Apparatus and methods for keeping immersion fluid adjacent to an optical assembly during wafer exchange in an immersion lithography machine
US8743343B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 30, 2013 |
| Grant date | Jun 3, 2014 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 30, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/70733
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A lithographic projection apparatus includes a projection optical assembly having a final optical element, a stage assembly including a substrate table on which a substrate is supported, the substrate supported by the substrate table being exposed with an exposure beam from the final optical element of the projection optical assembly through an immersion liquid, a confinement member which encircles a portion of a path of the exposure beam, and a movable member which is movable in a space between the confinement member and the substrate, the substrate table, or both, the space being divided by the movable member into a first portion between the confinement member and the movable member and a second portion between the movable member and the substrate, the substrate table, or both. The movable member has a recovery outlet from which the immersion liquid in the second portion is removed.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.