US5153773A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Illumination device including amplitude-division and beam movements
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1990-06-07
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Granted: 1992-10-06
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Expires: 2010-06-07
Abstract
Abstract An illumination device includes a raidation source; an optical integrator having an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the device; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing a coherent beam from the radiation source and producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, the first optical system also being effective to project the beams to the optical integrator in different directions and to superpose the beams upon one another on the optical integrator; and a second optical system for directing beams from the lenses of the optical integrator to a surface to be illuminated and for superposing the beams upon one another on the surface to be illuminated.
Inventors
- 👤 Masato Muraki
- 👤 Akiyoshi Suzuki
- 👤 Shunzo Imai
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 07:31
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0037; G02B3/0056; G02B26/00; G02B26/08; G02B26/0875; G02B26/0883; G02B26/0891; G02B27/00; G02B27/10; G02B27/12; G02B27/123; G02B27/126; G02B27/14; G02B27/144; G02B27/145; G02B27/48; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/70091; G03F7/70108; G03F7/70208; G03F7/70483; G03F7/7055; G03F7/70583; G02B27/09; G02B27/0938; G02B27/095; G02B27/0955; G02B27/0961; G02B3/0087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 28
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
An illumination device, comprising: a radiation source for supplying a coherent beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said device; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the coherent beam from said radiation source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system comprising a scanner for projecting the plural beams in different directions and with substantial overlap upon one another on said optical integrator, and for scanning the surface of said optical integrator with the projected plural beams; and a second optical system for directing beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a surface to be illuminated and for superposing the beams upon one another on the surface to be illuminated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
An illumination device, comprising: a radiation source for supplying a coherent beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said device; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the coherent beam from said radiation source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system comprising a scanner for projecting the plural beams in different directions and with substantial overlap upon one another on said optical integrator, and for scanning the surface of said optical integrator with the projected plural beams; and a second optical system for directing beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a surface to be illuminated and for superposing the beams upon one another on the surface to be illuminated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the coherent beam form said radiation source has a non-uniform intensity distribution, and wherein said first optical system partially superposes the plural laser beams one upon another on said optical integrator to provide a substantially uniform intensity distribution on said optical integrator.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein the coherent beam from said radiation source has an asymmetric intensity distribution, and wherein said first optical system projects the plural laser beams to the optical integrator to provide a substantially symmetric intensity distribution on said optical integrator.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 2, wherein said first optical system causes the plural beams to shift in radial directions about the optical axis on said optical integrator in response to displacement of the coherent beam from said radiation source relative to the optical axis.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said first optical system amplitude-divides the coherent beam from said radiation source into plural beams of a number not less than three and not greater than twenty.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said radiation source comprises an excimer laser.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
A device according to claim 6, wherein said excimer laser supplies a coherent laser beam having transverse modes of a number not less than one hundred.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said optical integrator receives the plural beams to generate secondary light sources of a number greater than the number of said arrayed lenses.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
45 words
A device according to claim 3, wherein said first optical system causes the plural beams to shift in radial directions about the optical axis on said optical integrator in response to displacement of the coherent beam from said radiation source relative to the optical axis.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said first optical system amplitude-divides the coherent beam from said radiation source to produce divide beams having a difference in path length for producing the plural beams.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
A device according to claim 1, wherein said scanner comprises a wedge prism.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
141 words
An illumination device comprising: a radiation source for supplying a coherent beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said device; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the coherent beam from said radiation source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system projecting the plural beams to said optical integrator in different directions and with substantial overlap upon one another on said optical integrator; and a second optical system for directing beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a surface to be illuminated and for superposing the beams upon one another on the surface to be illuminated. wherein said second optical system comprises a scanner for scanning an entrance pupil plane thereof with the plural beams from said optical integrator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
141 words
