JP2011061130A - Aligner and exposure method, and method of manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A liquid remaining on a fine movement stage is removed.
By projecting exposure light through a liquid, a wafer W held on a fine movement stage WFS1 on a wafer stage (coarse movement stage) is exposed. After the exposure is completed, fine movement stage WFS1 is transferred to the wafer exchange position, and the wafer is exchanged. In parallel with the wafer exchange operation, the liquid remaining in the wafer holder WH of the fine movement stage WFS1 is sucked and removed through a pipe 80a by a vacuum pump (not shown).
[Selection] Figure 12

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, an exposure method, and a device manufacturing method, and more particularly, to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method used in a lithography process for manufacturing an electronic device such as a semiconductor element, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure method.

  Conventionally, in a lithography process for manufacturing electronic devices (microdevices) such as semiconductor elements (integrated circuits, etc.), liquid crystal display elements, etc., step-and-repeat projection exposure apparatuses (so-called steppers), step-and- A scanning projection exposure apparatus (a so-called scanning stepper (also called a scanner)) or the like is used.

  Substrates such as wafers or glass plates used in this type of exposure apparatus are gradually becoming larger (for example, every 10 years in the case of wafers). Currently, 300 mm wafers with a diameter of 300 mm are the mainstream, but now the era of 450 mm wafers with a diameter of 450 mm is approaching.

  However, since the thickness does not increase in proportion to the size of the wafer, the 450 mm wafer is much weaker than the 300 mm wafer. Therefore, when the wafer is vacuum-sucked on the wafer holder, a notch for accommodating an arm or the like used for loading the wafer is formed in the wafer holder, or a vertically moving member (center up or center table) for transferring the wafer. It is thought that it is not possible to provide or In the case of the former as well as the case of the latter, it is necessary to form an opening in the wafer holder so that the vertical movement member can be taken in and out. Therefore, in any case, the 450 mm wafer should be uniformly sucked and held over the entire surface. Because it becomes difficult. Therefore, as one method for preventing an extreme decrease in throughput, it is conceivable to replace the wafer holder over the wafer stage and replace the wafer over time with the wafer holder removed from the wafer stage. .

  On the other hand, the semiconductor element is gradually miniaturized, and therefore, high resolution is required for the exposure apparatus. As means for improving the resolution, various immersion exposure apparatuses for exposing a wafer through the projection optical system and liquid have been proposed in order to maximize the substantial numerical aperture of the projection optical system (for example, (See Patent Document 1). In particular, in the case of the local liquid immersion device disclosed in Patent Document 1 or the like, liquid may enter the wafer holder from the gap between the wafer and the surrounding liquid-repellent plate, and it is necessary to remove the liquid. Conventionally, this residual liquid is also performed during exposure using a part of a vacuum mechanism that vacuum-adsorbs a liquid repellent plate or a wafer (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

  However, when it is assumed that the wafer holder is to be removed from the wafer stage, it is considered that the wafer stage is not provided with a wafer vacuum suction mechanism. Therefore, the residual liquid is removed by the same method as in Patent Document 3 above. Is difficult.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0259234 US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0177125

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus that exposes an object through an optical system and a liquid and forms a pattern on the object, having an internal space and at least orthogonal to each other. A movable body that is movable along a two-dimensional plane including the first axis and the second axis; and is supported by the movable body so as to be relatively movable in a plane parallel to the two-dimensional plane while holding the object; A holding member provided with a measurement surface on one surface substantially parallel to the two-dimensional plane; and disposed in the space of the movable body so as to face the measurement surface, and at least one first measurement on the measurement surface A head unit that emits a beam and receives light from the measurement surface of the first measurement beam, and measures position information of at least the two-dimensional plane of the holding member based on an output of the head unit; A measuring system; and the position information measured by the measuring system. A drive system that drives the holding member alone or integrally with the moving body; a liquid supply system that supplies a liquid between the optical system and an object held by the holding member; and the holding member An exposure apparatus comprising: a removing device that removes the liquid remaining on the holding member in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object.

  According to this, the liquid remaining on the holding member (wafer holder) is removed by the removing device in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object on the holding member. Accordingly, it is possible to remove the liquid remaining on the holding member (wafer holder) without providing a vacuum suction mechanism for the object (wafer) on the moving body (wafer stage).

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure method for exposing an object, which is irradiated with an energy beam through an optical member and a liquid and moves along a two-dimensional plane. An exposure method comprising: exposing the object held on the holding member; removing the liquid remaining on the holding member in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object on the holding member. Provided.

  According to this, in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object on the holding member, the liquid remaining on the holding member (wafer holder) is removed. Accordingly, it is possible to remove the liquid remaining on the holding member (wafer holder) without providing a vacuum suction mechanism for the object (wafer) on the moving body (wafer stage).

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: a step of forming a pattern on an object by the exposure method of the present invention; and a step of developing the object on which the pattern is formed. Is done.

It is a top view which shows the schematic structure of the exposure apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is a side view which shows roughly the structure of the exposure station of FIG. 1, a measurement station, etc. FIG. It is a figure which expands and shows the state in which the fine movement stage was mounted in the center table of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the movable blade with which the exposure apparatus of FIG. 2 is provided. 5A is a view (front view) seen from the −Y direction showing the wafer stage provided in the exposure apparatus of FIG. 2, and FIG. 5B is a plan view showing the wafer stage. FIG. 6A is a plan view showing the coarse movement stage taken out, and FIG. 6B is a plan view showing a state where the coarse movement stage is separated into two parts. It is a front view of the wafer stage which shows the state which the coarse movement stage isolate | separated. It is a top view which shows arrangement | positioning of the magnet unit and coil unit which comprise a fine movement stage drive system. FIG. 9A is a diagram for explaining an operation when the fine movement stage is rotated around the Z axis with respect to the coarse movement stage, and FIG. 9B is a diagram illustrating the fine movement stage with respect to the coarse movement stage. FIG. 9C is a diagram for explaining the operation when the fine movement stage is rotated about the X axis with respect to the coarse movement stage. It is a figure for demonstrating the operation | movement at the time of bending the center part of a fine movement stage to + Z direction. FIG. 11A is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of the X head 77x, and FIG. 11B is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the X head 77x and the Y heads 77ya and 77yb in the measurement arm. FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C are diagrams for explaining the cancellation of the adsorption of the wafer W by the wafer holder, the adsorption, and the removal (recovery) of the residual liquid in the wafer holder. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus in FIG. 1. FIG. 14A is a diagram for explaining a wafer driving method during scan exposure, and FIG. 14B is a diagram for explaining a wafer driving method during stepping. FIG. 6 is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining delivery of an immersion space (liquid Lq) performed between a fine movement stage and a movable blade. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 2) for explaining delivery of the immersion space (liquid Lq) performed between the fine movement stage and the movable blade. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining delivery of an immersion space (liquid Lq) performed between the fine movement stage and the movable blade. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 4) for explaining the delivery of the immersion space (liquid Lq) performed between the fine movement stage and the movable blade. FIG. 19 is a diagram (No. 1) for explaining a parallel processing operation performed using fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 2) for explaining a parallel processing operation performed using fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2. FIG. 10 is a diagram (No. 3) for explaining the parallel processing performed using fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2. It is a top view which shows the schematic structure of the exposure apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. It is a figure which expands and shows the center table and chuck | zipper unit vicinity of FIG. FIGS. 24A and 24B are views for explaining the procedure for removing the liquid remaining on the fine movement stage.

<< First Embodiment >>
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is a step-and-scan projection exposure apparatus, a so-called scanner. As will be described later, in the present embodiment, a projection optical system PL is provided, and in the following, the direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is the Z-axis direction, and the reticle is in a plane perpendicular to the Z-axis direction. The direction in which the wafer and the wafer are relatively scanned is the Y-axis direction, the direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and the Y-axis is the X-axis direction, and the rotation (tilt) directions around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis are θx and θy, respectively. , And θz direction will be described.

  As illustrated in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 100 includes an exposure station (exposure processing unit) 200 that performs exposure on the wafer W, and a measurement station (measurement processing unit) that is disposed at a predetermined distance on the + Y side of the exposure station 200. ) 300, a center table 130 disposed between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200, two wafer stages WST1 and WST2, and a wafer exchange disposed at a predetermined distance on the −X side of the center table 130. A table 150, a robot arm 140 that can move in a plane parallel to the XY plane and can move up and down, and a wafer exchange arm 144 are provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the exposure station 200 is disposed in the vicinity of the −Y side end on the base board 12, and the measurement station 300 is disposed in the vicinity of the + Y side end on the base board 12. The center table 130 is installed at a position between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200, and a lower end portion thereof is arranged inside the base board 12. Wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are arranged on base board 12.

  Here, the base board 12 is supported substantially horizontally (parallel to the XY plane) on the floor surface by a vibration isolation mechanism (not shown). Base board 12 is made of a plate-like member, and its upper surface is finished with a very high flatness, and serves as a guide surface when wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move.

  The exposure station 200 includes an illumination system 10, a reticle stage RST, a projection unit PU, a local liquid immersion device 8, and the like.

  The illumination system 10 includes a light source, an illuminance uniformizing optical system including an optical integrator, a reticle blind, and the like (both not shown) as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0025890. And an illumination optical system. The illumination system 10 illuminates a slit-like illumination area IAR on the reticle R defined by a reticle blind (also called a masking system) with illumination light (exposure light) IL with a substantially uniform illuminance. Here, as an example of the illumination light IL, ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm) is used.

  On reticle stage RST, reticle R having a circuit pattern or the like formed on its pattern surface (lower surface in FIG. 2) is fixed, for example, by vacuum suction. The reticle stage RST can be finely driven in the XY plane by a reticle stage drive system 11 (not shown in FIG. 2, see FIG. 13) including, for example, a linear motor and the like, and in the scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 2). In the Y-axis direction) at a predetermined scanning speed.

  Position information of the reticle stage RST in the XY plane (including rotation information in the θz direction) is transferred by a reticle laser interferometer (hereinafter referred to as “reticle interferometer”) 13 via a movable mirror 15 fixed to the reticle stage RST. Thus, for example, it is always detected with a resolution of about 0.25 nm. The measurement value of reticle interferometer 13 is sent to main controller 20 (not shown in FIG. 2, see FIG. 13).

  Projection unit PU is arranged below reticle stage RST in FIG. The projection unit PU is supported by a main frame BD supported horizontally by a support member (not shown) via a flange portion FLG provided on the outer peripheral portion thereof. The projection unit PU includes a lens barrel 40 and a projection optical system PL composed of a plurality of optical elements held in the lens barrel 40. As projection optical system PL, for example, a birefringent optical system having a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1/4, 1/5, or 1/8) is used. For this reason, when the illumination area IAR on the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination light IL from the illumination system 10, the reticle R in which the first surface (object surface) of the projection optical system PL and the pattern surface are substantially coincided with each other is arranged. With the illumination light IL that has passed through the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU), a reduced image of the circuit pattern of the reticle R in the illumination area IAR (a reduced image of a part of the circuit pattern) is projected through the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU). Is formed in a region (hereinafter also referred to as an exposure region) IA that is conjugated to the illumination region IAR on the wafer W, which is disposed on the second surface (image surface) side of the wafer W, the surface of which is coated with a resist (sensitive agent). . Then, the reticle R is scanned with respect to the illumination area IAR (illumination light IL) by synchronous driving of a reticle stage RST that holds the reticle R and a wafer fine movement stage that holds the wafer W (hereinafter abbreviated as a fine movement stage). One shot region (partition) on the wafer W is moved relative to the exposure direction IA (illumination light IL) and moved relative to the exposure region IA (illumination light IL) in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction). (Region) is subjected to scanning exposure, and the pattern of the reticle R is transferred to the shot region. That is, in the present embodiment, the pattern of the reticle R is generated on the wafer W by the illumination system 10 and the projection optical system PL, and the sensitive layer (resist layer) on the wafer W is exposed on the wafer W by the illumination light IL. A pattern is formed. Here, as can be seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, in this embodiment, two fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 having the same configuration are prepared as fine movement stages.

