JP2003247676A - Piping and exposing device having it - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a piping which can be connected to a movable body arranged in vacuum atmosphere and holds the vacuum atmosphere with high to medium vacuum degree with high accuracy by preventing bad influences such as lowered vacuum degree in a vacuum chamber due to degasification or permeable gas. <P>SOLUTION: This piping is characterized by that it has a tube 20 used for delivery of a fluid to a positioning device 3 arranged in the vacuum atmosphere and the tube 20 has a resin layer 21 metal layer 22 covering the resin layer 21. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a pipe such as a multi-layer tube which is connected to supply a fluid such as gas or liquid from the outside of a vacuum chamber for driving a positioning device arranged in the vacuum chamber, and more particularly to a pipe. Relates to a pipe capable of maintaining a vacuum atmosphere with a medium to high vacuum degree with high accuracy by preventing an adverse effect such as a decrease in vacuum degree in a vacuum chamber due to degassing from a pipe or a permeated gas, and an exposure apparatus having the same .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, the inside and outside of a vacuum chamber, which has been kept in a medium to high vacuum atmosphere, is connected by a pipe (tube) to supply or discharge a fluid such as gas or liquid into or outside the vacuum chamber. In this case, a metal tube is used in order to suppress a decrease in the degree of vacuum in the vacuum chamber due to degassing from the tube (tube) and permeating gas. In addition, as a pipe connected to a movable body such as a positioning device (positioning stage) arranged in the vacuum chamber, a flexible metal tube having a bellows structure is generally used to ensure flexibility.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a conventional example of a positioning device and piping arranged in a vacuum chamber. As shown in FIG. 3, with respect to the positioning object 2 in the vacuum chamber 1 which is held in a high vacuum, the stage 3 on the surface plate 4 floats above the surface plate 4 by a fluid such as gas or liquid. It is precisely positioned by being driven.

Since the stage 3 needs to supply and discharge a fluid such as gas or liquid, it communicates with the inside and outside of the vacuum chamber 1 via a flange 5 and a metal tube 6 having a bellows structure.
The arrow in the figure indicates that the stage 3 is movable.

[0005]

However, when the metal tube 6 is used to connect to the positioning device 3 arranged in the vacuum chamber 1, there is an advantage that there is almost no degassing or permeating gas from the tube itself. On the other hand, there are the following two major problems.

1. Since the flexibility is low (the bending rigidity is high), the load resistance due to the movement of the stage 3 is large. In other words, the force when deforming the pipe becomes a disturbance factor of the stage 3,
Poor positioning accuracy.

2. Due to repeated deformation of the metal tube 6, metal fatigue is likely to occur, and there is concern about durability.

In particular, in the highly accurate stage 3, even if the tube is made of a highly flexible resin material, the non-linear force due to the drawing of the tube adversely affects the positioning accuracy. For this reason, the low flexibility of the metal tube 6 is a serious problem, and a highly flexible tube that can be used in the vacuum chamber 1 is strongly demanded. Further, it is conceivable to replace the metal tube 6 with a tube made of a highly flexible resin material. However, since the amount of degassed gas or permeated gas in the resin tube is generally much larger than that of the metal tube 6, As it is, it is difficult to use it in a medium to high vacuum environment.

On the other hand, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-297967 discloses a piping structure as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 for the purpose of solving these problems. In the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the pipe structure is a double pipe with the flexible resin tube 7 inside and the resin tube 8 with small surface degassing outside, and a desired fluid is supplied to the inside pipe 7. There is.
Further, a mechanism (vacuum pump) for exhausting the space between the inner pipe 7 and the outer pipe 8 is provided, and the space is evacuated to suppress the permeation amount of the fluid into the vacuum chamber 1. It can be used in a vacuum atmosphere.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and can be connected to a movable body arranged in a vacuum atmosphere, and a vacuum in a vacuum chamber can be generated by degassing from a pipe or permeating gas. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pipe capable of maintaining a vacuum atmosphere of a medium to high vacuum degree with high accuracy and preventing an adverse effect such as a decrease in temperature, and an exposure apparatus having the same.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the pipe of the present invention has a tube used for transferring a fluid to a movable body arranged in a vacuum atmosphere, the tube including a resin layer. It is characterized by having a metal layer that covers the outside of the resin layer.

