Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method

• US 20060012767A1
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.), Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Masayuki, Komatsuda, Hideki, Takahashi, Tomowaki
• Granted Patent: US 7,312,851 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0657 off-axis or unobscured systems in which all of the mirrors share a common axis of rotational symmetry
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70233 Optical aspects of catoptric systems, i.e. comprising only reflective elements, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] projection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7025 Size or form of projection system aperture, e.g. aperture stops, diaphragms or pupil obscuration; Control thereof

Abstract

A projection optical system is a catoptric system in which a field of view region and an imaging region are located spaced from an optical axis, in which a numerical aperture of light reaching each point on an image plane is substantially uniform regardless of an image height and a direction. An aperture stop for defining the numerical aperture of the projection optical system is provided, and the aperture stop is provided with an aperture portion in a predetermined shape in which the numerical aperture of light reaching each point within a predetermined region is substantially uniform over the predetermined region, that is, in a shape in which dimensions concerning two directions perpendicular to each other are different from each other. A predetermined shape of the aperture portion is defined so as to compensate for the effect of non-uniformity of the numerical aperture of light reaching each point within a predetermined region due to a partial optical system arranged between the aperture stop and an image plane not satisfying a desired projective relationship.

Claims

1. A reflective projection optical system by which an image of a first plane is formed at a second plane in a predetermined region spaced from an optical axis, comprising:

an aperture stop for defining a numerical aperture of the projection optical system,

wherein the aperture stop is provided with an aperture portion in which dimensions in two directions perpendicular to each other are different from each other.

2. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

when a plurality of image points on the predetermined region at the second plane are A1, A2, A3 . . . , An;

the plurality of image points are sampled a plurality of times at substantially the same interval on the predetermined region at the second plane;

an arbitrary one among the plurality of image points is Ai;

two coordinate axes x, y perpendicular to each other on a plane parallel to a plane including the aperture stop are assumed;

on the aperture stop periphery, a point at which the coordinate x is at a maximum is Pxu, a point at which the coordinate x is at a minimum is Pxb, a point at which the coordinate y is at a maximum is Pyu, and a point at which the coordinate y is at a minimum is Pyb;

a spherical surface Si of a radius 1 about the image point Ai is assumed;

coordinates at which light passing through the point Pxu and reaching the image point Ai crosses the spherical surface Si are (Xixu, Yixu);

coordinates at which light passing through the point Pxb and reaching the image point Ai crosses the spherical surface Si are (Xixb, Yixb);

coordinates at which light passing through the point Pyu and reaching the image point Ai crosses the spherical surface Si are (Xiyu, Yiyu);

coordinates at which light passing through the point Pyb and reaching the image point Ai crosses the spherical surface Si are (Xiyb, Yiyb); and

two variables NAxi and NAyi corresponding to the image point Ai are established, respectively, as follows;

NAxi=(Xixu−

Xixb)/2
NAyi=(Yiyu−

Yiyb)/2,

a predetermined shape of the aperture portion substantially satisfies {Σ

NAxi(i=1˜

n)}/n={Σ

NAyi(i=1˜

n)}/n.

3. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined shape of the aperture portion is defined so as to compensate for the effect of non-uniformity of the numerical aperture of the light reaching each point within the predetermined region due to a partial optical system arranged between the aperture stop and the second surface not satisfying a desired projective relationship.

4. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

if an angle in which a principal ray passing through the aperture stop forms with an optical axis is θ

, a distance from the optical axis to a point in which the principal ray reaches the second surface is h, a focal length of the partial optical system is F, and a projective relationship of the partial optical system is defined by h=F·

g(θ

) by using a function g(θ

) in which θ

is a variable, the predetermined shape of the aperture portion is an elliptical shape such that a ratio of long and short diameters is tan θ

;

g(θ

)/(dg(θ

)/dθ

).

5. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined shape of the aperture portion is defined so as to compensate for the effect of non-uniformity of the numerical aperture of the light reaching each point within the predetermined region due to the partial optical system arranged between the aperture stop and the second surface not satisfying a sine condition.

6. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined shape of the aperture portion is substantially an elliptical shape.

7. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the predetermined shape of the aperture portion is an elliptical shape having a long diameter in a meridional direction.

8. The projection optical system as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

the aperture stop is constituted so as to be replaceable with another aperture stop in a different aperture shape.

10. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system for illuminating a mask set at a first plane; and

the projection optical system as set forth in claim 1 for forming an image of a pattern formed on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate set at the second plane.

11. The exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

the illumination system is provided with a light source for providing EUV light as exposure light; and

the mask and the photosensitive substrate are moved relative to the projection optical system, and a pattern of the mask is projected and exposed onto the photosensitive substrate.

12. An exposure method, comprising the steps of:

illuminating a mask set at a first plane; and

projecting and exposing an image of a pattern formed on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate set at a second plane via the projection optical system as set forth in claim 1.

9. A reflective projection optical system in which an image of a first plane is formed in a predetermined region spaced from an optical axis at a second plane, comprising:

an aperture stop for defining a numerical aperture of the projection optical system,

wherein the aperture stop is constituted so as to be replaceable with another aperture stop in a different aperture shape.

13. A projection exposure apparatus having an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask set at a first plane, a reflective type projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern formed on the mask in an arc region spaced from an optical axis on a photosensitive substrate set at a second plane, and a stage for holding the mask and the photosensitive substrate so as to be scanned, wherein:

in the arc region, the width in the scan movement direction is relatively narrow with respect to a width in a direction perpendicular to the scan movement direction; and

the projection optical system is provided with an aperture stop for defining a numerical aperture, and an aperture shape of the aperture stop is such that a diameter in a direction corresponding to the scan movement direction is larger than a diameter in a direction corresponding to a direction perpendicular to the scan movement direction.

14. The projection exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 13,

wherein the shape of the aperture stop is an elliptical shape having a long diameter in a direction corresponding to the scan movement direction.

15. The projection exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 14,

wherein the aperture stop is constituted so as to be replaceable with another aperture different in shape or size.