Image formation characteristics adjustment method for projection optical system

An adjustment method for a projection optical system which projects an image of a pattern on a first surface onto a second surface, comprising:

• when assembling and adjusting the projection optical system at an assembly location, in case an environment of the assembly location where the projection optical system is assembled and adjusted is different from an environment of a relocated location where the projection optical system is used,
• changing a wavelength of an illumination light for illuminating the pattern on the first surface from a predetermined wavelength by an amount according to the environment of the relocated location in advance, and then assembling and adjusting the projection optical system under a condition of the changed wavelength;
• and
• setting the wavelength to the predetermined wavelength when the projection optical system is used in the relocated location.

An exposure method for illuminating a pattern formed on a first surface by an illumination light and projecting an image of the pattern onto a second surface via a projection optical system, comprising:

• a first step of determining information on a change amount of predetermined image formation characteristics of the projection optical system caused by a predetermined factor;
• a second step of selecting at least one of a first technique for adjusting the predetermined image formation characteristics by changing a wavelength of the illumination light and a second technique for adjusting the predetermined image formation characteristics using a method different from the first technique;
• and
• third step of correcting the change amount of the predetermined image formation characteristics caused by the predetermined factor using the at least one selected technique in the second step.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system which illuminates a mask pattern by an illumination light, and a projection optical system which projects the image of the mask pattern onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a wavelength adjusting device which changes a wavelength of the illumination light;
• an image formation characteristics measurement system which measures a change amount of image formation characteristics of the projection optical system;
• a control system which is electrically connected to the wavelength adjusting device and the image formation characteristics measurement system, changes at least one condition of illumination condition for illuminating the mask pattern and structural condition of the mask pattern in various ways, controls the formation characteristics measurement system to measure a change amount of the image formation characteristics while changing the wavelength by the wavelength adjusting device for each condition, and determines a predetermined relationship between a change amount of the installation environment of the projection optical system and the change amount of the image formation characteristics based on the measurement results for the each condition;
• and
• a memory which is electrically connected to the control system and stores the predetermined relationship determined by the control system for the each condition.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system which illuminates a mask pattern by an illumination light and a projection optical system which projects the image of the mask pattern onto a substrate, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a measurement device which determines information on a change amount of predetermined image formation characteristics of the projection optical system caused by a predetermined factor;
• a first image formation characteristics adjustment system which is electrically connected to the measurement device and adjusts the predetermined image formation characteristics by a first technique for changing a wavelength of the illumination light;
• and
• a second image formation characteristics adjustment system which is electrically connected to the measurement device and adjusts the predetermined image formation characteristics by a second technique which is different from the first technique,
• wherein at least one of the first image formation characteristics adjustment system and the second image formation characteristics adjustment system is selected, and the at least one selected system is used to correct the change amount of the predetermined image formation characteristics caused by the predetermined factor.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system which illuminates a mask pattern by an illumination light, and a projection optical system which projects the image of the mask pattern onto a substrate, the projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a wavelength adjusting device which changes a wavelength of the illumination light;
• and
• an installation environment measurement system which measures the installation environment of the projection optical system and determines a change amount of the installation environment,
• wherein the wavelength adjusting device changes the wavelength of the illumination light according to the change amount of the installation environment while the projection exposure apparatus is executing a predetermined preparation operation for projecting the image of the pattern onto the substrate.