Microactuator, optical device and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 7,952,780 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2009
• Issued: 05/31/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Suzuki, Junji, Owa, Soichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer; Ricky D
• Application Number:
  US12/348,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 359/212.1, 359/224.1, 359/295, 359/846, 359/847, 359/849, 359/900, 359/200.6, 355/61, 355/77, 355/67, 378/34, 378/35
• US Class Current: 359/200.6
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2201/042 Micromirrors, not used as optical switches
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/053 Translation according to an axis perpendicular to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 2203/058 Rotation out of a plane parallel to the substrate
• CPC Class Codes: B81B 3/0051 For defining the movement, i.e. structures that guide or limit the movement of an element mechanical arrangements for preventing or damping vibration or shock H01H3/60
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/001 based on interference in an adjustable optical cavity interference filters G02B5/28; devices or arrangements using multiple reflections in spectrometry or monochromators G01J3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0841 the reflecting element being moved or deformed by electrostatic means
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70291 Addressable masks, e.g. spatial light modulators [SLMs], digital micro-mirror devices [DMDs] or liquid crystal display [LCD] patterning devices
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70825 Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 359/90 Methods

Abstract

A pair of support members each having a spring section in a part thereof support a mirror element, and a pair of drive mechanisms arranged respectively corresponding to a pair of the support members transform the spring sections of the corresponding support members, thereby changing a distance between each of support points at which the support members support the mirror element and a base. Accordingly, the mirror element can be translated by driving all of the drive mechanisms, or the mirror element can be inclined with respect to the base by driving some of the drive mechanisms.

Claims

1. A microactuator that drives a plurality of mirror elements of an optical device used to expose a substrate in a lithography process, the microactuator comprising:

a plurality of support members that respectively support the plurality of mirror elements of the optical device, each support member having an elastic section in a part thereof; and

a plurality of drive mechanisms respectively corresponding to the plurality of support members, wherein

each of the plurality of drive mechanisms changes a distance between a support point at which the corresponding support member supports the respective mirror element and a predetermined reference plane, by transforming the elastic section of the corresponding support member, and

the microactuator controls each drive mechanism to thereby control the distance between the support point at which the corresponding support member supports the respective mirror element and the predetermined reference plane, to thereby switch a state of the respective mirror element between a first ON state where a reflection surface of the respective mirror element is positioned on a first plane that is parallel to a predetermined reference plane and is a first predetermined distance away from the reference plane, a second ON state where the reflection surface of the respective mirror element is positioned on a second plane that is parallel to the reference plane and is a second predetermined distance away from the reference plane, and an OFF state where the reflection surface of the respective mirror element is inclined with respect to the reference plane, the second predetermined distance being different from the first predetermined distance, wherein

when the respective mirror element is in the first ON state, illumination light reflected by the respective mirror element is incident on a projection optical system,

when the respective mirror element is in the second ON state, illumination light reflected by the respective mirror element is incident on the projection optical system and a phase of the illumination light shifts from a phase of the illumination light reflected when the respective mirror element is in the first ON state, and

when the respective mirror element is in the OFF state, illumination light reflected by the respective mirror element is not incident on the projection optical system.

2. The microactuator according to claim 1, wherein

the elastic section of each of the plurality of support members includes a flexural type spring.

3. The microactuator according to claim 2, wherein

a response speed of the elastic section becomes higher by applying a tensional force on the flexural type spring.

4. The microactuator according to claim 1, wherein

each of the plurality of drive mechanisms is an electrostatic actuator.

5. An optical device, comprising:

the microactuator according to claim 1; and

the plurality of mirror elements, wherein the plurality of mirror elements are placed in an array shape and configure a part of a variable shaped mask.

6. The optical device according to claim 5, further comprising:

a controller that drives and controls one, or two or more of the drive mechanisms.

7. An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate using an illumination light, the apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 6 that is placed on an optical path of the illumination light, wherein

the substrate is exposed using the illumination light via the optical device.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein

the optical device generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with the illumination light.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the substrate, wherein

the microactuator controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

10. A device manufacturing method comprising:

in a lithography process, performing exposure using the exposure apparatus according to claim 7.

11. An exposure apparatus comprising:

the optical device according to claim 5 that generates a predetermined pattern by being irradiated with an illumination light, wherein

a phase of the illumination light via a mirror element in the first ON state and a phase of the illumination light via a different mirror element in the second ON state shift from each other by a half wavelength.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a movable body that moves holding the substrate, wherein

the microactuator controls each of the drive mechanisms in synchronization with movement of the movable body in a predetermined direction.

13. A device manufacturing method comprising:

in a lithography process, performing exposure using the exposure apparatus according to claim 11.