Exposure apparatus for reproducing a mask pattern onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate using holographic techniques

• US 5,774,240 A
• Filed: 05/16/1995
• Issued: 06/30/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shirasu, Hiroshi, Ichihara, Yutaka, Ebi, Masami, Magome, Nobutaka, Goto, Akihiro, Matsuura, Toshio, Shiraishi, Naomasa, Genma, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Dzierzynski, Paul M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren E.
• Application Number:
  US08/441,802
• Time in Patent Office: 1,141 Days
• Field of Search: 359/1, 359/3, 359/12, 359/32, 359/33, 359/35, 359/15, 430/1
• US Class Current: 359/12
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70058 Mask illumination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0005 Adaptation of holography to specific applications holographic optical element G02B5/32; holographic scanner G02B26/106; recognition using holographic mask G06V10/88; holographic memories G11B7/0065, G11C13/042
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 1/0408 Total internal reflection [TIR] holograms, e.g. edge lit or substrate mode holograms
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0094 for patterning or machining using the holobject as input light distribution microlithography G03F7/70283
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2001/0491 by monitoring the hologram formation, e.g. via a feed-back loop
• CPC Class Codes: G03H 2260/12 Photopolymer

Abstract

An exposure apparatus for reproducing a mask pattern onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate uses holographic techniques. The apparatus includes support for holding a hologram recording plate at a predetermined position during both a recording operation and a reconstructing operation. A first illuminating optical system introduces a light beam from a coherent light source to a mask and irradiates a subject beam produced from the mask into the recording plate. A second illuminating optical system irradiates the light beam from a coherent light source as a reference beam into the recording plate, a carrier apparatus disposes during the reconstructing operation, a substrate at the position of the mask, in place of the mask. A third illuminating optical system for irradiates a conjugate beam with the reference beam into the recording plate, in which a hologram has been formed by the recording operation, to form an image of the hologram on the photo-sensitive surface of the substrate. A controler for for selectively controlling the first, second and third illuminating optical systems puts an at least a selected one of the optical system into an operative condition so as to irradiate a fixing light beam into the recording plate in order to fix the hologram.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus for reproducing a pattern of a mask onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate using holographic techniques, comprising:

a hologram recording plate provided with a photo-polymeric recording medium layer being able to record a hologram by a photochemical reaction;

coherent light source means for generating a coherent light beam;

support means adapted to hold said recording plate at a predetermined position during both a recording operation for forming a volume hologram in said recording plate and a reconstructing operation for forming an image of the thus formed

a first illuminating optical system for introducing, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means to a mask disposed in a spaced relationship from said recording plate with a predetermined gap left therebetween so as to produce a subject beam exited from the mask and for irradiating the subject beam produced from the mask into said recording medium layer of said recording plate through said gap;

a second illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means as a reference beam into said recording plate so as to interference with the subject beam thereby forming interference fringers in said recording medium layer;

means for disposing, when making a start of said reconstructing operation, the substrate at the position of the mask in place of the mask;

a third illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the reconstructing operation, a conjugate beam with the reference beam for the recording operation into said recording plate in which a volume hologram corresponding to the pattern is formed by the recording operation to form an image of the hologram on the photo-sensitive surface of the substrate;

control means for selectively controlling at least one optical system selected from one of said first illuminating optical system, said second illuminating optical system and said third illuminating optical system to put the selected one of the illuminating optical system into an operative condition so as to establish a fixing operation in which a fixing light beam is irradiated from the selected optical system into said recording plate held by said support means in order to fix the hologram formed in said recording plate by the recording operation and

further comprising a polarization converting optical element for controlling the polarization direction of a fixing light beam so as to prevent the formation of standing waves by said fixing light beam within said recording medium layer of said recording plate.