  The local liquid immersion device 8 includes a liquid supply device 5, a liquid recovery device 6 (both not shown in FIG. 2, refer to FIG. 13), a nozzle unit 32, and the like. As shown in FIG. 2, the nozzle unit 32 holds an optical element on the most image plane side (wafer W side) constituting the projection optical system PL, here a lens (hereinafter also referred to as “tip lens”) 191. It is suspended and supported by a main frame BD that supports the projection unit PU and the like via a support member (not shown) so as to surround the lower end portion of the lens barrel 40. In the present embodiment, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 (see FIG. 13) to supply the liquid between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W via the nozzle unit 32, and the liquid recovery device 6 (Refer to FIG. 13), and the liquid is recovered from between the front lens 191 and the wafer W via the nozzle unit 32. At this time, the main controller 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 so that the amount of supplied liquid and the amount of recovered liquid are always equal. Therefore, a certain amount of liquid Lq (see FIG. 2) is always exchanged and held between the front lens 191 and the wafer W. In the present embodiment, pure water that transmits ArF excimer laser light (light having a wavelength of 193 nm) is used as the liquid.

  In addition, the exposure station 200 is provided with a fine movement stage position measurement system 70A including a measurement arm 71A supported in a substantially cantilever state from the main frame BD via a support member 72A (supported in the vicinity of one end). ing. However, the fine movement stage position measurement system 70A will be described after the description of the fine movement stage to be described later for convenience of explanation.

  The measurement station 300 includes an alignment device 99 fixed to the main frame BD in a suspended state, and a measurement arm 71B supported in a cantilever state from the main frame BD via a support member 72B (supported in the vicinity of one end). Including a fine movement stage position measurement system 70B. Fine movement stage position measurement system 70B has the same configuration as that of fine movement stage position measurement system 70A, although the direction is opposite.

The alignment apparatus 99 includes five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 _{4 shown} in FIG. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a straight line passing through the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, which also coincides with the center of the exposure area IA in the present embodiment) and parallel to the Y axis. On the LV (hereinafter referred to as the reference axis), the primary alignment system AL1 is arranged at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the optical axis AX to the + Y side with the detection center positioned. Secondary alignment systems AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ , AL2 _{4 in} which detection centers are arranged almost symmetrically with respect to the reference axis LV are disposed on one side and the other side of the X-axis direction across the primary alignment system AL1. Each is provided. That is, the detection centers of the five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ are arranged along the X-axis direction. The secondary alignment systems AL2 ₁ , AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ , AL2 ₄ are held by a holding device (slider) that can move in the XY plane. As each of the alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ , an image processing type FIA (Field Image Alignment) system is used. Imaging signals from the alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ are supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13). In FIG. 2, the alignment device 99 includes five alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 ₄ and a holding device (slider) for holding them. The detailed configuration of the alignment apparatus 99 is disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2008/056735.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the center table 130 is located between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200, and the center thereof is disposed on the reference axis LV described above. As shown in FIG. 3, the center table 130 includes a driving device 132 disposed inside the base board 12, a shaft 134 driven up and down by the driving device 132, and a plane fixed to the upper end of the shaft 134. And a table body 136 having an X-shape. The drive device 132 of the center table 130 is controlled by the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13).

  As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 5A and the like, wafer stage WST1 is levitated and supported on base board 12 by a plurality of non-contact bearings provided on the bottom surface thereof, for example, air bearing 94, to drive coarse movement stage. Wafer coarse movement stage (hereinafter abbreviated as coarse movement stage) WCS1 driven in an XY two-dimensional direction by system 51A (see FIG. 13), and coarse movement stage WCS1 are supported in a non-contact state. A fine movement stage WFS1 that can move relative to WCS1. Fine movement stage WFS1 is driven in directions of six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, θx, θy, θz) with respect to coarse movement stage WCS1 by fine movement stage drive system 52A (see FIG. 13).

  Position information (including rotation information in the θz direction) in the XY plane of wafer stage WST1 (coarse movement stage WCS1) is measured by wafer stage position measurement system 16A. Further, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or fine movement stage WFS2) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS1 in the exposure station 200 in the six degrees of freedom direction (X, Y, Z, θx, θy, θz) is the fine movement stage position measurement. It is measured by the system 70A. The measurement results of wafer stage position measurement system 16A and fine movement stage position measurement system 70A are supplied to main controller 20 (see FIG. 13) for position control of coarse movement stage WCS1 and fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2).

  Similar to wafer stage WST1, wafer stage WST2 is levitated and supported on base board 12 by a plurality of non-contact bearings (for example, air bearings (not shown)) provided on the bottom surface thereof, and coarse movement stage drive system 51B (FIG. 13), a coarse movement stage WCS2 driven in the XY two-dimensional direction, and a fine movement stage WFS2 supported in a non-contact state on the coarse movement stage WCS2 and relatively movable with respect to the coarse movement stage WCS2. Yes. Fine movement stage WFS2 is driven in directions of six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, θx, θy, θz) with respect to coarse movement stage WCS2 by fine movement stage drive system 52B (see FIG. 13).

  Position information (including rotation information in the θz direction) of wafer stage WST2 (coarse movement stage WCS2) in the XY plane is measured by wafer stage position measurement system 16B. Further, the position information of the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS2 in the measurement station 300 in the directions of six degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z, θx, θy, θz) is the fine movement stage position measurement system 70B. Is measured by The measurement results of wafer stage position measurement system 16B and fine movement stage position measurement system 70B are supplied to main controller 20 (see FIG. 13) for position control of coarse movement stage WCS2 and fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1).

  When fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is supported by coarse movement stage WCS1, the relative position information regarding the three degrees of freedom of X, Y, and θz between fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) and coarse movement stage WCS1 is as follows. It can be measured by a relative position measuring device 22A (see FIG. 13) provided between the moving stage WCS1 and the fine moving stage WFS1 (or WFS2).

  Similarly, when fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) is supported on coarse movement stage WCS2, relative position information regarding the three degrees of freedom of X, Y, and θz between fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) and coarse movement stage WCS2 Can be measured by a relative position measuring device 22B (see FIG. 13) provided between the coarse movement stage WCS2 and the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1).

  The relative position measuring devices 22A and 22B include, for example, at least two heads provided on coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2, each of which has a measurement target on a grating provided on fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2, and outputs from the heads. Based on the above, it is possible to use an encoder or the like that measures the positions of fine movement stages WFS1, WFS2 in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θz direction. The measurement results of the relative position measuring devices 22A and 22B are supplied to the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13).

  The configuration of each part of the stage system including the various measurement systems will be described in detail later.

  Further, in the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, a movable blade BL is provided in the vicinity of the projection unit PU. The movable blade BL can be driven in the Z-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by a blade drive system 58 (not shown in FIG. 4, see FIG. 13). The movable blade BL is composed of a plate-like member in which a protruding portion protruding from the other portion is formed at the upper end portion on the + Y side.

  In the present embodiment, the upper surface of the movable blade BL is liquid repellent with respect to the liquid Lq. In the present embodiment, the movable blade BL includes a metal base material such as stainless steel and a liquid repellent material film formed on the surface of the base material. Examples of the liquid repellent material include PFA (Tetrafluoroethylene-perfluoroalkylvinylether copolymer), PTFE (Polytetrafluoroethylene), and Teflon (registered trademark). The material for forming the film may be an acrylic resin or a silicon resin. The entire movable blade BL may be formed of at least one of PFA, PTFE, Teflon (registered trademark), acrylic resin, and silicon resin. In the present embodiment, the contact angle of the upper surface of the movable blade BL with respect to the liquid Lq is, for example, 90 degrees or more.

  The movable blade BL can be engaged with the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) supported by the coarse movement stage WCS1 from the −Y side, and apparently together with the upper surface of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the engaged state. An integral full flat surface is formed. The movable blade BL is driven by the main controller 20 via the blade drive system 58, and transfers the immersion space (liquid Lq) to and from the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2).

In addition, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has an image pickup device such as a CCD above the reticle stage RST as disclosed in detail in, for example, US Pat. No. 5,646,413. , A pair of reticle alignment systems RA ₁ and RA _{2 of} an image processing system using exposure wavelength light (illumination light IL in this embodiment) as alignment illumination light (in FIG. 2, the reticle alignment system RA ₂ is a reticle alignment system). It is hidden behind the RA ₁ paper surface. The pair of reticle alignment systems RA ₁ and RA ₂ is formed on the reticle R by the main controller 20 in a state in which a later-described measurement plate on the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is positioned directly below the projection optical system PL. The projection optical system PL projects the pattern of the reticle R by detecting the projection image of the pair of reticle alignment marks (not shown) and the pair of first reference marks on the measurement plate corresponding to the projection images. This is used to detect the positional relationship between the center of the region and the reference position on the measurement plate, that is, the center of the pair of first reference marks. Detection signals of reticle alignment systems RA ₁ and RA ₂ are supplied to main controller 20 through a signal processing system (not shown) (see FIG. 13).

  Returning to FIG. 1, the wafer exchange table 150 is configured in the same manner as the center table 130 described above. However, in the wafer exchange table 150, the table body does not necessarily move up and down. The wafer exchange table 150 is provided with a vacuum suction device 500A and a gas supply device 500B. The role of these devices will be described later.

  In the present embodiment, the fine movement stage is placed on the wafer exchange table 150, the exposed wafer W is unloaded on the fine movement stage, and the wafer W before exposure is loaded on the fine movement stage. Is called. That is, loading / unloading positions (ULP / LP) are set on the wafer exchange table 150. However, the loading position and the unloading position may be provided separately.

  The robot arm 140 conveys the fine movement stage between the two tables 130 and 150. The robot arm 140 is controlled by the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13).

  The wafer exchange arm 144 is composed of, for example, an arm of an articulated robot having a disk-shaped Bernoulli chuck (or also called a float chuck) 108 at the tip.

  As is well known, the Bernoulli chuck is a chuck that uses the Bernoulli effect to locally increase the flow velocity of the fluid (for example, air) to be blown out and fix (suction) an object in a non-contact manner. Here, the Bernoulli effect refers to the effect that the Bernoulli theorem (principle) that the fluid pressure decreases as the flow velocity increases exerts on the fluid machine or the like. In the Bernoulli chuck, the holding state (adsorption / floating state) is determined by the weight of the object to be adsorbed (fixed) and the flow velocity of the fluid blown from the chuck. That is, when the size of the object is known, the dimension of the gap between the chuck and the object to be held is determined according to the flow rate of the fluid blown from the chuck. In the present embodiment, the Bernoulli chuck 108 is used for attracting (fixing or holding) the wafer W.

  The wafer exchange arm 144 includes a Bernoulli chuck 108 and is controlled by the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13).

  Here, the configuration of each part of the stage system will be described in detail. First, wafer stages WST1 and WST2 will be described. In the present embodiment, wafer stage WST1 and wafer stage WST2 are configured in exactly the same way, including their drive system, position measurement system, and the like. Therefore, the following description will be made taking the wafer stage WST1 as a representative.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, coarse movement stage WCS1 has a rectangular plate-like coarse movement slider portion 91 whose longitudinal direction is the X-axis direction in plan view (as viewed from the + Z direction). A pair of side wall portions 92a and 92b fixed to the upper surfaces of one end portion and the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the coarse movement slider portion 91, and a pair of stator portions fixed to the upper surfaces of the side wall portions 92a and 92b, respectively. 93a, 93b. As a whole, coarse movement stage WCS1 has a box-like shape with a low height in which the central portion of the upper surface in the X-axis direction and both side surfaces in the Y-axis direction are open. That is, in coarse movement stage WCS1, a space portion penetrating in the Y-axis direction is formed inside.

