Variable lens and exposure system

• US 7,221,514 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2005
• Issued: 05/22/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Original Assignee: ASML Netherlands BV (ASML Holding NV)
• Inventors: Venema, Willem Jurrianus
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US11/106,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20060245072A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 359619-620, 359649-651, 359665-667
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/005 based on electrowetting
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0056 arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/14 of variable focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70266 Adaptive optics, e.g. deformable optical elements for wavefront control, e.g. for aberration adjustment or correction
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70275 Multiple projection paths, e.g. array of projection systems, microlens projection systems or tandem projection systems

Abstract

A lithography apparatus having variable lenses.

Claims

1. A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

an illumination system configured to process a beam of radiation;

an array of individually controllable elements that are configured to pattern the beam of radiation; and

a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate to form a device on the substrate, the projection system comprising a set of lenses configured to receive the patterned beam of radiation, the set of lenses being arranged such that a cross-section of the patterned beam of radiation exposes a plurality of lenses in said set, wherein said set of lenses includes at least one variable lens that is varied through electrowetting.

2. The exposure apparatus of claim 1, wherein said set of lenses is arranged such that a cross-section of the patterned beam of radiation exposes a majority of lenses in said set.

3. The exposure apparatus of claim 1, wherein said set of lenses is arranged such that a cross-section of the patterned beam of radiation exposes about all lenses in said set.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising one or more lenses that are arranged to receive the full cross-section of the patterned beam.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the majority of lenses in said set of lenses are variable lenses.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein about all of the lenses in said set of lenses are variable lenses.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said array of individually controllable elements comprises an array of individually controllable micromirrors.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said set of lenses comprises at least 100 lenses.

9. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

patterning a beam of radiation with an array of individually controllable elements;

projecting the patterned beam onto a target area of a substrate to form the device using a projection system, the projection system including a set of lenses with at least one variable lens;

arranging the set of lenses so that a cross-section of the patterned beam of radiation exposes a plurality of lenses in the set of lenses; and

using electrowetting to vary optical characteristics of the at least one variable lens.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a polygonal shaped substrate as the substrate.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a glass substrate or a plastic substrate as the substrate.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a radiation beam having a wavelength of about 5–

365 nm as the beam of radiation.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising using a radiation beam having a wavelength of about 150–

250 nm as the beam of radiation.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

focus drilling a resist layer of the substrate by varying focal length of one or more of said one or more variable lenses.

15. A device manufacturing method comprising:

forming a patterned beam of radiation using a patterning device that includes an array of individually controllable elements;

projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate to form the device using a projection system, the projection system comprising a support structure that supports a plurality of lenses, said plurality of lenses including one or more variable lenses that vary based on electrowetting.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising adjusting the focal length of one or more of said one or more variable lenses.