Variable slit apparatus, illumination apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device fabrication method

An exposure method that performs relative scanning of a mask having a pattern and a substrate in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of a slit-shaped illumination light while irradiating the substrate with the illumination light via the mask, the method comprising:

• measuring parameters related to an illuminance unevenness of the illumination light;
• changing the shape of the illumination light in the longitudinal direction, the change comprising:
• changing positions of a plurality of edge parts of a first light-shielding mechanism based on a first parameter in the parameters related to the illuminance unevenness to define one long side of the illumination light, and
• changing position of one edge part or positions of a plurality of edge parts of a second light-shielding mechanism based on a second parameter in the parameters related to the illuminance unevenness to define another long side of the illumination light, the number of the one or more edge parts being less than that of the edge parts of the first light-shielding mechanism.

An exposure apparatus that performs a relative movement between a mask and a substrate in a direction substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of a slit-shaped illumination light while irradiating the substrate with the illumination light via the mask to expose the substrate with a pattern formed on the mask, the exposure apparatus comprising:

• a first light-shielding mechanism that comprises a plurality of edge parts that define one long side of the illumination light;
• a second light-shielding mechanism that comprises one or more edge parts that define another long side of the illumination light, the number of the one or more edge parts being less than that of the edge parts of the first light-shielding mechanism;
• a first drive mechanism that drives the first light-shielding mechanism to displace the edge parts of the first light-shielding mechanism;
• a second drive mechanism that drives the second light-shielding mechanism to displace the one or more edge parts of the second light-shielding mechanism;
• and
• a control unit that provides the first drive mechanism with a drive command to drive the first light-shielding mechanism and that provides the second drive mechanism with a drive command to drive the second light-shielding mechanism, based on information related to a line width of the pattern formed on the substrate.