CN110325922B - Pattern drawing device and pattern drawing method - Google Patents

Abstract

A pattern drawing method is provided in which a substrate (P) is moved in a sub-scanning direction while scanning a drawing beam (LBn) modulated to ON or OFF according to a pattern ON the substrate (P) in a main scanning direction by a Polygon Mirror (PM) to draw the pattern ON the substrate (P). A pattern drawing method measures an actual integrated value (FXn) of a photoelectric signal (SS1) added during at least one scanning of a drawing beam (LBn) in a main scanning direction, wherein the photoelectric signal (SS1) is outputted from a photoelectric sensor (SM1d) which receives the drawing beam (LBn) before entering a Polygon Mirror (PM) in accordance with the intensity of the drawing beam (LBn) in an ON state. Then, the intensity of the drawing beam (LBn) in the ON state is adjusted based ON an appropriate intensity to be set when the drawing beam (LBn) is in the ON state and the difference between a target integrated value and an actual integrated value (FXn) which is predetermined based ON the product of the number of pixels set in the ON state out of the total number of pixels arranged in the main scanning direction.

Description

Pattern drawing device and pattern drawing method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a pattern drawing device and a pattern drawing method for drawing a pattern or the like for an electronic component on a flexible substrate in a roll-to-roll manner or a single-chip manner.

Background

Jp 2013 a-148668 a discloses an optical scanning device (pattern drawing device) in which laser light from a laser light source (surface-emitting laser light having a plurality of light-emitting points) is reflected by each of deflection and reflection surfaces of a rotating polygon mirror and is incident on an f θ lens, and the light is scanned one-dimensionally on a photosensitive drum rotating in a sub-scanning direction. In jp 2013-148668 a, in order to control the light quantity of the laser light irradiated onto the photoreceptor cylinder with respect to the deflection and reflection surfaces of the polygon mirrors to a predetermined value, the light quantity of the beam from the light emitting element LD is detected by a photodetector (101) disposed near a light source (VCSEL) provided with the light emitting element LD, and the detected light quantity is compared with a reference value to control the drive current (light emission quantity) of the light emitting element LD. Further, in jp 2013-148668 a, the light quantity of the beam is set to 100% at any time when the SOS sensor is irradiated with the beam immediately before image writing, and the current of the light source (light emitting element LD) corresponding to the light quantity set at the writing position (drawing start position of the image) of the beam scanning (writing line) is set (changed to 100% or less and to 100% or more) at the time of image writing, so that the image is formed in the image area of the photosensitive drum.

However, pattern exposure (drawing, processing) using a laser light source having a peak spectrum in an ultraviolet wavelength range of about 190nm to 400nm uses, for example, an excimer laser light source, that is, a pulsed light source in which the beam intensity is secured by pulse oscillation. Such a pulsed light source oscillating at high output in the ultraviolet wavelength range can be controlled so that the peak intensity is constant during continuous pulse oscillation at a constant frequency, but as the oscillation frequency becomes higher, it is difficult to accurately control the peak intensity for each 1 pulse of light oscillated. Therefore, when such a pulsed light source in the ultraviolet wavelength region is used in a pattern drawing device of a polygon mirror as disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2013-148668, the oscillation frequency must be set to be considerably high in view of the relationship between the scanning speed of the beam scanned on 1 reflection surface of the polygon mirror (or the scanning time of the drawn 1 line amount) and the spot diameter of the beam on the irradiation target. Further, when the scanning speed of the beam of the polygon mirror is increased, the locus of a point formed by 1 pulse light projected on the irradiation object is elongated in the main scanning direction and becomes elliptical to be exposed, and therefore the light emission time of the pulse light is set to be extremely short. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately measure the light amount per 1 pulse of the beam exposed to the irradiation object with an inexpensive photosensor, and setting or maintaining an appropriate exposure amount becomes incorrect.

Disclosure of Invention

A 1 st aspect of the present invention is a pattern drawing device including a drawing unit that scans a drawing beam in a main scanning direction by a scanning member, and draws a pattern ON a substrate by relatively moving the substrate and the drawing unit in a sub-scanning direction, the drawing beam being modulated ON or OFF according to a pattern to be drawn ON the substrate, the pattern drawing device including: a storage unit that stores drawing data indicating an ON state and an OFF state of the drawing beam in units of pixels when the pattern drawn ON the substrate is divided into an array of two-dimensional pixels in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction; a photosensor that outputs a photoelectric signal corresponding to the intensity of the writing beam in an ON state before the writing beam enters the scanning member; a light quantity measuring unit that measures an actual integrated light quantity obtained by adding the photoelectric signal output from the photoelectric sensor while the drawing beam is scanned at least once in the main scanning direction; and a drawing control device for adjusting the target intensity of the drawing beam in the ON state based ON a difference between a target integrated light amount obtained by multiplying the target intensity to be set when the drawing beam is in the ON state by the number of pixels set in the ON state among the total number of pixels arranged in the main scanning direction and the actual integrated light amount measured by the light amount measuring unit.

A 2 nd aspect of the present invention is a pattern drawing method for drawing a pattern ON a substrate by relatively moving the substrate and a drawing unit in a sub-scanning direction intersecting a main scanning direction while one-dimensionally scanning a drawing beam modulated ON or OFF in accordance with a pattern to be drawn ON the substrate in the main scanning direction by a scanning means, the method comprising: an operation of storing drawing data indicating an ON state and an OFF state of the drawing beam in a storage unit in units of the pixels when the pattern to be drawn ON the substrate is divided into an arrangement of two-dimensional pixels in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction; an operation of measuring an actual integrated value of a photoelectric signal, which is output from a photoelectric sensor that receives at least a part of the drawing beam before the drawing beam is incident ON the scanning member, in accordance with the intensity of the drawing beam in the ON state, during a period in which the drawing beam is scanned at least once in the main scanning direction; and an operation of adjusting the intensity of the drawing beam in the ON state based ON an appropriate intensity to be set when the drawing beam is in the ON state and a difference between a target integrated value and the actual integrated value, which is predetermined based ON a product of the number of pixels set in the ON state among the total number of pixels arranged in the main scanning direction.

A 3 rd aspect of the present invention is a pattern drawing device for drawing a pattern on a substrate by arranging a 1 st drawing unit and a 2 nd drawing unit, which scan spot light whose intensity is modulated in accordance with the pattern in a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction, on the substrate by moving the substrate in the sub-scanning direction, the pattern drawing device comprising: a light source device for generating a beam as the spot light; a beam switching unit including: a 1 st selection optical element for passing the beam from the light source device and deflecting an optical path of the beam by electrical control when the beam is supplied to the 1 st drawing unit; and a 2 nd optical element for selection, which passes the beam from the light source device passing through the 1 st optical element for selection, and deflects an optical path of the beam by electrical control when the beam is supplied to the 2 nd drawing unit; a 1 st optical system for forming a 1 st condensed position optically conjugate to a spot light formed by the beam projected from the 1 st drawing unit onto the substrate, in an optical path between the light source device and the 1 st optical element for selection; a 2 nd optical system for forming a 2 nd light condensing position optically conjugate to the spot light formed by the beam projected from the 2 nd drawing unit to the substrate and also conjugate to the 1 st light condensing position in an optical path between the 1 st selective optical element and the 2 nd selective optical element; and an adjusting member for displacing the 1 st condensing position in a direction along the optical path in order to adjust the focus state of the spot light.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the overall schematic configuration of the pattern drawing device according to embodiment 1, viewed from the front.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the schematic overall configuration of the pattern drawing device shown in fig. 1, as viewed from the back side.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing a schematic arrangement of 6 drawing units, a light source device, a beam switching unit, and a rotating cylinder supporting a substrate, which are mounted on the pattern drawing device shown in fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a specific internal configuration of 1 drawing unit out of the 6 drawing units shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a specific optical arrangement of the optical element for selection (AOM), the selective mirror, and the relay optical system included in the beam switching unit shown in fig. 3.

Fig. 6A is a diagram illustrating several examples of the arrangement of the photosensors provided for detecting the intensity (light quantity) of the drawing beam in the drawing unit shown in fig. 4, and is also a diagram illustrating a part of the optical path in the drawing unit viewed in the XZ plane, and fig. 6B is a diagram illustrating several examples of the arrangement of the photosensors provided for detecting the intensity (light quantity) of the drawing beam in the drawing unit shown in fig. 4, and is also a diagram illustrating a part of the optical path in the drawing unit viewed in the XY plane.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a beam switching unit, a drawing control device, and a light amount measuring unit for selectively dividing a beam from a light source device to any one of 6 drawing units.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a specific internal configuration of the light source device shown in fig. 3 and 7.

Fig. 9 is a block diagram showing a schematic configuration of an intensity adjustment control unit for beam intensity, which is provided in the drawing control device shown in fig. 7 and includes a drive circuit for driving each of a plurality of optical elements for Selection (AOMs) in the beam switching unit.

Fig. 10 is a graph showing an example of a change characteristic of diffraction efficiency with respect to a change in RF power applied to a drive signal for selecting an optical element (AOM).

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a circuit configuration for measuring an integrated value corresponding to an exposure amount of a drawing beam, which is provided in the light amount measuring section in fig. 7 to which photoelectric signals from the photosensors in the drawing units shown in fig. 6A and 6B are input.

Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an encoder system for measuring the rotational angle position of the rotating cylinder shown in fig. 3 and an alignment system for detecting a mark or the like on a substrate.

Fig. 13 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the drawing unit when drawing the pattern for electronic components based on the drawing data (SDn) stored in the drawing control device shown in fig. 7.

Fig. 14 is a timing chart showing a relationship between pulses of spot light (beam) and pixels when a line & space pattern having a line width of 8 μm is drawn in the main scanning direction based on drawing data obtained by dividing a drawing pattern into pixel units.

Fig. 15 is a waveform diagram schematically showing waveforms of photoelectric signals from the respective photoelectric sensors provided in the former stage and the latter stage of the optical path in the drawing unit shown in fig. 6A and 6B or the beam switching unit shown in fig. 7.

Fig. 16 is a characteristic diagram used for estimating the intensity variation of ON/pulsed light of a beam supplied to the drawing unit from the light amount integration (integrated value) of the spot light (beam) formed by the drawing unit in one scanning period.

Fig. 17 is a diagram showing an example of arrangement of a pattern region and alignment marks formed on a substrate, and respective drawing lines of 6 drawing units set on the substrate and a detection region (detection field) of an alignment system, in order to explain modification 1 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 18 is a characteristic diagram partially modified from the characteristic diagram shown in fig. 16 as modification 2 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing an example of a test pattern drawn by a drawing unit to correct the characteristic diagrams of fig. 16 and 18 as modification 3 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 20 is a diagram showing a configuration in which 2 light source devices are provided by using the beam switching unit arrangement shown in fig. 3 as a modification 8 of embodiment 1.

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing a configuration of a focus adjustment optical member disposed in an optical path of a beam emitted from a light source device for performing focus adjustment according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 22 is a view showing a configuration of a coupling (packing) mechanism for guiding a beam from a light source device to a drawing unit and performing optical measurement in order to inspect or adjust the drawing unit according to embodiment 3.

FIG. 23 is a view showing an example of the arrangement of a test pattern region for confirming the adequacy of the exposure amount or the focus state drawn on the substrate in order to perform the test exposure of embodiment 4.

Fig. 24 is a diagram showing a configuration in which a sheet-like substrate used in test exposure for confirming a focus state of a drawing unit is in a plane, as a modification of embodiment 4.

FIG. 25 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the laminated structure of the sheet-like substrate shown in FIG. 24.

Detailed Description

Preferred embodiments of a pattern drawing apparatus according to aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings. The aspects of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments, and various changes and modifications may be made. That is, the components described below include those which can be easily derived by a person skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and substantially the same, and the components described below can be appropriately combined. Various omissions, substitutions, and changes in the components can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[ embodiment 1 ]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the entire configuration of a roll-to-roll substrate processing apparatus (pattern exposure apparatus) viewed from the front side. The substrate processing apparatus shown in fig. 1 is configured to expose a pattern for an electronic component to a photosensitive layer (photosensitive functional layer) such as a resist layer, a photosensitive silane coupling layer, or a film of an ultraviolet curable resin on the surface of a sheet-like substrate P (hereinafter, also referred to simply as a substrate P) in an exposure unit main body (exposure apparatus, drawing apparatus) EX surrounded by a chamber CB. In fig. 1, a plane parallel to a floor surface of a factory where the entire substrate processing apparatus is installed is defined as an XY plane of an orthogonal coordinate system XYZ, and a Z direction perpendicular to the XY plane is defined as a gravity direction.

The long flexible sheet-like substrate P coated with the photosensitive layer and prebaked (preheated) is wound around the supply roller FR and is mounted on a rotating shaft protruding in the-Y direction from the supply roller mounting part EPC 1. The supply roller mounting portion EPC1 is provided on the side surface of the winding-out/winding portion 10 on the-X side, and is configured so that the entire portion can be slightly moved in the ± Y direction. The sheet-like substrate P pulled out from the supply roller FR is sent to the cleaning roller CUR1 attached to the cleaner section 11 adjacent in the + X direction via the edge sensor Eps1 attached to the side surface of the reel-out/reel-in section 10 parallel to the XZ plane, the plurality of rollers having the rotation axes parallel to the Y axis, and the tension roller RT1 for applying tension and measuring tension. The cleaning roller CUR1 is formed of two rollers whose outer peripheral surfaces are adhesive and which rotate in contact with the front and back surfaces of the sheet-like substrate P to remove fine particles or foreign matter adhering to the front and back surfaces of the sheet-like substrate P.

