US6233041B1
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Exposure method utilizing diffracted light having different orders of diffraction
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1998-06-29
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Granted: 2001-05-15
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Expires: 2018-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A method for transferring a fine pattern (12) on a mask (11) onto a substrate (17) by a projection exposure apparatus including an illumination optical system (1-10) for irradiating an illuminating light on the mask (11), and a projection optical system (13) for projecting an image of the fine pattern (12) on the illuminated mask onto the substrate (17). The illuminating light is irradiated at least in the form of a pair of light beams opposedly inclined with respect to the mask through a pair of transparent windows (6a, 6b) of a spatial filter (6) whereby either one of the ±first-order diffracted beams and the 0-order diffracted beam produced from the fine pattern (12) of the mask (11) illuminated by each light beam are respectively passed apart by the equal distance from the optical axis of the projection optical system at or near to the Fourier transform plane within the projection optical system with respect to the fine pattern (12) of the mask (11), thereby forming on the substrate (17) a high-resolution projected image of a strong light-and-dark contrast with a high degree of focus depth.
Inventors
- 👤 Naomasa Shiraishi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:22
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7088; G03F7/00; G03F7/20; G03F7/2002; G03F7/201; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/70091; G03F7/701; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70241; G03F7/7025; G03F7/70308
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of exposing a substrate with a pattern of a mask through a projection optical system, comprising: illuminating the pattern with at least a first light beam and a second light beam from different directions so that a 0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of said first light beam passes through a same optical path of said projection optical system as a non-0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of said second light beam; and projecting the 0-order and non-0-order diffracted beams onto the substrate to form an image of the pattern.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
100 words
A method of exposing a substrate with a pattern of a mask through a projection optical system, comprising: illuminating the pattern with at least a first light beam and a second light beam from different directions so that a 0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of said first light beam passes through a same optical path of said projection optical system as a non-0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of said second light beam; and projecting the 0-order and non-0-order diffracted beams onto the substrate to form an image of the pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 1 , wherein: said optical path is spaced from the optical axis of said projection optical system on the Fourier transform plane in said projection optical system with respect to said pattern.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 2 , wherein: said at least first and second light beams are inclined at a substantially same angle determined in accordance with fineness of said pattern with respect to an optical axis of an illumination optical system through which said at least first and second light beams pass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 3 , wherein: said angle is determined so that non-0-order diffracted beams produced from said pattern by the irradiation of said first light beam pass apart from the optical axis of said projection optical system on said Fourier transform plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 4 , wherein: said angle is determined so that a 0-order diffracted beam and one of said non-0-order diffracted light beams pass apart from the optical axis of said projection optical system by a substantially equal distance on said Fourier transform plane.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein: said angle is changed in accordance with the pattern to be transferred onto said substrate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 5 , wherein: said at least first and second light beams are generated from portions apart from an optical axis of said illumination optical system on the Fourier transform plane in said illumination optical system with respect to said pattern.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method according to claim 7 , wherein: said portions include 2n portions of which distance from the optical axis of said illumination optical system is substantially same (where n is a natural number).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 8 , wherein: said portions are divided by a light attenuating portion or a light shielding portion on the Fourier transform plane in said illumination optical system.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A microdevice manufacturing method of forming a circuit pattern by means of the method as defined in claim 1 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
90 words
An exposure method comprising the steps of: irradiating onto a mask with a first light beam and with a second light beam from a different direction from that of the first light beam so that a non-0-order diffracted light beam produced from a pattern of the mask by the irradiation of the second light beam is substantially parallel to a 0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of the first light beam; and projecting said non-0-order diffracted light beam and said 0-order diffracted beam onto a substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
90 words
An exposure method comprising the steps of: irradiating onto a mask with a first light beam and with a second light beam from a different direction from that of the first light beam so that a non-0-order diffracted light beam produced from a pattern of the mask by the irradiation of the second light beam is substantially parallel to a 0-order diffracted beam produced from the pattern by the irradiation of the first light beam; and projecting said non-0-order diffracted light beam and said 0-order diffracted beam onto a substrate.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of exposing a substrate through a projection optical system with an illumination light irradiated on a mask by an illumination optical system, comprising: defining an intensity distribution of the illumination light on the Fourier transform plane in the illumination optical system with respect to a pattern on the mask to have increased intensity portions apart from an optical axis of the illumination optical system relative to a portion between the increased intensity portions; and determining positions of the increased intensity portions in accordance with the pattern so that a first diffracted light produced from the pattern by irradiation of light from a first one of the increased intensity portions and a second diffracted light, of which order is different from that of the first diffracted light, produced from the pattern by irradiation of light from a second one of the increased intensity portions different from the first one pass through a same area apart from an optical axis of the projection optical system on the Fourier transform plane in the projection optical system with respect to the pattern.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
180 words
A method of exposing a substrate through a projection optical system with an illumination light irradiated on a mask by an illumination optical system, comprising: defining an intensity distribution of the illumination light on the Fourier transform plane in the illumination optical system with respect to a pattern on the mask to have increased intensity portions apart from an optical axis of the illumination optical system relative to a portion between the increased intensity portions; and determining positions of the increased intensity portions in accordance with the pattern so that a first diffracted light produced from the pattern by irradiation of light from a first one of the increased intensity portions and a second diffracted light, of which order is different from that of the first diffracted light, produced from the pattern by irradiation of light from a second one of the increased intensity portions different from the first one pass through a same area apart from an optical axis of the projection optical system on the Fourier transform plane in the projection optical system with respect to the pattern.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method according to claim 12 , wherein: said area is substantially conjugated with one of said first and second of the increased intensity portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method according to claim 13 , wherein: said first diffracted light is 0-order diffracted light, and said area is substantially conjugated with said first one of the increased intensity portions.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
64 words
A method according to claim 14 , wherein: a non-0-order diffracted light produced from said pattern by irradiation of light from said first one of the increased intensity portions pass through an area different from said area through which said 0-order diffracted light passes, apart from the optical axis of said projection optical system on the Fourier transform plane in said projection optical system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
41 words
A method according to claim 15 , wherein: the light from said increased intensity portions is inclined at a substantially same angle determined in accordance with fineness of said pattern with respect to the optical axis of said illumination optical system.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 16 , wherein: said angle is changed in accordance with the pattern to be transferred onto said substrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
A microdevice manufacturing method of forming a circuit pattern by means of the method defined in claim 12 .
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2004-05-14 | 2004-11-13 | 2005-05-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2008-05-14 | 2008-11-13 | 2009-05-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2012-05-14 | 2012-11-13 | 2013-05-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |