JP6119798B2 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method for exposing a substrate through a liquid, and a device manufacturing method.
This application claims priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-083756 for which it applied on March 23, 2005, and uses the content here.

  In a photolithography process, which is one of the manufacturing processes of microdevices (such as electronic devices) such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices, an exposure apparatus that projects and exposes a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate is used. . The exposure apparatus includes a mask stage that can move while holding a mask, and a substrate stage that can move while holding a substrate. The mask optical system projects a mask pattern while sequentially moving the mask stage and the substrate stage. Through the projection exposure. In the manufacture of microdevices, miniaturization of patterns formed on a substrate is required in order to increase the density of devices. In order to meet this demand, it is desired to further increase the resolution of the exposure apparatus. As one of means for realizing the high resolution, the optical path space of the exposure light between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with liquid as disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, and the projection optical system An immersion exposure apparatus has been devised that exposes a substrate through a liquid.

JP 2004-289126 A

  In the immersion exposure apparatus, when a gas seal is formed between the sealing member and the substrate by injecting a gas from the gas introduction port in order to contain the liquid filled in the optical path space, the gas is injected from the gas introduction port. There is a possibility that the temperature of the substrate may change (decrease) due to the heat of vaporization generated by vaporizing the liquid by the gas and vaporizing the liquid. When the temperature of the substrate changes, the substrate is thermally deformed, and for example, there is a possibility that the pattern overlay accuracy (exposure accuracy) when the pattern is transferred onto the substrate deteriorates.

  The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and prevents leakage of the liquid filled in the optical path space of the exposure light between the optical member and the substrate and suppresses the temperature change of the substrate. An object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus capable of accurately exposing a substrate and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention employs the following configurations corresponding to the respective drawings shown in the embodiments. However, the reference numerals with parentheses attached to each element are merely examples of the element and do not limit each element.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate (P) by irradiating the substrate (P) with the exposure light (EL) through the liquid (LQ), the airflow is generated on the substrate (P). And a gas seal mechanism (3) for sealing the liquid (LQ) filled in the optical path space (K1) of the exposure light (EL), and a substrate resulting from the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism (3) ( An exposure apparatus (EX) provided with a compensation mechanism (5) for compensating for the temperature change of P) is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, liquid leakage can be prevented by the gas seal mechanism, and the temperature change of the substrate caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism can be suppressed by the compensation mechanism. it can.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate (P) by irradiating the substrate (P) with the exposure light (EL) through the liquid (LQ), the optical path of the exposure light (EL). An exposure apparatus including an immersion mechanism (1) for supplying liquid (LQ) to the space (K1) and a compensation mechanism (5) for compensating for a temperature change of the substrate (P) due to vaporization of the liquid (LQ). (EX) is provided. According to the second aspect of the present invention, the temperature change of the substrate due to the vaporization of the liquid can be suppressed by the compensation mechanism.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus (EX) of the first or second aspect. According to the third aspect of the present invention, a device can be manufactured by using an exposure apparatus that can suppress a temperature change of the substrate.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, in the exposure method of exposing the substrate (P) by irradiating the substrate (P) with the exposure light (EL) through the liquid (LQ), the optical path of the exposure light (EL). An exposure method is provided that fills the space (K1) with the liquid (LQ) and compensates for the temperature change of the substrate (P) caused by the vaporization of the liquid (LQ). According to the 4th aspect of this invention, the temperature change of the board | substrate resulting from the vaporization of a liquid can be suppressed.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method using the exposure method of the above aspect. According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, a device can be manufactured by using an exposure method that can suppress a temperature change of the substrate.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the exposure apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. It is a sectional side view of the seal member vicinity. It is the figure which looked at the sealing member from the lower part. It is a block diagram for demonstrating a liquid immersion mechanism, a gas seal mechanism, and a compensation mechanism. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment was expanded. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment was expanded. It is sectional drawing to which the principal part of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 4th Embodiment was expanded. It is a figure for demonstrating the relative positional relationship of the projection optical system and a board | substrate when exposing a board | substrate. It is a figure for demonstrating the temperature sensor provided in the dummy board | substrate. It is a flowchart figure which shows an example of the manufacturing process of a microdevice.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

<First Embodiment>
An exposure apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing an embodiment of the exposure apparatus EX. In FIG. 1, an exposure apparatus EX includes a mask stage MST that can move while holding a mask M, and a substrate holder PH that holds a substrate P, and a substrate stage PST that can move the substrate holder PH that holds the substrate P. An illumination optical system IL that illuminates the mask M held on the mask stage MST with the exposure light EL, a projection optical system PL that projects a pattern image of the mask M illuminated with the exposure light EL onto the substrate P, and And a control device CONT that controls the overall operation of the exposure apparatus EX.

  The exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is an immersion exposure apparatus to which an immersion method is applied in order to substantially shorten the exposure wavelength to improve the resolution and substantially widen the depth of focus. The substrate P is exposed by irradiating the substrate P with the exposure light EL in a state where the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL on the image plane side of the PL is filled with the liquid LQ. Specifically, the exposure apparatus EX is held by the final optical element LS1 closest to the image plane of the projection optical system PL and the substrate holder PH among the plurality of optical elements constituting the projection optical system PL, and the projection optical system The optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL between the substrate P disposed on the image plane side of the PL is filled with the liquid LQ, and the projection optical system PL and the liquid LQ between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P are filled. The pattern of the mask M is projected and exposed onto the substrate P by irradiating the substrate P with the exposure light EL that has passed through the mask M.

  In addition, the exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment has an immersion region LR of the liquid LQ that is larger than the projection region AR and smaller than the substrate P on a part of the substrate P including the projection region AR of the projection optical system PL by the liquid LQ. The local liquid immersion method is used to form the surface locally. The exposure apparatus EX fills the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P with the liquid LQ at least while the pattern image of the mask M is transferred onto the substrate P. A liquid immersion area LR for the liquid LQ is locally formed.

  As will be described in detail later, the exposure apparatus EX seals the liquid immersion mechanism 1 for filling the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL with the liquid LQ and the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL. A gas seal mechanism 3 for generating an air flow on the substrate P and a compensation mechanism 5 for compensating for a temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 are provided. The gas seal mechanism 3 includes a seal member 70 provided in the vicinity of the image plane side of the projection optical system PL. The seal member 70 is located above the substrate P (substrate holder PH), and at least the last optical element LS1 closest to the image plane of the projection optical system PL and the optical path space K1 among the plurality of optical elements constituting the projection optical system PL. It is provided in an annular shape so as to surround.

  In the present embodiment, the exposure apparatus EX uses a scanning exposure apparatus (so-called scanning stepper) that exposes a pattern formed on the mask M onto the substrate P while moving the mask M and the substrate P synchronously in the scanning direction. An example will be described. In the following description, the synchronous movement direction (scanning direction) of the mask M and the substrate P in the horizontal plane is the X-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the X-axis direction in the horizontal plane is the Y-axis direction (non-scanning direction), the X-axis, and A direction perpendicular to the Y-axis direction and coincident with the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is defined as a Z-axis direction. Further, the rotation (inclination) directions around the X axis, Y axis, and Z axis are the θX, θY, and θZ directions, respectively. Here, the “substrate” is a processing substrate on which various processing processes including an exposure process are performed, and a film such as a photosensitive material (resist) or a protective film is applied on a base material such as a semiconductor wafer. including. The “mask” includes a reticle on which a device pattern, a test pattern, and an alignment pattern that are reduced and projected onto a substrate are formed.

The illumination optical system IL includes an exposure light source, an optical integrator that uniformizes the illuminance of a light beam emitted from the exposure light source on the mask M, a condenser lens that collects the exposure light EL from the optical integrator, a relay lens system, and It has a field stop for setting an illumination area on the mask M by the exposure light EL. A predetermined illumination area on the mask M is illuminated with the exposure light EL having a uniform illuminance distribution by the illumination optical system IL. The exposure light EL emitted from the illumination optical system IL is, for example, far ultraviolet light (DUV light) such as bright lines (g line, h line, i line) and KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm) emitted from a mercury lamp. Further, vacuum ultraviolet light (VUV light) such as ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm) and F ₂ laser light (wavelength 157 nm) is used. In this embodiment, ArF excimer laser light is used.

  In the present embodiment, pure water is used as the liquid LQ. Pure water is not only ArF excimer laser light, but also, for example, far ultraviolet light (DUV light) such as emission lines (g-line, h-line, i-line) emitted from a mercury lamp and KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm). It can be transmitted.

  Mask stage MST is movable while holding mask M. Mask stage MST holds mask M by vacuum suction (or electrostatic suction). The mask stage MST is in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL in a state where the mask M is held by driving a mask stage driving device MSTD including a linear motor controlled by the control device CONT, that is, XY. It can move two-dimensionally in the plane and can rotate slightly in the θZ direction. A movable mirror 91 is provided on the mask stage MST. A laser interferometer 92 is provided at a position facing the moving mirror 91. The position of the mask M on the mask stage MST in the two-dimensional direction and the rotation angle in the θZ direction (including rotation angles in the θX and θY directions in some cases) are measured in real time by the laser interferometer 92. The measurement result of the laser interferometer 92 is output to the control device CONT. The control device CONT drives the mask stage drive device MSTD based on the measurement result of the laser interferometer 92, and controls the position of the mask M held on the mask stage MST. Note that only a part of the laser interferometer 92 (for example, an optical system) may be provided to face the movable mirror 91. Further, the movable mirror 91 may include not only a plane mirror but also a corner cube (retro reflector), and instead of fixing the movable mirror 91, for example, the end surface (side surface) of the mask stage MST is mirror-finished. A reflective surface may be used. Further, the mask stage MST may be configured to be capable of coarse and fine movement disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 8-130179 (corresponding US Pat. No. 6,721,034).

  The projection optical system PL projects and exposes the pattern of the mask M onto the substrate P at a predetermined projection magnification β, and is composed of a plurality of optical elements, which are held by a lens barrel PK. . In the present embodiment, the projection optical system PL is a reduction system having a projection magnification β of, for example, 1/4, 1/5, or 1/8, and a reduced image of the mask pattern in the projection area AR conjugate with the illumination area described above. Form. The projection optical system PL may be any one of a reduction system, a unity magnification system, and an enlargement system. The projection optical system PL may be any of a refractive system that does not include a reflective optical element, a reflective system that does not include a refractive optical element, and a catadioptric system that includes a reflective optical element and a refractive optical element. In the present embodiment, among the plurality of optical elements constituting the projection optical system PL, the final optical element LS1 closest to the image plane of the projection optical system PL is exposed from the lens barrel PK.

  The substrate stage PST has a substrate holder PH that holds the substrate P, and the substrate holder PH that holds the substrate P can be moved on the base member BP on the image plane side of the projection optical system PL. The substrate holder PH holds the substrate P by, for example, vacuum suction. A concave portion 95 is provided on the substrate stage PST, and a substrate holder PH for holding the substrate P is disposed in the concave portion 95. The upper surface 96 of the substrate stage PST other than the recess 95 is a flat surface that is substantially the same height (level) as the surface of the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH. Note that only a part of the upper surface 96 of the substrate stage PST, for example, a predetermined region surrounding the substrate P, may have the same height as the surface of the substrate P. If the optical path space K1 on the image plane side of the projection optical system PL can be continuously filled with the liquid LQ (that is, the immersion region LR can be satisfactorily held), the surface of the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH. There may be a step between the upper surface 96 of the substrate stage PST.

The substrate stage PST can be moved two-dimensionally in the XY plane on the base member BP and finely rotated in the θZ direction by driving a substrate stage driving device PSTD including a linear motor and the like controlled by the control device CONT. Furthermore, the substrate stage PST is also movable in the Z-axis direction, the θX direction, and the θY direction. Therefore, the surface of the substrate P on the substrate stage PST can move in the directions of six degrees of freedom in the X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, θX, θY, and θZ directions.
A movable mirror 93 is provided on the side surface of the substrate stage PST. A laser interferometer 94 is provided at a position facing the moving mirror 93. The position and rotation angle of the substrate P on the substrate stage PST in the two-dimensional direction are measured in real time by the laser interferometer 94. The exposure apparatus EX also includes an oblique incidence type focus / leveling detection system (not shown) that detects surface position information of the surface of the substrate P supported by the substrate stage PST. The focus / leveling detection system detects surface position information (position information in the Z-axis direction and inclination information in the θX and θY directions) of the surface of the substrate P. As the focus / leveling detection system, a system using a capacitive sensor may be adopted. The measurement result of the laser interferometer 94 is output to the control device CONT. The detection result of the focus / leveling detection system is also output to the control device CONT. The control device CONT drives the substrate stage drive device PSTD based on the detection result of the focus / leveling detection system, and controls the focus position (Z position) and the tilt angles (θX, θY) of the substrate P to control the substrate P. The surface is adjusted to the image plane of the projection optical system PL, and the position control of the substrate P in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θZ direction is performed based on the measurement result of the laser interferometer 94.

  Note that only a part of the laser interferometer 94 (for example, an optical system) may be provided to face the movable mirror 93, or the position of the substrate stage PST (substrate P) in the Z-axis direction, θX, The rotation angle in the θY direction may be measurable. Details of the exposure apparatus provided with a laser interferometer capable of measuring the position of the substrate stage PST in the Z-axis direction are disclosed in, for example, Japanese translations of PCT publication No. 2001-510577 (corresponding pamphlet of International Publication No. 1999/28790). . Furthermore, instead of fixing the movable mirror 93 to the substrate stage PST, for example, a reflecting surface formed by mirror-processing a part (side surface, etc.) of the substrate stage PST may be used. The focus / leveling detection system detects tilt information (rotation angle) of the substrate P in the θX and θY directions by measuring position information of the substrate P in the Z-axis direction at each of the plurality of measurement points. However, at least a part of the plurality of measurement points may be set in the liquid immersion area LR (or the projection area AR), or all of the measurement points may be set outside the liquid immersion area LR. . Further, for example, when the laser interferometer 94 can measure the position information of the substrate P in the Z-axis, θX, and θY directions, the position information in the Z-axis direction can be measured during the exposure operation of the substrate P. The focus / leveling detection system may not be provided, and the position of the substrate P in the Z axis, θX, and θY directions may be controlled using the measurement result of the laser interferometer 94 at least during the exposure operation.

  Next, the liquid immersion mechanism 1, the gas seal mechanism 3, and the compensation mechanism 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, and 4. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the vicinity of the seal member 70, FIG. 3 is a view of the seal member 70 viewed from below, and FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram for explaining the liquid immersion mechanism 1, the gas seal mechanism 3, and the compensation mechanism 5. is there.

  The liquid immersion mechanism 1 fills the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL with the liquid LQ, is provided so as to face the substrate P disposed immediately below the projection optical system PL, and supplies the liquid LQ. 12 and a recovery port 22 that is provided on the outer side of the supply port 12 with respect to the optical path space K1 so as to face the substrate P and recovers the liquid LQ. Each of the supply port 12 and the recovery port 22 is provided on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70 facing the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH. The seal member 70 is located above the substrate P (substrate holder PH), and at least one optical element (here, the projection optical system PL) arranged on the image plane side among the plurality of optical elements constituting the projection optical system PL. Are provided in an annular shape so as to surround the final optical element LS1) closest to the image plane and the optical path space K1.

  Further, the liquid immersion mechanism 1 includes a liquid supply device 10 that supplies the liquid LQ to the supply port 12 via an internal flow path (supply flow path) 14 formed inside the supply pipe 13 and the seal member 70, and a seal member. 70 is connected to the recovery port 22 via an internal flow channel (recovery flow channel) (not shown) formed in the interior of the 70 and the recovery tube 23, and the liquid LQ on the image plane side of the projection optical system PL is connected via the recovery port 22. And a liquid recovery apparatus 20 for recovery.

  The liquid supply apparatus 10 includes a tank that stores the liquid LQ, a pressure pump, a filter unit that removes foreign matter in the liquid LQ, and the like. The operation of the liquid supply device 10 is controlled by the control device CONT. Note that the tank, pressure pump, filter unit, and the like of the liquid supply apparatus 10 do not have to be all provided in the exposure apparatus EX, and equipment such as a factory in which the exposure apparatus EX is installed may be substituted.