The sheet-like substrate P passing through the cleaning roller CUR1 of the cleaner unit 11 is carried into the exposure unit main body EX through an opening CP1 formed by extending in a Y-direction slit (slot) shape on the side wall of the chamber CB of the exposure unit main body EX via a nip roller NR1 and a tension roller RT2 provided to project in the-Y direction from the XZ surface of the tension adjustment unit 12. The surface of the sheet substrate P on which the photosensitive layer is formed faces upward (+ Z direction) when passing through the opening CP 1. The sheet-like substrate P subjected to the exposure process in the exposure section main body EX is carried out through an opening CP2 formed on the-Z side of the opening CP1 so as to extend in a slit-like manner in the Y direction as a side wall of the chamber CB. At this time, the surface of the sheet substrate P on which the photosensitive layer is formed faces downward. The sheet-like substrate P carried out through the opening CP2 is sent to the cleaning roller CUR2 of the cleaner section 11 adjacent in the-X direction via the tension roller RT3 and the nip roller NR2 provided to protrude in the-Y direction from the XZ surface of the tension adjusting section 12. The cleaning roller CUR2 is configured similarly to the cleaning roller CUR 1.

The sheet-like substrate P passing through the cleaning roller CUR2 of the cleaner unit 11 is wound up by the recovery roller RR via the tension roller RT4 attached to the lower portion of the side surface of the reel-up/reel unit 10 parallel to the XZ plane, the edge sensor Eps2, and a plurality of rollers having rotation axes parallel to the Y axis. The recovery roller RR is provided at the lower part of the-X side surface of the winding-out/winding unit 10, and is attached to a rotation shaft of a recovery roller attachment unit EPC2 whose entire structure is capable of fine movement in the ± Y direction. The recovery roller RR rolls up the sheet substrate P so that the photosensitive layer of the sheet substrate P faces the outer peripheral surface side. In this manner, in the substrate processing apparatus of fig. 1, the sheet-like substrate P is conveyed in the longitudinal direction in a state where the width direction (short side direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction) of the front surface (surface to be processed) of the sheet-like substrate P is constantly in the Y direction from the supply roller FR to the winding by the recovery roller RR. Further, in the configuration of the substrate processing apparatus of fig. 1, the supply roll FR and the recovery roll RR are arranged in the unwinding/winding section 10 in the Z direction, and therefore the roll exchange operation is simple.

In fig. 1, the sheet-like substrate P after CUR2 or after NR2 by cleaning roller CUR1 of cleaner unit 11 or by nip roller NR1 may be charged with static electricity of several thousands of volts. Therefore, an ionizer for neutralizing charged static electricity may be provided at an appropriate position of the transport path of the sheet-like substrate P, or a charge removing function (an electrode portion for discharge, a brush, or the like) may be provided at a part of the transport drum or around the drum.

In the present embodiment, although the substrate processing apparatus is configured to perform the exposure process on the sheet-like substrate P in a roll-to-roll manner, a coating section and a drying section for coating a photosensitive layer on the surface of the sheet-like substrate P may be provided between the supply roller FR and the exposure section main body EX, or a wet processing section and a drying section for performing a wet process such as a development process or a plating process on the sheet-like substrate P after the exposure process may be provided between the exposure section main body EX and the recovery roller RR. Further, a rotation shaft for mounting a roller around which a protective sheet (for protecting the surface to be processed of the sheet-shaped substrate P) is wound is provided in parallel with the rotation shaft of the supply roller FR or the recovery roller RR in each of the supply roller mounting unit EPC1 and the recovery roller mounting unit EPC 2.

The supply roller mounting unit EPC1 includes a server motor or a gear box (reduction gear) for applying a predetermined rotational torque to the supply roller FR, and the server motor is controlled by the server by the control unit of the transport mechanism based on the tension amount measured by the tension roller RT 1. Similarly, the recovery roller mounting unit EPC2 includes a server motor or a gear box (reduction gear) for applying a predetermined rotational torque to the recovery roller RR, and the server motor is controlled by the server by the control unit of the transport mechanism based on the tension amount measured by the tension roller RT 4. Further, the measurement information from the edge sensor Eps1 that measures the displacement of one end portion (edge portion) of the sheet-like substrate P in the Y direction is sent to the drive control section of the server motor that moves the supply roller mounting section EPC1 (and the supply roller FR) in the ± Y direction, and the positional deviation of the sheet-like substrate P in the Y direction, which is moved to the exposure section main body EX by the edge sensor Eps1, is constantly suppressed within a predetermined allowable range. Similarly, the measurement information from the edge sensor Eps2 that measures the displacement of one end (edge) of the sheet-like substrate P in the Y direction is sent to the drive control unit of the server motor that moves the recovery roller mounting unit EPC2 (and the recovery roller RR) in the ± Y direction, and the winding undulation of the sheet-like substrate P is suppressed by moving the recovery roller RR in the Y direction in accordance with the positional deviation of the sheet-like substrate P in the Y direction by the edge sensor Eps 2.

A step portion 13 extending in the X direction and provided on the factory floor is provided on the-Y direction side of each of the unwinding/winding portion 10, the cleaner portion 11, and the tension adjusting portion 12 constituting the conveying mechanism shown in fig. 1. The step portion 13 has a width of several tens of cm in the Y direction so that an operator can ride on the step portion to perform adjustment work or maintenance work. In the step portion 13, various electric wirings, pipes for air conditioning, pipes for cooling liquid, and other accessories are housed. On the + Y direction side of the stage portion 13, a power supply unit 14, a laser control unit 15 for controlling a laser light source (see fig. 3 below) for generating an exposure beam, a laser light source, a polygon mirror (see fig. 5 below) for drawing a pattern, a cooler unit 16 for circulating a cooling liquid (Coolant) for cooling a heat generating portion such as an optical modulator for beam switching, an air conditioning unit 17 for supplying a temperature-adjusted gas into the chamber CB of the exposure portion main body EX, and the like are arranged.

In the above configuration, the sheet-like substrate P on the upstream side of the exposure unit main body EX is given a substantially constant tension in the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction) by the nip roller NR1 and the tension roller RT2 attached to the tension adjusting unit 12. The tension roller RT2 includes a tension measuring unit (sensor) and is movable in the ± Z direction in fig. 1 by the server motor so that the measured tension amount becomes a value of a command issued. The nip roller NR1 is configured such that two parallel rollers face each other with a constant pressing force, and one of the rollers is rotated by a server motor while nipping the sheet-like substrate P therebetween, whereby the sheet-like substrate P can be divided by applying tensions to the upstream side and the downstream side of the nip roller NR 1. The transport speed of the sheet-like substrate P can be actively controlled by the rotational driving of the server motor of one of the rollers of the nip roller NR1, and for example, after the rotational server of the server motor of the nip roller NR1 is locked in a stopped state (speed zero), the sheet-like substrate P can be locked (stopped) at the position of the nip roller NR 1.

Similarly, the sheet-like substrate P on the downstream side of the exposure unit main body EX is applied with a substantially constant tension in the longitudinal direction (conveyance direction) by the nip roller NR2 and the tension roller RT3 attached to the tension adjusting unit 12. The tension roller RT3 includes a tension measuring unit (sensor) and is movable in the ± Z direction in fig. 1 by the server motor so that the measured tension amount becomes a value of a command issued. Since the nip roller NR2 is actively rotated by the server motor similarly to the nip roller NR1, the tension applied to the sheet-like substrate on the upstream side and the downstream side of the nip roller NR2 can be divided. By locking the rotation of the server motor of the nip roller NR2 in a stopped state (speed zero), the sheet-like substrate P can be locked (stopped) at the position of the nip roller NR 2.

Further, in the present embodiment, by synchronously controlling the server motor for rotationally driving the supply roller FR and the server motor for rotationally driving the nip roller NR1 based on the amount of tension measured by the tension roller RT1, a predetermined tension can be applied to the sheet-like substrate P in the conveyance path from the supply roller FR to the nip roller NR 1. Similarly, by synchronously controlling the server motor for rotationally driving the recovery roller RR and the server motor for rotationally driving the nip roller NR2 based on the tension amount measured by the tension roller RT4, a predetermined tension can be applied to the sheet-like substrate P in the conveyance path from the nip roller NR2 to the recovery roller RR. The various rollers of the supply roller FR and the recovery roller RR, the reel-up/reel-up section 10, the cleaner section 11, and the tension adjustment section 12 shown in fig. 1 are rollers (rollers) of a one-arm support type so that the sheet-like substrate P can pass along the conveyance path or be easily removed from the conveyance path. However, when the width (dimension in the short-side direction) of the sheet-like substrate P to be processed is large (for example, 1 meter or more), the parallelism between the various rollers can be stably maintained by the rollers (rollers) of the double-arm support system.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the entire configuration of the substrate processing apparatus (pattern exposure apparatus) shown in fig. 1, viewed from the back side (Y direction side). In fig. 2, the same members or mechanisms as those shown in fig. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the exposure unit main body EX of the present embodiment, a rotating cylinder (roller stage) for winding and supporting the sheet-like substrate P in the longitudinal direction is provided, and this will be described later. The rotation center axis of the rotation cylinder is arranged parallel to the Y axis, and passes through an opening CP4 at the rear of the chamber CB shown in fig. 2 to be coupled to the axis of the rotation driving motor 30. The motor 30 is a direct drive type in which a rotating cylinder is directly rotated, and is a brushless motor which can stably generate a large rotational torque although it is rotated at a low speed. The motor 30 is controlled by the server so as to continuously rotate at a rotation speed (angular speed) corresponding to a target transfer speed of the sheet-like substrate P during the exposure process of the sheet-like substrate P. Therefore, in order to avoid the influence of heat generated by the motor 30, the motor 30 is disposed outside the outer wall of the chamber CB, and the opening CP4 of the chamber CB is set to a size that is large enough to pass through the shaft of the motor 30.

The rotating cylinder is mounted integrally with the motor 30 on a not-shown seat member movable in the Y direction on a rail portion 21 formed on the upper surface of the base member 20 extending in the Y direction in fig. 2. That is, the roller stage unit in which the motor 30 and the rotating cylinder are integrated can be moved from inside the chamber CB to outside (back side) of the chamber CB. This is to facilitate maintenance and adjustment of each part in the exposure unit main body EX, and to facilitate passage and removal of the sheet-like substrate P. In order to pull out the roller stage unit to the outside of the chamber CB, the peripheral portion of the opening CP in the outer wall of the chamber CB is configured to be partially detachable. Further, although the roller stage unit pulled out from the inside of the chamber CB is provided on the base member 20, if such an arrangement is provided, it is difficult for the operator to get into and out of the chamber CB, and therefore, casters that can move in the Y direction (or X direction) on the factory floor are provided on the bottom of the base member 20, and the base member 20 on which the roller stage unit is mounted can be detached from the chamber CB. As described above, a configuration in which the roller stage unit constituted by the rotating cylinder is slidable in the direction of the rotation center axis (the axis of the motor 30) is disclosed in, for example, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2015-145990.

On both sides in the X direction of the base member 20 on which the roller stage unit is mounted, control stand portions 22A,22B are disposed that house control substrates (CPU boards) for controlling various drive sources in the exposure unit main body EX, processing signals from sensors, and various arithmetic processing. Further, an opening (window) CP5 for manually winding a sheet-like substrate or a dry film (sheet) for test exposure around a rotary cylinder in the chamber CB, measuring and calibrating the state (light intensity, focus error, spot shape error, etc.) of a beam projected from an exposure unit (drawing head, drawing module) above the rotary cylinder (+ Z direction), or capturing at least a part of the beam sent from the light source device to the exposure unit for maintenance and inspection is formed on the + X direction side outer wall of the chamber CB. The opening CP5 is usually blocked by a door CBh, which can slide along the outer wall of the chamber CB in the Z direction, or can be hinged. By opening the door plate CBh, the operator can touch the rotating cylinder of the exposure unit main body EX through the opening CP 5.

[ Pattern drawing device EX ]

Next, the entire configuration of an exposure unit main body (hereinafter, also referred to as a pattern writing apparatus) EX will be described with reference to a perspective view of fig. 3. The orthogonal coordinate system XYZ in fig. 3 is set to be the same as the orthogonal coordinate system XYZ in fig. 1 and 2. In the following description, the Z direction of the orthogonal coordinate system XYZ is taken as the gravity direction unless otherwise specified.

The pattern drawing apparatus EX is used in a device manufacturing system for manufacturing an electronic device by exposing a flexible sheet-like substrate P. The device manufacturing system is a manufacturing system in which manufacturing lines for manufacturing, for example, a film-shaped color filter, a flexible wiring, a flexible sensor, and the like for a flexible display, a film-shaped touch panel, and a liquid crystal display panel, which are electronic devices, are established. Examples of the flexible electronic component include a display panel such as an organic EL display or a liquid crystal display, and a wearable sensor sheet. For example, a foil (foil) made of a metal such as a resin film or stainless steel or an alloy is used as the sheet-like substrate P. As the material of the resin film, for example, at least 1 or more selected from the group consisting of polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, vinyl acetate copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, and vinyl acetate resin can be used. The thickness and rigidity (young's modulus) of the sheet-like substrate P may be within a range in which the sheet-like substrate P does not have a fold or irreversible wrinkles due to bending when passing through the transfer path of the device manufacturing system or the pattern drawing apparatus EX. The base material of the sheet-like substrate P is a film of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PEN (polyethylene terephthalate) having a thickness of about 25 to 200 μm.

