Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

Abstract

An exposure apparatus includes a first optical member via which an exposure beam exits; a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the first optical member; a measuring member which is provided on the first movable body and which has an inclined surface to which a measuring beam for position measurement is irradiated; and a transmitting member which is provided on the first movable body, which has an end surface protruding more outwardly than the measuring member, and which has a transmitting area through which the measuring beam is transmissive. When the liquid immersion method is applied to the exposure apparatus, the substrate can be exposed efficiently and satisfactorily.

1 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure beam onto the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a first optical member via which the exposure beam exits;   a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the first optical member;   a measuring member which is provided on the first movable body and which has an inclined surface to which a measuring beam for position measurement is irradiated; and   a transmitting member which is provided on the first movable body, which has an end surface protruding more outwardly from the first movable body than the measuring member, and which has a transmitting area through which the measuring beam is transmissive.   
   
   
       2 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second movable body which is movable independently from the first movable body on the light-exit side of the first optical member,
 wherein the measuring member is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body; and   the transmitting member is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body.   
   
   
       3 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the measuring member and the transmitting member are arranged in a predetermined positional relationship for each of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the measuring beam, traveling along one of the inclined surface and the transmitting area, comes into the other of the inclined surface and the transmitting area. 
   
   
       4 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the measuring member is arranged on at least one side surface of each of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the inclined surface is directed upwardly;
 the transmitting member is a plate-shaped member having an upper surface and a lower surface;   each of the first movable body and the second movable body has an opposing surface which is opposable to the first optical member; and   the transmitting member is arranged at a position above the measuring member so that the upper surface of the transmitting member is substantially flush with a top surface of the opposing surface of each of the first movable body and the second movable body, and that at least a part of the lower surface of the transmitting member is opposite to the inclined surface of the measuring member.   
   
   
       5 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a holding mechanism which is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body and which detachably holds at least a part of the transmitting member. 
   
   
       6 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the transmitting member is arranged so that at least a part of the lower surface thereof is opposite to a predetermined area of the opposing surface of one of the first movable body and the second movable body; and
 the exposure apparatus further comprises an optical sensor which is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body and into which a light beam comes via the transmitting member.   
   
   
       7 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the transmitting member has another transmitting area which is different from the transmitting area; and
 another measuring beam, which is different from the measuring beam, is transmissive through the another transmitting area.   
   
   
       8 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a measuring device which receives the measuring beam via the inclined surface of the measuring member and through the transmitting area of the transmitting member to obtain position information about a position of the first movable body and a position of the second movable body;   a storage device which stores a correction amount in relation to a measured value of the measuring device corresponding to a position of the transmitting area of the transmitting member; and   a controller which is capable of adjusting, at least during exposure of the substrate, at least one of the measured value of the measuring device, the position of the first movable body, and the position of the second movable body, based on a measurement result obtained by the measuring device and stored information stored in the storage device.   
   
   
       9 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a driving system which synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body in a state that the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the first movable body and the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the second movable body are made to be close to each other or brought into contact with each other on a predetermined surface including an irradiation position at which the exposure beam from the first optical member is irradiated. 
   
   
       10 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein when the driving system synchronously drives the first movable body and the second movable body, the driving system makes the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the first movable body and the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the second movable body to be close to each other or to be brought into contact with each other to form a space capable of retaining a liquid between the first optical member and at least one of the transmitting members, the first movable body, and the second movable body. 
   
   
       11 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising:
 an exposure station;   a measuring station; and   a controller which controls movements of the first movable body and the second movable body in the exposure station, in the measuring station and between the exposure station and the measuring station.   
   
   
       12 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the controller controls the movements of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the first movable body and the end surface of the transmitting member provided on the second movable body are close to each other or make contact with each other. 
   
   
       13 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the transmitting member provided on the first movable body has a first extending portion which extends from the end surface thereof, the transmitting member provided on the second movable body has a second extending portion which extends from the end surface thereof, and an end surface of the first extending portion and an end surface of the second extending portion are close to each other or make contact with each other. 
   
   
       14 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure beam onto the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a first optical member via which the exposure beam exits;   a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the first optical member;   a measuring member which is provided on the first movable body and which has an inclined surface to which a measuring beam for position measurement is irradiated;   a movable member which is provided on the first movable body, which is supported movably with respect to the first movable body, and which has an end surface arranged in a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the inclined surface of the measuring member; and   a driving device which moves the movable member to a first position at which the end surface of the movable member protrudes more outwardly from the first movable body than the measuring member and to a second position at which the movable member does not obstruct travel of the measuring beam at least from the inclined surface of the measuring member.   
   
   
       15 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving device positions the movable member to the second position at least during a period in which the exposure beam is irradiated onto the substrate. 
   
   
       16 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a second movable body which is movable independently from the first movable body on the light-exit side of the first optical member;   and a driving system which synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body on a predetermined surface including an irradiation position at which the exposure beam from the first optical member is irradiated,   wherein the measuring member is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body;   the movable member is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body, the movable member being supported movably with respect to each of the first movable body and the second movable body;   the driving device moves the movable member to the first position when the driving system synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body; and   the driving system synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body in a state that the end surface of the movable member provided on the first movable body and the end surface of the movable member provided on the second movable body are close to each other or make contact with each other.   
   
