MICROACTUATOR, OPTICAL DEVICE AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD

• US 20090122381A1
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Published: 05/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Junji, OWA, Soichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,952,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/224.100
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/053 Translation according to an axis perpendicular to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70825 Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A pair of support members each having a spring section in a part thereof support a mirror element, and a pair of drive mechanisms arranged respectively corresponding to a pair of the support members transform the spring sections of the corresponding support members, thereby changing a distance between each of support points at which the support members support the mirror element and a base. Accordingly, the mirror element can be translated by driving all of the drive mechanisms, or the mirror element can be inclined with respect to the base by driving some of the drive mechanisms.

Claims

1. A microactuator that drives a driven body, the microactuator comprising:

a plurality of support members that support the driven body and each have an elastic section in a part thereof; and

a plurality of drive mechanisms that are arranged respectively corresponding to a plurality of the support members, wherein

each of a plurality of the drive mechanisms changes a distance between a support point at which its corresponding support member supports the driven body and a predetermined reference plane, by transforming the elastic section of the corresponding support member.

2. The microactuator according to claim 1, wherein

the elastic section of each of a plurality of the support members includes a flexural type spring.

3. The microactuator according to claim 2, wherein

a response speed of the elastic section becomes higher by applying a tensional force on the flexural type spring.

4. The microactuator according to claim 1, wherein

each of a plurality of the drive mechanisms switches between a first state where a support point at which its corresponding support member supports the driven body and the reference plane are a first distance away, and a second state where the support point and the reference plane are a second distance away, the second distance being different from the first distance.

5. The microactuator according to claim 4, wherein

two each of the support members and the drive mechanisms are provided, and

the two drive mechanisms individually drive the two support members so that a state of the two support members becomes any one of a state where the two support members are both in the first state, a state where the two support members are both in the second state, and a state where one of the two support members is in the first state and the other is in the second state.

6. The microactuator according to claim 1, wherein

each of a plurality of the drive mechanisms is an electrostatic actuator.

7. An optical device, comprising:

an optical element; and

the microactuator according to claim 1 that drives the optical element serving as the driven body.

8. The optical device according to claim 7, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements and a plurality of the microactuators are provided.

9. The optical device according to claim 8, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements are placed in an array shape.

10. The optical device according to claim 7, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface.

11. The optical device according to claim 7, further comprising:

a controller that drives and controls one, or two or more of the drive mechanisms.

12. The optical device according to claim 11, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface, and

the controller switches a state of each of the reflection surfaces between a first ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a first plane that is parallel to a predetermined reference plane and is a first predetermined distance away from the reference plane, a second ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a second plane that is parallel to the reference plane and is a second predetermined distance away from the reference plane, and an OFF state where the reflection surface is inclined with respect to the reference plane, the second predetermined distance being different from the first predetermined distance.

13. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 12 that generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with an illumination light, wherein

a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the first ON state and a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the second ON state shift from each other by a half wavelength.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

15. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 13.

16. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object using an illumination light, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 11 that is placed on an optical path of the illumination light, wherein

the object is exposed using the illumination light via the optical device.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, wherein

the optical device generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with the illumination light.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

19. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 16.

20. A microactuator that drives a driven body, the microactuator comprising:

a support member having a pair of elastic sections, a coupling section that couples the elastic sections, and a connecting section that connects the coupling section and the driven body; and

a pair of drive mechanisms that are arranged respectively corresponding to a pair of the elastic sections, wherein

each of a pair of the drive mechanisms changes an attitude of the driven body by transforming its corresponding elastic section.

21. An optical device, comprising:

an optical element; and

the microactuator according to claim 20 that drives the optical element serving as the driven body.

22. The optical device according to claim 21, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements and a plurality of the microactuators are provided.

23. The optical device according to claim 22, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements are placed in an array shape.

24. The optical device according to claim 21, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface.

25. The optical device according to claim 21, further comprising:

a controller that drives and controls one, or two or more of the drive mechanisms.

26. The optical device according to claim 25, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface, and

the controller switches a state of each of the reflection surfaces between a first ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a first plane that is parallel to a predetermined reference plane and is a first predetermined distance away from the reference plane, a second ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a second plane that is parallel to the reference plane and is a second predetermined distance away from the reference plane, and an OFF state where the reflection surface is inclined with respect to the reference plane, the second predetermined distance being different from the first predetermined distance.

27. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 26 that generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with an illumination light, wherein

a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the first ON state and a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the second ON state shift from each other by a half wavelength.

28. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

29. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 27.

30. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object using an illumination light, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 25 that is placed on an optical path of the illumination light, wherein

the object is exposed using the illumination light via the optical device.

31. The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, wherein

the optical device generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with the illumination light.

32. The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

33. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 30.

34. A microactuator that drives a driven body, the microactuator comprising:

a support member which supports the driven body, and a part of which has an elastic force in a direction orthogonal to a predetermined plane and in a torsion direction with respect to the predetermined plane; and

a pair of drive mechanisms that are arranged on both sides with the support member in between, and can each make a force in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane act on the driven body.

35. An optical device, comprising:

an optical element; and

the microactuator according to claim 34 that drives the optical element serving as the driven body.

36. The optical device according to claim 35, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements and a plurality of the microactuators are provided.

37. The optical device according to claim 36, wherein

a plurality of the optical elements are placed in an array shape.

38. The optical device according to claim 35, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface.

39. The optical device according to claim 35, further comprising:

a controller that drives and controls one, or two or more of the drive mechanisms.

40. The optical device according to claim 39, wherein

the optical element is a mirror element having a reflection surface, and

the controller switches a state of each of the reflection surfaces between a first ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a first plane that is parallel to a predetermined reference plane and is a first predetermined distance away from the reference plane, a second ON state where the reflection surface is positioned on a second plane that is parallel to the reference plane and is a second predetermined distance away from the reference plane, and an OFF state where the reflection surface is inclined with respect to the reference plane, the second predetermined distance being different from the first predetermined distance.

41. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 40 that generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with an illumination light, wherein

a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the first ON state and a phase of the illumination light via an optical element in the second ON state shift from each other by a half wavelength.

42. The exposure apparatus according to claim 41, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

43. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 41.

44. An exposure apparatus that exposes an object using an illumination light, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 39 that is placed on an optical path of the illumination light, wherein

the object is exposed using the illumination light via the optical device.

45. The exposure apparatus according to claim 44, wherein

the optical device generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with the illumination light.

46. The exposure apparatus according to claim 44, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the object, wherein

the controller controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

47. A device manufacturing method including a lithography process, wherein

in the lithography process, exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus according to claim 44.