Since the sheet-like substrate P may be heated in each process applied in the device manufacturing system, it is preferable to select a material having a thermal expansion coefficient that is not significantly large. For example, the thermal expansion coefficient can be suppressed by mixing an inorganic filler to the resin film. The inorganic filler may be, for example, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, or the like. The sheet-like substrate P may be a single layer of an extra thin glass having a thickness of about 100 μm manufactured by a float method or the like, or may be a laminate in which the above resin film, foil, or the like is laminated on the extra thin glass.

Further, a film having a thickness of several hundred μm or less (hereinafter, also referred to as a CNF sheet substrate) containing Cellulose Nanofibers (CNF) can be subjected to a treatment at a higher temperature (for example, about 200 ℃) than a film of PET or the like, and the linear thermal expansion coefficient can be increased to a level of copper or aluminum by increasing the content of CNF. The CNF sheet substrate is suitable for a case where electronic components (semiconductor elements, resistors, capacitors, and the like) are mounted as a wiring pattern for forming copper, or a flexible electronic device is manufactured by directly forming a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) which requires high-temperature processing. In particular, in the case of manufacturing electronic components, since the drying and heating treatment is required after the wet treatment, the heat resistance is improved in this case, and therefore, a roll-to-roll manufacturing line in which a long sheet-like substrate is continuously passed through a plurality of processing apparatuses can be easily established, and improvement in productivity can be expected.

The flexibility of the sheet-like substrate P means that the sheet-like substrate P can be bent without being sheared or broken even if a force of a certain degree of its own weight is applied to the sheet-like substrate P. Also, the property of bending by a force of its own weight is included in flexibility. The degree of flexibility varies depending on the material, size, and thickness of the sheet-like substrate P, the layer structure formed on the substrate P, and the environment such as temperature and humidity. In any case, when the sheet-like substrate P is accurately wound around a member for transferring the conveying direction, such as various conveying rollers or a rotating cylinder, provided in a conveying path in the device manufacturing system (pattern drawing apparatus EX), the sheet-like substrate P can be said to be in a flexible range as long as the sheet-like substrate P can be smoothly conveyed without being creased or broken (torn or broken) by bending. The sheet-like substrate P sent to the pattern drawing apparatus EX has a photosensitive functional layer (photosensitive layer) formed on its surface by the treatment of the pre-production process.

The photosensitive functional layer is applied as a solution onto the substrate P and dried to form a layer (film). A typical photosensitive functional layer is a photoresist (liquid or dry film), but as a material which does not require development, there are a photosensitive silane coupling agent (SAM) in which the lyophilic property of a portion irradiated with ultraviolet rays is modified, a photosensitive reducing agent in which a plating reducing group is exposed to a portion irradiated with ultraviolet rays, and the like. When a photosensitive silane coupling agent is used as the photosensitive functional layer, the pattern portion exposed to ultraviolet light on the sheet-like substrate P is modified from liquid repellency to lyophilic. Therefore, by selectively applying a conductive ink (ink containing conductive nanoparticles such as silver or copper) or a liquid containing a semiconductor material to a portion having lyophilic properties, a pattern layer which constitutes an electrode, a semiconductor, an insulator, or a connection wiring of a Thin Film Transistor (TFT) or the like can be formed. The photosensitive functional layer may be another substance as long as it has sensitivity in the ultraviolet wavelength range (about 250 to 400nm), and for example, a layer formed by applying an ultraviolet curable resin in a film form.

In the case where a photosensitive reducing agent is used as the photosensitive functional layer, the plating reducing group is exposed in the pattern portion exposed to ultraviolet light on the sheet-like substrate P. Therefore, after exposure, the sheet-like substrate P is immersed for a certain period of time in an electroless plating solution containing palladium ions or the like as it is, thereby forming (depositing) a palladium pattern layer. Although the plating treatment is an additive (additive) treatment, the plating treatment may be an etching treatment by a subtractive (reactive) treatment. In this case, the sheet-like substrate P sent to the pattern drawing apparatus EX is preferably a substrate made of PET or PEN, and a metallic thin film of aluminum (Al), copper (Cu), or the like is selectively evaporated over the entire surface thereof, and a photoresist layer is further laminated thereon.

The pattern drawing apparatus EX performs exposure processing (pattern drawing) on the sheet-like substrate P while conveying the sheet-like substrate P conveyed from the processing apparatus in the preceding process to the processing apparatus in the subsequent process (including a single processing unit or a plurality of processing units) at a predetermined speed. The pattern drawing device EX irradiates the surface of the sheet-like substrate P (the photosensitive functional layer surface, i.e., the photosensitive surface) with a light pattern corresponding to a pattern for an electronic element (e.g., a wiring pattern constituting the electronic element, a pattern of an electrode, a wiring, or the like of a TFT). Thereby, a latent image (modified portion) corresponding to the pattern is formed on the photosensitive functional layer.

As shown in fig. 3, the pattern drawing apparatus EX in the present embodiment is a so-called dot scanning type exposure apparatus (drawing apparatus) which is a direct-scanning type exposure apparatus using no mask. The drawing apparatus EX includes a rotating cylinder DR that supports the substrate P for sub-scanning and conveys the substrate P in the longitudinal direction, and a plurality of (here, 6) drawing units Un (U1 to U6) that pattern-expose respective portions of the substrate P supported in a cylindrical shape by the rotating cylinder DR, and the intensity of (ON/OFF) spot light is modulated at high speed ON the basis of pattern data (drawing data, pattern information) while one-dimensional scanning (main scanning) is performed by a polygon mirror (scanning means) PM in a predetermined scanning direction (Y direction) ON an irradiated surface (light-receiving surface) of the substrate P with the spot light of a pulse beam LB (pulse beam) for exposure emitted from a light source device LS, in each of the plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6). Thereby, a light pattern corresponding to a predetermined pattern of electronic elements, circuits, wirings, and the like is drawn and exposed on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. That is, in the sub-scanning of the substrate P and the main scanning of the spot light, the spot light is relatively two-dimensionally scanned on the irradiation surface (surface of the photosensitive functional layer) of the substrate P, and a predetermined exposure pattern is drawn on the irradiation surface of the substrate P. Since the substrate P is transported at a prescribed speed in the longitudinal direction by the rotation of the rotating cylinder DR, a plurality of exposed regions on which the pattern is drawn by the drawing device EX are provided at predetermined intervals along the longitudinal direction of the substrate P. Since the electronic element is formed in the exposed region, the exposed region is also an element forming region.

As shown in fig. 3, the rotating cylinder DR has a central axis AXo extending in the Y direction and in a direction intersecting the gravitational direction, and a cylindrical outer peripheral surface having a constant radius from the central axis AXo. Shafts coaxial with the central shaft AXo are provided at both ends of the rotating cylinder DR in the Y direction, and the rotating cylinder DR is supported by a support member (seat member illustrated in fig. 2) in the drawing apparatus EX via the shafts and bearings. The shaft is coaxially coupled with the rotating shaft of the motor 30 shown in fig. 2. The rotating cylinder DR rotates about the central axis AXo to convey the substrate P in the longitudinal direction while supporting (winding) the substrate P by bending a part of the substrate P in a cylindrical surface along the outer peripheral surface (circumferential surface) in the longitudinal direction. The rotating cylinder DR is a region (including the portions of the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 formed by the spot lights) on the substrate P onto which the scanning beams (spot lights) from the plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6) are projected, and is supported by the outer peripheral surface thereof. The rotating cylinder DR supports (holds in close contact with) the substrate P from the side (back side) opposite to the side on which the electronic components are formed (the side on which the light-receiving surface is formed).

The light source device (pulse light source device) LS generates and emits a pulse beam (pulse beam, pulsed light, laser light) LB. The beam LB is sensitive to the photosensitive layer of the sheet substrate P, and is an ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength in an ultraviolet wavelength region of about 240 to 400 nm. The light source device LS emits a pulsed light beam LB at a frequency (oscillation frequency, predetermined frequency) Fa under the control of a drawing control device 200 (described later with reference to fig. 7), not shown. The light source device LS is a fiber-amplified laser light source including a semiconductor laser element for generating pulsed light in an infrared wavelength range, a fiber amplifier, a wavelength conversion element (harmonic generation element) for converting the amplified pulsed light in the infrared wavelength range into pulsed light in an ultraviolet wavelength of 355nm, and the like. By configuring the light source device LS in this manner, pulsed light of high-luminance ultraviolet rays having an oscillation frequency Fa of several hundred MHz and an emission time of 1 pulsed light of several tens of picoseconds or less can be obtained. The beam LB emitted from the light source device LS is a collimated beam having a beam diameter of about 1mm or less. The light source device LS is configured to switch ON/OFF the pulse generation of the beam LB at high speed in accordance with the state (logical value "0" or "1") of the pixel constituting the drawing data, and is disclosed in, for example, international publication No. 2015/166910.

The beam LB emitted from the light source device LS is selectively (alternatively) supplied to each of the drawing units Un (U1 to U6) by a beam switching unit including a selection optical element OSn (OS1 to OS6) as a plurality of switching elements, a plurality of mirrors M1 to M12, a plurality of selection mirrors IMn (IM1 to IM6), an absorber TR, and the like. The optical element OSn for selection (OS1 to OS6) is transmissive to the beam LB, and is composed of an Acousto-Optic modulation element (AOM: Acousto-optical Modulator) which is driven by an ultrasonic signal to deflect the 1 st order diffracted light (main diffracted beam) of the incident beam LB at a predetermined angle as the beam LBn for drawing and emit the deflected beam. The plurality of optical elements for selection OSn and the plurality of selective mirrors IMn are provided corresponding to the plurality of drawing units Un. For example, the selective optical element OS1 and the selective mirror IM1 are provided to correspond to the drawing unit U1, and similarly, the selective optical elements OS2 to OS6 and the selective mirrors IM2 to IM6 are provided to correspond to the drawing units U2 to U6, respectively.

The beam LB passes through the light source device LS and the mirrors M1 to M12, and is guided to the absorber TR while passing through the optical elements for selection OS5, OS6, OS3, OS4, OS1, and OS2 in this order while being bent in a hairpin shape in a plane parallel to the XY plane on the optical path. Hereinafter, the selective optical elements OSn (OS1 to OS6) are all in the OFF state (state where no ultrasonic signal is applied and no 1 st order diffracted light is generated). Although not shown in fig. 3, a plurality of lenses (optical elements) are provided in the beam path from the mirror M1 to the absorber TR, and converge the beam LB from the parallel luminous flux and return the converged and diverged beam LB to the parallel luminous flux. The structure thereof will be described later using fig. 5.

In fig. 3, a beam LB from the light source device LS travels in the-X direction parallel to the X axis and enters the reflector M1. The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M1 enters the mirror M2. The beam LB reflected in the + X direction by the mirror M2 passes through the optical element for selection OS5 in a straight line and reaches the mirror M3. The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M3 enters the mirror M4. The radiation beam LB reflected in the-X direction by the mirror M4 passes through the optical element for selection OS6 in a straight line and reaches the mirror M5.

The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M5 enters the mirror M6. The beam LB reflected in the + X direction on the mirror M6 passes through the optical element for selection OS3 in a straight line and reaches the mirror M7. The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M7 enters the mirror M8. The radiation beam LB reflected in the-X direction by the mirror M8 passes through the optical element for selection OS4 in a straight line and reaches the mirror M9. The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M9 enters the mirror M10. The beam LB reflected in the + X direction on the mirror M10 passes through the optical element for selection OS1 in a straight line and reaches the mirror M11.

The beam LB reflected in the-Y direction by the mirror M11 enters the mirror M12. The radiation beam LB reflected in the-X direction by the mirror M12 passes through the optical element for selection OS2 in a straight line and is guided to the absorber TR. The absorber TR is an optical trap for suppressing exposure to the outside, and transmits the high-luminance beam LB from the light source device LS with little attenuation when the selective optical elements OSn (OS1 to OS6) are all in the OFF state.

Each optical element for selection OSn, after being applied with an ultrasonic signal (high-frequency signal), generates an incident beam (0 th-order light) LB as an outgoing beam (drawing beam LBn) by 1 st-order diffracted light (main diffracted beam) diffracted at a diffraction angle corresponding to a frequency of a high frequency. Accordingly, the beam emitted as 1 st-order diffracted light from the selective optical element OS1 becomes LB1, and similarly, the beams emitted as 1 st-order diffracted light from the selective optical elements OS2 to OS6 become LB2 to LB 6. In this way, each of the optical selection elements OSn (OS1 to OS6) functions to deflect the optical path of the beam LB from the light source device LS. In the present embodiment, a state in which the selective optical element OSn (OS1 to OS6) is turned ON and the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) which is 1 st order diffracted light is generated will be described as a state in which the selective optical element OSn (OS1 to OS6) deflects (or selects) the beam LB from the light source device LS.

However, in the actual acousto-optic modulation element, since the maximum generation efficiency of the 1 st order diffracted light is about 70 to 80% of that of the 0 th order light, the intensity of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) deflected by each of the selective optical elements OSn is lower than that of the original beam LB. In the present embodiment, the drawing control device 200 (see fig. 7) controls only 1 selected optical element OSn (OS1 to OS6) to be in the ON state (biased state) for a certain period of time. When the selected 1 optical element for selection OSn is turned ON, about 20% of the 0 th order light (0 th order diffracted beam) that travels straight without being diffracted by the optical element for selection OSn remains, but is finally absorbed by the absorber TR.

