Illumination optical system

Claim 2

An illumination optical system, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on said surface in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on said surface.

Claim 3

A system according to claim 1, wherein said beam dividing means divides a wavefront of the radiation beam.

Claim 4

A system according to claim 2, wherein the radiation beam comprises a laser beam.

Claim 5

A system according to claim 3, further comprising an excimer laser which supplies the laser beam.

Claim 6

A system according to claim 3, wherein said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprises a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon said surface with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 7

A system according to claim 5, wherein said anamorphic optical system comprises a cylindrical lens.

Claim 8

A system according to claim 5, wherein said collecting optical system has the same focal length with respect to the direction of beam division and the direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division.

Claim 9

A system according to claim 5, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam so that central rays of the illumination beams intersect with each other at a front focal point position of said anamorphic optical system with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 10

A system according to claim 8, wherein said beam dividing means comprises at least one prism for deflecting at least one of the illumination beams.

Claim 11

A system according to claim 5, further comprising an excimer laser for supplying the laser beam.

Claim 12

An optical apparatus for exposing a workpiece, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask.

Claim 13

An optical apparatus for exposing a workpiece, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask.

Claim 14

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said beam dividing means divides a wavefront of the radiation beam.

Claim 15

An apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the radiation beam comprises a laser beam.

Claim 16

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising an excimer laser which supplies the laser beam.

Claim 17

An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprises a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon the mask with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 18

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said anamorphic optical system comprises a cylindrical lens.

Claim 19

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said collecting optical system has the same focal length with respect to the direction of beam division and the direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division.

Claim 20

An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam so that central rays of the illumination beams intersect with each other at a front focal point position of said anamorphic optical system with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 21

An apparatus according to claim 18, wherein said beam dividing means comprises at least one prism for deflecting at least one of the illumination beams.

Claim 22

An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising an excimer laser for supplying the laser beam.

Claim 23

An apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a projection optical system for imaging the pattern of the mask onto the workpiece.

Claim 24

An illumination optical system, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; beam dividing means for dividing a wavefront of the laser beam from said laser to form a plurality of illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on said surface in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on said surface, wherein said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprises a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon said surface with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 25

An illumination optical system, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; beam dividing means for dividing a wavefront of the laser beam from said laser to form a plurality of illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on said surface in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on said surface, wherein said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprises a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon said surface with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 26

A system according to claim 22, wherein said laser comprises an excimer laser.

Claim 27

A system according to claim 23, wherein said anamorphic optical system comprises a cylindrical lens.

Claim 28

A system according to claim 23, wherein said collecting optical system has the same focal length with respect to the direction of beam division and the direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division.

Claim 29

A system according to claim 23, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam so that central rays of the illumination beams intersect with each other at a front focal point position of said anamorphic optical system with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 30

A system according to claim 26, wherein said beam dividing means comprises two prisms for deflecting two of the illumination beams.

Claim 31

An optical apparatus for exposing a workpiece, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; beam dividing means for dividing a wavefront of the laser beam from said laser to form a plurality of illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask, said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprising a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon the mask with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 32

An optical apparatus for exposing a workpiece, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; beam dividing means for dividing a wavefront of the laser beam from said laser to form a plurality of illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system having different focal lengths in substantially orthogonal first and second directions, and said anamorphic optical system being adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in the first direction while defocusing the same in the second direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask, said anamorphic optical system focuses each of the illumination beams with respect to a direction of beam division by said beam dividing means, and said optical arrangement comprising a collecting optical system for focusing each of the illumination beams from said anamorphic optical system upon the mask with respect to a direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division while defocusing the same with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 33

An apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said laser comprises an excimer laser.

Claim 34

An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said anamorphic optical system comprises a cylindrical lens.

Claim 35

An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said collecting optical system has the same focal length with respect to the direction of beam division and the direction perpendicular to the direction of beam division.

Claim 36

An apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam so that central rays of the illumination beams intersect with each other at a front focal point position of said anamorphic optical system with respect to the direction of beam division.

Claim 37

An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said beam dividing means comprises two prisms for deflecting two of the illumination beams.

Claim 39

A method according to claim 34, wherein the device pattern comprises a pattern of an ink discharging outlet array of a nozzle plate.

Claim 40

A system according to claim 1, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam in a direction the same as the first direction.

Claim 41

An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam in a direction the same as the first direction.

Claim 42

An illumination optical system, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system which is adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on said surface in a first direction while defocusing the same in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on said surface.

Claim 43

An illumination optical system, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a surface to be illuminated, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system which is adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on said surface in a first direction while defocusing the same in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on said surface.

Claim 44

A system according to claim 38, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam in a direction the same as the first direction.

Claim 45

An optical apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system which is adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in a first direction while defocusing the same in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask.

Claim 46

An optical apparatus for processing a workpiece, comprising: beam dividing means for dividing a radiation beam into plural illumination beams; and an optical arrangement for superposing the illumination beams one upon another on a mask, said optical arrangement comprising an anamorphic optical system which is adapted to focus each of the illumination beams on the mask in a first direction while defocusing the same in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, whereby a linear illumination region is defined on the mask, wherein the illumination region is defined in a linear pattern region on the mask and the workpiece is exposed in accordance with a pattern provided in the pattern region of the mask.

Claim 47

An apparatus to claim 40, wherein said beam dividing means divides the radiation beam in a direction the same as the first direction.

Claim 49

A method according to claim 42, wherein the device pattern comprises a pattern of an ink discharging outlet array of a nozzle plate.