Apparatus and method for maintaining immersion fluid in the gap under the projection lens during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine
US8488100B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 8, 2010 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 2013 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2032 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70733
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with a light beam. The apparatus includes an optical member through which the light beam is irradiated onto the substrate, a substrate table which holds the substrate and is movable relative to the optical member, and a pad member which is movable relative to the substrate table and is positionable opposite to the optical member in place of the substrate table to substantially maintain an immersion liquid in a space under the optical member when the substrate table is moved away from under the optical member. The substrate table and the pad member are relatively tilted and/or moved in a vertical direction before the substrate table is moved away from under the optical member.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.