JP2003142379A - Method of exposing pattern and device thereof, and method of manufacturing electronic device and the electronic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problems of a conventional system, such as that each time and expensive mask or reticule, is indispensable when exposing multikind and small- quantity devices and that it is practically impossible to manage them at manufacture or after delivery to the market by affixing specific numbers or manufacture history information to product device made of these masks. SOLUTION: In projective exposure of the information of a two-dimensional light modulator to an exposure substrate, the two-dimensional light modulator an the substrate are scanned, and it is arranged so that the pattern of a projected image moving accompanying the scanning stands still relatively on the exposed substrate moving accompanying the scanning. Furthermore, the exposed substrate is scanned and exposed at a roughly fixed speed, covering the whole region in the scan direction of the exposed substrate by exposure illumination light scanning the top of the two-dimensional light modulator. Hereby, the whole region of the exposed substrate is exposed, without using a mask or a reticule consisting of a conventional fixed pattern. Moreover, numbers, codes, and manufacture conditions are recorded in individual products of the devices manufactured by exposure which uses such a two-dimensional light modulator.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for exposing a desired pattern on a substrate to be exposed, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for exposing a desired pattern without using a dedicated mask or reticle. It also relates to a device obtained by such a method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, semiconductor circuits, printed wiring boards,
When forming a pattern on a substrate such as a flexible wiring sheet, a liquid crystal or a plasma display, the pattern is formed by exposing using a dedicated mask or reticle corresponding to the pattern to be formed. That is, first, a mask or reticle, which is an original plate of a circuit pattern to be formed, is drawn on a substrate by using an electron beam or a laser to create a mask or reticle dedicated to the circuit pattern to be formed. Then, a dedicated mask or reticle on which this circuit pattern is formed is used to expose a wafer substrate having a photosensitive material coated on its surface by an exposure device, a glass substrate, or the like, which is then developed and etched.

[0003]

Such a mask or reticle requires time and cost to manufacture itself, and is especially problematic when producing a large number of products in small quantities or products requiring a short delivery time. Has become.

Further, in order to manufacture a large-screen substrate such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display, it is necessary to manufacture a very large mask, which makes it difficult to manufacture a large-screen mask.

Further, in the conventional production using masks, a large number of dedicated masks corresponding to respective circuit patterns must be prepared, which requires a large space for storing the masks, and the management cost cannot be ignored. That is, it is necessary to prepare a mask storage room, and it is necessary to quickly remove the necessary masks from the storage room as needed.
It is necessary to determine the mask storage location and to automatically carry out the mask as needed based on this information.

Conventionally, a method of exposing a substrate using a two-dimensional light modulator without using a mask is disclosed in JP-A-62-21115, JP-A-62-21220, and JP-A-62-212.
21294. These methods simply use a two-dimensional spatial modulator as a mask instead of a conventional mask. However, the number of pixels of the two-dimensional light modulator naturally has an upper limit, and the desired pattern (total number of pixels M) is exposed on the substrate with the total number of pixels N (n × n) modulated by one time of the two-dimensional light modulator. Can not do it. Therefore, conventionally, the exposure is repeated at least M / N times by the step-and-repeat method to expose all desired patterns.

The above-mentioned conventional step-and-repeat method has the following problems. The first problem is that since exposure is performed by step-and-repeat, especially in the case of a large-sized substrate, the step movement time during which no exposure is performed, the waiting time for vibration reduction after movement, the alignment time, etc. are the actual exposure times. Compared with the time taken, the throughput is lower than the equivalent level.

In the step-and-repeat method, the square inscribed in the circular imaging field of the projection exposure lens has the maximum area that can be patterned by one exposure. Therefore, the maximum throughput can be obtained by exposing in the shape of the exposure area close to a square. In contrast, in the scanning method adopted in the present invention, as will be described later, a rectangle having a length close to the diameter of the imaging field circle, having long sides orthogonal to the scanning direction, and inscribed in the exposure field circle is exposed. It can be a field. As a result, the number of step movements in the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction (the number of scanning lines in the case of the scanning method) can be reduced by about 1 / √2 compared with the step-and-repeat method. This improves the throughput if the same projection optical system is used in both systems. Also, under the condition that the exposure field width is the same, it means that an inexpensive imaging lens with a small imaging field is sufficient.

The second problem is that a defective pattern occurs at the boundary of step exposure. This is a particularly noticeable defect in the case of display devices such as liquid crystal and plasma.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve the problems of the conventional techniques, a pattern exposure method and an apparatus therefor which can be applied to the production of a wide variety of products in small quantities, and an electronic apparatus (printed circuit board, TFT) using this exposure apparatus. Substrate, a semiconductor device, etc.). It is another object of the present invention to provide a new pattern exposure method and an apparatus for improving the conventional step-and-repeat type pattern exposure method, and an electronic device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, a two-dimensional light information pattern is projected onto a substrate to be exposed by using a two-dimensional light modulator capable of controlling a light modulation state. In a pattern exposure method for exposing an exposure substrate, a two-dimensional optical information pattern projected on the exposure substrate and the exposure substrate are relatively moved in one direction to expose a first region on the exposure substrate, The two-dimensional optical information pattern projected on the exposed substrate and the exposed substrate are moved relatively to the second region adjacent to the first region on the exposed substrate in the direction opposite to the one direction. Meanwhile, the second area on the substrate to be exposed was exposed. In order to achieve the above object, the present invention uses a two-dimensional light modulator capable of controlling a light modulation state to project a two-dimensional light information pattern onto a substrate to be exposed and expose the substrate to be exposed. In the exposure method,
A plurality of two-dimensional optical information patterns are simultaneously projected onto a substrate to be exposed, and the plurality of projected two-dimensional optical information patterns and the substrate to be exposed are relatively moved to simultaneously form a plurality of regions on the substrate to be exposed. It was exposed.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, in the present invention, in a method of exposing a pattern, light emitted from a light source is applied to a two-dimensional optical modulator to scan the light, and the light on the two-dimensional modulator is scanned. The substrate to be exposed is exposed by projecting the pattern formed in the area irradiated with the light onto the substrate to be exposed that moves relative to the two-dimensional modulator. In order to achieve the above object, in the present invention, a pattern exposure apparatus includes a light source that emits a light beam, a scanning unit that scans the light beam emitted from the light source, and a light beam that is scanned by the scanning unit. A two-dimensional light modulator means for receiving the two-dimensional light information pattern, an optical system means for projecting the two-dimensional light information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator means onto a substrate to be exposed, and an exposed object It is configured to include a table means on which a substrate is placed and which is movable at least in a plane. To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a pattern exposure apparatus, a light source, a two-dimensional light modulator means for receiving a light emitted from the light source to form a two-dimensional light information pattern, and a two-dimensional light modulator means. Optical system means for projecting a two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the light modulator means onto an exposure target substrate, table means for mounting the exposure target substrate and movable at least in a plane, and two-dimensional light modulator Means and a control means for controlling the table means, and the control means controls the table means to two-dimensionally scan the exposed substrate with the two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator means. It was configured to be exposed. Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing an electronic device in which a two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by a two-dimensional optical modulator and a substrate are relatively moved in one direction. The information pattern is projected onto the substrate to form a first pattern on the substrate.
Area is exposed, and then the two-dimensional optical information pattern formed on the substrate by the two-dimensional optical modulator is formed on the second area adjacent to the first area on the substrate, and the substrate is opposite to the one direction described above. Exposing a desired area of the substrate by sequentially exposing a second area on the substrate with a two-dimensional optical information pattern while relatively moving in the direction, and exposing the desired area by the exposing step. A developing step of developing a desired mask pattern on the substrate by developing the exposed substrate; and an etching processing step of etching the substrate using the desired mask pattern formed in the developing step as a mask. Configured. Further, according to the present invention, after the exposure light for exposing the substrate is formed into an exposure beam having a desired directivity and intensity distribution, two-dimensional light modulation in which the light modulation state can be controlled by a signal which externally applies this exposure beam. Irradiate the vessel. The substrate is exposed by projecting the two-dimensional optical information pattern obtained thereby onto the substrate to be exposed. At this time, a part of the modulation area of the two-dimensional light modulator is irradiated with the above-mentioned exposure beam, and the two-dimensional light modulator, the substrate to be exposed, and the exposure beam position for irradiating the two-dimensional light modulator are relatively fixed. Each is scanned in the determined direction and exposed. By doing so, it is not necessary to send the substrate by step-and-repeat as will be described later in detail, and the throughput can be improved.