Each of the selection optical elements OSn is provided to deflect the deflected 1 st order diffracted light, i.e., the drawing beam LBn (LB1 to LB6), in the-Z direction with respect to the incident beam LB. The beams LBn (LB1 to LB6) deflected and emitted from the respective optical selection elements OSn are projected onto selective mirrors IMn (IM1 to IM6) provided at positions separated by predetermined distances from the respective optical selection elements OSn. Each selective mirror IMn reflects the incident beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) in the-Z direction, thereby guiding the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) to the corresponding drawing unit Un (U1 to U6).

The optical elements OSn for selection have the same configuration, function, action, and the like. Each of the plurality of optical selection elements OSn turns ON/OFF the generation of diffracted light (beam LBn) obtained by diffracting the incident beam LB in accordance with ON/OFF of a drive signal (ultrasonic signal) from the drawing control apparatus 200 (see fig. 7). For example, the optical element for selection OS5 transmits the incident light beam LB from the light source device LS without deflecting (diffracting) the incident light beam LB when it is in the OFF state without applying a drive signal (high frequency signal) from the drawing control device 200. Thus, the beam LB transmitted through the optical element for selecting selection OS5 is incident on the mirror M3. ON the other hand, when the selective optical element OS5 is in the ON state, the incident beam LB is deflected (diffracted) and directed to the selective mirror IM 5. That is, the switching (beam selection) operation of the selection optical element OS5 is controlled by turning ON/OFF the drive signal.

In this way, the beam LB from the light source device LS can be guided to any drawing cell Un by the switching operation of each selection optical element OSn, and the drawing cell Un into which the beam LBn enters can be switched. A configuration in which a plurality of selective optical elements OSn are arranged in series (serial) in such a manner that a beam LB from a light source device LS sequentially passes through the elements and a beam LBn is supplied to a corresponding drawing unit Un in a time-division manner is disclosed in international publication No. 2015/166910.

The order in which the optical elements OSn (OS1 to OS6) for selection constituting the beam switching unit are turned ON for a certain period of time is predetermined as, for example, OS1 → OS2 → OS3 → OS4 → OS5 → OS6 → OS1 → ·. This sequence is determined in accordance with the sequence of the scanning start time points of the spot lights set in the drawing units Un (U1 to U6). That is, in the present embodiment, the rotational speeds of the polygon mirrors PM provided in the 6 drawing units U1 to U6 are synchronized, and the phases of the rotational angles are also synchronized, so that the switching can be performed in a time-division manner such that the 1 reflection surfaces RP of the polygon mirrors PM in any of the drawing units U1 to U6 perform one spot scanning on the substrate P. Therefore, the order of dot scanning by the drawing unit Un may be any as long as the phases of the rotation angles of the polygon mirrors PM of the drawing unit Un are synchronized with a predetermined relationship. In the configuration of fig. 3, three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 are arranged in the Y direction on the upstream side in the conveyance direction of the substrate P (the direction in which the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR moves in the circumferential direction), and three drawing units U2, U4, and U6 are arranged in the Y direction on the downstream side in the conveyance direction of the substrate P.

In this case, since the pattern drawing on the substrate P starts from the odd-numbered drawing units U1, U3, and U5 on the upstream side, and after the substrate P is fed by a certain length, the pattern drawing starts from the even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6 on the downstream side, the order of dot scanning by the drawing unit Un can be set to U1 → U3 → U5 → U2 → U4 → U6 → U1 → ·. Therefore, the order in which the optical elements OSn for selection (OS1 to OS6) are turned ON for a certain period of time is defined as OS1 → OS3 → OS5 → OS2 → OS4 → OS6 → OS1 → ·. Even when the selective optical element OSn corresponding to the drawing unit Un where no pattern is to be drawn is in the ON state, the ON/OFF switching control of the selective optical element OSn is performed based ON the drawing data, and the selective optical element OSn is forcibly maintained in the OFF state, so that the dot scanning of the drawing unit Un is not performed.

As shown in fig. 3, polygon mirrors PM for main scanning of the incident beams LB1 to LB6 are provided in the drawing units U1 to U6. In the present embodiment, the polygon mirrors PM of the drawing units Un are synchronously controlled to maintain a constant rotational angle phase while precisely rotating at the same rotational speed. Accordingly, the timing of the main scanning of the beams LB1 to LB6 projected onto the substrate P from the drawing units U1 to U6 (main scanning period of the spot light SP) can be set so as not to overlap each other. Therefore, by controlling the ON/OFF switching of each of the optical elements for selection OSn (OS1 to OS6) provided in the beam switching unit in synchronization with the rotational angle position of each of the 6 polygon mirrors PM, the beam LB from the light source device LS can be divided into a plurality of drawing units Un in a time-division manner, and efficient exposure processing can be performed.

Regarding the synchronous control of the phase matching of the rotation angle of each of the 6 polygon mirrors PM and the ON/OFF switching timing of each of the optical elements for selection OSn (OS1 to OS6), although it is disclosed in international publication No. 2015/166910, in the case of the eight-sided polygon mirror PM, since about 1/3 of the rotation angle (45 degrees) of 1 reflection surface RP corresponds to one scan of the point light SP ON the substrate P in terms of scanning efficiency, the ON/OFF switching of each of the optical elements for selection OSn (OS1 to OS6) is controlled so that the phases of the rotation angles of the 6 polygon mirrors PM are rotated by being shifted by 15 degrees with respect to each other, and each of the polygon mirrors PM scans the beam LBn so as to skip over one of the 8 reflection surfaces RP. The above-described drawing method in which one of the reflecting surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM is skipped is also disclosed in international publication No. 2015/166910.

As shown in fig. 3, the drawing device EX is a so-called multi-head type direct-writing exposure device in which a plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6) having the same configuration are arranged. Each of the drawing units Un draws a pattern on each partial region divided in the Y direction of the substrate P supported by the outer peripheral surface (circumferential surface) of the rotating cylinder DR. Each drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) condenses (converges) the beam LBn on the substrate P while projecting the beam LBn from the beam switching unit onto the substrate P (on the irradiated surface of the substrate P). Thus, the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected on the substrate P becomes a spot light. Further, by the rotation of the polygon mirror PM of each drawing unit Un, the spot light of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected on the substrate P is scanned in the main scanning direction (Y direction). By scanning the spot light, a linear drawing line (scanning line) SLn (n is 1,2, 6) for drawing a pattern for one line is defined on the substrate P. The trace line SLn is also a scanning track of the point light of the beam LBn on the substrate P.

The drawing unit U1 scans spot light along the drawing line SL1, and similarly, the drawing units U2 to U6 scan spot light along the drawing lines SL2 to SL 6. As shown in fig. 3, drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6) of the plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6) are arranged in 2 rows in a staggered grid pattern in the circumferential direction of the rotating cylinder DR with a central plane parallel to the YZ plane including the central axis AXo of the rotating cylinder DR interposed therebetween. Odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 are located on the irradiated surface of the substrate P on the upstream side (on the (-X direction side) in the substrate P conveyance direction with respect to the center plane, and are arranged in 1 row at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. The even drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 are located on the irradiated surface of the substrate P on the downstream side (+ X direction side) in the substrate P conveyance direction with respect to the center plane, and are arranged in 1 row at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. Therefore, the plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6) are also arranged in 2 rows in the conveyance direction of the substrate P in a staggered grid across the center plane, and the odd-numbered drawing units U1, U3, and U5 and the even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the center plane (a plane parallel to the YZ plane including the center axis AXo) when viewed in the XZ plane.

In the X direction (the conveyance direction of the substrate P or the sub-scanning direction), the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 and the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 are separated from each other, but are set so as not to be separated from each other and joined to each other in the Y direction (the width direction of the substrate P, the main scanning direction). The drawing lines SL1 to SL6 are substantially parallel to the width direction of the substrate P, i.e., the central axis AXo of the rotating cylinder DR. The joining of the drawing lines SLn in the Y direction means that the patterns drawn by the respective drawing lines SLn adjacent to each other in the Y direction are joined to each other in the Y direction on the substrate P, and the positions of the ends of the drawing lines SLn in the Y direction are adjacent to each other or partially overlap each other. In the case where the ends of the drawing lines SLn overlap each other, for example, the ends of the drawing lines SLn may overlap each other in a range of several% or less in the Y direction including the drawing start point or the drawing end point, as compared with the length of each drawing line SLn.

As described above, the plurality of drawing units Un (U1 to U6) share the scanning area in the Y direction (the area of the main scanning range) so as to cover the width-directional size of the exposure area on the substrate P. For example, if the main scanning range (the length of the drawing line SLn) of 1 drawing unit Un in the Y direction is set to about 30 to 60mm, the exposure area (pattern forming area) that can be drawn can be expanded to about 180 to 360mm in the Y direction by arranging 6 drawing units U1 to U6 in total in the Y direction. The lengths (lengths of drawing ranges) of the drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6) are basically the same. That is, the scanning distances of the spot lights of the beam LBn scanned along the respective lines from the scanning line SL1 to the scanning line SL6 are also set to be the same in principle.

In the case of the present embodiment, since the beam LB from the light source device LS is pulsed light with a light emission time of several tens of picoseconds or less (1/10 or less with respect to the period Tf of the oscillation frequency Fa), the spot light projected on the drawing line SLn during the main scanning is dispersed in accordance with the oscillation frequency Fa (for example, 400MHz) of the beam LB. Therefore, it is necessary to overlap the spot light projected by the 1 pulse light of the beam LB and the spot light projected by the next pulse light in the main scanning direction. The overlapping amount is based on the effective size of the spot light

The scanning speed (main scanning speed) Vs of the spot light and the oscillation frequency Fa of the beam LB are set. Effective size (diameter) of spot light

When the intensity distribution of the spot light SP is approximated to a Gaussian distribution, the peak intensity of the spot light SP is 1/e²(or 1/2 full width at half maximum) of the intensity.

In the present embodiment, the effective size (dimension) is set

Is lighted on

The scanning speed Vs (the rotation speed of the polygon mirror PM) and the oscillation frequency Fa of the spot light are set so as to overlap each other. The projection interval of the pulse-shaped spot light along the main scanning direction is

Therefore, it is preferable to set the effective size of the substrate P for moving the spot light between one scanning and the next scanning of the spot light along the scanning line SLn, similarly to the sub-scanning direction (the direction intersecting the scanning line SLn)

Approximately 1/2. Further, similarly to the case where the drawing lines SLn adjacent in the Y direction are continued in the main scanning direction, it is preferable that the drawing lines SLn overlap each other

In the present embodiment, the effective size (dimension) of the spot light on the substrate P

The size of the pixel is set to be 2-4 μm which is the same as the size of 1 pixel set on the drawing data.

Each drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) is set such that each beam LBn travels toward the central axis AXo of the rotating cylinder DR when viewed in the XZ plane. Thus, the optical path (main beam) of the beam LBn traveling from each drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) toward the substrate P is parallel to the normal line of the irradiated surface of the substrate P in the XZ plane. The beam LBn irradiated from each drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) to the drawing line SLn (SL1 to SL6) is projected perpendicularly to the substrate P at any time on the tangent plane of the drawing line SLn on the surface of the substrate P bent in a cylindrical shape. That is, in the main scanning direction of the spot light, the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected on the substrate P is scanned in a telecentric state.

Since the drawing unit (beam scanning device) Un shown in fig. 3 has the same configuration, only the drawing unit U1 in fig. 3 will be briefly described. The detailed configuration of the drawing unit U1 is described later with reference to fig. 4. The drawing unit U1 includes at least mirrors M20 to M24, a polygon mirror PM, and an f θ lens system (scanning lens for drawing) FT. Note that, although not shown in fig. 3, when viewed from the traveling direction of the beam LB1, a 1 st cylindrical lens CYa (see fig. 4) is arranged in front of the polygon mirror PM, and a 2 nd cylindrical lens CYb (see fig. 4) is arranged behind the f θ lens system (f- θ lens system) FT. The positional variation of the spot light (the drawing line SL1) in the sub-scanning direction due to the tilt error of each reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM is corrected by the 1 st cylindrical lens CYa and the 2 nd cylindrical lens CYb.

The beam LB1 reflected in the-Z direction by the selective mirror IM1 enters the mirror M20 provided in the drawing unit U1, and the beam LB1 reflected by the mirror M20 travels in the-X direction and enters the mirror M21. The beam LB1 reflected in the-Z direction by the mirror M21 enters the mirror M22, and the beam LB1 reflected by the mirror M22 travels in the + X direction and enters the mirror M23. The mirror M23 bends the beam LB1 in a plane parallel to the XY plane so that the incident beam LB1 is directed to the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM.

The polygon mirror PM reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the f θ lens system FT in the + X direction. The polygon mirror PM deflects (reflects) the incident beam LB1 one-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the XY plane, in order to scan the spot light of the beam LB1 on the surface of the substrate P to be irradiated. Specifically, the polygon mirror (rotary polygon mirror, scanning member) PM is a rotary polygon mirror having a rotation axis AXp extending in the Z-axis direction and a plurality of reflection surfaces RP formed around the rotation axis AXp in parallel with the rotation axis AXp (in the present embodiment, the number Np of the reflection surfaces RP is 8). By rotating the polygon mirror PM in a predetermined rotational direction about the rotational axis AXp, the reflection angle of the pulse-shaped beam LB1 irradiated on the reflection surface RP can be continuously changed.