  As shown in FIG. 6A, the coarse movement stage WCS1 has the above-described drive shaft at one end (+ Y side) end in the Y-axis direction at the center in the longitudinal direction (X-axis direction) of the coarse movement slider portion 91. A U-shaped cutout 95 having a width larger than the diameter of 134 is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 6B, coarse movement stage WCS1 is configured to be separable into two parts, a first part WCS1a and a second part WCS1b, with a separation line at the center in the longitudinal direction as a boundary. (See FIG. 7). Accordingly, the coarse slider 91 is composed of a first slider 91a that constitutes a part of the first part WCS1a and a second slider 91b that constitutes a part of the second part WCS1b.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the base board 12 accommodates a coil unit including a plurality of coils 14 arranged in a matrix with the XY two-dimensional direction as the row direction and the column direction.

  Corresponding to the coil unit, on the bottom surface of coarse movement stage WCS1, that is, on the bottom surface of first slider portion 91a and second slider portion 91b, as shown in FIG. A magnet unit comprising a permanent magnet 18 is fixed. The magnet units, together with the coil unit of the base board 12, are coarse movement stage drive systems 51Aa and 51Ab (FIG. 13) composed of a Lorentz electromagnetic force drive type planar motor disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 5,196,745. Each). The magnitude | size and direction of the electric current supplied to each coil 14 which comprises a coil unit are controlled by the main controller 20 (refer FIG. 13).

  A plurality of air bearings 94 are fixed around the magnet unit on the bottom surfaces of the first and second slider portions 91a and 91b. The first part WCS1a and the second part WCS1b of the coarse movement stage WCS1 are levitated and supported on the base board 12 by air bearings 94 through a predetermined clearance, for example, a clearance of about several μm, and the coarse movement stage drive system 51Aa. , 51Ab to drive in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θz direction.

  Normally, the first part WCS1a and the second part WCS1b are integrated and locked via a lock mechanism (not shown). That is, normally, the first part WCS1a and the second part WCS1b operate integrally. Therefore, hereinafter, a drive system including a planar motor that drives coarse movement stage WCS1 formed by integrating first part WCS1a and second part WCS1b is referred to as coarse movement stage drive system 51A (see FIG. 13).

  The coarse stage driving system 51A is not limited to a Lorentz electromagnetic force driving type planar motor, but may be a variable magnetoresistive driving type planar motor, for example. In addition, the coarse movement stage drive system 51A may be configured by a magnetic levitation type planar motor. In this case, it is not necessary to provide an air bearing on the bottom surface of the coarse slider 91.

  As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, each of the pair of stator portions 93a and 93b is formed of a plate-shaped member, and drives fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) therein. Coil units CUa and CUb composed of a plurality of coils are accommodated. Here, fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 are configured in exactly the same manner, and are similarly supported and driven in a non-contact manner by coarse movement stage WCS1, but in the following, fine movement stage WFS1 will be representatively described. .

  The end portion on the + X side of the stator portion 93a is fixed to the upper surface of the side wall portion 92a, and the end portion on the −X side of the stator portion 93b is fixed to the upper surface of the side wall portion 92b.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B), fine movement stage WFS1 includes a main body portion 81 made of an octagonal plate-like member having a longitudinal direction in the X-axis direction in plan view, A pair of mover portions 82a and 82b fixed to one end portion and the other end portion in the longitudinal direction are provided.

  The main body 81 is formed of a transparent material through which light can pass because the measurement beam (laser light) of an encoder system to be described later needs to be able to travel inside. The main body 81 is formed to be solid (no space in the interior) in order to reduce the influence of air fluctuations on the laser light inside. Note that the transparent material preferably has a low coefficient of thermal expansion. In this embodiment, synthetic quartz (glass) or the like is used as an example. The main body 81 may be made of a transparent material as a whole, but only a portion through which the measurement beam of the encoder system is transmitted may be made of a transparent material, and this measurement beam is transmitted. Only the portion may be formed solid.

  A wafer holder WH (see FIG. 12A, etc.) for holding the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is provided at the center of the upper surface of the main body 81 of the fine movement stage WFS1. Note that the wafer holder may be formed integrally with fine movement stage WFS1, or may be fixed to main body 81 via, for example, an electrostatic chuck mechanism or a clamp mechanism, or by adhesion.

  Further, on the upper surface of the main body 81, outside the wafer holder (mounting area of the wafer W), as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, it is slightly larger than the wafer W (wafer holder). A plate (liquid repellent plate) 83 having an octagonal outer shape (contour) corresponding to the main body 81 and having a circular opening formed at the center is attached. The surface of the plate 83 is subjected to a liquid repellent process (a liquid repellent surface is formed) with respect to the liquid Lq. The plate 83 is fixed to the upper surface of the main body 81 so that the entire surface (or part) of the plate 83 is flush with the surface of the wafer W. Further, at the −Y side end portion of the plate 83, as shown in FIG. 5B, the surface thereof is substantially flush with the surface of the plate 83, that is, the surface of the wafer W in the X-axis direction. An elongated rectangular measuring plate 86 is installed. On the surface of the measurement plate 86, at least the above-described pair of first reference marks and the second reference mark detected by the primary alignment system AL1 are formed (both the first and second reference marks are not shown). ).

  As shown in FIG. 5A, a two-dimensional grating (hereinafter simply referred to as a grating) RG is horizontal (parallel to the surface of the wafer W) in a region slightly larger than the wafer W on the upper surface of the main body 81. Has been placed. The grating RG includes a reflective diffraction grating (X diffraction grating) whose periodic direction is the X-axis direction and a reflective diffraction grating (Y diffraction grating) whose periodic direction is the Y-axis direction. Note that the type of the diffraction grating used in the grating RG is not limited to a mechanically formed groove or the like, but may be created by baking interference fringes on a photosensitive resin, for example.

  The upper surface of the grating RG is covered with a protective member, for example, a cover glass 84. In the present embodiment, the above-described electrostatic chuck mechanism for attracting and holding the wafer holder is provided on the upper surface of the cover glass 84. In the present embodiment, the cover glass 84 is provided so as to cover almost the entire upper surface of the main body 81, but may be provided so as to cover only a part of the upper surface of the main body 81 including the grating RG. good. The protective member (cover glass 84) may be formed of the same material as that of the main body 81, but is not limited thereto, and the protective member may be formed of metal, ceramics, or a thin film, for example. You may comprise.

  As can be seen from FIG. 5 (A), the main body 81 is composed of an octagonal plate-like member as a whole in which a projecting portion protruding outward is formed at the lower end of both ends in the longitudinal direction. A recess is formed in a portion facing RG. The main body 81 is formed in a plate shape having a substantially uniform thickness in the central region where the grating RG is disposed.

  On the upper surface of each of the + X side and −X side projecting portions of the main body 81, spacers 85a and 85b having a convex cross section are extended in the Y-axis direction with the convex portions 89a and 89b facing outward. Yes.

As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the mover portion 82a has a Y-axis direction dimension (length) and an X-axis direction dimension (width) that are both shorter than the stator portion 93a (see FIG. It includes _two plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a ₂ having a rectangular shape in plan view (about half). The plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a ₂ are both separated from the end on the + X side of the main body 81 by a predetermined distance in the Z-axis direction (up and down) via the convex portion 89a of the spacer 85a. It is fixed parallel to the XY plane. In this case, the −X side end portion of the plate-like member 82 a ₂ is sandwiched between the spacer 85 a and the + X side protruding portion of the main body portion 81. Between the two plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a ₂ , the end on the −X side of the stator portion 93a of the coarse movement stage WCS1 is inserted without contact. Magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ described later are accommodated in the plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a ₂ .

The mover portion 82b includes two plate-like members 82b ₁ and 82b ₂ in which a predetermined interval is maintained in the Z-axis direction (up and down) on the spacer 85b. Has been. Between the two plate-like members 82b ₁ and 82b ₂ , the + X side end of the stator portion 93b of the coarse movement stage WCS1 is inserted in a non-contact manner. Magnet units MUb ₁ and MUb ₂ configured in the same manner as the magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ are accommodated in the plate-like members 82b ₁ and 82b ₂ .

Here, as described above, since both sides of coarse movement stage WCS1 are open in the Y-axis direction, when attaching fine movement stage WFS1 to coarse movement stage WCS1, plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a _{2 are provided.} , And 82b ₁ , 82b ₂ , the fine movement stage WFS1 is positioned in the Z-axis direction so that the stator parts 93a, 93b are positioned, and then the fine movement stage WFS1 is moved (slid) in the Y-axis direction. It ’s fine.

The fine movement stage drive system 52A includes a pair of magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ included in the above-described mover portion 82a, a coil unit CUa included in the stator portion 93a, and a pair of magnet units MUb included in the above-described mover portion 82b. ₁ and MUb ₂ and a coil unit CUb included in the stator portion 93b.

  This will be described in further detail. As can be seen from FIG. 8, in the stator portion 93a, a plurality of rectangular YZ coils 55 and 57 having a rectangular shape in plan view are arranged at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction, and the Y-axis One X coil 56 having a rectangular shape in plan view with the direction as the longitudinal direction is arranged at equal intervals in the X-axis direction, and the coil unit CUa is configured including these coils 55, 57 and 56.

Inside the plate-like members 82a ₁ and 82a ₂ constituting a part of the movable part 82a of the fine movement stage WFS1, as can be seen with reference to FIG. Two rows of permanent magnets 65a and 67a arranged at equal intervals in the Y-axis direction and a pair (two) of permanent magnets 66a ₁ and 66a ₂ whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction are arranged. Yes.

The plurality of permanent magnets 65a and 67a constituting each magnet row are arranged in an arrangement in which the polarities are alternately reversed. The pair of permanent magnets 66a ₁ and 66a ₂ are arranged so as to have opposite polarities. Magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ are configured by two rows of magnet rows and a pair of permanent magnets.

The other stator part 93b and the movable part 82b are arranged in the same manner as the coil unit CUa and the magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa ₂ in the stator part 93a and the movable part 82a. Permanent magnets are disposed, and these constitute the coil unit CUb and the magnet units MUb ₁ and MUb ₂ .

  In the present embodiment, since the arrangement of the coils and permanent magnets as described above is adopted, the main control device 20 uses a current for every other YZ coil arranged in the Y-axis direction. Can be used to drive fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction. At the same time, the main controller 20 supplies a driving force in the Y-axis direction by supplying a current to a coil not used for driving the fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction among the YZ coils. In addition, it is possible to generate a driving force in the Z-axis direction and to lift fine movement stage WFS1 from coarse movement stage WCS1. Then, main controller 20 maintains the floating state of coarse movement stage WFS1 with respect to coarse movement stage WCS1, that is, the non-contact state, by sequentially switching the current supply target coil according to the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction. However, fine movement stage WFS1 is driven in the Y-axis direction. Main controller 20 drives fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction while floating above coarse movement stage WCS1, and can also be driven in the X-axis direction independently of this.

  As can be seen from the above description, in the present embodiment, fine movement stage WFS1 is levitated and supported in a non-contact state with coarse movement stage WCS1 by fine movement stage drive system 52A, and non-moving with respect to coarse movement stage WCS1. It can drive in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction by contact. Further, main controller 20 causes drive force (thrust) in the Y-axis direction having different magnitudes to act on mover portion 82a and mover portion 82b (see the solid arrows in FIG. 9A). ), Fine movement stage WFS1 can be rotated about the Z-axis (θz rotation) (see white arrow in FIG. 9A). In addition, main controller 20 causes fine movement stage WFS1 to move around the Y axis by applying different levitation forces (see black arrows in FIG. 9B) to movable element 82a and movable element 82b. It can be rotated (θy drive) (see the white arrow in FIG. 9B). Further, as shown in, for example, FIG. 9C, main controller 20 has different levitation forces (+ and −) in the Y-axis direction on each of the mover portions 82a and 82b of fine movement stage WFS1. The fine movement stage WFS1 can be rotated about the X axis (θx drive) (see the white arrow in FIG. 9C) by applying the action (see the black arrow in FIG. 9C).

