An exposure apparatus for emitting exposure light onto a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid to expose the substrate includes a supply pipe which supplies the liquid; a recovery pipe which recovers the liquid; a connection pipe which connects the supply pipe and the recovery pipe; and a switching device which switches a flow path of the liquid so that when liquid supply is stopped, the liquid that has flowed into the supply pipe flows to the recovery pipe via the connection pipe. The apparatus may further include a temperature regulation apparatus connected to the supply pipe, which performs temperature regulation of the liquid supplied to the supply pipe, and has a rough temperature regulator which roughly regulates the temperature of the liquid, and a fine temperature regulator which is arranged between the rough temperature regulator and the supply pipe and performs fine regulation of this temperature.

Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

An immersion lithography system for semiconductor manufacturing provides a lens assembly that moves relative to a wafer surface and includes a nozzle and drain assembly that is coupled to, and moves along, the lens assembly. The nozzle and drain assemblies may be disposed circumferentially opposite each other about the lens or an annular ring may be provided that surrounds the lens and includes a plurality of selectable alternating nozzles and drains. The nozzle and drain assemblies may rotatably surround the lens. At least a portion of the wafer being patterned is immersed in a liquid provided by the nozzle assembly and a flow direction is controlled by manipulating the nozzle and drain assemblies. Flow direction may be advantageously directed outwardly to reduce particulate contamination.

Apparatus and method for immersion lithography

Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small.

Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Exposure apparatus and method for producing device

An immersion lithography apparatus has a reticle stage (RST) arranged to retain a reticle (R), a working stage (9) arranged to retain a workpiece (W), and an optical system including an illumination source (1) and an optical element (PL) opposite the workpiece for having an image pattern of the reticle projected by radiation from the illumination source. A gap is defined between the optical element (4) and the workpiece (W), and a fluid supplying device serves to supply an immersion liquid (7) into this gap such that the supplied immersion liquid contacts both the optical element (4) and the workpiece (W) during an immersion lithography process. A cleaning device (30) is incorporated for removing absorbed liquid from the optical element (4) during a cleanup process. The cleaning device may make use of a cleaning liquid having affinity to the absorbed liquid, heat, a vacuum condition, ultrasonic vibrations or cavitating bubbles for the removal of the absorbed liquid.

Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography

A lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first radiation dose detector and a second radiation dose detector, each detector comprising a secondary electron emission surface configured to receive a radiation flux and to emit secondary electrons due to the receipt of the radiation flux, the first radiation dose detector located upstream with respect to the second radiation dose detector viewed with respect to a direction of radiation transmission, and a meter, connected to each detector, to detect a current or voltage resulting from the secondary electron emission from the respective electron emission surface.

Johannes Peterus Henricus De Kuster

Papers

Lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method