# US 10,768,409 B2 · Spatial light modulator unit, illumination optical system, exposure device, and device manufacturing method

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- Number: US 10,768,409 B2
- Document ID: US10768409B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/255,094
- Filed: 2019-01-23
- Published: 2019-05-23
- Granted: 2020-09-08
- Earliest claimed: 2009-12-23
- Assignees: Nikon Corporation
- Applicants: Nikon Corporation
- Inventors: Osamu Tanitsu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10768409B2

## CPC

- G02B 26/0833: {the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B)}
- G03F 7/70116: {Off-axis setting using a programmable means, e.g. liquid crystal display [LCD], digital micromirror device [DMD] or pupil facets}
- G03F 7/70191: {Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for controlling intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or the like}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G)

## Abstract

An illumination optical apparatus that illuminates an object with illumination light includes a first spatial light modulator in an optical path of the illumination light, and having a plurality of first mirror elements; a second spatial light modulator in the optical path of the illumination light from the first spatial light modulator, and having a plurality of second mirror elements; a control unit which controls the first and second spatial light modulators to control postures of the first and second mirror elements; and an optical integrator in the optical path of the illumination light from the second spatial light modulator on an incidence side of an illumination pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus. The control unit controls the postures of the first and second mirror elements to set a light intensity distribution of the illumination light on the illumination pupil plane.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An illumination optical apparatus which illuminates an object with illumination light, the apparatus comprising:
a first spatial light modulator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, which includes a plurality of first mirror elements;
a second spatial light modulator arranged in the optical path of the illumination light from the first spatial light modulator, which includes a plurality of second mirror elements;
a control unit which controls the first and second spatial light modulators so as to control postures of the first and second plurality of mirror elements;
an optical integrator arranged in the optical path of the illumination light from the second spatial light modulator and arranged on an incidence side of an illumination pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus; and
a first optical system arranged in the optical path of the illumination light between the first and second spatial light modulators, the first optical system including a Fourier transform optical system,
wherein the control unit controls the postures of the first and second plurality of mirror elements so as to set a light intensity distribution of the illumination light on the illumination pupil plane.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical integrator includes a fly's eye integrator arranged so that a rear focal plane of the fly's eye integrator is on the illumination pupil plane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

An exposure apparatus which expose a substrate with light from an object, the exposure apparatus comprising:
the illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1 which illuminates the object with light; and
a projection optical system which projects an image of the object illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus onto the substrate.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a substrate stage which holds the substrate and moves relative to the image of the object projected by the projection optical system.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A device manufacturing method comprising:
illuminating an object by using the illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1;
projecting an image of the object illuminated by the illumination optical apparatus onto a substrate; and
assembling a device on the substrate onto which the image of the object has been projected.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The device manufacturing method according to claim 5, wherein the image of the object is projected onto the substrate through a liquid disposed on the substrate.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture of each of the plurality of first mirror elements is controlled individually.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the posture of each of the plurality of second mirror elements is controlled individually.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The illumination optical apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the Fourier transform optical system makes first and second positions on the optical path have a Fourier transform relationship with each other, the first position being a position at which the first spatial light modulator is arranged, the second position being a position at which the second spatial light modulator is arranged.