Illumination system and projection exposure apparatus using the same

Claim 2

An illumination system for illuminating an illumination region having a difference in size along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said illumination system comprising: an optical integrator including elements having different refractive powers with respect to the first and second directions as the optical integrator is viewed in an optical axis direction, said elements also having the same pitch with respect to the first and second directions; and optical means for directing light from a light source upon said optical integrator, at different largest incidence angles with respect to the first and second directions, so as to satisfy a relation 0.8<[(tan θ 1 /tan θ 2 )/(φ 1 /φ 2 )]<2.1 where θ 1 and θ 2 are largest incidence angles of the light incident on said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions, and φ 1 and φ 2 are refractive powers of said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions.

Claim 3

An illumination system according to claim 1 , wherein said optical integrator comprises (i) a first lens assembly including lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch, said lenses of said first lens assembly having different refractive powers being different with respect to the first and second directions, (ii) a second lens assembly including lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch, said lenses of said second lens assembly having different refractive powers being different with respect to the first and second directions, wherein said first and second lens assemblies are disposed along the optical axis direction, and said elements are defined by an intersection of said lenses of said first and second lens assemblies as said first and second lens assemblies are viewed in the optical axis direction.

Claim 4

An illumination system according to claim 2 , wherein said lenses of said first lens assembly comprise cylindrical lenses disposed along the first direction and having a refractive power only with respect to the first direction, and said lenses of said second lens assembly comprise cylindrical lenses disposed along the second direction and having a refractive power only with respect to the second direction.

Claim 5

An illumination system according to claim 2 , wherein said optical integrator further comprises a plurality of first lens assemblies each corresponding to said first lens assembly, and a plurality of second lens assemblies each corresponding to said second lens assembly.

Claim 6

An illumination system according to claim 1 , further comprising light dividing means for dividing the light from the light source, wherein light beam split by said light dividing means are incident on said optical integrator with a largest incidence angle θ 1 with respect to the first direction and a largest incidence angle θ 2 with respect to the second direction.

Claim 7

An illumination system according to claim 1 , further comprising a fly's eye lens having lenses arrayed two-dimensionally, said fly's eye lens being disposed between the light source and said optical integrator, for defining plural light sources adjacent to a light exit surface thereof.

Claim 8

An illumination system according to claim 6 , wherein said illumination system satisfies a relation 0.8<[(α/β)/(ø 1 /ø 2 )]<1.2 where α and β are lengths of said fly's eye lens with respect to the first and second directions, respectively.

Claim 9

An illumination system for illuminating an illumination region having a difference in size along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said illumination system comprising: an optical integrator including elements having different refractive powers with respect to the first and second directions as said optical integrator is viewed in an optical axis direction, said elements also having the same pitch with respect to the first and second directions; and optical means for directing light from a light source upon said optical integrator, at different numerical apertures with respect to the first and second directions, so as to satisfy a relation 0.8<[( NA 1 /NA 2 )/(φ 1 /φ 2 )]<1.2 where NA 1 and NA 2 are numerical apertures of the light incident on said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions, and φ 1 and φ 2 are refractive powers of said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions.

Claim 10

An illumination system for illuminating an illumination region having a difference in size along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said illumination system comprising: an optical integrator including elements having different refractive powers with respect to the first and second directions as said optical integrator is viewed in an optical axis direction, said elements also having the same pitch with respect to the first and second directions; and optical means for directing light from a light source upon said optical integrator, at different numerical apertures with respect to the first and second directions, so as to satisfy a relation 0.8<[( NA 1 /NA 2 )/(φ 1 /φ 2 )]<1.2 where NA 1 and NA 2 are numerical apertures of the light incident on said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions, and φ 1 and φ 2 are refractive powers of said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions.

Claim 11

An illumination system according to claim 8 , wherein said optical integrator comprises (i) a first lens assembly including lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch, said lenses of said first lens assembly having different refractive powers being different with respect to the first and second directions, (ii) a second lens assembly including lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch, said lenses of said second lens assembly having different refractive powers being different with respect to the first and second directions, wherein said first and second lens assemblies are disposed along the optical axis direction, and said elements are defined by an intersection of said lenses of said first and second lens assemblies as said first and second lens assemblies are viewed in the optical axis direction.

Claim 12

An illumination system according to claim 9 , wherein said lenses of said first lens assembly comprise cylindrical lenses disposed along the first direction and having a refractive power only with respect to the first direction, and said lenses of said second lens assembly comprise cylindrical lenses disposed along the second direction and having a refractive power only with respect to the second direction.

Claim 13

An illumination system according to claim 9 , wherein said optical integrator further comprises a plurality of first lens assemblies each corresponding to said first lens assembly, and a plurality of second lens assemblies each corresponding to said second lens assembly.

Claim 14

An illumination system for illuminating an illumination region having a difference in size along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said illumination system comprising: an optical integrator for receiving light from a light source, said optical integrator having (i) a first lens assembly including cylindrical lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch along the first direction, said cylindrical lenses of said first lens assembly having a refractive power only with respect to the first direction, and (ii) a second lens assembly including cylindrical lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch along the second direction, said cylindrical lenses of said second lens assembly having a refractive power only with respect to the second direction, wherein said first and second lens assemblies are disposed along the optical axis direction and when said first and second lens assemblies are viewed in the optical axis direction, said cylindrical lenses of said first and second lens assemblies are mutually intersected to define plural elements having the same pitch with respect to the first and second directions; and optical means for directing light from a light source to said optical integrator, at different largest incidence angles with respect to the first and second directions, so as to satisfy a relation 0.8<[(tan θ 1 /tan θ 2 )/(φ 1 /φ 2 )]<1.2 where θ 1 and θ 2 are largest incidence angles of the light incident on said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions, and φ 1 and φ 2 are refractive powers of said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions.

Claim 15

An illumination system for illuminating an illumination region having a difference in size along a first direction and a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, said illumination system comprising: an optical integrator for receiving light from a light source, said optical integrator having (i) a first lens assembly including cylindrical lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch along the first direction, said cylindrical lenses of said first lens assembly having a refractive power only with respect to the first direction, and (ii) a second lens assembly including cylindrical lenses arrayed at a predetermined pitch along the second direction, said cylindrical lenses of said second lens assembly having a refractive power only with respect to the second direction, wherein said first and second lens assemblies are disposed along the optical axis direction and when said first and second lens assemblies are viewed in the optical axis direction, said cylindrical lenses of said first and second lens assemblies are mutually intersected to define plural elements having the same pitch with respect to the first and second directions; and optical means for directing light from a light source to said optical integrator, at different largest incidence angles with respect to the first and second directions, so as to satisfy a relation 0.8<[(tan θ 1 /tan θ 2 )/(φ 1 /φ 2 )]<1.2 where θ 1 and θ 2 are largest incidence angles of the light incident on said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions, and φ 1 and φ 2 are refractive powers of said optical integrator with respect to the first and second directions.

Claim 16

A projection exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination system as recited in any one of claims 1 - 12 ; and a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a first object as illuminated with said illumination system onto a second object.

Claim 17

A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 13 , further comprising scanning means for scanning the first and second objects at a speed ratio corresponding to a projection magnification of said projection optical system.

Claim 18

A device manufacturing method, comprising the steps of: applying a photosensitive material to a wafer; projecting a pattern of reticle onto the wafer by use of a projection exposure apparatus as recited in claim 13 , for exposure of wafer; and developing the exposed wafer.