  The liquid recovery apparatus 20 includes, for example, a vacuum system (suction apparatus) such as a vacuum pump, a gas-liquid separator that separates the recovered liquid LQ and gas, and a tank that stores the recovered liquid LQ. The operation of the liquid recovery device 20 is controlled by the control device CONT. Note that the vacuum system, the gas-liquid separator, the tank, etc. of the liquid recovery apparatus 20 do not have to be all provided in the exposure apparatus EX, and equipment such as a factory in which the exposure apparatus EX is installed may be substituted. .

  In the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, a recess 15 is provided on each of one side (+ X side) and the other side (−X side) in the scanning direction with respect to the optical path space K1. As shown in FIG. 3, the recess 15 is provided so as to extend in the Y-axis direction in plan view. The supply port 12 has a substantially circular shape in plan view, and a plurality (three) of the supply ports 12 are arranged in the Y-axis direction inside the respective recesses 15 on the + X side and the −X side of the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70. Is provided. Accordingly, the supply port 12 is configured to be provided on each of one side (+ X side) and the other side (−X side) in the scanning direction with respect to the optical path space K1 on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70.

  The recovery port 22 of the present embodiment is provided in an annular shape so as to surround the optical path space K1 and the supply port 12 on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70. The recovery port 22 is provided with a porous member (for example, a porous body made of ceramic) or a mesh member (for example, a plate-like mesh made of titanium).

  In order to fill the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL with the liquid LQ, the control device CONT drives each of the liquid supply device 10 and the liquid recovery device 20 of the liquid immersion mechanism 1. The liquid LQ delivered from the liquid supply apparatus 10 under the control of the control apparatus CONT flows through the supply pipe 13 and then through the supply flow path 14 of the seal member 70 from the supply port 12 of the projection optical system PL. Supplied to the image plane side. Further, when the liquid recovery device 20 is driven under the control device CONT, the liquid LQ on the image plane side of the projection optical system PL flows into the recovery flow path of the seal member 70 via the recovery port 22, and the recovery pipe After flowing through 23, the liquid is recovered by the liquid recovery device 20.

  In the present embodiment, the supply port 12 is disposed inside the recess 15 provided in the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, and the liquid LQ supplied from each of the plurality of supply ports 12 After energy (pressure, flow velocity) is dispersed, it flows into the optical path space K1 between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P. Since the energy of the liquid LQ on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70 may be higher in the vicinity of the supply port 12 than in other positions, the energy (pressure, pressure) of the liquid LQ flowing into the optical path space K1 when the recess 15 is not provided. The flow velocity) may be non-uniform, but by providing the recess 15 functioning as a buffer space, the energy of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 can be dispersed and made uniform.

As shown in FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, a predetermined gap G1 is provided between the side surface of the final optical element LS1 of the projection optical system PL and the inner side surface 70T of the seal member 70, and the optical path space K1. A part of the liquid LQ filled with the liquid enters the gap G1.
Further, a part of the inner edge portion of the seal member 70 is disposed between the final optical element LS1 of the projection optical system PL and the substrate P, and a part of the inner side surface 70T of the seal member 70 is a final optical element LS1. It faces the lower surface of the. As shown in FIG. 3, the projection area AR of the projection optical system PL is set in a slit shape (rectangular shape) whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction.

  In the present embodiment, the supply port 12 is provided on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70. However, the supply port 12 is provided on the inner side surface 70T of the seal member 70, and the liquid LQ faces below the final optical element LS1. May be supplied.

  The gas seal mechanism 3 generates an air flow on the substrate P in order to seal the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL. The gas seal mechanism 3 includes a substrate P disposed immediately below the projection optical system PL and An injection port 32 that is provided so as to oppose and injects gas toward the substrate P in order to generate an air flow, and is provided on the inner side of the injection port 32 with respect to the optical path space K1 so as to face the substrate P. And has a suction port 42 for sucking gas. Each of the ejection port 32 and the suction port 42 is provided on the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70 facing the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH.

  The gas seal mechanism 3 includes a gas supply device 30 that supplies gas to the injection port 32 via an internal flow path (supply flow path) 34 formed inside the supply pipe 33 and the seal member 70, and a seal member 70. Gas suction that is connected to the suction port 42 via an internal channel (suction channel) 44 and a suction tube 43 formed inside, and sucks the gas between the seal member 70 and the substrate P through the suction port 42. Device 40.

The gas supply device 30 includes a filter unit including a chemical filter, a particle removal filter, and the like, and can supply clean gas via the filter unit.
The gas supply device 30 supplies substantially the same gas as the gas inside the chamber in which the exposure apparatus EX is accommodated. In the present embodiment, the gas supply device 30 supplies air (dry air).
The gas supplied from the gas supply device 30 may be nitrogen gas (dry nitrogen) or the like. The operation of the gas supply device 30 is controlled by the control device CONT.

  The gas suction device 40 includes a vacuum system (suction device) such as a vacuum pump, for example. The operation of the gas suction device 40 is controlled by the control device CONT.

  As shown in FIG. 3, on the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70, an annular shape is provided outside the recovery port 22 with respect to the optical path space K <b> 1 so as to surround the optical path space K <b> 1, the supply port 12, and the recovery port 22. 1st groove part 45 is provided. In addition, on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, an annular second groove 35 is provided outside the first groove 45 with respect to the optical path space K1 so as to surround the first groove 45. A plurality of suction ports 42 are provided at predetermined intervals inside the first groove 45. A plurality of the injection ports 32 are provided at a predetermined interval inside the second groove portion 35. That is, a plurality of suction ports 42 are provided outside the recovery port 22 so as to surround the optical path space K1, and a plurality of ejection ports 32 are provided outside the suction port 42 so as to surround the optical path space K1. Yes. Each of the injection port 32 and the suction port 42 of this embodiment is substantially circular shape in planar view.

  In order to seal the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1 of the exposure light EL, the control device CONT drives each of the gas supply device 30 and the gas suction device 40 of the gas seal mechanism 3. The gas sent from the gas supply device 30 under the control of the control device CONT flows through the supply pipe 33 and then is injected toward the substrate P from the injection port 32 via the supply flow path 34 of the seal member 70. Is done. The control device CONT can inject gas at a predetermined flow rate from the injection port 32 by supplying a predetermined amount of gas per unit time from the gas supply device 30 to the injection port 32. Further, when the gas suction device 40 is driven under the control device CONT, the gas between the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70 and the surface of the substrate P passes through the suction port 42 and the suction flow path 44 of the seal member 70. And flows through the suction pipe 43 and is then sucked into the gas suction device 40. Here, the suction port 42 is provided on the inner side of the ejection port 32 with respect to the optical path space K <b> 1, and on the substrate P by the cooperative action of the gas ejection operation of the ejection port 32 and the gas suction operation of the suction port 42. An airflow from the ejection port 32 toward the optical path space K1 is generated (between the surface of the substrate P and the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70). The gas seal mechanism 3 can enclose the liquid LQ inside the suction port 42 by generating an air flow from the ejection port 32 toward the optical path space K1, and expose light between the projection optical system PL and the substrate P. It is possible to prevent leakage of the liquid LQ filled in the EL optical path space K1 and enlargement of the liquid immersion area LR.

  Further, the gas seal mechanism 3 supports the seal member 70 in a floating manner on the substrate P by the gas injected from the injection port 32 onto the substrate P. That is, the gas seal mechanism 3 forms a gas bearing between the substrate P and the seal member 70 by the gas injected from the injection port 32 toward the substrate P. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2, a predetermined gap G <b> 2 is formed between the surface of the substrate P and the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70.

The compensation mechanism 5 compensates for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the airflow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. There is a possibility that a part of the liquid LQ (liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1) on the substrate P is vaporized by the air flow generated by the gas ejected from the ejection port 32 of the gas seal mechanism 3 toward the substrate P. There is. And the local area | region of the board | substrate P may change in temperature by the vaporization heat which arises when a part of liquid LQ evaporates with an airflow.
The compensation mechanism 5 compensates for a local temperature drop of the substrate P due to heat of vaporization that occurs when a part of the liquid LQ is vaporized by the generated airflow. The compensation mechanism 5 compensates for the temperature drop of the substrate P so that the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 to the optical path space K1 is substantially equal to the temperature of the substrate P.

  In FIG. 4, the compensation mechanism 5 includes a gas temperature adjusting device 50 that is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 33 and adjusts the temperature of the gas supplied from the gas supply device 30 to the injection port 32. The compensation mechanism 5 includes a liquid temperature adjusting device 51 that is provided in the middle of the supply pipe 13 and adjusts the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the liquid supply device 10 to the supply port 12. The compensation mechanism 5 uses the gas temperature control device 50 to compensate the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the heat of vaporization, and the temperature of the gas ejected from the ejection port 32 is the liquid supplied from the supply port 12. The temperature is higher than the LQ temperature.