At this time, the substrate to be exposed is scanned at a substantially constant speed over the entire width of the substrate to be exposed in the scanning direction. In addition, the two-dimensional light modulator scans the substrate, scans the position of the exposure beam that illuminates the two-dimensional light modulator, and
A constant width is scanned, depending on the dimensions of the dimensional light modulator. After this scanning, the two-dimensional spatial modulator is scanned in the reverse direction by the amount of scanning in the substantially forward direction. The exposure beam position for irradiating the two-dimensional light modulator is scanned in the direction opposite to the scanning of the two-dimensional light modulator according to the amount of forward scanning of the two-dimensional light modulator. By doing so, the non-exposure time other than the exposure can be shortened over the entire width of the substrate to be exposed in the scanning direction, and the throughput can be improved.

The exposure over the entire exposure region in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction is performed as follows. That is, after the exposed substrate is scanned at a substantially constant speed over the entire width to be exposed in the scanning direction, the exposed substrate is approximately equal to or slightly smaller than the exposure width Wy at the time of the above scanning in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. The step S is moved in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction by the distance Sy, and scanning is repeated again.

At this time, the exposure width Wy is made smaller than the step movement width Sy by ΔWy. Further, the total exposure energy per unit area by the exposure illumination light in the area of width ΔWy which is exposed twice over two adjacent scans is made equal to the total exposure energy per unit area other than the area. By doing so, the conventional problems can be solved without causing discontinuous exposure in the area between two adjacent scans.

The two-dimensional optical information pattern shown above is projected onto the substrate to be exposed at a constant exposure magnification by the projection exposure optical system. By doing so, exposure with high resolution becomes possible.

A plurality of exposure beams and two-dimensional light modulators are provided in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction. By doing so, it becomes possible to simultaneously expose a wide range by scanning the substrate once.

The pattern generation areas of the plurality of two-dimensional light modulators provided have a portion for displaying the same pattern in the vicinity of the boundary area between adjacent two-dimensional light modulators. Further, the total exposure energy due to the scanning per unit area by the exposure illumination light from the adjacent two-dimensional spatial modulator to this area is made equal to the total exposure energy due to the scanning per unit area other than this area. By doing so, the conventional problems can be solved without causing discontinuous exposure in the regions of the adjacent two-dimensional light modulators.

As the above two-dimensional light modulator, one formed of liquid crystal is used. Further, a two-dimensional modulator may be used which has a mechanism in which a large number of minute mirrors are arrayed and are deflected by an electric signal to perform optical modulation. If the two-dimensional light modulator using these liquid crystals and minute mirrors is of a reflection type, the back surface can be cooled, and even if the exposure energy becomes large, the spatial modulator can be long-lived without being damaged. It is possible.

A plurality of two-dimensional light modulators are provided in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction by the scanning means. By doing so, the number of scans can be reduced, a desired region can be exposed in a short time, and throughput can be improved.

When the plurality of two-dimensional light modulators provided above are used as a reflection type spatial modulator, a polarization beam splitter is inserted between the reflection type spatial modulator and the exposure projection optical system. Further, the exposure illumination system is provided with a polarized beam separating means for separating the exposure light into two polarizations orthogonal to each other. The polarized light splitting means guides the polarized light beam divided in two to the adjacent polarized light beam splitter. By doing this,
The light energy emitted from the light source can be used to illuminate two adjacent two-dimensional light modulators without waste, and the light reflected by the two-dimensional light modulator can be guided to the exposed substrate without waste. Become.

In the process of manufacturing one semiconductor device, display device, or device such as a printed circuit board by one or a plurality of exposures by using the above-described exposure method, each device or each device group is exposed on the exposure substrate. It is possible to form different numbers, numbers, barcodes, names, symbols, pictures or indicia on the. If it becomes possible to form different numbers, numbers, bar codes, names, symbols, pictures, or indicia for each device, or for each device group corresponding to, for example, one wafer in the case of a semiconductor device, it will be possible It can be used for quality control, accident analysis after entering the market, etc.

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION First, referring to FIGS.
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 1, an exposure illumination system 1 includes an exposure light source and an optical system for generating an exposure beam having a desired directivity and intensity distribution in a two-dimensional light modulator 3 inside. The detailed configuration of the exposure illumination system 1 will be described later. Denoted at 2 is a deflecting mirror which is a part of an illumination deflecting means for scanning and illuminating the exposure beam on the two-dimensional light modulator. The irradiation deflecting means rotates the mirror within a certain range as shown in FIG. It is composed of a mechanism and a drive circuit (not shown) which receives the drive signal from the control circuit 6 and drives the drive mechanism. The exposure beam is reflected by a deflecting mirror, passes through a condenser lens 11, and illuminates a two-dimensional light modulator (spatial modulator, two-dimensional spatial modulator) 3.

As shown in detail in FIG. 2, the spatial modulator 3 has a large number of picture elements 310 arranged in the xy direction in the modulation plane, and the display area indicated by 31 has a total picture element number of at least 2000. × 2000, preferably 10,000 × 10
It is over 000. 2 shown in this embodiment
The dimensional light modulator is made of liquid crystal, and the liquid crystal material and the alignment film are materials capable of sufficiently withstanding the g-line and h-line of the mercury lamp which is the exposure wavelength. Liquid crystal that can withstand the i-line of a mercury lamp with a shorter wavelength by selecting a special material.
It is also possible to expose with i-line using a dimensional modulator.

The modulation area of the two-dimensional optical modulator is W in the x direction.
An exposure beam is applied to an irradiation area 71 having a width Wy in the m and y directions and including a part of the display area and hatched. The irradiation position of the irradiation area 71 changes at the speed Vxm as shown by the arrow by the illumination deflector.

On the other hand, the two-dimensional light modulator itself is driven by a two-dimensional light modulator stage (not shown) at a high speed in the direction opposite to Vxm as indicated by an arrow Vx ₁ in FIG. The drive width of this stage is approximately equal to the display width Wm of the two-dimensional light modulator.

In FIG. 1, the exposure light having the exposure pattern that has passed through the two-dimensional light modulator 3 is projected onto the substrate 5 to be exposed by the projection optical system 4 having the same magnification. A photosensitive material is coated on the surface of the substrate, and the exposed area 72 on the photosensitive material is irradiated and exposed.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the substrate 5 to be exposed is moved in the x direction at a speed of Vx ₂ (= −Vx ₁ ) by a substrate stage (not shown) to perform scanning exposure. In order to express the relative change between the substrate 5 and the field 701 of the projection optical system, the substrate 5 which is moving as indicated by the thick solid arrow is fixed, and the exposure field is expressed by moving as indicated by the solid arrow. There is. The exposure area 72 is a parallelogram inscribed in the exposure field 701 as shown in FIG. 4, the side Ly in the y direction is orthogonal to the scanning direction, and the side Lx in the scanning direction is not parallel to the scanning direction. The exposure field relatively moves in the leftward direction at a speed of Vx ₂ as indicated by the solid thin arrow pointing to the left in the lower part of FIG. If the substrate goes to the right edge of FIG. 1, the exposure field goes to the left edge of substrate 5 as the long arrow at the bottom of FIG. During this, exposure is performed. If you reach this end,
The stage moves Sy in the y direction, and the exposure field moves as an upward arrow. No exposure is performed during this movement in the y direction. After the movement in the y direction is completed, the stage is moved to the left, so that the exposure field moves as shown by the second long thin arrow (dotted line) from the bottom in FIG. 3, and the exposure is performed during this.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an exposure area near the boundary between the above scannings of the exposure field. The scanning from the right to the left of the solid line in FIG. 3 is the center line C1-C1 of the exposure field.
', And the second left-to-right scan from the bottom is along the centerline C2-C2' of the exposure field. The distance between the center lines is Sy. The width of the parallelogram exposure field in the y direction is wy, and wy is longer than Sy by the length component Δwy of the side Lx in the y direction. That is, the tilted portions overlap in the exposure fields of adjacent scans.

