Projection exposure apparatus and method, and illumination optical system thereof

A projection exposure apparatus, for directing radiation light to a reflection mask on which a predetermined pattern is formed, and for projecting an image of said predetermined pattern on an exposed substrate by light reflected by said reflection mask, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a radiation light source;
• an illumination optical system located between said radiation light source and said reflection mask, and directing said radiation light provided from said radiation light source to said reflection mask;
• a projection optical system located between said reflection mask and said substrate, directing said light reflected by said reflection mask to the substrate, and forming the image of said predetermined pattern on said exposed substrate;
• a scanning driver changing positional relationship between at least one of said reflection mask and said substrate, and said projection optical system;
• and
• a field stop located near a plane conjugate with said reflection mask.

An illumination apparatus, for using in a photolithography apparatus forming an image of a reflection mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, on a work, the illumination apparatus comprising:

• a radiation light source;
• and
• an illumination optical system located between said radiation light source and said reflection mask for directing said radiation light provided from said radiation light source to a predetermined illumination area on said reflection mask;
• wherein said illumination optical system includes a field stop and a relay optical system forming an image of said field stop as the predetermined illumination area on said reflection mask.

A method of projecting and exposing a predetermined pattern formed on a reflection mask onto a work, comprising the steps of:

• providing a radiation light source;
• illuminating the reflection mask on which the predetermined pattern is formed with said radiation light by means of an illumination optical system;
• projecting said pattern of said reflection mask onto said work by reflected light from said reflection mask;
• and
• relatively moving at least one of said reflection mask and said work;
• wherein said illuminating step further comprising a step of forming an image of a field stop positioned within said illumination optical system on said reflection mask.

A projection exposure apparatus for projecting an image of a predetermined pattern formed on a reflection mask on a work, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a radiation light source;
• an illumination optical system located between said radiation light source and said reflection mask for directing said radiation light from said radiation light source to said reflection mask, having at least one reflection optical element located along an optical path of said radiation light;
• and
• a projection optical system located between said reflection mask and said work for directing said light reflected by said reflection mask to an exposed substrate and forming the image of said predetermined pattern on said exposed substrate;
• wherein a position of at least one of said reflection optical elements is adjustable in order to adjust illuminance distribution of said radiation light on said exposed substrate.

A method of projecting and exposing a predetermined pattern formed on a reflection mask onto a work, comprising the steps of:

• providing a radiation light source;
• illuminating the reflection mask on which the predetermined pattern is formed with said radiation light by means of an illumination optical system having a field stop and optical elements positioned along an optical path of said radiation light directed to said field stop;
• projecting said pattern of said reflection mask onto an exposure area of said work by reflected light from said reflection mask;
• adjusting a position of at least one of said optical elements in order to change illuminance distribution on said exposure area of said work.