An projection exposure apparatus and method for illuminating a transfer pattern and forming an image upon a mask for exposure from the illumination light and transfer exposing the image of the pattern of the mask under the illumination light Switching is performed between a normal illumination condition and a modified illumination condition based upon the numerical aperture of the illumination light; wherein the normal illumination condition occurs when the light quantity distribution at the illumination pupil plane is in a first region, including the optical-axis; and the modified illumination condition occurs when the light quantity distribution at the illumination pupil plane is in a second region, not including the optical-axis and wherein the pupil plane is an optical Fourier conversion surface of a pattern surface of the mask in an illumination system

Exposure apparatus and method

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

An apparatus for exposing a pattern, formed on a mask, on each of a plurality of partitioned areas on a photosensitive substrate by a step-and-repeat scheme includes a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the mask on the photosensitive substrate, a substrate stage for holding the photosensitive substrate and two-dimensionally moving the photosensitive substrate within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system, a detection unit for projecting a pattern image having a predetermined shape on the photosensitive substrate and photoelectrically detecting light reflected by the photosensitive substrate to detect a position at each of a plurality of points on the photosensitive substrate along the optical axis of the projection optical system, and a measurement unit for, when each of a plurality of measurement points in a partitioned area on which a pattern of the mask is to be exposed next coincides with or approaches the pattern image, detecting an offset amount between an imaging plane of the projection optical system and the next partitioned area along the optical axis during a stepping operation of the substrate stage, wherein the imaging plane and the next partitioned area are relatively moved along the optical axis in accordance with the measured offset amount before the pattern of the mask is exposed on the next partitioned area.

Exposure method and apparatus

An apparatus and method to determine a property of a substrate by measuring, in the pupil plane of a high numerical aperture lens, an angle-resolved spectrum as a result of radiation being reflected off the substrate. The property may be angle and wavelength dependent and may include the intensity of TM- and TE-polarized radiation and their relative phase difference.

Method and apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization

An exposure apparatus for emitting exposure light onto a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid to expose the substrate includes a supply pipe which supplies the liquid; a recovery pipe which recovers the liquid; a connection pipe which connects the supply pipe and the recovery pipe; and a switching device which switches a flow path of the liquid so that when liquid supply is stopped, the liquid that has flowed into the supply pipe flows to the recovery pipe via the connection pipe. The apparatus may further include a temperature regulation apparatus connected to the supply pipe, which performs temperature regulation of the liquid supplied to the supply pipe, and has a rough temperature regulator which roughly regulates the temperature of the liquid, and a fine temperature regulator which is arranged between the rough temperature regulator and the supply pipe and performs fine regulation of this temperature.

Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

The quantity of ultraviolet light (IL) incident on a projection optical system (PL) is measured by means of an integrator sensor ( 9 ), and the quantity of ultraviolet pulse light (IL) that has passed through the projection optical system (PL) is measured by means of an irradiation monitor ( 32 ). The quantity of transmitted light is divided by the quantity of incident light to calculate the proportion at which the ultraviolet pulse light (IL) is attenuated in the projection optical system (PL), or an attenuation factor. The attenuation factor is determined as a function of the integrated value of the quantity of incident light. During exposure, the integrated value as quantity measured by means of the integrator sensor ( 9 ) is substituted into the function to estimate the transmissivity (attenuation factor) of the projection optical system (PL). The output of an excimer laser source ( 1 ) is controlled according to this attenuation factor to control the exposure thereby preventing lowering of exposure control precision due to illumination variations (or pulse energy variations) on the substrate caused by attenuation variations (transmissivity variations) in the projection optical system.

Projection apparatus, method of manufacturing the apparatus,method of exposure using the apparatus, and method of manufacturing circuit devices by using the apparatus

A projection optical system of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of optical members made of glass materials at least one of which has a temperature characteristic of index of refraction different from that of the other glass material Further, a temperature control device for controlling a temperature of at least one of the optical members is provided An imaging characteristic of the projection optical system is controlled The imaging characteristic to be controlled is a non-linear magnification or curvature of field The temperature control device sets the temperature to be controlled to a variable target temperature determined in accordance with the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system An exposing operation for transferring a mask pattern to a photosensitive substrate is started after the temperature of the optical member to be controlled reaches a predetermined allowable range of the target temperature

Projection exposure apparatus wherein focusing of the apparatus is changed by controlling the temperature of a lens element of the projection optical system

A projection exposure apparatus which can perform superior observation or projection of a selected mark when the mark is observed or projected through a projection optical system in which a pupil filter is set. The projection exposure apparatus which projects a pattern on a mask through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate held on a substrate stage movable in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system and which has a pupil filter (optical correction plate) placed on or near the pupil plane of the projection optical system, a reference mark formed on the substrate stage in a scale factor according to the shape of the pupil filter, illuminating means for illuminating the reference mark with illumination light, and light-receiving means for receiving the illumination light having emerged from the reference mark and thereafter having passed the projection optical system.

Projection exposure apparatus having a filter arranged in its projection optical system and method for protecting circuit patterns

A plane positioning apparatus comprises a projector for projecting beams to a given portion on the surface of a substrate in a diagonal direction, a light receiving device to receive beams reflected from the substrate surface and output photoelectric signals in accordance with variation of the light receiving position, a calculating circuit to output deviation signals in accordance with the deviation amount of the substrate surface with respect to a predetermined fiducial plane based on the deviation signals, a substrate shifting device to shift and set the substrate at a given position in a direction perpendicular to the fiducial plane in accordance with the deviation signals, a level variation detecting device to detect level variation of the deviation signals generated when the substrate surface and the fiducial plane are displaced interrelatedly, an inclination calculating device to calculate, in accordance with the level variation characteristics, the value of the inclination of the level variation characteristics at a point where the substrate surface and the fiducial plane are substantially matched, and a correction device to correct the allowable range set for the level variation characteristics in order to control the substrate shifting device in accordance with the difference between the inclination value and the fiducial value thus calculated.

Method of and apparatus for detecting plane position

In an apparatus which positions an average plane thereof parallel to a best focus plane of a projection optical system even if there is unevenness on a wafer, a leveling stage is tilted on the basis of detection signal from an auto-leveling system and a surface of a shot area on a wafer is positioned in a predetermined tilt position relative to a focus plane of the projection optical system. While such a position being kept unchanged, a deviation between the focus plane of the projection optical system and the surface of the shot area is detected at each of multi-points. Within the shot area, by the use of auto-focus system, an amount of relative tilt between an average plane of the shot area obtained from plural deviations and the focus plane of the projection optical system is calculated, and by the use of thus calculated amount of tilt and the detection signal of auto-leveling system, the focus plane of the projection optical system is positioned in parallel with the average plane of the shot area.

Yasuaki Tanaka

Papers

Projection apparatus, method of manufacturing the apparatus,method of exposure using the apparatus, and method of manufacturing circuit devices by using the apparatus

Projection exposure apparatus wherein focusing of the apparatus is changed by controlling the temperature of a lens element of the projection optical system

Projection exposure apparatus having a filter arranged in its projection optical system and method for protecting circuit patterns

Method of and apparatus for detecting plane position

Surface-position setting apparatus