2. An exposure apparatus for reproducing a pattern of a mask onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate using holographic techniques, comprising:

a hologram recording plate provided with a photo-polymeric recording medium layer being able to record a hologram by a photochemical reaction;

coherent light source means for generating a coherent light beam;

support means adapted to hold said recording plate at a predetermined position during both a recording operation for forming a volume hologram in said recording plate and a reconstructing operation for forming an image of the thus formed hologram;

a first illuminating optical system for introducing, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means to a mask disposed in a spaced relationship from said recording plate with a predetermined gap left therebetween so as to produce a subject beam exited from the mask and for irradiating the subject beam produced from the mask into said recording medium layer of said recording plate through said gap;

a second illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means as a reference beam into said recording plate so as to interference with the subject beam thereby forming interference fringers in said recording medium layer;

means for disposing, when making a start of said reconstructing operation, the substrate at the position of the mask in place of the mask;

a third illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the reconstructing operation, a conjugate beam with the reference beam for the recording operation into said recording plate in which a volume hologram corresponding to the pattern is formed by the recording operation to form an image of the hologram on the photo-sensitive surface of the substrate;

control means for selectively controlling at least one optical system selected from one of said first illuminating optical system, said second illuminating optical system and said third illuminating optical system to put the selected one of the illuminating optical system into an operative condition so as to establish a fixing operation in which a fixing light beam is irradiated from the selected optical system into said recording plate held by said support means in order to fix the hologram formed in said recording plate by the recording operation wherein said second illuminating optical system irradiates, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means as a reference beam into an incident plane of said recording plate at such an incident angle at which the reference beam is totally reflected in the inside of said recording plate and

wherein said second illuminating optical system irradiates, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means as a reference beam into an incident plane of said recording plate at such an incident angle at which the reference beam is totally reflected in the inside of said recording plate and

wherein said second illuminating optical system includes polarization converting means for extracting from the coherent light only a linearly polarized light component which is to be P-polarized light with respect to the incident plane of said recording plate and irradiating the extracted linearly polarized light component as the reference beam into said recording medium layer.

3. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference beam enters an inner face of the recording plate at an incident angle at which the reference beam is totally reflected in said recording plate said incident angle being between about 40 to 50 degrees.

4. An exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein only said second illuminating optical system is selectively put into an operative condition by said control means during said fixing operation.

5. An exposure apparatus for reproducing a pattern of a mask onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate using holographic techniques, comprising:

a hologram recording plate provided with a photo-polymeric recording medium layer being able to record a hologram by a photochemical reaction;

coherent light source means for generating a coherent light beam;

support means adapted to hold said recording plate at a predetermined position during both a recording operation for forming a volume hologram in said recording plate and a reconstructing operation for forming an image of the thus formed hologram;

a first illuminating optical system for introducing, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means to a mask disposed in a spaced relationship from said recording plate with a predetermined gap left therebetween so as to produce a subject beam exited from the mask and for irradiating the subject beam produced from the mask into said recording medium layer of said recording plate through said gap;

a second illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the recording operation, the coherent light beam from said coherent light source means as a reference beam into said recording plate so as to interference with the subject beam thereby forming interference fringers in said recording medium layer;

means for disposing, when making a start of said reconstructing operation, the substrate at the position of the mask in place of the mask;

a third illuminating optical system for irradiating, during the reconstructing operation, a conjugate beam with the reference beam for the recording operation into said recording plate in which a volume hologram corresponding to the pattern is formed by the recording operation to form an image of the hologram on the photo-sensitive surface of the substrate;

control means for selectively controlling at least one optical system selected from one of said first illuminating optical system, said second illuminating optical system and said third illuminating optical system to put the selected one of the illuminating optical system into an operative condition so as to establish a fixing operation in which a fixing light beam is irradiated from the selected optical system into said recording plate held by said support means in order to fix the hologram formed in said recording plate by the recording operation

wherein said recording medium layer of said recording plate has a spatial frequency recording characteristic which exhibits a recording sensitivity only in a spatial frequency band either of interference fringes formed by interference between the reference beam entering said recording plate and the subject beam or of interference fringes formed by interference between the reference beam totally reflected in said recording plate and the subject beam and

wherein said second illuminating optical system includes polarization converting means for extracting from the coherent light only a linearly polarized light component which is to be P-polarized light with respect to the plane of incidence of said recording plate and irradiating the extracted linearly polarized light component as the reference beam into said recording medium layer.

6. An exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a reference beam enters the totally reflecting face in said recording plate at an angle of 40 to 50 degrees, preferably 45 degrees.