Exposure apparatus and exposure method capable of controlling illumination distribution

An exposure apparatus for exposing a second object with an exposure light beam via a first object, the exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system which includes a plurality of optical elements, at least one of which is movable, and which illuminates the first object with the exposure light beam via the plurality of optical elements;
• a characteristic-measuring system which measures an illumination characteristic of the illumination system;
• and
• an adjusting system which determines a relationship between a moving amount of the movable optical element and an amount of change of the illumination characteristic on the basis of a result of the measurements performed by the characteristic-measuring system while setting the movable optical element in different positions, and which adjusts a state of the movable optical element by using the determined relationship in order to control the illumination characteristic.

An exposure apparatus for exposing a second object with an exposure light beam via a first object, the exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system which illuminates the first object with the exposure light beam;
• a characteristic-measuring system which measures an illumination characteristic of the illumination system;
• and
• a control system which indenpendantly determines a magnification component and an inclination component of a collapse amount of a telecentric property of the exposure light beam from the illumination characteristic measure by the characteristic-measureing system.

An exposure method for exposing a second object with an exposure light beam from an illumination system via a first object, the exposure method comprising the steps of:

• measuring an illumination characteristic of the illumination system;
• independently determining a magnification component and an inclination component of a collapse amount of a telecentric property of the exposure light beam from the measured illumination characteristic;
• adjusting the illumination system on the basis of the determined magnification and the inclination components of the collapse amount of the telecentric property;
• and
• exposing the second object with the exposure light beam from the adjusted illumination system via the first object.

A method for adjusting an exposure apparatus provided with an illumination system for illuminating a first object with an exposure light beam, for exposing a second object with the exposure light beam via the first object, the method comprising the steps of:

• setting a predetermined optical element in the illumination system in a plurality of states to measure an illumination characteristic of the illumination system in each state;
• determining a relationship between an amount of change of the state of the optical element and an amount of change of the illumination characteristic on the basis of a result of the measurement of the illumination characteristic;
• and
• adjusting the state of the optical element in order to control the illumination characteristic on the basis of the determined relationship.

An exposure method for illuminating a first object with an exposure light beam and exposing a second object with the exposure light beam via the first object, the exposure method comprising:

• changing an illumination condition for the first object depending on a pattern to be transferred onto the second object;
• adjusting an inclination component and a centro-symmetrical component of uneven illuminance or uneven exposure amount in an irradiation area of the exposure light beam, respectively;
• and
• adjusting the centro-symmetrical component without adjusting the inclination component during a predetermined period after the adjustment of the uneven illuminance or uneven exposure amount.

An exposure method for irradiating a first object with an exposure light beam via an illumination optical system and exposing a second object with the exposure light beam via the first object, the exposure method comprising:

• detecting the exposure light beam on a predetermined plane on which the second object is arranged to measure an illumination characteristic including at least one of a distribution of exposure amount or illuminance in an irradiation area of the exposure light beam and a telecentricity of the illumination optical system;
• moving at least one optical element of the illumination optical system on the basis of the measured illumination characteristic;
• updating the measured illumination characteristic by means of calculation until the illumination characteristic is measured next time;
• and
• moving the at least one optical element on the basis of the updated illumination characteristic.