Each of the gas temperature control device 50 and the liquid temperature control device 51 is controlled by the control device CONT.
The control device CONT uses the liquid temperature control device 51 so that the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 to the optical path space K1 and the temperature of the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH are substantially equal. The temperature of the liquid LQ is adjusted. Further, the control device CONT uses the liquid temperature adjusting device 51 so that the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 to the optical path space K1 is substantially equal to the temperature inside the chamber in which the exposure device EX is accommodated. Next, the temperature of the liquid LQ is adjusted.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied to the optical path space K1 from the supply port 12, the temperature of the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1, and the temperature of the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH. Is almost equal. And the control apparatus CONT uses the gas temperature control apparatus 50, and makes the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ (namely, temperature of the board | substrate P) with which the optical path space K1 was filled. . By making the temperature of the gas ejected from the ejection port 32 higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ, the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3, specifically, a part of the liquid LQ is generated. A local temperature drop of the substrate P due to the heat of vaporization generated by vaporization can be compensated.

  By the way, since gas having a temperature higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the substrate P flows in the seal member 70, the temperature of the seal member 70 itself may rise. Then, the temperature change (temperature increase) of the liquid LQ that contacts the seal member 70 is caused, or the temperature change (temperature increase) of the substrate P and the projection optical system PL (final optical element LS1) facing the seal member 70 is caused. there is a possibility. When the temperature of the liquid LQ or the projection optical system PL changes, there arises a disadvantage that the imaging characteristics via the projection optical system PL and the liquid LQ fluctuate (deteriorate). Further, when the temperature of the substrate P fluctuates, inconveniences such as deterioration of pattern overlay accuracy occur as described above.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the heat insulating structure 71 is provided in a portion of the seal member 70 that can contact the liquid LQ, a portion of the seal member 70 that faces the substrate P, and a portion of the seal member 70 that faces the projection optical system PL. It has been. The heat insulating structure 71 of the present embodiment is constituted by a heat insulating material that forms the lower surface 70A and the inner side surface 70T of the seal member 70. Thereby, even if a high-temperature gas flows inside the seal member 70, the thermal influence on each object such as the substrate P, the projection optical system PL, and the liquid LQ disposed around the seal member 70 is suppressed. Can do.
In addition, as a heat insulation structure, if the thermal influence given to each object arrange | positioned around the sealing member 70 can be suppressed, arbitrary structures can be employ | adopted.

  Next, a method for exposing the substrate P using the exposure apparatus EX having the above-described configuration will be described.

  During the exposure of the substrate P, the control device CONT uses the liquid immersion mechanism 1 to supply a predetermined amount of the liquid LQ to the optical path space K1 and collect a predetermined amount of the liquid LQ on the substrate P. The optical path space K1 between the substrate P and the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH is filled with the liquid LQ, and the liquid immersion region LR of the liquid LQ is locally formed on the substrate P. The control device CONT, while the optical path space K1 is filled with the liquid LQ, moves the projection optical system PL and the substrate P while moving the projection optical system PL and the liquid LQ in the optical path space K1. Through the projection exposure.

  In the state where the liquid immersion region LR is formed on the substrate P, the control device CONT uses the gas seal mechanism 3 to inject a gas at a predetermined flow velocity from the injection port 32 and to inject the gas from the suction port 42. Suction is performed to generate an airflow toward the optical path space K1. Thereby, since the liquid LQ can be enclosed inside the suction port 42, even when the exposure is performed while moving the substrate P with respect to the projection optical system PL, the leakage of the liquid LQ can be suppressed, and the liquid immersion area LR can be enlarged. Can be prevented. In addition, when injecting gas from the injection port 32, the control device CONT may make the gas supply amount per unit time supplied from the gas supply device 30 to the injection port 32 constant or may change it. . And since the gas injected toward the board | substrate P is temperature-controlled by the gas temperature control apparatus 50 of the compensation mechanism 5, a part of liquid LQ is vaporized by the airflow produced | generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. FIG. The local temperature drop of the substrate P due to the generated heat of vaporization is compensated.

  Further, since the seal member 70 is supported by being floated on the substrate P by the gas ejected from the ejection port 32 to the substrate P, for example, the substrate with respect to the image plane of the projection optical system PL during the scanning exposure of the substrate P. Even when the substrate P is inclined in order to align the surface of P, the seal member 70 is also inclined in accordance with the inclination of the substrate P while maintaining the predetermined gap G2.

  As described above, even if the temperature of the local region of the substrate P is lowered due to the heat of vaporization caused by the vaporization of a part of the liquid LQ, by blowing a gas having a temperature higher than that of the liquid LQ, The temperature change (temperature decrease) of P can be compensated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent thermal deformation of the substrate P due to temperature change (decrease) of the substrate P, and it is possible to prevent deterioration of pattern overlay accuracy (exposure accuracy) when a pattern image is transferred to the substrate P.

  In this embodiment, the control device CONT controls each of the gas temperature adjusting device 50 and the liquid temperature adjusting device 51, and the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 is controlled. Although the temperature is higher than the temperature, the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 is set based on the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the liquid supply device 10 without providing the liquid temperature adjusting device 51 in the compensation mechanism 5. You may make it adjust. For example, by providing a temperature sensor capable of detecting the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 or the temperature of the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1, the control device CONT is based on the detection result of the temperature sensor. The temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 can be adjusted by using the gas temperature adjusting device 50 so that the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 becomes higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ.

  In this embodiment, the control device CONT uses the liquid temperature adjusting device 51 to control the temperature of the liquid LQ supplied from the supply port 12 to the optical path space K1 and the temperature of the substrate P held by the substrate holder PH. The temperature of the liquid LQ is adjusted so as to be substantially equal to each other, but a temperature control device capable of adjusting the temperature of the substrate P is provided in the substrate holder PH, and the temperature control device is used to adjust the temperature of the liquid LQ. You may make it adjust the temperature of the board | substrate P so that the temperature of the board | substrate P may become substantially equal. Alternatively, by using both the liquid temperature control device 51 and the temperature control device provided in the substrate holder PH, the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the substrate P are set so that the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the substrate P become substantially equal. You may make it adjust each with temperature.

  In general, the substrate P is input in-line from the coater / developer, but the substrate P is set to the temperature on the coater / developer side, and after entering the substrate loader (wafer loader) of the exposure apparatus EX, the temperature adjustment plate (cool The temperature of the entire substrate P is set to be the same as the temperature of the substrate holder PH. As described above, when the substrate P is sent from the coater / developer, depending on various conditions such as the temperature of the substrate holder PH, the liquid temperature for immersion, and the gas temperature of the gas seal set on the exposure apparatus EX side. A standby place (such as a carry-out port) may be provided so that the substrate P is adjusted to an appropriate temperature on the coater / developer side.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The characteristic part of the present embodiment is that the compensation mechanism 5 includes a blowout port 36 for blowing out gas to the outside of the injection port 32 with respect to the optical path space K1. In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is simplified or omitted.

In FIG. 5, the lower surface 70 </ b> A of the seal member 70 is provided with a supply port 12 for supplying the liquid LQ and a recovery port 22 for recovering the liquid LQ, as in the above-described embodiment.
Although omitted in FIG. 5, the supply port 12 is connected to the liquid supply device 10 via the supply channel and the supply pipe 13, and the recovery port 22 is the recovery channel and the recovery tube, as in the above-described embodiment. 23 is connected to the liquid recovery apparatus 20 through 23.

  On the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, a suction port 42 for sucking gas is provided outside the recovery port 22 with respect to the optical path space K1, and a gas is provided outside the suction port 42 with respect to the optical path space K1. Are provided. As in the above-described embodiment, the suction port 42 is connected to the gas suction device 40 via the suction channel 44 and the suction tube 43, and the injection port 32 is connected to the gas supply device 30 via the supply channel 34 and the supply tube 33. Connected with. Here, in the present embodiment, the gas temperature adjustment device 50 provided in the middle of the supply pipe 33 is configured so that the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 and the temperature of the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1 (substrate). The temperature of the gas is adjusted so that the temperature of P is substantially equal.

