Projection exposure apparatus with an aberration compensation device of a projection lens

A projection exposure apparatus in which a pattern formed on an original is imaged onto a substrate at a predetermined magnification to form a pattern image on the substrate, said apparatus comprising:

• first support means for supporting the original;
• second support means for supporting the substrate;
• a projection lens disposed between said first and second support means for imaging the original onto the substrate;
• measuring means for measuring respective positions of image surfaces of plural detection marks formed on the original by use of an exposure light transmitted through said projection lens;
• curving means for curving an exposure surface of the substrate by displacing portions of the substrate when the detection marks are transferred in a direction perpendicular to an exposure surface of the substrate;
• and
• driving means for driving said curving means based on the respective positions of image surfaces of the detection marks measured by said measuring means.

A method for imaging a pattern formed on an original onto a substrate at a predetermined magnification to form a pattern image on the substrate using a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• measuring a manner of change of a symmetrical distortion of the projection lens;
• calculating a deviation between an original geometric shape of the pattern formed on the original and a geometric shape of the pattern image formed on the substrate based on the manner of change of the symmetrical distortion of the projection lens measured in said measuring step;
• deforming the original in its surface direction based on the deviation calculated in said calculating step so that the geometric shape of the pattern image coincides with the original geometric shape of the pattern on the original;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the original onto the substrate using an exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.

A method for imaging a pattern formed on an original onto a substrate at a predetermined magnification to form a pattern image on the substrate using a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing plural detection marks on the original:
• measuring respective positions of image surfaces of the plural detection marks formed on the original by use of an exposure light transmitted through the projection lens to detect a curvature of field of the projection lens;
• curving an exposure surface of the substrate by displacing portions of the substrate when the detection marks are transferred in a direction perpendicular to the exposure surface of the substrate based on the respective image surfaces of the direction marks measured in said measuring step to compensate for the curvature of field of the projection lens;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the original onto the substrates using the exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a reticle and a wafer;
• measuring a manner of change of a symmetrical distortion of a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus;
• calculating a deviation between an original geometric shape of the pattern formed on the reticle and a geometric shape of the pattern image formed on the wafer based on the manner of change of the symmetrical distortion of the projection lens measured in said measuring step;
• deforming the reticle in its surface direction based on the deviation calculated in said calculating step so that the geometric shape of the pattern on the reticle;
• the original geometric shape of the pattern in the reticle;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the reticle onto the wafer using an exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.

A semiconductor device manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a reticle and a wafer;
• measuring a manner of change of a symmetrical distortion of a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus;
• calculating a deviation between an original geometric shape of the pattern formed on the reticle and a geometric shape of the pattern image formed on the wafer based on the manner of change of the symmetrical distortion of the projection lens measured in said measuring step;
• deforming the reticle in its surface direction based on the deviation calculated in said calculating step so that the geometric shape of the pattern image coincides with the original geometric shape of the pattern on the reticle;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the reticle onto the wafer using an exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a reticle having plural detection marks and a wafer;
• measuring respective positions of image surfaces of the plural detection marks formed on the reticle by use of an exposure light transmitted through a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus to detect a curvature of field of the projection lens;
• curving an exposure surface of the wafer by displacing portions of the wafer where the detection marks are transferred in a direction perpendicular to the exposure surface of the wafer based on the respective image surfaces of the detection marks measured in said measuring step to compensate for the curvature of field of the projection lens;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the reticle onto the wafer using the exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.

A semiconductor device manufactured by a method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a reticle having plural detection marks and a wafer;
• measuring respective positions of image surfaces of the plural detection marks formed on the reticle by use of an exposure light transmitted through a projection lens in a projection exposure apparatus to detect a curvature of field of the projection lens;
• curving an exposure surface of the wafer by displacing portions of the wafer where the detection marks are transferred in a direction perpendicular to the exposure surface of the wafer based on the respective image surfaces of the detection marks measured in said measuring step to compensate for the curvature of field of the projection lens;
• and
• imaging the pattern on the reticle onto the wafer using the exposure light transmitted through the projection lens.