Patent US992344A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent EP0712019A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0712019A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Projection optical system and projection exposure apparatus
Assignee: Nikon Corp
•
Filing: 1995-10-30
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2015-10-30
Abstract
Abstract In the projection optical system that projects an image of the first object onto the second object with a fixed reduction ratio and a projection aligner equipped therewith, said projection optical system comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of lenses with positive refractive power, and the second group of lenses virtually consists of afocal system, and the third group of lens with positive refractive power, and If the focal length of the overall system is represented by F, the projection magnification ratio of said projection optical system is represented by B, the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, and when a ray from the second object side of said projection optical system that is parallel to the optical axis of said projection optical system is incident on said projection optical system, a distance between a point where an extension on the first object side of said ray intercepts the optical axis and said first object plane is represented by e, and a height of said ray on said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system, when said ray, coming through said projection optical system, reaches said first object is represented by h, then the following conditions should be satisfied. 1.8≦| F /( B · L )| | h / e |≦3/1000
Inventors
- 👤 Toshihiro Sasaya
- 👤 Kazuo Ushida
- 👤 Yutaka Suenaga
- 👤 Romeo I. Mercado
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 20:07
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/20; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70241; G02; G02B; G02B13/00; G02B13/18; G02B13/22; G02B13/24; G02B9/00; G02B9/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
217 words
A projection optical system that projects the image of the first object onto the second object with a fixed reduction ratio comprising, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, a first group of lenses with positive refractive power, a second group of lenses virtually consists of afocal system, and a third group of lenses with positive refractive power, and if the focal length of the entire system is represented by F, a projection magnification of said projection optical system is represented by B, a distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, and when a ray from the second object side of said projection optical system that is parallel to the optical axis of said projection optical system is incident on said projection optical system, a distance between a point where an extension on the first object side of said ray intercepts the optical axis and said first object plane is represented by e, and a height of said ray on said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system, when said ray, coming through said projection optical system, reaches said first object is represented by h, then the following conditions should be satisfied. 1.8≦| F /( B · L )| | h / e |≦3/1000
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
67 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 1, where, if the maximum height of said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system is represented by H, the focal length of the overall system is represented by F, and the projection magnification of said projection optical system is represented by B, then the following condition should be satisfied. | BH / F |≦8/1000
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
152 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 2, where, if the focal length of the entire system is represented by F, and when a ray from the second object side of said projection optical system that is parallel to the optical axis of said projection optical system is incident on said projection optical system, a distance between a point where an extension on the first object side of said ray intercepts the optical axis and said first object plane is represented by e, and a height of said ray on said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system, when said ray, coming through said projection optical system, reaches said first object is represented by h, and the maximum height of said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system is represented by H, then the following condition should be satisfied. Fh /( BHe )≦4
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 3, where, if the focal length of said first group of lenses is represented by f₁, and a focal length of said third group of lenses is represented by f₃, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.80≦ f 3 / f 1 ≦1.5
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 4, where if the focal length of said first group of lenses is represented by f₁, and the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.05≦ f 1 / L ≦0.3
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 5, where, if the maximum height of the object from the optical axis of the projection optical system on said first object is by H, and the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.03≦ H / L ≦0.2
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 6, where, said first group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said second group of lenses comprises at least 4 or more negative lenses, and at least 4 or more positive lenses, and and said third group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 7, where, at least one of the groups of lenses of said first, second, and third groups of lenses includes aspherical lenses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
59 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 7, where, said second group of lenses comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, at least a first group of sub lenses with negative refractive power, a second group of sub lenses with positive refractive power, and a third group of sub lenses with negative refractive power.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 9, where, if the focal length of said first group of sub lenses is represented by f₂₁ and the focal length of said second group of lenses is represented by f₂₂, then the following condition should be satisfied. 1.5≦| f 22 / f 21 |≦5
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
51 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 10, where, if the focal length of said third group of lenses is represented by f₂₃, the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.02≦| f 23 / L |≦0.10
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
86 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 11, where, if a composite focal length of said first group of lenses, the first group of sub lenses in said second group of lenses, and the second group of sub lenses in said second group of lenses is represented by f a , and the focal length of the third group of sub lenses in the second group of lenses is represented by f₂₃, then the following condition should be satisfied. 4≦| fa / f 23 |
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
107 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 12, where, if the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, the focal length of said first group of lenses G1 is represented by f₁, the focal length of said third group of lenses G3 is represented by f₃, and the focal length of the ith group of sub lenses that is ith from the object side in said second group of lenses is represented by f 2i , then the following condition should be satisfied. -50≦( L / f 1 )+( L / f 3 )+Σ( L / f 2 i )≦0.5
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
54 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 13, where, said first group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said second group of sub lenses comprises at least 4 or more positive lenses, and said third group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 14, where, said second group of sub lenses comprises 2 biconcave lenses.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