Thus, the beam LB1 is deflected by 1 reflection surface RP, and the spot light of the beam LB1 irradiated on the irradiated surface of the substrate P can be scanned in the main scanning direction (the width direction and Y direction of the substrate P). Therefore, the number of the scanning lines SL1 on the surface to be irradiated of the substrate P scanned with the spot light is 8 at the maximum, which is the same as the number of the reflection surfaces RP. When the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM is used so as to skip over one surface, the polygon mirror PM rotates once, and the number of the trace lines SL1 on the irradiated surface of the substrate P on which the spot light is scanned is 4.

The f θ lens system (scanning system lens, scanning optical system) FT is a scanning lens of a telecentric system that projects the beam LB1 reflected by the polygon mirror PM onto the mirror M24. The beam LB1 transmitted through the f θ lens system FT is focused as a spot light on the substrate P by the mirror M24 (and the 2 nd cylindrical lens CYb described with reference to fig. 4). At this time, the mirror M24 reflects the beam LB1 toward the substrate P so that the beam LB1 travels toward the central axis AXo of the rotating cylinder DR in the XZ plane. An incident angle θ of the beam LB1 to the f θ lens system FT (a declination angle of the f θ lens system FT from the optical axis) changes according to a rotation angle (θ/2) of the polygon mirror PM.

The f θ lens system FT projects a beam LB1 at an image height position on the irradiated surface of the substrate P proportional to the incident angle θ via a mirror M24. When the focal length of the f θ lens system FT is fo and the image height position is yo, the f θ lens system FT is designed to satisfy a relationship of yo ═ fo × θ (distortion aberration). Thus, the f θ lens system FT can accurately scan the beam LB1 at a constant speed in the Y direction. The surface on which the beam LB1 incident on the f θ lens system FT is deflected one-dimensionally (parallel to the XY plane) by the polygon mirror PM becomes a surface including the optical axis of the f θ lens system FT.

[ optical constitution in drawing Unit Un ]

Next, the optical configuration of the drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) is described with reference to fig. 4, but here, the configuration of the drawing unit U1 is also described representatively. As shown in fig. 4, in the drawing unit U1, a mirror M20, a mirror M20a, a polarization beam splitter BS1, a mirror M21, a mirror M22, a 1 st cylindrical lens CYa, a mirror M23, a polygon mirror PM, an f θ lens system FT, a mirror M24, and a 2 nd cylindrical lens CYb are provided integrally in the unit frame along the traveling direction of the beam LB1 from the incident position of the beam LB1 to the surface to be irradiated (substrate P). The unit frame is configured to be individually detachable from the apparatus body. Further, in the drawing unit U1, a beam expander system Be formed of two lenses Be1 and Be2 is provided in the optical path of the beam LB1 reflected by the mirror M20 in the-X direction and directed to the mirror M20 a. The beam expander system BE converts the diameter of a cross section of an incident beam LB1 (diameter 1mm or less) into a parallel beam expanded by about several mm (8 mm, for example). The beam LB1 expanded by the beam expander system BE is reflected by the mirror M20a in the-Y direction, and then enters the polarization beam splitter BS 1. The beam LB1 is linearly polarized and is set so as to be efficiently reflected in the-X direction by the polarizing beam splitter BS 1.

The beam LB1 reflected by the polarizing beam splitter BS1 is intercepted by a diaphragm FAP having a circular opening disposed between the mirror M21 and the mirror M22, and the peripheral portion (for example, 1/e of the bottom) of the intensity distribution (profile) of the beam LB1 is intercepted²The following intensity section). The beam LB1 reflected in the + X direction by the mirror M22 is converted into circularly polarized light by passing through the 1/4 wavelength plate QW, and then enters the 1 st cylindrical lens CYa. Further, in the drawing unit U1, in order to detect a drawing start time point (a scanning start time point of the spot light) of the drawing unit U1, a beam transmitting system 60a and a beam receiving system 60b, which are origin sensors (origin detectors) that detect the angular positions of the reflecting surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM, are provided. Further, in the drawing unit U1, a lens system G10 and a photodetector (photosensor) DT1 for detecting the reflected light of the beam LB1 reflected on the irradiated surface of the substrate P (or the surface of the rotating cylinder DR) by the f θ lens system FT, the polygon mirror PM, the polarization beam splitter BS1, and the like are provided.

The beam LB1 incident on the drawing unit U1 travels in the-Z direction along an optical axis (axis) AX1 parallel to the Z axis, and enters a mirror M20 inclined at 45 ° to the XY plane. Beam LB1, reflected at mirror M20, travels from mirror M20 through beam expander system BE to mirror M20a, which is split in the-X direction. The mirror M20a is disposed to be inclined at 45 ° to the YZ plane, and reflects the incident beam LBn in the-Y direction toward the polarizing beam splitter BS 1. The polarization separation plane of the polarization beam splitter BS1 is arranged to be inclined at 45 ° to the YZ plane, reflects the P-polarized beam, and transmits a linearly polarized (S-polarized) beam polarized in the direction orthogonal to the P-polarized beam. When the beam LB1 incident on the drawing unit U1 is P-polarized, the polarization beam splitter BS1 reflects the beam LB1 from the mirror M20a in the-X direction and guides the beam to the mirror M21 side.

The mirror M21 is disposed to be inclined at 45 ° to the XY plane, and reflects the incident beam LB1 from the mirror M21 toward the mirror M22 separated in the-Z direction via the aperture FAP. The mirror M22 is disposed to be inclined at 45 ° to the XY plane, and reflects the incident beam LB1 in the + X direction toward the mirror M23. The beam LB1 reflected by the mirror M22 enters the mirror M23 through the λ/4 wavelength plate QW and the 1 st cylindrical lens CYa. The mirror M23 reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the polygon mirror PM.

The polygon mirror PM reflects the incident beam LB1 toward the + X direction side toward an f θ lens system FT having an optical axis AXf parallel to the X axis. The polygon mirror PM deflects (reflects) the incident beam LB1 one-dimensionally in a plane parallel to the XY plane in order to scan the spot light SP of the beam LB1 on the irradiated surface of the substrate P. The polygon mirror PM has a plurality of reflection surfaces (sides of a regular octagon in the present embodiment) RP formed around a rotation shaft AXp extending in the Z-axis direction, and is rotated by a rotation motor RM coaxial with the rotation shaft AXp. The rotation motor RM rotates at a constant rotation speed (for example, about 3 to 4 ten thousand rpm) by a polygon rotation control unit provided in the drawing control device 200 (see fig. 7). As described above, the effective length (for example, 50mm) of the drawing line SLn (SL1 to SL6) is set to a length equal to or less than the maximum scanning length (for example, 52mm) that can pass through the polygon mirror PM scanning spot light SP, and the center point (the point through which the optical axis AXf of the f θ lens system FT passes) of the drawing line SLn is set at the center of the maximum scanning length in the initial setting (design value).

The 1 st cylinder lens CYa converges the incident beam LB1 on the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM in the sub-scanning direction (Z direction) orthogonal to the main scanning direction (rotation direction) of the polygon mirror PM. That is, the cylindrical lens CYa converges the beam LB1 into a slit shape (oblong shape) extending in a direction parallel to the XY plane on the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM. The cylindrical lens CYa whose generatrix is parallel to the Y direction and the cylindrical lens CYb described later can suppress the irradiation position of the beam LB1 (the drawing line SL1) irradiated on the irradiated surface of the substrate P from deviating in the sub-scanning direction even when the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM is inclined from a state parallel to the Z axis (the rotation axis AXp).

The incidence angle θ (angle with respect to the optical axis AXf) of the beam LBn on the f θ lens system FT changes according to the rotation angle (θ/2) of the polygon mirror PM. When the incidence angle θ of the beam LBn on the f θ lens system FT is 0 degree, the beam LBn incident on the f θ lens system FT travels along the optical axis AXf. The beam LBn from the f θ lens system FT is reflected in the-Z direction by the mirror M24 and projected onto the substrate P through the cylindrical lens CYb. The beam LB1 projected onto the substrate P is a beam spot SP having a diameter of about several μm (for example, 2 to 3 μm) on the surface to BE irradiated of the substrate P by the f θ lens system FT, the cylindrical lens CYb having a generatrix parallel to the Y direction, and the beam expander system BE. As described above, the beam LB1 incident on the drawing unit U1 is bent along the ㄈ -shaped meandering optical path from the mirror M20 to the substrate P when viewed in the XZ plane, and travels in the-Z direction to be projected on the substrate P.

The axis AX1 shown in fig. 4 is an axis extending the center line of the beam LB1 incident on the mirror M20, but the axis AX1 is arranged coaxially with the optical axis AXf of the f θ lens system FT bent in the-Z direction by the mirror M24. By arranging in this manner, the entire drawing unit U1 (the mirror M20 to the 2 nd cylindrical lens CYb) can be slightly rotated about the axis AX1, and the slight inclination of the drawing line SL1 in the XY plane can be accurately adjusted. The configuration of the drawing unit U1 described above is the same as that of each of the other drawing units U2 to U6. By this means, the substrate P is transported in the longitudinal direction while the respective spot lights SP of the beams LB1 to LB6 are one-dimensionally scanned in the main scanning direction (Y direction) by the 6 drawing units U1 to U6, respectively, whereby the irradiated surface of the substrate P is relatively two-dimensionally scanned by the spot lights SP, and the substrate P is exposed to light in a state where the patterns drawn by the respective drawing lines SL1 to SL6 are joined in the Y direction.

For example, the effective scan length LT of the drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6) is 50mm, and the effective diameter of the spot light SP is set to be 50mm

The oscillation frequency Fa of the pulse emission of the beam LB from the light source device LS is set to be 4 μm, 400MHz, and the diameters of the spot lights SP overlapping each other along the scanning line SLn (main scanning direction)

When the pulse light emission is performed according to the method of 1/2, the interval in the main scanning direction between the pulse light emissions of the spot light SP is 2 μm on the substrate P, which corresponds to 2.5nS (1/400MHz) which is the period Tf (═ 1/Fa) of the oscillation frequency Fa. In this case, the pixel size Pxy defined in the drawing data is set to an angle of 4 μm on the substrate P, and 1 pixel is exposed to light by 2 pulses of the spot light SP in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction, respectively. The scanning speed Vsp and the oscillation frequency Fa of the spot light SP in the main scanning direction are set to

The relationship (2) of (c). On the other hand, the scanning speed Vsp is determined based on the rotation speed vr (rpm) of the polygon mirror PM, the effective scanning length LT, the number Np (═ 8) of the reflection surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM, and the scanning efficiency 1/α of 1 reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM, and is as follows.

Vsp ═ 8. alpha. VR. LT)/60 [ mm/sec ]. formula 1

Therefore, the oscillation frequency Fa (period Tf) and the rotation speed vr (rpm) are set in the following relationship.

For the above reason, the diameter of the spot light SP is set to 400MHz (Tf 2.5nS) when the oscillation frequency Fa is set

When the scanning speed Vsp is set to 4 μm, the scanning speed Vsp defined by the oscillation frequency Fa becomes 0.8 μm/nS (2 μm/2.5 nS). In order to correspond to the scanning speed Vsp, when the scanning efficiency 1/α is 0.3(α ≈ 3.33) and the scanning length LT is 50mm, the rotation speed VR of the 8-sided polygon mirror PM may be 36000rpm in the relationship of equation 2. In this case, the scanning speed Vsp (0.8 μm/nS) is 2880Km/h in terms of speed per hour. In the present embodiment, the diameter of the spot light SP is set to be2 pulses of the beam LBn in each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction

1/2 (g) overlap each other to form 1 pixel, but the diameter of the spot light SP may be set so as to increase the exposure amount (DOSE amount)

2/3 or the diameter of the spot light SP

3/4 as 1 pixel. When the number of pulses of the spot light SP per 1 pixel is Nsp, the relational expression of the above expression 2 is generalized and expressed as the following expression 3

The parameters that can be easily adjusted to satisfy the relationship of equation 3 are the period Tf determined by the oscillation frequency Fa of the light source device LS and the rotation speed VR of the polygon mirror PM.

The beam photodetecting system 60b constituting the origin sensor shown in fig. 4 generates an origin signal (also referred to as a synchronization signal or a timing signal) SZn in which the rotational angle position of the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM changes in waveform at the moment of reaching a predetermined position (predetermined angular position or origin angular position) in the vicinity of the position before the scanning of the spot light SP of the drawing beam LBn of the reflection surface RP can be started. Since the polygon mirror PM has 8 reflection surfaces RP, the beam receiving system 60b outputs the origin signal SZn 8 times (8 waveform changes) during one rotation of the polygon mirror PM. The origin signal SZn is sent to the drawing control device 200 (see fig. 7), and after a predetermined delay time Tdn elapses after the origin signal SZn is generated, drawing of the spot light SP along the drawing line SLn is started.

[ Relay optical System in Beam switching section ]

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing a specific configuration around the selective optical element OSn (OS1 to OS6) and the selective mirror IMn (IM1 to IM6), but here, for simplicity of explanation, only a configuration around the selective optical element OS2 and the previous selective optical element OS1, which are provided in the beam switching unit shown in fig. 3 and into which the beam LB from the light source device LS is finally incident, is representatively shown. The beam LB emitted from the light source device LS is incident on the selective optical element OS1 as a parallel light beam having a minute diameter (1 st diameter) of, for example, 1mm or less so as to satisfy the bragg diffraction condition.

During a period when the drive signal DF1, which is a high-frequency signal (ultrasonic signal), is not input (the drive signal DF1 is OFF), the incident beam LB is transmitted through the selection optical element OS1 without being diffracted. The transmitted beam LB passes through a condenser lens Ga and a collimator lens Gb provided along the optical axis AXa on the optical path thereof, and enters the optical element OS2 for selection at the subsequent stage. At this time, the beam LB having passed through the selection optical element OS1, the condenser lens Ga, and the collimator lens Gb becomes coaxial with the optical axis AXa. The condenser lens Ga condenses the beam LB (parallel beam) transmitted through the optical element for selection OS1 so as to form a beam waist at a position on the plane Ps located between the condenser lens Ga and the collimator lens Gb. The collimator lens Gb collimates the beam LB diverging from the position of the plane Ps into a parallel beam. The diameter of the beam LB collimated by the collimator lens Gb is the 1 st diameter.

Here, the rear focal position of the condenser lens Ga and the front focal position of the collimator lens Gb are arranged so as to coincide with the plane Ps within a predetermined allowable range, the front focal position of the condenser lens Ga is arranged so as to coincide with the diffraction point in the optical selection element OS1 within a predetermined allowable range, and the rear focal position of the collimator lens Gb is arranged so as to coincide with the diffraction point in the optical selection element OS2 within a predetermined allowable range. The condenser lens Ga and the collimator lens Gb function as an equal-magnification relay optical system (inverted imaging system) in which the diffraction point (beam deflection region) in the selective optical element OS1 and the diffraction point (beam deflection region) in the selective optical element OS2 are in an optically conjugate relationship. Therefore, the pupil plane of the relay optical system (lenses Ga, Gb) is formed at the position of the plane Ps.

ON the other hand, while the drive signal DF1, which is a high-frequency signal, is applied to the ON state of the selective optical element OS1, the incident beam LB under the bragg diffraction condition is divided into a beam LB1(1 st-order diffracted light, main diffracted beam) diffracted by the selective optical element OS1 and a beam LB1z of 0 th order, which is not diffracted. If the incidence angle of the beam LB on the selective optical element OS1 is set so as to satisfy the bragg diffraction condition, only the +1 st-order diffracted beam (LB1) having a diffraction angle in the positive direction is strongly generated with respect to the 0 th-order beam LB1z, and the-1 st-order diffracted beam in the negative direction and the other 2 nd-order diffracted beams are hardly generated. Therefore, when the bragg diffraction condition is satisfied, the intensity of the incident beam LB is set to 100% and the decrease due to the transmittance of the selective optical element OS1 is ignored, the intensity of the diffracted beam LB1 is about 70 to 80% at maximum, and the remaining 30 to 20% is the intensity of the 0-order beam LB1 z.

The 0-order beam LB1z passes through a relay optical system including a condenser lens Ga and a collimator lens Gb, and further passes through the optical element OS2 for selection at the subsequent stage, and is absorbed by an absorber TR. The beam LB1 (parallel beam) deflected in the-Z direction at a diffraction angle corresponding to the frequency of the high-frequency drive signal DF1 is transmitted through the condenser lens Ga and directed to the selective mirror IM1 provided on the plane Ps. Since the front focal position of the condenser lens Ga is optically conjugate with the diffraction point in the selective optical element OS1, the beam LB1 that is directed from the condenser lens Ga to the selective mirror IM1 travels parallel to the optical axis AXa at a position eccentric from the optical axis AXa, and is condensed (converged) so as to form a beam waist at the position of the plane Ps. The beam waist is set to be optically conjugate to the spot light SP projected onto the substrate P by the drawing unit U1.

By disposing the reflection surface of the selective mirror IM1 at the position of the plane Ps or in the vicinity thereof, the beam LB1 deflected (diffracted) by the selective optical element OS1 is reflected by the selective mirror IM1 in the-Z direction, and enters the drawing unit U1 along the axis AX1 (see fig. 4). The collimator lens Gc converts the beam LB1 converged/diverged by the condenser lens Ga into a parallel beam coaxial with the optical axis (axis AX1) of the collimator lens Gc. The diameter of the beam LB1 collimated by the collimator lens Gc becomes substantially the same as the 1 st diameter. The rear focal point of the condenser lens Ga and the front focal point of the collimator lens Gc are disposed on the reflection surface of the selective mirror IM1 or in the vicinity thereof within a predetermined allowable range.

As described above, when the front focal position of the condenser lens Ga and the diffraction point in the selective optical element OS1 are optically conjugate and the selective mirror IM1 is disposed on the plane Ps which is the rear focal position of the condenser lens Ga, the position at which the beam LB1 (main diffraction beam) diffracted by the selective optical element OS1 becomes the beam waist can be selected (switched) with certainty. Relay optical systems (inverted imaging systems) of equal magnification composed of the same condenser lens Ga and collimator lens Gb are provided between the other optical elements for selection OS3 to OS6, that is, between the optical elements for selection OS5 and OS6, between the optical elements for selection OS6 and OS3, between the optical elements for selection OS3 and OS4, and between the optical elements for selection OS4 and OS 1.

[ photoelectric sensor in the drawing unit Un ]

Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of the arrangement of the photosensor provided in the drawing unit U1 shown in fig. 4 and detecting the intensity of the beam LB 1. Fig. 6A is a view of the optical path from mirror M20 to mirror M23 in the optical path in the drawing unit U1 viewed in the XZ plane, and fig. 6B is a view of the optical path from mirror M20 to mirror M21 in the optical path in the drawing unit U1 viewed in the XY plane. The beam optical path to the polygon mirror PM in the drawing unit U1 is provided with mirrors M20, M20a, M21, M22, and M23 that bend the traveling direction of the beam LB 1. Since the beam LB1 is a laser beam in the ultraviolet wavelength range, these mirrors use a reflecting surface (also referred to as a laser mirror) formed of a dielectric thin film having a high reflectance with respect to light in the ultraviolet wavelength range and a high resistance with respect to laser light in the ultraviolet wavelength range.

Therefore, although each of the mirrors M20, M20a, M21, M22, and M23 reflects most (e.g., about 99%) of the intensity of the incident beam LB1, the remaining about 1% of the intensity is transmitted to the back side without being reflected by the reflection surface. Therefore, as shown in fig. 6A and 6B, a photoelectric signal corresponding to the intensity of the beam LB1 can be obtained using any of the photosensor SM1a disposed on the back side of the mirror M20, the photosensor SM1B disposed on the back side of the mirror M20a, the back-side photosensor SM1c disposed on the mirror M21, the photosensor SM1d disposed on the back side of the mirror M22, and the photosensor SM1e disposed on the back side of the mirror M23.

Any one of the photosensors SM1a to SM1e may be provided, but it is preferable to use either the photosensor SM1c disposed on the back side of the mirror M21 behind the polarizing beam splitter BS1 or the photosensor SM1d disposed on the back side of the mirror M22 behind the aperture FAP. In the present embodiment, the bottom portion of the intensity distribution of the beam LB1 in the cross section is cut off by the stop FAP, and therefore the photosensor SM1d is used to detect the intensity (light amount) after the cutting. The photoelectric signal output from the photosensor SM1d is SS 1. Similarly, the intensities (light amounts) of the beams LBn (n is 2 to 6) are detected by the photoelectric signals SSn (n is 2 to 6) from the photoelectric sensors SMnd (n is 2 to 6) disposed on the back side of the mirror M22 behind the aperture FAP in the other drawing units Un (U2 to U6).

In the explanation of fig. 4, the beam LB1 reflected by the mirror M20a and incident on the polarization beam splitter BS1 is reflected by the polarization separation surface with an intensity of approximately 100% and incident on the mirror M21, but actually, there is a light leakage component that is not reflected by the polarization separation surface and passes through the polarization separation surface due to a ratio corresponding to disturbance of the linear polarization of the incident beam LB1 or the extinction ratio of the polarization beam splitter BS 1. Therefore, as shown in fig. 6B, the intensity (light amount) of the beam LB1 can be monitored by receiving the light leakage component of the transmission polarization beam splitter BS1 with the photosensor SM1 f.

The photosensors SMna to SMnf (n is 1 to 6) described above are preferably small semiconductor photoelectric elements which can be incorporated in the drawing unit Un, and are preferably highly responsive to pulsed light in the ultraviolet wavelength range (300 to 400 nm). For example, a PIN photodiode, an Avalanche Photodiode (APD), a metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) photodiode, or the like can be used. When the light source device LS described with reference to fig. 3 is used as a fiber-amplified laser light source, pulsed light having a wavelength of 355nm can be oscillated, for example, at about 400MHz (period 2.5nS), but the light emission time of 1 pulsed light is only about several tens of picoseconds. Although it is difficult to accurately detect the intensity (light quantity) of such an ultra-short emission time ultraviolet pulse light in 1 pulse unit, the intensity (light quantity) of each pulse can be measured with less error by using such an MSM photodiode because the start response time (10% → 90%) is several tens of picoseconds.

[ describing control System ]

Next, a schematic configuration of a drawing control system for controlling the drawing of the pattern of each of the drawing units U1 to U6 and controlling the intensity or exposure amount of the spot light SP according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 7. Fig. 7 shows a schematic arrangement of beam switching units (including optical elements for selection OS1 to OS6, mirrors M1 to M12, selective mirrors IM1 to IM6, a relay optical system, and the like) for selectively supplying the beam LB from the light source device LS shown in fig. 3 to each of the drawing units U1 to U6, and shows a connection relationship between the light source device LS, the drawing control device (drawing control unit) 200, and the light amount measurement unit 202. As described with reference to fig. 3, the beam LB from the light source device LS is reflected by the mirrors M1, M2, passes through the selective optical elements OS5, OS6, OS3, OS4, OS1, and OS2 in this order, and then enters the absorber TR shown in fig. 3, but only the mirrors M1, M7, and M8 in the optical path are shown in fig. 7, and the mirror M13 is provided between the selective optical element OS2 and the absorber TR. The mirror M13 reflects the 0 th-order diffracted beam that has passed through the selective optical element OS2 and has not been reflected by the selective mirror IM2, toward the absorber TR. The mirrors M1 to M13 or the selective mirrors IM1 to IM6 included in the beam switching unit are laser mirrors similar to the mirrors M20 to M24 in the drawing unit Un, and have a slight transmittance (for example, 1% or less) at a wavelength of 355nm of the beam LB.

Here, as shown in fig. 7, a photosensor DTa for detecting the intensity (light amount) of the radiation beam LB emitted from the light source device LS is provided ON the back side of the mirror M1, and a photosensor DTb for detecting 0 th order diffracted radiation of the radiation beam LB itself transmitted when all the selective optical elements OS1 to OS6 are in the OFF state or the radiation beam LB not diffracted by the selective optical element OSn in the ON state is provided ON the back side of the mirror M13. The photosensors DTa, DTb are constituted by any of a PIN photodiode, an Avalanche Photodiode (APD), and an MSM photodiode as described previously. The photoelectric signal Sa output from the photoelectric sensor DTa is sent to the light quantity measuring unit 202 in order to monitor the original intensity (light quantity) of the beam LB emitted from the light source device LS, and the photoelectric signal Sb output from the photoelectric sensor DTb is sent to the light quantity measuring unit 202 in order to monitor the transmittance variation and diffraction efficiency variation of the 6 selective optical elements OS1 to OS 6. In fig. 7, only the optical element for selection OS4 is shown in the ON state in response to the drive signal DF4, and the 1 st order diffracted beam of the beam LB from the light source device LS diffracted by the optical element for selection OS4 is supplied as the beam LB4 to the drawing unit U4.

[ light source device LS ]

As described above, the light source device LS is a fiber-amplified laser light source (a laser light source that generates ultraviolet pulsed light by an optical amplifier and a wavelength conversion element) as shown in fig. 8. The structure of the fiber-amplified laser Light Source (LS) of fig. 8 is disclosed in detail in, for example, international publication No. 2015/166910, and therefore, the description is only simplified here. In fig. 8, the light source device LS includes: a control circuit 120 including a signal generation unit 120a that generates a clock signal LTC for causing the beam LB to emit light in pulses at a frequency Fa; and a seed light generation unit 135 for generating 2 kinds of seed lights S1, S2 that pulse-emit light in an infrared wavelength region in response to the clock signal LTC.

The seed light generation unit 135 includes DFB semiconductor laser elements 130 and 132, lenses GLa, GLb, a polarizing beam splitter 134, and the like, and the DFB semiconductor laser element 130 generates a seed light S1 having a steep or sharp pulse shape with a large peak intensity in response to a clock signal LTC (for example, 400MHz), and the DFB semiconductor laser element 132 generates a seed light S2 having a slow (temporally wide) pulse shape with a small peak intensity in response to the clock signal LTC. The seed light S1 and the seed light S2 are set to emit light at the same time (i.e., coincide with each other), and the energy per 1 pulse (peak intensity × emission time) is substantially the same.

Further, the polarization state of the seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 130 is S-polarized, and the polarization state of the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 132 is P-polarized. The polarization beam splitter 134 transmits the S-polarized seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 130 to the electro-optical device (an EO device such as a bockel cell or a kerr cell) 136, and reflects the P-polarized seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 132 to the electro-optical device 136.

The electro-optical element 136 switches the polarization state of the 2 kinds of seed lights S1, S2 at a high speed by the driving circuit 136a based on the drawing data (drawing bit series data corresponding to the number of pixels drawn in one scan of the spot light SP) SDn (n is the number corresponding to any of the drawing units U1 to U6) sent from the drawing control device 200 of fig. 7. The drawing control device 200 also functions as a storage unit for storing drawing data. When the logic information of 1 pixel amount of the drawing bit-series data SDn input to the driving circuit 136a is in the L ("0") state, the electro-optical element 136 directly leads to the polarizing beam splitter 138 without changing the polarization state of the seed light S1, S2, and when the logic information of 1 pixel amount of the drawing bit-series data SDn is in the H ("1") state, the electro-optical element 136 rotates the polarization direction of the incident seed light S1, S2 by 90 degrees and leads to the polarizing beam splitter 138.

Therefore, when the logic information of the pixel on which the bit-sequence data SDn is drawn is in the H state ("1"), the electro-optical element 136 converts the S-polarized seed light S1 into the P-polarized seed light S1, and converts the P-polarized seed light S2 into the S-polarized seed light S2. The polarization beam splitter 138 transmits the P-polarized light, guides the light to the combiner 144 through the lens GLc, and reflects the S-polarized light to guide the light to the absorber 140. The seed light (either one of S1 and S2) transmitted through the polarization beam splitter 138 is referred to as a seed light beam Lse. The excitation light (pump light, charge light) from the excitation light source 142 guided to the combiner 144 through the optical fiber 142a is combined with the seed light beam Lse emitted from the polarization beam splitter 138 and enters the optical fiber amplifier 146.

The seed light beam Lse is amplified during passage through the fiber optical amplifier 146 by exciting the laser medium doped in the fiber optical amplifier 146 with excitation light. The amplified seed light beam Lse is emitted from the emission end 146a of the fiber optical amplifier 146 with a predetermined divergence angle, and is incident so as to be condensed by the lens GLd on the 1 st wavelength conversion optical element 148. The 1 st wavelength conversion optical element 148 generates a 2 nd Harmonic of 1/2 having a wavelength λ with respect to the incident seed light beam Lse (wavelength λ) by a 2 nd Harmonic Generation (SHG). The 2 nd harmonic wave (wavelength λ/2) of the seed light beam Lse and the original seed light beam Lse (wavelength λ) are incident so as to be condensed by the 2 nd wavelength conversion optical element 150 via the lens GLe. The 2 nd wavelength conversion optical element 150 generates a 3 rd harmonic 1/3 having a wavelength of λ by Sum Frequency Generation (SFG) of a 2 nd harmonic (wavelength λ/2) and a seed light beam Lse (wavelength λ). The 3 rd harmonic is ultraviolet pulsed light (beam LB) having a peak wavelength in a wavelength range of 370mm or less (for example, 355 nm). The beam LB (divergent light beam) generated from the 2 nd wavelength conversion optical element 150 is converted into a parallel light beam having a beam diameter of about 1m m by the lens GLe and is emitted from the light source device LS.

When the logic information of 1 pixel amount of the drawing bit-series data SDn applied to the driving circuit 136a is L ("" 0 "") (in the non-drawing state where the pixel is not exposed), the electro-optical element 136 is directly led to the polarizing beam splitter 138 without changing the polarization state of the incident seed light S1, S2. Therefore, the seed light beam Lse entering the combiner 144 is derived from the seed light S2. Since the optical fiber amplifier 14 has low amplification efficiency with respect to the seed light S2 having such characteristics of low peak intensity and wide temporal dullness, the P-polarized beam LB emitted from the light source device LS becomes a pulse light having energy not amplified to the energy necessary for exposure. The energy of the beam LB generated from the seed light S2 is extremely low, and the intensity of the spot light SP irradiated on the substrate P is extremely low. As described above, since the light source device LS continuously emits the beam LB of ultraviolet pulsed light (although weak) even in the non-drawing state, the beam LB emitted in the non-drawing state is also referred to as OFF/beam (OFF/pulsed light).

On the other hand, when the logic information of 1 pixel amount of the drawing bit-series data SDn applied to the driving circuit 136a is H ("1") (in the case of exposing the drawing state of the pixel), the electro-optical element 136 changes the polarization state of the incident seed light S1, S2 and guides the seed light to the polarization beam splitter 138. Therefore, the seed light beam Lse entering the combiner 144 is derived from the seed light S1. Since the peak intensity of the emission distribution of the seed light beam Lse derived from the seed light S1 is large and sharp, the seed light beam Lse is efficiently amplified by the optical fiber amplifier 146, and the P-polarized beam LB output from the light source device LS has energy necessary for exposure of the substrate P. The beam LB output from the light source device LS in the drawing state is also referred to as an ON beam (ON/pulsed light) so as to be different from an OFF beam (OFF/pulsed light) emitted in the non-drawing state. As described above, in the fiber-amplified laser light source as the light source device LS, by selecting and amplifying either one of the 2 kinds of seed lights S1, S2 by the electro-optical element 136 as the drawing light modulator, the fiber-amplified laser light source can be set as an ultraviolet pulse light source capable of high-speed explosion light emission (burst light emission) in response to the drawing data (SDn).

As shown in fig. 7, the clock signal LTC from the signal generating unit 120a of fig. 8 is also supplied to the drawing control device 200 and the light amount measuring unit 202. The drawing control device 200 receives the origin signals SZ1 to SZ6 from the drawing units U1 to U6, and synchronously controls the rotation of the polygon mirror PM so that the rotation speeds of the polygon mirror PM in the drawing units U1 to U6 are matched and the rotation angle positions (the phases of the rotations) are in a predetermined relationship. The light source device LS and the drawing control device 200 receive various control information (commands or parameters) via an interface bus (which may be a serial bus) SJ connected to the control circuit 120 in the light source device LS. The drawing control device 200 includes a memory for storing drawing bit-series data SDn to be drawn by the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 of the spot light SP of the drawing units U1 to U6 in accordance with the origin signals SZ1 to SZ 6. Further, the drawing control device 200 is preset with data (1 bit) for drawing 1 pixel of the drawing bit series data SDn stored in the memory by how many pulses of the beam LB. For example, when it is set that 1 pixel is drawn by 2 pulses of the beam LB (2 dot lights SP in each of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction), the data of the bit series data SDn is read out by 1 pixel (1 bit) per 2 clock pulses of the clock signal LTC and applied to the driving circuit 136a in fig. 8.

[ depicting a drive module in the control device 200 ]

In the drawing control device 200, a drive module (circuit) for supplying drive signals DF1 to DF6 to the optical elements for selection (AOM) OS1 to OS6 is provided. Fig. 9 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the drive module. In fig. 9, the drive module is provided with an intensity adjustment control unit 250 which generates switching signals LP1 to LP6 for turning ON any of the optical elements for selection OS1 to OS6 in response to origin signals SZ1 to SZ6 from the drawing units U1 to U6, and controls where the intensity (amplitude of the high-frequency signal) of each of the drive signals DF1 to DF6 is to be set within a predetermined adjustable range. The high-frequency signals of a predetermined reference frequency (for example, several tens MHz to 100MHz) are applied in common to the 6 high-frequency amplifier circuits 251a to 251f that apply the driving signals DF1 to DF6 from the signal source RF to the optical elements OS1 to OS6, and the high-frequency amplifier circuits 251a to 251f are switched between a state where the driving signals DF1 to DF6 are applied to the optical elements OS1 to OS6 and a state where the driving signals DF1 to DF6 are not applied in response to the switching signals LP1 to LP6, respectively.

Further, the high-frequency amplifier circuits 251a to 251f receive setting signals Pw1 to Pw6 generated by the gain setting circuits 252a to 252f, respectively, and adjust the intensities (amplitudes and gains) of the drive signals DF1 to DF6, respectively. The intensities of the drive signals DF1 to DF6 to be set are calculated by the CPU in the intensity adjustment control unit 250 or the CPU in the drawing control device 200, but the information of the calculation sources are the photoelectric signals SSn (n is 1 to 6) from the photoelectric sensors SMnd (n is 1 to 6) described with reference to fig. 6, and the photoelectric signals Sa and Sb from the photoelectric sensors DTa and DTb shown in fig. 7. When each of the selective optical elements OS1 to OS6 is an AOM, the high-frequency power (RF power) and the diffraction efficiency β (the ratio of the intensity of the 1 st-order diffracted beam LBn to the intensity of the incident beam LB) supplied to the AOM by the drive signals DF1 to DF6 have characteristics as shown in fig. 10, for example. In fig. 10, the abscissa represents the RF power (amplitude of the drive signal DFn) applied to the AOM, and the ordinate represents the diffraction efficiency β (%) of the 1 st-order diffraction beam using the AOM diffracted in bragg. As shown in fig. 10, the AOM has a characteristic that the diffraction efficiency β reaches the maximum diffraction efficiency β max as the RF power increases, and the diffraction efficiency β decreases even if the RF power is further increased. The adjustment of the diffraction efficiency (setting of the amplitude of the drive signal DFn) of each of the selective optical elements OS1 to OS6 is performed in consideration of the maximum diffraction efficiency β max. The intensity adjustment control unit 250 shown in fig. 9 previously obtains the correlation between the change in the amplitude of the drive signal DFn and the change in the diffraction efficiency β of the optical element for selection OSn (and the intensity change of the beam LBn as the 1 st order diffracted beam estimated from the change in the diffraction efficiency β) based on the characteristics shown in fig. 10, and stores the correlation in a table or a functional expression.

[ light quantity measuring section 202 ]

Next, the configuration of the light amount measuring section 202 shown in fig. 7 will be described based on the circuit block diagram of fig. 11. The light quantity measuring unit 202 includes: 8 measurement circuit units CCBn (CCB1 to CCB8) which receive signals of the photo signals SSn (SS1 to SS6) from the photo sensors SMnd (see fig. 6) provided in the drawing units Un and signals of the photo signals Sa and Sb from the photo sensors DTa and DTb, measure the light quantities (or intensities) of the drawing beams LBn (LB1 to LB6) supplied to the drawing units Un, and output the measurement results as digital values; an MPU (microprocessor) 300 which integrally controls the measurement operations of the measurement circuit units CCBn, the collection of measurement results, the data communication with the drawing control device 200, and the like; a dynamic memory (DRAM)302 for storing the measurement results at high speed, and a multiplexer circuit portion 304 for selectively storing the measurement results from each of the measurement circuit portions CCBn in the DRAM 302. Further, each of the measurement circuit sections CCBn (CCB1 to CCB8) is composed of an amplifier circuit 306 for amplifying the photoelectric signals SSn (SS1 to SS6), Sa, Sb, a sample-hold (S/H) type integrator circuit 307 for integrating the peak values of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb generated in a pulse form for a predetermined time (the degree of the period of the frequency Fa of the clock signal LTC), and an analog-to-digital converter circuit (ADC)308 for converting the integrated output value integrated by the integrator circuit 307 into a digital value. The microprocessor MPU300 sends control signals CS1 instructing respective operation timings to the integration circuits 307 and ADCs 308 of the measurement circuit units CCBn (CCBs 1 to CCBs 8) based on the clock signal LTC, and sends control signals CS2 instructing selected operation timings to the multiplexer circuit unit 304.

[ control system and alignment system for rotating cylinder DR ]

Fig. 12 is a schematic configuration showing an encoder measuring system for measuring the rotational angle position of the rotating cylinder DR shown in fig. 3 and a mark detecting system for detecting the position of the alignment mark pattern formed on the substrate P. In fig. 12, a shaft Sft extending in the Y direction coaxially with the center axis AXo is provided on the rotating cylinder DR, and this shaft Sft is coaxially coupled to the rotating shaft of the motor 30 shown in fig. 2. A disk-shaped or annular scale member ESD is fixed to the Y-direction end portion side of the rotating cylinder DR coaxially with the axis Sft (central axis AXo), and rotates in the XZ plane together with the rotating cylinder DR. On the outer peripheral surface of the scale member ESD parallel to the central axis AXo, lattice-like graduations are engraved at a constant pitch (for example, about 20 μm) along the peripheral direction thereof. In fig. 12, the diameter of the scale member ESD is indicated as smaller than the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR, but the radius of the scale member ESD from the center axis AXo may be made to coincide with the radius of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR within a range of about ± 5%. In fig. 12, a plane parallel to the YZ plane including the center axis AXo is defined as a center plane pc.

As shown in fig. 12, when the rotating cylinder DR is viewed in the XZ plane (when viewed from the Y direction), the beams LB1, LB3, and LB5 projected from the odd-numbered drawing units U1, U3, and U5, respectively, are set at an inclination angle of- θ U with respect to the central plane pc, and the beams LB2, LB4, and LB6 projected from the even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6, respectively, are set at an inclination angle of + θ U with respect to the central plane pc. The angle θ u is set to about 10 ° to 20 °. An alignment system AMS for detecting the position of a cross-shaped alignment mark formed on the substrate P (or a reference mark formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR) is provided on the upstream side of the odd-numbered beam LB1(LB3, LB5) in the traveling direction of the substrate P that is wound around the rotating cylinder DR and conveyed.

The objective lens OBL of the alignment system AMS has a detection field (detection region) with an angle of about 200 to 500 [ mu ] m on the substrate P, and the alignment system AMS is provided with an imaging element composed of a CCD or a CMOS for imaging an image of a mark appearing in the detection region at a high shutter speed. An image signal of an image including a mark captured (captured) by an imaging element is subjected to image analysis by the alignment measuring system 500, and information on a positional displacement amount in two dimensions (main scanning direction and sub scanning direction) between a center position of the captured mark image and a reference position (center point) in a detection area is generated. An extension of the optical axis of the objective lens OBL intersects the central axis AXo of the rotating cylinder DR within a predetermined error range.

