Illumination optical apparatus, exposure apparatus, and exposure method with optical integrator and polarization member that changes polarization state of light

• US 9,885,872 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2013
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Toyoda, Mitsunori
• Primary Examiner(s): LIU, CHIA HOW MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US13/889,965
• Publication Number:
  US 20130242394A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,735 Days
• Field of Search: 355 71
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0944 Diffractive optical elements, e.g. gratings, holograms gratings per se G02B5/18; holograms used as optical elements per se G02B5/32
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/28 for polarising used in stereoscopes G02B30/25
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4233 having a diffractive element [DOE] contributing to a non-imaging application diffusers having a diffractive element G02B5/0252; filters having a diffractive element G02B5/203; systems for controlling the direction of light having diffractive elements G02B26/0808; scanning systems having diffractive elements G02B26/106; beam shaping systems using diffractive optical elements G02B27/0944; beam splitting or combining systems operating by diffraction G02B27/1086
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/4261 having a diffractive element with major polarization dependent properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3025 Polarisers, i.e. arrangements capable of producing a definite output polarisation state from an unpolarised input state G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence
• 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 7/70108 Off-axis setting using a light-guiding element, e.g. diffractive optical elements [DOEs] or light guides
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70158 Diffractive optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70566 Polarisation control

Abstract

An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, and a polarization member made of optical material with optical rotatory power, which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, and which changes a polarization state of the illumination light. The illumination light from the polarization member is irradiated onto the pattern through a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus.

Claims

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

an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light; and

a polarization member made of optical material with optical rotatory power, which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, and which rotates a polarization direction of the illumination light in a state of substantially a linear polarization,

wherein a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus is substantially located at a rear focal plane of the optical integrator,

wherein the illumination light from the polarization member is irradiated onto the pattern through the pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, and

wherein a direction of an optic axis of the optical material is arranged substantially coincident with a direction of an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus at a location where the optical material is arranged so that the polarization member rotates the polarization direction of the illumination light on the basis of the optical rotatory power.

2. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination light from the pupil plane is irradiated onto the pattern in a polarization state in which a principal component is S-polarized light.

3. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the polarization member changes a polarization state of the illumination light, distributed in a region on the pupil plane away from the optical axis, so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.

4. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a first thickness of the polarization member in an optical path of a first light of the illumination light is different from a second thickness of the polarization member in an optical path of a second light of the illumination light, and

the first light passes through a first position in the region on the pupil plane, and the second light passes through a second position in the region different from the first position on the pupil plane.

5. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a polarization changing member which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the polarization member, and which changes 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.

6. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a principal component of the second polarization state is linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

7. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the substantially single polarization light is linearly polarized light or elliptically polarized light.

8. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the polarization changing member comprises at least one of a half wavelength plate and a quarter wavelength plate.

9. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the region on the pupil plane is an annular region about the optical axis.

10. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions within an annular region about the optical axis.

11. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions which are aligned along a circumference about the optical axis.

12. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of the regions on the pupil plane comprises a pair of regions which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis.

13. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the optical integrator comprises a fly'"'"'s eye lens, and a surface of an exit side of the fly'"'"'s eye lens is arranged at a position substantially equivalent to the pupil plane.

14. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a polarization changing member which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the polarization member, and which changes 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.

15. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein a principal component of the second polarization state is linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

16. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the substantially single polarization light is linearly polarized light or elliptically polarized light.

17. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the polarization changing member comprises at least one of a half wavelength plate and a quarter wavelength plate.

18. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the region on the pupil plane is an annular region about the optical axis.

19. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions within an annular region about the optical axis.

20. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions which are aligned along a circumference about the optical axis.

21. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the plurality of substantially discrete regions on the pupil plane comprises a pair of regions which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis.

22. The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the optical integrator comprises a fly'"'"'s eye lens, and a surface of an exit side of the fly'"'"'s eye lens is arranged at a position substantially equivalent to the pupil plane.

23. 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; and

a projection optical system which projects an image of the pattern, illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus, onto the substrate.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the image of the pattern is projected onto the substrate through a liquid disposed in an optical path between the projection optical system and the substrate.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the illumination light from the pupil plane is irradiated onto the pattern in a polarization state in which a principal component is S-polarized light.

26. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the polarization member changes a polarization state of the illumination light, distributed in a region on the pupil plane away from the optical axis, so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.

27. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein a first thickness of the polarization member in an optical path of a first light of the illumination light is different from a second thickness of the polarization member in an optical path of a second light of the illumination light, and

the first light passes through a first position in the region on the pupil plane, and the second light passes through a second position in the region different from the first position on the pupil plane.

28. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising a polarization changing member which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the polarization member, and which changes 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.

29. The exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein a principal component of the second polarization state is linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

30. The exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the substantially single polarization light is linearly polarized light or elliptically polarized light.

31. The exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein the polarization changing member comprises at least one of a half wavelength plate and a quarter wavelength plate.

32. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the region on the pupil plane is an annular region about the optical axis.

33. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions within an annular region about the optical axis.

34. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions which are aligned along a circumference about the optical axis.

35. The exposure apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the plurality of substantially discrete regions on the pupil plane comprises a pair of regions which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis.

36. The exposure apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the optical integrator comprises a fly'"'"'s eye lens, and a surface of an exit side of the fly'"'"'s eye lens is arranged at a position substantially equivalent to the pupil plane.

37. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, further comprising a polarization changing member which is arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the polarization member, and which changes 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.

38. The exposure apparatus according to claim 37, wherein a principal component of the second polarization state is linearly polarized light polarized in a substantially single direction.

39. The exposure apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the substantially single polarization light is linearly polarized light or elliptically polarized light.

40. The exposure apparatus according to claim 37, wherein the polarization changing member comprises at least one of a half wavelength plate and a quarter wavelength plate.

41. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the region on the pupil plane is an annular region about the optical axis.

42. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions within an annular region about the optical axis.

43. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the region on the pupil plane comprises a plurality of substantially discrete regions which are aligned along a circumference about the optical axis.

44. The exposure apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the plurality of substantially discrete regions on the pupil plane comprises a pair of regions which is arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis.

45. The exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the optical integrator comprises a fly'"'"'s eye lens, and a surface of an exit side of the fly'"'"'s eye lens is arranged at a position substantially equivalent to the pupil plane.

46. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

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

developing the substrate to which the pattern is transferred.

47. 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 by using the illumination optical apparatus as defined in claim 1; and

projecting an image of the pattern, illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus, onto the substrate.

48. The exposure method according to claim 47, wherein the image of the pattern is projected onto the substrate through a liquid disposed in an optical path between the projection optical system and the substrate.

49. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

transferring a pattern to a substrate by using the exposure method as defined in claim 47; and

developing the substrate to which the pattern is transferred.