Illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus

• US 9,140,993 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2008
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shiraishi, Naomasa
• Primary Examiner(s): RIDDLE, CHRISTINA A
• Application Number:
  US12/318,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20090122292A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,464 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/52, 355/55, 355 67- 71, 355/77, 250/492.1, 250/492.2, 250/492.22, 250/548, 359/494, 359/489.1, 359/489.15, 359/490.01, 359/492.01, 430/5, 430/8, 430/22, 430/30, 430/311, 430/312, 362/19
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/286 for controlling or changing the state of polarisation, e.g. transforming one polarisation state into another G02B5/3083 takes precedence; light guide coupling means utilising polarising elements G02B6/34
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70108 Off-axis setting using a light-guiding element, e.g. diffractive optical elements [DOEs] or light guides
• 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 7/70341 Details of immersion lithography aspects, e.g. exposure media or control of immersion liquid supply chemical composition of immersion liquids G03F7/2041
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70566 Polarisation control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70966 Birefringence

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.

Claims

1. An illumination optical apparatus which illuminates a mask having a pattern with illumination light, the apparatus comprising:

a plurality of birefringent members arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus along an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, which change a polarization direction of the illumination light, being incident on a first birefringent member of the plurality of birefringent members in a linearly polarized state, so that the polarization direction of the illumination light on the pupil plane is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis, the first birefringent member being arranged on an incidence side relative to the rest of the plurality of birefringent members,

wherein the first birefringent member of the plurality of birefringent members has a fast axis of which direction is different from a direction of a fast axis of a second birefringent member, different from the first birefringent member, of the plurality of birefringent members.

2. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of birefringent members includes a first wavelength plate and a second wavelength plate; and

directions of the fast axis of the first and second wavelength plates are rotated by 45°

from each other about a rotation center on the optical axis.

3. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an optical integrator disposed in the optical path of the illumination light on an exit-side with respect to the plurality of birefringent members.

4. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical integrator is a fly'"'"'s eye lens.

5. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of birefringent members is made of crystalline quartz.

6. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a polarization controller disposed in the optical path of the illumination light on an entrance-side with respect to the plurality of birefringent members to change a polarization state of the illumination light from a first polarization state, in which a principal component is a substantially single polarization light, into a second polarization state different from the first polarization state.

7. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising:

a birefringent member retracting part that retracts the plurality of birefringent members outwardly from the optical path of the illumination light.

8. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a principal component of the second polarization state is linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

9. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the principal component of the first polarization state is linearly polarized light, circularly polarized light or elliptically polarized light.

10. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a rotating part which enables rotation of at least one of the plurality of birefringent members about the optical axis.

11. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

multiple sets of the plurality of birefringent members; and

a birefringent member replacing mechanism which replaceably places the plurality of birefringent members in the multiple sets, in the optical path of the illumination light.

12. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of birefringent members includes wavelength plates.

13. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the plurality of birefringent members is made of crystalline quartz.

14. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light which is incident to the plurality of birefringent members has a polarization state consisting primarily of linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

15. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a polarization controller disposed in the optical path of the illumination light on an entrance-side with respect to the plurality of birefringent members to change a polarization direction of the linearly polarized light polarized in the substantially single direction relative to the plurality of birefringent members.

16. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the polarization controller includes a half wavelength plate disposed rotatably relative to the plurality of birefringent members.

17. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the polarization controller includes a quarter wavelength plate disposed rotatably relative to the plurality of birefringent members.

18. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, further comprising:

a rotating mechanism which rotates some or all of the birefringent members relative to the polarization direction of the linearly polarized light polarized in the substantially single direction.

19. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light is irradiated onto the mask in a polarization state in which a principal component is S-polarized light.

20. An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with light from a pattern on a mask, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds the substrate,

the illumination optical apparatus as defined in claim 1 which illuminates the pattern with the light; and

a projection optical system which projects an image of the pattern illuminated with the light onto the substrate held by the stage.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the substrate is exposed with the light through liquid.

22. A device manufacturing method comprising:

transferring a pattern to a substrate by using the exposure apparatus as defined in claim 20; and

developing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred.

23. An exposure method for exposing a substrate with light from a pattern on a mask, the exposure method comprising:

holding the substrate by a stage;

illuminating the pattern with the light by using the illumination optical apparatus as defined in claim 1; and

projecting an image of the pattern illuminated with the light onto the substrate held by the stage.

24. The exposure method according to claim 23, wherein the substrate is exposed with the light through liquid.

25. A device manufacturing method comprising:

transferring a pattern to a substrate by using the exposure method as defined in claim 23; and

developing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred.