US5739899A — Projection exposure apparatus correcting tilt of …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 123 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating said mask by exposure light; a first adjusting member for changing telecentricity on said substrate, said first adjusting member being disposed in said illumination optical system; a second adjusting member for adjusting at least one of a position of said substrate in a direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system and a tilt of said substrate; and a control system for controlling said first adjusting member and said second adjusting member, said control system locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 123 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating said mask by exposure light; a first adjusting member for changing telecentricity on said substrate, said first adjusting member being disposed in said illumination optical system; a second adjusting member for adjusting at least one of a position of said substrate in a direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system and a tilt of said substrate; and a control system for controlling said first adjusting member and said second adjusting member, said control system locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control system has a storage unit for storing mask pattern information concerning the pattern formed on said mask, so that said control system corrects the position of said spatial image on the basis of said mask pattern information stored in said storage unit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 49 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control system has a storage unit for storing distortion information concerning distortion of said projection optical system, so that said control system corrects the position of said spatial image on the basis of said distortion information stored in said storage unit.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said control system controls a rectilinear or curvilinear distortion of the spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 39 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said illumination optical system has a plurality of optical elements, so that said first adjusting member adjusts a position of at least one of said optical elements in said illumination optical system.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first adjusting member changes said telecentricity symmetrically with respect to a center of said projection optical system.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a mask stage which is movable with said mask mounted thereon; and a substrate stage which is movable with said substrate mounted thereon; wherein said control system synchronously scans said mask stage and said substrate stage.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 135 words

A projection exposure apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, wherein said mask and said substrate are synchronously scanned relative to said projection optical system, thereby projecting the pattern formed on said mask onto said substrate, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a field stop for defining an illumination area on said mask and also defining an exposure area in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; an input system for inputting image-formation characteristics of a projected image in said effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and a control system for controlling said field stop so as to change at least one of a position of said exposure area and a configuration of said exposure area.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 135 words

A projection exposure apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, wherein said mask and said substrate are synchronously scanned relative to said projection optical system, thereby projecting the pattern formed on said mask onto said substrate, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a field stop for defining an illumination area on said mask and also defining an exposure area in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; an input system for inputting image-formation characteristics of a projected image in said effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and a control system for controlling said field stop so as to change at least one of a position of said exposure area and a configuration of said exposure area.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 77 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: an input system for inputting pattern information concerning a pattern formed on the mask as an object to be transferred; and a spatial image correcting system for locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system according to the pattern information input from said input system.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 77 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: an input system for inputting pattern information concerning a pattern formed on the mask as an object to be transferred; and a spatial image correcting system for locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system according to the pattern information input from said input system.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 62 words

An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said spatial image correcting system has a first adjusting member for changing telecentricity of said projection optical system, and a second adjusting member for controlling not only a position in a direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system of the substrate to be exposed but also an inclination angle of said substrate.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said spatial image correcting system corrects the position of the spatial image formed by said projection optical system so as to correct a gently changing component of a pattern writing error obtained on the basis of the pattern information input from said input system.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 123 words

A projection exposure apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, wherein said mask and said substrate are synchronously scanned relative to said projection optical system, thereby projecting the pattern on said mask onto said substrate, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a measuring system for measuring image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and an exposure area changing system for changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field, in which an image of a part of the pattern formed on said mask is actually formed, according to a result of the measurement carried out by said measuring system.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 123 words

A projection exposure apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, wherein said mask and said substrate are synchronously scanned relative to said projection optical system, thereby projecting the pattern on said mask onto said substrate, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a measuring system for measuring image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and an exposure area changing system for changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field, in which an image of a part of the pattern formed on said mask is actually formed, according to a result of the measurement carried out by said measuring system.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 46 words

A projection exposure method wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure method comprising: changing telecentricity on said substrate; and locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 46 words

A projection exposure method wherein a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure method comprising: changing telecentricity on said substrate; and locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method according to claim 13, wherein the correction of the position of said spatial image is effected by adjusting at least one of a position of said substrate in a direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system and an inclination of said substrate.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 77 words

A projection exposure method wherein an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure method comprising: synchronously scanning said mask and said substrate relative to said projection optical system; obtaining image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field according to said image-formation characteristics.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 77 words

A projection exposure method wherein an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask is projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure method comprising: synchronously scanning said mask and said substrate relative to said projection optical system; obtaining image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field according to said image-formation characteristics.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 54 words

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating said mask by illuminating light; and a correction optical member for correcting a local telecentricity error on said substrate side, said correction optical member being disposed in said illumination optical system.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 54 words

