US20070171390A1 - Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography - Google Patents

Abstract

A lens cleaning module is provided for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens. The system includes a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens. A cleaning module coupling with the lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
• This is a Division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/237,651 filed Sep. 29, 2005, which is a Continuation of International Application No. PCT/US2004/010309 filed Apr. 2, 2004, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/462,556 filed Apr. 11, 2003 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/482,913 filed Jun. 27, 2003. The disclosures of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.
BACKGROUND
• This invention relates to an immersion lithography system and more particularly to methods, as well as systems, for cleaning up the optical element that contacts and absorbs water in the process of immersion lithography.
• Immersion lithography systems, such as disclosed in WO99/49504, which is herein incorporated by reference for describing the general background of the technology as well as some general considerations related thereto, are adapted to supply a liquid into the space between a workpiece such as a wafer and the last-stage optical element of an optical system for projecting the image of a reticle onto the workpiece. The liquid thus supplied improves the performance of the optical system and the quality of the exposure.
• The liquid to be supplied may be water for light with wavelength of 193 nm although different liquids may be necessary for light with other wavelengths. Because the last-stage optical element of the optical system is exposed to the liquid, there is a possibility that some of the liquid may be absorbed. This possibility is particularly high if the last-stage optical element of the optical system is a lens because calcium fluoride is a common lens material for lithography systems while it is a hygroscopic material that is capable of absorbing water from the surrounding environment.
• The absorbed water may cause several problems. First, it may degrade the image projected by the lens by changing the refractive properties of the lens or by causing the lens to swell to thereby change the geometry of the lens. Second, it may cause long-term degradation of the lens due to chemical effects.
• Conventional air-immersion exposure lithography systems require the optical elements to be made detachable for maintenance work such as when they are cleaned. It is a cumbersome and time-consuming operation, however, to remove an optical element and to reset it after it is cleaned or to exchange an optical element for a new one.
• It is therefore an object of this invention to provide systems and methods for periodically removing the water from the lens such that the amount of absorbed water will not reach a critical level and the degradation of the image and the long-term damage to the lens can be prevented.
• It is another object of the invention to provide systems and methods for making the maintenance of the optical element of an immersion lithography apparatus easier and thereby improve the useful lifetime of the optical element.
SUMMARY
• Immersion lithography apparatus of this invention may include a reticle stage arranged to retain a reticle, a working stage arranged to retain a workpiece, an optical system including an illumination source and an optical element opposite the workpiece for projecting an image pattern of the reticle onto the workpiece by radiation from the illumination source while defining a gap between the optical element and the workpiece, and a fluid-supplying device for providing an immersion liquid between and contacting both the optical element and the workpiece during an immersion lithography process. The apparatus also includes a cleaning device to clean the optical element. The term “cleaning” will be used throughout this disclosure to mean both removing immersion liquid that has been absorbed into the optical element and removing dirt, debris, salts and the like from the optical element.
• Many different kinds of cleaning devices may be used within the scope of this invention. For example, the cleaning device may use a cleaning liquid having affinity to the immersion liquid to be contacted with the optical element. If the immersion liquid is water, ethanol may serve as the cleaning liquid. As another example, the cleaning device may include a heat-generating device for heating the optical element and/or a vacuum device for generating a vacuum condition on the optical element.
• Ultrasonic vibrations may be used for removing the absorbed liquid. An ultrasonic vibrator such as a piezoelectric transducer may be attached to the housing for the optical element or placed opposite the optical element such that the vibrations may be transmitted to the optical element through a liquid maintained in the gap.
• Alternatively, cavitating bubbles may be used for the removal of the absorbed liquid. A pad with fins may be used to generate cavitating bubbles in a liquid maintained in the gap between the pad and the optical element.
• According to another embodiment of the invention, the nozzles through which the immersion liquid is supplied into the gap between the workpiece and the optical element may be used to alternately supply a cleaning liquid by providing a flow route-switching device such as a switch valve.
• With a system and method of this invention, the cleaning procedure becomes significantly easier and faster because there is no need to detach the optical element to be cleaned and the cleaning process improves the useful lifetime of the optical element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The invention will be described in conjunction with the following drawings of exemplary embodiments in which like reference numerals designate like elements, and in which:
• FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an immersion lithography apparatus to which methods and systems of this invention may be applied;
• FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram illustrating an exemplary process by which semiconductor devices are fabricated using the apparatus shown inFIG. 1 according to the invention;
• FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the wafer processing step shown inFIG. 2 in the case of fabricating semiconductor devices according to the invention;
• FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing showing a side view of a portion of the immersion lithography apparatus ofFIG. 1;
• FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a portion of another immersion lithography apparatus having an ultrasonic transducer attached so as to serve as its cleaning device;
• FIG. 6 is a schematic side view of a portion of another immersion lithography apparatus having a piezoelectric cleaning device below its optical system;
• FIG. 7 is a schematic diagonal view of an example of a piezoelectric device;
• FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of a portion of another immersion lithography apparatus having two mutually attached piezoelectric planar members as the cleaning device;
• FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of a portion of another immersion lithography apparatus having a bubble-generating pad as the cleaning device; and
• FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of a portion of another immersion lithography apparatus having a switching device incorporated in the fluid-supplying device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
• FIG. 1 shows animmersion lithography apparatus100 to which cleaning methods and systems of this invention may be applied.
• As shown inFIG. 1, theimmersion lithography apparatus100 comprises an illuminatoroptical unit1 including a light source such as an excimer laser unit, an optical integrator (or homogenizer) and a lens and serving to emit pulsed ultraviolet light IL with wavelength 248 nm to be made incident to a pattern on a reticle R. The pattern on the reticle R is projected onto a wafer W coated with a photoresist at a specified magnification (such as ¼ or ⅕) through a telecentric light projection unit PL. The pulsed light IL may alternatively be ArF excimer laser light with wavelength 193 nm, F₂laser light with wavelength 157 nm or the i-line of a mercury lamp with wavelength 365 nm. In what follows, the coordinate system with X-, Y- and Z-axes as shown inFIG. 1 is referenced to explain the directions in describing the structure and functions of thelithography apparatus100. For the convenience of disclosure and description, the light projection unit PL is illustrated inFIG. 1 only by way of its last-stage optical element (such as a lens)4 disposed opposite to the wafer W and acylindrical housing3 containing the rest of its components.
• The reticle R is supported on a reticle stage RST incorporating a mechanism for moving the reticle R in the X-direction, the Y-direction and the rotary direction around the Z-axis. The two-dimensional position and orientation of the reticle R on the reticle stage RST are detected by a laser interferometer (not shown) in real time and the positioning of the reticle R is affected by amain control unit14 on the basis of the detection thus made.
• The wafer W is held by a wafer holder (not shown) on a Z-stage9 for controlling the focusing position (along the Z-axis) and the tilting angle of the wafer W. The Z-stage9 is affixed to an XY-stage10 adapted to move in the XY-plane substantially parallel to the image-forming surface of the light projection unit PL. The XY-stage10 is set on abase11. Thus, the Z-stage9 serves to match the wafer surface with the image surface of the light projection unit PL by adjusting the focusing position (along the Z-axis) and the tilting angle of the wafer W by the auto-focusing and auto-leveling method, and the XY-stage10 serves to adjust the position of the wafer W in the X-direction and the Y-direction.
• The two-dimensional position and orientation of the Z-stage9 (and hence also of the wafer W) are monitored in real time by anotherlaser interferometer13 with reference to amobile mirror12 affixed to the Z-stage9. Control data based on the results of this monitoring are transmitted from themain control unit14 to a stage-driving unit15 adapted to control the motions of the Z-stage9 and the XY-stage10 according to the received control data. At the time of an exposure, the projection light is made to sequentially move from one to another of different exposure positions on the wafer W according to the pattern on the reticle R in a step-and-repeat routine or in a step-and-scan routine.
• Thelithography apparatus100 described with reference toFIG. 1 is an immersion lithography apparatus and is hence adapted to have a liquid (or the “immersion liquid”)7 of a specified kind such as water filling the space (the “gap”) between the surface of the wafer W and the lower surface of the last-stageoptical element4 of the light projection unit PL at least while the pattern image of the reticle R is being projected onto the wafer W.
• The last-stageoptical element4 of the light projection unit PL may be detachably affixed to thecylindrical housing3 and is designed such that theliquid7 will contact only the last-stageoptical element4 and not thecylindrical housing3 because thehousing3 typically comprises a metallic material and is likely to become corroded.
