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US5357312A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Illuminating system in exposure apparatus for photolithography

Assignee: NEC Electronics Corp
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Filing: 1993-09-28
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Granted: 1994-10-18
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Expires: 2013-09-28
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Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to an illuminating system in an exposure apparatus used for the fabrication of semiconductor devices to transfer a pattern on a reticle to a substrate having a photosensitive surface. As is usual, the illuminating system has reflecting and collimating elements to form light rays emitted from a light source into a light beam circular in cross-sectional shape, an optical integrater to uniformalize the light beam and an aperture diaphragm to desirably shape the uniformalized light beam. A reducing or magnifying lens, which is interchangeable with another reducing or magnifying lens different in reducing or magnifying power, is added in oreder to vary the diameter of the light beam nearly in conformance with the aperture diameter before the beam arrives at the aperture diaphragm to thereby reduce a loss of illuminating light by blockage by the aperture diaphragm. According to the need, the cross-sectional shape of the light beam can be rendered annular by incorporating a combination of two oppositely aligned optical elements one of which has a conically convex surface on the exit side and the other a conically concave surface opposite to the conically convex surface.

Inventors

  • 👤 Keiichiro Tounai

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-05 20:50
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/7015

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 99 words
An illuminating system in an exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a reticle to a substrate having a photosensitive surface, the illuminating system comprising: a light source; first optical means for forming light rays emitted from the light source into a light beam having a circular cross-sectional shape; second optical means for uniformalizing said light beam; an aperture diaphragm which has a light beam shaping aperture and is positioned between said second optical means and the reticle; and third optical means for variously reducing or magnifying the diameter of the light beam emerged from said first optical means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 99 words
An illuminating system in an exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a reticle to a substrate having a photosensitive surface, the illuminating system comprising: a light source; first optical means for forming light rays emitted from the light source into a light beam having a circular cross-sectional shape; second optical means for uniformalizing said light beam; an aperture diaphragm which has a light beam shaping aperture and is positioned between said second optical means and the reticle; and third optical means for variously reducing or magnifying the diameter of the light beam emerged from said first optical means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 56 words
An illuminating system according to claim 1, wherein said third optical means comprises a plurality of reducing or magnifying lenses which are different from each other in reducing or magnifying power, one of said reducing or magnifying lenses being interchangeably positioned between and optically in alignment with said first optical means and said second optical means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 39 words
An illuminating system according to claim 1, wherein said third optical means comprises a reducing or magnifying lens which is a compound lens in which the distance between two lenses is variable to vary the reducing or magnifying power.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 41 words
An illuminating system according to claim 1, further comprising fourth optical means for transforming said light beam having a circular cross-sectional shape into a light beam having an annular cross-sectional shape before the light beam arrives at said third optical means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 80 words
An illuminating system according to claim 4, wherein said third optical means comprises a combination of first and second transparent optical elements positioned between and optically in alignment with said first optical means and said third optical means, the first optical element nearler to said first optical means having a conically convex surface as an exit surface, the second optical element having a conically concave surface as an entrance surface facing the conically convex surface of the first optical element.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 40 words
An illuminating system according to claim 5, wherein the distance between said first and second optical elements is variable to vary the ratio of the inner diameter of the light beam having an annular cross-sectionlal shape to the outer diameter.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

JPH01216361A Cited
US5237367A Cited
US5245384A Cited
US5287142A Cited
US5309198A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1997-10-17 1998-04-18 1998-10-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2001-10-17 2002-04-18 2002-10-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2005-10-17 2006-04-18 2006-10-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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