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EP0939341A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Illumination system and exposure apparatus and method
Assignee: Nikon Corp
•
Filing: 1999-02-25
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2019-02-25
Abstract
Abstract An illumination system and exposure apparatus and method involving illuminating a surface over an illumination field (IF) having an arcuate shape. The illumination system comprises a light source (54) for providing a light beam (100), and an optical integrator (56). The optical integrator comprises a first reflective element group (60) having an array of first optical elements (E) each having an arcuate profile corresponding to the arcuate shape of the illumination field. Each of the first optical elements has an eccentric reflecting surface (RS E ) comprising an off-axis section of either a spherical surface (S) or an aspherical surface (AS E ). The array of first optical elements is designed so as to form a plurality of arcuate light beams (108) capable of forming a plurality of light source images (I). The illumination system further includes a condenser optical system (64) designed so as to condense said plurality of arcuate light beams to illuminate the surface over the arcuate illumination field in an overlapping manner.
Inventors
- 👤 Hideki c/o Nikon Corporation Komatsuda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 14:09
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/70075; G03F7/70083; G03F7/70091; G03F7/70108; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70233; G03F7/70358
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 55
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
An illumination system for illuminating a surface over an arcuate illumination field,
comprising: a) a light source for providing a light beam; b) optical integrator system capable of forming from said light beam a plurality of
arcuate light beams capable of forming a plurality of light source images.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
37 words
An illumination system according to claim 1, further comprising a condenser optical
system designed so as to condense said plurality of arcuate light beams to illuminate
the surface over the arcuate illumination field in an overlapping manner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An illumination system according to claim 2, wherein said condenser optical system
comprises a condenser mirror with a focal point, said condenser mirror arranged such
that said focal point substantially coincides with said surface.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
An illumination system according to claim 2, wherein said condenser optical system
comprises a condenser mirror having an aspherical surface.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
An illumination system according to claim 2, wherein said optical integrator system
comprises a plurality of reflecting elements each having a focal length f F , said
condenser optical system has a focal length f C , and wherein the condition 0.01 < f F /f C < 0.5 is satisfied.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
An optical integrator for an illumination system for illuminating an illumination field
having an arcuate shape, the optical integrator comprising a first reflective element
group having an array of first optical elements each having an arcuate profile
corresponding to the arcuate shape of the illumination field, and each having a
reflecting surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
An optical integrator according to claim 6, wherein said array of first optical elements
has a roughly circular outline.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical integrator according to claim 6, wherein said reflecting surface comprises
an off-axis section of a spherical reflecting surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
20 words
An optical integrator according to claim 6, wherein said reflecting surface comprises
an off-axis section of an aspherical reflecting surface.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
75 words
An optical integrator according to claim 6, further comprising a second reflective
element group having a plurality of second optical elements, each second optical
element having a rectangular shape and a predetermined second reflecting curved
surface, said first and second reflecting element groups being opposingly arranged such
that said first reflecting group is capable of forming, from a light beam incident
thereon, a plurality of light source images at said plurality of second optical elements.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical integrator according to claim 10, wherein each second reflecting curved
surface comprises an on-axis section of a spherical reflecting surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
70 words
An optical integrator according to claim 10, wherein said first optical elements are
arranged in a plurality of columns each with a corresponding axis passing
therethrough, and wherein at least one of said plurality of first optical elements is
rotatable about said corresponding axis so as to be capable of forming, from a light
beam incident thereon, a plurality of light source images at one of said second optical
elements.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
88 words
An illumination system for illuminating a surface over an arcuate illumination field
having an arcuate shape, comprising: a) a light source for providing a light beam; b) a first optical integrator comprising a first reflective element group having an
array of first optical elements each having an arcuate profile corresponding to
the arcuate shape of the illumination field and a reflecting surface, said array of
first optical elements designed so as to form a plurality of arcuate light beams
capable of forming a plurality of light source images.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
An illumination system according to claim 13, further comprising a condenser optical
system designed so as to condense said plurality of arcuate light beams to illuminate
the surface over the arcuate illumination field in an overlapping manner.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
20 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 13, wherein said array of first
optical elements has a roughly circular outline.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 13, wherein said reflecting surface
comprises an off-axis section of a spherical reflecting surface.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 13, wherein said reflecting surface
comprises an off-axis section of an aspherical reflecting surface.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
An illumination system according to claim 13, further including a light beam
converting unit removably arranged in said light beam between said light source and
said first optical integrator.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
34 words
An illumination system according to claim 14, wherein said condenser optical system
comprises a condenser mirror with a focal point, said condenser mirror arranged such
