Image projection method and device manufacturing method using the image projection method

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprise light-transmitting portions and light-blocking portions, respectively.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, wherein the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprise light-reflecting portions and light-blocking portions, respectively.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 4, wherein the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprise light-transmitting portions and a light-blocking portions, respectively.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 4, wherein the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprise light-reflecting portions and light-blocking portions, respectively.

Claim 9

A photomask that projects radiation beams from light-projecting portions when said photomask is irradiated, said photomask comprising: a reticle having a fine pattern of light-projecting portions separated by light-non-projecting portions formed thereon, the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprising light-reflecting portions and light-blocking portions, respectively; and coherency reducing means for reducing coherence between radiation beams that are projected from respective adjacent light-projecting portions, said coherency reducing means comprising polarizing means provided for at least one group of the light-projecting portions for orienting polarization of radiation beams from the one group in a direction orthogonal to a direction of polarization orientation of radiation beams from another group of light-projecting portions.

Claim 10

A photomask that projects radiation beams from light-projecting portions when said photomask is irradiated, said photomask comprising: a reticle having a fine pattern of light-projecting portions separated by light-non-projecting portions formed thereon, the light-projecting portions and the light-non-projecting portions comprising light-reflecting portions and light-blocking portions, respectively; and coherency reducing means for reducing coherence between radiation beams that are projected from respective adjacent light-projecting portions, said coherency reducing means comprising polarizing means provided for at least one group of the light-projecting portions for orienting polarization of radiation beams from the one group in a direction orthogonal to a direction of polarization orientation of radiation beams from another group of light-projecting portions.

Claim 11

A photomask according to claim 7, wherein said polarizing means comprises first polarizing means provided for the one group of light-projecting portions and second polarizing means provided for the other group of light-projecting portions, the first and second polarizing means respectively orienting polarizations of light beams from the respective groups of light-projecting portions in orthogonal directions.

Claim 12

An image forming method for illuminating first and second grating patterns to form an image of the second grating pattern on an image-forming surface using a first light beam and to form an image of the first grating pattern on the image-forming surface using a second light beam, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with an obliquely incident first light beam to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with an obliquely incident second light beam to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with light selection means for blocking the first light beam and passing the second beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern on the image-forming surface using the second light beam; and providing the second grating pattern with light selection means for blocking the second light beam and passing the first light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern on the image-forming surface using the first light beam.

Claim 13

An image forming method for illuminating first and second grating patterns to form an image of the second grating pattern on an image-forming surface using a first light beam and to form an image of the first grating pattern on the image-forming surface using a second light beam, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with an obliquely incident first light beam to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with an obliquely incident second light beam to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with light selection means for blocking the first light beam and passing the second beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern on the image-forming surface using the second light beam; and providing the second grating pattern with light selection means for blocking the second light beam and passing the first light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern on the image-forming surface using the first light beam.

Claim 14

An image forming method for illuminating first and second grating patterns to form an image of the second grating pattern using a first light beam and to form an image of the first grating pattern using a second light beam, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a first light beam in a first plane and; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with the first light beam so that the first light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a second light beam in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with the second light beam so that the second light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the first light beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern using the second light beam; and providing the second grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the second light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern using the first light beam.

Claim 15

An image forming method for illuminating first and second grating patterns to form an image of the second grating pattern using a first light beam and to form an image of the first grating pattern using a second light beam, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a first light beam in a first plane and; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with the first light beam so that the first light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a second light beam in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; illuminating the first and second grating patterns with the second light beam so that the second light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the first light beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern using the second light beam; and providing the second grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the second light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern using the first light beam.

Claim 16

An image forming method for forming images of first, second and third grating patterns by illumination, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; providing a third grating pattern having grating lines in an oblique direction with respect to the grating lines of the first grating pattern and the second grating pattern; linearly polarizing a first light beam in a first plane; illuminating all of the grating patterns with the first light beam so that the first light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a second light beam in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; illuminating all of the grating patterns with the second light beam so that the second light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the first light beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern using the second light beam; providing the second grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the second light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern using the first light beam; and forming an image of the third grating pattern using light from the first and second light beams.

Claim 17

An image forming method for forming images of first, second and third grating patterns by illumination, said method comprising the steps of: providing a first grating pattern having grating lines and a second grating pattern having grating lines substantially orthogonal to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; providing a third grating pattern having grating lines in an oblique direction with respect to the grating lines of the first grating pattern and the second grating pattern; linearly polarizing a first light beam in a first plane; illuminating all of the grating patterns with the first light beam so that the first light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the first grating pattern; linearly polarizing a second light beam in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane; illuminating all of the grating patterns with the second light beam so that the second light beam is obliquely incident to form a plane of incidence parallel to the grating lines of the second grating pattern; providing the first grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the first light beam, to form an image of the first grating pattern using the second light beam; providing the second grating pattern with polarizing means for blocking the second light beam, to form an image of the second grating pattern using the first light beam; and forming an image of the third grating pattern using light from the first and second light beams.