Illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus
First Claim
1. A projection exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern on a first object onto a second object, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:
- a projection optical system arranged between the first object and the second object that projects the image of the pattern on the first object onto the second object; and
an illumination optical system that illuminates the first object with illumination light from a light source, and comprising at least two birefringent members arranged along a traveling direction of the illumination light, wherein a direction of a fast axis of an at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members is different from a direction of a fast axis of another birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members,wherein the at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members has a non-uniform surface; and
the at least one birefringent member changes a polarization state of the illumination light passing the at least one birefringent member to consist primarily of S-polarization when the illumination light reaches the first object after the illumination light entering into the at least one birefringent member passes the at least one birefringent member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus capable of reducing a light quantity loss when a mask is illuminated with a polarized illumination light. An illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle with an illumination light and a projection optical system for projecting the pattern image of the reticle onto a wafer are provided. An illumination light emitted from an exposure light source in a linearly polarized state in the illumination optical system passes through first and second birefringent members having different fast axis directions and is converted into a polarized state that is substantially linearly polarized in a circumferential direction with the optical axis as the center in an almost specific annular area, and them illuminates the reticle under an annular illuminating condition after passing through a fly-eye lens.
273 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A projection exposure apparatus which projects an image of a pattern on a first object onto a second object, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:
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a projection optical system arranged between the first object and the second object that projects the image of the pattern on the first object onto the second object; and an illumination optical system that illuminates the first object with illumination light from a light source, and comprising at least two birefringent members arranged along a traveling direction of the illumination light, wherein a direction of a fast axis of an at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members is different from a direction of a fast axis of another birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members, wherein the at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members has a non-uniform surface; and the at least one birefringent member changes a polarization state of the illumination light passing the at least one birefringent member to consist primarily of S-polarization when the illumination light reaches the first object after the illumination light entering into the at least one birefringent member passes the at least one birefringent member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. An exposure method of exposing a photosensitive body as a second object to an image of a pattern on a mask as a first object, the method comprising:
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arranging a projection optical system between the first object and the second object that projects the image of the pattern on the first object onto the second object; and illuminating the first object with illumination light from a light source of an illumination optical system, the illumination optical system comprising at least two birefringent members arranged along a traveling direction of the illumination light, wherein a direction of a fast axis of an at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members is different from a direction of a fast axis of another birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members, wherein the at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members has a non-uniform surface; and the at least one birefringent member changes polarization state of the illumination light passing the at least one birefringent member to consist primarily of S-polarization when the illumination light reaching the first object after the illumination light entering the at least one birefringent member passes the at least one birefringent member. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. An exposure method of exposing a photosensitive body as a second object to an image of a pattern on a mask as a first object, the method comprising:
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arranging a projection optical system between the first object and the second object that projects the image of the pattern on the first object onto the second object; illuminating the first object with illumination light from a light source of an illumination optical system, the illumination optical system comprising at least two birefringent members arranged along a traveling direction of the illumination light, wherein a direction of a fast axis of an at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members is different from a direction of a fast axis of another birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members, wherein the at least one birefringent member of the at least two birefringent members has a non-uniform surface; and the at least one birefringent member changes a polarization state of the illumination light passing the at least one birefringent member to consist primarily of S-polarization when the illumination light reaching the first object after the illumination light entering the at least one birefringent member passes the at least one birefringent member; limiting the illumination light incident to the first object, to a plurality of specific, substantially discrete directions with a beam limiting member; and wherein the beam limiting member includes a diffractive optical element disposed between the light source and the at least two birefringent members. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification