Exposure method and apparatus having a decreased light intensity distribution

An apparatus for imaging a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the pattern with light from a secondary light source having a decreased light intensity portion defined along the predetermined direction and including an optical axis of the illumination optical system on a pupil plane of the illumination optical system so that light beams from two portions symmetrically located with respect to the decreased light intensity portion are directed to the pattern along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system to project an image of the pattern onto a predetermined plane;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the two portions.

An exposure apparatus that forms on a substrate an image of a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light having a decreased light intensity distribution relative to two portions located in a direction perpendicular to the predetermined direction on a pupil plane of the illumination system so that light beams from the two portions are directed to the pattern along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system to project the image of the pattern onto the substrate;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the two portions.

An exposure apparatus that forms on a substrate an image of a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light having an increased light density distribution within at least two sections relative to a portion defined along the predetermined direction on a pupil plane of the illumination system so that light beams from the at least two sections are directed to the pattern along at least one pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system to project the image of the pattern onto the substrate;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the at least two sections.

An exposure apparatus that forms on a substrate an image of a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light having a decreased light intensity distribution within a portion defined along the predetermined direction on a pupil plane of the illumination system so that light beams from two portions symmetrically located with respect to the portion are directed to the pattern along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction, said illumination system including a first filter to form the decreased light intensity distribution;
• and
• a projection optical system for projecting the image of the pattern onto the substrate through a second filter arranged at or in a vicinity of a Fourier transform plane of the projection optical system;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on the Fourier transform plane substantially conjugate with one of the two portions.

A method of exposing a substrate through a projection optical system with a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, the method comprising:

• illuminating the pattern with light along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction;
• and
• projection an image of the pattern onto the substrate;
• wherein a first diffracted beam generated from the pattern by irradiation of light along one path of the pair of paths and a second diffracted beam having different order from that of the first diffracted beam and generated from the pattern by irradiation of light along another path of the pair of paths, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system and apart from the optical axis thereof.

An apparatus that exposes an object with a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction from at least two apertures provided on a stop and separated by a light shielding or light attenuating portion along the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern onto the object;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light along the pair of paths, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the at least two apertures.

An apparatus that exposes an object with a pattern having linear features extending in at least a predetermined direction, the apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction passing through a stop that substantially blocks light along a path in a plane of incidence including the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern onto the object
• wherein a first diffracted beam generated from the pattern by irradiation of light along one path of the pair of paths and a second diffracted beam having different order from that of the first diffracted beam and generated from the pattern by irradiation of light alone another path of the pair of paths, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system and apart from the optical axis thereof.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a light source;
• a light condensing optical system that condenses light from said light source and applies the condensed light to a mask having a periodic pattern;
• a projection optical system that projects an image of said pattern illuminated by said condensed light onto a substrate;
• and
• an aperture member interposed between said light source and said mask, said aperture member being provided with two localized light transmitting areas arranged along a periodic direction of said periodic pattern so that light beams from two localized light transmitting areas are directed to the pattern along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including a direction perpendicular to the periodic direction;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the periodic pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the two localized light transmitting areas.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system that illuminates a pattern of a mask with light beams along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including a direction perpendicular to a periodic direction of the pattern from at least two apertures of a stop, each aperture providing a localized light transmitting area and being spaced, in the periodic direction, from an optical axis of the illumination optical system;
• and
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern onto a predetermined plane;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the at least two apertures.

A method of exposing a substrate with a pattern on a mask, comprising:

• arranging a stop having at least two apertures within an illumination system that illuminates the pattern with light beams from the apertures such that two of the apertures that define a pair of paths symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including a direction perpendicular to a periodic direction of the pattern, are arranged along the periodic direction and apart from an optical axis of the illumination system;
• and
• forming an image of the pattern onto the substrate through a projection optical system;
• wherein two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of the light beams, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system substantially conjugate with one of the apertures.

An apparatus that transfers a pattern, formed on a mask, having linear features extending in a predetermined direction onto a substrate, comprising:

• an illumination optical system of which a plurality of optical elements are arranged along an optical axis perpendicular to the mask to illuminate the mask with light along a pair of paths that are symmetrically inclined with respect to a plane of incidence including the optical axis and the predetermined direction;
• and
• a projection optical system disposed between the mask and the substrate to project light onto the substrate through the mask;
• wherein a first diffracted beam generated from the pattern by irradiation of light along one path of the pair of paths and a second diffracted beam having different order from that of the first diffracted beam and generated from the pattern by irradiation of light along another path of the pair of paths, pass through a same area on a pupil plane of the projection optical system and apart form the optical axis thereof.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system, disposed on an optical path through which light from a light source passes to illuminate a mask with the light, that forms different intensity distributions of the light on a predetermined plane in the illumination optical system, one of the different intensity distributions having increased intensity portions apart from an optical axis of the illumination optical system relative to a portion on the optical axis, of which first distances from the optical axis are substantially equal in a direction perpendicular to a linear feature illuminated with the light;
• and
• a projection optical system, having an optical axis that is aligned with the optical axis of the illumination optical system, to image a pattern on the mask onto an object;
• wherein the predetermined plane in the illumination optical system is substantially conjugate with a pupil plane of the projection optical system, and two diffracted beams differing in order generated from the pattern by irradiation of light from each of the increased intensity portions, pass through different areas on the pupil plane of the projection optical system and apart from the optical axis of the projection optical system, of which second distances from the optical axis of the projection optical system are substantially equal when the pattern includes the linear feature.