By doing so, there arises a problem that occurs when the above-mentioned display device is exposed by the step-and-repeat method, that is, the width of the pattern and the like even if the upper and lower exposure amounts are slightly changed at the boundary between two scans. Changes, and no noticeable borderline occurs.

Next, the operation of the substrate, the two-dimensional light modulator, and the scanning exposure beam within one scan will be described with reference to FIGS.
Will be explained. FIG. 5 shows the movement of the exposure illumination light accompanying the driving of the illumination deflecting means in the image forming area 701 of the projection optical system on the two-dimensional light modulator. As time passes, as shown in (a), (b), (c), and (d) from the right in FIG. 6, the hatching portions 711, 71 are shaded in the projection optical system image forming area 701.
2, 713 and 714. The exposure light is scanned within the horizontal line hatching portion 70 by driving the two-dimensional light modulator and the illumination deflection means.

FIG. 6 shows a situation in which the position of the exposure light relatively changes on the two-dimensional light modulator by such scanning. The positions of the exposure beam shown in (a), (b), (c), and (d) of FIG. 5 on the two-dimensional optical modulator are 711 and 71, respectively.
2, 713 and 714. That is, the two-dimensional light modulator moves leftward at the speed Vx1 and the illumination deflector 2 moves the exposure illumination light rightward at the speed Vxm, whereby the exposure illumination light changes as shown in the figure.

FIG. 7 shows changes in the position of the image on the substrate to be exposed and the image formed by the projection optical system of the two-dimensional light modulator. The position of the exposure light on the substrate to be exposed corresponding to the positions of the exposure light 711, 712, 713 and 714 in FIGS.
21, 722, 723 and 724. Top and bottom 2 of FIG.
As shown in the figure, the center lines C1 to C1 of the exposure scanning in the x direction on the substrate to be exposed are the same, and it is difficult to see the images in a row. The sequential scanning of light is shown shifted up and down. That is, one scan the illumination light and two-dimensional light modulator during the time t ₀ ~t ₀ + ts. When the operation is completed, it takes the time Δt back to the initial position. Then performed between the second scan time _{t 0 + ts + Δt~t 0 +} ts + Δt + ts.

The exposure light position at the start of the second scan and the pattern generated by the two-dimensional light modulator are shown by 721 'in the figure, which is exactly the same as 724 of the first scan exposure. is there. This is because the center line of the 724 in the y direction exposes only half the exposure energy by scanning exposure as compared with the location other than 724, so that the second scan is started at this position without causing a break in the pattern. This is for exposing. The arrows shown in the figure show the situation where the position of the exposure light changes with time. When the first scanning is completed, the two-dimensional light modulator stage and the illumination deflecting means are driven, and Δt
It takes time to return to the scanning start position. By returning, the start exposure position of the second scan becomes equal to the end position of the first scan. Further, the start pattern 721 ′ displayed by the two-dimensional light modulator is the pattern 724 at the end of the second scan.
To match. In this way, even if the substrate to be exposed moves at a constant speed, it is possible to continuously expose the pattern.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing changes over time in the position of the substrate to be exposed, the position of the two-dimensional light modulator, and the position at which the exposure illumination light by the illumination deflection means scans the two-dimensional light modulator. FIGS. 8A and 8B show changes in the position of the substrate stage in the x and y directions. Figure 8 (c) shows the x of the two-dimensional optical modulator stage.
Indicates the change in position in the direction. However, the x-direction of the secondary current spatial modulator is different from the x-direction of the substrate stage. FIG. 8D shows a change in position in the x direction when the illumination light driven by the illumination deflector scans the two-dimensional light modulator. Exposure starts from time t = 0, and from (n-1) (ts + Δt) to (n-1) (ts + Δt) + ts
Until the 2D optical modulator stage is moved in the x direction,
During that time, the exposure light is exposed by moving the illumination light in the x direction on the two-dimensional light modulator by driving the illumination deflection means. However, the x direction of the illumination light is the same as the x direction of the substrate.

During the period from (n-1) (ts + Δt) + ts to n (ts + Δt), the two-dimensional optical modulator stage is returned at a high speed in the opposite direction of x, during which the illumination deflecting means is also driven to illuminate. Light is returned at high speed in the opposite direction of x on the two-dimensional light modulator. Of course, during this return, the illumination light is blocked by a shutter (not shown). The integer n is 1
By repeating this process from time to N, that is, from N (ts + Δt), a desired area in the x direction of the substrate stage is exposed as shown in FIG. When the exposure for one scanning of the substrate stage is completed, the substrate stage is moved Sy in the y direction as shown in FIG. 8B, and the second scanning is performed in the above-mentioned method, but in the opposite direction. The above operation is repeated until the desired area in the y direction is exposed, and the exposure is completed.

In FIG. 9, eight exposure optical systems shown in FIG. 1 are installed side by side and simultaneously expose eight rows. The exposure field of each exposure optical system is 701, 702 ... 708
And two of the adjacent exposure fields are shown in FIG. In the case where there is only one exposure optical system described above, the sides in the x direction are not parallel to the x direction in the adjacent fields, but are slightly inclined. In this way, by exposing from both the exposure fields adjacent to each other in the vicinity of the boundary line BB ′, it is possible to prevent the generation of a discontinuous pattern generated at the boundary portion.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing details of the exposure optical system 1 shown in FIG. Reference numeral 17 is a mercury lamp, 18 is an ellipsoidal mirror, and 16 is a rod lens array whose details are shown in FIGS. The exposure illumination light is formed into an elliptical shape as shown by 100 in FIG. 12 in order to perform exposure by scanning and to provide a long and narrow exposure area on the diagonal of the projection lens. In order to realize this, a large number of lenses each having a convex surface having sides with short Wx in the x direction and long Wy in the y direction as shown in 161 of FIGS. 13 and 14 are used in an array.

When light from a mercury lamp close to a point light source is condensed on such a rod lens array 16, g-line, h-line or i-line emitted from the light source enters the rod lens with very little loss. . The incident light of the parallel light component directed in a specific direction is condensed at a specific position at the exit end of the rod lens and becomes a divergent light with a large divergence angle in the y direction and a divergent light with a small divergence angle in the x direction. Then, the light is emitted from the emission end.

The emitted light passes through the mirror 15 and the lens 14 and enters the aperture plate 13 shown in detail in FIG. The aperture plate has 1371 parallelogrammic apertures. X and y above
The light having different divergence angles becomes illumination light having an elliptical shape on the aperture plate as indicated by 100. Due to the diffusion effect of the rod lens array, the intensity distribution inside the aperture becomes uniform. Since this aperture is conjugated to the surface of the two-dimensional light modulator 3 by the lenses 12 and 11, the light transmitted through this aperture forms an image of this aperture on the two-dimensional light modulator.

The light transmitted through the opening 1371 is the lens 1
The light is focused on the surface of the mirror 2 of the illumination deflecting unit at the focal position of 2. The distance between the mirror surface and the lens 11 is the lens 11
Equal to the focal length of. Therefore, the principal ray of the light that has passed through the lens 11 does not depend on the deflection angle of the mirror 2 of the illumination deflecting means, and the irradiation position is always in the x direction depending on the deflection angle while keeping the two-dimensional light modulator vertically irradiated. Changes to. In this way, the exposure illumination light long in the y direction can be scanned in the x direction.

A modification of the first embodiment described above is shown in FIG.
And shown in FIG. FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 are examples in which the illumination light emitted from one light source is divided into two and branched into two exposure illumination systems. Figure 15
Is a perspective view and FIG. 16 is a side view. 101 and 1 in FIG.
Reference numeral 02 divides exposure light emitted from one light source (not shown) into two by means to be described later in detail. 15 and 1
The operation of each exposure optical system shown in 6 is as described above. In this embodiment, a transmissive type such as liquid crystal is used as the two-dimensional light modulator.

Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 17 shows an example using a reflective two-dimensional light modulator. The same part numbers in FIG. 17 and FIG. 11 represent the same parts. The light emitted from the mercury lamp 7 is an ellipsoidal mirror 18.
Then, the light is focused on the optical integrator 16 described in FIGS. The light that has passed through the optical integrator passes through the lens 14 and the shutter 133 and then irradiates the opening 131 with uniform light. The opening 131, the two-dimensional optical modulator 301, and the substrate 5
And have an image forming relationship. The light transmitted through the opening 131 is split into two by the polarization beam splitter 110. That is, the P-polarized component of the light incident on the polarization beam splitter is transmitted by the polarization beam splitting surface, and the S-polarized component is reflected. The reflected S-polarized component light is converted into P-polarized light by the ½ wavelength plate 1223 and reflected by the mirror 1222. P branched in this way
The polarized exposure light passes through the respective exposure optical systems as described below, and exposes the regions 711 and 712 on the substrate, respectively. In the biaxial exposure optical system of FIG. 17, the hatched one is the back, and the unhatched one is the front exposure optical system. Since both optical systems are exactly the same, the following description will be given using only the front exposure optical system.

Y transmitted through the polarization beam splitter 110
The linearly polarized light oscillating in the direction passes through the lens 1112, is condensed on the deflection mirror 1113 attached to the rotary drive source 1102, is reflected, and enters the lens 1111. Lens 1
The light that has passed through 111 is the second polarization beam splitter 31.
Incident on 1. Since the light incident on the second polarization beam splitter is linearly polarized light in the y direction, it is S polarized light for this polarization beam splitter. As a result, almost 100% of the light incident on the second polarization beam splitter 311 is
% Is reflected and enters the two-dimensional light modulator 301.

The two-dimensional light modulator 301 of this embodiment is a reflection type two-dimensional light modulator. A reflection type two-dimensional modulator using liquid crystal may be used, or two
It may be a dimensional modulator. When liquid crystal is used, one of the two surfaces sandwiching the liquid crystal, that is, the upper surface of FIG. 17 is a mirror surface,
The lower surface is the transparent surface. Although a normal transmissive liquid crystal requires polarizing plates on both sides of the glass sandwiching the liquid crystal, this polarizing plate is not necessary in the liquid crystal two-dimensional light modulator of this embodiment. That is, the polarization beam splitter 311 plays this role. That is, the linearly polarized light in the y direction, which is directed upward by the polarization beam splitter 311, enters the two-dimensional optical modulator 301.
After being reflected by the glass on the upper surface, the reflected polarized light becomes linearly polarized light in the x and y directions depending on the display state and the non-display state caused by the voltage applied to each pixel of the two-dimensional spatial light modulator. Therefore, when passing through the polarization beam splitter again, only the reflected light from the pixel in the display state, which is linearly polarized light in the x direction, passes through the polarization beam splitter.

The electric signal information thus applied by the two-dimensional spatial modulator becomes the two-dimensional information of the exposure light, which is projected and exposed on the exposure substrate 5 by the projection exposure lens 401. As described above, since the exposure should not be performed when the scanning of the two-dimensional light modulator and the exposure illumination light is returned, the exposure light is shielded by using the shutter 133 when returning.

Also in this embodiment, as described above, the substrate 5
By driving the two-dimensional light modulator 301 and the deflection mirror as indicated by the arrow, the substrate 5 can be scanned at a substantially constant speed to expose the entire surface of the substrate.

Although the above description uses the reflective liquid crystal two-dimensional optical modulator, a two-dimensional spatial modulator in which minute deflecting mirrors are two-dimensionally arranged may be used. In this case, the deflection beam splitter 311 and the two-dimensional spatial modulator 30
Insert a quarter wave plate between 1 '. By doing so, it becomes possible to use almost 100% of the reflected light from the display unit as in the above-described liquid crystal two-dimensional spatial modulator. In addition, the deflection angle of the minute mirror is 0 degree in the pixel portion in the display state, and the deflection angle is θ in the pixel in the non-display state. The light reflected by the display unit is almost 1 in the pupil of the projection exposure lens 401.
The substrate is exposed by entering 00%. On the other hand, the light reflected by the non-display portion goes to the projection exposure lens which is inclined by 2θ with respect to the optical axis of the exposure optical system. Assuming that the numerical aperture of the projection exposure lens is NA and the projection exposure magnification is 1 / M, by selecting the deflection angle θ of the pixel in the non-display state so as to satisfy the condition of sin (2θ) ≧ NA / M, The light reflected by the display unit goes out of the pupil of the projection exposure lens and does not reach the substrate. Further, when the above M is large, the light from the non-display portion passes outside the projection exposure lens. Therefore, by providing a light shielding plate in this portion, it is possible to avoid noise exposure on the exposed substrate 5. Although the case where M = 1 at the projection exposure magnification of 1 / M has been mainly described, M is not limited to 1. The present invention can be applied to both reduction exposure and enlargement exposure.
When the magnification is 1 / M, the scanning speed on the two-dimensional spatial light modulator and the exposure illumination light on the two-dimensional light modulator should be M times higher than the scanning speed of the substrate 5 when it is 1. it is obvious.

Although omitted in the above embodiment, when a normal circuit or a display device is manufactured by this method, it is not completed by one exposure, and the pattern is changed several times or about 20 times and the overlapping exposure is performed. A device consisting of a multilayer film is manufactured. In such a case, since a new pattern is overlaid and exposed on the pattern already formed on the substrate, the exposure apparatus has a well-known alignment function for detecting the alignment of the pattern on the substrate and controlling the alignment. .

FIG. 18 shows an example in which the present invention is applied to a process of manufacturing a semiconductor device by processing a wafer. Reference numeral 5'denotes a wafer on which a semiconductor LSI pattern is exposed. A multi-layered thin film to be a semiconductor circuit has already been formed on this wafer, and the uppermost layer is a wiring pattern formed by being exposed by the above-described exposure apparatus of the present invention and having a relatively rough pattern. Reference numeral 501 is a semiconductor LSI chip that is finally cut into one device. In this chip, there is a wiring pattern section 501 and a chip individual information area 503 in which various numbers, names, etc. are individually written in each of the devices. In the chip individual information area 503, numbers such as a manufacturing number and a serial number shown at 504, numbers, names, symbols indicating parameters and manufacturing conditions at the time of manufacturing,
Necessary information such as a picture, a mark, an information code such as a bar code 505, etc. is exposed by the exposure apparatus of the present invention.

That is, according to the exposure method and apparatus of the present invention, various numbers and names can be individually written in the device products formed on the substrate, which is impossible when the conventional mask is used. As a result, quality control becomes easy at the manufacturing stage. Furthermore, since the history is clear even after the product is completed, sold, and put on the market, even if a failure occurs later, by reading the information in the chip individual information area 503, the cause can be clarified and countermeasures can be taken. It will be easy to do. In order to record the chip individual information area 503 on the chip, these pieces of information to be recorded are recorded in advance in the memory of the control circuit 6 of the exposure apparatus together with other circuit pattern information. A two-dimensional light modulator, which is moved in synchronization with the scanning of the exposure substrate (wafer substrate) at the time of exposure, is driven based on this recording information to generate the display patterns 502 and 503 in FIG.

