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US 6,606,144 B1Granted
Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorYasuhiro Omura
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A projection exposure method and apparatus and method of fabricating a projection exposure apparatus that has an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to the projection master and a projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern on the projection master. The projection optical system has a front lens unit of a positive refracting power and a rear lens unit of a positive refracting power. An aperture stop is located in the vicinity of a rear focal point of the front lens unit.
Claims116
A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising:
- an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece;
- wherein said projection optical system comprises an aperture stop, a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said projection master, and a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said workpiece,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image said of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A projection exposure method of projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising:
- an illumination step of supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- an image forming step of forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece, using a projection optical system comprising a front lens unit, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit;
- wherein said image forming step comprises a first auxiliary step of guiding the light from said projection master to said front lens unit, a second auxiliary step of guiding the light passing through said front lens unit, to said aperture stop, a third auxiliary step of guiding the light passing through the aperture stop, to said rear lens unit, and a fourth auxiliary step of forming the image of said pattern on said workpiece, using the light passing through the rear lens unit,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount or fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A method of fabricating a projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising the steps of:
- a step of preparing an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- a step of preparing a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece;
- wherein the step of preparing said projection optical system comprises an auxiliary step of preparing a front lens unit, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit, an auxiliary step of locating said front lens unit between positions where said aperture stop and said are located respectively, and an auxiliary step of locating said rear lens unit between positions where said aperture stop and said workpiece are located respectively,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A scanning projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof while scanning, comprising:
- an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- a projection optical system for forming an image of the a pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece;
- wherein said projection optical system comprises an aperture stop, a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said projection master, and a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said workpiece,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A dioptric projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern on a first surface, on a second surface, using light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm, comprising:
- an aperture stop;
- a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said first surface;
- and
- a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said second surface;
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, β is a projection magnification of said projection optical system, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A method of fabricating a dioptric projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern of a first surface on a second surface, using light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm, comprising:
- a step of preparing a front lens unit, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit;
- a step of locating said front lens unit between said aperture stop and said first surface;
- and
- a step of locating said rear lens unit between said aperture stop and said second surface;
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, β is a projection magnification of said projection optical system, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising:
- an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece,
- wherein said projection optical system comprises an aperture stop, a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said projection master, and a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said workpiece,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of fluorite of a disk member from an amount of fluorite among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦(9x/2)−270,
- y≦90,
- y≧(9x/2)−(855/2),
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising:
- an illumination optical system for supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece;
- wherein said projection optical system comprises an aperture stop, a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said projection master, and a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said workpiece,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of a first material of a disk member from an amount of the first material among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A projection exposure method of projecting a pattern on a projection master onto a workpiece to effect exposure thereof, comprising:
- an illumination step of supplying exposure light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm to said projection master;
- and
- an image forming step of forming an image of the pattern on said projection master, at a predetermined projection magnification β on said workpiece, using a projection optical system comprising a front lens unit, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit;
- wherein said image forming step comprises a first auxiliary step of guiding the light from said projection master to said front lens unit, a second auxiliary step of guiding the light passing through said front lens unit, to said aperture stop, a third auxiliary step of guiding the light passing through the aperture stop, to said rear lens unit, and a fourth auxiliary step of forming the image of said pattern on said workpiece, using the light passing through the rear lens unit,
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of a first material of a disk member from an amount of the first material among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A dioptric projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern of a first surface on a second surface, using light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm, comprising:
- an aperture stop;
- a front lens unit located between the aperture stop and said first surface;
- and
- a rear lens unit located between said aperture stop and said second surface;
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of a first material of a disk member from an amount of the first material among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, β is a projection magnification of said projection optical system, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAw2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
A method of fabricating a dioptric projection optical system for forming an image of a pattern of a first surface on a second surface, using light of a wavelength of not more than 200 nm, comprising the steps of:
- a step of preparing a front lens unit, an aperture stop, and a rear lens unit;
- a step of locating said front lens unit between said aperture stop and said first surface;
- and
- a step of locating said rear lens unit between said aperture stop and said second surface;
- wherein, where y (kg) represents a translated amount of a first material of a disk member from an amount of the first material among light-transmitting optical materials in said projection optical system, f2 (mm) is a focal length of said rear lens unit, β is a projection magnification of said projection optical system, and NAw is a maximum numerical aperture on the image side of said projection optical system, and where x is defined as follows:
- x=f2·4|β|·NAW2;
- the following conditions are satisfied:
- y≦4x−200,
- y≦(4x/13)+(1000/13),
- y≧4x−440,
- and
- y≧0.
9 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.