JP2010251622A - Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a substrate stage for performing highly accurate positioning, capable of suppressing swing in a pitching direction of an XY stage. <P>SOLUTION: A stage apparatus includes: a stage; a first driving mechanism for driving the stage in a first direction; a second driving mechanism for driving the stage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction; a drive guide for guiding the drive of the stage in the second direction by the second driving mechanism; and an air bearing arranged facing the drive guide to support the stage. The second driving mechanism further includes a means for driving the stage in the first direction and a control means which, when driving the stage by the first driving mechanism, controls an interval between the drive guide and the air bearing by driving the second driving mechanism. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a substrate stage apparatus of an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern of an original on a substrate.

  In the stage apparatus included in the exposure apparatus, high-precision positioning and guidance are required, and it is necessary to suppress mechanical wear as much as possible. From this point of view, in the substrate stage and the mask stage, a stage in which an air bearing slides on the guide surface and moves without contact is developed and mounted. In addition, as a method for driving the stage movable unit, driving by a linear motor using an electromagnetic force driving system that is movable in a single-axis or multi-axis direction is adopted.

 In the substrate stage, an XY-direction biaxial stage driven by a linear motor is employed, but there are the following problems to be solved. If the point of action of the force in the Y direction (scanning direction) drive mechanism and the center of gravity of the X direction drive mechanism do not coincide with each other in the height direction, when the XY stage accelerates or decelerates in the scanning direction, the XY stage Shaking in the pitching direction occurs with respect to the scanning direction. Further, the interval between the X-direction guide and the air bearing changes due to the inertial force of the XY stage, and the XY stage cannot maintain a stable state.

  In response to this problem, Patent Document 1 discloses a method of performing stage drive control using a measurement value immediately before the occurrence of a malfunction when an error occurs in the means for measuring the position during constant speed operation of the stage. ing. Patent Document 2 discloses a method using a mass body that moves in a direction perpendicular to the surface plate in order to effectively cancel the driving reaction force accompanying the driving of the stage. Further, Patent Document 3 discloses a method in which a slit is provided on a guide member in the scanning direction in order to improve the position controllability of the stage.

JP-A-10-050807 JP 2007-273633 A JP 2004-80877 A

  However, even with these technologies, it is difficult to position the XY stage with high accuracy and to increase the speed of the XY stage while suppressing an increase in the weight of the drive unit, thereby improving the productivity of the exposure apparatus. It was an issue.

  In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a substrate stage that performs high-accuracy positioning while suppressing shaking in the pitching direction of the XY stage.

  In order to solve the above problems, a substrate stage of the present invention includes a stage, a first driving mechanism that drives the stage in a first direction, and a second that drives the stage in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A stage device comprising: a drive mechanism; a drive guide for guiding the drive of the stage in the second direction by the second drive mechanism; and an air bearing provided opposite to the drive guide and supporting the stage. The second drive mechanism further includes means for driving the stage in the first direction, and when the stage is driven by the first drive mechanism, an interval between the drive guide and the air bearing is set. And a control means for controlling the second drive mechanism by driving the second drive mechanism.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to perform positioning with high accuracy while suppressing the shaking of the XY stage in the pitching direction.

It is a block diagram of embodiment of this invention. It is detail drawing of embodiment of this invention. 1 is an overall view of an exposure apparatus using a substrate stage of the present invention. It is an XY stage correction process flowchart in the embodiment of the present invention. It is the schematic of the moving coil type | mold linear motor in embodiment of this invention. It is a conceptual diagram of the biaxial drive mechanism in embodiment of this invention.

  First, a scanning exposure apparatus on which a substrate stage according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the overall configuration of the scanning projection exposure apparatus. An exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern on a mask (original plate) onto a plate (substrate) via a projection optical system 10, and a mask stage 20 is disposed on the upper side in the vertical direction with the projection optical system 10 interposed therebetween. A plate stage 30 (exposed substrate stage) is arranged on the side. The mask stage 20 and the plate stage 30 can be individually moved, and the movement positions thereof are both measured by the laser interference length measuring device 50. In the plate stage 30, the plate stage control device 60 (control means) controls the movement of the plate stage 30 based on the measurement result. The plate stage 30 includes a Y stage 32 that is arranged on the main body base 31 and that is driven in the Y direction (first direction) and an X stage 33 that is driven in the X direction. Note that the Y direction is the scanning direction (longitudinal direction), and the X direction (second direction) is the non-scanning direction (short direction), which are orthogonal to each other. In the present embodiment, the X stage 33 and the Y stage 32 are integrated, and a biaxial stage that can be driven in two directions, the X direction and the Y direction, is adopted as the XY stage 100.