• Theliquid7 is supplied from aliquid supply unit5 that may comprise a tank, a pressure pump and a temperature regulator (not individually shown) to the space above the wafer W under a temperature-regulated condition and is collected by aliquid recovery unit6. The temperature of theliquid7 is regulated to be approximately the same as the temperature inside the chamber in which thelithography apparatus100 itself is disposed.Numeral21 indicates supply nozzles through which theliquid7 is supplied from thesupply unit5.Numeral23 indicates recovery nozzles through which theliquid7 is collected into therecovery unit6. The structure described above with reference toFIG. 1 is not intended to limit the scope of the immersion lithography apparatus to which the cleaning methods and devices of the invention are applicable. In other words, the cleaning methods and devices of the invention are applicable to immersion lithography apparatus of many different kinds. In particular, the numbers and arrangements of the supply andrecovery nozzles21 and23 around the light projection unit PL may be designed in a variety of ways for establishing a smooth flow and quick recovery of theimmersion liquid7.
• A method embodying this invention of removing the portion of the liquid7 such as water absorbed by the last-stageoptical element4 made of a hygroscopic material, as well as dirt, debris, etc., is explained next with reference toFIGS. 1 and 4. After the wafer W is exposed with light from the illuminatoroptical unit1 through the light projection unit PL in the presence of the liquid7 as shown inFIG. 1, theliquid7 is removed from underneath the light projection unit PL and acleaning device30 is brought into contact with the last-stageoptical element4 as shown inFIG. 4. In the case of a portable kind, as shown inFIG. 4, thecleaning device30 may be placed on the Z-stage9 or the aforementioned wafer holder thereon, as shown inFIG. 4, in place of the wafer W.
• Different types and kinds of cleaningdevices30 can be used for the purpose of this invention. As a first example, thecleaning device30 may be a container containing a liquid (“cleaning liquid”) having a strong affinity to theimmersion liquid7 that is absorbed by theoptical element4. If theimmersion liquid7 is water, thecleaning device30 may contain ethanol because ethanol has a strong affinity to water. Any cleaning liquid may be used provided it has a sufficiently strong affinity to the liquid to be removed and does not damage theoptical element4 or its coating. The bottom surface of theoptical element4 is soaked in the cleaning liquid for a period of time sufficiently long to reduce the level of the absorbed immersion liquid. Thecleaning device30 is removed thereafter and theoptical element4 is ready to be exposed to theliquid7 again.
• As another example, thecleaning device30 may contain a heat-generating device and/or a vacuum device (not separately shown). The combination of heat and vacuum on the surface of theoptical element4 causes the absorbed liquid to undergo a phase change into vapor, or to evaporate from the surface. The reduction in liquid density on the surface of theoptical element4 draws theliquid7 that is absorbed more deeply in theelement4 to the surface of theoptical element4.
• FIG. 5 shows a third example in which use is made of an ultrasonic transducer (or ultrasonic vibrator)32 attached to thehousing3 of the light projection unit PL. As the ultrasonic transducer32 (such as a piezoelectric transducer) is activated, pressure waves are generated and propagated, serving to clean the surface of theoptical element4.
• During the cleaning operation inFIG. 5, the gap adjacent to theoptical element4 is filled with theimmersion liquid7. In this case, the supply and recovery nozzles can continue to supply and collect theimmersion liquid7, or the supply and recovery nozzles can stop supplying and collecting theimmersion liquid7. Also during the cleaning operation, theoptical element4 can face a surface of wafer W, a surface of the Z-stage9, or a surface of another assembly.
• FIG. 6 is a fourth example using avibratory tool34 placed below theoptical element4 to be cleaned. Thetool34 may be shaped like the wafer W with thickness more or less equal to that of the wafer W, or about 0.5-1 mm, and may be made entirely of a piezoelectric material such that its thickness will fluctuate when activated. As thetool34 is placed below theoptical element4, like the wafer W as shown inFIG. 1, and the gap between theoptical element4 and thetool34 is filled with theliquid7, pressure waves are generated in theimmersion liquid7 to clean the optical element.
• During the cleaning operation ofFIG. 6, the gap adjacent to theoptical element4 is filled with theimmersion liquid7. In this case, the supply and recovery nozzles can continue to supply and collect the immersion liquid, or the supply and recovery nozzles can stop supplying and collecting theimmersion liquid7. In another example, thevibrator tool34 may be a ultrasonic transducer attached to the wafer holder on a Z-stage9, or another assembly.
• FIG. 7 shows anothertool36, structured alternatively, having a plurality ofpiezoelectric transducers38 supported by a planar supportingmember39.
• FIG. 8 shows still another example of a cleaning device having twoplanar members40 of a piezoelectric material attached in a face-to-face relationship and adapted to oscillate parallel to each other and out of phase by 180° with respect to each other. As a result, thesemembers40, attached to each other, will vibrate in the transverse directions, as shown inFIG. 8 in a very exaggerated manner. The vibration has node points at constant intervals where themembers40 are not displaced. Themembers40 are supported at these node points on a supportingmember41. As voltages are applied to thesemembers40 so as to cause the vibrations in the mode described above, ultrasonic pressure waves are thereby generated and propagated through theliquid7, and theoptical element4 is cleaned, as desired.
