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`EXPRESS MAIL LABEL NO. EV 175412039US
`DATE OF DEPOSIT: APRIL 11, 2002
`
`IN THE UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE
`
`182590
`DLS:cmw 04/ll/03
`~¢.ey's Matter No. 6500-65696
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`. SOX PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION
`COMMISSIONER FOR PATENTS
`WASHINGTON, D.C. 20231
`
`1111111111111111111111111111111111
`24197
`
`PROVISIONAL APPLICATION COVER SHEET
`
`This is a request for filing a PROVISIONAL APPLICATION FOR PATENT under 3 7
`C.F.R. § 1.53(c).
`
`TITLE: LANDING PAD F:OR IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY
`
`Inventor( s )/Applicant( s):
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`Belmont, CA
`City, State or Foreign Country and City
`
`City, State or Foreign Country and City
`
`City, State or Foreign Country and City
`
`Binnard
`Last
`
`Michael
`First
`
`Last
`
`Last
`
`First
`
`First
`
`B.
`MI
`
`MI
`
`MI
`
`J pages of specification are enclosed.
`
`1 sheet( s). of drawings are enclosed.
`
`Provisional Filing Fee Amount:
`[gJ
`$160, large entity
`
`A check in the amount of$160.00 to cover the filing fee is enclosed.
`
`The Director is hereby authorized to charge any additional fees which may be required in
`connection with the filing of this provisional application and recording any assignment
`filed herewith, or credit over-payment, to Account No. 02-4550. A copy of" this sheet is
`enclosed.
`
`Please return the enclosed postcard to confirm that the items listed above have been
`received.
`
`TRANSMITTAL Page I of 2
`
`Nikon Exhibit 1019 Page 1
`
`

`

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`182590
`04/11/03
`DLS:cmw
`Attorney's Matter No. 6500-65696
`PATENT
`
`EXPRESS MAIL LABEL NO. EV175412039US
`DATE OF DEPOSIT: APRIL 11, 2002
`
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`
`Address all telephone calls to Donald L. Stephens Jr. at telephone number
`(503) 226-7391.
`
`Address all correspondence to:
`
`KLARQUIST SPARKMAN, LLP
`One World Trade Center, Suite 1600
`. 121 S.W. Salmon Street
`Portland, OR 97204
`
`Respectfully submitted,
`
`KLARQUIST SPARKMAN, LLP
`
`By
`
`Donald L. Stephens Jr.
`Registration No. 34,022
`
`One World Trade Center, Suite 1600
`121 S.W. Salmon Street
`Portland, Oregon 97204
`Telephone: (503) 226-7391
`Facsimile: (503) 228-9446
`
`cc:
`
`Docketing
`
`TRANSMITTAL Page 2 of 2
`
`Nikon Exhibit 1019 Page 2
`
`

`

`Disclosure of Invention
`Page I ·
`'
`
`Disclosure of Invention
`
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`1. TITLE OF INVENTION:
`
`Landing Pad for Immersion Lithography
`
`2. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
`
`a) Description of invention.
`
`In an immersion lithography system, there is a controlled liquid-filled environment
`between the projection lens and the wafer table. In F2 lithography systems, the space
`between the lens and wafer is filled with a gas such as nitrogen. In both cases, it is
`desirable to keep the conditions of the fluid (liquid or gas) as constant as possible.
`
`Prior disclosures contemplate a wafer table with a flat upper surface to maintain a
`constant volume for the fluid-filled space. This invention extends this concept one step
`further by providing a "landing pad" that is also coplanar with the wafer surface that can
`be positioned under the lens when the wafer table moves away from the lens.
`
`This disclosure describes three embodiments for the landing pad:
`1. big wafer table
`landing pad on coarse stage (most appropriate for circulating table)
`2.
`3. separate landing pad stage (most appropriate for single-stage machine)
`4. detachable landing pad on wafer table
`
`Embodiment 1 provides a larger wafer table with a continuous flat upper surface. The
`wafer table is large enough that during all of the loading, unloading, alignment and other
`operations, there is always part of the wafer table under the lens, and the fluid volume is
`kept constant. This embodiment is not preferred, because it requires a large wafer table
`which increases the size, mass, and difficulty of control for the machine.
`
`Embodiment 2 provides a landing pad surface on the coarse stage which is coplanar with
`the nominal position of the wafer surface. Before the wafer table is moved out from
`under the projection lens, the wafer table vertical position and tilt is adjusted so the wafer
`surface is coplanar with the landing pad. Then the stage moves to position the landing
`pad under the lens. In this position the wafer can be loaded, unloaded, or aligned. In a
`circulating table system, the wafer table can be loaded and unloaded while the lens is
`positioned over the coarse stage landing pad.
`
`Nikon Exhibit 1019 Page 3
`
`

