A lithographic apparatus configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first radiation dose detector and a second radiation dose detector, each detector comprising a secondary electron emission surface configured to receive a radiation flux and to emit secondary electrons due to the receipt of the radiation flux, the first radiation dose detector located upstream with respect to the second radiation dose detector viewed with respect to a direction of radiation transmission, and a meter, connected to each detector, to detect a current or voltage resulting from the secondary electron emission from the respective electron emission surface.

Lithographic apparatus, and device manufacturing method

Exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating the substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus is provided with a liquid immersion mechanism for supplying the liquid and recovering the liquid. The liquid immersion mechanism has an inclined surface, which is opposite to a surface of the substrate and is inclined with respect to the surface of the substrate, and a liquid recovering port of the liquid immersion mechanism is formed in the inclined surface. A flat portion is provided between the substrate and the projection optical system. A liquid immersion area can be maintained to be small.

Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device

The invention relates to a projection system, comprising a radiation source, an illumination system operable to illuminate a structured mask, and a projection objective for projecting an image of the mask structure onto a light-sensitive substrate, wherein said projection system comprises an optical system comprising an optical axis or a preferred direction given by the direction of a light beam propagating through the optical system; the optical system comprising a temperature compensated polarization-modulating optical element described by coordinates of a coordinate system, wherein one preferred coordinate of the coordinate system is parallel to the optical axis or parallel to said preferred direction; said temperature compensated polarization-modulating optical element comprising a first and a second polarization-modulating optical element, the first and/or the second polarization-modulating optical element comprising solid and/or liquid optically active material and a profile of effective optical thickness, wherein the effective optical thickness varies at least as a function of one coordinate different from the preferred coordinate of the coordinate system, in addition or alternative the first and/or the second polarization-modulating optical element comprises solid and/or liquid optically active material, wherein the effective optical thickness is constant as a function of at least one coordinate different from the preferred coordinate of the coordinate system; wherein the first polarization-modulating optical element comprises optically active material with a specific rotation of opposite sign compared to the optically active material of the second polarization-modulating optical element.

Polarization-modulating optical element

Illumination systems for microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes one or more scattering structures and an optical integrator that produces a plurality of secondary light sources.

Illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion liquid). The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY-axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y-axis) from an optical axis (AX).

Projection optical system, exposure apparatus and exposure method

A system and method of avoiding pattern shortening without resorting to generating a mask with a bias solve the direction dependent differences in exposure behavior in photolithography processes in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Instead of designing a biased mask to solve the exposure problem, the pattern shortening effect is avoided by influencing the exposure process itself. By using an off axis illumination technique, the exposure is separated into different directions. In one embodiment, off axis illumination is applied in combination with special dipole apertures (i.e., two openings). The exposure is done in two or more parts, whereby the aperture is twisted between exposures. In another embodiment, off axis illumination is used in combination with special polarizer apertures. As with the first embodiment, the exposure is done in two or more parts, but in this case with differently polarized light.

Avoidance of pattern shortening by using off axis illumination with dipole and polarizing apertures

Apertures to vary the size and shape of the aperture area without the need to change the whole aperture plate in off axis lithography The off axis illumination apertures allow the size and shape of apertures to be changed without having to change the aperture plates for each step in the lithographic process The aperture plate (40) is fitted with simple shutter mechanisms (41-44) that allow ready adjustment of the aperture openings

Independently controllable shutters and variable area apertures for off axis illumination

A system and method of avoiding pattern shortening without resorting to generating a mask with a bias solve the direction dependent differences in exposure behavior in photolithography processes in the manufacture of semiconductor devices. Instead of designing a biased mask to solve the exposure problem, the pattern shortening effect is avoided by influencing the exposure process itself. By using an off axis illumination technique, the exposure is separated into different directions. In one embodiment, off axis illumination is applied in combination with special dipole apertures (i.e., two openings). The exposure is done in two or more parts, whereby the dipole aperture (12) is rotated between exposures. In another embodiment, off axis illumination is used in combination with special polarizer apertures. As with the first embodiment, the exposure is done in two or more parts, but in this case with differently polarized light.

Avoidance of pattern shortening by using an off axis illumination with twisting dipole and polarizing apertures

A lithography process includes a step of forming an antireflective coating film on a substrate. A film is formed on the antireflective film and a radiation sensitive film is formed on the film. The radiation sensitive film is selectively exposed. During the selective exposing, the antireflective film covers the lower surface of the portion of film on which the radiation sensitive film is formed, and the antireflective coating film reduces reflections of radiation during the selective exposing of the radiation sensitive film. A fabrication process using the lithography process is also described.

Takashi Sato

Papers

Avoidance of pattern shortening by using off axis illumination with dipole and polarizing apertures

Independently controllable shutters and variable area apertures for off axis illumination

Avoidance of pattern shortening by using an off axis illumination with twisting dipole and polarizing apertures

Lithography process using one or more anti-reflective coating films and fabrication process using the lithography process

Vermeidung der verkürzung eines musters unter verwendung einer schiefen beleuchtung mit rotierenden dipol- und polarisationsblenden