Large field of view 2X magnification projection optical system for FPD manufacture

• US 7,405,802 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2004
• Issued: 07/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ASML Holding NV
• Original Assignee: ASML Holding NV
• Inventors: de Jager, Patrick, Sakin, Lev, Pozhinskaya, Irina, Gui, Cheng-Qun, Harned, Robert D., Harned, Noreen
• Primary Examiner(s): FULLER, RODNEY EVAN
• Application Number:
  US10/921,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20050237505A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 355/46, 355/52, 355/53, 355/55, 355/60, 355/66, 355/67
• US Class Current: 355/52
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/061 on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/52 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70233 Optical aspects of catoptric systems, i.e. comprising only reflective elements, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] projection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70308 Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for manipulating imaging light, e.g. intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or image shift
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/706 Aberration measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70791 Large workpieces, e.g. glass substrates for flat panel displays or solar panels

Abstract

An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDs) includes a reticle stage and a substrate stage. A magnification reflective optical system images the reticle onto the substrate. The system may be a 2× magnification system, or another magnification that is compatible with currently available mask sizes. By writing reticles with circuit pattern dimensions that are one-half the desired size for an FPD, a 2× optical system can be used to expose FPDs. The designs for the 1.5× and larger magnification optical systems all typically have at least three powered mirrors. A corrector, positioned either near the reticle or near the substrate, can be added to the three mirror design to improve the systems optical performance. The corrector may be a reflective, or a refractive design. The corrector can have an aspheric surface, and optionally a powered surface.

Claims

1. An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDS) comprising:

a reticle stage adapted to hold a reticle;

a substrate stage adapted to hold a substrate;

a magnification reflective optical system that images the reticle onto the substrate, the reflective optical system comprising four powered mirrors; and

a reflective corrector near one of the reticle and the substrate, wherein the reflective corrector is configured to correct residual aberrations and telecentricity errors in the system to produce an image with a desired undistorted shape without forming an intermediate image.

2. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the reflective corrector comprises an aspheric mirror.

3. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the reflective corrector comprises a first reflective corrector and a second reflective corrector, and wherein both the first and second reflective correctors comprise aspheric mirrors.

4. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one powered mirror.

5. The exposure system of claim 4, wherein a power of the powered mirror is adjusted to compensate for curvature variation in wavefront incident on the powered mirror.

6. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one mirror with a surface described by both spherical and aspheric terms.

7. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the exposure system has a magnification of between 1.5×

and 9×

.

8. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the four powered mirrors is convex.

9. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the four powered mirrors is concave.

10. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the four powered mirrors are a combination of convex and concave mirrors.

11. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the four powered mirrors has an aspheric surface.

12. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the exposure system is adapted for 42 inch FPD manufacture.

13. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the exposure system is adapted for 54 inch FPD manufacture.

14. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the exposure system is adapted for 60 inch FPD manufacture.

15. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the four powered mirrors are not symmetric about their optical axes.

16. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the exposure system has no obscuration.

17. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein curvatures of the four powered mirrors do not sum to zero.

18. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second reflective correctors is tilted at an angle of about 45°

with respect to an optical axis.

19. The exposure system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to receive a wavelength range that includes G-Line, H-Line, and I-Line wavelengths.

20. An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDs) comprising:

a reticle stage adapted to hold a reticle;

a substrate stage adapted to hold a substrate;

a magnification reflective optical system that images the reticle onto the substrate, the reflective optical system comprising at least two powered mirrors; and

a reflective corrector near one of the reticle and the substrate, wherein the reflective corrector is configured to correct residual aberrations and telecentricity errors in the system to produce an image with a desired undistorted shape without forming an intermediate image.

21. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the reflective corrector comprises an aspheric mirror.

22. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the reflective corrector comprises a first reflective corrector and a second reflective corrector, and wherein both the first and second reflective correctors comprise aspheric mirrors.

23. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one powered mirror.

24. The exposure system of claim 23, wherein a power of the powered mirror is adjusted to compensate for curvature variation in wavefront incident on the powered mirror.

25. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one mirror with a surface described by both spherical and aspheric terms.

26. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the two powered mirrors has an aspheric surface.

27. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the two powered mirrors are not symmetric about their optical axes.

28. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the exposure system has no obscuration.

29. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein curvatures of the two powered mirrors do not sum to zero.

30. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein any of the two powered mirrors is convex.

31. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein any of the two powered mirrors is concave.

32. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the two powered mirrors has an aspheric surface.

33. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the two powered mirrors are not symmetric about their optical axes.

34. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the exposure system has no obscuration.

35. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the exposure system has a magnification of between 1.5×

and 9×

.

36. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the two powered mirrors are a combination of convex and concave mirrors.

37. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the exposure system is adapted for manufacturing of 42, 54, or 60 inch FPDs.

38. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the reflective corrector is tilted at an angle of about 45°

with respect to an optical axis.

39. The exposure system of claim 20, wherein the system is configured to receive a wavelength range that includes G-Line, H-Line, and I-Line wavelengths.

40. An exposure system for manufacturing flat panel displays (FPDs) comprising:

a reticle stage adapted to hold a reticle;

a substrate stage adapted to hold a substrate;

a magnification reflective optical system that images the reticle onto the substrate, the reflective optical system comprising a plurality of powered mirrors that are non-symmetric relative to their center axes; and

a reflective corrector near one of the reticle and the substrate, wherein the reflective corrector is configured to correct residual aberrations and telecentricity errors in the system to produce an image with a desired undistorted shape without forming an intermediate image.

41. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the reflective corrector comprises an aspheric mirror.

42. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the reflective corrector comprises a first reflective corrector and a second reflective corrector, and wherein both the first and second reflective correctors comprise two aspheric mirrors.

43. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one powered mirror.

44. The exposure system of claim 43, wherein a power of the powered mirror is adjusted to compensate for curvature variation in wavefront incident on the powered mirror.

45. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the reflective corrector comprises at least one mirror with a surface described by both spherical and aspheric terms.

46. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the plurality of powered mirrors are a combination of convex and concave mirrors.

47. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein at least one of the plurality of powered mirrors has an aspheric surface.

48. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the exposure system has no obscuration.

49. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein curvatures of the plurality of powered mirrors do not sum to zero.

50. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the reflective corrector is tilted at an angle of about 45°

with respect to an optical axis.

51. The exposure system of claim 40, wherein the system is configured to receive a wavelength range that includes G-Line, H-Line, and I-Line wavelengths.