  Further, in the present embodiment, the main controller 20 supplies currents in opposite directions to the two rows of YZ coils arranged in the stator portion 93a when a levitation force is applied to the fine movement stage WFS1. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, a rotational force (see a white arrow in FIG. 10) around the Y axis can be applied to the movable element 82a simultaneously with a levitation force (see a black arrow in FIG. 10). it can. Similarly, when main controller 20 applies a levitation force to fine movement stage WFS1, main controller 20 supplies currents in opposite directions to the two rows of YZ coils arranged in stator portion 93b, thereby moving mover portion 82a. On the other hand, a rotational force around the Y axis can be applied simultaneously with the levitation force.

  Further, main controller 20 applies a rotational force (force in the θy direction) about the Y axis in the opposite direction to each of the pair of mover portions 82a and 82b, so that the central portion of fine movement stage WFS1 is + Z Direction or -Z direction (see hatched arrows in FIG. 10). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 10, the fine movement stage WFS1 (main body due to the weight of the wafer W and the main body 81 is deflected by bending the central portion of the fine movement stage WFS1 in the + Z direction (convex). It is possible to cancel the bending of the intermediate portion in the X-axis direction of the portion 81), and to ensure the parallelism of the surface of the wafer W with the XY plane (horizontal plane). This is particularly effective when the diameter of the wafer W is increased and the fine movement stage WFS1 is increased in size. FIG. 10 shows an example in which fine movement stage WFS1 is bent in the + Z direction (in a convex shape). However, by controlling the direction of the current with respect to the coil, in the opposite direction (in a concave shape) It is also possible to bend the fine movement stage WFS1.

  In exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, during step-and-scan exposure operation on wafer W, position information (including position information in the θz direction) of fine movement stage WFS1 in the XY plane is received by main controller 20. Measurement is performed using an encoder system 73 (see FIG. 13) of a fine movement stage position measurement system 70A described later. The position information of fine movement stage WFS1 is sent to main controller 20, and main controller 20 controls the position of fine movement stage WFS1 based on this position information.

  In contrast, when wafer stage WST1 (fine movement stage WFS1) is positioned outside the measurement area of fine movement stage position measurement system 70A, position information of wafer stage WST1 (and fine movement stage WFS1) is obtained by main controller 20. Measurement is performed using a wafer stage position measurement system 16A (see FIGS. 2 and 13). As shown in FIG. 2, wafer stage position measurement system 16A irradiates a length measurement beam onto the reflection surface on the side of coarse movement stage WCS1 to include position information (rotation information in the θz direction) on wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane. ) Is included. Note that the position information of wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane may be measured by another measuring device, for example, an encoder system, instead of the above-described wafer stage position measuring system 16A. In this case, for example, a two-dimensional scale can be arranged on the upper surface of the base board 12, and an encoder head can be provided on the bottom surface of the coarse movement stage WCS1.

As described above, fine movement stage WFS2 is configured in the same manner as fine movement stage WFS1 described above, and can be supported in a non-contact manner on coarse movement stage WCS1 instead of fine movement stage WFS1. In this case, wafer stage WST1 is constituted by coarse movement stage WCS1 and fine movement stage WFS2 supported by coarse movement stage WCS1, and a pair of mover portions (each pair of magnet units MUa ₁ and MUa) provided in fine movement stage WFS2 are provided. ₂ and MUb ₁ , MUb ₂ ) and a pair of stator parts 93a, 93b (coil units CUa, CUb) of the coarse movement stage WCS1 constitute a fine movement stage drive system 52A. Then, fine movement stage drive system 52A drives fine movement stage WFS2 in the direction of six degrees of freedom in a non-contact manner relative to coarse movement stage WCS1.

Fine movement stages WFS2 and WFS1 can be supported by coarse movement stage WCS2 in a non-contact manner, respectively, and wafer stage WST2 is configured by coarse movement stage WCS2 and fine movement stages WFS2 and WFS1 supported by coarse movement stage WCS2. Is done. In this case, a pair of mover parts (each pair of magnet units MUa ₁ , MUa ₂ and MUb ₁ , MUb ₂ ) provided in fine movement stages WFS2 and WFS1 and a pair of stator parts 93a and 93b (coil units) of coarse movement stage WCS2 CUa, CUb) constitute fine movement stage drive system 52B (see FIG. 13). Then, fine movement stage drive system 52B drives fine movement stage WFS2 or WFS1 in the direction of six degrees of freedom in a non-contact manner relative to coarse movement stage WCS2.

  The coarse movement stage WCS2 is in the opposite direction to the coarse movement stage WCS1, that is, in the direction in which the notch 95 of the coarse movement slider portion 91 opens toward the other side (−Y side) in the Y-axis direction. Is placed on top.

  Next, fine movement stage position measurement system 70A used for measuring position information of fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 (which constitutes wafer stage WST1) held movably on coarse movement stage WCS1 in exposure station 200 (see FIG. 13). ) Will be described. Here, the case where fine movement stage position measurement system 70A measures the positional information of fine movement stage WFS1 will be described.

  As shown in FIG. 2, fine movement stage position measurement system 70A includes a measurement arm 71A that is inserted into a space inside coarse movement stage WCS1 in a state where wafer stage WST1 is arranged below projection optical system PL. I have. The measurement arm 71A is cantilevered (supported in the vicinity of one end) on the main frame BD via a support member 72A.

  The measurement arm 71A is a quadrangular columnar (that is, rectangular parallelepiped) member having a longitudinally long rectangular cross section in which the dimension in the height direction (Z-axis direction) is larger than the width direction (X-axis direction) with the Y-axis direction as the longitudinal direction. And a plurality of the same materials that transmit light, for example, glass members are bonded together. The measurement arm 71A is formed solid, except for a portion in which an encoder head (optical system) described later is accommodated. As described above, the measurement arm 71A is inserted into the space portion of the coarse movement stage WCS1 in a state where the wafer stage WST1 is disposed below the projection optical system PL as described above, and as shown in FIG. Is opposed to the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS1 (more precisely, the lower surface of the main body 81 (not shown in FIG. 2, see FIG. 5A, etc.)). The upper surface of measurement arm 71A is arranged substantially parallel to the lower surface of fine movement stage WFS1, with a predetermined clearance, for example, a clearance of about several millimeters, formed between the lower surface of fine movement stage WFS1.

  As shown in FIG. 13, fine movement stage position measurement system 70 </ b> A includes an encoder system 73 and a laser interferometer system 75. Encoder system 73 includes an X linear encoder 73x that measures the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction, and a pair of Y linear encoders 73ya and 73yb that measure the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction. In the encoder system 73, for example, an encoder head disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,238,931 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2007 / 288,121 (hereinafter abbreviated as a head as appropriate). A diffraction interference type head having the same configuration is used. However, in this embodiment, as described later, in the head, the light source and the light receiving system (including the photodetector) are arranged outside the measurement arm 71A, and only the optical system is inside the measurement arm 71A, that is, the grating RG. It is arranged to face. Hereinafter, the optical system disposed inside the measurement arm 71A is referred to as a head as appropriate.

  The encoder system 73 measures the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction with one X head 77x (see FIGS. 11A and 11B), and determines the position in the Y-axis direction with a pair of Y heads 77ya, Measurement is performed at 77 yb (see FIG. 11B). That is, the X head 77x that measures the position of the fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction using the X diffraction grating of the grating RG constitutes the X linear encoder 73x, and the fine movement stage WFS1 using the Y diffraction grating of the grating RG. A pair of Y linear encoders 73ya and 73yb is configured by the pair of Y heads 77ya and 77yb that measure the position in the Y-axis direction.

  Here, the configuration of the three heads 77x, 77ya, 77yb constituting the encoder system 73 will be described. FIG. 11A shows a schematic configuration of the X head 77x as a representative of the three heads 77x, 77ya, and 77yb. FIG. 11B shows the arrangement of the X head 77x and the Y heads 77ya and 77yb in the measurement arm 71A.

  As shown in FIG. 11A, the X head 77x includes a polarizing beam splitter PBS, a pair of reflecting mirrors R1a and R1b, lenses L2a and L2b, a quarter-wave plate (hereinafter referred to as a λ / 4 plate). ) WP1a, WP1b, reflection mirrors R2a, R2b, reflection mirrors R3a, R3b, etc., and these optical elements are arranged in a predetermined positional relationship. The Y heads 77ya and 77yb also have an optical system having the same configuration. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the X head 77x and the Y heads 77ya and 77yb are unitized and fixed inside the measurement arm 71A.

As shown in FIG. 11B, in the X head 77x (X linear encoder 73x), in the −Z direction from the light source LDx provided on the upper surface (or above) the end of the measurement arm 71A on the −Y side. laser beam LBx ₀ is emitted, the light path parallel to the Y-axis direction through an angle oblique set the reflected surface RP of 45 ° to the XY plane is bent in a part of the measuring arm 71A. The laser beam LBx ₀ is a solid section inside measurement arm 71 travels parallel to the Y-axis direction, reaches the reflection mirror R3a (see FIG. 11 (A)). Then, the optical path of the laser beam LBx ₀ is incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS after its optical path is bent by the reflection mirror R3a. The laser beam LBx ₀ is polarized and separated by the polarization beam splitter PBS to become two measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ . The measurement beam LBx ₁ transmitted through the polarization beam splitter PBS reaches the grating RG formed on the fine movement stage WFS1 via the reflection mirror R1a, and the measurement beam LBx ₂ reflected by the polarization beam splitter PBS passes through the reflection mirror R1b. Reach the grating RG. Here, “polarized light separation” means that an incident beam is separated into a P-polarized component and an S-polarized component.

A diffracted beam of a predetermined order generated from the grating RG by irradiation of the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ , for example, a first-order diffracted beam is converted into circularly polarized light by the λ / 4 plates WP1a and WP1b via the lenses L2a and L2b. After that, the light is reflected by the reflection mirrors R2a and R2b, passes through the λ / 4 plates WP1a and WP1b again, follows the same optical path as the forward path in the reverse direction, and reaches the polarization beam splitter PBS.

The polarization directions of the two first-order diffracted beams that have reached the polarization beam splitter PBS are each rotated by 90 degrees with respect to the original direction. Therefore, the first-order diffracted beams of the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ are combined on the same axis as a combined beam LBx ₁₂ . The combined beam LBx ₁₂ has its optical path bent in parallel with the Y-axis by the reflecting mirror R3b, travels in the measurement arm 71A in parallel with the Y-axis, and passes through the reflecting surface RP described above with reference to FIG. ), The light is transmitted to the X light receiving system 74x provided on the upper surface (or above) of the end portion on the −Y side of the measurement arm 71.

In the X light receiving system 74x, the first-order diffracted beams of the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ synthesized as the synthesized beam LBx ₁₂ are aligned in polarization direction by a polarizer (analyzer) (not shown) and interfere with each other to cause interference light. This interference light is detected by a photodetector (not shown) and converted into an electrical signal corresponding to the intensity of the interference light. Here, when fine movement stage WFS1 moves in the measurement direction (in this case, the X-axis direction), the phase difference between the two beams changes and the intensity of the interference light changes. This change in the intensity of the interference light is supplied to main controller 20 (see FIG. 13) as positional information regarding fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the Y heads 77ya and 77yb emit laser beams LBya emitted from the respective light sources LDya and LDyb and parallel to the Y axis whose optical path is bent by 90 ° at the reflection surface RP. ₀ and LByb ₀ are incident, and in the same manner as described above, the combined beam LBya of the first-order diffracted beam by the grating RG (Y diffraction grating) of each measurement beam polarized and separated by the deflection beam splitter from the Y heads 77ya and 77yb. ₁₂ and LByb ₁₂ are respectively output and returned to the Y light receiving systems 74ya and 74yb. Here, the light source LDya, laser beam LBya _0, LByb ₀ and Y light receiving systems 74ya emitted from LDyb, the combined beams _{LBya 12,} LByb 12 returned to 74yb, optical path overlap in a direction perpendicular to the page surface in FIG. 11 (B) Through each. Further, as described above, the laser beam LBya _0, LByb ₀ and Y light receiving systems 74ya emitted from the light source, and a combined beam _{LBya 12,} LByb 12 returned to 74yb, through the optical path parallel apart in the Z-axis direction As described above, in the Y heads 77ya and 77yb, the optical paths are appropriately bent inside (not shown).

