Projection optical apparatus

Apparatus for projecting an image of an object along an optical axis onto a workpiece including, in combination, an illumination optical system, an optical lens system and a control system, with said illuminating optical system comprising:

• light source means for generating a beam of light energy to illuminate said object;
• shutter means for interrupting said beam of light energy at given time intervals with said interrupted beam reaching full illumination in each time interval over a time constant dependent upon the numerical aperture of said illumination optical system;
• reticle means containing a pattern representing said object;
• aperture means having an adjustable aperture;
• means for adjusting the size of the aperture;
• means for directing said beam of light energy through said aperture means and upon said reticle means for forming said image;
• said optical lens system comprising means including a seated pressurized lens chamber containing a plurality of lenses for projecting light onto said workpiece and having an optical characteristic responsive to an accumulation of heat in said pressurized lens chamber from said light energy, and
• said control system comprising means responsive to said aperture means for varying the light distribution to said optical lens system in accordance with changes in the numerical aperture of said illuminating optical system,
• storage means for storing a plurality of time constants or coefficients of change, given as a ratio of the numerical aperture of the illumination optical system to the numerical aperture of the optical lens system, corresponding to a multiplicity of different numerical aperture sizes of said aperture means;
• and
• selector means responsive to said aperture means for selecting the time constant or coefficient of change from said storage means corresponding to the numerical aperture size of said aperture means;
• and
• means for controlling the light distribution in said optical lens system corresponding to the selection of said time constant.

Apparatus for projecting an image of an object along an optical axis onto a workpiece including, in combination, an illumination optical system, an optical lens system and a control system, with said illuminating optical system comprising:

• light source means for generating a beam of light energy to illuminate said object;
• shutter means for interrupting said beam of light energy at given time intervals with said interrupted beam reaching full illumination in each time interval over a time constant dependent upon the numerical aperture of said illumination optical system;
• reticle means containing a pattern representing said object;
• aperture means having an adjustable aperture;
• means for adjusting the size of the aperture;
• means for directing said beam of light energy through said aperture means and upon said reticle means for forming said image;
• said optical lens system comprising means including a sealed pressurized lens chamber containing a plurality of lenses for projecting light onto said workpiece and having an optical characteristic responsive to an accumulation of heat in said pressurized lens chamber from said light energy, and
• said control system comprising means responsive to said aperture means for varying the light distribution to said optical lens system in accordance with changes in the numerical aperture of said illuminating optical system,
• storage means for storing a plurality of time constants or coefficients of change, given as a ratio of the numerical aperture of the illumination optical system to the numerical aperture of the optical lens system, corresponding to a multiplicity of different numerical aperture sizes of said aperture means;
• and
• selector means for controlling said aperture means in a relationship corresponding to a selected time constant or coefficient of change in said storage means.

Apparatus for projecting an image of an object along an optical axis onto a workpiece including an illumination optical system, an optical lens system and a control system, said illuminating optical system comprising:

• a reticle device containing a pattern representing said object;
• an aperture device having an adjustable aperture;
• an adjusting device adjusting a size of the aperture;
• said optical lens system having a sealed pressurized lens chamber projecting light onto said workpiece and having an optical characteristic responsive to an accumulation of heat in said pressurized lens chamber from said light energy,
• a storage device that stores a plurality of time constants or coefficients of change, given as a ratio of a numerical aperture of the illumination optical system to a numerical aperture of the optical lens system, corresponding to a multiplicity of different numerical aperture sizes of said aperture device;
• a selector device responsive to said aperture device that selects the time constant or coefficient of change from said storage device corresponding to the numerical aperture size of said aperture device;
• and
• a control device that controls a pressure in said optical lens system corresponding to the selection of said time constant.

Apparatus for projecting an image of an object along an optical axis onto a workpiece including an illumination optical system, an optical lens system and a control system, said illuminating optical system comprising:

• a reticle device containing a pattern representing said object;
• an aperture device having an adjustable aperture;
• an adjusting device adjusting a size of the aperture;
• said optical lens system having a sealed pressurized lens chamber projecting light onto said workpiece and having an optical characteristic responsive to an accumulation of heat in said pressurized lens chamber from said light energy,
• a storage device that stores a plurality of time constants or coefficients of change, given as a ratio of a numerical aperture of the illumination optical system to a numerical aperture of the optical lens system, corresponding to a multiplicity of different numerical aperture sizes of said aperture device;
• and
• a selector device responsive to said aperture device that selects the time constant or coefficient of change from said storage device corresponding to the numerical aperture size of said aperture device;
• and
• a control device that controls a light distribution in said optical lens system corresponding to the selection of said time constant.

