Thermal distortion compensated projection exposure method and apparatus for manufacturing semiconductors

A projection exposure apparatus, which comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate, and images the image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state, comprising:

• a deformation amount detection system for measuring or calculating a physical quantity corresponding to a deformation amount of the mask;
• an imaging state calculation system for estimating a change amount of the imaging state caused by the deformation amount of the mask on the basis of a detection result of said deformation amount detection system;
• a correction system for correcting the change in imaging state;
• and
• a control system for, when the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system is larger than an error amount, from a target imaging state, of an image state obtained when the imaging state is changed by operating said correction system, operating said correction system to change the imaging state so as to cancel the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system.

A projection exposure apparatus, which comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate, and images the image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state, comprising:

• a deformation amount detection system for measuring or calculating a physical quantity corresponding to a deformation amount of the mask;
• an imaging state calculation system for estimating a change amount of the imaging state on the photosensitive substrate caused by the deformation amount of the mask on the basis of a measurement or calculation result of said deformation amount detection system;
• a correction system for changing the imaging state;
• and
• a control system for, when the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system is larger than an error amount of the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system, operating said correction system to change the imaging state so as to cancel the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system.

A projection exposure method for imaging an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state using a projection exposure apparatus which comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate, comprising the steps of:

• measuring or calculating a physical quantity corresponding to a deformation amount of the mask using a deformation amount detection system;
• estimating, using an imaging state calculation means, a change amount of the imaging state caused by the deformation amount of the mask on the basis of a detection result of said deformation amount detection system;
• correcting the change in imaging state using a correction system;
• and
• operating said correction system to change the imaging state so as to cancel the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system, when the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system is larger than an error amount, from a target imaging state, of an image state obtained when the imaging state is changed by operating said correction system.

A projection exposure method for imaging an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state using a projection exposure apparatus which comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate, comprising the steps of:

• measuring or calculating a physical quantity corresponding to a deformation amount of the mask using a deformation amount detection system;
• estimating, using an imaging state calculation system, a change amount of the imaging state on the photosensitive substrate caused by the deformation amount of the mask on the basis of a detection result of said deformation amount detection system;
• changing the imaging state using a correction system;
• and
• operating said correction system to change the imaging state so as to cancel the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system, when the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system is larger than an error amount of the change amount of the imaging state estimated by said imaging state calculation system.

An exposure method for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate by radiating illumination light in a predetermined wavelength range onto a pattern area of the mask held in a predetermined reference plane, comprising the steps of:

• calculating a thermal deformation amount of the pattern area when the pattern area thermally deforms upon absorption of the illumination light while a position, in the reference plane, of a predetermined reference point in the pattern area is fixed;
• determining movable ranges upon the thermal deformation, in the reference plane, of a plurality of predetermined points in the pattern area on the basis of the thermal deformation amount calculated in the calculating step, and calculating a maximum value of a deviation amount obtained when the pattern area thermally deformed by the amount calculated in the calculating step is deviated in a direction of the reference plane, so that the plurality of points in the pattern area thermally deformed by the amount calculated in the calculating step respectively exist in the movable ranges;
• and
• determining based on a value of the deviation amount if a position, in the reference plane, of the mask is detected.

A projection exposure apparatus, which comprises a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate, and images the image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state, comprising:

• a data input system for inputting shape data representing a shape of the mask;
• a calculation system for calculating a change amount of the predetermined imaging state caused in correspondence with a deformation amount of the mask on the basis of the shape data input from said data input system;
• and
• a correction system for correcting the imaging state so as to cancel the change amount calculated by said calculation system.

An exposure method for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, comprising:

• obtaining information related to said mask;
• and
• correcting an imaging state of said pattern based on the information related to said mask;
• wherein said information comprises at least one of information on presence/absence of a protection member of said mask, information on a thickness of said mask and information on a material of said mask.