that said focal point substantially coincides with said surface.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
An illumination system according to claim 14, wherein said first optical elements each
have a focal length f F , said condenser optical system has a focal length f C , and wherein
the condition 0.01 < f F /f C < 0.5 is satisfied.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
64 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 13, further comprising a second
reflective element group having a plurality of second optical elements, each second
optical element having a rectangular shape and a predetermined second reflecting
curved surface, said first and second reflecting element groups being opposingly
arranged such that said plurality of light source images are formed at said plurality of
second optical elements.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
An optical integrator according to claim 21, wherein each second reflecting curved
surface comprises an on-axis section of a spherical reflecting surface.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
59 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 13 further including an auxiliary
optical integrator arranged between said light source and said first optical integrator,
said auxiliary optical integrator having a first auxiliary reflective element group
comprising a first plurality of auxiliary optical elements, and an opposing second
auxiliary reflective element group comprising a second plurality of auxiliary optical
elements
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 23, wherein said first plurality of
first auxiliary optical elements and said second plurality of second auxiliary optical
elements are identical.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 24, wherein each of said first and
second auxiliary reflecting optical elements in said first and second plurality of first
and second auxiliary reflecting optical elements are square.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
An illumination optical system according to claim 23, further including a relay
reflecting system arranged between said auxiliary optical integrator and said first
optical integrator.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
41 words
An illumination system according to claim 14, further including an illumination
numerical aperture value capable of being varied by a variable aperture stop having a
variable diameter, said variable aperture stop arranged between said light source and
said condenser optical system.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
27 words
An illumination system according to claim 27, further comprising a first drive system
operatively connected with said variable aperture stop and capable of changing said
variable diameter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
26 words
An illumination system according to claim 13, further including a rotatable turret plate
having a plurality of apertures capable of being inserted into said light beam.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
57 words
An illumination system according to claim 29, further including a first drive system
operatively connected to said turret plate and a control apparatus electrically connected
to said drive system, said control apparatus being capable of controlling the rotation of
said turret plate so as to insert one aperture of said plurality of apertures into said light
beam.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
87 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing the image of a mask having a predetermined
pattern onto a photosensitive substrate comprising: a) the illumination system according to claim 13; b) a mask stage capable of supporting the mask; c) a substrate stage capable of supporting the photosensitive substrate; and d) a projection optical system, arranged between said mask stage and said
substrate stage, designed so as to project the predetermined pattern of the mask
onto the photosensitive substrate over an arcuate image field corresponding to
said arcuate illumination field.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
60 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, further including a first drive system
operatively connected to said mask stage, a second drive system operatively connected
to said wafer stage, and a control system electrically connected to said first and second
drive systems for controlling the synchronous driving of said mask stage and wafer
stage relative to said projection optical system.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
22 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said illumination system
includes a first variable aperture stop having a first variable diameter.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
24 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said projection optical system
further includes a second variable aperture stop having a second variable diameter.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
53 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 34, further including first and second drive
systems operatively connected to said first and second variable aperture stops, and a
control apparatus electrically connected to said first and second drive units so as to
control the coherence factor by varying said first and second variable aperture
diameters.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
29 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising an adjustable light
beam converting unit removably arranged in said light beam between said light source
and said optical integrator.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
56 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 35, further including a third drive system
operatively connected to said light beam converting unit and electrically connected to
said control apparatus so as to cooperatively adjust in concert with said first and
second drive systems, said light beam converting unit, said first variable aperture and
said second variable aperture.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of exposing a pattern of mask onto a photosensitive substrate
with an arcuately shaped exposure field, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an illumination light beam; b) reflectively dividing said illumination light beam into a plurality of arcuate
light beams corresponding to the arcuately shaped exposure field; and c) condensing said arcuate light beams onto the object over the arcuately shaped
exposure field.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 38, further including the steps,
in said step b), of: i) reflecting said light beam from a first array of reflecting elements each having
an arcuate shape and a reflecting surface having an eccentric curvature, and
forming a plurality of light source images.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method according to claim 39, further including the step,
after said step i), of: ii) reflecting light from said plurality of light source images with a second array
of reflecting elements opposingly arranged relative to said first array of
reflecting elements.
