Optical integrator system, illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 20080225257A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 09/18/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Kita, Naonori
• Application Number:
  US12/068,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20080225257A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/67
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0966 Cylindrical lenses cylindrical lenses per se G02B3/06
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0972 Prisms prisms per se G02B5/04
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70075 Homogenization of illumination intensity in the mask plane by using an integrator, e.g. fly's eye lens, facet mirror or glass rod, by using a diffusing optical element or by beam deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/7015 Details of optical elements

Abstract

An optical integrator system comprises a first optical integrator including a plurality of first wavefront dividing elements arranged in juxtaposition along a predetermined direction, and a second optical integrator including a plurality of second wavefront dividing elements arranged in juxtaposition along the predetermined direction, which are arranged in order from the entrance side of light. The first wavefront dividing elements are so constructed that rays obliquely incident to a center on the optical axis of an entrance surface are emitted in parallel with the optical axis. The second wavefront dividing elements are so constructed that rays obliquely incident to a center on the optical axis of an entrance surface are emitted obliquely to the optical axis.

Claims

1. An optical integrator system comprising:

a first optical integrator including a plurality of first wavefront dividing elements arranged in juxtaposition along a predetermined direction; and

a second optical integrator including a plurality of second wavefront dividing elements arranged in juxtaposition along the predetermined direction, said first optical integrator and said second optical integrator being arranged in order from an entrance side of light;

wherein each of the first wavefront dividing elements is so constructed that rays obliquely incident to a center on an optical axis of an entrance surface of the first wavefront dividing element are emitted in parallel with the optical axis from the first wavefront dividing element, and

wherein each of the second wavefront dividing elements is so constructed that rays obliquely incident to a center on an optical axis of an entrance surface of the second wavefront dividing element are emitted obliquely to the optical axis from the second wavefront dividing element.

2. The optical integrator system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first wavefront dividing elements is so constructed that a maximum exit angle (half angle) of light from the first wavefront dividing element made by light incident along a direction of the optical axis to the entrance surface of the first wavefront dividing element becomes equal to a maximum exit angle (half angle) of light from the first wavefront dividing element made by light incident from an oblique direction to the optical axis to the entrance surface of the first wavefront dividing element.

3. The optical integrator system according to claim 2, wherein the first optical integrator comprises a single optical member, and wherein the single optical member includes a plurality of entrance refracting surfaces of a curved shape two-dimensionally juxtaposed, and a plurality of exit refracting surfaces of a curved shape two-dimensionally juxtaposed.

4. The optical integrator system according to claim 2, wherein the first optical integrator comprises a first optical member and a second optical member arranged in order from the entrance side of light, and wherein each of the first optical member and the second optical member includes a plurality of entrance refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition along one direction, and a plurality of exit refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition in one direction.

5. The optical integrator system according to claim 3, wherein a spacing L12 between an exit surface of the first optical integrator and an entrance surface of the second optical integrator satisfies the condition of P2/(2×

tan θ

)<

L12,

where P2 is a pitch along the predetermined direction of the second wavefront dividing elements, and θ

a maximum exit angle (half angle) along the predetermined direction of light from the exit refracting surfaces of the single optical member or the second optical member.

6. The optical integrator system according to claim 5, wherein the spacing L12 satisfies the condition of L12<

D2/(2×

tan θ

),

where D2 is a length along the predetermined direction of the entrance surface of the second optical integrator.

7. The optical integrator system according to claim 5,

wherein the pitch P2 along the predetermined direction of the second wavefront dividing elements is substantially different from an integral multiple of a pitch P1 along the predetermined direction of the exit refracting surfaces of the single optical member or the second optical member.

8. The optical integrator system according to claim 2, wherein the first optical integrator comprises:

a first optical member including a plurality of entrance refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition along the predetermined direction, and a plurality of exit refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition along the predetermined direction; and

a second optical member including a plurality of entrance refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition along a direction intersecting with the predetermined direction, and a plurality of exit refracting surfaces of a cylindrical shape arranged in juxtaposition along a direction intersecting with the predetermined direction.

9. The optical integrator system according to claim 8, wherein the second optical integrator is arranged downstream of the first optical member.

10. The optical integrator system according to claim 8, wherein a spacing L12 between an exit surface of the first optical member and an entrance surface of the second optical integrator satisfies the condition of P2/(2×

tan θ

)<

L12,

where P2 is a pitch along the predetermined direction of the second wavefront dividing elements, and θ

a maximum exit angle (half angle) along the predetermined direction of light from the exit refracting surfaces of the first optical member.

11. The optical integrator system according to claim 10, wherein the spacing L12 satisfies the condition of L12<

D2/(2×

tan θ

),

where D2 is a length along the predetermined direction of the entrance surface of the second optical integrator.

12. The optical integrator system according to claim 10,

wherein the pitch P2 along the predetermined direction of the second wavefront dividing elements is substantially different from an integral multiple of a pitch P1 along the predetermined direction of the exit refracting surfaces of the first optical member.

13. The optical integrator system according to claim 1, wherein the second optical integrator includes a prism array, a diffractive optical element, or a microlens array.

14. An illumination optical apparatus for illuminating a surface to be illuminated by light from a light source, the illumination optical apparatus comprising the optical integrator system as set forth in claim 1, said optical integrator system being arranged in an optical path between the light source and the surface to be illuminated.

15. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, comprising a movable optical member movably arranged in an optical path between the light source and the optical integrator system.

16. An exposure apparatus comprising the illumination optical apparatus as set forth in claim 15, for illuminating a predetermined pattern, whereby a photosensitive substrate is exposed with the predetermined pattern.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, comprising a projection optical system for forming an image of the predetermined pattern on the photosensitive substrate, wherein the predetermined pattern and the photosensitive substrate are moved along a scanning direction relative to the projection optical system whereby the predetermined pattern is projected onto the photosensitive substrate to effect projection exposure of the photosensitive substrate with the predetermined pattern.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the predetermined direction in the optical integrator system corresponds to a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction on the photosensitive substrate.

19. A device manufacturing method comprising:

exposing the photosensitive substrate with the predetermined pattern, using the exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 16; and

developing the exposed photosensitive substrate.