Dual stage lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

Abstract

The invention relates to a dual stage lithographic apparatus, wherein two substrate stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement. The joint scan movement brings the lithographic apparatus from a first configuration, wherein immersion liquid is confined between a first substrate held by the first stage of the stages and a projection system of the apparatus, to a second configuration, wherein the immersion liquid is confined between a second substrate held by the second stage of the two stages and the projection system, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within the space with respect to the projection system.

1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; 
 a measuring system configured to measure characteristics of substrates in a metrology station of the apparatus; 
 a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a substrate in an exposure station of the apparatus; 
 a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate; 
 a positioning system and at least two substrate stages, each stage constructed to hold a substrates substrate, wherein the positioning system is constructed to move the stages between the metrology station and the exposure station, and wherein the positioning system is constructed to position one of the stages holding a substrate during exposure in the exposure station on the basis of at least one measured characteristic of that substrate; 
 wherein the stages are constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation in order to perform a joint scan movement to bring the lithographic apparatus from a first situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a first substrate held by a first stage of the two stages and the projection system, towards a second situation, wherein the liquid is confined between a second substrate held by a second stage of the two stages and the projection system, such that during the joint scan movement the liquid is essentially confined within the space with respect to the projection system. 
 
     
     
       2. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the first stage and second stage has an immersion cross edge at or near a side of the stage which is constructed and arranged to cooperate with an immersion cross edge of another stage during the joint scan movement. 
     
     
       3. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each immersion cross edge comprises an essentially plane surface. 
     
     
       4. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the positioning system is constructed and arranged to position the respective stages during their joint scan movement such that surfaces of their respective immersion cross edges remain at an essentially mutual constant distance, wherein the distance is in the range of zero to about 1 millimeter, wherein a preferred distance is about 0.1 millimeter. 
     
     
       5. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the respective stages is provided with a channel system having an opening in a surface of the immersion cross edge of the stage, wherein the channel system is constructed and arranged to generate a flow of gas and/or liquid along the immersion cross edge during the joint scan movement. 
     
     
       6. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the respective stages is provided with a liquid gutter under its immersion cross edge, wherein the liquid gutter is capable of catching liquid possibly dripped along the immersion cross edge. 
     
     
       7. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the respective stages is provided with an interferometer-mirror near the immersion cross edge, wherein the interferometer-mirror is staggered with respect to the immersion cross edge and preferably placed in a niche of the stage in order to protect the interferometer-mirror. 
     
     
       8. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the respective stages is provided with an interferometer-mirror near the immersion cross edge, wherein the interferometer-mirror is placed at a level below that of the liquid gutter in order to protect the interferometer-mirror. 
     
     
       9. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising an exposure station situated between a first metrology station and a second metrology station such that alternately substrates measured by the first metrology station and substrates measured by the second metrology station may be fed towards the exposure station. 
     
     
       10. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a base frame configured to carry a metro frame which supports the measuring system and the projection system, wherein the metro frame is dynamically isolated from the base frame, and wherein the measuring system comprises at least one encoder plate configured to cooperate with an encoder head placed at one of the stages to measure the position of that stage. 
     
     
       11. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the at least one encoder plate extends in the exposure station and the metrology station. 
     
     
       12. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a machine frame which is preferably separated from the base frame, wherein the machine frame is provided with having a first part of a planar motor to cooperate with respective second parts of the planar motor in the respective stages, wherein the positioning system is constructed and arranged to control the planar motor in order to position the respective stages between the metrology station and the exposure station. 
     
     
       13. The lithographic apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a machine frame which is preferably separated from the base frame, wherein the machine frame has having two essentially parallel guides extending in a first direction in a horizontal plane, wherein each guide is coupled to an element which can be moved along the guide by means of a motor, and wherein each element is coupled to a stage of the respective stages by means of a motor to move that stage in a second direction directed in the horizontal plane and perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the positioning system is constructed and arranged to control the motors in order to move the stage in the plane. 
     