Claim 41
Independent Claim
81 words
A method of patterning the surface of a photosensitive substrate with a pattern on a
mask in the manufacturing of a semiconductor device, the method comprising the steps
of: a) providing an illumination light beam; b) reflectively dividing said illumination light beam into a plurality of arcuate
light beams corresponding to an arcuately shaped illumination field; c) condensing said arcuate light beams onto the mask over the arcuately
illumination field; and d) projecting light from the mask onto the photosensitive substrate.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
75 words
A method according to claim 41, wherein said step b) includes the steps of: i) reflecting said light beam from a first array of reflecting elements each having
an arcuate shape and a reflecting surface having an eccentric curvature, and
forming a plurality of light source images; and ii) reflecting light from said plurality of light source images with a second array of
reflecting elements opposingly arranged relative to said first array of reflecting
elements.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
161 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a photosensitive substrate with a mask having a
pattern comprising: a) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate illumination
field, said illumination system comprising: i) a light source capable of supplying a light beam with a wavelength
λ < 200nm; ii) an optical integrator for splitting said light beam into a plurality of light
beams and comprising a plurality of reflecting elements; and iii) a condenser optical system capable of condensing said plurality of light
beams so as to form said arcuate illumination field, said condenser
optical system having a reflecting element with a second optical axis
intersecting a first optical axis ; and b) a projection optical system disposed in an optical path between the mask and
the photosensitive substrate so as to form an image of the mask pattern on the
photosensitive substrate, said projection optical system comprising said first
optical axis and a plurality of reflecting elements arranged relative thereto.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
38 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 43, wherein said projection optical system
includes a pupil with a light intensity distribution thereat, the exposure apparatus
further comprising illumination changing system for changing said light
intensity distribution at said pupil.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method of exposing a photosensitive substrate, comprising the steps of: a) providing the exposure apparatus according to claim 43; b) illuminating the mask with said arcuate illumination field using said
illumination system; and c) projecting an image of the mask pattern onto the photosensitive substrate using
said projection optical system.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
71 words
A method of exposing a photosensitive substrate with a mask having a pattern,
comprising the steps of: a) providing the exposure apparatus according to claim 44; b) changing said light intensity distribution at said pupil using said illumination
changing system; c) illuminating the mask with said arcuate illumination field using said
illumination system; and d) projecting an image of the mask pattern onto the photosensitive substrate using
said projection optical system.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
135 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing a photosensitive substrate with a mask having a
pattern comprising: a) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate illumination
field, said illumination system comprising i) a light source capable of
supplying a light beam of wavelength λ < 200nm, and ii) a plurality of
reflecting members designed so as to direct said light beam to form said arcuate
illumination field on the mask; b) a projection optical system disposed in an optical path between the mask and
the photosensitive substrate so as to form an image of said predetermined
pattern on the photosensitive substrate, said projection system comprising a
plurality of reflecting members and having a pupil with a light intensity
distribution thereat; and c) illumination changing system for changing said light intensity
distribution at said pupil.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
22 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein said illumination system further
includes an optical integrator having a plurality of reflecting elements.
