Multifaceted reflecting mirror, illumination optical system based on use of the same, and semiconductor exposure apparatus

• US 6,984,051 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Takino, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US10/288,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20030058555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• Field of Search: 359/846, 359/849, 359/850, 359/851, 359/853, 359/855, 359/856, 359/857, 359/862, 359/865, 359/903, 472/63
• US Class Current: 359/855
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/085 the reflecting means being moved or deformed by electromagnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/09 Multifaceted or polygonal mirrors , e.g. polygonal scanning mirrors; Fresnel mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/182 for mirrors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1828 using magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70141 Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/702 Reflective illumination, i.e. reflective optical elements other than folding mirrors, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] illumination systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70958 Optical materials or coatings, e.g. with particular transmittance, reflectance or anti-reflection properties
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70975 Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: G21K 1/06 using diffraction, refraction or reflection, e.g. monochromators G21K1/10, G21K7/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/903 with magnet

Abstract

A multifaceted reflecting mirror is provided with a plurality of reflecting mirror elements 10 and a base plate 13 for magnet, each of the plurality of reflecting mirror elements 10 comprising a reflecting surface 19 and a magnetic film 17 formed on a bottom surface. The respective reflecting mirror elements 10 can be positioned highly accurately on the base plate 13 by using a positioning guide 15. The maintenance operation is easily performed as well, because the respective reflecting mirror elements 10 are detachable. When the multifaceted reflecting mirror is used in combination with another multifaceted reflecting mirror for an illumination optical system of a reflection type exposure apparatus which uses, as an exposure light beam, a light beam having a short wavelength such as soft X-ray, it is possible to illuminate an exposure area on a substrate with the light beam having an extremely uniform illumination intensity.

Claims

1. A multifaceted reflecting mirror comprising:

a plurality of reflecting mirror elements each of which is provided with a reflecting surface; and

a placement plate which is joined directly to the reflecting mirror elements with magnetic force, wherein;

the reflecting mirror elements are arranged adjacently on the placement plate which is common to the plurality of reflecting mirror elements, the reflecting mirror elements are individually joined to the placement plate so that each of the reflecting mirror elements can be individually removed from the placement plate, and at least some of the plurality of reflecting mirror elements abut against adjacent ones of the plurality of reflecting mirror elements.

2. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, further comprising, on the placement plate, a positioning member which positions at least one of the reflecting mirror elements on the placement plate.

3. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein the placement plate includes a magnet.

4. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 3, wherein a magnetic film is formed on a bottom surface of each of the reflecting mirror elements.

5. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 3, wherein a magnet is embedded in the placement plate.

6. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 5, wherein a plurality of recesses are formed at predetermined intervals in the placement plate, and the magnet is accommodated in each of the recesses so that the magnet is not exposed to a surface of the placement plate.

7. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 3, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements is composed of a magnetic material, magnetic elements are provided between the placement plate and the respective reflecting mirror elements, and the magnetic elements are arranged on the placement plate so that polarities of the adjoining magnetic elements are opposite to one another.

8. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements includes a magnet.

9. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements is formed of a conductor.

10. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein a metal plating is applied to the reflecting surface of each of the reflecting mirror elements.

26. A method for producing the multifaceted reflecting mirror as defined in claim 1, comprising:

forming a reflecting surface on a conductor plate;

cutting out a plurality of reflecting mirror elements from the conductor plate with electric discharge machining; and

arranging the reflecting mirror elements on a placement plate which is joined to the reflecting mirror elements with magnetic force so that the reflecting mirror elements are arranged mutually adjacently in accordance with a predetermined pattern.

27. The method for producing the multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 26, further comprising providing a positioning member on the placement plate, wherein at least one of the reflecting mirror elements is pushed against the positioning member to position the reflecting mirror element on the placement plate.

28. The method for producing the multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 26, further comprising forming a magnetic film on a bottom surface of the cut out reflecting mirror element.

29. The multifaceted reflecting mirror according to claim 1, wherein the placement plate is joined directly to the plurality of reflecting mirror elements with no movable elements between the placement plate and the plurality of reflecting mirror elements.

11. An illumination optical system comprising:

a first multifaceted reflecting mirror which comprises a plurality of reflecting mirror elements having reflecting surfaces, the plurality of reflecting mirror elements being disposed adjacently on a first placement plate; and

a second multifaceted reflecting mirror which comprises a plurality of reflecting mirror elements having reflecting surfaces, the plurality of reflecting mirror elements being disposed adjacently on a second placement plate, wherein;

the respective reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror are fixed with magnetic force directly on the first placement plate which is common to the plurality of reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror, and the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror are individually joined to the first placement plate so that each of the reflecting mirror elements can be individually removed from the first placement plate.

12. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein the respective reflecting mirror elements of the second multifaceted reflecting mirror are fixed on the second placement plate with magnetic force, and the reflecting mirror elements of the second multifaceted reflecting mirror are individually joined to the second placement plate so that each of the reflecting mirror elements can be individually removed from the second placement plate.

13. The illumination optical system according to claim 12, wherein the reflecting surface of each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror is circular arc-shaped, and the reflecting surface of each of the reflecting mirror elements of the second multifaceted reflecting mirror is rectangular.

14. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein the first placement plate includes a magnet.

15. The illumination optical system according to claim 14, wherein a magnetic film is formed on a bottom surface of each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror.

16. The illumination optical system according to claim 14, wherein a magnet is embedded in the first placement plate.

17. The illumination optical system according to claim 14, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror is composed of a magnetic material, a magnetic element is provided between the first placement plate and each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror, and the magnetic elements are arranged so that polarities of the adjoining magnetic elements are opposite to one another.

18. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror includes a magnet.

19. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, further comprising, on the first placement plate, a positioning member which determines a position of at least one of the reflecting mirror elements on the first placement plate.

20. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein each of the reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror and the second multifaceted reflecting mirror is formed of a conductor.

21. An exposure apparatus comprising the illumination optical system as defined in claim 11, wherein a substrate is exposed with a mask pattern.

22. The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein a light beam, which is supplied to the illumination optical system, has a wavelength of not more than 200 nm.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein an atmosphere, in which the illumination optical system in the exposure apparatus is accommodated, is vacuum.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a reflection type projection optical system which projects, onto the substrate, an image of the mask pattern illuminated by the illumination optical system.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the reflecting surface of the reflecting mirror element of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror has a shape which is similar to a shape of an optical field of the reflection type projection optical system.

30. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein the respective reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror are fixed directly on the first placement plate with no movable elements between the first placement plate and the respective reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror.

31. The illumination optical system according to claim 11, wherein at least some of the plurality of reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror abut against adjacent ones of the plurality of reflecting mirror elements of the first multifaceted reflecting mirror.