Controller for optical device, exposure method and apparatus, and method for manufacturing device

• US 9,946,162 B2
• Filed: 12/09/2016
• Issued: 04/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Owa, Soichi
• Primary Examiner(s): SULLIVAN, CALEEN O
• Application Number:
  US15/374,484
• Publication Number:
  US 20170090300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 494 Days
• Field of Search: 355 71, 355 67, 25049222
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• 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 7/70116 Off-axis setting using a programmable means, e.g. liquid crystal display [LCD], digital micromirror device [DMD] or pupil facets
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70141 Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system
• 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 7/702 Reflective illumination, i.e. reflective optical elements other than folding mirrors, e.g. extreme ultraviolet [EUV] illumination systems
• 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

Abstract

An exposure method for exposing a mask pattern, which includes plural types of patterns, with a high throughput and optimal illumination conditions for each type of pattern. The method includes guiding light from a first spatial light modulator illuminated with pulse lights of illumination light to a second spatial light modulator and exposing a wafer with light from the second spatial light modulator, accompanied by: controlling a conversion state of the second spatial light modulator including a plurality of second mirror elements; and controlling a conversion state of the first spatial light modulator including a plurality of first mirror elements to control intensity distribution of the illumination light on a predetermined plane between the first spatial light modulator and the second spatial light modulator.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus that changes position of a wafer relative to a projection optical system while exposing the wafer with light from the projection optical system, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a first spatial light modulator including a plurality of mirror elements arranged on a first plane across an optical path of exposure light from a light source;

a first optical system configured to distribute light from the first spatial light modulator on an illumination pupil plane;

a second optical system configured to illuminate a second plane with light from the illumination pupil plane;

a stage configured to hold the wafer;

a drive system configured to drive the stage to change the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system; and

a controller configured to control the plurality of mirror elements of the first spatial light modulator and the drive system, wherein the controller is configured to;

control the first spatial light modulator to form a first light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil plane when the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system is a first position;

control the drive system to change the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system to a second position, which is different from the first position; and

control the first spatial light modulator to form a second light intensity distribution, which is different from the first light intensity distribution, on the illumination pupil plane when the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system is the second position, wherein a pattern exposed at the first position is different from a pattern exposed at the second position.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:

a second spatial light modulator including a plurality of mirror elements arranged on the second plane.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to control the plurality of mirror elements of the second spatial light modulator.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to:

control the second spatial light modulator to form a first bright-dark pattern on the wafer via the projection optical system when the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system is the first position; and

control the second spatial light modulator to form a second bright-dark pattern, which is different from the first bright-dark pattern, on the wafer via the projection optical system when the position of the wafer relative to the projection optical system is the second position.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the controller is configured to provide the light source with a first control signal that controls emission timing of the light source, and provide the first spatial light modulator with a second control signal in synchronism with the first control signal.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to provide the second spatial light modulator with a third control signal in synchronism with the first control signal.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the controller is configured to provide the drive system with a fourth control signal in synchronism with the first control signal.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

each of the first and second bright-dark patterns is a periodic pattern,

the first bright-dark pattern has a periodic direction, and

the second bright-dark pattern has a periodic direction which is different from the periodic direction of the first bright-dark pattern.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

the first bright-dark pattern includes a brightness pattern having a line width, and

the second bright-dark pattern includes a brightness pattern having a line width which is different from the line width of the brightness pattern of the first bright-dark pattern.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to control the drive system to perform scanning exposure in which the wafer is moved relative to the exposure light.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination pupil plane includes an off-axis region separated from an optical axis of the first optical system, and

the first light intensity distribution or the second light intensity distribution over the illumination pupil plane has light intensity at the off-axis region of the illumination pupil plane that is greater than light intensity at the optical axis on the illumination pupil plane.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the illumination pupil plane includes an off-axis region separated from an optical axis of the first optical system, and

the first light intensity distribution and the second light intensity distribution over the illumination pupil plane have light intensities at the off-axis region of the illumination pupil plane that is greater than light intensity at the optical axis on the illumination pupil plane.