US5815248A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Illumination optical apparatus and method having a wavefront splitter and an optical integrator
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1997-08-29
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Granted: 1998-09-29
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Expires: 2017-08-29
Abstract
Abstract A diffraction grating is set between a light source and a fly-eye lens composed of a plurality of lens elements rectangular in cross section, and using the zeroth order diffraction beam and ±first order diffraction beams emergent from the diffraction grating, a plurality of light source images are formed along the longitudinal direction on the exit plane of each lens element in the fly-eye lens. In a preferred mode the intensity of illumination light on a mask is increased using first and second light sources, and a first illumination beam, which is obtained by combining a beam emitted from the first light source and passing through a half prism with a beam emitted from the second light source and reflected by the half prism on a same axis, and a second illumination beam, which is obtained by combining a beam emitted from the first light source and reflected by the half prism with a beam emitted from the second light source and passing through the half prism on a same axis, are made incident into the fly-eye lens as being inclined symmetrically with each other with respect to the optical axis of illumination optical system.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenji Nishi
- 👤 Naomasa Shiraishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 11:47
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70008; G03F7/7005; G03F7/70058; G03F7/70091; G03F7/701; G03F7/70108; G03F7/7015; G03F7/70158; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70358
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 41
Claim 1
Independent Claim
187 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section; a member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, for splitting a beam from said first light source into a plurality of first beams incident on said fly-eye type optical integrator with mutually different directional components along a longitudinal direction of said optical elements, and for splitting a beam from said second light source into a plurality of second beams incident on said fly-eye type optical integrator through same optical paths as those of said plurality of first beams; wherein a plurality of light source images are formed along said longitudinal direction on or near an exit plane of each optical element in said fly-eye type optical integrator; and a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, for condensing a beam from each of said plurality of light source images formed by said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
187 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section; a member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, for splitting a beam from said first light source into a plurality of first beams incident on said fly-eye type optical integrator with mutually different directional components along a longitudinal direction of said optical elements, and for splitting a beam from said second light source into a plurality of second beams incident on said fly-eye type optical integrator through same optical paths as those of said plurality of first beams; wherein a plurality of light source images are formed along said longitudinal direction on or near an exit plane of each optical element in said fly-eye type optical integrator; and a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, for condensing a beam from each of said plurality of light source images formed by said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shutter which can shield light from at least one of said first and second light sources.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
110 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: at least one light source; an optical integrator located at an exit plane side of said light source; a splitting member, disposed between said light source and said optical integrator, which splits a beam from said light source into a plurality of beams incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator, said splitting member including an inner mirror which includes a mirror surface on its inner surface; and a condenser optical systems, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which condenses light emergent from said optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: at least one light source; an optical integrator located at an exit plane side of said light source; a splitting member, disposed between said light source and said optical integrator, which splits a beam from said light source into a plurality of beams incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator, said splitting member including an inner mirror which includes a mirror surface on its inner surface; and a condenser optical systems, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which condenses light emergent from said optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light beam from said light source is incident on said splitting member from an oblique direction.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said splitting member comprises a diffraction grating member which is formed with a diffraction grating pattern at a predetermined pitch, said predetermined pitch being such that a diffracted light of 0-th order and a predetermined diffracted light of a different order emerge from the diffraction grating member symmetrically with respect to a normal line of the diffraction grating member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
76 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said splitting member comprises a diffraction grating member formed with a diffraction grating pattern including recesses and projections, a depth of grooves formed by said recesses and projections being such that a light quantity of a 0-th order diffracted light emergent from said diffraction grating member is substantially equal to a light quantity of a predetermined diffracted light of different order emergent from said diffraction grating member.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of light beams are incident on said optical integrator symmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
112 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, for condensing a respective beam from each of a plurality of light source images formed by said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane; and an optical member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, for supplying light beams from said first and said second light sources to said fly-eye type optical integrator along mutually different directions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
112 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, for condensing a respective beam from each of a plurality of light source images formed by said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane; and an optical member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, for supplying light beams from said first and said second light sources to said fly-eye type optical integrator along mutually different directions.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
73 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising: a first photoelectric detector for receiving a part of the light beam from said first light source; a second photoelectric detector for receiving a part of the light beam from said second light source; and a device for adjusting the intensity of light from at least one of said first and second light sources, based on photoelectric signals from said first and second photoelectric detectors.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said adjusting device comprises a member for changing an amplitude of a current supplied to said light sources in order to change an emission intensity of at least one of said first and second light sources.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
179 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; an optical integrator which forms light source images of incident light beams from said first and second light sources; an optical member, disposed between said first and second light sources and said optical integrator, which supplies a light beam from said first light source and a light beam from said second light source to said optical integrator along mutually different directions; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which condenses a light beam emergent from said optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane; a first photoelectric detector which receives a part of the light beam from said first light source; a second photoelectric detector which receives a part of the light beam from said second light source; and a member, connected to said first and second photoelectric detectors, which adjusts an intensity of the light beam from at least one of said first and said second light sources, based on photoelectric signals from said first and second photoelectric detectors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
179 words
An illumination optical apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; an optical integrator which forms light source images of incident light beams from said first and second light sources; an optical member, disposed between said first and second light sources and said optical integrator, which supplies a light beam from said first light source and a light beam from said second light source to said optical integrator along mutually different directions; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which condenses a light beam emergent from said optical integrator to illuminate a predetermined plane; a first photoelectric detector which receives a part of the light beam from said first light source; a second photoelectric detector which receives a part of the light beam from said second light source; and a member, connected to said first and second photoelectric detectors, which adjusts an intensity of the light beam from at least one of said first and said second light sources, based on photoelectric signals from said first and second photoelectric detectors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said optical member is adapted to cause the light beams from said first and second light sources to be incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
