Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method
First Claim
1. An exposure method of effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate, the exposure method comprising:
- a filling step of filing an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1, where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1; and
an exposure step of effecting a projection exposure in one shot-area on the photosensitive substrate, wherein the one shot-area includes a plurality of partial exposure regions, and wherein the exposure step is to repeat an exposure in the partial exposure region more than once.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exposure apparatus uses a dioptric projection optical system easy to manufacture and a mask of an ordinary size, and is able to effect a projection exposure in a high resolution with high throughput, while securing a large effective image-side numerical aperture through the intervention of a high-refractive-index medium in an optical path between the projection optical system and a photosensitive substrate. The exposure apparatus is configured to effect a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on the mask (R), through the projection optical system (PL) onto the photosensitive substrate (W). Where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1, the optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate is filled with a medium having the refractive index larger than 1.1. The projection optical system has still exposure regions substantially smaller than one shot-area to be formed on the photosensitive substrate, and repeats a projection exposure in a portion of the shot-area more than once in the projection exposure in the shot-area.
24 Citations
83 Claims
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1. An exposure method of effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate, the exposure method comprising:
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a filling step of filing an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1, where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1; and
an exposure step of effecting a projection exposure in one shot-area on the photosensitive substrate, wherein the one shot-area includes a plurality of partial exposure regions, and wherein the exposure step is to repeat an exposure in the partial exposure region more than once. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An exposure method of effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate, the exposure method comprising:
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a filling step of filling an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1, where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1;
a first exposure step of performing a projection exposure in a first still exposure region on the photosensitive substrate in a state in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are kept still relative to the projection optical system;
a moving step of moving at least the photosensitive substrate relative to the projection optical system, in order to perform a projection exposure in a second still exposure region not adjoining the first still exposure region subjected to the projection exposure in the first exposure step, the moving step being executed directly after the first exposure step; and
a second exposure step of performing the projection exposure in the second still exposure region on the photosensitive substrate in the state in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are kept still relative to the projection optical system, the second exposure step being executed directly after the moving step. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An exposure apparatus for effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate,
wherein an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate is filled with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1 where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1, wherein the projection optical system has a still exposure region substantially smaller than one shot-area to be formed on the photosensitive substrate, and wherein the projection optical system repeats a projection exposure in a portion of the shot-area more than once in the projection exposure in the shot-area.
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41. An exposure apparatus for effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:
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a substrate stage which holds the photosensitive substrate in a movable state;
a supply unit which fills an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1, where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1; and
a controller which controls at least the substrate stage so as to perform a projection exposure in a first still exposure region on the photosensitive substrate in a state in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are kept still relative to the projection optical system, to, subsequent to the projection exposure in the first still exposure region, move at least the photosensitive substrate relative to the projection optical system in order to perform a projection exposure in a second still exposure region not adjoining the first still exposure region, and to, subsequent to the relative movement of the photosensitive substrate, perform the projection exposure in the second still exposure region on the photosensitive substrate in the state in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are kept still relative to the projection optical system. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A projection optical system for forming a reduced image of a first surface on a second surface,
wherein an optical path between the projection optical system and the second surface is filled with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1 where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1, wherein every optical member having a power in the projection optical system is a transmitting optical member, wherein a magnification of the projection optical system is not more than ⅛ - , and
wherein the projection optical system is substantially telecentric on both the first surface side and the second surface side. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78)
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79. An exposure method of effecting a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask, through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate, the exposure method comprising:
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a preparation step of preparing the projection optical system having a magnification of not more than ⅛
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a filling step of filling an optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1, where a refractive index of an atmosphere in an optical path of the projection optical system is 1; and
an exposure step of effecting a projection exposure in one shot-area on the photosensitive substrate, wherein the exposure step is to perform the projection exposure in one shot-area including a plurality of partial exposure regions, and wherein the exposure step comprises a plurality of partial exposure steps each of which is to perform a projection exposure in the partial exposure region. - View Dependent Claims (80, 81, 82, 83)
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Specification