   
       17 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein when the driving system synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body, the driving device moves the movable member to the first position to form a space capable of retaining a liquid between the first optical member and at least one of the movable member, the first movable body, and the second movable body. 
   
   
       18 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the movable member is a plate-shaped member having an upper surface and a lower surface;
 the measuring member is arranged on at least one side surface of each of the first movable body and the second movable body so that the inclined surface is directed upwardly;   each of the first movable body and the second movable body has an opposing surface which is opposable to the first optical member; and   the movable member is arranged at a position above the measuring member so that the upper surface of the movable member is substantially flush with a top surface of the opposing surface of each of the first movable body and the second movable body, and that at least a part of the lower surface of the movable member is opposite to the inclined surface of the measuring member.   
   
   
       19 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a support mechanism which is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body and which supports the movable member from a side of the lower surface thereof in a non-contact manner; and   a first holding mechanism which holds the movable member from a side of the upper surface,   wherein the driving device moves the movable member held by the first holding mechanism to at least one of the first position and the second position by relatively moving the movable member held by the first holding mechanism, the first movable body, and the second movable body.   
   
   
       20 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein the first holding mechanism is capable of forming a liquid immersion space of the liquid in a space between the first holding mechanism and the movable member, and the first holding mechanism holds the movable member by forming a gas bearing in another space between the first holding mechanism and the movable member at the outside of the liquid immersion space. 
   
   
       21 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the driving system synchronously moves the first movable body and the second movable body in a first direction on the predetermined surface; and
 a size of the movable member in the first direction is greater than at least a size of the liquid immersion space in the first direction.   
   
   
       22 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 20 , further comprising a second holding mechanism which is provided on each of the first movable body and the second movable body and which holds the movable member by attracting the lower surface of the movable member arranged at least at one of the first position and the second position. 
   
   
       23 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the first movable body and the second movable body is movable while holding the substrate. 
   
   
       24 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein each of the first movable body and the second movable body is movable while holding the substrate. 
   
   
       25 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 2 , further comprising a second optical member which is provided to obtain position information about the substrate held by at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body,
 wherein each of the first movable body and the second movable body is movable to an opposing position at which each of the first movable body and the second movable body is opposite to the second optical member; and   an operation, in which the first movable body is arranged at an irradiation position at which the exposure beam from the first optical member is irradiated to expose the substrate held by the first movable body, is performed concurrently with at least a part of another operation in which the second movable body is arranged at the opposing position opposite to the second optical member to measure another substrate held by the second movable body.   
   
   
       26 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising a second optical member which is provided to obtain position information about the substrate held by at least one of the first movable body and the second movable body,
 wherein each of the first movable body and the second movable body is movable to an opposing position at which each of the first movable body and the second movable body is opposite to the second optical member; and   an operation, in which the first movable body is arranged at the irradiation position at which the exposure beam from the first optical member is irradiated to expose the substrate held by the first movable body, is performed concurrently with at least a part of another operation in which the second movable body is arranged at the opposing position opposite to the second optical member to measure another substrate held by the second movable body.   
   
   
       27 . An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure beam onto the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 an optical member via which the exposure beam exits;   a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the optical member;   a detector which is provided on the first movable body and which detects the exposure beam; and   a transmitting plate which is provided on the first movable body and which has a first transmitting area which transmits a measuring beam for position measurement of the first movable body and a second transmitting area which transmits a detecting light beam to the detector.   
   
   
       28 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein the movable body has a surface on which the substrate is placed;
 a recess, in which the detector is arranged, is formed on the surface;   the transmitting plate covers the recess; and   the transmitting plate extends from the surface of the movable body.   
   
   
       29 . A method for producing a device, comprising using the exposure apparatus as defined in  claim 1 . 
   
   
       30 . A method for producing a device, comprising using the exposure apparatus as defined in  claim 14 . 
   
   
       31 . A method for producing a device, comprising using the exposure apparatus as defined in  claim 27 . 
   
   
       32 . An exposure method for exposing a substrate by irradiating an exposure beam onto the substrate held by a first movable body which has a first inclined surface reflecting a measuring beam, the exposure method including:
 measuring a position of the substrate, held by the first movable body, by receiving the measuring beam from the first inclined surface via a first transmitting member provided to extend from the first movable body to outside of the first inclined surface; and   exposing the substrate by irradiating the exposure beam onto the substrate on the first movable body of which position is measured.   
   
   
       33 . The exposure method according to  claim 32 , further comprising measuring a position of a second movable body which is movable independently from the first movable body;
 wherein the second movable body includes a second inclined surface reflecting the measuring beam and a second transmitting member provided to extend to outside of the second inclined surface; and   a position of the second movable body is measured by receiving the measuring beam from the second inclined surface via the second transmitting member.   
   
   
       34 . The exposure method according to  claim 33 , wherein the substrate is exposed at an exposure station, and the position of the first movable body or the position of the second movable body is measured at a measuring station disposed separately and away from the exposure station. 
   
   
       35 . A method for producing a device, comprising:
 exposing a substrate by using the exposure method as defined in  claim 32 ;   developing the exposed substrate; and   processing the developed substrate.