3/02 ,  C07K14/005 ,  C12N2740/15022 ,  G01N33/56983 ,  G01N2333/155 ,  G01N2469/20 ,  G03F7/70341 ,  G03F7/70725 ,  G03F7/7085 ,  G03F7/709

摘要： A dynamic fluid control system and method capable of reducing dynamic forces from the fluid on the last optical element (20) and substrate stage (14) caused by the motion of the immersion fluid. The system includes an imaging element (12) that defines an image and a stage (14) configured to support a substrate (16). An optical system (18) is provided to project the image defined by the imaging element onto the substrate. The optical system (18) includes a last optical element (20). A gap (22) filled with immersion fluid is provided between the substrate (16) and the last optical element (20). A dynamic force control system (34) is provided to maintain a substantially constant force on the last optical element and the stage (14) by compensating for dynamic changes of the immersion fluid caused by the motion of the immersion fluid through the gap and/or movement of the stage.

摘要翻译： 一种动态流体控制系统和方法，其能够减少由浸没流体的运动引起的最后光学元件（20）和基底台（14）上的流体的动力。 该系统包括限定图像的成像元件（12）和被配置为支撑衬底（16）的台（14）。 提供光学系统（18）以将由成像元件限定的图像投影到基板上。 光学系统（18）包括最后一个光学元件（20）。 在衬底（16）和最后一个光学元件（20）之间提供填充有浸液的间隙（22）。 提供动态力控制系统（34），以通过补偿由浸没流体通过间隙和/或运动的运动引起的浸没流体的动态变化，在最后的光学元件和载物台（14）上保持基本恒定的力 舞台运动。

公开(公告)号：US20070121091A1

公开(公告)日：2007-05-31

申请号：US11572394

申请日：2007-01-19

申请人： Michael Sogard

发明人： Michael Sogard

IPC分类号： G03B27/62

CPC分类号： G03F7/70875 ,  G03F7/70916 ,  G03F7/70933

摘要： Methods and apparatus for using a flow of a relatively cool gas to establish a temperature gradient between a reticle and a reticle shield to reduce particle contamination on the reticle are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus that reduces particle contamination on a surface of an object includes a plate and a gas supply. The plate is positioned in proximity to the object such that the plate, which has a second temperature, and the object, which has a first temperature, are substantially separated by a space. The gas supply supplies a gas flow into the space. The gas has a third temperature that is lower than both the first temperature and the second temperature. The gas cooperates with the plate and the object to create a temperature gradient and, hence, a thermophoretic force that conveys particles in the space away from the object.

摘要翻译： 公开了使用相对冷气体的流动来建立标线片和掩模版屏蔽之间的温度梯度以减少掩模版上的颗粒污染的方法和装置。 根据本发明的一个方面，减少物体表面上的颗粒污染的装置包括板和气体供应。 板被定位在物体附近，使得具有第二温度的板和具有第一温度的物体基本上被空间隔开。 气体供应气体供应到空间。 气体具有低于第一温度和第二温度的第三温度。 气体与板和物体配合以产生温度梯度，并因此产生将空间中的颗粒传送离开物体的热解压力。