`

`Disclosure of l~vention
`Page 2·
`
`In embodiment 3, the landing pad is on a separate stage that can be positioned adjacent to
`the wafer table, and moved synchronously with it until the landing pad is under the lens.
`At this time, the landing pad stage is held in place (either mechanically or by servo
`control), and the coarse stage is free to move away from the lens. This embodiment is
`preferred for a single-body system because the wafer stage can move over the entire
`alignment area while the landing pad stage is parked under the lens.
`
`For any of the 3 embodiments, it is preferable to have the landing pad located on a side of
`the wafer table that does not have an interferometer mirror. This arrangement avoids any
`interference with the interferometer operation.
`
`It is also possible to have the landing pad on a side with an interferometer mirror. In this
`case, there are two options. One is to allow the landing pad to block the interferometer
`beam, and to use another sensor to control the wafer stage during this time. The second
`option is to provide some holes in the landing pad structure that allow the interferometer
`beams to reach the mirror on the wafer table.
`
`For embodiments 2 and 3 some method, such as a controlled air pressure, is required to
`prevent fluid from spilling into the space between the landing pad and the wafer table.
`Embodiment 4 has a landing pad mounted on the wafer table that can be positioned under
`the lens. When the landing pad is under the lens, a mechanism on the lens body can grab
`the landing pad and hold it in place. The landing pad is released from the wafer table,
`and the table is free to move away from the lens. An advantage of this embodiment is
`that there is no gap between the ·wafer table and the landing pad.
`
`b) Purpose of the invention:
`
`This invention provides a method to keep the immersion liquid present under the
`projection lens at all times, thereby avoiding problems associated with filling and
`draining the liquid.
`
`c) Advantages of this invention:
`
`This inven~ion allows maintaining a constant fluid environment under the lens.
`
`It improves throughput by eliminating the time required to remove and refiH the
`immersion liquid.
`
`It prevents any disturbance to the immersion liquid or the projection lens by maintaining a
`constant volume of fluid at all times.
`
`Nikon Exhibit 1019 Page 4
`
`

`

`Disclosu~;"e of Invention
`Page3
`
`e) Disadvantages of prior art:
`
`Using a standard-size wafer table in an immersion lithography system requires removing
`and replacing the fluid under the projection lens once per wafer, because when the wafer
`is being aligned or when wafers are being loaded and unloaded, the table is not
`underneath the projection lens. Removing and replacing the fluid may cause deleterious
`effects on the lens or wafer table (e.g., from changes in pressure, temperature, or purity of
`the fluid) and decreases the throughput of the lithography machine (because it takes time
`to remove and replace the fluid).
`
`f) Novel features of this invention:
`
`This invention can be used in any system where a controlled environment exists between
`the wafer table and the projection lens, including liquid immersion, F2 lithography, or a
`system with a localized vacuum under the lens.
`
`This invention can be applied to a single-body or a circulating table type system.
`
`Nikon Exhibit 1019 Page 5
`
`

`

`(~ g:ald L. Stephens, Jr.
`Ex Ref. No. 6501l-65696
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`Date of r(s): Binnard
`Deposit: 4111/03
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`Donald L. Slcphens, Jr.
`Ochf No 6500-65695
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`Domld L. Stephens, Jr.
`Om Ref. No, 6500-63196
`
`Expms Mail Label No. EV] 75412039115
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`For: LANDING PAD FOR [MMERSION LITHOGRAPHY
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`Date or Depnsil' 4/1 1/03
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`Donald L. Stephens, Jr.
`Our Ref. No. 6500-65696
`Express Mail Label No. EVJ75412039US
`For: LANDING PAD FOR IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHY
`Inventor(s): Binnard
`Date of Deposit: 4/11/03
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