Claim 49
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of exposing a photosensitive substrate with a mask having a pattern
comprising the steps of: a) providing an exposure apparatus comprising: i) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate
illumination field, said illumination system comprising a light source
capable of supplying a light beam of wavelength λ < 200nm, and a
plurality of reflecting members designed so as to direct said light beam
to said arcuate illumination field on the mask; ii) a projection optical system disposed in an optical path between the
mask and the photosensitive substrate so as to form an image of the
pattern on the photosensitive substrate, said projection system
comprising a plurality of reflecting members and having a pupil with a
light intensity distribution thereat; and iii) illumination changing means for changing said light intensity
distribution at said pupil; b) changing said light intensity distribution at a pupil of said projection system
using said illumination changing system; c) illuminating the mask with said arcuate illumination field using said
illumination system; and d) projecting an image of the mask pattern onto the photosensitive substrate using
said projection optical system.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 49, wherein one of said plurality of reflecting members is
an optical integrator having a plurality of reflecting elements.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
143 words
An exposure apparatus for exposing with a light intensity distribution a photosensitive
substrate with a mask having a pattern, comprising: a) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate illumination
field, said illumination system comprising i) a light source capable of
supplying a light beam of wavelength λ < 200nm, and ii) a plurality of
reflecting members designed so as to direct said light beam to said arcuate
illumination field on the mask; and b) a projection optical system disposed in an optical path between the mask and
the photosensitive substrate so as to form an image of the pattern on the
photosensitive substrate, said projection system comprising a plurality of
reflecting members; and c) wherein at least one reflecting member in said plurality of reflecting members
is adjustable so as to adjust the light intensity distribution at the photosensitive
substrate.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
25 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 51, wherein one of said plurality of
reflecting members is an optical integrator having a plurality of reflecting elements.
Claim 53
Independent Claim
196 words
A method of exposing with a light intensity distribution a photosensitive substrate with
a mask having a pattern, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an exposure apparatus comprising: i) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate
illumination field, said illumination system comprising a light source
capable of supplying a light beam of wavelength λ < 200nm, and a
plurality of reflecting members designed so as to direct said light beam
to said arcuate illumination field on the mask, at least one of said
plurality of reflecting members being adjustable so as to adjust said
light intensity distribution at the photosensitive substrate; ii) a projection optical system disposed in an optical path between the
mask and the photosensitive substrate so as to form an image of the
predetermined pattern on the photosensitive substrate, said projection
system comprising a plurality of reflecting members; b) adjusting the light intensity distribution at the photosensitive substrate using
said at least one of said plurality of reflecting members; c) illuminating the mask with said arcuate illumination field using said
illumination system; and d) projecting an image of the pattern onto the photosensitive substrate using said
projection system.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 51, wherein one of said plurality of reflecting members is
an optical integrator having a plurality of reflecting elements.
Claim 55
Independent Claim
175 words
A method of exposing with a light intensity distribution a photosensitive substrate with
a mask having a pattern, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing an exposure apparatus comprising: i) an illumination system for illuminating the mask with an arcuate
illumination field, said illumination system comprising a light source
system capable of supplying a light beam of wavelength λ < 200nm,
and a plurality of reflecting members designed so as to direct said light
beam to said arcuate illumination field on the mask; ii) a projection system having a pupil and disposed in an optical path
between the mask and the photosensitive substrate so as to form an
image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate, said projection
system comprising a plurality of reflecting members; b) changing the light intensity distribution at said pupil; c) adjusting the light intensity distribution at the photosensitive substrate; d) illuminating the mask with said arcuate illumination field using said
illumination system; and e) projecting an image of the mask pattern onto the photosensitive substrate using
said projection system.
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