In the present embodiment, the X head 77x measures the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ from two points that are equidistant from the center line of the measurement arm 71A (a straight line in the Y axis direction passing through the center in the X axis direction) in the X axis direction. Is irradiated to the same irradiation point on the grating RG (see FIG. 11A). The irradiation points of the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ , that is, the detection points of the X head 77 x coincide with the exposure position that is the center of the irradiation area (exposure area) IA of the illumination light IL irradiated to the wafer W (FIG. 2). The measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBx ₂ are actually refracted at the interface between the main body 81 and the air layer, but are simplified in FIG. 11A and the like.

As shown in FIG. 11B, the pair of Y heads 77ya and 77yb are disposed on the + X side and the −X side of the center line. The Y head 77ya is common on the grating RG from two points on the straight line parallel to the center line (which coincides with the optical path of the beam LBya ₀ ) and the distance from the straight line parallel to the X axis passing through the detection point of the X head 77x. A pair of measurement beams are irradiated to the irradiation point. The irradiation point of the pair of measurement beams becomes a detection point of the Y head 77ya.

  The Y head 77yb irradiates a common irradiation point on the grating RG with a pair of measurement beams from two points symmetrical to the emission point of the pair of measurement beams of the Y head 77ya with respect to the center line. The detection points of the Y heads 77ya and 77yb are arranged on a straight line parallel to the X axis.

Here, main controller 20 determines the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction based on the average of the measurement values of two Y heads 77ya and 77yb. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the Y-axis direction is measured using the midpoint of the detection points of Y heads 77ya and 77yb as substantial measurement points. The midpoint coincides with the irradiation point on the grating RG of the measurement beams LBx ₁ and LBX ₂ .

  That is, in the present embodiment, there is a common detection point regarding the measurement of positional information of fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and this detection point is an irradiation region of illumination light IL irradiated on wafer W (Exposure area) It coincides with the exposure position which is the center of IA. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the main controller 20 uses the encoder system 73 to transfer the pattern of the reticle R to a predetermined shot area of the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS1, thereby moving the fine movement stage WFS1. The position information in the XY plane can always be measured directly below the exposure position (on the back side of fine movement stage WFS1). Main controller 20 measures the amount of rotation of fine movement stage WFS in the θz direction based on the difference between the measurement values of the pair of Y heads 77ya and 77yb.

  Laser interferometer system 75 causes three length measuring beams parallel to the Z axis to enter the lower surface of fine movement stage WFS1 from the tip of measurement arm 71. The laser interferometer system 75 includes three laser interferometers 75a to 75c (see FIG. 13) that irradiate each of these three length measuring beams.

  In the laser interferometer system 75, the three measurement beams correspond to the vertices of an isosceles triangle (or equilateral triangle) whose centroid coincides with the exposure position that is the center of the irradiation area (exposure area) IA. Injection from 3 points parallel to the Z axis. In the present embodiment, main controller 20 uses laser interferometer system 75 to measure information on the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the Z-axis direction and the amount of rotation in the θz direction and the θy direction. The laser interferometers 75a to 75c are actually provided on the upper surface (or above) of the end portion on the −Y side of the measurement arm 71A. The three measurement beams emitted in the −Z direction from the laser interferometers 75a to 75c travel along the Y-axis direction in the measurement arm 71 via the reflection surface RP, and their optical paths are bent. Then, it is ejected from the above three points.

  In the present embodiment, a wavelength selection filter (not shown) that transmits each measurement beam from the encoder system 73 and prevents transmission of each measurement beam from the laser interferometer system 75 is provided on the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS1. It has been. In this case, the wavelength selection filter also serves as a reflection surface of each measurement beam from the laser interferometer system 75.

  As can be seen from the above description, main controller 20 can measure the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the direction of six degrees of freedom by using encoder system 73 and laser interferometer system 75 of fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. it can. In this case, in the encoder system 73, since the optical path length of the measurement beam in the air is extremely short and almost equal, the influence of the air fluctuation can be almost ignored. Therefore, the encoder system 73 can measure the positional information of the fine movement stage WFS1 in the XY plane (including the θz direction) with high accuracy. The detection points on the substantial grating in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction by the encoder system 73 and the detection points on the lower surface of the fine movement stage WFS1 in the Z-axis direction by the laser interferometer system 75 are respectively in the exposure area IA. Since it coincides with the center (exposure position), the occurrence of so-called Abbe error is suppressed to such an extent that it can be substantially ignored. Therefore, main controller 20 can measure the position of fine movement stage WFS1 in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction with high accuracy without Abbe error by using fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. When coarse movement stage WCS1 is below projection unit PU and fine movement stage WFS2 is movably supported by coarse movement stage WCS1, main controller 20 uses fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. Thus, the position of the fine movement stage WFS2 in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom can be measured. In particular, the positions of the fine movement stage WFS2 in the X axis direction, the Y axis direction, and the Z axis direction can be measured with high accuracy without Abbe error. .

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, fine movement stage position measurement system 70B included in measurement station 300 is symmetrical to fine movement stage position measurement system 70A, but is configured in the same manner. Therefore, the measurement arm 71B provided in the fine movement stage position measurement system 70B has the Y-axis direction as the longitudinal direction, and the vicinity of the + Y side end is substantially cantilevered from the main frame BD via the support member 72B.

  When coarse movement stage WCS2 is below alignment device 99 and fine movement stage WFS2 or WFS1 is movably supported by coarse movement stage WCS2, main controller 20 uses fine movement stage position measurement system 70B. Thus, the position of the fine movement stage WFS2 or WFS1 in the direction of 6 degrees of freedom can be measured. In particular, the positions of the fine movement stage WFS2 or WFS1 in the X axis direction, the Y axis direction, and the Z axis direction are high without Abbe error. It can be measured accurately.

  Here, the description will be omitted, but based on FIGS. 12 (A) to 12 (C), cancellation of adsorption of the wafer W by the wafer holder, adsorption, and removal (recovery) of the residual liquid in the wafer holder will be described. .

  FIG. 12A schematically shows the configuration of fine movement stage WFS1. Although fine movement stage WFS1 is shown in FIGS. 12A to 12C, fine movement stage WFS2 is similarly configured.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, a suction opening 81a is formed in the main body 81 of the fine movement stage WFS. The position of the suction opening 81a is not particularly limited, and can be formed, for example, on the side surface or the lower surface of the main body 81. Further, a decompression chamber formed between the external space and the back surface of the wafer holder WH through the opening formed at the bottom of the wafer holder WH and the suction opening 81a is provided inside the main body 81. A piping member 87 a that communicates with 88 is provided. A check valve CVa is arranged in the middle of the pipe line of the piping member 87a. The check valve CVa restricts the direction of gas flow in the piping member 87a to one direction from the decompression chamber 88 toward the external space (see the black arrow in FIG. 12A), that is, from the external space to the decompression chamber. The decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is maintained by preventing a gas having a pressure higher than that in the decompression chamber 88 from flowing into the 88.

  Further, the vacuum suction device 500A provided in the wafer exchange table 150 at the wafer exchange position (LP / ULP) shown in FIG. 1 is such that the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is a Bernoulli chuck unit of the wafer exchange arm 144. As shown in FIGS. 12B and 12C, when the wafer W is loaded onto the wafer exchange table 150 by the robot arm 140 for exchanging the wafer W using the 108, as shown in FIGS. The suction pipe 80a is positioned so that one end thereof is inserted into the pipe member 87a through 81a. The other end of the suction pipe 80a is connected to a vacuum suction device 500A (a vacuum pump (not shown) inside thereof). When the wafer W is placed on the wafer holder WH, the main controller 20 (see FIG. 13) controls the vacuum pump to suck the gas in the decompression chamber 88. The suction pipe 80a and the pipe member 87a are sealed with an O-ring (not shown) or the like. As a result, the pressure in the decompression chamber 88 becomes lower than the pressure in the external space, and the wafer W is attracted and held by the wafer holder WH. At this time, the liquid Lq remaining in the wafer holder WH is recovered by the vacuum suction device 500A (the vacuum pump inside the vacuum suction device 500A). That is, in this embodiment, the vacuum suction device 500A also serves as a liquid removal device. The main controller 20 starts the vacuum pump operation and sucks the wafer W after the exposed wafer W is unloaded from the wafer holder WH and before the next wafer W is placed on the wafer holder WH. Recovery of the liquid Lq remaining in the wafer holder WH may be started via the pipe 80a for use. In addition, it is desirable to dispose a porous body or a mesh member that captures the liquid Lq in a part of the flow path from the decompression chamber 88 to the vacuum suction device 500A (vacuum pump therein), for example, in the suction pipe 80a. . Thereby, the inconvenience that the liquid Lq flows into the vacuum pump can be prevented. The amount of the liquid Lq recovered through the suction pipe 80a is small, and the liquid Lq captured by the porous body or the like can be vaporized in the flow path. Alternatively, in the middle of the flow path from the suction pipe 80a to the vacuum suction device 500A, a gas-liquid separator that separates the recovered liquid Lq and gas, or a buffer space that is larger than other regions that capture the liquid Lq. By providing, it is good also as preventing liquid Lq from flowing into a vacuum pump.

  Further, when the pressure in the decompression chamber 88 becomes predetermined aerodynamic force, the main controller 20 stops the suction of the gas in the decompression chamber 88 by the vacuum pump. Thereafter, even if fine movement stage WFS (or WFS2) is unloaded from wafer replacement table 150 by robot arm 140 and suction pipe 80a is extracted from pipe member 87a, check valve CVa is used to connect the pipe line of pipe member 87a. Since the middle is closed, the decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is maintained, and the state where the wafer W is attracted and held by the wafer holder WH is maintained.

  Further, since the decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is maintained by the check valve CVa, it is necessary to connect, for example, a piping member (for example, a tube) for sucking the gas in the decompression chamber 88 to the fine movement stages WFS1, WFS2. There is no. Therefore, the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 can be detached from the coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2, and the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) between the two coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2 and the tables 130 and 150 can be hindered. Can be done without.

  Further, if the decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is always maintained, it becomes difficult to hold the wafer W using the Bernoulli chuck 108 (see FIG. 1) when the wafer W is unloaded. As shown in FIG. 12A, a piping member 87b for releasing the decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is provided. Similar to the piping member 87a, the piping member 87b communicates the decompression chamber 88 and the external space through the opening formed in the bottom of the wafer holder WH and the release opening 81b formed in the main body 81. Yes. The position of the release opening 81b is not particularly limited, and can be formed, for example, on the side surface or the lower surface of the main body 81. A check valve CVb is disposed in the middle of the pipe line of the piping member 87b. The check valve CVb restricts the direction of gas flow in the piping member 87b to one direction (see the black arrow in FIG. 12A) from the external space toward the decompression chamber 88. The spring that biases the valve member of the check valve CVb (in FIG. 12A to FIG. 12C, for example, a ball) to the closed position is in a state where the decompression chamber 88 is a decompression space (FIG. 12 ( The spring constant is set so that the valve member does not move to the open position in the state shown in A) (so that the check valve does not open in the state shown in FIG. 12B).

  In addition, the gas supply device 500B provided in the wafer exchange table 150 has a fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) for exchanging the wafer W using the chuck unit 102 of the wafer exchange arm 144, so that the wafer exchange table 150B. When it is carried in by the robot arm 140, it is positioned so that one end thereof is inserted into the piping member 87b from the release opening 81b as shown in FIGS. 12 (B) and 12 (C). A gas supply pipe 80b. The other end of the gas supply pipe 80b is connected to the inside of the gas supply device 500B.

  When unloading the wafer W, the main controller 20 controls the gas supply device 500B to eject high-pressure gas into the piping member 87b. As a result, the check valve CVb is opened, the high-pressure gas is introduced into the decompression chamber 88, and the adsorption and holding of the wafer W by the wafer holder WH is released. Further, since the gas introduced into the decompression chamber 88 from the gas supply device 500B is ejected from below the wafer W toward the back surface of the wafer W, the weight of the wafer W is canceled. In other words, the gas supply device 500B assists the operation in which the Bernoulli chuck 108 holds (lifts) the wafer W. Therefore, the wafer holding force of the Bernoulli chuck 108 may be small, and the Bernoulli chuck 108 can be downsized. When a wafer holder that holds a wafer by electrostatic attraction is used as the wafer holder, a chargeable battery is mounted on the fine movement stage, and the battery is charged together with the wafer replacement at the wafer replacement position. In this case, a power receiving terminal is provided on the fine movement stage, and the power feeding terminal is positioned so as to be electrically connected to the power receiving terminal when the wafer stage is located near the wafer replacement position. It is good to arrange terminals.

  FIG. 13 shows the main configuration of the control system of the exposure apparatus 100. The control system is configured around the main controller 20. Main controller 20 includes a workstation (or a microcomputer) and the like, and each component of exposure apparatus 100 such as local liquid immersion device 8, coarse movement stage drive systems 51A and 51B, and fine movement stage drive systems 52A and 52B described above. Oversee and control.

  In the exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, when a device is manufactured, it is held on a fine movement stage (WFS1, WFS2, which is WFS1 here) held on a coarse movement stage WCS1 in the exposure station 200. The wafer W is exposed by the step-and-scan method, and the pattern of the reticle R is transferred to a plurality of shot areas on the wafer W, respectively. At the same time, in the measurement station 300, wafer alignment (for example, EGA) is performed on the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS2 supported by the coarse movement stage WCS2.

  The above-described step-and-scan exposure operation is performed in advance by the main controller 20 as a result of wafer alignment (for example, each shot area on the wafer W obtained by enhanced global alignment (EGA)). Information obtained by converting the array coordinates into coordinates based on the second reference mark), the result of reticle alignment, etc., and fine movement to the scan start position (acceleration start position) for exposure of each shot area on the wafer W This operation is performed by repeating a movement operation between shots in which the stage WFS1 is moved and a scanning exposure operation in which a pattern formed on the reticle R is transferred to each shot area by a scanning exposure method. The above exposure operation is performed in a state where the liquid Lq is held between the tip lens 191 and the wafer W, that is, by immersion exposure. Further, the processing is performed in the order from the shot area located on the + Y side to the shot area located on the −Y side. The EGA is disclosed in detail in, for example, US Pat. No. 4,780,617.

  In exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, during the series of exposure operations described above, main controller 20 measures the position of fine movement stage WFS1 (wafer W) using fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. Based on this, the position of the wafer W is controlled.

  During the scanning exposure operation described above, the wafer W needs to be driven at a high acceleration in the Y-axis direction. However, in the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the main controller 20 performs the operation shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 14A, in principle, the coarse movement stage WCS1 is not driven, and only the fine movement stage WFS1 is driven in the Y-axis direction (and also in other five degrees of freedom as necessary) (FIG. 14). Thus, the wafer W is scanned in the Y-axis direction. This is because moving the fine movement stage WFS1 alone is more advantageous than the case of driving the coarse movement stage WCS1, because the weight of the object to be driven can be reduced and the wafer W can be driven at a high acceleration. Further, as described above, fine movement stage position measurement system 70A has higher position measurement accuracy than wafer stage position measurement system 16A, so it is advantageous to drive fine movement stage WFS1 during scanning exposure. Note that during this scanning exposure, the coarse movement stage WCS1 is driven to the opposite side of the fine movement stage WFS1 by the action of the reaction force (see the white arrow in FIG. 14A) due to the driving of the fine movement stage WFS1. That is, coarse movement stage WCS1 functions as a counter mass, and the momentum of the system consisting of wafer stage WST1 as a whole is preserved and the center of gravity does not move. Therefore, the partial weight is applied to base board 12 by the scanning drive of fine movement stage WFS1. There will be no inconvenience.

  On the other hand, when performing the shot-to-shot movement (stepping) operation in the X-axis direction, main control device 20 is shown in FIG. 14B because the amount of fine movement stage WFS1 that can be moved in the X-axis direction is small. As described above, by driving coarse movement stage WCS1 in the X-axis direction, wafer W is moved in the X-axis direction.

The alignment with respect to the wafer W held on the fine movement stage WFS2 is generally performed as follows. That is, during wafer alignment, main controller 20 first drives fine movement stage WFS2 to position measurement plate 86 on fine movement stage WFS2 directly below primary alignment system AL1, and uses primary alignment system AL1 to 2 A reference mark is detected. Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST2 (coarse movement stage WCS2 and fine movement stage WFS2) in the −Y direction, for example, as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843. The wafer stage WST is positioned at a plurality of locations on the movement path, and each time the positioning is performed, the position information of the alignment mark in the alignment shot area (sample shot area) is used by using at least one of the alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 _4. Is detected. For example, considering the case where positioning is performed four times, main controller 20 uses primary alignment system AL1, secondary alignment systems AL2 ₂ and AL2 ₃ in the first positioning, for example, in three sample shot areas. alignment marks (hereinafter, also referred to as sample marks), and the second alignment system during positioning AL1, AL2 ₁ AL24 ₄ five samples marks on wafer W using the alignment system during the third positioning AL1, AL2 ₁ The five sample marks are detected using .about.AL2 ₄ and the three sample marks are detected using the primary alignment system AL1, the secondary alignment systems AL2 ₂ and AL2 ₃ at the time of the fourth positioning. As a result, the position information of the alignment marks in a total of 16 alignment shot regions can be obtained in a much shorter time than when 16 alignment marks are sequentially detected by a single alignment system. In this case, in conjunction with the movement operation of wafer stage WST2, alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₂ , AL2 ₃ are sequentially arranged in the detection region (for example, corresponding to the detection light irradiation region). A plurality of alignment marks (sample marks) arranged along the direction are detected. Therefore, it is not necessary to move wafer stage WST2 in the X-axis direction when measuring the alignment mark.

  In the present embodiment, main controller 20 includes detection of the second reference mark, and during wafer alignment, fine movement stage position measurement system 70B including measurement arm 71B is used for coarse movement stage WCS2 at the time of wafer alignment. The position of the fine movement stage WFS2 supported in the XY plane is measured. However, not limited to this, when the fine movement stage WFS2 is moved integrally with the coarse movement stage WCS2 during wafer alignment, the wafer alignment is performed while measuring the position of the wafer W via the wafer stage position measurement system 16B. May be performed. Further, since measurement station 300 and exposure station 200 are separated from each other, the position of fine movement stage WFS2 is managed on different coordinate systems during wafer alignment and during exposure. Therefore, main controller 20 converts the array coordinates of each shot area on wafer W obtained as a result of the wafer alignment into array coordinates based on the second reference mark.

  In the parallel processing of the step-and-scan exposure on the wafer W held on the fine movement stage WFS1 and the wafer alignment on the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS2, the wafer alignment usually ends first. Main controller 20 waits for the exposure of wafer W on fine movement stage WFS1 to be completed while wafer stage WST2 is in a standby state at a predetermined standby position.

  Prior to the end of exposure, main controller 20 drives movable blade BL downward by a predetermined amount from the state shown in FIG. 4 via blade drive system 58, as indicated by the white arrow in FIG. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, the upper surface of the movable blade BL and the upper surface of fine movement stage WFS1 (and wafer W) positioned below projection optical system PL are positioned on the same plane. Then, main controller 20 waits for the exposure to end in this state.

  When the exposure is completed, main controller 20 drives movable blade BL by a predetermined amount in the + Y direction via blade drive system 58 (see the white arrow in FIG. 16), and moves movable blade BL to fine movement stage WFS1. In contact with each other or through a clearance of about 300 μm. That is, main controller 20 sets movable blade BL and fine movement stage WFS1 to the scram state.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 17, main controller 20 drives movable blade BL in the + Y direction integrally with wafer stage WST1 while maintaining the scram state of movable blade BL and fine movement stage WFS1 (FIG. 17). (See 17 open arrows). Thereby, the immersion space formed by the liquid Lq held between the front end lens 191 is transferred from the fine movement stage WFS1 to the movable blade BL. FIG. 17 shows a state immediately before the immersion space formed by the liquid Lq is transferred from the fine movement stage WFS1 to the movable blade BL. In the state of FIG. 17, the liquid Lq is held between the front end lens 191 and the fine movement stage WFS1 and the movable blade BL.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 18, when the transfer of the immersion space from fine movement stage WFS1 to movable blade BL is completed, main controller 20 further moves coarse movement stage WCS1 holding fine movement stage WFS1 in the + Y direction. The fine movement stage WFS2 is held at the aforementioned standby position and moved to the vicinity of the coarse movement stage WCS2 that is waiting. As a result, as shown in FIG. 19, coarse movement stage WCS1 enters a state in which center table 130 is accommodated in the internal space and fine movement stage WFS1 is supported directly above center table 130. That is, fine movement stage WFS1 is conveyed directly above center table 130 by coarse movement stage WCS1. FIG. 20 is a plan view showing the state of the exposure apparatus 100 at this time.

  Then, main controller 20 drives table main body 136 upward via drive device 132 of center table 130 to support fine movement stage WFS1 from below. Then, main controller 20 controls coarse movement stage drive systems 51Aa and 51Ab to separate coarse movement stage WCS1 into first part WCS1a and second part WCS1b. Thereby, fine movement stage WFS1 is transferred from coarse movement stage WCS1 to table body 136. Then, after the center table 130 is driven downward by the main control device 20 via the drive device 132, the coarse movement stage WCS1 returns to the state before separation (integrated). Then, wafer stage WST2 approaches or comes into contact with the integrated coarse movement stage WCS1 in the Y-axis direction, and fine movement stage WFS2 holding aligned wafer W is transferred from coarse movement stage WCS2 to coarse movement stage WCS1. . This series of operations is performed by the main controller 20 controlling the coarse movement stage drive system 51B and the fine movement stage drive systems 52B and 52A.

  Next, main controller 20 moves coarse movement stage WCS1 supporting fine movement stage WFS2 in the −Y direction, as indicated by the white arrow in FIG. The immersion space held between the front end lens 191 and the stage WFS2 is passed. The transfer of the liquid immersion space (liquid Lq) is performed in the reverse procedure to the transfer of the liquid immersion area from fine movement stage WFS1 to movable blade BL described above.

  Thereafter, coarse movement stage WCS1 holding fine movement stage WFS2 moves to exposure station 200, and reticle alignment, the result of reticle alignment, and the result of wafer alignment (the second reference mark of each shot area on wafer W is used as a reference). Step-and-scan type exposure operation is performed on the basis of the above-described arrangement coordinates.

  In parallel with this exposure, coarse movement stage WCS2 is retracted in the −Y direction, and fine movement stage WFS1 held on table body 136 is carried onto wafer replacement table 150 by robot arm 140, and The exposed wafer W held on the fine movement stage WFS1 is replaced with a new wafer W by the wafer replacement arm 144. Here, at the wafer exchange position, a decompression chamber (decompression space) 88 formed by the wafer holder WH of fine movement stage WFS1 and the back surface of wafer W is disposed inside vacuum suction device 500A via piping member 87a and suction piping 80a. The vacuum pump is connected to the inside of the gas supply device 500B through the piping member 87b and the gas supply piping 80b. Then, as described above, the gas supply device 500B and the vacuum suction device 500A are controlled by the main controller 20, and the wafer holder WH cancels the exposure of the wafer W that has been exposed, the next wafer W, and the wafer holder WH. The residual liquid Lq is removed (recovered).