  On the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, a blowout port 36 for blowing out gas is provided outside the ejection port 32 with respect to the optical path space K1. Further, a second suction port 46 for sucking gas is provided outside the blowout port 36 with respect to the optical path space K1. A plurality of outlets 36 are arranged in an annular groove provided so as to surround the optical path space K1 on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70, and the second suction port 46 also has an optical path on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70. A plurality of grooves are arranged in an annular groove provided so as to surround the space K1. Then, due to the cooperative action of the gas blowing operation of the blowing port 36 and the gas sucking operation of the second suction port 46, the substrate P between the blowing port 36 and the second suction port 46 (the surface of the substrate P and the sealing member). An airflow is generated from the air outlet 36 toward the outside with respect to the optical path space K1.

  The second suction port 46 is connected to a second gas suction device 49 via a second suction channel 47 and a second suction pipe 48 formed inside the seal member 70. The blow-out port 36 is connected to the second gas supply device 39 via a second supply channel 37 and a second supply pipe 38 formed inside the seal member 70. In the middle of the second supply pipe 38, a second gas temperature adjusting device 52 that adjusts the temperature of the gas that is sent out from the second gas supply device 39 and blown out from the outlet 36 is provided.

  In order to compensate for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3, the second gas temperature adjustment device 52 sets the temperature of the gas blown from the blowing port 36 higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ. To do. By making the temperature of the gas blown out from the blow-out port 36 higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ, the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3, specifically, a part of the liquid LQ is caused. A local temperature drop of the substrate P due to the heat of vaporization generated by vaporization can be compensated.

In the present embodiment, the air outlet 36, the second gas temperature control device 52, the second gas supply device 39, the second suction port 46, and the second gas suction device 49 are caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. It constitutes at least a part of the compensation mechanism 5 for compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P.
That is, in this embodiment, at least a part of the compensation mechanism 5 is provided separately from the gas seal mechanism 3.

  Also in the present embodiment, the gas injected from the injection port 32 of the gas seal mechanism 3 prevents the liquid LQ from leaking and supports the seal member 70 to float on the substrate P. And the temperature change of the board | substrate P is compensated with the gas which blows off from the blower outlet 36 of the compensation mechanism 5 provided in the outer side of the injection port 32 with respect to the optical path space K1. In other words, the gas seal mechanism 3 can seal the liquid LQ and inject gas from the injection port 32 at an optimum flow rate for floatingly supporting the seal member 70 on the substrate P. In addition, the compensation mechanism 5 can spray gas onto the substrate P at an optimum temperature and flow rate for compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the airflow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. In this case, the compensation mechanism 5 does not have to contribute the gas blown out from the blow-out port 36 to the floating support of the seal member 70 on the substrate P. Therefore, the optimum temperature and flow velocity for compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P. The gas can be blown out from the blowout port 36.

In the present embodiment, since a gas having a temperature higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ or the temperature of the substrate P flows in each of the second supply channel 37 and the second suction channel 47 of the seal member 70, 2 A heat insulating material 71 is provided so as to surround the supply channel 37 and the second suction channel 47.
Thereby, the temperature change (temperature rise), such as the board | substrate P and the liquid LQ, can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the temperature of the substrate P can be adjusted by the gas blown out from the blowout port 36 whose temperature has been adjusted by the second gas temperature adjustment device 52, so that the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 is adjusted. The gas temperature control device 50 can be omitted.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the configurations of the compensation mechanism 5 and the heat insulating structure (heat insulating material) 71 are different from those of the first embodiment (FIG. 4). In the following description, the same or equivalent components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof is omitted. The compensation mechanism 5 of the present embodiment has a radiating unit 53 that compensates for a temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 by radiating heat toward the substrate P. In the present embodiment, a plurality of the radiating portions 53 are provided on a part of the lower surface 70 </ b> A facing the substrate P of the seal member 70. More specifically, the radiating portion 53 is provided outside the injection port 32 of the gas seal mechanism 3 with respect to the optical path space K1 on the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70. The radiating portion 53 is configured by, for example, a far infrared ceramic heater. By providing the radiating portion 53 at a position facing the surface of the substrate P, the substrate P can be warmed by the heat radiated from the radiating portion 53, so that the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 can be used. Temperature change (temperature decrease) can be suppressed.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 6, as a part of the seal member 70, by providing a heat insulating material 71 so as to surround the radiating portion 53, only a local region of the substrate P facing the radiating portion 53 is heated. , The liquid LQ, or the temperature rise of the final optical element LS1 can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 using the heat radiated from the radiating unit 53 and the gas adjusted in temperature by the gas temperature adjusting device 50 and injected from the injection port 32. The temperature change of the substrate P caused by the above may be compensated, or the temperature change of the substrate P may be compensated only by the heat radiated from the radiation part 53. Or you may make it compensate the temperature change of the board | substrate P using both the gas which blows off from the blower outlet 36 demonstrated in 2nd Embodiment, and the heat | fever radiated | emitted from the radiation | emission part 53. FIG. In the present embodiment, the radiating portion 53 is configured by a far infrared ceramic heater. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the radiating portion 53 is configured by another thermoelectric element such as a Peltier element, or a light irradiation device such as infrared light. Also good.

<Fourth embodiment>
A fourth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In the present embodiment, the configuration of the compensation mechanism 5 is different from the above-described embodiments. In the following description, components that are the same as or equivalent to those in the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted. The compensation mechanism 5 of the present embodiment includes a holder temperature adjusting device 54 that is provided in a substrate holder PH that holds the substrate P and adjusts the temperature of the substrate P. The holder temperature adjusting device 54 is configured to include a radiating portion that radiates heat, and can make an arbitrary region on the substrate P higher than the temperature of the liquid LQ. The radiating unit 54 constituting the holder temperature adjusting device is constituted by, for example, a far-infrared ceramic heater or the like as in the third embodiment.

  The substrate holder PH is provided on the base material 99 of the substrate holder PH, and a plurality of pin-like members 97 that support the back surface of the substrate P, and a peripheral wall portion (rim portion) provided so as to surround the pin-like member 97. 98, and the substrate P is sucked and held by making the space surrounded by the back surface of the substrate P, the base material 99, and the peripheral wall portion 98 a negative pressure. That is, the substrate holder PH of the present embodiment has a so-called pin chuck mechanism.

The radiating portion 54 is provided at a position facing the back surface of the substrate P in the substrate holder PH.
Specifically, a plurality of radiating portions 54 are embedded in the base material 99 of the substrate holder PH. The radiating unit 54 radiates heat toward the back surface of the substrate P, thereby compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. By providing the radiating portion 54 at a position facing the back surface of the substrate P, the substrate P can be warmed by the heat radiated from the radiating portion 54, so that the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 can be used. Temperature change (temperature decrease) can be suppressed.

  In the present embodiment, the substrate holder PH supports the back surface of the substrate P by the pin-shaped member 97, and since the contact area between the substrate P and the substrate holder PH (pin-shaped member 97) is small, the substrate holder PH itself It is difficult to warm the substrate P even if the temperature is increased. Therefore, by providing the radiation portion 54 at a position facing the back surface of the substrate P and radiating heat toward the back surface of the substrate P, the temperature adjustment of the substrate P can be performed smoothly.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 7, the radiating portion 54 may be embedded in the vicinity of the upper surface 96 of the substrate stage PST. Thus, for example, even when the liquid immersion region LR is formed on the upper surface 96 of the substrate stage PST and a predetermined process (such as exposure of a shot region near the outer edge of the substrate P) is performed, the gas seal mechanism 3 generates the liquid region. The temperature change of the substrate stage PST caused by the airflow can be compensated, and the predetermined processing can be performed smoothly.

  By the way, in 4th Embodiment, the relative position of each radiation | emission part 54 provided in the board | substrate holder PH and liquid immersion area | region LR changes. That is, the exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is configured to irradiate the substrate P with the exposure light EL while moving the substrate holder PH (substrate stage PST) holding the substrate P relative to the optical path space K1. Therefore, the relative position between the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1, that is, the liquid immersion region LR, and each of the plurality of radiation portions 54 embedded in the substrate stage PST (substrate holder PH) varies.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a positional relationship between the projection optical system PL and the liquid immersion region LR and the substrate P when exposure is performed while relatively moving the projection optical system PL and the substrate P. In FIG. 8, on the substrate P, a plurality of shot areas S1 to S21 where the pattern of the mask M is exposed are set in a matrix. The controller CONT moves each of the shot areas S1 to S21 while relatively moving the optical axis AX (projection area AR) of the projection optical system PL and the substrate P as indicated by an arrow y1 in FIG. Sequential exposure. As described above, the control apparatus CONT moves the substrate P (substrate holder PH) relative to the projection optical system PL in the X-axis direction during scanning exposure of each shot area, and in the Y-axis direction or X-axis during stepping between shot areas. And the exposure operation | movement of the board | substrate P is performed, moving to both Y-axis direction.

