Nozzle to help reduce the escape of immersion liquid from an immersion lithography tool
US8068209B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 10, 2008 |
| Grant date | Nov 29, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 2, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70341
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An immersion lithography tool with a diverter element, positioned between the immersion element and the substrate, for altering the “footprint” or shape of the meniscus of the body of immersion liquid between the last optical element and an immersion element on one side, and the substrate on the other side when the substrate is moved. The apparatus includes a substrate holder to hold the substrate having an imaging surface and a projection optical system having a last optical element. The projection optical system projects an image onto a target imaging area on the substrate through the immersion liquid filled in a gap between the imaging surface of the substrate and the last optical element. An immersion element maintains the immersion fluid in the gap. The diverter element is positioned between the immersion element and the substrate. The diverter element alters the footprint shape of the meniscus of the body of immersion liquid, thereby preventing or reducing the amount of leakage from a space between the substrate and the immersion element.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.