  When the pressure inside the decompression chamber reaches a predetermined pressure (negative pressure), the main pump 20 stops the vacuum pump. When the vacuum pump is stopped, the pipe path of the piping member 87a is blocked by the action of the check valve CVa. Therefore, the decompression state of the decompression chamber 88 is maintained, and the wafer W is held by the wafer holder without connecting a tube or the like for vacuum suction of the gas in the decompression chamber 88 to the fine movement stage WFS1. For this reason, fine movement stage WFS1 can be separated from the coarse movement stage and transported without hindrance.

  Then, fine movement stage WFS1 holding a new wafer W is transferred onto table main body 136 of center table 130 by robot arm 140, and further transferred from table main body 136 to coarse movement stage WCS2. Thereafter, the same processing as described above is repeatedly performed.

  As described in detail above, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the exposure station 200 performs exposure of the wafer W held on one fine movement stage (either WFS1 or WFS2) in parallel. Thus, it is possible to exchange the wafer W held on another fine movement stage and to perform alignment (measurement) on the wafer W held on another fine movement stage in the measurement station 300.

  Further, the exchange of the wafer W is performed in a state where the fine movement stage (either WFS1 or WFS2) is transferred onto the wafer exchange table 150, and at least a part of the exchange operation of the wafer on the fine movement stage is performed. In parallel, under the instruction of the main controller 20, the liquid Lq remaining on the fine movement stage (wafer holder WH) is removed by the vacuum suction device 500A that also serves as the removal device. Therefore, the liquid remaining on the fine movement stage (wafer holder WH) can be removed without providing a wafer vacuum suction mechanism on the coarse movement stage (wafer stage).

  Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of this embodiment, when the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 holding the wafer W is supported on the wafer exchange table 150 at the loading / unloading position LP / ULP, the wafer W is exchanged. The arm 144 can be carried out from the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) while being held in a non-contact manner from above by the Bernoulli chuck 108. Further, the wafer W can be held in a non-contact manner from above by the Bernoulli chuck 108 of the wafer exchange arm 144 and loaded onto the WFS 1 or WFS 2. Therefore, a notch for accommodating an arm or the like used for unloading the wafer W from the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2, and an arm or the like used for loading the wafer W to the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 are accommodated. It is not necessary to form the notch in the fine movement stage (wafer holder). Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, it is not necessary to provide a vertical movement member (also referred to as center-up or center table) for wafer transfer on the fine movement stage. Therefore, the fine movement stage (wafer holder) allows the wafer W to be sucked and held uniformly over the entire surface including the peripheral shot region, and the flatness of the wafer W can be maintained well over the entire surface. become.

  Therefore, for example, even when a 450 mm wafer is a processing target, it is possible to realize wafer processing with higher throughput than in the past.

  Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the measurement surfaces having the grating RG formed on one surface substantially parallel to the XY plane of the fine movement stages WFS1, WFS2 are provided. Fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is held by coarse movement stage WCS1 (or WCS2) so as to be relatively movable along the XY plane. Then, fine movement stage position measurement system 70A (or 70B) is arranged opposite to the measurement surface in which grating RG is formed in the space of coarse movement stage WCS1, and each measurement beam is irradiated with each pair of measurement beams. An X head 77x and Y heads 77ya and 77yb for receiving light from the measurement surface of the measurement beam (for example, a combined beam of the first-order diffracted beam by the grating RG of each measurement beam) are included. Then, the fine movement stage position measurement system 70A (or 70B), based on the outputs of the head X head 77x and Y heads 77y1 and 77y2, position information (rotation in the θz direction) at least in the XY plane of fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2). Information) is measured. For this reason, it is possible to accurately measure position information in the XY plane of fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) by so-called back surface measurement. Then, by the main controller 20, the fine movement stage drive system 52A or (the fine movement stage drive system 52A and the coarse movement stage drive system 51A) (or the fine movement stage drive system 52B or the fine movement stage drive system 52B and the coarse movement stage drive system 51A). Fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is singly or integrated with WCS1 (or WCS2) based on position information measured by fine movement stage position measurement system 70A (or 70B) via moving stage drive system 51B). It is driven by. Further, as described above, since it is not necessary to provide a vertical movement member on the fine movement stage, there is no particular problem even if the above-described back surface measurement is adopted.

  Further, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, in the exposure station 200, the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) held relative to the coarse movement stage WCS1 is moved to the reticle R and the projection optics. The exposure light IL is exposed through the system PL. At this time, the position information in the XY plane of the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) held movably on the coarse movement stage WCS1 is converted by the main controller 20 into the grating RG arranged on the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2). Is measured using an encoder system 73 of a fine movement stage position measurement system 70A having a measurement arm 71A opposite to the measurement arm 71A. In this case, the coarse movement stage WCS1 has a space portion formed therein, and each head of the fine movement stage position measurement system 70A is disposed in the space portion. Therefore, the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) and the fine movement stage There is only a space between each head of the position measurement system 70A. Therefore, each head can be arranged close to fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) (grating RG), and thereby high-precision WFS1 (or WFS2) position information of the fine movement stage by fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. Measurement becomes possible. As a result, the main controller 20 can drive the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) with high accuracy via the coarse movement stage drive system 51A and / or the fine movement stage drive system 52A.

  Further, in this case, the irradiation point on the grating RG of the measurement beam of each head of the encoder system 73 and the laser interferometer system 75 constituting the fine movement stage position measurement system 70A emitted from the measurement arm 71A is irradiated on the wafer W. It coincides with the center (exposure position) of the irradiation area (exposure area) IA of the exposure light IL to be applied. Therefore, main controller 20 can measure the position information of fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) with high accuracy without being affected by the so-called Abbe error. In addition, by arranging the measurement arm 71A immediately below the grating RG, the optical path length in the atmosphere of the measurement beam of each head of the encoder system 73 can be extremely shortened, so that the influence of air fluctuation is reduced. Position information of fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) can be measured with high accuracy.

Further, in the present embodiment, the measurement station 300 is provided with a fine movement stage position measurement system 70B configured symmetrically with the fine movement stage position measurement system 70A. In the measurement station 300, when the wafer alignment on the wafer W on the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) held by the coarse movement stage WCS2 is performed by the alignment systems AL1, AL2 _{1 to} AL2 _4, etc., the coarse movement stage WCS2 Position information in the XY plane of fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) held so as to be movable is measured with high accuracy by fine movement stage position measurement system 70B. As a result, the fine movement stage WFS2 (or WFS1) can be driven with high accuracy by the main controller 20 via the coarse movement stage drive system 51B and / or the fine movement stage drive system 52B.

  Therefore, for example, by exposing the wafer W with the illumination light IL, a pattern can be formed with high accuracy over the entire surface of the wafer W.

  In addition, according to the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) can be driven with high accuracy, and therefore the wafer W placed on the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) is transferred to the reticle stage RST (reticle). The pattern of the reticle R can be transferred onto the wafer W with high accuracy by being driven with high accuracy in synchronization with R) and by scanning exposure.

  In the above embodiment, when the plate (liquid repellent plate) 83 is vacuum-sucked similarly to the wafer W, the liquid remaining in the decompression chamber for suction of the plate (liquid repellent plate) 83 is By means similar to the embodiment, it can be performed in parallel with part of the wafer exchange.

  In the above embodiment, three fine movement stages may be prepared, and the three operations of exposure, alignment, and wafer exchange may be performed in parallel. In this way, the throughput can be further improved.

  In the above-described embodiment, the coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2 have been described as being separable into the first part and the second part and being able to engage the first part and the second part. Not limited to this, the first part and the second part can be approached and separated from each other even if they are physically separated from each other. When the parts are separated, the holding member (the fine movement stage of the above embodiment) can be detached. Thus, it is sufficient if the holding member can be supported when approaching.

  In the above embodiment, the case where fine movement stage position measurement systems 70A and 70B are provided with measurement arms 71A and 71B that are formed entirely of glass and capable of allowing light to travel inside is described. It is not limited. For example, in the measurement arm, at least a portion where each of the laser beams travels is formed by a solid member that can transmit light, and the other portion may be a member that does not transmit light, for example. It may be a hollow structure. For example, as a measurement arm, as long as a measurement beam can be irradiated from a portion facing the grating, for example, a light source, a photodetector, or the like may be built in the distal end portion of the measurement arm. In this case, it is not necessary to advance the measurement beam of the encoder inside the measurement arm. Furthermore, the shape of the measuring arm is not particularly limited. Further, fine movement stage position measurement systems 70A and 70B do not necessarily have a measurement arm, and are arranged in the space of coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2 so as to face grating RG, and at least one grating RG is provided. If the position information of at least the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) in the XY plane can be measured based on the output of the head It ’s enough.

  In the above-described embodiment, the encoder system 73 is illustrated as having an X head and a pair of Y heads. However, the present invention is not limited to this. One or two dimension heads (2D heads) may be provided. When two 2D heads are provided, their detection points may be two points separated from each other by the same distance in the X-axis direction with the exposure position as the center on the grating.

  In the above embodiment, the grating is arranged on the upper surface of the fine movement stage, that is, the surface facing the wafer. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the grating may be formed on a wafer holder that holds the wafer. . In this case, even if the wafer holder expands during exposure or the mounting position with respect to the fine movement stage shifts, the position of the wafer holder (wafer) can be measured following this. Further, the grating may be arranged on the lower surface of the fine movement stage. In this case, since the measurement beam irradiated from the encoder head does not travel inside the fine movement stage, the grating is a solid member capable of transmitting light. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the weight of the fine movement stage by making the fine movement stage into a hollow structure and arranging piping, wiring, and the like inside.

  Further, the drive mechanism for driving the fine movement stage with respect to the coarse movement stage is not limited to that described in the above embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, the coil that drives the fine movement stage in the Y-axis direction also functions as a coil that drives the fine movement stage in the Z-axis direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an actuator (linear motor) that drives the fine movement stage in the Y-axis direction. In addition, an actuator that drives the fine movement stage in the Z-axis direction, that is, an actuator that floats the fine movement stage may be provided independently. In this case, a constant levitation force can always be applied to the fine movement stage, so that the position of the fine movement stage in the Z-axis direction is stabilized.

  In the above-described embodiment, fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 are supported in a non-contact manner by coarse movement stages WCS1, WCS2 and the like by the action of Lorentz force (electromagnetic force), but not limited thereto, for example, fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 A vacuum preload type static air bearing or the like may be provided to support the floating with respect to the coarse movement stages WCS1 and WCS2. In the above-described embodiment, fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 can be driven in all six-degree-of-freedom directions. However, the present invention is not limited to this. The fine movement stage drive systems 52A and 52B are not limited to the moving magnet type described above, but may be a moving coil type. Further, fine movement stages WFS1, WFS2 may be supported in contact with coarse movement stages WCS1, WCS2. Therefore, the fine movement stage drive system for driving the fine movement stage with respect to the coarse movement stage may be a combination of a rotary motor and a ball screw (or a feed screw), for example.

  In the above embodiment, as in the second embodiment described below, the center table 130 is arranged on the movement path of the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200. When there is fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2), wafer W may be exchanged on fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2). In such a case, after the exposure of the wafer W held on the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 in the exposure station 200, the fine movement stage WFS1, WFS1 is quickly moved at the exchange position before the fine movement stage WFS1 or WFS2 is moved to the measurement station 300. It is possible to exchange the exposed wafer held in the WFS 2 with a new wafer (before exposure), and the wafer can be exchanged with little loss time.

