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US 6,647,087 B2Granted
Exposure method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsMitsuaki Amemiya, Shunichi Uzawa
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exposure method for exposing a workpiece in a proximity exposure system, includes a first exposure step for printing, by exposure, an image of a first mask pattern on a predetermined portion of the workpiece, and a second exposure step for printing, by exposure, an image of a second mask pattern, different from the first mask pattern, on the predetermined portion of the workpiece, wherein exposures in the first and second exposure steps are performed superposedly, prior to a development process.
Claims40
An exposure method, comprising:
- a first exposure step, using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern, wherein the first region is exposed with an exposure amount less than an exposure threshold value;
- and
- a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern, wherein at least a portion of the second region is exposed with an exposure amount less than 3the exposure threshold value,
- wherein exposures by said first and second exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process,
- wherein a portion of a region in which the first region and the portion of the second region are superposed one upon another has an exposure amount greater than the exposure threshold value,
- wherein in said first and second exposure steps the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of the light, and
- wherein said first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm.
4 more elements
A device manufacturing method, comprising:
- performing an exposure process to a workpiece, the exposure processing including (i) a first exposure step, using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern, wherein the first region is exposed with an exposure amount less than an exposure threshold value, and (ii) a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern including a rough pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern, wherein at least a portion of the second region is exposed with an exposure amount less than the exposure threshold value, wherein exposures by said first and second exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process, wherein a portion of a region in which the first region and the portion of the second region are superposed one upon another has an exposure amount greater than the exposure threshold value, wherein in said first and second exposure steps the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source, having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of the light and wherein said first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm;
- and
- developing the exposed workpiece, whereby a circuit pattern is formed on the workpiece.
A device, comprising:
- a substrate;
- and
- a circuit pattern formed on the substrate through an exposure process, the exposure process including performing an exposure process to a workpiece, the exposure process including (i) a first exposure step using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern, wherein the first region is exposed with an exposure amount less than an exposure threshold value, and (ii) a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern, wherein at least a portion of the second region is exposed with an exposure amount less than the exposure threshold value, wherein exposure by the first and second exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process, wherein a portion of a region in which the first region and the portion of the second region are superposed one upon another has an exposure amount greater than the exposure threshold value, wherein in the first and second exposure steps the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source, having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of the light, and wherein the first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm.
An exposure method, comprising:
- a first exposure step, using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern, wherein the fine pattern has a period which is substantially equal to 1/n times a product of a projection magnification and a period of a periodic structure of the first mask pattern, where n is an integer not less than 2;
- and
- a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern,
- wherein exposures by said first and second mask exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process,
- wherein in said first and second exposure steps the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source, having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of light, and
- wherein said first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm.
3 more elements
An exposure method, comprising:
- a first exposure step, using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern;
- and
- a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern, wherein a smallest linewidth of the rough pattern is not less than twice a smallest linewidth of the fine pattern,
- wherein exposures by said first and second exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process,
- wherein, in said first and second exposure steps, the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source, having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of the light, and
- wherein said first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm.
3 more elements
An exposure method, comprising:
- a first exposure step, using a first mask pattern, for transferring an image of the first mask pattern onto a first region upon a substrate, the transferred image including a fine pattern, wherein the first region is exposed with an exposure amount less than an exposure threshold value, and wherein the fine pattern has a period which is substantially equal to 1/n times a product of a projection magnification and a period of a periodic structure of the first mask pattern, where n is an integer not less than 2;
- and
- a second exposure step, using a second mask pattern, for transferring an image of the second mask pattern onto a second region upon the substrate, the transferred image including a rough pattern, wherein a smallest linewidth of the rough pattern is not less than twice a smallest linewidth of the fine pattern,
- wherein exposures by said first and second exposure steps are carried out superposedly, prior to a development process,
- wherein a portion of a region in which the first region and the portion of the second region are superposed one upon another has an exposure amount greater than the exposure threshold value,
- wherein in said first and second exposure steps the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern are illuminated with light from a light source, having passed through an illumination optical system having a curved surface mirror for changing a cross-sectional shape of the light, and
- wherein said first and second exposure steps use light having a wavelength not less than 0.5 nm and not greater than 20 nm.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.