摘要:
An electrostatic clamp assembly for a lithographic apparatus is provided. The clamp assembly includes an electrostatic clamp structured to clamp an article against an article support structure during projection of a beam of radiation, and a controller structured to control at least one of the clamp and a backfill gas pressure to release the article from the article support structure by use of the backfill gas pressure.
摘要:
A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation, and an article holder. The article holder includes a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation. The protrusions are generally spaced apart equidistantly at a first distance. The article holder also includes a pair of electrodes for clamping the article to the holder. The electrodes are disposed in substantially the same plane above or below the protrusions, and are spaced apart from one another by a gap. Neighboring protrusions within the plurality of protrusions that are located on opposite sides of the gap are spaced apart by a second distance that is greater than the first distance.
摘要:
A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation, an article support for supporting a flat article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation on the article support, a backfill gas feed arranged in the article support for feeding backfill gas to a backside of the article when supported by the article support, and a clamp for clamping the article against the article support during projection. According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus includes a controller for controlling the clamp and/or the backfill gas feed pressure so as to release the clamp prior to reducing the backfill gas feed pressure.
摘要:
A lithographic apparatus may include an optical element, such as an immersion fluid reservoir, which supported at least in part by a bearing, such as a gas bearing. To enable illumination by the lithographic apparatus of an edge of the substrate, a surrounding structure is provided that surrounds the substrate. A level parameter of the substrate, such as a thickness of the substrate, is measured by a sensor, such as a thickness sensor. By means of an actuator, the substrate table on which the substrate is or will be held is positioned with respect to the surrounding structure, such that a surface of the substrate would be on a substantially same level as a surface of the surrounding structure, thus enabling the optical element to transition from the surface of the substrate to the surface of the surrounding structure and vice versa.
摘要:
A lithographic apparatus having an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation; an article support member for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the projection beam of radiation on the article support; and a clamp for providing a clamping pressure for clamping the article against the article support during projection. The article support member includes a section that is trimmed for locally adjusting a clamping pressure.
摘要:
An immersion lithographic apparatus has a plurality of substrate holders arranged to hold substrates, each substrate holder having a conduit therein for passing a temperature control fluid. The thermal responses of the different substrate holders are calibrated and flow rates calculated and used so that all the holders return to a predetermined temperature in the same time.
摘要:
A lithographic system includes an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a mask table for supporting a mask, the mask serving to impart the projection beam with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate table for holding a substrate, and a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The system also comprises a processor arranged to calculate overlay corrections using a reference height map representing a surface of the substrate table or the mask table. Feed forward correction of non-flatness induced wafer grid distortion is allowed during alignment and during exposure, thereby reducing overlay errors caused by differences in flatness characteristics. It provides an indirect qualification method for overlay accuracy related to exposure chuck flatness based on height map information.
摘要:
A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illumination system for conditioning a beam of radiation, and an article support for supporting a substantially flat article to be placed in the beam of radiation. The article support includes a plurality of supporting protrusions for supporting the article, and at least one protective member located near a boundary of the supporting protrusions for protecting at least a boundary portion of the supporting protrusions during release of the article. The apparatus also includes a releasing device for releasing said article from said article support.
摘要:
A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation, and an article holder. The article holder includes a plurality of protrusions arranged to provide a substantially flat plane of support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation, and at least one clamping electrode for generating an electrostatic clamping force for clamping the article against the article holder. The clamping electrode includes an electric field changer for locally changing the electrostatic clamping force for leveling local height variations of the substrate.
摘要:
A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation and an article support for supporting an article to be placed in a beam path of the beam of radiation on the article support. The article support has a plurality of supporting protrusions. The plurality of protrusions define a support zone for providing a flat plane of support. A backfill gas feed is arranged in the support zone for providing a backfill gas flow to a backside of the article when supported by the article support, for providing an improved thermal conduction between the article and the article support. According to one aspect of the invention, the support zone is surrounded by a boundary zone having a reduced height relative to the plane of support so that the backfill gas flow is not bounded to the support zone.