Illumination optics apparatus, exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing electronic device
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorHirohisa Tanaka
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An illumination optical apparatus which constantly controls a plurality of polarization states with high accuracy. An illumination optical system, which illuminates a pattern surface of a mask with illumination light, includes a polarization optical system and a depolarizer. The polarization optical system includes a half wavelength plate and PBS, which varies a polarization state of the illumination light to form a linear polarization state having a predetermined polarization direction. The depolarizer is arranged toward the mask from the polarization optical system and varies the polarization state of the illumination light emitted from the polarization optical system.
Claims23
An illumination optical apparatus for illuminating a plane with illumination light, the illumination optical apparatus comprising:
- a variable linear polarization element arranged in an optical path of the illumination light and which varies a polarization direction of the illumination light;
- a linear polarization extraction element arranged between the variable linear polarization element and the plane, and which selectively transmits linearly polarized light in a direction of the polarization direction of the illumination light;
- and
- a variable polarization state device arranged between the linear polarization extraction element and the plane, and which varies a polarization state of the illumination light.
A method for illuminating an irradiated plane, defined on a mask, with illumination light and exposing a pattern of the mask onto a photosensitive substrate using a projection optical system, the method comprising:
- varying a polarization direction of the illumination light in an optical path of the illumination light;
- selectively transmitting linearly polarized light in a direction of the polarization direction of the illumination light of which the polarization direction was varied;
- varying a polarization state of the illumination light that was selectively transmitted;
- illuminating the irradiated plane with illumination light of which the polarization state was varied;
- and
- exposing the pattern of the mask in the irradiated plane onto the photosensitive substrate.
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- an illumination optical apparatus for illuminating a plane, defined on a mask, with illumination light, the illumination optical apparatus including:
- a variable linear polarization element arranged in an optical path of the illumination light and which varies a polarization direction of the illumination light,
- a linear polarization extraction element arranged between the variable linear polarization extraction element and the plane, and which selectively transmits linearly polarized light in a direction of the polarization direction of the illumination light, and
- a variable polarization state device arranged between the linear polarization extraction element and the plane, and which varies a polarization state of the illumination light;
- and
- a projection optical system which exposes a pattern of the mask onto the photosensitive substrate.
A method for manufacturing an electronic device, the method comprising:
- directing illumination light from a light source to an irradiated plane defined on a mask including a pattern for the electronic device;
- varying a polarization direction of the illumination light in an optical path of the illumination light;
- selectively transmitting linearly polarized light in a direction of the polarization direction of the illumination light of which the polarization direction was varied;
- varying a polarization state of the illumination light that was selectively transmitted;
- illuminating the irradiated plane with illumination light of which the polarization state was varied;
- and
- exposing the pattern of the mask onto a photosensitive substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.