  As the substrate P moves, the local region on the substrate P and the liquid LQ in the liquid immersion region LR come into contact with each other. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the liquid immersion region LR is larger than the projection region AR. Even when the first shot region S1 is irradiated with the exposure light EL, the liquid LQ in the liquid immersion region LR is not exposed yet on the second, sixth, seventh, and eighth shot regions S2 on the substrate P. , S6, S7, S8, etc. Then, the second, sixth, seventh, eighth shot regions S2, S6, S7, S8, etc. on the substrate P may change in temperature (temperature decrease) due to the heat of vaporization of the liquid LQ. When the temperature of the second, sixth, seventh, eighth shot areas S2, S6, S7, S8, etc. before exposure is lowered, the second, sixth, seventh, eighth shot areas S2, S6, S7. , S8 and the like may be deteriorated in pattern overlay accuracy.

  Therefore, the substrate holder PH is provided with a plurality of radiation units (temperature control units) 54 corresponding to a plurality of shot regions set on the substrate P, and the control device CONT moves the substrate P in a moving state (position, movement). Based on the relationship between the local region on the substrate P with respect to the optical path space K1 corresponding to the moving state (region that is an unexposed region and is in contact with the liquid LQ), Each of the plurality of radiation units 54 is controlled. That is, the controller CONT radiates heat from the radiation portion 54 provided corresponding to the first shot region S1 toward the back surface of the substrate P when the first shot region S1 is subjected to immersion exposure. From each of the radiation portions 54 provided corresponding to each of the second, sixth, seventh, and eighth shot regions S2, S6, S7, and S8 with which the liquid LQ in the immersion region LR contacts, the back surface of the substrate P Radiates heat toward. In this way, even if the liquid LQ contacts the second, sixth, seventh, and eighth shot regions S2, S6, S7, and S8 that have not been exposed on the substrate P, the second and sixth The substrate P can be exposed in a state in which the temperature decrease caused by the heat of vaporization of the liquid LQ in the seventh and eighth shot regions S2, S6, S7, and S8 is suppressed. Further, heat should not be radiated toward the back surface of the substrate P from the radiating portion 54 provided corresponding to the shot area (for example, the shot areas S19, S20, S21, etc.) where the liquid LQ is not in contact. Thus, an unnecessary temperature rise of the substrate P (shot regions S19, S20, S21, etc.) can be prevented. Here, the relationship between the movement state of the substrate P and the position of the local region on the substrate P with respect to the optical path space K1 according to the movement state is determined in advance by an exposure sequence or the like, and is connected to the control device CONT. It can be stored in advance in the storage device MRY. The control device CONT is provided corresponding to each of the shot areas S1 to S21 based on the storage information stored in the storage device MRY and the output of the laser interferometer 94 that monitors the position information of the substrate stage PST. Each of the plurality of radiating portions 54 can be controlled.

  Here, the plurality of radiating portions 54 are provided corresponding to each of the shot areas S1 to S21, but are not necessarily provided corresponding to the shot areas S1 to S21, and are arbitrarily set on the substrate P. You may make it provide the radiation | emission part 54 according to the division area.

  In the present embodiment, the heat generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 is combined with the heat radiated from the radiating unit 54 and the gas injected from the injection port 32 whose temperature is adjusted by the gas temperature adjusting device 50. The resulting temperature change of the substrate P may be compensated, or the temperature change of the substrate P may be compensated only by the heat radiated from the radiation part 54. Alternatively, in combination with the gas blown out from the outlet 36 as described in the second embodiment, or the heat radiated from the radiating portion 53 provided in the seal member 70 as described in the third embodiment, You may make it compensate the temperature change of the board | substrate P. FIG.

  In addition, among the plurality of radiating portions 54, the position and number of the radiating portions 54 to be heated, the timing and time of heating, and the like are controlled by a feed forward method in consideration of a time delay until heat is transmitted to the substrate P. May be. In the present embodiment, the radiating portion 54 is constituted by a far infrared ceramic heater. However, the radiating portion 54 is not limited to this. For example, the radiating portion 54 is constituted by another thermoelectric element such as a Peltier element, or a device that ejects a temperature-controlled gas. May be. In the present embodiment, the substrate holder PH is formed integrally with a part of the substrate stage PST (that is, the base material 99 is a part of the substrate stage PST). And may be configured separately.

  In the first to fourth embodiments described above, for example, test exposure is performed on a dummy substrate DP provided with a temperature sensor 80 as shown in FIG. 9, and the temperature at that time is measured by the temperature sensor 80. Based on the measurement result of the temperature sensor 80, when the substrate P is actually exposed, the temperature of the gas ejected from the ejection port 32, the temperature of the gas blown from the ejection port 36, and the radiation portions 53 and 54 are radiated. The amount of heat can be optimized.

  In FIG. 9, the dummy substrate DP has substantially the same size and shape as the device manufacturing substrate P, and the substrate holder PH can hold the dummy substrate DP. A plurality of temperature sensors 80 are provided on the surface of the dummy substrate DP. The temperature sensor 80 has a plurality of sensor elements 81 provided on the surface of the dummy substrate DP. The sensor element 81 is composed of, for example, a thermocouple. The measurement part (probe) of the sensor element 81 of the temperature sensor 80 is exposed on the surface of the dummy substrate DP. A storage element 85 that stores a temperature measurement signal of the temperature sensor 80 is provided on the dummy substrate DP. The storage element 85 and the sensor element 81 (temperature sensor 80) are connected via a signal transmission line (cable) 83, and the temperature measurement signal of the sensor element 81 (temperature sensor 80) is a signal transmission line (cable) 83. To the storage element 85. The control device CONT can extract (read out) the temperature measurement result stored in the storage element 85.

  A semiconductor wafer may be prepared as the dummy substrate DP, and a sensor element may be directly formed thereon using a forming technique such as MEMS. In this case, a sensor amplifier, a communication circuit, etc. may be formed on the wafer. it can.

While holding the dummy substrate DP of FIG. 9 by the substrate holder PH and filling the liquid LQ between the dummy substrate DP and the projection optical system PL, the gas seal mechanism 3 generates an air flow on the dummy substrate DP, For example, just like the exposure operation of the substrate P, by moving the substrate stage PST on the image plane side of the projection optical system PL, the control device CONT causes the dummy substrate DP caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 to move. Temperature change can be obtained. Then, based on the measurement result of the temperature sensor 80 on the dummy substrate DP, the control device CONT uses, for example, the gas injected from the injection port 32 so that the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the dummy substrate DP become substantially equal. The temperature is adjusted using the gas temperature control device 50, and the adjustment amount (correction amount) at that time is stored.
The control device CONT adjusts the temperature of the gas injected from the injection port 32 using the gas temperature adjusting device 50 based on the stored adjustment amount when exposing the substrate P, thereby providing a gas seal mechanism. The substrate P can be exposed while compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the airflow generated by the step 3. Similarly, the control device CONT sets the temperature of the gas blown from the blow-out port 36 based on the measurement result of the temperature sensor 80 so that the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the dummy substrate DP are approximately equal to the second gas. Adjustment is performed using the body temperature adjustment device 52, the adjustment amount at that time is stored, and when the substrate P is exposed, the temperature of the gas blown from the outlet 36 is adjusted based on the stored adjustment amount to the second gas temperature adjustment. By adjusting using the apparatus 52, the substrate P can be exposed while compensating for the temperature change of the substrate P caused by the air flow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3. Similarly, the control device CONT can optimize the amount of heat radiated from the radiating unit 53 so that the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the substrate P are substantially equal based on the measurement result of the temperature sensor 80. The adjustment amount (correction amount) in the compensation mechanism 5 may be stored in association with the shot area on the substrate P, or may be stored in association with the XY position of the substrate P.

