Catadioptric optical system and exposure apparatus having the same

Claim 2

A catadioptric optical system comprising: a first imaging optical system forming an intermediate image of a pattern provided on a first surface, said first imaging optical system including a first lens group with a positive refracting power and a second lens group which includes a concave mirror having a concave surface facing said first surface, said second lens group having a negative lens component; a second imaging optical system forming an image of said intermediate image upon a second surface, a composite magnification of said first and second imaging optical systems being a reduction magnification; and a first optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system so as to guide light from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system, wherein a part of the first lens group of said first imaging optical system is positioned between said first optical path deflecting member and said second lens group, in a space through which both light directed from said first surface to said second lens group and light directed from said second lens group to said first optical path deflecting member pass, and wherein the first lens group includes, in the following order from said first surface toward said second lens group, a front lens group having a positive refracting power, an intermediate lens group having a negative refracting power, and a rear lens group having a positive refracting power.

Claim 3

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, wherein said first imaging optical system has a reducing power and said second imaging optical system has a reducing power.

Claim 4

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, wherein said first optical path deflecting member is disposed, in an optical path between said first surface and said first lens group, at a position deviated from an optical axis of said first lens group.

Claim 5

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, wherein said second imaging optical system comprises a third lens group having a positive refracting power and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power, said third lens group and fourth lens group being disposed such that light from said first imaging optical system successively passes through said third lens group and said fourth lens group so as to be guided to said second surface.

Claim 6

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 4, further comprising a first aperture stop disposed in an optical path between said third lens group and said fourth lens group.

Claim 7

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a fifth lens group disposed in an optical path between said first surface and said first lens group, said fifth lens group including, in the following order from said first surface toward said first lens group, a front lens group with a positive refracting power and a rear lens group with a negative refracting power.

Claim 8

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 6, wherein said first optical path deflecting member is disposed, in an optical path between said first surface and said fifth lens group, at a position deviated from an optical axis of said fifth lens group.

Claim 9

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, wherein, assuming that the pattern on said first surface has a height Y0 and said intermediate image formed by said first imaging optical system has an image height Y1, said catadioptric optical system satisfies the following condition: 0.4<|Y0/Y1|<1.2.

Claim 10

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, wherein each of lens components constituting said second imaging optical system comprises one of at least two kinds of optical materials having dispersion values different from each other.

Claim 11

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 4, wherein said third lens group in said second imaging optical system includes at least a negative lens component and a positive lens component, and wherein said fourth lens group in said second imaging optical system includes at least a positive lens component.

Claim 12

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a second optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path between said first surface and said first lens group so as to deflect light from said first surface, whereby said first surface and said second surface are placed in parallel to each other.

Claim 13

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 11, wherein said first surface and said second surface are disposed such that a normal of said first surface and a normal of the second surface are orthogonal to a direction of gravity.

Claim 14

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 4, further comprising a third optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path between said third lens group and said fourth lens group so as to deflect light from said third lens group, whereby said first surface and said second surface are placed in parallel to each other.

Claim 15

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 13, wherein said first surface and said second surface are disposed horizontally with respect to a direction of gravity, while said first surface is positioned above said second surface.

Claim 16

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a field stop disposed on a surface where said intermediate image is formed in an optical path between said first imaging optical system and said second imaging optical system so as to change a size of an image-forming field on said second surface.

Claim 17

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 1, further comprising a filter for increasing a depth of focus, said filter being disposed at a position in an optical path between said rear lens group in said first lens group and said second lens group or a position in an optical path of said second imaging optical system.

Claim 18

A catadioptric optical system according to claim 16, further comprising an aperture stop disposed at a position in the optical path of said second imaging optical system or a position in the optical path between said rear lens group in said first lens group and said second lens group.

Claim 19

An exposure apparatus comprising: a first stage capable of holding a photosensitive substrate on a main surface thereof; a second stage for holding a mask with a predetermined an illumination optical system for irradiating said mask with exposure light having a predetermined wavelength so as to transfer an image of the predetermined pattern on said mask onto said substrate; and a catadioptric optical system provided between said first stage and said second stage so as to project the pattern on said mask onto said substrate, said catadioptric optical system comprising: a first imaging optical system forming an intermediate image of the pattern provided on said mask, said first imaging optical system including a first lens group with a positive refracting power and a second lens group which includes a concave mirror having a concave surface facing said mask, said second lens group having a negative lens component; a second imaging optical system forming an image of said intermediate image upon said substrate, a composite magnification of said first and second imaging optical systems being a reduction magnification; and a first optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system so as to guide light from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system, wherein a part of the first lens group of said first imaging optical system is positioned between said first optical path deflecting member and said second lens group, in a space through which both light directed from said mask to said second lens group and light directed from said second lens group to said first optical path deflecting member pass, and wherein the first lens group includes, in the following order from said mask toward said second lens group, a front lens group having a positive refracting power, an intermediate lens group having a negative refracting power, and a rear lens group having a positive refracting power.

Claim 20

An exposure apparatus comprising: a first stage capable of holding a photosensitive substrate on a main surface thereof; a second stage for holding a mask with a predetermined an illumination optical system for irradiating said mask with exposure light having a predetermined wavelength so as to transfer an image of the predetermined pattern on said mask onto said substrate; and a catadioptric optical system provided between said first stage and said second stage so as to project the pattern on said mask onto said substrate, said catadioptric optical system comprising: a first imaging optical system forming an intermediate image of the pattern provided on said mask, said first imaging optical system including a first lens group with a positive refracting power and a second lens group which includes a concave mirror having a concave surface facing said mask, said second lens group having a negative lens component; a second imaging optical system forming an image of said intermediate image upon said substrate, a composite magnification of said first and second imaging optical systems being a reduction magnification; and a first optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system so as to guide light from said first imaging optical system to said second imaging optical system, wherein a part of the first lens group of said first imaging optical system is positioned between said first optical path deflecting member and said second lens group, in a space through which both light directed from said mask to said second lens group and light directed from said second lens group to said first optical path deflecting member pass, and wherein the first lens group includes, in the following order from said mask toward said second lens group, a front lens group having a positive refracting power, an intermediate lens group having a negative refracting power, and a rear lens group having a positive refracting power.

Claim 21

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said first imaging optical system has a reducing power and said second imaging optical system has a reducing power.

Claim 22

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said second imaging optical system in said catadioptric optical system comprises a third lens group having a positive refracting power and a fourth lens group having a positive refracting power, said third lens group and fourth lens group being disposed such that light from said first imaging optical system successively passes through said third lens group and said fourth lens group so as to be guided onto said photosensitive substrate.

Claim 23

An exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a first aperture stop disposed in an optical path between said third lens group and said fourth lens group.

Claim 24

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a fifth lens group disposed in an optical path between said mask and said first lens group, said fifth lens group including, in the following order from said mask toward said first lens group, a front lens group with a positive refracting power and a rear lens group with a negative refracting power.

Claim 25

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein, assuming that the pattern on said mask has a height Y0 and said intermediate image formed by said first imaging optical system has an image height Y1, said catadioptric optical system satisfies the following condition: 0.4<|Y0/Y1|<1.2.

Claim 26

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein each of lens components constituting said second imaging optical system comprises one of at least two kinds of optical materials having dispersion values different from each other.

Claim 27

An exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said third lens group in said second imaging optical system includes at least a negative lens component and a positive lens component, and wherein said fourth lens group in said second imaging optical system includes at least a positive lens component.

Claim 28

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a second optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path between said mask and said first lens group so as to deflect light from said mask, whereby a reference surface of said mask and a reference surface of said photosensitive substrate are placed in parallel to each other.

Claim 29

An exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said first stage and said second stage are disposed such that a normal of said mask and a normal of a surface of said substrate are orthogonal to a direction of gravity.

Claim 30

An exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a third optical path deflecting member disposed in an optical path between said third lens group and said fourth lens group so as to deflect light from said third lens group, whereby a reference surface of said mask and a reference surface of said substrate are placed in parallel to each other.

Claim 31

An exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said first stage and said second stage are disposed such that said mask and a surface of said photosensitive substrate are disposed horizontally to a direction of gravity, while said mask is positioned above said substrate.

Claim 32

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a field stop disposed on a surface where said intermediate image is formed in an optical path between said first imaging optical system and said second imaging optical system so as to change a size of an image-forming field on said substrate.

Claim 33

An exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises a filter for increasing a depth of focus, said filter being disposed at a position in an optical path between said rear lens group in said first lens group and said second lens group or a position in an optical path of said second imaging optical system.

Claim 34

An exposure apparatus according to claim 31, wherein said catadioptric optical system further comprises an aperture stop disposed at a position in the optical path of said second imaging optical system or a position in the optical path between said rear lens group in said first lens group and said second lens group.