A device such as a semiconductor device including a semiconductor chip manufactured through the above-described exposure process, a display device such as a liquid crystal or plasma display, a printed circuit board, a flexible pattern substrate, a micromachine device, or the like is thus used. Device-specific information is written in each item. This makes it possible to control the quality of the device itself when it is manufactured. Further, even after the product is put on the market, by reading the information recorded in the device by the enlargement detecting means or the like, the history of the product at the time of manufacturing can be surely known, and the detailed maintenance can be performed.
In addition, since it becomes possible to manage information such as the sales channel and product number, it is possible to take prompt measures or take action even in the unlikely event of an accident.

In the above description, an example in which different information is written to each device has been described. However, for example, the same information is recorded in a semiconductor device obtained from one wafer, and the same information is recorded from one wafer. All the obtained chips may be one device group. Also, chips in the same place on a wafer in one lot (usually consisting of 10 to several tens of wafers) are given the same number to form one device group, different places are given different numbers, and different device groups are provided. May be managed as

FIG. 19 is a diagram in which the exposure method according to the present invention is applied to proximity exposure. The substrate 5 ″ to be exposed and the two-dimensional spatial light modulator 3 ″ are scanned at the same velocity Vx2 ′ (= Vx1 ′) in the direction of the x-direction arrow. Exposure illumination light 71 ″
Velocity smaller than the above velocity in the x direction opposite to this direction
Scan with Vxm1 '. If the exposure illumination light reaches the right end of the two-dimensional spatial modulator, the two-dimensional spatial modulator and the exposure illumination light are returned to the positions shown in the figure. At this time, the substrate to be exposed continues to scan at a constant speed Vx2 '. This operation is continued until the right end of the exposure substrate is exposed, and thereafter, the exposure target substrate is step-moved in the y direction similarly to the exposure by the imaging lens described above. By repeating this operation, the entire substrate is widely exposed. The above drive control is performed by the control circuit 6 ″.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
It will be described using 0. FIG. 20 shows an embodiment using a reflective two-dimensional spatial modulator 3 ″. The length of the reflecting portion of the minute deflecting mirror 310 ″, which is the portion of the spatial modulator that reflects light, is smaller than the array pitch of the deflecting mirror. As a result, the pattern projected on the substrate 5 has a small intensity between the adjacent deflection mirror portions. As a result, if the resolution of the projection optical system is smaller than the size of the deflection mirror, the pattern does not form a continuous pattern, but becomes a pattern composed of dots, and a desired pattern cannot be exposed.

Reference numeral 300 ″ in FIG. 20 is a microlens array which solves this problem. Projection exposure lens 401
(And 402) and 2 separately from the projection lens
The microlens array 300 is placed close to the three-dimensional light modulator.
Place the ´. The pitch of this microlens array is the same as that of the minute deflection mirror, and the focal position is on the reflecting surface of the minute deflection mirror. As a result, all of the rectangular irradiation light entering each rectangular microlens array is condensed on the micro-deflection mirror corresponding to each microlens,
The light is reflected and returns to the rectangular microlens at the time of incidence again, and exits in the same optical path as the incident optical path. Therefore, if the projection exposure lens 401 (402) is used to form an image of the microlens emission surface on the exposure surface of the substrate, the strength between the picture elements does not become small and the dot pattern does not separate the picture elements. A desired pattern can be exposed.

The microlens array 300 ″ of FIG.
Is composed of a minute convex lens, but an array of minute Fresnel lenses may be used. Also, the minute deflection mirror surface 3
A reflection type Fresnel lens or a reflection type hologram is formed on the surface of 10 '', and the reflected lights from the respective mirrors are appropriately overlapped on the surface Σh at a distance h after the reflection and there is no gap. Make sure that the intensity distribution is similar. In this way, if the surface Σh is imaged on the exposure surface of the substrate 5 by the projection exposure lens 401 (402), a desired pattern can be exposed without forming a dot pattern in which picture elements are separated. It will be possible.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
1 and FIG. 22. In the fourth embodiment, the display pattern 3101 ″ of the two-dimensional spatial modulator 3 ″ has a velocity Vd ₁ on the two-dimensional spatial modulator.
″, Movement of the two-dimensional spatial light modulator 3 ″ (speed Vx ₁ ′
It differs from the first to third embodiments in that it moves in the ‘) direction. That is, in the above-described first to third embodiments, for example, when the imaging magnification of the projection optical system is set to 1, the scanning speed V of the substrate 5 is set.
xm and the scanning speed Vx ₁ of the two-dimensional spatial modulator were equal. However, in the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, Vxm = Vx _{1 ″} + Vd _{1 ″} . The reason for moving the two, that is, the two-dimensional light modulator and the display pattern image together is as follows.

The first reason is that the size of the spatial modulator in the scanning direction can be reduced by moving the two. Second
The reason is that if the spatial modulator is not moved at all, the display speed of the spatial modulator regulates the exposure throughput, and high throughput exposure cannot be performed. Therefore, it is only necessary to move the display pattern in the scanning direction on the two-dimensional spatial modulator within a range in which the switching speed of display is possible without any problem, and to move the two-dimensional spatial modulator itself in the scanning direction by the shortage.

Here, as a third embodiment, FIG.
Although the solution of the problem that the intensity between the picture elements becomes weaker and the pattern becomes a dot shape instead of a continuous pattern is shown by using, it can be solved by the following method in addition to this method. That is, in the case of the fourth embodiment shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, the same problem can be solved by slightly inclining the array of the two-dimensional spatial modulators in the scanning direction from the scanning direction. it can. With this arrangement, in the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 21 and 22, focusing on an arbitrary portion of the pattern to be exposed on the substrate, the two-dimensional spatial modulator used to expose that portion The number of picture elements is over k. For this reason, 1 is placed between k picture elements in the scanning direction in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.
If the pixels are tilted by an amount corresponding to the picture element, the intensity unevenness between adjacent picture elements in the direction perpendicular to the scanning direction is eliminated. Intensity unevenness between adjacent picture elements in the scanning direction is averaged by generating slight speed unevenness in the scanning speed during the time of scanning the two-dimensional optical modulator for the above-mentioned k minutes, thereby making unevenness. It is possible to lose it.

In the embodiment where the display pattern is not moved on the two-dimensional spatial modulator shown in FIG.
A method of preventing the exposure pattern of the substrate 5 from being uneven between adjacent picture elements regardless of the method of 0 will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the scanning direction, similar to the above-described method, a slight speed unevenness is generated in the scanning speed to average the intensity between adjacent picture elements. As for the direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, one pixel is meandered in this direction within the time for exposing the pixel of interest.

Details will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 23 is a diagram of a two-dimensional spatial modulator, and 310 represents one picture element of a micro mirror or a liquid crystal display element. Ie 2
Light transmitted or reflected by the dimensional spatial modulator emerges from this rectangular region of 310. In the figure, the shaded picture elements are in the ON state, that is, the regions that reflect or transmit light. Therefore, when this light is projected onto the substrate 5 by the projection exposure lens 4 (or 401, 402), AA and BB shown in FIG.
The projected image intensity distribution (exposure intensity distribution) of the cross section is as shown in (a) and (b) of FIG. When the imaging magnification is 1: 1 and the scanning of the projected image and the scanning of the substrate 5 are completely coincident with each other, the pattern exposed on the substrate is a dot-like pattern which coincides with FIG. . The original desired pattern wants adjacent dots in the ON state to be connected, but they are separated.

As shown in FIG. 23, picture element pitches in the x and y directions are Px and Py. Since the dimension of the exposure irradiation light in the scanning direction on the two-dimensional light modulator is We, the time for the exposure illumination light to pass through the pixel of interest is We / (Vx1 ″ -V
xm), so this time is _defined as t _ep . As shown in FIG. 25, during the scanning exposure time in the x direction.