  In addition, by providing the temperature sensor 80 so as to correspond to each of the plurality of shot regions S1 to S21, the control device CONT can perform a plurality of operations embedded in the substrate holder PH based on the measurement result of the temperature sensor 80. Each of the radiation portions 54 can be optimally controlled according to the movement state of the substrate P.

In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the seal member 70 is floated and supported on the substrate P by the gas ejected from the ejection port 32, but the gas seal mechanism 3 supplies the liquid LQ that fills the optical path space K1. You can just seal it. In this case, a gas bearing mechanism may be provided in addition to the gas seal mechanism 3, or the seal member 70 may be movably supported by a predetermined support mechanism. For example, the support member that supports the projection optical system PL and the seal member 70 may be connected by a predetermined support mechanism. Further, it is preferable that the gas seal mechanism 3 has a configuration in which at least the seal member 70 can be easily replaced or detached, for example, a configuration that can be divided into a plurality of blocks. Furthermore, it is preferable that the pipes connected to the seal member 70 are easily attached and detached.
In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the gas seal mechanism 3 holds the liquid LQ (prevents unnecessary spread of the liquid LQ), but the gas seal need not necessarily be used. For example, at least during the exposure operation of the substrate P, the gap between the final optical element LS1 of the projection optical system PL (or the lower surface 70A of the seal member 70) and the substrate P is set to about 1 to 3 mm to use the capillary phenomenon. Thus, the liquid LQ may be supplied and recovered while holding the liquid LQ.
Furthermore, in the first to third embodiments described above, the heat insulating material 71 is provided on the seal member 70. However, instead of providing the heat insulating material, or in combination with the heat insulating material, for example, a mechanism for adjusting the temperature of the seal member 70. May be provided. Of course, when the temperature change of the seal member 70 caused by the compensation mechanism 5 and the like, and thus the temperature change of the liquid LQ, the projection optical system PL, and the like are within a predetermined allowable range, the above-described heat insulating material may not be provided. .
In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the temperature change of the substrate P due to the heat of vaporization caused by the vaporization of a part of the liquid LQ caused by the airflow generated by the gas seal mechanism 3 is compensated. Since a part of the liquid LQ can be vaporized without performing the gas ejection by the gas seal mechanism 3, the above-described process can be performed even when the gas for sealing the liquid LQ is not ejected or when the gas seal mechanism 3 is not provided. You may make it compensate the temperature change of the board | substrate by the compensation mechanism 5 by the heat of vaporization.
In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the temperature of the liquid LQ filled in the optical path space K1 and the temperature of the substrate P are substantially equal. However, the local temperature of the substrate P due to the heat of vaporization described above. If the change (that is, variation in exposure accuracy) is within a predetermined allowable range, the temperature of the liquid LQ and the temperature of the substrate P may be different.

    As described above, in each of the above embodiments, pure water is used as the liquid LQ. Pure water can be easily obtained in large quantities at a semiconductor manufacturing factory or the like, and has an advantage that it does not adversely affect the photoresist, optical elements (lenses), etc. on the substrate P. In addition, pure water has no adverse effects on the environment, and since the impurity content is extremely low, it can be expected to clean the surface of the substrate P and the surface of the optical element provided on the front end surface of the projection optical system PL. . When the purity of pure water supplied from a factory or the like is low, the exposure apparatus may have an ultrapure water production device.

  The refractive index n of pure water (water) with respect to the exposure light EL having a wavelength of about 193 nm is said to be approximately 1.44. When ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm) is used as the light source of the exposure light EL, On the substrate P, the wavelength is shortened to 1 / n, that is, about 134 nm, and a high resolution can be obtained. Furthermore, since the depth of focus is enlarged by about n times, that is, about 1.44 times compared with that in the air, the projection optical system PL can be used when it is sufficient to ensure the same depth of focus as that in the air. The numerical aperture can be further increased, and the resolution is improved in this respect as well.

  In each of the above embodiments, the final optical element LS1 is attached to the tip of the projection optical system PL, and the optical characteristics of the projection optical system PL, such as aberration (spherical aberration, coma aberration, etc.) can be adjusted by this lens. it can. The optical element attached to the tip of the projection optical system PL may be an optical plate used for adjusting the optical characteristics of the projection optical system PL. Alternatively, it may be a parallel flat plate (such as a cover plate) that can transmit the exposure light EL.

  When the pressure between the optical element at the tip of the projection optical system PL generated by the flow of the liquid LQ and the substrate P is large, the optical element is not exchangeable but the optical element is moved by the pressure. It may be fixed firmly so that there is no.

  In each of the above embodiments, the optical path space on the image plane side of the optical element at the tip of the projection optical system is filled with a liquid. However, as disclosed in International Publication No. 2004/019128, the tip optical It is also possible to employ a projection optical system in which the optical path space on the mask side of the element is filled with liquid.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, the nozzle member that supplies and recovers the liquid LQ in the liquid immersion mechanism 1 and the seal member 70 of the gas seal mechanism 3 are the same member. The member may be a different member. The structure of the liquid immersion mechanism 1 (particularly the nozzle member) is not limited to the above-described structure. For example, European Patent Publication No. 1420298, International Publication No. 2004/055803, International Publication No. 2004/057590, International Publication No. Those described in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2005/029559 can also be used.

In each of the above embodiments, the liquid LQ is water (pure water), but may be a liquid other than water. For example, when the light source of the exposure light EL is an F ₂ laser, the F ₂ laser light is Since it does not transmit water, the liquid LQ may be, for example, a fluorinated fluid such as perfluorinated polyether (PFPE) or fluorinated oil that can transmit F ₂ laser light. In this case, the lyophilic treatment is performed by forming a thin film with a substance having a molecular structure having a small polarity including fluorine, for example, at a portion in contact with the liquid LQ. In addition, as the liquid LQ, the liquid LQ is transmissive to the exposure light EL, has a refractive index as high as possible, and is stable with respect to the photoresist applied to the projection optical system PL and the surface of the substrate P (for example, Cedar). Oil) can also be used.
Further, as the liquid LQ, a liquid having a refractive index of about 1.6 to 1.8 may be used.
Further, at least the final optical element LS1 may be formed of a material (for example, 1.6 or more) having a higher refractive index than quartz and fluorite. As the liquid LQ, various liquids such as a supercritical fluid can be used.

In each of the above embodiments, the position information of the mask stage MST and the substrate stage PST is measured using the interferometer system (92, 94). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, a scale (diffraction grating) provided on the stage. ) May be used.
In this case, it is preferable that a hybrid system including both the interferometer system and the encoder system is used, and the measurement result of the encoder system is calibrated using the measurement result of the interferometer system. In addition, the position of the stage may be controlled by switching between the interferometer system and the encoder system or using both.

  In addition, as the substrate P in each of the above embodiments, not only a semiconductor wafer for manufacturing a semiconductor device, but also a glass substrate for a display device, a ceramic wafer for a thin film magnetic head, or an original mask (reticle) used in an exposure apparatus ( Synthetic quartz, silicon wafer) or the like is applied.

  As the exposure apparatus EX, in addition to the step-and-scan type scanning exposure apparatus (scanning stepper) that scans and exposes the pattern of the mask M by moving the mask M and the substrate P synchronously, the mask M and the substrate P Can be applied to a step-and-repeat type projection exposure apparatus (stepper) in which the pattern of the mask M is collectively exposed while the substrate P is stationary and the substrate P is sequentially moved stepwise.

  Further, as the exposure apparatus EX, a reduced image of the first pattern is projected with the first pattern and the substrate P being substantially stationary (for example, a refraction type projection optical system that does not include a reflecting element at 1/8 reduction magnification). The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that performs batch exposure on the substrate P using the above. In this case, after that, with the second pattern and the substrate P substantially stationary, a reduced image of the second pattern is collectively exposed onto the substrate P by partially overlapping the first pattern using the projection optical system. It can also be applied to a stitch type batch exposure apparatus. Further, the stitch type exposure apparatus can be applied to a step-and-stitch type exposure apparatus in which at least two patterns are partially transferred on the substrate P, and the substrate P is sequentially moved.

  In addition, the present invention relates to Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-163099, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-214783 (corresponding US Pat. No. 6,590,634), Japanese Translation of PCT International Publication No. 2000-505958 (corresponding US Pat. 969,441) or US Pat. No. 6,208,407, etc., and can be applied to a twin stage type exposure apparatus having a plurality of substrate stages. To the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of the country designated or selected in this international application, the disclosure of the above-mentioned twin-stage type exposure apparatus and the disclosure of US patents are incorporated herein by reference.

