Spatial light modulator unit, illumination optical system, exposure device, and device manufacturing method

• US 10,203,496 B2
• Filed: 11/08/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Tanitsu, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): Asfaw, Mesfin
• Application Number:
  US15/807,356
• Publication Number:
  US 20180067302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0833 the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70116 Off-axis setting using a programmable means, e.g. liquid crystal display [LCD], digital micromirror device [DMD] or pupil facets
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70191 Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for controlling intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or the like

Abstract

One embodiment relates to a spatial light modulator unit comprising: a spatial light modulator with a plurality of optical elements; a spatial light modulation element applying spatial light modulation to the incident light and making rays of intensity levels according to positions of the respective optical elements; and a control unit.

Claims

1. An illumination optical apparatus which illuminates an object with light, the apparatus comprising:

a first spatial light modulator arranged in an optical path of the light, the first spatial light modulator including a plurality of first mirror elements each of which reflects the light and a first driving unit which drives the first mirror elements so as to control postures of the first mirror elements;

a second spatial light modulator arranged in the optical path of the light from the first spatial light modulator, the second spatial light modulator including a plurality of second mirror elements each of which reflects the light from the first spatial light modulator and a second driving unit which drives the second mirror elements so as to control postures of the second mirror elements;

a first optical system arranged in the optical path between the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator, the first optical system including a first lens;

a second optical system arranged in the optical path of the light from the second spatial light modulator, the second optical system including a second lens; and

an optical integrator arranged in the optical path of the light from the second optical system and arranged on an incidence side of an illumination pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus,

wherein the first driving unit controls a light intensity distribution of the light on the second mirror elements by controlling the postures of the first mirror elements.

2. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second driving unit controls a pupil intensity distribution of the light on the illumination pupil plane by controlling the postures of the second mirror elements.

3. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical integrator includes a fly'"'"'s eye integrator arranged so that a rear focal plane of the fly'"'"'s eye integrator is on the illumination pupil plane.

4. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first optical system is a Fourier transform optical system.

5. An exposure apparatus which expose an object with light from a pattern, the exposure apparatus comprising:

the illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1 which illuminates the pattern with light; and

a projection optical system which projects an image of the pattern illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus onto the object.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a substrate stage which holds the object and moves relative to the image of the pattern projected by the projection optical system.

7. A device manufacturing method comprising:

illuminating a pattern by using the illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1;

projecting an image of the pattern illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus onto a substrate; and

assembling a device on the substrate onto which the image of the pattern has been projected.

8. The device manufacturing method according to claim 7, wherein the image of the pattern is projected onto the substrate through a liquid disposed on the substrate.