Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080297744 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - An immersion lithographic apparatus is described with a drain configured to remove liquid from a gap between an edge of the substrate and the substrate table on which the substrate is supported. The drain is provided with a means to provide liquid to the drain irrespective of the position of the substrate table and/or a means to saturate gas within the drain. Those measures reduce the variations in heat load due to evaporation of liquid in the drain. | 12-04-2008 |
20090014030 | Substrates and methods of using those substrates - A method of removing contamination from an apparatus used in lithography is disclosed. The method includes loading a substrate into the apparatus, the substrate comprising a rigid support layer and a deformable layer provided on the rigid support layer, bringing the deformable layer of the substrate into contact with a surface of the apparatus from which contamination is to be removed, introducing relative movement between the deformable layer and the surface of the apparatus from which contamination is to be removed to dislodge contamination from the surface for removal, and removing the dislodged contamination. Other aspects of the invention are also described and claimed. | 01-15-2009 |
20090025753 | Lithographic Apparatus And Contamination Removal Or Prevention Method - A lithographic apparatus is disclosed having an in situ ozonizer, which is used to produce ozone gas, for example, by UV irradiation of an oxygen-containing gas. The thus produced ozone is dissolved in ultra-pure water by contacting the ozone with the ultra-pure water through a permeable membrane. | 01-29-2009 |
20090027636 | Lithographic Apparatus, Reflective Member And A Method of Irradiating The Underside Of A Liquid Supply System - A lithographic apparatus that includes a reflector configured to reflect a cleaning beam of radiation projected through a projection system onto an underside of a liquid retrieval system is disclosed. The construction of the reflector is also disclosed as is a method for irradiating the underside of a liquid supply system for use in cleaning. | 01-29-2009 |
20090161089 | IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lithographic apparatus includes a liquid supply system configured to supply an immersion liquid between a downstream optical element of a projection system of the lithographic apparatus and the substrate, and a control system which is arranged to drive the substrate table so as to perform an acceleration profile to accelerate the substrate table from a first velocity in a first direction to a second velocity in a second direction. The acceleration profile is asymmetric in time and is dimensioned so that when the substrate table is accelerated according to the acceleration profile, a force to break a meniscus of the immersion liquid remains lower than a force to maintain the meniscus of the immersion liquid. | 06-25-2009 |
20090174870 | Cleaning apparatus and immersion lithographic apparatus - A cleaning apparatus to clean a substrate or component of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus may comprise a plasma radical source, a conduit and a radical confinement system. The plasma radical source may provide a flow of radicals. The conduit may supply radicals from the plasma radical source to the surface to be cleaned. The radical confinement system may direct the radicals to clean a localized portion of the surface. The cleaning apparatus may comprise a rotator and may be configured to clean a substrate edge. An immersion lithographic apparatus comprising the cleaning apparatus to clean a surface is also disclosed. The immersion lithographic apparatus may comprise a substrate table to support a substrate and a fluid confinement structure to at least partly confine immersion fluid between a projection system and a substrate table and/or substrate. | 07-09-2009 |
20090262318 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS - An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a fluid supply system configured to supply a fluid, the fluid supply system having a chamber with a plurality of inlet holes in a first side wall and a plurality of outlet holes in a second side wall, the first side wall facing the second side wall, wherein the inlet holes direct fluid entering the chamber in a direction towards areas of the second side wall between the plurality of outlet holes. | 10-22-2009 |
20090279061 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND METHOD - A substrate table is disclosed in which heaters are provided to account for a heat load which may be applied to the substrate. The heaters are grouped in segments to improve control. A temperature sensor per segment may be provided. The temperature sensor may be embedded in the substrate table. | 11-12-2009 |
20090284715 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF OPERATING THE APPARATUS - A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed which includes a cleaning station. Several embodiments of the cleaning station are disclosed. In an embodiment, measures are taken to avoid contact of a cleaning fluid with the final element of the projection system. In an embodiment, measures are taken to avoid foaming of the cleaning fluid. The use of a thermally isolated island is also disclosed as well as its optimal position. | 11-19-2009 |
20090303455 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A porous member is used in a liquid removal system of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus to smooth uneven flows. A pressure differential across the porous member may be maintained at below the bubble point of the porous member so that a single-phase liquid flow is obtained. Alternatively, the porous member may be used to reduce unevenness in a two-phase flow. | 12-10-2009 |
20100165319 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a liquid removal system surrounds a liquid supply system which provides liquid to a space between a projection system and a substrate. The liquid removal system is moveable relative to the liquid supply system and is controlled to have substantially zero velocity relative to the moving substrate table. The gap between the liquid supply system and the liquid removal system may be covered and the atmosphere between the liquid supply system and the liquid removal system above the substrate table may be maintained such that the vapor pressure of liquid is relatively high. | 07-01-2010 |
20100195080 | Clamping Device And Object Loading Method - The present invention relates to a c lamping device configured to clamp an object ( | 08-05-2010 |
20100214543 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, A METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE APPARATUS AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A method of operating a lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The method includes moving a substrate table supporting a substrate relative to a projection system and adjusting the scanning speed between the substrate table and the projection system during imaging of a target within a predefined area at or near an edge of the substrate, or adjusting the stepping speed between adjacent target positions in a predefined area at or near the edge of the substrate, or both. The adjusting the scanning and/or stepping speed may comprise lowering the speed. The projection system is configured to project a patterned beam of radiation on to a target portion of the substrate. | 08-26-2010 |
20100245791 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - Methods and apparatus for maintaining the thermal equilibrium of a substrate and an immersion lithographic apparatus are disclosed using or having a timetable comprising information regarding the position, speed and/or acceleration of the substrate; and an evaporation controller and/or condensation controller acting to decrease localized evaporation and/or increase localized condensation in response to the information in the timetable. Evaporation of liquid from the surface of the substrate cools it down, while condensing liquid on its bottom surface heats the substrate locally. | 09-30-2010 |
20110080567 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF OPERATING THE APPARATUS - A cleaning liquid supply system is disclosed. The cleaning liquid supply system may supply an emulsified cleaning liquid to clean an immersion lithographic apparatus. A lithographic apparatus is also disclosed. | 04-07-2011 |
20110090474 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In an immersion lithographic apparatus, bubble formation in immersion liquid is reduced or prevented by reducing a gap size or area on a substrate table and/or covering the gap. | 04-21-2011 |
20110116060 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, REMOVABLE MEMBER AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A member is provided to prevent immersion liquid ingress to a gap between components or to adhere to at least one component to provide a surface to a feature of an immersion system. The member has a plastic sealing portion that is adhered to the component(s). The plastic sealing portion is opaque to DUV radiation. It may be resistant to degradation through exposure to DUV radiation. It may have a liquid phobic coating or property. | 05-19-2011 |
20110183257 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In an immersion lithographic apparatus, bubble formation in immersion liquid is reduced or prevented by reducing a gap size or area on a substrate table and/or covering the gap. | 07-28-2011 |
20110188013 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND CONTAMINATION REMOVAL OR PREVENTION METHOD - An immersion lithographic apparatus is cleaned by use of a cleaning liquid consisting essentially of ultra-pure water and (a) a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and ozone, or (b) hydrogen peroxide at a concentration of up to 5%, or (c) ozone at a concentration of up to 50 ppm, or (d) oxygen at concentration of up to 10 ppm, or (e) any combination selected from (a)-(d). | 08-04-2011 |
20110194096 | LIQUID FILLED LENS ELEMENT, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS COMPRISING SUCH AN ELEMENT AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A lens element, for use in a projection system, includes a concave side. The lens element further includes a membrane and a nozzle, the membrane at least covering the concave side of the lens element. The nozzle is arranged for supplying and/or removing a liquid and/or a gas in between the concave side and the membrane. | 08-11-2011 |
20110199592 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS, REMOVABLE MEMBER AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A sealing member is provided to prevent immersion liquid ingress to a gap between components. The sealing member has a plastic or polymer sealing portion that is adhered to the components forming the gap being sealed. The sealing member is constructed so as to reduce the force-coupling, in particular the time-related force-coupling, between the components being sealed. | 08-18-2011 |
20110235008 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which a gas knife is shaped and a liquid removal device is positioned to improve removal of liquid from the surface of the substrate. | 09-29-2011 |
20110273675 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A porous member is used in a liquid removal system of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus to smooth uneven flows. A pressure differential across the porous member may be maintained at below the bubble point of the porous member so that a single-phase liquid flow is obtained. Alternatively, the porous member may be used to reduce unevenness in a two-phase flow. | 11-10-2011 |
20110273687 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - In a solid immersion lithography apparatus, the final element of the projection system is maintained at a distance of less than about 50 nm from the substrate by an actuator system. The final element may be formed as two parts, with a fluid, e.g. a liquid, confined between them. The actuator system may be controlled relative to a reference frame, which may be supported by a bearing. Backscatter detection can be used to determine if the distance between the final element and the substrate is too large. A cleaning device can clean the substrate between exposures. | 11-10-2011 |
20110292357 | FLUID HANDLING STRUCTURE, A LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A fluid handling structure to confine immersion liquid in a space between a projection system and a facing surface of a substrate, of a table to support the substrate, or both, is disclosed. The fluid handling structure includes a transponder to dissolve at least some of the gas in a bubble in the immersion liquid or to control a bubble in the immersion liquid so that it avoids entering an optical path of a beam from the projection system. | 12-01-2011 |
20140327893 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed in which at least a part of the liquid supply system (which provides liquid between the projection system and the substrate) is moveable in a plane substantially parallel to a top surface of the substrate during scanning. The part is moved to reduce the relative velocity between that part and the substrate so that the speed at which the substrate may be moved relative to the projection system may be increased. | 11-06-2014 |
20150055102 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A METHOD OF OPERATING THE APPARATUS - A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed which includes a cleaning station. Several embodiments of the cleaning station are disclosed. In an embodiment, measures are taken to avoid contact of a cleaning fluid with the final element of the projection system. In an embodiment, measures are taken to avoid foaming of the cleaning fluid. The use of a thermally isolated island is also disclosed as well as its optimal position. | 02-26-2015 |