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for illuminating said mask by illuminating light; and a correction optical member for correcting a local telecentricity error on said substrate side, said correction optical member being disposed in said illumination optical system.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 38 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said illumination optical system has a plurality of lens elements, said correction optical member being disposed between said mask and one of said lens elements that is closest to said mask.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 28 words

An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the lens element that is closest to said mask is a condenser lens for converging said illuminating light onto said mask.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 17 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: a switching system for switching said correction optical member.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 33 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said correction optical member comprises a plurality of correction optical members, said switching system being capable of switching said correction optical members from one to another.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 96 words

An apparatus according to claim 19, further comprising: an optical system for changing illumination conditions for said mask, said optical system being disposed between said mask and a light source which emits said illuminating light; said correction optical member including correction optical member elements provided for respective illumination conditions set by said optical system to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side under the corresponding illumination conditions; and said switching system switching said correction optical member elements from one to another in response to a change of illumination conditions made by said optical system.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 63 words

An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said illumination optical system has a plurality of lens elements, and said switching system sets one of said correction optical member elements corresponding to a set illumination condition into an area between said mask and a lens element for converging said illuminating light onto said mask, said area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 44 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising: a mask stage which is movable with said mask mounted thereon; a substrate stage which is movable with said substrate mounted thereon; and a control system for synchronously scanning said mask stage and said substrate stage.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said correction optical member includes a plane-parallel plate which is varied in thickness at a part thereof so as to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 155 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a mask is illuminated by illuminating light to transfer a pattern on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a driven optical member disposed between an illuminating light source that emits said illuminating light and said mask, said driven optical member changing illumination conditions for said mask; correction optical members provided respectively for illumination conditions set by said driven optical member to correct a local telecentricity error on said photosensitive substrate side under the corresponding illumination conditions; and a switching mechanism which is actuated in response to a motion of said driven optical member to set one of said correction optical members corresponding to an illumination condition set by said driven optical member into an area between said mask and a condenser lens for converging said illuminating light onto said mask, said area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 155 words

A projection exposure apparatus wherein a mask is illuminated by illuminating light to transfer a pattern on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, said projection exposure apparatus comprising: a driven optical member disposed between an illuminating light source that emits said illuminating light and said mask, said driven optical member changing illumination conditions for said mask; correction optical members provided respectively for illumination conditions set by said driven optical member to correct a local telecentricity error on said photosensitive substrate side under the corresponding illumination conditions; and a switching mechanism which is actuated in response to a motion of said driven optical member to set one of said correction optical members corresponding to an illumination condition set by said driven optical member into an area between said mask and a condenser lens for converging said illuminating light onto said mask, said area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 71 words

An exposure method wherein a mask is illuminated by illuminating light to transfer a pattern formed on said mask onto a substrate, said exposure method comprising: changing illumination conditions for said mask; and selectively setting correction optical members corresponding to said illumination conditions into an area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask in order to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side under the respective illumination conditions.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 71 words

An exposure method wherein a mask is illuminated by illuminating light to transfer a pattern formed on said mask onto a substrate, said exposure method comprising: changing illumination conditions for said mask; and selectively setting correction optical members corresponding to said illumination conditions into an area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask in order to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side under the respective illumination conditions.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 46 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by projecting a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said method comprising: changing telecentricity on said substrate; and locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 46 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by projecting a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said method comprising: changing telecentricity on said substrate; and locally correcting a position of a spatial image formed by said projection optical system.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said method comprising: synchronously scanning said mask and said substrate relative to said projection optical system; obtaining image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field according to said image-formation characteristics.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 77 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by projecting an image of a part of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, said method comprising: synchronously scanning said mask and said substrate relative to said projection optical system; obtaining image-formation characteristics of a projected image in an effective exposure field of said projection optical system; and changing an exposure area in said effective exposure field according to said image-formation characteristics.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 74 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by illuminating a mask with illuminating light and thus transferring a pattern on said mask onto a substrate, said method comprising; changing illumination conditions for said mask; and selectively setting correction optical members respectively corresponding to said illumination conditions into an area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask in order to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side under the respective illumination conditions.

Claim 41

Independent Claim 74 words

A method of producing a semiconductor device by illuminating a mask with illuminating light and thus transferring a pattern on said mask onto a substrate, said method comprising; changing illumination conditions for said mask; and selectively setting correction optical members respectively corresponding to said illumination conditions into an area corresponding to an illumination field on said mask in order to correct a local telecentricity error on said substrate side under the respective illumination conditions.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2001-04-13	2001-10-13	2002-04-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2005-04-13	2005-10-13	2006-04-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2009-04-13	2009-10-13	2010-04-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Projection exposure apparatus correcting tilt of telecentricity

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