US 11,966,043 B2Granted

Imaging optical system, exposure apparatus, and article manufacturing method

AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha

InventorMichio Kono

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Abstract

An imaging optical system comprises adjusters for adjusting a shape of each of at least two reflecting surfaces by applying a force to a rear surface of each of the reflecting surfaces. Points obtained by projecting force acting points of the adjusters in an optical axis direction defined with respect to the reflecting surface are defined as correction points, the acting points are set such that, when first and second rays in a light flux emitted from one point on the object plane are reflected by first and second reflecting surfaces, the first ray strikes the correction point of the first reflecting surface but does not strike the correction point of the second reflecting surface, and the second ray does not strike the correction point of the first reflecting surface but strikes the correction point of the second reflecting surface.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An imaging optical system comprising:

a plurality of reflecting surfaces that reflect light, and image a light flux emitted from an object plane on an image plane, the plurality of reflecting surfaces including at least a first concave reflecting surface, a convex surface, and a second concave reflecting surface, wherein light is reflected by the first concave surface, the convex surface, and the second concave surface, in this order;
and
a plurality of adjusters configured to adjust a shape of each of the first and second concave reflecting surfaces by applying a force to a rear surface of each of the first and second concave reflecting surfaces,
wherein, in a state where correction points are obtained by projecting force acting points of the plurality of adjusters in an optical axis direction defined with respect to the first and second concave reflecting surfaces, the force acting points are set so that, among a first ray in a light flux emitted from a first point on the object plane and a second ray in the light flux emitted from a second point on the object plane different from the first point, and respectively reflected by the first concave reflecting surface and the second concave reflecting surface:
the first ray strikes the correction points of the first concave reflecting surface but does not strike the correction points of the second concave reflecting surface;
and
the second ray does not strike the correction points of the first concave reflecting surface but strikes the correction points of the second concave reflecting surface, and
wherein the force acting points are set so that the correction points of the second concave surface are arranged at at least one of:
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a radial direction centered on the optical axis;
or
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a circumferential direction centered on the optical axis.

8 more elements

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate while scanning a mask and the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection optical system including:
a first plane surface;
a first concave surface;
a convex surface;
a second concave surface;
a second plane surface;
and
a plurality of adjusters configured to adjust a shape of each of the first concave surface and the second concave surface by applying a force to a rear surface of each of the first concave surface and the second concave surface,
wherein the projection optical system is configured to:
project a pattern of the mask onto the substrate;
and
cause light transmitted through the pattern of the mask to be reflected by the first plane surface, the first concave surface, the convex surface, the second concave surface, and the second plane surface, in this order,
wherein, in a state where corrections points are obtained by projecting force acting points of the plurality of adjusters on the first concave surface and the second concave surface in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the convex surface, the force acting points are set so that, among a first ray in a light flux emitted from a first point on the mask and a second ray in the light flux emitted from a second point on the mask different from the first point, and respectively reflected by the first concave surface and the second concave surface:
the first ray strikes the correction points of the first concave surface but does not strike the correction points of the second concave surface;
and
the second ray does not strike the correction points of the first concave surface but strikes the correction points of the second concave surface, and
wherein the force acting points are set so that the correction points of the second concave surface are arranged at one of:
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a radial direction centered on the optical axis;
or
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a circumferential direction centered on the optical axis.

17 more elements

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate while scanning a mask and the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:

a projection optical system including:
a first plane surface;
a first concave surface;
a convex surface;
a second concave surface;
a second plane surface;
and
a plurality of adjusters configured to adjust a shape of each of the first plane surface and the second plane surface by apply a force to a rear surface of each of the first plane surface and the second plane surface,
wherein the projection optical system is configured to:
project a pattern of the mask onto the substrate;
and
cause light transmitted through the pattern of the mask to be reflected by the first plane surface, the first concave surface, the convex surface, the second concave surface, and the second plane surface, in this order,
wherein, in a state where correction points are obtained by projecting force acting points of the plurality of adjusters on the first plane surface in a direction orthogonal to the first plane surface and points obtained by projecting force acting points of the plurality of adjusters on the second plane surface in a direction orthogonal to the second plane surface, the force acting points are set so that, among a first ray in a light flux emitted from a first point on the mask and a second ray in the light flux emitted from a second point on the mask different from the first point, and respectively reflected by the first plane surface and the second plane surface:
the first ray strikes the correction points of the first plane surface but does not strike the correction points of the second plane surface;
and
the second ray does not strike the correction points of the first plane surface but strikes the correction points of the second plane surface, and
wherein the force acting points are set so that the correction points of the second plane surface are arranged at positions shifted from the correction points of the first plane surface in a translation direction.

14 more elements

An article manufacturing method comprising:

exposing a substrate using an exposure apparatus for exposing the substrate while scanning a mask and the substrate;
and
developing the exposed substrate,
wherein an article is manufactured from the developed substrate, and
wherein the exposure apparatus comprises:
a projection optical system including:
a first plane surface;
a first concave surface;
a convex surface;
a second concave surface;
a second plane surface;
and
a plurality of adjusters configured to adjust a shape of each of the first concave surface and the second concave surface by applying a force to a rear surface of each of the first concave surface and the second concave surface,
wherein the projection optical system is configured to:
project a pattern of the mask onto the substrate;
and
cause light transmitted through the pattern of the mask to be reflected by the first plane surface, the first concave surface, the convex surface, the second concave surface, and the second plane surface, in this order,
wherein, in a state where corrections points are obtained by projecting force acting points of the plurality of adjusters on the first concave surface and the second concave surface in a direction parallel to an optical axis of the convex surface, the force acting points are set so that, among a first ray in a light flux emitted from a first point on the mask and a second ray in the light flux emitted from a second point on the mask different from the first point, and respectively reflected by the first concave surface and the second concave surface:
the first ray strikes the correction points of the first concave surface but does not strike the correction points of the second concave surface;
and
the second ray does not strike the correction points of the first concave surface but strikes the correction points of the second concave surface, and
wherein the force acting points are set so that the correction points of the second concave surface are arranged at one of:
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a radial direction centered on the optical axis;
or
positions shifted from the correction points of the first concave surface in a circumferential direction centered on the optical axis.

22 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/370,199Filed 8 Jul 2021
Priority: JP 2020-11944910 Jul 2020
Published: US 2022/0011571 A113 Jan 2022
Granted: 23 Apr 2024
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

G02B 27/0043
With diffracting elements: in projection exposure systems, e.g. microlithographic systems
G03F 7/70266
Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system: adaptive optics, e.g.…
G02B 17/0808
Using two curved mirrors: on-axis systems with at least one of the mirrors having a central aperture
G03F 7/2008
With visible light or UV light, through an original having an opaque pattern on a transparent support, e.g. film printing, projection printing;…