172 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 15, where, if an angle of incidence of a paraxial marginal ray as the paraxial marginal ray from an axial object point on said first object enters in said first group of lenses is represented by u ₁, an angle of incidence of the paraxial marginal ray as the paraxial marginal ray from the axial object point on said first object enters in said second group of lenses is represented by u ₂, an angle of emergence of the paraxial marginal ray as the paraxial marginal ray from the axial object point on said first object emerges from said second group of lenses is represented by u ₂', the angle of emergence of the paraxial marginal ray as the paraxial marginal ray from the axial object point on said first object emerges from said third group of lenses is represented by u ₃', then the following conditions should be satisfied. | u 2 / u 1 |≦0.5 | u 2 '/ u 3 '|≦0.5
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
72 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 16, where, if the focal length of said first group of lenses is represented by f₁, the focal length of said second group of lenses is represented by f₂, and the focal length of the third group of lenses is represented by f₃, then the following conditions should be satisfied. | f 2 |/ f 1 >1 | f 2 |/ f 3 >1
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
128 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 3, where, said first group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said third group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said second group of lenses comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of lenses with negative refractive power, the second group of sub lenses with positive refractive power, and the third group of lenses with negative refractive power, and said first group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said second group of sub lenses comprises at least 4 or more positive lenses, and said third group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
67 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 3, where, said second group of lenses comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of sub lenses with negative refractive power, the second group of sub lenses with positive refractive power, the third group of sub lenses with negative refractive power, and the fourth group of sub lenses with positive refractive power.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
97 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 19, where, said first group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said third group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said first group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said second group of sub lenses comprises at least 4 or more positive lenses, and said third group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said fourth group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
254 words
A projection aligner comprising an illumination means that illuminates the first object on which a fixed pattern is formed, the projection optical system which projects said image of the first object onto the second object, the first holding means that holds said first object, the second holding means that holds said second object, and said projection optical system comprising, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of lenses with positive refractive power, the second group of lenses virtually consists of afocal system, and the third group of lenses with positive refractive power, and if the focal length of the overall system is represented by F, the projection magnification of said projection optical system is represented by B, the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, and when a ray from the second object side of said projection optical system that is parallel to the optical axis of said projection optical system is incident on said projection optical system, a distance between a point where an extension on the first object side of said ray intercepts the optical axis and said first object plane is represented by e, and a height of said ray on said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system, when said ray, coming through said projection optical system, reaches said first object is represented by h, then the following conditions should be satisfied. 1.8≦| F /( B · L )| | h / e |≦3/1000
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
127 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, said first group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said third group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said second group of lenses comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of lenses with negative refractive power, the second group of sub lenses with positive refractive power, and the third group of lenses with negative refractive power, and said first group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said second group of sub lenses comprises at least 4 or more positive lenses, and said third group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
66 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, said second group of lenses comprises, viewed from said first object side, in order of succession, the first group of sub lenses with negative refractive power, the second group of sub lenses with positive refractive power, the third group of sub lenses with negative refractive power, and the fourth group of sub lenses with positive refractive power.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
96 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 23, where, said first group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said third group of lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses, and said first group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said second group of sub lenses comprises at least 4 or more positive lenses, and said third group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more negative lenses, and said fourth group of sub lenses comprises at least 2 or more positive lenses.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
66 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, if the maximum height of said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system is represented by H, the focal length of the entire system is represented by F, and the projection magnification of said projection optical system is represented by B, then the following condition should be satisfied. | BH / F |≦8/1000
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
152 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, if the focal length of the entire system is represented by F, and when a ray from the second object side of said projection optical system that is parallel to the optical axis of said projection optical system is incident on said projection optical system, a distance between a point where an extension on the first object side of said ray intercepts the optical axis and said first object plane is represented by e, and a height of said ray on said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system, when said ray, coming through said projection optical system, reaches said first object is represented by h, and the maxim height of said first object from the optical axis of said projection optical system is represented by H, then the following condition should be satisfied. | Fh /( BHe )|≦4
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
51 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, if the focal length of said first group of lenses is represented by f₁, and the focal length of said third group of lenses is represented by f₃, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.80≦ f 3 / f 1 ≦1.5
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
50 words
A projection aligner as claimed in Claim 21, where, if the focal length of said first group of lenses is represented by f₁, and the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.05≦ f 1/ L ≦0.3
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
61 words
A projection optical system as claimed in Claim 21, where, if the maximum height of the object from the optical axis of the projection optical system on said first object is represented by H, and the distance between said first object and said second object is represented by L, then the following condition should be satisfied. 0.03≦ H / L ≦0.2
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.