Optical system, exposure system, and exposure method

• US 8,436,983 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 05/07/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Omura, Yasuhiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): KREUTZER, COLIN WRIGHT
• Application Number:
  US10/587,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20070296941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,035 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/57, 355/71, 355/77, 355/55, 355/67, 359/386, 359/483, 359/489, 359/352, 359/371, 359/485, 359494-495, 359497-498, 359/900
• US Class Current: 355/71
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/143 for use with ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/08 Catadioptric systems used in non-imaging applications G02B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 17/0892 specially adapted for the UV
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70091 Illumination settings, i.e. intensity distribution in the pupil plane or angular distribution in the field plane; On-axis or off-axis settings, e.g. annular, dipole or quadrupole settings; Partial coherence control, i.e. sigma or numerical aperture [NA]
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70191 Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for controlling intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70566 Polarisation control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70966 Birefringence

Abstract

An optical system is able to achieve a substantially azimuthal polarization state in a lens aperture while suppressing loss of light quantity, based on a simple configuration. The optical system of the present invention is provided with a birefringent element for achieving a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, and an optical rotator located behind the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture. The birefringent element has an optically transparent member which is made of a uniaxial crystal material and a crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system. A light beam of substantially spherical waves in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to the optically transparent member.

Claims

1. An optical system including an illumination optical system which illuminates a surface to be illuminated, the optical system comprising:

a birefringent element, disposed in an optical path of the optical system and including an optically transparent member which is made of uniaxial crystal material and crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system, that achieves a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, the birefringent element is located at or near a position optically conjugate with the surface to be illuminated, in an optical path of the illumination optical system; and

an optical rotator disposed on an image side of the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture,

wherein a beam bundle in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to the optically transparent member.

2. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein

the beam bundle incident to the optically transparent member includes a substantially spherical wave.

3. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein

the birefringent element includes at least a pair of optically transparent members made of a crystal material of the cubic system,

the pair of optically transparent members are so positioned as to achieve the substantially circumferential distribution or the substantially radial distribution as the fast axis distribution in the lens aperture, and

a beam bundle of substantially spherical waves in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to the pair of optically transparent members.

4. The optical system according to claim 3,

wherein the pair of optically transparent members are arranged in a state in which a crystal orientation <

111>

is substantially parallel with an optical axis of the optical system and in which the other crystal orientations are relatively rotated by about 60°

around the optical axis.

5. The optical system according to claim 3,

wherein the pair of optically transparent members are arranged in a state in which a crystal orientation <

100>

is substantially parallel with an optical axis of the optical system and in which the other crystal orientations are relatively rotated by about 45°

around the optical axis.

6. The optical system according to claim 1,

wherein the optical rotator is located at a position where a beam bundle is incident thereto with variation of not more than 10°

in an angle of incidence.

7. The optical system according to claim 1,

wherein the optical rotator rotates the polarization state in the lens aperture by about 45°

.

8. The optical system according to claim 1,

the optical system including a projection optical system which forms an image of a first plane on a second plane.

9. The optical system according to claim 1,

the optical system including the illumination optical system which illuminates the surface to be illuminated, in a substantially telecentric manner.

10. The optical system according to claim 9, wherein

the illumination optical system forms a secondary light source including a predetermined optical intensity distribution, on an illumination pupil plane, and

the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source is so set that an optical intensity in a pupil center region being a region on the illumination pupil and including an optical axis is smaller than an optical intensity in a region around the pupil center region.

11. The optical system according to claim 10,

wherein the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source includes an optical intensity distribution of an annular shape or multi-pole shape.

12. The optical system according to claim 1,

the optical system including the illumination optical system which illuminates a first plane in a substantially telecentric manner;

and a projection optical system which forms an image of the first plane on a second plane.

13. The optical system according to claim 12, wherein

the birefringent element is located in an optical path of the illumination optical system, and

the optical rotator is located in an optical path of the projection optical system.

14. The optical system according to claim 13,

wherein the birefringent element is located near the first plane, or at or near a position optically conjugate with the first plane, in the optical path of the illumination optical system.

15. The optical system according to claim 14, wherein

the illumination optical system forms a secondary light source including a predetermined optical intensity distribution, on an illumination pupil plane, and

the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source is so set that an optical intensity in a pupil center region being a region on the illumination pupil and including an optical axis is smaller than an optical intensity in a region around the pupil center region.

16. The optical system according to claim 15,

wherein the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source includes an optical intensity distribution of an annular shape or multi-pole shape.

17. The optical system according to claim 1,

the optical system being an optical system for lithography.

18. The optical system according to claim 1, wherein the beam bundle incident to the transparent optical member includes a light traveling obliquely with respect to a crystallographic axis of the transparent optical member.