• FIG. 9 shows still another example of a cleaning device that cleans theoptical element4 by creating cavitating bubbles. Cavitating bubbles trapped and energized by ultrasound are high-temperature, high-pressure microreactors and intense energy released by the implosive compression of the bubbles is believed to rip molecules apart. The example shown inFIG. 9 is characterized as comprising apad43 with fins protruding upward and rapidly moved horizontally as shown by an arrow below theoptical element4 with a bubble-generatingliquid17 filling the gap in between (structure for moving thepad43 not being shown). As thepad43 is thus moved, the fins serve to stir the liquid17 and to generate cavitating bubbles that in turn serve to clean the optical element.
• FIG. 10 shows a different approach to the problem of cleaning the last-stageoptical element4 by applying a cleaning liquid on its bottom surface by using the same source nozzles21 used for supplying theimmersion liquid7. For this purpose, aswitch valve25 is inserted between thesupply nozzle21 and theliquid unit5 such that theimmersion liquid7 and the cleaning liquid can be supplied selectively through thesupply nozzle21.
• It is again noted that the cleaning methods and systems according to this invention are applicable to immersion lithography apparatus of different kinds and types, for example, having different numbers of source nozzles. A switch valve as described above need not necessarily be provided to each of the source nozzles but may be provided to a group of the source nozzles.
• The wafer W itself or apad18 of a suitable kind may be placed below theoptical element4 to provide a suitable gap in between when the cleaning liquid is thus supplied through thesupply nozzles21. This embodiment of the invention is advantageous because the same nozzles already present for supplying the immersion liquid can be utilized for the cleaning process.
• Although various methods have been separately described above, they may be used in combinations, although that is not separately illustrated in the drawings. For example, thepad43 with fins shown inFIG. 9 may be used instead of thepad18 ofFIG. 10. In other words, the examples described above are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, and many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of this invention. For example, a polishing pad similar to one used in chemical mechanical polishing may be used for this purpose. The cleanup procedure shown inFIGS. 4-10 may be carried out with ultraviolet light. The light may irradiate theoptical element4. The light may be normal exposure light from the illuminatoroptical unit1 or some other light of an appropriate wavelength for the purpose of the cleanup. In another example, the ultraviolet light for the purpose of the cleanup may be used without the cleanup procedure shown inFIGS. 4-10, and may be used under a condition in which the gap adjacent to theoptical element4 is filled with theimmersion liquid7 from theliquid supply unit5. All such modifications and variations that may be apparent to a person skilled in the art are intended to be within the scope of this invention.
• Any of the above described cleaning methods for removing immersion fluid absorbed by the last-stage optical element also may be used to remove salts, deposits, dirt and debris that may have accumulated. The term cleaning therefore refers to both of these phenomena.
• FIG. 2 is referenced next to describe a process for fabricating a semiconductor device by using an immersion lithography apparatus incorporating a cleaning device embodying this invention. Instep301 the device's function and performance characteristics are designed. Next, instep302, a mask (reticle) having a pattern is designed according to the previous designing step, and in aparallel step303, a wafer is made from a silicon material. The mask pattern designed instep302 is exposed onto the wafer fromstep303 instep304 by a photolithography system such as the systems described above. Instep305 the semiconductor device is assembled (including the dicing process, bonding process and packaging process), then finally the device is inspected instep306.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a detailed flowchart example of the above-mentionedstep304 in the case of fabricating semiconductor devices. In step311 (oxidation step), the wafer surface is oxidized. In step312 (CVD step), an insulation film is formed on the wafer surface. In step313 (electrode formation step), electrodes are formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step314 (ion implantation step), ions are implanted in the wafer. The aforementioned steps311-314 form the preprocessing steps for wafers during wafer processing, and selection is made at each step according to processing requirements.
• At each stage of wafer processing, when the above-mentioned preprocessing steps have been completed, the following post-processing steps are implemented. During post-processing, initially, in step315 (photoresist formation step), photoresist is applied to a wafer. Next, in step316 (exposure step), the above-mentioned exposure device is used to transfer the circuit pattern of a mask (reticle) onto a wafer. Then, in step317 (developing step), the exposed wafer is developed, and in step318 (etching step), parts other than residual photoresist (exposed material surface) are removed by etching. In step319 (photoresist removal step), unnecessary photoresist remaining after etching is removed. Multiple circuit patterns are formed by repetition of these preprocessing and post-processing steps.
• While a lithography system of this invention has been described in terms of several preferred embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and various substitute equivalents which fall within the scope of this invention. There are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatus of the invention.