     
       14. A lithographic product with a lithographic apparatus according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
       15. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a channel system in fluid communication with an opening defined by the edge of the stage, the channel system constructed and arranged to generate a fluid flow along the edge during the joint movement, the fluid flow including liquid from the liquid confinement structure.   
     
     
       16. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a gutter located under the edge of the respective stage, the gutter constructed and arranged to collect liquid from the liquid confinement structure flowing down one or both edges during the joint movement.   
     
     
       17. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate and a second stage;   a liquid confinement system configured to at least partly confine liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate stage, a substrate supported by the substrate stage, or both;   the substrate stage and the second stage constructed and arranged for mutual cooperation to perform a joint movement wherein the liquid in the liquid confinement structure is transferred from being confined by the substrate or the substrate stage or both to being confined by the second stage, the liquid crossing an edge of the substrate stage and an opposing edge of the second stage,   wherein the substrate stage, the second stage, or both, comprises a fluid extraction system constructed and arranged to collect liquid flowing between the edges during the joint movement.    
     
     
       18. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
 a substrate stage configured to support a substrate, the substrate stage having an edge;   a further stage having a corresponding edge, the corresponding edge constructed and arranged to mutually co-operate with the edge when the substrate stage and the further stage are arranged adjacently to define a gap; and   a liquid confinement structure configured to at least partly confine immersion liquid in a space between a projection system and a substrate, the substrate stage, or both,   wherein, during a joint movement of the substrate stage and the further stage, confinement of liquid in the space by the substrate stage, the substrate or both is replaced by the further stage, and   the substrate stage, the further stage, or both, comprises a fluid extraction system constructed and arranged to collect immersion liquid in the gap during the joint movement.   
     
     
       19. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the fluid extraction system comprises a gutter constructed and arranged to collect immersion liquid under the substrate stage, the further stage or both flowing from the gap before, during and/or after joint movement. 
     
     
       20. The lithographic apparatus of claim 19, wherein the gutter is attached to the substrate stage and/or the further stage. 
     
     
       21. The lithographic apparatus of claim 20, wherein the gutter is located under the edge of the stage to which it is attached. 
     
     
       22. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the fluid extraction system comprises a channel system comprised in the substrate stage, the further stage or both and which is in fluid communication with an opening defined in the edge, the corresponding edge or both, the channel system constructed and arranged to generate a fluid flow along the gap during the joint movement. 
     
     
       23. The lithographic apparatus of claim 22, wherein the fluid flow comprises liquid and gas away from the gap. 
     
     
       24. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a positioning system comprising a motor to move the substrate stage and/or the further stage and constructed and arranged to control the motor during the joint movement so that the distance between the edge and the corresponding edge is controlled. 
     
     
       25. The lithographic apparatus of claim 24, wherein the distance between the edge and the corresponding edge is controlled to be in the range of 0 to 1 mm. 
     
     
       26. The lithographic apparatus of claim 24, wherein the positioning system comprises an interferometer system comprising a mirror located on the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
       27. The lithographic apparatus of claim 26, wherein the mirror is on a surface staggered away from the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
       28. The lithographic apparatus of claim 26, wherein the mirror is located in a protective niche defined in the edge or the corresponding edge. 
     
     
       29. The lithographic apparatus of claim 26, wherein the mirror is located underneath the fluid extraction system. 
     
     
       30. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the further stage is a substrate stage configured to support a further substrate. 
     
     
       31. The lithographic apparatus of claim 18, wherein the further stage is an actuated closing stage.  
     
     
       32. A device manufacturing method, comprising:
 supporting a substrate on a substrate table, wherein the substrate table is laterally movable with respect to an adjacent table;   at least partly confining immersion liquid in a space between a projection system and the substrate table, the substrate or both;   jointly moving the substrate table with the adjacent table, the adjoining edges of the substrate table and the adjacent table mutually cooperating to define a gap, so that the liquid in the space is contained by the adjacent table instead of the substrate table; and   collecting immersion liquid in the gap during joint movement using a fluid extraction system.    
     
     
       33. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the interferometer-mirror is in a niche of the stage in order to protect the interferometer-mirror.