In the present invention, the tube preferably has a resin layer covering the outside of the metal layer. The outer resin layer of the tube is preferably a resin material having the same degree of degassing as the inner resin layer or less degassing than the inner resin layer, and further, a resin having the same degree of degassing as the fluororesin or less degassing than the fluororesin. It is more preferable that the material is a manufacturing material. The outer resin layer of the tube is desired to have a wall thickness of 0.1 mm or less.

The inner resin layer of the tube is preferably made of a resin material having a degree of flexibility equal to or higher than that of the outer resin layer, and further, equal to or higher than that of urethane resin. A resin material having high flexibility is more preferable.

In the present invention, the metal layer of the tube preferably has a thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less, and more preferably is formed by film formation. Also, the metal layer of the tube can be electrically grounded.

In the pipe of the present invention, the movable body is a stage arranged in a vacuum chamber, the tube is connected to the stage to drive the stage, and the exposure apparatus of the present invention is , Which has the tube.

(Operation) A pipe (tube) used for delivering a fluid such as gas or liquid to a movable body (stage of the positioning device 3) in a vacuum atmosphere, the metal covering the resin layer 21 and the outside of the resin layer 21. The multilayer (laminated) tube constituted by the layer 22 prevents the fluid from permeating into the vacuum atmosphere. By providing the resin layer 23 that further covers the outside of the multilayer tube, peeling of the metal layer 22 or scattering of metal pieces is prevented.

Further, the outer resin layer 23 of the multi-layer tube is
The surface degassing amount can be suppressed by using a resin material that is as much as the inner resin layer 21 or less outgassing than the inner resin layer 21, and in particular, a resin material that is about the same as the fluororesin or less degassing than the fluororesin can be used. If so, the surface degassing amount can be further suppressed. If the outer resin layer 23 has a wall thickness of 0.1 mm or less, it is sufficient to prevent the metal layer 22 from peeling off and does not impair flexibility.

Further, in order to ensure flexibility, the inner resin layer 21 of the multi-layer tube 20 is preferably made of a resin material having the same or higher flexibility than the outer resin layer 23, and particularly urethane resin. It is preferable to use a resin material having the same or higher flexibility than urethane resin. If the metal layer 22 has a thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less,
The effect of preventing permeation of the fluid can be sufficiently obtained, and the flexibility of the entire multilayer tube 20 can be maintained. Here, the metal layer 22 can be easily manufactured by forming it by plating or vapor deposition.

Further, the multilayer tube 20 is attached to the vacuum chamber 1
In order to drive the positioning device (positioning stage) 3 therein on the surface plate 4 (or with respect to the surface plate 4),
By using it to connect to the stage 3, suppression of surface degassing,
Each effect of permeation prevention and flexibility can be exhibited.

Further, by constructing an exposure apparatus (not shown) equipped with these multilayer tubes 20, the positioning accuracy of the substrate 2 is not impaired and the vacuum deterioration in the chamber 1 can be suppressed, so the exposure accuracy is remarkably improved. It is possible to improve.

[0021]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to these examples.

FIG. 1 shows a structure of a laminated or multi-layer (hereinafter, referred to as multi-layer) tube 20 showing an embodiment of the present invention. The innermost layer 21 as an inner resin layer has a wall thickness of about 1 mm, for example. Urethane resin, intermediate layer 22 to be a metal layer
Is a silicon (Si) layer having a thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less, for example, and the outermost layer 23 serving as an outer resin layer has a configuration such as a coating of a fluororesin having a thickness of 0.1 mm or less. is there.

Regarding the material of the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 of the multi-layer tube 20, the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 is approximately the same as the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 or the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21. Any material other than the above-mentioned fluororesin may be used as long as it is a resin material with less surface degassing. If the degree of degassing of the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 and the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 is the same, the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 and the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 are the same. A resin material may be used. The material of the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 of the multi-layer tube 20 is the same as the fluororesin or a resin material whose surface degassing is smaller than that of the fluororesin.
More preferable.

In order to ensure flexibility, the material of the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 of the multi-layer tube 20 is such that the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 is about the same as the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 or the outer resin. Any material other than the urethane resin described above may be used as long as it is a resin material having a higher flexibility than the layer 23. If the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 and the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 may have the same degree of flexibility, the innermost layer (inner resin layer)
21 and the outermost layer (outer resin layer) 23 may be made of the same resin material. The material of the innermost layer (inner resin layer) 21 of the multi-layer tube 20 is more preferably a resin material having a degree of flexibility equal to or higher than the urethane resin.

Since the metal layer 22 of Si and the fluororesin layer 23 are small in thickness, the flexibility of the urethane resin 21 is basically maintained as a whole of the multilayer tube 20. With the urethane resin 21 alone, the amount of a fluid such as a gas or a liquid flowing through the urethane resin 21 permeating into the vacuum chamber 1 is very large, which causes deterioration of the vacuum atmosphere.
Of the metal layer 22 is formed.

In general, it can be considered that there is no permeation of the fluid through the metal. Therefore, the metal layer 22 completely prevents the fluid in the multilayer tube 20 from slightly leaking to the outside of the tube 20. Good to be.

However, this metal layer 22 is the multilayer tube 2
Since cracks easily occur due to bending of 0, etc., it will not only function as a fluid permeation prevention function, but it will not work as it is.
There is a risk that metal pieces may be scattered around, and it is difficult to apply it to applications where bending is frequently repeated.

In particular, the positioning object 2 held on the stage 3 in the vacuum chamber 1 by using the exposure light in the vacuum ultraviolet region.
2 that exposes a substrate such as a semiconductor wafer to be exposed to light, a device that requires a high vacuum, such as dust, which is called a contaminant, is very difficult to remove in addition to the degree of vacuum. Dispersion in the vacuum chamber 1 can be fatal for a vacuum device. Therefore, in the embodiment of FIG. 1, a fluorine resin 23 is further coated on the outside of the Si metal layer 22 to fix the metal pieces so that the metal pieces are not easily peeled off and the metal pieces do not scatter around even if they are peeled off to some extent.

Of course, the multi-layer tube 2 which constitutes the piping
0 is required to have flexibility, but is used in a case where the tube 20 is hardly bent, for example, the object to which the tube 20 is connected is fixed in the vacuum chamber 1, or the multilayer tube 20 is a movable body to which the tube 20 is connected. In applications such as a small movement stroke of the apparatus (substrate stage) 3, it is not necessary to provide a resin layer which is the outermost layer 23, and rather, the metal layer 22 exposed on the surface is less surface degassing, and thus deteriorates in vacuum. Suitable for prevention.

Needless to say, urethane is used for the innermost layer 21, and the fluorine resin is used for the outermost layer 23 in order to suppress surface degassing. Of course, any resin material may be used as long as it is a resin that meets these intentions, and as described above, for example, the modified fluororesin capable of satisfying both flexibility and surface degassing property in the innermost layer 21 or the outermost layer 23 ( It is also effective to use (THV, etc.).

The Si metal layer 22 is designed in accordance with the tube diameter and the like to have an optimum wall thickness that has a high adhesiveness and maintains the flexibility as the multilayer tube 20 while maintaining the function of preventing permeation. However, in general, the tube 20 used in the positioning device 3 or the like, which is supposed to be used in a medium to high vacuum atmosphere such as a semiconductor exposure apparatus, has the metal layer 2 thereof.
If the wall thickness of 2 is 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less, the multilayer tube 20 satisfying the above conditions can be obtained.

When the positioning device 3 of the exposure apparatus as shown in FIG. 2 is constructed by using the multi-layer tube 20 as described above, the amount of fluid permeating from the inside to the outside is ensured while ensuring flexibility and durability. It can be eliminated to the same extent as the conventional metal tube 6 shown in FIG. The surface degassing of the multi-layer tube 20 is larger than that of the conventional metal tube 6, but since the surface is the fluororesin layer 23, it can be made extremely small in a general resin tube.

However, as described above, when such a multi-layer tube 20 is incorporated into the positioning device 3 and is bent repeatedly, the metal layer 22 is cracked and leaks from that portion, causing leakage from the inside to the outside. Although the amount of permeation of the fluid may be a little larger than that at the beginning, in the example of FIG. 1, the metal piece does not peel off due to the outermost resin layer 23 even if a crack is formed, that is, the cracked portion is Since it is maintained, it is possible to suppress an increase in the amount of transmission. Also, cracks (that is, parts where the effect of preventing permeation of metal does not contribute)
The area of is extremely small compared to the total surface area of the tube 20, so the increase in the amount of permeation is minute.

The provision of the metal layer 22 not only prevents the permeation of fluid but also helps prevent the entire multilayer tube 20 from being charged. For example, when a refrigerant having a high insulating property such as an inert refrigerant is flown inside a general tube, static electricity is likely to accumulate inside the tube due to friction between the tube and the fluid.
However, if the metal layer 22 is provided like the multilayer tube of the present invention and is electrically grounded via a joint or the like, charging can be prevented. This is also effective in preventing charging to the outside of the tube due to leakage of the electron beam from an electron beam (EB) exposure device or the like.

Exposure apparatus having a vacuum atmosphere (EUV, E
In the B exposure apparatus, etc.), a movable body (positioning device, positioning stage, or substrate stage) alone is used as a coolant for cooling exposure heat and heat generated from an actuator, etc.
A large number of tube pipes such as gas (air) supply and exhaust pipes for using the hydrostatic bearing (for vacuum) 10 are used, and 3 to 5
Since the internal pressure is as high as about kgf / cm, the amount of permeation from the tube pipe is a major factor of vacuum deterioration.

Therefore, by applying the above-mentioned multilayer tube 20 as a tube of a movable body positioning device, a positioning stage, or a substrate stage), the vacuum chamber 1
Deterioration of the degree of vacuum inside is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress the deterioration of the exposure accuracy caused by the deterioration of the degree of vacuum and improve the exposure accuracy.

[0037]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a pipe suitable for connection to a movable body is provided which is rich in flexibility while suppressing the influence of degassing and permeating gas from the pipe itself and has high durability against repeated deformation. it can. By electrically grounding the metal layer of the tube, it is possible to prevent the tube from being charged.

If a resin layer is provided outside the metal layer,
It is possible to prevent the metal layer from peeling off due to repeated deformation or the like, or to prevent the metal pieces from scattering. If a resin material with less surface degassing is used for the outer resin layer, the surface degassing from the entire piping can be further reduced, the adverse effect on the vacuum degree inside the vacuum chamber can be reduced, and the flexibility of the inner resin layer can be reduced. If a high resin material is used, the flexibility of the entire pipe can be increased.

Further, by setting the thickness of the outer resin layer to be 0.1 mm or less or the thickness of the metal layer to be as thin as 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less, the flexibility of the entire pipe can be maintained. .

By using the above-mentioned multilayer tube for connecting to the movable body (positioning stage) when constructing a positioning device in a vacuum atmosphere, a non-linear load on the movable body is reduced, which results in positioning accuracy. When this is applied to an exposure apparatus, the degree of vacuum can be prevented from being deteriorated and the optical characteristics are also improved, so that the exposure accuracy can be significantly improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of a tube according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing an example of a positioning device having a pipe using a tube according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing an example of a conventional positioning device.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view schematically showing the structure of a conventional tube.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing another example of a conventional positioning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vacuum chamber 2 Positioning target 3 Positioning device 4 surface plate 5 flange 10 Vacuum static pressure bearing 20 multi-layer tube 21 Inner resin layer 22 Metal layer 23 Outer resin layer

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A pipe having a tube used for delivering a fluid to a movable body arranged in a vacuum atmosphere, the tube having a resin layer and a metal layer covering the outside of the resin layer. . 2. The pipe according to claim 1, wherein the tube has a resin layer that covers the outside of the metal layer. 3. The pipe according to claim 2, wherein the outer resin layer of the tube is made of a resin material whose surface degassing is similar to or less than that of the inner resin layer. 4. The pipe according to claim 3, wherein the outer resin layer of the tube is made of a resin material that is about the same as or less degassed than the fluororesin. 5. The outer resin layer of the tube has a thickness of 0.1 m.
The pipe according to claim 2, which has a wall thickness of m or less. 6. The pipe according to claim 2, wherein the inner resin layer of the tube is made of a resin material having a degree of flexibility equal to or higher than that of the outer resin layer. 7. The pipe according to claim 6, wherein the inner resin layer of the tube is made of a resin material having a degree of flexibility equal to or higher than that of the urethane resin. 8. The metal layer of the tube has a wall thickness of 1 μm or more and 100 μm or less.
Piping described. 9. The pipe according to claim 8, wherein the metal layer of the tube is formed by film formation. 10. The pipe according to claim 1, wherein a metal layer of the tube is electrically grounded. 11. The pipe according to claim 1, wherein the movable body is a stage arranged in a vacuum chamber, and the tube is connected to the stage to drive the stage. 12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising the tube.