Claims (17)

1. A lens cleaning module for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens, comprising:

a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens; and

a cleaning module coupling with said lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

2.-3. (canceled)

4. The lens-cleaning module ofclaim 1, wherein the cleaning module includes a heating/drying module for drying the objective lens.

5. The lens cleaning module ofclaim 1, wherein said lithography system is an immersion lithography apparatus.

6. The lens-cleaning module ofclaim 1, wherein said exposure apparatus has a light source which emits light having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm.

7. (canceled)

8. The lens-cleaning module ofclaim 1, wherein said cleaning module comprises a fluid retaining wall carried by said scanning stage and a cleaning fluid provided on said scanning stage and retained by said fluid retaining wall for contacting the objective lens.

9. The lens-cleaning module ofclaim 1, wherein said cleaning fluid is ethanol.

10. (canceled)

11. The lens-cleaning module ofclaim 8, further comprising a contact material for cleaning and cleaning fluid is distributed between contact material and lens during operation.

12. (canceled)

13. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising the steps of:

loading a semiconductor wafer on a stage of an immersion lithography apparatus;

filling a liquid between said wafer and an objective lens of said immersion lithography apparatus;

exposing said semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm;

unloading said semiconductor wafer;

cleaning a surface of said objective lens after said exposure step utilizing a non-manual lens cleaning module.

14.-15. (canceled)

16. The method for patterning semiconductor wafer by immersion lithography according toclaim 13, wherein said non-manual lens cleaning module further comprising a contact material for cleaning and cleaning fluid is distributed between contact material and lens during cleaning operation.

17. A method for patterning semiconductor wafers by immersion lithography to improve exposure quality comprising the steps of:

utilizing a non-manual lens cleaning module to clean the surface of objective lens before water exposure processing;

loading a semiconductor wafer on a stage of an immersion lithography apparatus;

filling a liquid between said wafer and an objective lens of said immersion lithography apparatus;

exposing said semiconductor wafer to a light source having a wavelength of less than about 250 nm.

18.-19. (canceled)

20. The method for patterning semiconductor wafer by immersion lithography according toclaim 17, wherein said non-manual lens cleaning module further comprising a contact material for cleaning and cleaning fluid is distributed between contact material and lens during cleaning operation.

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