Exposure apparatus and illumination apparatus

• US 6,781,672 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2002
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Motegi, Kiyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US10/223,622
• Publication Number:
  US 20030002024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 355/52, 355/53, 355/55, 355/67-71, 356/399-401, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/69
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/72 Controlling or varying light intensity, spectral composition, or exposure time in photographic printing apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70058 Mask illumination systems

Abstract

An exposure apparatus, wherein light emitted from a relatively low output light source is selectively transmitted by a light path switching controller and mirrors to exposure units, amplifiers are provided near the exposure units, and the light from the light source is amplified there and then sent to the corresponding exposure units.

Claims

1. An exposure system comprising:

a master apparatus having a light source, a first exposure unit disposed in a first chamber including a first optical system through which a first illumination light directed to first and second objects passes to expose the second object with the first illumination light via the first object, a first light transmitter having a first optical path that optically connects the light source and the first optical system, and a first amplifier having an optical unit provided in the first optical path and disposed in the first chamber to amplify a light from the light source, the first illumination light being derived from the amplified light;

a splitter provided in the first optical path; and

at least one slave apparatus having a second exposure unit disposed in a second chamber, including a second optical system through which a second illumination light directed to first and second objects passes to expose the second object with the second illumination light via the first object, a second light transmitter having a second optical path that optically connects the splitter and the second optical system, and a second amplifier provided in the second light path to amplify the light from the light source, the second illumination light being derived from the amplified light, and the at least one slave apparatus being removable from the master apparatus.

2. An exposure system comprising:

a master apparatus having a light source, a first exposure unit including a first optical system through which a first illumination light directed to first and second objects passes to expose the second object with the first illumination light via the first object, a first light transmitter having a first optical path that optically connects the light source and the first optical system, a first wavelength converter provided in the first optical path to generate light having a same wavelength as that of the illumination light by wavelength-converting light from the light source, and a first amplifier provided in the first optical path to amplify the light from the light source, the first illumination light being derived from the amplified and wavelength-converted light;

a splitter provided in the first optical path; and

at least one slave apparatus having a second exposure unit including a second optical system through which a second illumination light directed to first and second objects passes to expose the second object with the second illumination light via the first object, a second light transmitter having a second optical path that optically connects the splitter and the second optical system, a second wavelength converter provided in the second optical path to generate light having a same wavelength as that of the illumination light by wavelength-converting the light from the light source and a second amplifier provided in the second light path to amplify the light from the light source, the second illumination light being derived from the amplified and wavelength-converted light, and the at least one slave apparatus being removable from the master apparatus.

3. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an illumination optical system having a plurality of optical elements provided on an optical axis to illuminate a first object having a pattern with illumination light through the plurality of optical elements;

a projection optical system provided on the optical axis to project a pattern image of the illuminated first object onto a second object;

a laser device optically connected to the illumination optical system, that includes a light source that generates laser light having a single wavelength longer than that of the illumination light, and an excimer laser amplifier having a laser tube to amplify the laser light from the light source; and

a wavelength converter having a non-linear optical crystal to wavelength convert the laser light into light having a same wavelength as a wavelength of the illumination light.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wavelength converter is provided between the light source and the excimer laser amplifier.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the wavelength converter is provided between the excimer laser amplifier and the plurality of optical elements.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the wavelength converter is provided on the same frame as at least part of the illumination optical system.