28 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light beams from said first and second light sources are incident on said optical member from oblique directions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
An illumination optical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the light beams from said first and second light sources are incident on said optical integrator symmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
143 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, comprising: at least one light source; an optical integrator located at an exit plane side of said light source; a splitting member arranged between said light source and said optical integrator, which splits a beam from said light source into a plurality of beams incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator, said splitting member including an inner mirror which includes a mirror surface on its inner surface; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which conducts a light beam emergent from said optical integrator to said mask; and a projection optical system, disposed between said mask and said substrate, which projects the light passing through said mask onto said substrate.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
143 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, comprising: at least one light source; an optical integrator located at an exit plane side of said light source; a splitting member arranged between said light source and said optical integrator, which splits a beam from said light source into a plurality of beams incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator, said splitting member including an inner mirror which includes a mirror surface on its inner surface; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said optical integrator, which conducts a light beam emergent from said optical integrator to said mask; and a projection optical system, disposed between said mask and said substrate, which projects the light passing through said mask onto said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said splitting member includes a diffraction grating member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said optical integrator is composed of a plurality of optical integrating elements.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said light source is an excimer laser.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
27 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the light beam from said light source is incident on said splitting member from an oblique direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the plurality of light beams are incident on said optical integrator symmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
68 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said splitting member comprises a diffraction grating member which is formed with a diffraction grating pattern at a predetermined pitch, said predetermined pitch being such that a diffracted light of 0-th order and a predetermined diffracted light of different order emerge from the diffraction grating member symmetrically with respect to a normal line of the diffraction grating member.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
77 words
A scanning type exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said splitting member comprises a diffraction grating member formed with a diffraction grating pattern including recesses and projections, a depth of grooves formed by said recesses and projections being such that a light quantity of a 0-th order diffracted light emergent from said diffraction grating member is substantially equal to a light quantity of a predetermined diffracted light of different order emergent from said diffraction grating member.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
129 words
An exposure apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section, which forms light source images of said light sources; an optical member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, which supplies light beams from said first and said second light sources to said fly-eye type optical integrator along mutually different directions; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, which condenses a light beam from said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a mask having a pattern; and a projection optical system which projects the light beam passing through said mask onto a photosensitive substrate.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
129 words
An exposure apparatus comprising: a first light source; a second light source; a fly-eye type optical integrator composed of a plurality of optical elements rectangular in cross section, which forms light source images of said light sources; an optical member, disposed between said first and said second light sources and said fly-eye type optical integrator, which supplies light beams from said first and said second light sources to said fly-eye type optical integrator along mutually different directions; a condenser optical system, located at an exit plane side of said fly-eye type optical integrator, which condenses a light beam from said fly-eye type optical integrator to illuminate a mask having a pattern; and a projection optical system which projects the light beam passing through said mask onto a photosensitive substrate.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
78 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising: a first photoelectric detector for receiving a part of the light beam from said first light source; a second photoelectric detector for receiving a part of the light beam from said second light source; and a device for adjusting an intensity of the light beam from at least one of said first and said second light sources, based upon photoelectric outputs from said first and said second photoelectric detectors.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
16 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said plurality of optical elements are arranged two-dimensionally.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
18 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said exposure apparatus is a slit-scan type scanning exposure apparatus.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
26 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of light beams are incident on said optical integrator symmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
45 words
An exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein said optical member is adapted to cause the light beams from said first and second light sources to be incident on said optical integrator along mutually different directions in accordance with a shape of said optical integrator.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
84 words
An exposure method comprising the steps of: splitting a light beam from a plurality of light sources into a plurality of light beams in accordance with a shape of an optical integrator which forms a light source image of said light source, and supplying the plurality of light beams to said optical integrator along mutually different directions; conducting the light beams from said optical integrator to a mask having a pattern; and projecting the light beams passing through said mask onto a photosensitive substrate.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
84 words
An exposure method comprising the steps of: splitting a light beam from a plurality of light sources into a plurality of light beams in accordance with a shape of an optical integrator which forms a light source image of said light source, and supplying the plurality of light beams to said optical integrator along mutually different directions; conducting the light beams from said optical integrator to a mask having a pattern; and projecting the light beams passing through said mask onto a photosensitive substrate.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
26 words
An exposure method according to claim 29, wherein the plurality of light beams are incident on said optical integrator symmetrically with respect to an optical axis.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
44 words
An exposure method according to claim 29, wherein the splitting of the light beam from said light source is performed by a diffraction grating member, and the light beam from said light source is incident on said diffraction grating member from an oblique direction.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
90 words
An exposure method which exposes a pattern of a mask onto a substrate by illuminating the pattern of the mask with an illumination optical system having an optical integrator, said method comprising: splitting a light beam from a light source into a plurality of light beams; conducting the plurality of split light beams to said optical integrator utilizing an inner mirror which has a mirror surface on its inner surface; conducting light emergent from said optical integrator to said mask; and conducting light transmitted through said mask to said substrate.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
90 words
An exposure method which exposes a pattern of a mask onto a substrate by illuminating the pattern of the mask with an illumination optical system having an optical integrator, said method comprising: splitting a light beam from a light source into a plurality of light beams; conducting the plurality of split light beams to said optical integrator utilizing an inner mirror which has a mirror surface on its inner surface; conducting light emergent from said optical integrator to said mask; and conducting light transmitted through said mask to said substrate.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
16 words
An exposure method according to claim 32, further comprising moving said mask and said substrate synchronously.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-28 | 2002-03-30 | 2002-09-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-28 | 2006-03-30 | 2006-09-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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