19. An exposure apparatus comprising:

an optical system which includes an optically transparent member which is made of uniaxial crystal material and crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system, and effects exposure of a predetermined pattern on a photosensitive substrate and which includes an illumination optical system which illuminates the predetermined pattern,

wherein the optical system comprises;

a birefringent element which achieves a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, and which is located at or near a position optically conjugate with the surface to be illuminated, in an optical path of the illumination optical system; and

an optical rotator located on an image side of the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture,

wherein a beam bundle in a substantially circular polarization state in incident to the optically transparent member.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the optical system includes the illumination optical system which illuminates the predetermined pattern in a substantially telecentric manner.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein

the illumination optical system forms a secondary light source including a predetermined optical intensity distribution, on an illumination pupil surface, and

the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source is so set that an optical intensity in a pupil center region being a region on the illumination pupil and including the optical axis is smaller than an optical intensity in a region around the pupil center region.

22. The exposure apparatus according to claim 21,

wherein the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source includes an optical intensity distribution of an annular shape or multi-pole shape.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 19,

wherein the optical system includes:

the illumination optical system which illuminates the predetermined pattern surface in a substantially telecentric manner; and

a projection optical system which forms an image of the predetermined pattern surface on a surface of a photosensitive substrate.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein

the birefringent element is located in an optical path of the illumination optical system, and

the optical rotator is located in an optical path of the projection optical system.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 24,

wherein the birefringent element is located near a first plane, or at or near a position optically conjugate with the first plane, in the optical path of the illumination optical system.

26. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23,

wherein the projection optical system forms the image of the predetermined pattern surface on the surface of the photosensitive substrate through a liquid.

27. The exposure apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the beam bundle incident to the transparent optical member includes a light traveling obliquely with respect to a crystallographic axis of the transparent optical member.

28. A device fabrication method comprising:

preparing a photosensitive substrate;

exposing a predetermined pattern to be transferred, on the photosensitive substrate through an optical system including an illumination optical system, the optical system comprises a birefringent element and an optical rotator,

wherein the exposing comprises;

achieving a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture by the birefringent element; and

rotating a polarization state in the lens aperture being a polarization state of a beam bundle including having passed through the birefringent element, by the optical rotator; and

illuminating the predetermined pattern through the optical system,

wherein in achieving the substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution, a beam bundle in a substantially circular polarization state is incident to a transparent optical member which is made of uniaxial crystal material and crystallographic axis of which is arranged substantially in parallel with an optical axis of the optical system; and

wherein the birefringent element is located at or near a position optically conjugate with the predetermined pattern surface, on an optical path of the illumination optical system.

29. The device fabrication method according to claim 28, wherein

the optical system includes the illumination optical system, and

the exposing includes illuminating the predetermined pattern in a substantially telecentric manner through the optical system.

30. The device fabrication method according to claim 29, wherein

the illuminating comprises forming a secondary light source including a predetermined optical intensity distribution, on an illumination pupil plane, and

the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source is so set that an optical intensity in a pupil center region being a region on the illumination pupil and including an optical axis is smaller than an optical intensity in a region around the pupil center region.

31. The device fabrication method according to claim 30,

wherein the predetermined optical intensity distribution of the secondary light source includes an optical intensity distribution of an annular shape or multi-pole shape.

32. The device fabrication method according to claim 28, wherein

the optical system includes the illumination optical system and a projection optical system, and

the exposing includes illuminating the predetermined pattern surface in a substantially telecentric manner by the illumination optical system, and forming an image of the predetermined pattern surface on a surface of the photosensitive substrate by the projection optical system.

33. The device fabrication method according to claim 32, wherein

the birefringent element is located in an optical path of the illumination optical system, and

the optical rotator is located in an optical path of the projection optical system.

34. The device fabrication method according to claim 28, wherein

the optical system includes a projection optical system, and

the exposing includes forming an image of the predetermined pattern on a surface of the photosensitive substrate through a liquid.

35. The device fabrication method according to claim 28, wherein making the beam bundle to be incident into the transparent optical member in a substantially circular polarization state includes making light traveling obliquely with respect to a crystallographic axis of the transparent optical member to be incident into the transparent optical member.

36. An optical system including an illumination optical system which illuminates a surface to be illuminated, the optical system comprising:

a birefringent element, disposed in an optical system, that achieves a substantially circumferential distribution or a substantially radial distribution as a fast axis distribution in a lens aperture, the birefringent element is located at or near a position optically conjuate with the surface to be illuminated, in an optical path of the illumination optical system; and

an optical rotator disposed on an image side of the birefringent element and adapted to rotate a polarization state in the lens aperture, wherein the optical rotor rotates the polarization state in the lens aperture by about 45°

.