  A θZ stage 34 is mounted on the XY stage 100, and a plate chuck 35 is disposed thereon to support the plate 36 to be exposed. Accordingly, the plate 36 can be moved in the X, Y, and Z directions by the plate stage 30 and is also rotatably supported in the XY plane. The θZ stage 34 is for making the surface of the plate 36 coincide with the plate-side focal plane of the projection optical system 10 during exposure. The mask stage 20 includes a mask stage substrate 21 and an XYθ stage 22 disposed thereon, and a mask 23 having a pattern to be projected thereon is disposed thereon. Therefore, the mask 23 can be moved in the X and Y directions and is supported rotatably in the XY plane. Above the mask stage 20, an observation optical system 40 capable of observing the images of the mask 23 and the plate 36 via the projection optical system 10 is disposed, and an illumination optical system 41 is disposed further above.

  Next, the detail of the plate stage 30 is demonstrated using FIG. 1 and FIG. In the plate stage 30, the Y stage 32 and the X stage 33 are integrated, and a biaxial stage in the XY direction, that is, the XY stage 100 is adopted, and is driven by linear motor driving. This biaxial stage is composed of a scanning direction (longitudinal direction) of the exposure apparatus and a non-scanning direction (short direction) perpendicular thereto. In the scanning direction, there are one or a plurality of parallel Y-direction guides 111 arranged at appropriate intervals. The Y-direction guide 111 has a pair of movable parts and a Y slider (not shown), which are connected to an X-direction guide 113 (drive guide) perpendicular to the scanning direction. The X direction guide 113 guides the driving of the stage 100 in the X direction by the second drive mechanism 102. A second drive mechanism 103 is provided opposite to the X-direction guide 113 positioned below the XY stage 100, and a biaxial drive mechanism that is a feature of the present invention is mounted.

  An air bearing 120 (an air bearing that supports the XY stage) is disposed between the X direction guide 113 and the XY stage 100, and holds the XY stage without friction. Further, a position detection sensor 121 is disposed on the lower surface of the XY stage 100 in order to measure the distance between the X direction guide 113 and the air bearing 120. Further, the X-direction guide 113 is provided with a first drive mechanism 102 for driving in the scanning direction. In the present embodiment, a linear motor is employed as the first drive mechanism 102.

  One or a plurality of X direction guides 113 are arranged in parallel and at an appropriate value interval, and an X slider (not shown) is paired with the X direction guide 113 and slides on the X direction guide 113. A linear motor stator (not shown) for driving in the non-scanning direction is connected to the X direction guide 113, and a linear motor movable element (not shown) for driving in the non-scanning direction is connected to the X slider. (Not shown) are connected. The X slider is mounted with a plate chuck 35 that is a table for placing the plate 36 and an interference mirror 52 of a laser interference length measuring device 50 for knowing the stage position in the scanning direction and the non-scanning direction.

  In order to move the Y slider with high accuracy along the scanning direction, there is a YAW direction guide 110 in the scanning direction. The YAW direction guide 110 guides the driving of the stage 100 in the Y direction by the first drive mechanism 102. The YAW direction guide 110 is configured by itself on the plate stage 30 or uses the side surface of the Y direction guide 111 as the YAW direction guide 110. In order to move the X slider with high accuracy along the non-scanning direction, there is an X-direction accuracy guide 114 in the non-scanning direction. In many cases, the X-direction accuracy guide 114 is configured on the plate stage 30 alone, or uses the side surface of the X-direction guide 113 as shown in FIG.

  Next, the second drive mechanism 103 in the XY stage 100 will be described. The second drive mechanism 103 is equipped with a two-axis drive mechanism that drives in two different axial directions. As an example of the biaxial drive mechanism, a schematic diagram of a moving coil type linear motor is shown in FIG. The coil 205 constituting the mover generates a magnetic field by the current flowing through the coil, and is arranged on both sides of the traveling direction and interacts with magnets 206 (linear motor stators) arranged to have different polarities next to each other. Move in the direction of travel. The position of the coil 205 is measured and controlled by a sensor 207 attached to the coil.

  Such a linear motor is arranged in two directions, ie, a scanning direction (longitudinal direction) and a non-scanning direction (short direction), which is a two-axis driving mechanism of the second driving mechanism 103. FIG. 6 shows a conceptual diagram thereof. . That is, the linear motor stator is arranged in two directions, ie, the scanning direction and the non-scanning direction, to form a scanning direction stator 202 and a non-scanning direction stator 201. A scanning direction movable element 212 and a non-scanning direction movable element 211 are arranged on the linear motor movable side so as to be paired with each stator. Biaxial driving is enabled by separately controlling and driving the scanning direction (longitudinal direction) and the non-scanning direction (short direction) of the linear motor. Moreover, what was provided with the coil for X direction drive and the coil for Y direction drive like the thing of Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 11-18406 can be used. Moreover, the structure which pinches | interposes the needle | mover containing a magnet with the stator comprised by the coil for X direction drive and the coil for Y direction drive can also be used. Furthermore, it is also possible to employ a configuration in which biaxial driving is performed using a linear pulse motor.