Apparatus for projecting an image of an object along an optical axis onto a workpiece including an illumination optical system, an optical lens system and a control system, said illuminating optical system comprising:

• a reticle device containing a pattern representing said object;
• an aperture device having an adjustable aperture;
• an adjusting device adjusting a size of the aperture;
• said optical lens system having a sealed pressurized lens chamber projecting light onto said workpiece and having an optical characteristic responsive to an accumulation of heat in said pressurized lens chamber from said light energy,
• a storage device that stores a plurality of time constants or coefficients of change, given as a ratio of a numerical aperture of the illumination optical system to a numerical aperture of the optical lens system, corresponding to a multiplicity of different numerical aperture sizes of said aperture device;
• and
• a selector device controlling said aperture device in a relationship corresponding to a selected time constant or coefficient of change in said storage device.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system that forms a secondary light source, of which a size or a shape is changed, with light from a primary light source to illuminate a pattern with light from the secondary light source;
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern on a substrate;
• an imaging controller that adjusts an optical property of the projection optical system, using a plurality of constants corresponding to different sizes or shapes of secondary light sources;
• and
• a processor that sets a constant selected in accordance with the changed size or shape of the secondary light source in the imaging controller so that a change in the optical property caused by the change of the size or the shape of the secondary light source is substantially corrected.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that forms a secondary light source, of which a size or shape is changed, with light from a primary light source to illuminate a pattern with light from the secondary light source;
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern on a substrate;
• and
• an imaging controller connected with the projection optical system, the imaging controller adjusting an optical property of the projection optical system based on one of a plurality of constants corresponding to different sizes or shapes of secondary light sources, which is selected in accordance with the changed size or shape so as to correct a change in the optical property caused by the change of the size or the shape.

A projection exposure method comprising the steps of:

• changing a size or a shape of a secondary light source formed with light from a primary light source;
• determining a constant used in adjusting a change in an optical property of a projection optical system in accordance with the changed size or shape of the secondary light source;
• and
• illuminating a pattern with light from the changed secondary light source so as to expose a substrate with the illuminated pattern through the projection optical system of which the change in the optical property is corrected based on the determined constant.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• providing a wafer and a device pattern;
• changing a size or a shape of an illumination source illuminating the pattern;
• adjusting an optical property of a projection optical system based on a constant selected in accordance with the changed size or shape to compensate for a change in the optical property caused by the change of the size or the shape;
• and
• illuminating the pattern with the changed illumination source so as to transfer the illuminated pattern onto the wafer through the adjusted projection optical system.

A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that illuminates a device pattern with an illumination source of which a size or a shape is changed;
• a projection system that projects an image of the pattern on a wafer and having a pupil plane on which an image of the illumination source is substantially formed;
• and
• an adjusting system that adjusts an optical property of the projection system based on a constant selected in accordance with the changed size or shape of the illumination source to compensate for a change in the optical property caused by the change of the size or the shape.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system that outputs an illumination light, of which a size or shape is changed, to illuminate a pattern;
• a projection optical system that projects an image of the pattern on a substrate;
• and
• an imaging controller connected with the projection optical system, the imaging controller adjusting an optical property of the projection optical system based on one of a plurality of constants corresponding to different sizes or shapes of the illumination light, which is selected in accordance with the changed size or shape so as to adjust a change in the optical property caused by the change of the size or the shape.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system that illuminates a pattern through an optical integrator, with illumination light from a light source;
• a projection optical system that projects the illuminated pattern onto an object;
• an optical device disposed on an optical path through which the illumination light passes to change an intensity distribution of the illumination light on a plane, in the illumination optical system, substantially conjugate with a pupil plane of the projection optical system;
• and
• an adjusting system that adjusts the projection optical system so as to correct a change in an optical property of the projection optical system caused by the change of the intensity distribution.

A projection exposure apparatus comprising:

• an illumination system having a plurality of optical elements that include an optical integrator and that are disposed in a path of illumination light from a light source;
• an optical device disposed between the optical integrator and the light source in the illumination system, which changes an intensity distribution of light on a pupil plane of a projection optical system, said light being generated from a pattern by irradiation of the illumination light to expose an object with the light through the projection optical system;
• and
• an adjustment system functionally associated with the optical device, that performs an imaging adjustment in accordance with the change in the intensity distribution in order to form a desired pattern image on the object through the projection optical system.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising:

• providing a wafer and a device pattern;
• changing an intensity distribution of light on a pupil plane of a projection optical system, the light being generated from the device pattern by irradiation of illumination light to expose the wafer with the light through the projection optical system;
• and
• performing an imaging adjustment in accordance with the change of the intensity distribution in order to form a desired image on the wafer through the projection optical system.