<< Second Embodiment >>
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. Here, the same or similar components as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same or similar reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  FIG. 22 is a plan view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus 1000 according to the second embodiment.

  As can be seen from a comparison between FIG. 22 and FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 1000 according to the second embodiment has a chuck directly above the center table 130 disposed between the measurement station 300 and the exposure station 200. Suction for sucking the liquid Lq remaining on the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 in the vicinity of the point where the unit 102 is provided, the wafer transfer arm 118 is provided instead of the robot arm 140, and the center table 130 The difference is that the device 360 is attached. Further, 150 and 144 are not provided.

  The chuck unit 102 is disposed almost directly above the center table 130 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 23, the chuck unit 102 includes a driving unit 104 fixed to the lower surface of the main frame BD, a shaft 106 driven in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) by the driving unit 104, and a lower end of the shaft 106. And a disk-shaped Bernoulli chuck (also referred to as a float chuck) 108 fixed thereto.

  The wafer transfer arm 118 is arranged such that the position of the chuck unit 102 and the wafer transfer position away from the position of the chuck unit 102, for example, in the −X direction (for example, the wafer transfer position (carrying out of the coater / developer connected inline to the exposure apparatus 100) Side and carry-in side)).

  The suction device 360 includes a suction member (361) supported by being suspended from the main frame BD via a support member (not shown). The suction member 361 has a rectangular shape whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction, and the length thereof is about the same as the width of the fine movement stages WFS1, WFS2 in the Y-axis direction. A number of suction holes for sucking the liquid Lq are formed on the lower surface of the suction member 361. These suction holes are connected to a suction apparatus main body (vacuum pump) provided outside the exposure apparatus 1000 via piping provided inside a suction member 361 and a support member (not shown).

  The support member is provided with a drive device (not shown) that drives the suction member 361 in the Z-axis direction and the X-axis direction. The suction device 360 (the suction device main body (vacuum pump) and the drive device (not shown)) is controlled by the main control device.

  In the exposure apparatus 1000, the configuration of other parts is the same as that of the first embodiment described above.

  In the exposure apparatus 1000 of the second embodiment, basically, the same parallel processing operation using the fine movement stages WFS1 and WFS2 as that of the exposure apparatus 100 of the first embodiment described above is performed. However, the wafer exchange is performed by the main controller using the chuck unit 102 and the wafer transfer arm 118 when the fine movement stage WFS1 (or WFS2) holding the exposed wafer W is on the center table 130. Is called.

  In brief, the main controller 20 controls the drive unit 104 to drive up the Bernoulli chuck 108 that holds the wafer W by suction from above without contact. The main controller 20 then inserts the wafer transfer arm 118 that has been waiting at the standby position near the wafer replacement position below the wafer W held by the Bernoulli chuck 108 to release the adsorption of the Bernoulli chuck 108. Then, the Bernoulli chuck 108 is driven slightly upward. As a result, the wafer W is held by the wafer transfer arm 118 from below.

  The main controller 20 controls the wafer transfer arm 118 to connect the wafer W to a wafer unloading position (for example, in-line connected to the exposure apparatus 100) away from the wafer exchange position below the chuck unit 102 in the −X direction. The wafer is transferred to the wafer delivery position (unloading side) with the coater / developer, and is placed on the wafer unloading position.

  When unloading of wafer W is completed as described above, main controller 20 uses suction device 160 to remove liquid Lq remaining on fine movement stage WFS2. Main controller 20 controls a driving device (not shown) to move suction member 361 onto fine movement stage WFS2 as shown in FIG. After the movement, main controller 20 operates the suction device main body (vacuum pump (not shown)) and drives suction member 361 in the arrow direction (X-axis direction) as shown in FIG. Thereby, the liquid Lq remaining on fine movement stage WFS2 is sucked by suction device 160 and removed from above fine movement stage WFS2.

  In the first and second embodiments, when the fine movement stage is supported on the coarse movement stage WCS1 or WCS2, the wafer may be exchanged on the fine movement stage. Also in this case, for example, the residual liquid on the fine movement stage can be removed at least partially in parallel with the wafer exchange by the same method as in the first or second embodiment.

  In the first and second embodiments, the measurement station 300 performs the alignment mark measurement (wafer alignment) as an example of the measurement on the wafer W. However, in addition to (or instead of) the alignment mark measurement (wafer alignment). ) Surface position measurement for measuring the position in the optical axis AX direction of the projection optical system PL on the surface of the wafer W may be performed. In this case, as disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0088843, the surface position of the fine movement stage holding the wafer is measured simultaneously with the surface position measurement, and these results are used, Focus leveling control of the wafer W during exposure may be performed.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, instead of the Bernoulli chuck, the wafer W is contacted from above without contact, such as a chuck member using differential evacuation in the same manner as a vacuum preload type gas hydrostatic bearing. It is also possible to use a chuck member that can be held.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the scanning stepper has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention may be applied to a stationary exposure apparatus such as a stepper. . Even if it is a stepper, the position measurement error caused by air fluctuation is different from the case where the position of this stage is measured using an interferometer by measuring the position of the stage on which the object to be exposed is mounted with an encoder. Generation can be made almost zero, and the stage can be positioned with high accuracy based on the measurement value of the encoder. As a result, the reticle pattern can be transferred onto the object with high accuracy. . The present invention can also be applied to a step-and-stitch reduction projection exposure apparatus that synthesizes a shot area and a shot area.

  In addition, the projection optical system in the exposure apparatuses of the first and second embodiments may be not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification and an enlargement system, and the projection optical system PL is not only a refraction system but also a reflection system and a reflection system. Either a refractive system or a projected image may be an inverted image or an erect image.

The illumination light IL is not limited to ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193 nm), but may be ultraviolet light such as KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm) or vacuum ultraviolet light such as F ₂ laser light (wavelength 157 nm). good. For example, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 7,023,610, single-wavelength laser light in the infrared region or visible region oscillated from a DFB semiconductor laser or fiber laser is used as vacuum ultraviolet light, for example, erbium. A harmonic which is amplified by a fiber amplifier doped with (or both erbium and ytterbium) and wavelength-converted into ultraviolet light using a nonlinear optical crystal may be used.

  In the exposure apparatus of the present invention, it is needless to say that the illumination light IL of the exposure apparatus is not limited to light having a wavelength of 100 nm or more, and light having a wavelength of less than 100 nm may be used. For example, the present invention can be applied to an EUV exposure apparatus that uses EUV (Extreme Ultraviolet) light in a soft X-ray region (for example, a wavelength region of 5 to 15 nm). In addition, the present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam or an ion beam.

  In the first and second embodiments described above, a light transmission mask (reticle) in which a predetermined light shielding pattern (or phase pattern / dimming pattern) is formed on a light transmissive substrate is used. Instead of this reticle, for example, as disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,778,257, an electron that forms a transmission pattern, a reflection pattern, or a light emission pattern based on electronic data of a pattern to be exposed. A mask (also called a variable shaping mask, an active mask, or an image generator, including, for example, a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) that is a kind of non-light emitting image display element (spatial light modulator)) may be used. . When such a variable shaping mask is used, the stage on which the wafer or glass plate is mounted is scanned with respect to the variable shaping mask, and the position of this stage is measured using an encoder system and a laser interferometer system. Thus, the same effects as those of the first and second embodiments can be obtained.

  Further, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2001/035168, an exposure apparatus (lithography system) that forms a line-and-space pattern on a wafer W by forming interference fringes on the wafer W. The present invention can also be applied.

  Further, as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,611,316, two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer via a projection optical system, and 1 on the wafer by one scan exposure. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that double exposes two shot areas almost simultaneously.

  In the above embodiment, the object on which the pattern is to be formed (the object to be exposed to which the energy beam is irradiated) is not limited to the wafer, but may be another object such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a mask blank. good.

  The use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, but for example, an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal that transfers a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate, an organic EL, a thin film magnetic head, an image sensor (CCD, etc.), micromachines, DNA chips and the like can also be widely applied to exposure apparatuses. Further, in order to manufacture reticles or masks used in not only microdevices such as semiconductor elements but also light exposure apparatuses, EUV exposure apparatuses, X-ray exposure apparatuses, electron beam exposure apparatuses, etc., glass substrates or silicon wafers, etc. The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus that transfers a circuit pattern.

  An electronic device such as a semiconductor element includes a step of designing a function / performance of the device, a step of manufacturing a reticle based on the design step, a step of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, and the exposure apparatus (pattern forming apparatus) of the above-described embodiment. And a lithography step for transferring the mask (reticle) pattern to the wafer by the exposure method, a development step for developing the exposed wafer, and an etching step for removing the exposed member other than the portion where the resist remains by etching, It is manufactured through a resist removal step for removing a resist that has become unnecessary after etching, a device assembly step (including a dicing process, a bonding process, and a packaging process), an inspection step, and the like. In this case, in the lithography step, the exposure method described above is executed using the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment, and a device pattern is formed on the wafer. Therefore, a highly integrated device can be manufactured with high productivity.

  As described above, the exposure apparatus and exposure method of the present invention are suitable for irradiating an energy beam on an object to form a pattern on the object. The device manufacturing method of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing an electronic device.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Liquid supply apparatus, 20 ... Main control apparatus, 51A, 51B ... Coarse movement stage drive system, 52A, 52B ... Fine movement stage drive system, 70A, 70B ... Fine movement stage position measurement system, 77x ... X head, 77ya, 77yb ... Y head, 100 ... exposure device, 360 ... suction device, 500A ... vacuum suction device, PL ... projection optical system, Lq ... liquid, W ... wafer, WCS1, WCS2 ... fine movement stage, RG ... grating, WF1, WFS2 ... fine movement stage .

Claims (9)

An exposure apparatus that exposes an object through an optical system and a liquid and forms a pattern on the object,
A movable body having a space inside and movable along a two-dimensional plane including at least a first axis and a second axis orthogonal to each other;
A holding member that holds the object and is supported by the movable body so as to be relatively movable in a plane parallel to at least the two-dimensional plane, and a measurement surface is provided on a plane substantially parallel to the two-dimensional plane;
A head unit that is disposed in the space of the moving body so as to face the measurement surface, irradiates the measurement surface with at least one first measurement beam, and receives light from the measurement surface of the first measurement beam. A measurement system that measures positional information of at least the two-dimensional plane of the holding member based on the output of the head unit;
A drive system for driving the holding member alone or integrally with the moving body based on the position information measured by the measurement system;
A liquid supply system for supplying a liquid between the optical system and the object held by the holding member;
An exposure apparatus comprising: a removing device that removes liquid remaining on the holding member in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object on the holding member.   The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removal of the residual liquid by the removing device is performed when the holding member is at an object exchange position outside the movable body. It is configured in the same manner as the moving body, and further includes another moving body that moves in a two-dimensional plane independently of the moving body,
The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the removal of the residual liquid by the removing device is performed in a state where the holding member is supported by the moving body or the another moving body. The holding member is mounted with a plate surrounding the periphery of the mounting region of the object, and is formed with a recess that forms a decompression chamber between the object and at least one back surface of the plate,
The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the removing device includes a vacuum pump connected to the inside of the recess through a piping system when the holding member is carried into the object replacement position.   The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the removing device includes a suction device that sucks the liquid remaining on the holding member when the object is unloaded from the holding member at the object replacement position. An exposure method for exposing an object,
Irradiating an energy beam through an optical member and a liquid to expose the object held by a holding member on a moving body moving along a two-dimensional plane;
Removing the liquid remaining on the holding member in parallel with at least a part of the replacement operation of the object on the holding member.   The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein in the removing step, the liquid remaining on the holding member is collected in a state where a new object to be exposed is placed on the holding member by the replacement operation of the object. .   The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein, in the removing step, the liquid remaining on the holding member is sucked after the exposed object is unloaded from the holding member by the replacement operation of the object. Forming a pattern on the object by the exposure method according to claim 7 or 8;
Developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

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