Exposure apparatus and methods for using the same

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• (a) a light source for supplying a light beam;
• (b) an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask defining a prescribed mask pattern using the light beam from the light source so as to expose the mask pattern onto a photosensitive substrate;
• (c) a first light-collecting system for condensing the light beam from the light source, the first light-collecting system being supported by a first support body;
• and
• (d) a second light-collecting system for guiding, to the illumination optical system, the light beam condensed by the first light-collecting system, the second light-collecting system being supported by a second support body separate from the first support body;
• wherein the light source and the first support body are supported by a first structural body, and the illumination optical systems and the second support body are supported by a second structure body isolated from the first structural body.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• (a) a light source for supplying a light beam;
• (b) an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask defining a prescribed mask pattern using the light beam from the light source so as to expose the mask pattern onto a photosensitive substrate;
• (c) a first light-collecting system for condensing the light beam from the light source, the first light-collecting system being supported by a first support body;
• and
• (d) a second light-collecting system for guiding, to the illumination optical system, the light beam condensed by the first light-collecting system, the second light-collecting system being supported by a second support body separate from the first support body;
• wherein the light source, the illumination optical system, the first support body, and the second support body are all arranged so as to be supported by one structural body.

A photolithography exposure apparatus, comprising:

• (a) a light source comprising an exit plane at which a collimated light beam is emitted;
• (b) an illuminating optical system comprising an entrance plane optically conjugate with a mask plane, the illuminating optical system being situated so as to illuminate the mask plane using light from the light source incident to the illuminating optical system at the entrance plane;
• (c) a first light-collecting system for condensing the collimated light beam, supported at a location nearer to the light source than to the illuminating optical system;
• and
• (d) a second light collecting system for re-collimating the condensed light beam, supported at a location nearer to the illuminating optical system than to the light source, the exit plane of the light source being optically conjugate with the entrance plane of the illuminating optical system, wherein the first light-collecting system is supported by a first support body, and the second light-collecting system is supported by a second support body structurally isolated from the first support body, the first and second support bodies being supported by a common support structure.