Exposure method, method of production of density filter, and exposure apparatus
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorNobuyuki Irie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of exposure while gradually reducing the exposure at peripheral parts when transferring patterns to a plurality of areas on a substrate where the peripheral parts are partially superposed, including exposing one shot area of the substrate through a density filter set so that the energy at the peripheral parts becomes a predetermined first distribution, measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on the substrate, determining a second distribution where the exposure at the peripheral parts becomes a target value based on the measured distribution of exposure, and exposes the shot areas adjoining the one shot area through a density filter set to give the second distribution.
Claims47
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- irradiating an energy beam through said setting device set so that the energy at the peripheral parts becomes a predetermined first distribution,
- measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on the sensitive object, and
- determining a second distribution by which the exposure at the peripheral parts becomes a target amount based on the measured distribution of exposure.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- irradiating an energy beam through said setting device and
- making the reflectance of the surface of a light-blocking plate of a photodetection device having a photodetector and said light-blocking plate used for measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on the sensitive object substantially the same as the reflectance of the surface of said sensitive object.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- irradiating an energy beam through said setting device and
- making the size of a light-blocking plate of a photodetection device having a photodetector and said light-blocking plate used for measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on the sensitive object substantially the same as the area irradiated by said energy beam.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- irradiating an energy beam through said setting device,
- detecting said energy beam by a photodetection device having a photodetector and light-blocking plate used for measuring a distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to peripheral parts on said sensitive object, and
- setting the exposure at said peripheral parts based on information relating to the difference between the reflectance at said light-blocking plate and the reflectance of said sensitive object and the results of detection.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- irradiating an energy beam through said setting device,
- detecting said energy beam by a photodetection device having a photodetector and light-blocking plate used for measuring a distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to peripheral parts on said sensitive object, and
- setting the exposure at said peripheral parts based on information relating to the difference between the size of said light-blocking plate and the area irradiated by said energy beam.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- performing test exposure of a test sensitive object by said energy beam through said setting device set so that the exposure at the peripheral parts has a predetermined first distribution,
- measuring shapes of images of patterns of an overlay part, formed on said test sensitive object, where the peripheral parts are superposed,
- determining a second distribution so that the shapes of images of the patterns measured become target values, and
- performing main exposure by setting the setting device to obtain the determined second distribution.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- providing said setting device with a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the energy of the energy beam and
- changing the position of the density filter with respect to the patterns to be transferred to change the width of a second overlay part where the image of the attenuating part is superposed without changing the width of a first overlay part where the peripheral parts are superposed so as to adjust the exposure of said first overlay part.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- providing said setting device with a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the energy of the energy beam and
- changing the distribution of the energy beam limited by the density filter and the relative position with the patterns to be transferred so as to adjust the exposure at overlay parts where the peripheral parts are superposed.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- providing said setting device with a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the energy of the energy beam and
- changing the optical characteristics of an optical system from said density filter to patterns to be transferred to change the width of a second overlay part where an image of said attenuating part is superposed without changing the width of a first overlay part where peripheral parts are superposed so as to adjust the exposure of said first overlay part.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- providing said setting device with a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the energy of the energy beam and
- changing the optical characteristics of an optical system from said density filter to patterns to be transferred to change the distribution of the energy beam limited by said density filter and the relative position with the patterns to be transferred so as to adjust the exposure at overlay parts where peripheral parts are superposed.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- providing said setting device with a plurality of density filters having different attenuating characteristics of attenuating parts gradually reducing the energy of the energy beam and
- switching the density filters to adjust the exposure at overlay parts where the peripheral parts are superposed.
An exposure method for transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a setting device gradually reducing exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- setting the exposure of the peripheral parts based on the change in the optical characteristics due to multiple exposures of the peripheral parts.
A method of production of a density filter used in an exposure apparatus transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- exposing a sensitive object by an energy beam through a test density filter having an attenuating part set so that the exposure at said peripheral parts becomes a predetermined first distribution,
- measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on said sensitive object,
- determining a second distribution where the exposure at the peripheral parts becomes a target value based on the measured distribution of exposure, and
- forming said attenuating part so as to give said determining second distribution.
A method of production of a density filter used in an exposure apparatus transferring patterns to a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object by exposing each of the areas by an energy beam through a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing the exposure at the peripheral parts, comprising
- exposing a test sensitive object by an energy beam through a density filter having an attenuating part set so that the exposure at said peripheral parts becomes a predetermined first distribution,
- measuring the shape of an image of patterns of peripheral parts formed on said test sensitive object where said peripheral parts are superposed,
- determining a second distribution where the measured shape of the image of the patterns becomes a target value, and
- forming said attenuating part so as to give said determining second distribution.
A method of production of an exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- irradiating said energy beam through a density filter gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts,
- measuring the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to the peripheral parts on said sensitive object, and
- preparing a density filter formed with an attenuating part of said energy beam so that the distribution of exposure becomes a target value at said peripheral parts based on the measured distribution of exposure and information relating to the attenuation characteristic of said density filter.
A method of production of an exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- irradiating said energy beam through a density filter gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts,
- detecting said energy beam by a photodetection device having a photodetector and light-blocking plate used for measurement of the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to said peripheral parts on said sensitive object, and
- preparing a density filter formed with an attenuating part of said energy beam so that the distribution of exposure becomes a target value at said peripheral parts based on information relating to the difference between a reflectance of said light-blocking plate and a reflectance of said sensitive object, information relating to an attenuating characteristic of said density filter, and the result of said detection.
A method of production of an exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- irradiating said energy beam through a density filter gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts,
- detecting said energy beam by a photodetection device having a photodetector and light-blocking plate used for measurement of the distribution of exposure at portions corresponding to said peripheral parts on said sensitive object, and
- preparing a density filter formed with an attenuating part of said energy beam so that the distribution of exposure becomes a target value at said peripheral parts based on information relating to the difference between a size of said light-blocking plate and a size of an area irradiated by said energy beam, information relating to an attenuating characteristic of said density filter, and the result of said detection.
A method of production of an exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts by preparing a density filter formed with an attenuating part of said energy beam so that the distribution of exposure becomes a target value at said peripheral parts based on a change in the optical characteristics due to multiple exposure of said peripheral parts.
An exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- a setting device gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts, the setting device including a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing an energy of said energy beam, and
- the device changing the position of said density filter with respect to the patterns to be transferred to change the width of a second overlay part where an image of said attenuating part is superposed without changing the width of a first overlay part where said peripheral parts are superposed so as to adjust the exposure of said first overlay part.
An exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- a setting device gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts, the setting device including a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing an energy of said energy beam, and
- the device changing the distribution of the energy beam limited by the density filter and the relative position with the pattern to be transferred so as to adjust the exposure at overlay parts where the peripheral parts are superposed.
An exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- a setting device gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts, the setting device including a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing an energy of said energy beam, and
- the device changing the optical characteristics of an optical system from said density filter to patterns to be transferred to change the width of a second overlay part where an image of said attenuating part is superposed without changing the width of a first overlay part where the peripheral parts are superposed so as to adjust the exposure of said first overlay part.
An exposure apparatus exposing by an energy beam each of a plurality of areas where peripheral parts are partially superposed on a sensitive object, comprising
- a setting device gradually reducing the exposure at said peripheral parts, the setting device including a density filter having an attenuating part gradually reducing an energy of said energy beam, and
- the device changing the optical characteristics of an optical system from said density filter to patterns to be transferred to change the distribution of the energy beam limited by said density filter and the relative position with the patterns to be transferred so as to adjust the exposure at overlay parts where peripheral parts are superposed.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.