  The operation of the XY stage 100 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The following steps are controlled by the plate stage controller 60. In the XY stage 100, the scanning direction (longitudinal direction) is the Y direction, and the non-scanning direction (short direction) is the X direction. As described in the related art, when the XY stage 100 is accelerated or decelerated in the scanning direction by the first driving mechanism 102 (Y driving mechanism), the XY stage 100 is pitched (rotated around the second direction) with respect to the scanning direction. Rotation) direction is generated. In step 1, the pitching amount of the XY stage 100 is measured by the laser interference length measuring device 50 below the XY stage 100. In the laser interference length measuring device 50, the laser light emitted from the laser head 51 is reflected by the reflection mirror 54 and the distance is measured by the interference mirror 52.

  In step 2, based on this measurement value, the second drive mechanism 103 uses the biaxial drive mechanism to finely drive the XY stage 100 in the scanning direction and adjust the pitching amount (feedback control), thereby swinging in the pitching direction. Reduce. In step 3, the position detection sensor 121 measures the distance between the X direction guide 113 and the air bearing 120. In step 4, it is determined whether the measurement value (measurement result) is within a predetermined target value tolerance range. If it is outside the permissible range, repeat steps 1 to 3 until the target value reaches the permissible range, adjust the pitching amount of the XY stage 100 by fine movement driving in the scanning direction by the biaxial drive mechanism, and end when the permissible range is reached. To do.

  As a result, even during acceleration / deceleration in the scanning direction of the XY stage 100, the interval between the X direction guide 113 and the air bearing 120 can always be kept at an appropriate value. Thereby, the rigidity of the air bearing 120 is maintained as an appropriate value, and the XY stage 100 can be positioned with high accuracy. Even if the XY stage 100 is accelerated or decelerated, the rigidity of the air bearing 120 is maintained at an appropriate value, so that the XY stage 100 can be kept stable. Further, even if the acceleration of the XY stage is increased, the rigidity of the air bearing 120 is maintained at an appropriate value, so that the XY stage 100 can be driven at high speed, and the productivity as an exposure apparatus is not increased without increasing the weight of the drive unit. Can be raised.

[Embodiment of Device Manufacturing Method]
Next, a method for manufacturing a device (semiconductor device, liquid crystal display device, etc.) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In this method, an exposure apparatus to which the present invention is applied can be used. A semiconductor device is manufactured through a pre-process for producing an integrated circuit on a wafer (semiconductor substrate) and a post-process for completing an integrated circuit chip on the wafer produced in the pre-process as a product. The pre-process may include a step of exposing the wafer coated with the photosensitive agent using the above-described exposure apparatus, and a step of developing the wafer exposed in the step. The post-process can include an assembly process (dicing, bonding) and a packaging process (encapsulation). Moreover, a liquid crystal display device is manufactured by passing through the process of forming a transparent electrode. The step of forming the transparent electrode includes a step of applying a photosensitive agent to a glass substrate on which a transparent conductive film is deposited, a step of exposing the glass substrate on which the photosensitive agent is applied, using the above-described exposure apparatus, and the step And developing the glass substrate exposed in step (b). The device manufacturing method of this embodiment is more advantageous than the conventional one in at least one of device productivity, quality and production cost, and safety. As mentioned above, although preferable embodiment of this invention was described, this invention is not limited to these embodiment, A various deformation | transformation and change are possible within the range of the summary.

60: plate stage control device 100: XY stage 102: first drive mechanism 103: second drive mechanism 113: X direction guide 120: air bearing 121: position detection sensor

Claims (6)

Stage,
A first drive mechanism for driving the stage in a first direction;
A second drive mechanism for driving the stage in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction;
A drive guide for guiding the drive of the stage in the second direction by the second drive mechanism;
An air bearing provided opposite to the drive guide and supporting the stage;
A stage apparatus comprising:
The second drive mechanism further includes means for driving the stage in the first direction,
A stage device comprising: control means for controlling the distance between the drive guide and the air bearing by driving the second drive mechanism when the stage is driven by the first drive mechanism. Measuring means for measuring a distance between the drive guide and the air bearing;
The stage apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit drives the second drive mechanism based on a measurement result of the measurement unit. The control means drives the second drive mechanism so as to reduce rotation of the stage around the second direction before controlling the distance between the drive guide and the air bearing. Item 3. The stage device according to Item 2. The said control means drives the said 2nd drive mechanism so that the space | interval of the said drive guide and the said air bearing may be settled in a predetermined range, The Claim 1 thru | or 3 characterized by the above-mentioned. Stage device. An exposure apparatus that projects and exposes an original pattern onto a substrate,
An exposure apparatus that moves the original plate or the substrate using the stage apparatus according to claim 1. Exposing the substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 5;
Developing the exposed substrate;
A device manufacturing method comprising:

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