  Further, as disclosed in JP-A-11-135400, JP-A-2000-164504 (corresponding US Pat. No. 6,897,963) and the like, a substrate stage for holding the substrate and a reference mark are formed. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus provided with a measured reference member and / or a measurement stage on which various photoelectric sensors are mounted. To the extent permitted by the laws and regulations of the country designated or selected in this international application, the disclosure of the publication and US patent relating to the exposure apparatus provided with the above-described measurement stage is incorporated as a part of the description herein.

  The type of exposure apparatus EX is not limited to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor element that exposes a semiconductor element pattern onto a substrate P, but an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element or a display, a thin film magnetic head, an image sensor (CCD). In addition, the present invention can be widely applied to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a micromachine, MEMS, DNA chip, reticle, mask, or the like.

  Further, in a beam drawing apparatus for producing a stamper master (so-called mold) for manufacturing a disk medium such as a CD or a DVD, a liquid is filled between an objective lens for beam spot irradiation and a master to be drawn. In this case, the present invention can be applied similarly.

  In each of the above embodiments, a light transmissive mask in which a predetermined light shielding pattern (or phase pattern / dimming pattern) is formed on a light transmissive substrate is used. As disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,778,257, an electronic mask (also referred to as a variable shaping mask, for example, a non-uniform mask) that forms a transmission pattern, a reflection pattern, or a light emission pattern based on electronic data of a pattern to be exposed A DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) that is a kind of light-emitting image display element (spatial light modulator) may be used.

Further, as disclosed in International Publication No. 2001/035168, an exposure apparatus (lithography system) that exposes a line-and-space pattern on a substrate P by forming interference fringes on the substrate P. The present invention can also be applied.
Furthermore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese translations of PCT publication No. 2004-51850 (corresponding US Pat. No. 6,611,316), two mask patterns are synthesized on a substrate via a projection optical system, The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that performs double exposure of one shot area on a substrate almost simultaneously by one scan exposure.

  As described above, the exposure apparatus EX according to the embodiment of the present application maintains various mechanical subsystems including the respective constituent elements recited in the claims of the present application so as to maintain predetermined mechanical accuracy, electrical accuracy, and optical accuracy. Manufactured by assembling. In order to ensure these various accuracies, before and after assembly, various optical systems are adjusted to achieve optical accuracy, various mechanical systems are adjusted to achieve mechanical accuracy, and various electrical systems are Adjustments are made to achieve electrical accuracy. The assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus includes mechanical connection, electrical circuit wiring connection, pneumatic circuit piping connection and the like between the various subsystems. Needless to say, there is an assembly process for each subsystem before the assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus. When the assembly process of the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various accuracies as the entire exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus is preferably manufactured in a clean room where the temperature, cleanliness, etc. are controlled.

  As shown in FIG. 10, a microdevice such as a semiconductor device includes a step 201 for designing a function / performance of the microdevice, a step 202 for producing a mask (reticle) based on the design step, and a substrate as a substrate of the device. Manufacturing step 203, step 204 including processing of exposing the mask pattern onto the substrate by the exposure apparatus EX of the above-described embodiment, device assembly step (including dicing process, bonding process, packaging process) 205, inspection step 206, etc. It is manufactured through.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, when exposing a board | substrate based on the immersion method, the temperature change of a board | substrate can be suppressed and a board | substrate can be exposed accurately. Therefore, the present invention is extremely useful for an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a wide range of products such as semiconductor elements, liquid crystal display elements or displays, thin film magnetic heads, CCDs, micromachines, MEMS, DNA chips, and reticles (masks). Become.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Immersion mechanism, 3 ... Gas seal mechanism, 5 ... Compensation mechanism, 12 ... Supply port, 22 ... Recovery port, 3
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 ... Injection port, 36 ... Outlet, 50 ... Gas temperature control apparatus (1st temperature control apparatus), 52 ... 2nd gas temperature control apparatus (2nd temperature control apparatus), 51 ... Liquid temperature control apparatus (3rd temperature) Adjusting device), 53...
... Radiation part (fourth temperature control device), 70 ... Seal member, 71 ... Heat insulation material (heat insulation structure), CON
T: Control device, EL: Exposure light, EX: Exposure device, K1: Optical path space, LQ: Liquid, MRY ...
Storage device, P ... substrate, PH ... substrate holder (holding member), PL ... projection optical system

Claims (16)

In an exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light through a liquid while moving the substrate in the scanning direction.
A projection optical system having a final optical element closest to the image plane;
A seal member having a plurality of liquid supply ports, a liquid recovery port, and a plurality of gas supply ports, and arranged to surround the final optical element;
A first temperature adjustment device for adjusting the temperature of the liquid supplied from the plurality of liquid supply ports;
A substrate stage capable of moving a substrate holder that supports the back surface of the substrate;
A second temperature control device capable of warming the substrate from the back side of the substrate supported by the substrate holder,
The plurality of liquid supply ports are disposed on opposite sides of the optical path space of the exposure light emitted from the final optical element in the scanning direction, so that the surfaces of the substrates can be opposed to each other.
The liquid recovery port is disposed so that the surface of the substrate can be opposed, and is disposed outside the liquid supply port with respect to the optical path space so as to surround the optical path space,
The gas supply port is an exposure apparatus that is disposed so that the surface of the substrate can face the gas supply port, and is disposed outside the liquid recovery port with respect to the optical path space so as to surround the optical path space. The first temperature control device adjusts the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port so that the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port to the optical path space is substantially equal to the temperature of the substrate. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 . The first temperature control device is configured so that the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port to the optical path space is substantially equal to the temperature inside the chamber that accommodates the exposure apparatus. adjusting the temperature of the liquid supplied, the exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2. The second temperature control device is provided on the rear surface opposite to the position before Symbol substrate of the substrate holder, comprising a radiation unit for radiating heat to the substrate, as claimed in any one of claims 1 3 Exposure device. 5. The exposure according to claim 1, wherein the second temperature control device can set the temperature of an arbitrary region on the substrate to be higher than the temperature of the liquid filled in the optical path space. 6. apparatus. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising a mechanism for adjusting a temperature of the seal member. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a third temperature adjustment device that adjusts the temperature of the gas supplied from the plurality of gas supply ports. Device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7. In the exposure method of exposing the substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light through a liquid while moving the substrate supported by the substrate holder supporting the back surface of the substrate in the scanning direction,
Emitting exposure light from the last optical element closest to the image plane;
The temperature of the liquid supplied from a plurality of liquid supply ports arranged on both sides of the optical path space of the exposure light emitted from the final optical element in the scanning direction is adjusted so that the surfaces of the substrate can be opposed to each other. And
Recovering a liquid from a liquid recovery port disposed so that the surface of the substrate can be opposed and outside the liquid supply port with respect to the optical path space so as to surround the optical path space;
And that the surface of the substrate is disposed to be opposed, and outside the liquid recovery port with respect to the optical path space, supplying arranged plurality of gas supply openings or et gas so as to surround the optical path space,
Warming the substrate from the back side of the substrate supported by the substrate holder;
An exposure method comprising: The temperature of the liquid is adjusted by adjusting the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port so that the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port to the optical path space is substantially equal to the temperature of the substrate. The exposure method according to claim 9 , comprising adjusting the value. Adjusting the temperature of the liquid means that the temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid supply port to the optical path space is substantially equal to the temperature inside the chamber containing the exposure apparatus. The exposure method according to claim 9 , comprising adjusting a temperature of the liquid supplied from the liquid crystal. The exposure method according to claim 9, wherein warming the substrate includes radiating heat toward a back surface of the substrate. The exposure according to claim 9, wherein warming the substrate further includes setting a temperature of an arbitrary region on the substrate to be higher than a temperature of a liquid filled in the optical path space. Method. Wherein the plurality of liquid supply ports and the liquid recovery port and a plurality of gas supply ports, further comprising adjusting the temperature of the disposed sealing member so as to surround the final optical element, from the claims 9 14. The exposure method according to any one of items 13 . The exposure method according to any one of claims 9 to 14, further comprising adjusting a temperature of a gas supplied from the plurality of gas supply ports. A device manufacturing method using the exposure method according to any one of claims 9 to 15.

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