That is, the scanning of the two-dimensional optical modulator is not performed at a constant speed as shown by a dotted line, but a slight speed unevenness is generated, and the deviation amount from the linear change of the x coordinate position is ± Δx.
Is about 0.2 to 0.8 of the picture element pitch Px. In this way, the projection pattern is swung in the x direction during the exposure of the pixel of interest. As a result, there is no unevenness between dots (dot-shaped separation) indicated by dotted lines as shown in FIG. 25 (a2), and a desired pattern having a uniform distribution can be obtained as indicated by solid lines.

On the other hand, regarding the pattern in the direction orthogonal to the scanning, as shown in FIGS. 25 (b1) and (b2), the two-dimensional spatial modulator that is originally stationary during t _ep is ± Δ in the y direction.
y Move. In this way, the projection pattern is swung in the y direction during the exposure of the pixel of interest. As a result, FIG.
As shown in (b2), there is no unevenness between dots (dot-shaped separation) indicated by dotted lines, and a desired pattern having a uniform distribution can be obtained as indicated by solid lines. FIG. 26 shows the above contents two-dimensionally.

When the two-dimensional light modulator is not slightly changed, the exposure pattern is as shown by the hatched line 722 in FIG. Is not exposed. However, it is preferable to finely move the two-dimensional optical modulator as described above.
As described above, the picture element space 723 ′ of the exposure area 720 for one visual field on the substrate 5 is exposed, and a desired pattern can be exposed.

In the exposure apparatus of the present invention, the above-described control of the two-dimensional optical modulator is originally performed by constantly measuring the stage position in the scanning direction and the direction orthogonal thereto by a laser length measuring device, a magnet scale, or the like (not shown). Since the stage is controlled by the control circuit 6 based on this measured value, it can be easily realized. Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the minute fluctuations of Δx and Δy are carried out by the two-dimensional spatial modulator, but the two-dimensional spatial modulator is linearly operated, and the minute fluctuation component is generated on the substrate stage as in the case of the two-dimensional spatial modulator. You can put it on.

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing a further embodiment for eliminating the reduction of the exposure intensity generated between the picture elements. Although the transmission type two-dimensional light modulator is used in the figure, the same effect can be obtained with the reflection type. The parts numbers in FIG. 27A and those in FIG. 1 that are the same represent the same items. The display surface of the liquid crystal 31 or the like that modulates the light of the two-dimensional spatial modulator 3 ″ is the 311 surface of FIG. 27 (b). A surface 312, which is displaced from the display surface 311 by Δ in the optical axis direction, is arranged in a conjugate positional relationship with the exposed surface of the substrate 5 by the projection exposure lens.
By doing so, the display pattern of the two-dimensional spatial modulator is projected on the substrate in a slightly defocused state. As a result, as shown in FIG. 27C, the space 72 between picture elements in the exposure area 720 for one visual field of the exposure optical system 4 on the substrate 5.
The reduction in the exposure intensity generated in 3 ″ is eliminated, and the desired pattern can be exposed on the substrate.

Next, a fifth embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 28, the same numbers as the part numbers in FIG. 17 represent the same items. In the second embodiment shown in FIG. 17, the deflector 1102 and 1202 scan the reflective two-dimensional spatial modulators 301 and 302 with the exposure light, but in the fifth embodiment shown in FIG. In the configuration, the aperture plate 13 is provided to the drive device 132.
And is driven up and down as indicated by arrow 73, and since the opening 131 of the aperture plate 31 is conjugate with the two-dimensional spatial modulator, the exposure light is scanned on the two-dimensional spatial modulator. This scanning is controlled by the controller 6 in synchronization with the scanning of the two-dimensional spatial modulators 301 and 302 and the scanning of the xy stage 9 on which the substrate is mounted. The exposure light applied to the aperture plate 13 is the aperture 1
The intensity of the exposure light passing through the aperture 131 does not change even when the aperture plate moves up and down, and is substantially uniform within the aperture.

On the xy stage 9 on which the substrate 5 is mounted,
There is a length measuring device 901 in the x direction and a length measuring device 902 in the y direction.
The position of the stage is measured with an accuracy of sub-μm, and the slight unevenness in the xy directions shown in the description of FIGS. This is executed by controlling the xy stage with the control circuit 6 based on the measurement data of the above-mentioned items 902 and 902.

Most of the exposure of the pattern on the exposed substrate may be repeated several times in the case of a display element such as liquid crystal, and may be repeated several tens of times in the case of a semiconductor circuit. In the case where an element is formed by performing a plurality of exposures in this manner, a new pattern is overlaid on the pattern that has already been exposed and formed. At this time, it is necessary to accurately perform overexposure on the already formed pattern. Therefore, the alignment marks 91 and 92 in FIG. 28 are formed on the substrate during the first pattern exposure. The pattern detection optical system 80 magnifies and forms this mark on the image pickup surface of the image pickup device 81 such as a CCD to detect the image of the mark. Positions of marks detected by the image pickup device and length measuring devices 901 and 902
The accurate position of the alignment marks 91 and 92 is obtained by the control circuit from the position of the xy stage detected in step S6. Based on this value, the exposure position, the position of the two-dimensional spatial light modulator, and its display pattern are determined, and scanning exposure is executed by a command from the control circuit so that the pattern can be accurately overlaid on the pattern already exposed on the substrate. To be done.

In the exposure of the second and subsequent layers, in addition to the positioning by the above-mentioned alignment mark, a pattern for alignment is exposed in the previously exposed pattern and this pattern is exposed before the scanning exposure to the pattern detection optical system 80. And the position of the two-dimensional modulator based on this value,
The display pattern and the position of the substrate may be determined by the control circuit 6 and the exposure scanning may be performed.

Further, the optical axes of the projection exposure optical systems 401 and 402 are deviated and an alignment detection optical system (not shown) is incorporated. By using this, the pattern position on the substrate is measured during exposure, and overlay control is performed in real time. May be. In this case, it is better to correct the fine movement alignment of the two-dimensional light modulator. In this way, for example, the substrate to be exposed is a flexible substrate or a soft substrate on a sheet, and even if these substrates are distorted, this distortion is detected in real time,
It becomes possible to perform exposure in accordance with this distortion, and even such a soft substrate can be exposed with high overlay accuracy.

In the first to fifth embodiments described above, the two-dimensional optical modulators (3, 31, 32, 301, 30) are used.
1 ′, 302, 302 ′, 3 ″) and the substrate 5 to be exposed are moved in opposite directions to perform exposure, but the two-dimensional optical modulator (3, 31, 32, 301, 3 Thirty
1 ′, 302, 302 ′, 3 ″) are fixed, the substrate 5 to be exposed is continuously moved, and the two-dimensional optical modulator (3, 31, 3) is moved.
2, 301, 301 ′, 302, 302 ′, 3 ″) may be sequentially changed in synchronization with the movement of the substrate to be exposed. That is, the two-dimensional light modulator (3, 3
1, 32, 301, 301 ', 302, 302', 3 '')
The two-dimensional optical modulators (3, 31, 32, 301, 301 ', 302, 3) so that the light pattern formed by (3) is continuously projected at the same position on the moving exposed substrate 5 for a certain time.
02 ′, 3 ″), the positions of the exposure patterns formed on the two-dimensional optical modulators (3, 3) are adjusted according to the movement of the substrate 5 to be exposed.
1, 32, 301, 301 ', 302, 302', 3 '')
Move on. As a result, the two-dimensional optical modulator (3, 3
1, 32, 301, 301 ', 302, 302', 3 '')
In the state in which is fixed, the light pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator can be continuously projected onto the substrate 5 to be exposed. FIG. 29 shows a method of forming a pattern on a substrate having a large step on the surface using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
The pattern already formed on the substrate 5 is a pattern having severe irregularities. Such a pattern is formed, for example, when a micromachine is formed by exposure. The substrate of No. 5 has 53 depressions, and 53 from the ridgeline of 5301 on the substrate surface.
There is a linear slope part of 1 and 53
There is a bottom part of 2.

When it is necessary to expose the pattern 54 to such a recessed portion, it is difficult to expose the desired pattern to the substrate surface, the slope surface and the bottom surface at the same time by performing ordinary exposure. When the pattern line width d becomes fine and the step h becomes large, the depth of focus Δ of exposure becomes smaller than h, and it becomes difficult to form a pattern by one exposure. That is, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 29B, the depth of focus (the width in the optical axis direction at which the pattern having the pattern width d can be exposed)
Dividing the cross section by Δ, 551, 552, 553 and 554
Is divided into layers. That is, each layer has an interval of Δ, and the pattern can be exposed in each layer. Therefore, to expose the entire pattern 54, for example, the substrate is moved by Δ in the optical axis direction,
Focusing is performed for each of the layers described above, and exposure is performed four times.

Conventionally, to perform such exposure, FIG.
In order to expose the white pattern of (c), it is necessary to manufacture four masks of the exposure patterns shown in (d) to (g) of FIG. 29 in each layer portion, and perform exposure while sequentially exchanging them. was there. In the method of using the two-dimensional spatial modulator of the present invention, it is not necessary to prepare such a mask, the display pattern is changed one after another as shown in FIGS. 29D to 29G, and the substrate or the projection exposure lens is moved in the optical axis direction. By moving Δ by Δ, it becomes possible to easily, inexpensively and at high speed expose such a pattern having a large step.

FIG. 30 illustrates a case where the present conductor wafer is processed using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention. 5 ''
Is a wafer, and 501 is a chip exposed and manufactured on this wafer. Reference numeral 5002 is wafer information in which information necessary for the manufacturing process of this wafer is recorded. This 5002
First, the wafer lot number, the wafer number, the conditions and items in each process required in the manufacturing process are recorded. In addition, the conditions and matters to be recorded at the stage when the process is completed are newly entered. Such information is 1
The invention is not limited to the whole wafer. This is possible because, for example, the array address is determined even in the information of each exposure shot or each chip in the wafer.

FIG. 31 shows feedback and feedforward of the semiconductor manufacturing process including the exposure process by utilizing the information recorded on the wafer 5002 as described above to realize more reliable and automated production. . P _exn is an exposure apparatus of the present invention or a conventional exposure apparatus. In this exposure apparatus, the process conditions pre-exposed on the wafer of FIG. 30 are read by, for example, the pattern detection optical system 80 and the image pickup apparatus 81 of FIG. 28, and the exposure and subsequent processes are automatically set based on the read information. . That is, the exposure conditions, film formation conditions, heat treatment conditions, etc. recorded in the 5002 part on the wafer 5 ″ are read and temporarily stored in the control device 60. Based on the recorded conditions, the exposure P _exn and the subsequent processes P _n1 , P _n2 ,
And the conditions of P _{n 3} are read from the control device 60 and the condition of each process device is set.

Of the conditions actually executed between P _exn and P _n3 , the one that affects the subsequent process is set to P _{exn + 1} if necessary.
When the exposure is performed, additional recording is performed in the area 5002 of the wafer 5 ″. By doing so, it becomes possible to flexibly perform the optimum processing required for each wafer in the lot. In such an exposure process, several tens of one exposure unit processes shown in FIG. 31 are repeatedly executed until the LSI is completed, and it is possible to read and write conditions as described above each time, and to manage information on a wafer basis. And process control becomes possible.

It is also possible to simultaneously realize the above-mentioned condition management and control on a wafer-by-wafer basis and the management on a chip-by-chip basis already using FIG. 18, and complete production control of LSI chips and wafers, which was impossible in the past. Made possible.

FIG. 32 shows a schematic manufacturing process of an electronic device using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention. Here, a process of processing a semiconductor wafer will be described as an example of an electronic device.

In the manufacturing process shown in FIG.
8 is provided with a pattern detection optical system 80 and an image pickup device 81 such as a CCD, the photosensitive wafer coated on the surface of the semiconductor wafer by P _exn based on the information read by the semiconductor wafer information reading device P _R. The film is exposed, and the control device 60 stores the exposure conditions such as the exposure condition, the alignment accuracy with the lower layer pattern inspected by _Ine , and the exposure pattern width. Based on these conditions, conditions such as etching are input to the process apparatus P _n1 to perform optimum etching on the semiconductor wafer. After this etching, various measurements such as the line width of the pattern formed on the semiconductor wafer are measured.
performed by _n1, and stores the result to the control unit.

P _n2 is a film forming process. Control device 6
The film forming conditions are determined based on the information stored in 0, and the film is formed on the surface of the semiconductor wafer. After the film formation, the film thickness and the like are measured by _In2 , and the result is stored in the control device 60. Depending on the apparatus, this measurement may be performed in the film formation apparatus during film formation. The semiconductor wafer is annealed by the heat treatment apparatus P _n3 based on the result of the film formation as described above. The conditions for this annealing are also stored in the control circuit. Next, film formation is performed by the film formation device P _n4 , the film thickness is measured by I _n2 , and the result is stored in the control device.

Of the various information stored in the control device in the processes from P _exn to P _n4 , the necessary information is the next two-dimensional light modulator 3 (or 301, 302) in the exposure process P _{exn + 1.} It is recorded in 5002 on the electronic device 5 ″ using. In this way, since the history of the semiconductor wafer manufacturing process can be recorded on the semiconductor wafer, all the information necessary for the semiconductor circuit manufacturing process can be left on the wafer, and the manufacturing process can be analyzed. It will be easy to do.

Although the semiconductor device manufacturing process has been described as an example of the above-described electronic device manufacturing process, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be used, for example, in a printed circuit board manufacturing process. When the present invention is applied to the manufacturing process of a printed circuit board, different circuit patterns can be formed for a small number of lots or for each one at a practical processing speed, and each printing can be performed by using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention. Information unique to each substrate can be formed as a pattern on the substrate. As a result, it is possible to easily obtain information about the history of the printed circuit boards incorporated in various devices, which can be placed in the manufacturing process, as needed.

[0087]

According to the present invention, pattern exposure can be performed at high speed over a wide range without using a mask or a reticle, and a mask or a reticle is not required.
As a result, the storage space for the mask and reticle is no longer needed, and the transporting device for these masks and reticle is no longer required. As a result, a great economic effect is produced in device manufacturing.

Since various devices manufactured by this exposure apparatus have numbers and necessary information recorded for each individual device, quality control during manufacturing, product quality assurance, maintenance, and quick response in case of product accident It is also very effective in gaining customer trust in the product.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a two-dimensional spatial modulator.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a substrate to be exposed for explaining a relative positional relationship between the substrate to be exposed and exposure illumination light.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a substrate to be exposed for explaining an adjacent scanning region of exposure light that relatively scans the exposure substrate.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an exposure visual field showing a temporal change of an imaging range and an illumination position by a projection lens on a two-dimensional spatial modulator.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a two-dimensional spatial light modulator and a two-dimensional spatial light modulator showing a change in position of exposure illumination light.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a substrate to be exposed showing exposure light on the substrate to be exposed and a change in image position by a projection optical system of a two-dimensional light modulator.

FIGS. 8A to 8D are graphs showing a relative relationship between a substrate to be exposed, a two-dimensional spatial modulator, and a change in position of exposure light.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a substrate to be exposed for explaining a state in which a plurality of exposure optical systems are provided side by side.

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a substrate to be exposed for explaining adjacent exposure fields of a plurality of exposure optical systems provided side by side.

FIG. 11 is a front view showing a detailed configuration of an exposure illumination optical system of the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of an aperture plate that determines an exposure area.

FIG. 13 is a plan view of a rod lens array (integrator) in the exposure illumination system.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the shape of one lens in the rod lens array.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an exposure apparatus having a configuration in which a plurality of exposure optical systems are obtained from one light source, which is a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 16 is a front view of an exposure apparatus that is a modification of the first embodiment of the present invention and has a configuration in which a plurality of exposure optical systems are obtained from one light source.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the basic configuration of an exposure optical apparatus using a reflective two-dimensional spatial modulator according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a plan view of a device in which information unique to each device is recorded according to the present invention.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a proximity exposure apparatus to which the exposure method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing a relationship between a two-dimensional spatial modulator and a microlens array of an exposure apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 21 is a front view showing a basic configuration of an exposure optical apparatus showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a plan view of a display pattern on a two-dimensional spatial modulator in an embodiment diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a plan view showing a pixel display aperture of a two-dimensional spatial modulator.

24 (a) is a graph showing the exposure intensity distribution in the AA cross section of FIG. 23, and FIG. 24 (b) is a graph showing the exposure intensity distribution in the BB cross section of FIG.

FIG. 25 (a1) is a graph showing a deviation from a linear change in the x-coordinate position in the AA cross section of FIG. 23;
(A2) is a graph showing the exposure intensity distribution at this time, (b1) is a graph showing the deviation from the linear change of the y coordinate position in the BB cross section of FIG. 23, and (b2) is
It is a graph which shows exposure intensity distribution at this time.

FIG. 26A is a plan view of an exposure pattern when the two-dimensional optical modulator is not slightly changed, and FIG.
[Fig. 6] is a plan view of an exposure pattern in the case where a two-dimensional light modulator is slightly changed.

FIG. 27 (a) is a schematic front view of an exposure optical system for reducing the strength between adjacent picture elements according to the present invention, (b).
Is a front view of the liquid crystal display surface showing the relationship between the liquid crystal display surface of the exposure optical system shown in (a) and the position conjugate with the exposed surface of the substrate of the projection imaging lens system, and (c) is the front view of the substrate. It is a top view of an exposure surface.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing the basic structure of an exposure apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

29A is a perspective view of a substrate having a large step on the surface, FIG. 29B is a sectional view of the substrate, FIG. 29C is a plan view of an exposure pattern on the substrate, and FIGS. FIG. 7A is a plan view of a conventional divided pattern for exposing the pattern of (c).

FIG. 30 is a plan view of an exposure substrate such as a wafer in which information is written.

FIG. 31 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an exposure system using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a semiconductor device manufacturing system using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Exposure illumination system 2 ... Exposure light deflection means 3 ... Spatial modulator 4 ... Projection exposure optical system 5 ... Exposed substrate 6 ... Control circuit

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Naoya Isada             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Inside the Hitachi, Ltd. production technology laboratory (72) Inventor Kinhide Yamaguchi             292 Yoshida-cho, Totsuka-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa             Inside the Hitachi, Ltd. production technology laboratory F term (reference) 2H088 EA22 EA44 HA20 HA21 HA25                       HA28 MA20                 5F046 AA16 AA28 BA05 CB01 CC15                       DD03

Claims (18)

[Claims] 1. A pattern exposure method for exposing a substrate to be exposed by exposing a two-dimensional optical information pattern on the substrate by using a two-dimensional light modulator capable of controlling a light modulation state. The first region on the exposed substrate is exposed while moving the two-dimensional optical information pattern projected on the substrate and the exposed substrate relatively, and then adjacent to the first region on the exposed substrate. Projecting onto the exposed substrate in the second region 2
A pattern exposure method comprising exposing a second region on the exposed substrate while moving the three-dimensional light information pattern and the exposed substrate relatively. 2. A first region and the second region on the substrate to be exposed.
2. The pattern exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the areas of FIG. 3. A two-dimensional optical information pattern projected on the substrate to be exposed is formed in a partial area of the two-dimensional optical modulator capable of controlling the optical modulation state, and a part of the two-dimensional optical modulator. 2. The area of 1 moves with the relative movement of the substrate to be exposed and the two-dimensional optical information pattern.
The pattern exposure method described. 4. A pattern exposure method for projecting a two-dimensional optical information pattern onto a substrate to be exposed by using a two-dimensional light modulator capable of controlling a light modulation state, and exposing the substrate to be exposed. A two-dimensional light information pattern is simultaneously projected onto a substrate to be exposed, and the plurality of two-dimensional light information patterns thus projected are relatively moved with respect to the substrate to be exposed so that a plurality of regions on the substrate to be exposed simultaneously. A pattern exposure method, which comprises exposing. 5. The pattern exposure method according to claim 4, wherein adjacent regions of the plurality of regions partially overlap each other. 6. A plurality of two-dimensional optical information patterns projected on the substrate to be exposed are a plurality of two-dimensional optical information patterns capable of controlling the light modulation state.
The two-dimensional optical modulator is formed by a partial area of each of the two-dimensional optical modulators, and the partial area of each of the plurality of two-dimensional optical modulators is accompanied by relative movement of the exposed substrate and the two-dimensional optical information pattern. 5. The pattern exposure method according to claim 4, wherein the pattern exposure method is performed by moving the same. 7. A two-dimensional light modulator is irradiated with light emitted from a light source for scanning, and a pattern formed in a light-irradiated region on the two-dimensional modulator is relative to the two-dimensional modulator. A pattern exposure method, which comprises exposing the substrate to be exposed by projecting it onto the substrate to be exposed which moves to the substrate. 8. The light emitted from the light source is divided into a plurality of pieces,
8. The pattern exposure method according to claim 7, wherein the two-dimensional light modulator is irradiated with each of the light beams divided into the plurality. 9. A light source for emitting a light beam, a scanning means for scanning the light beam emitted from the light source, and two-dimensional light for receiving a light beam scanned by the scanning means to form a two-dimensional light information pattern. Modulator means, optical system means for projecting a two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator means onto a substrate to be exposed, and the substrate to be exposed is placed and movable in at least a plane. A pattern exposure apparatus comprising a table means. 10. The light source emits a plurality of light beams, and the scanning means, the two-dimensional light modulator means, and the optical system means are provided corresponding to each of the plurality of beams. The patterned exposure apparatus according to claim 9. 11. A light source, a two-dimensional light modulator means for receiving light emitted from the light source to form a two-dimensional light information pattern, and a two-dimensional light information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator means. Optical system means for projecting the exposure target substrate onto the substrate to be exposed, table means for mounting the substrate to be exposed and movable at least in a plane, control means for controlling the two-dimensional light modulator means and the table means The control means controls the table means to two-dimensionally scan and expose the two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator means on the exposed substrate. Pattern exposure device. 12. The two-dimensional light modulator means is constituted by using a liquid crystal element.
1. The pattern exposure apparatus according to any one of 1. 13. The pattern exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the liquid crystal element is a reflective liquid crystal element. 14. The two-dimensional light modulator means is provided with a mechanism for arranging a large number of minute mirrors in a two-dimensional manner and deflecting each minute mirror by an electric signal to perform optical modulation. Item 12. The pattern exposure apparatus according to any one of items 9 to 11. 15. A first area on the substrate by projecting the two-dimensional optical information pattern onto the substrate while relatively moving the two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator and the substrate. And then relatively moving the two-dimensional optical information pattern formed by the two-dimensional light modulator on the substrate to the second region adjacent to the first region on the substrate and the substrate. An exposing step of exposing a desired area of the substrate by sequentially exposing a second area on the substrate with the two-dimensional optical information pattern, and developing the substrate having exposed the desired area by the exposing step. By performing a developing step of forming a desired mask pattern on the substrate, and an etching step of etching the substrate using the desired mask pattern formed in the developing step as a mask. Method of manufacturing an electronic device according to claim and. 16. The exposure step, wherein information about exposure is exposed as a two-dimensional light information pattern on the substrate by using the two-dimensional light modulator.
5. The method for manufacturing the electronic device according to 5. 17. An electronic device having a circuit pattern formed on a substrate, wherein the electronic device has information peculiar to the electronic device formed in a thin film pattern. 18. The electronic device according to claim 17, wherein the thin film pattern is formed through an exposure process.