Projection exposure apparatus

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system disposed on an optical path through which an illumination light irradiated on a mask passes;
• a projection optical system disposed on an optical path through which said illumination light directed to a substrate from said mask passes;
• a stage system which holds said mask and said substrate so as to move said mask and said substrate synchronously to effect a scanning exposure of said substrate with said illumination light through said mask;
• a plurality of optical elements offset from each other along a direction in which said mask or said substrate moves during said scanning exposure;
• and
• an adjusting system in which said plurality of optical elements are installed, each to reduce an aberration of said projection optical system, said adjusting system being operative to dispose each of said plurality of optical elements selectively between said mask and said substrate such that said illumination light passes through the selected optical element.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system disposed on an optical path through which an illumination light directed to a substrate from a mask passes to transfer a pattern on the mask onto the substrate;
• a first optical element disposed between said mask and said substrate on a first plane at a mask side relative to a pupil plane of side projection optical system, so as to reduce a first aberration of said projection optical system;
• and
• a second optical element disposed between said mask and said substrate on a second plane at a substrate side relative to said pupil plane, so as to compensate a change in a second aberration of said projection optical system due to the disposition of said first optical element, said second aberration being different from said first aberration.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system disposed on an optical path through which an illumination light directed to a substrate from a mask passes to transfer a pattern on the mask onto the substrate;
• a first optical element disposed between said mask and said substrate on a first plane at a mask side relative to a pupil plane of said projection optical system, so as to adjust a first optical property of said projection optical system;
• and
• a second optical element disposed between said mask and said substrate on a second plane at a substrate side relative to said pupil plane, so as to adjust a second optical property different from said first optical property of said projection optical system.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system disposed on a first path through which an illumination light irradiated on a mask passes;
• a projection optical system disposed on a second path through which said illumination light directed to a substrate from said mask passes;
• first and second stages, between which said projection optical system is disposed, to move said mask and said substrate relative to a slit-like portion on which said illumination light is irradiated for scanning exposure of said substrate with said illumination light through said mask;
• and
• an optical plate disposed on said second path to correct an aberration of said projection optical system, a width of said optical plate in a direction along which said mask or said substrate moves during said scanning exposure being less than that of a pattern on said mask and greater than that of said slit-like portion.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system disposed on a path through which illumination light directed to a substrate from a mask passes;
• an optical plate, of which a surface is ground, arranged at said mask side with respect to a pupil plane of said projection optical system within said path to correct an aberration of said projection optical system;
• and
• an exchanging mechanism of which a holding portion is provided at said substrate said with respect to said pupil plane to exchange one a plurality of optical elements that is closest to said substrate on said path for another of said optical elements, each of said plurality of optical elements adjusting a same optical property of said projection optical system.