An illumination device comprising: a radiation source for supplying a coherent beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said device; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the coherent beam from said radiation source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system projecting the plural beams to said optical integrator in different directions and with substantial overlap upon one another on said optical integrator; and a second optical system for directing beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a surface to be illuminated and for superposing the beams upon one another on the surface to be illuminated. wherein said second optical system comprises a scanner for scanning an entrance pupil plane thereof with the plural beams from said optical integrator.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
150 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a laser beam source for supplying a laser beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said apparatus; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the laser beam form said laser beam source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system comprising a scanner for projecting the plural laser beams to said optical integrator in different direction a and with substantial overlap, upon one another on said optical integrator, and for scanning the surface of said optical integrator with the projected plural beams; and a second optical system for directing laser beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a mask and for superposing the laser beams upon one another on the mask, whereby a pattern of the mask as illuminated can be transferred to a wafer.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
150 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a laser beam source for supplying a laser beam; an optical integrator comprising an array of lenses disposed along a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of said apparatus; a first optical system for amplitude-dividing the laser beam form said laser beam source and for producing plural beams which are substantially incoherent with each other, said first optical system comprising a scanner for projecting the plural laser beams to said optical integrator in different direction a and with substantial overlap, upon one another on said optical integrator, and for scanning the surface of said optical integrator with the projected plural beams; and a second optical system for directing laser beams from said lenses of said optical integrator to a mask and for superposing the laser beams upon one another on the mask, whereby a pattern of the mask as illuminated can be transferred to a wafer.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said first optical system amplitude-divides the coherent beam from said laser beam source into at least three, and no more than twenty, plural beams.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said laser beam source comprises an excimer laser.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said excimer laser supplies a coherent laser beam having at least one hundred transverse modes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said first optical system amplitude-divides the laser beam from said laser source to produce divided laser beams having a difference in path length for producing the plural beams.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said scanner comprises a wedge prism.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein a microcircuit pattern is formed on the mask.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
81 words
An illumination method in which a coherent beam is projected to a lens array to thereby generate a plurality of secondary beams to illuminate an article, said method comprising the steps of: amplitude-dividing the coherent beam to produce a plurality of beams which are substantially incoherent with each other; projecting the produced beams along different directions and with substantial overlap of the produced beams upon one another on the lens array; and oscillating the produced beams relative to the lens array.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
81 words
An illumination method in which a coherent beam is projected to a lens array to thereby generate a plurality of secondary beams to illuminate an article, said method comprising the steps of: amplitude-dividing the coherent beam to produce a plurality of beams which are substantially incoherent with each other; projecting the produced beams along different directions and with substantial overlap of the produced beams upon one another on the lens array; and oscillating the produced beams relative to the lens array.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 20, wherein said amplitude-dividing step comprises amplitude-dividing the coherent beam to produce divided beams having a difference in path length for producing the plurality of beams which are substantially incoherent with each other.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
84 words
An illumination method in which a laser beam having plural transverse modes is projected to a lens array to generate a plurality of secondary beams to illuminate an article, said method comprising the steps of: amplitude-dividing the laser beam to produce a plurality of beams which are substantially incoherent with each other; projecting the produced beams along different directions and with substantial overlap of the produced beams upon one another on the lens array; and oscillating the produced beams relative to the lens array.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
84 words
An illumination method in which a laser beam having plural transverse modes is projected to a lens array to generate a plurality of secondary beams to illuminate an article, said method comprising the steps of: amplitude-dividing the laser beam to produce a plurality of beams which are substantially incoherent with each other; projecting the produced beams along different directions and with substantial overlap of the produced beams upon one another on the lens array; and oscillating the produced beams relative to the lens array.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
38 words
A method according to claim 22, wherein said amplitude-dividing step comprises amplitude-dividing the laser beam to provide a difference in path length for the divided laser beams to produce the beams which are substantially incoherent with each other.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-10-06 | 1996-04-06 | 1996-10-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-10-06 | 2000-04-06 | 2000-10-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-10-06 | 2004-04-06 | 2004-10-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |