APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAINTAINING IMMERSION FLUID IN THE GAP UNDER THE PROJECTION LENS DURING WAFER EXCHANGE IN AN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY MACHINE

摘要

An immersion exposure apparatus and method involves (i) supporting a substrate with a stage, (ii) arranging the stage under an optical assembly to maintain immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the stage, (iii) projecting an image onto the substrate via the optical assembly and the immersion liquid, (iv) arranging a movable pad, which is movable separately from the stage, adjacent to the stage, and (v) moving the stage and the pad adjacent to each other relative to the optical assembly to arrange the pad under the optical assembly in place of the stage such that the immersion liquid is maintained below the optical assembly during the movement, thereby to arrange the movable pad under the optical assembly to maintain the immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the pad.

主权项

1. An immersion exposure apparatus comprising:
an optical assembly configured to project an image onto a substrate via an immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the substrate; a movable stage configured to support the substrate and to be arrangeable under the optical assembly to maintain the immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the stage; and a movable pad configured to be arrangeable under the optical assembly to maintain the immersion liquid in a gap between the optical assembly and the pad, wherein the stage is movable separately from the pad while the immersion liquid is maintained in the gap between the optical assembly and the pad, the pad is movable separately from the stage while the immersion liquid is maintained in the gap between the optical assembly and the stage, when the stage is arranged under the optical assembly, the pad is positionable adjacent to the stage, and when the pad is positioned adjacent to the stage, the stage and the pad adjacent to each other are movable relative to the optical assembly to arrange the pad under the optical assembly in place of the stage such that the immersion liquid is maintained below the optical assembly during the movement.