Further, around the scale member ESD, three encoder heads (reading head, detecting head) EH1, EH2, and EH3 for reading scale movement are provided so as to face the outer peripheral surface thereof. In the XZ plane, the encoder head EH1 is set to have the same orientation as the detection region of the objective lens OBL when viewed from the center axis AXo, the encoder head EH2 is set to have the same orientation as the projection position (drawn lines SL1, SL3, SL5) of the odd-numbered beam LB1(LB3, LB5) when viewed from the center axis AXo, and the encoder head EH3 is set to have the same orientation as the projection position (drawn lines SL2, SL4, SL6) of the even-numbered beam LB2(LB4, LB6) when viewed from the center axis AXo.

Each of the encoder heads EH1, EH2, and EH3 periodically changes its level in accordance with the circumferential movement of the scale member ESD, and outputs a 2-phase signal having a phase difference of 90 degrees to the counter circuit section 502. The counter circuit unit 502 outputs a measurement value CV1 obtained by counting the number of movements (position changes) of the scale in submicron (for example, 0.2 μm) analysis capability, to the alignment measurement system 500, based on the 2-phase signal from the encoder head EH 1. The alignment measurement system 500 latches the measured value CV1 at the moment when the image of the mark is captured in the detection area by the imaging element of the alignment system AMS, and outputs position information Dam calculated by associating the position of the mark on the substrate P with sub-micron accuracy as the rotational angle position of the rotating cylinder DR (the value of the measured value CV 1) based on the relative positional deviation amount of the mark image obtained by the image analysis and the latched measured value CV1 to the drawing control device 200 shown in fig. 7.

Similarly, counter circuit unit 502 outputs measured values CV2 and CV3 obtained by counting the number of movements (position changes) of the scale with an analytical capability of submicron (for example, 0.2 μm) based on 2-phase signals from encoder heads EH2 and EH3, respectively, to drawing control device 200. The drawing control device 200 controls the drawing positions (timing) in the sub-scanning direction by the odd-numbered drawing units U1, U3, and U5 based on the measured value CV2, and controls the drawing positions (timing) in the sub-scanning direction by the even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6 based on the measured value CV 3. Further, a drive circuit unit 504 is provided for precisely performing server control of the rotational speed of the motor 30 based on the average value of at least 1 or at least 2 of the measured values CV1 to CV3 counted by the counter circuit unit 502.

In addition, in the counter circuit portion 502, a correction map for correcting the error inherent in the encoder measurement system (the eccentricity error, the roundness error, the pitch error of the scale, and the like of the scale member ESD) is stored so as to be measured in advance over one rotation of the scale member ESD, and the measured values CV1, CV2, and CV3 are output to the alignment measurement system 500 or the drawing control device 200 in a state of being immediately corrected by the correction map.

[ drawing action example ]

With the above-described configurations of fig. 2 to 12, each drawing unit Un (U1 to U6) draws a pattern for an electronic component based on drawing data (SDn) stored in the drawing control device 200 of fig. 7. An example of the drawing operation of the drawing unit Un at this time will be briefly described with reference to the timing chart of fig. 13. In fig. 13, the origin signal SZn from the origin sensor (the beam receiving system 60b in fig. 4) in the drawing unit Un generates the origin pulses SZna, SZnb in correspondence with 1 reflecting surface RPa and the next reflecting surface RPb of the 8 reflecting surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM, for example. The origin pulses SZna, SZnb are generated at time intervals TPab of 45 ° of rotation of the polygon mirror PM in accordance with the rotation speed of the polygon mirror PM. The origin signal SZn includes 6 origin pulses SZnc to SZnh generated at time intervals TPab after the origin pulses SZna, SZnb shown in fig. 13 during one rotation of the polygon mirror PM.

As described above, when the scanning efficiency 1/α of the 1 reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM is 1/3, the switching signal LPn (LP1 to LP6) output from the intensity adjustment control unit 250 shown in fig. 9 is switched from "L" to "H" so that the optical element for selection OSn is in the ON state after a predetermined delay time Δ Ta has elapsed from the generation of the 1 origin pulse SZna of the origin signal SZn, and is switched from "H" to "L" immediately before the elapse of the time TPab/3 from the generation of the origin pulse SZna, as shown in fig. 13.

Similarly, the switching signal LPn (LP1 to LP6) is switched from "L" to "H" after the elapse of the delay times Δ Tb to Δ Th, and from "H" to "L" immediately before the elapse of the time TPab/3 from the generation of the origin pulses SZnb to SZnh, respectively. However, when switching the 1 beam LB from the light source device LS shown in fig. 3 to be supplied to any one of the 6 drawing units U1 to U6, the 1 drawing unit Un is controlled to scan the beam LBn so as to skip one surface of the 8 reflection surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM. Therefore, the switching signal LPn (LP1 to LP6) is switched from "L" to "H" in response to each of, for example, 4 origin pulses SZna, SZnc, SZne, and SZng among the 8 origin pulses SZna to SZnh generated continuously, and is switched from "H" to "L" immediately before the time TPab/3 elapses.

As shown in fig. 13, during a time TPab/3 when the switching signal LPn becomes "H", the spot light SP (beam LBn) whose intensity is modulated in response to the drawing bit sequence data SDn is scanned once along the drawing line SLn. The drawing bit-sequence data SDn is applied from the drawing control device 200 to the driving circuit 136a in the light source device LS of fig. 8 as a bit-sequence signal representing 1 pixel with 1 bit. In fig. 13, for example, the waveform portion Wfs of the drawing bit-series data SDn, and the clock signal LTC from the light source device LS are controlled to 2 clock pulses of 1 pixel by the drawing control device 200 in accordance with the clock signal LTC.

Here, when the pixel with 1 bit "0" in the drawing bit sequence data SDn is an Off pixel and the pixel with "1" hatched is an On pixel, the light source device LS outputs 2 pulses of the beam LB at an extremely low intensity to the Off pixel (2 pulses of the clock signal LTC) and outputs 2 pulses of the beam LB at a high intensity to the On pixel. Therefore, the number of pulses of the spot light SP (beam LBn) projected onto the substrate P in one scan of the spot light SP along the drawing line SLn can be obtained in advance from the drawing data (SDn) as 2 times the number of On pixels out of the total number of pixels along the drawing line SLn.

Fig. 14 is a timing chart showing a relationship between the drawing bit sequence data SDn corresponding to a line & space pattern having a line width of 8 μm in the main scanning direction and a pulse of the spot light SP (beam LBn) as an example, when the pattern drawn on the substrate P is divided into a two-dimensional pixel array in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction, and the size Py of 1 pixel in the main scanning direction and the size Px in the sub scanning direction are set to 2 μm. Fig. 14 shows a pattern portion of 2 pixels arranged in the sub-scanning direction, which is drawn by 4 drawing lines SLn1 to SLn4 arranged in the sub-scanning direction. Since 1 pixel is set to an angle of 2 μm, the effective diameter of the spot light SP is about 2 μm, and the intervals (pitches) of the drawing lines SLn1 to SLn4 accompanying the movement of the substrate P in the sub-scanning direction are 1 μm. The light source device LS in fig. 8 projects the spot light SP as ON/pulse light or OFF/pulse light onto the substrate P based ON the logical product (AND) of the clock signal LTC AND the bit data ("1" or "0") of the pixel in the drawing bit series data SDn from the drawing control device 200 in fig. 7. Thus, as shown in fig. 14, a pattern with a line width of 8 μm (4 On pixels) is drawn with 8 On/pulse lights in which the spot light SP continues.

[ light quantity measuring operation example ]

Fig. 15 is a waveform diagram schematically showing a signal waveform WFp of the photo signal SSn (SS1 to SS6) from the photo sensors SMnd (SM1d to SM6d) provided in the drawing units Un (U1 to U6) and the photo signals Sa and Sb from the photo sensors DTa and DTb shown in fig. 7. In fig. 15, the abscissa indicates time (pS), the ordinate indicates normalized intensities of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb, and the waveform WFp is obtained in response to 1 pulse light of the beam LB (or LBn) from the light source device LS when the photosensors SMnd, DTa, DTb are MSM photodiodes. The MSM photodiode has a high responsivity (activation time) of about several tens pS, but has a relatively long emission time of 1 pulse light of the beam lb (lbn), and therefore the waveform WFp of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb has a relatively dull waveform with respect to the waveform WFp' corresponding to the change in the actual intensity of 1 pulse light.

Therefore, the peak intensity Vdp of the 1 pulse light of the beam lb (lbn) is significantly attenuated as compared with the actual peak intensity Vdp'. However, since the actual peak intensity Vdp' has a certain proportional relationship with the peak intensity Vdp of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb, the intensity variation of the pulsed light of the beam lb (lbn) can be monitored by continuously measuring the change in the peak intensity Vdp by the microprocessor MPU300 in the light quantity measuring unit 202 shown in fig. 11. The waveform WFp of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb has a similarity to the actual waveform WFp 'of 1 pulse light, but the area corresponding to the light quantity of the waveform WFp' and the area of the waveform WFp of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb have a certain proportional relationship.

As is clear from the above description, in the present embodiment, the light quantity measuring unit 202 shown in fig. 11 in detail in fig. 7 integrates (adds) the peak intensity Vdp of the waveform WFp of the photoelectric signal SSn, Sa, Sb corresponding to the pulse light intensity of the beam LBn projected as the On pixel On the substrate P, and determines whether or not the integrated value thereof is within a predetermined error range with respect to the value (design value) estimated from the number of On pixels On the drawing data, thereby measuring the intensity variation of the beams LBn (LB1 to LB6) supplied to the drawing units Un (U1 to U6) and the intensity variation of the beam LB from the light source device LS. Further, the MSM photodiode has a spectral sensitivity characteristic in which the sensitivity in the ultraviolet wavelength region (400nm or less) is reduced to about 1/10 compared with the sensitivity in the infrared wavelength region (around 800 nm) in G4176 series manufactured by hamamatsu photonics ltd, for example. However, since the beam LBn projected onto the mirrors M20 to M23 shown in fig. 6 or the beam LB projected onto the mirrors M1 and M13 shown in fig. 7 is originally set to have a high beam intensity (power) of several watts or more, even if the transmittance of each mirror is about 1%, the beam intensity of about several tens mW to several mW can be obtained on the light receiving surface of the photosensor.

Fig. 16 is a characteristic chart used when the intensity variation of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) supplied to each of the drawing units Un (U1 to U6) during one scan of the spot light SP along the drawing line SLn (time TPab/3 in fig. 13) is measured. In fig. 16, the abscissa indicates the On pixel count of 25000 for the total number of pixels at an angle of 2 μm when the effective scan length LT along the scanning line SLn is set to 50mm, and the ordinate indicates the integrated value (integrated value) FXn when the peak intensity Vdp of the photoelectric signal SSn obtained in receiving the pulsed light of the beam LBn corresponding to the On pixel count is integrated. The straight line CRF in fig. 16 is a coefficient (slope) Δ Ef indicating a proportional relationship between the number of On pixels and a design integrated value FXn (target integrated value or target integrated light amount) set in advance by calibration for setting an exposure amount (intensity) or the like. The designed integrated value FX obtained when all of the pixels of the total 25000 are On pixels is set as a maximum value Fmax. The coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef of the straight line CRF is set by adjusting the maximum value Fmax of the exposure amount according to the sensitivity of the photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P. The straight lines CRa and CRb represent an allowable line inclined at a predetermined ratio (%) with respect to the straight line CRF set by the design coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef, and also represent an error range ± Δ Ke (%) set with respect to the design value (target integrated value or target integrated light amount) of the integrated value FXn. In the characteristic diagram of fig. 16, the value of the total number of pixels (25000), the design maximum value Fmax, the coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef, and the error range ± Δ Ke are stored in the processor MPU300 of fig. 11.

The processor MPU300 in fig. 11 outputs a control signal CSn to the measurement circuit unit CCBn in fig. 11 corresponding to 1 drawing unit Un from which the drawing operation is started among 6 drawing units U1 to U6, based on the inputs of the origin signal SZn and the switching signal LPn (fig. 13) generated in the drawing control device 200. Here, for example, when the time point at which the drawing unit U1 starts drawing (the time point at which 1 origin pulse of the origin signal SZ1 is generated) has come, the processor MPU300 resets the integrated value held by the integrating circuit 307 in the measurement circuit section CCB1 to zero in response to the origin pulse of the origin signal SZ1, and then sends the control signal CS1 in which the integrating circuit 307 integrates the peak intensity Vdp (fig. 15) of the photo signal SS1 during the period of "H" level as shown in fig. 13 of the switching signal LP 1. In response to this signal, the integration circuit 307 outputs an integration value to the ADC308, that is, an integration value corresponding to a value obtained by sequentially adding intensity (light amount) values of On/pulsed light which is generated from the light source device LS and enters the drawing unit U1 as the beam LB1 at the time of the On pixel shown in fig. 13.

At the moment when the switching signal LP1 goes to the "L" level as shown in fig. 13, the processor MPU300 sends a control signal CS1 for converting the integrated value output from the integrating circuit 307 into a digital value and outputting the digital value to the multiplexer circuit unit 304 from the ADC 308. Further, the processor MPU300 stores the digital value of the integrated value of the ADC308 from the measurement circuit unit CCB1 in the DRAM302 via the multiplexer circuit unit 304. The above operations are similarly performed in the measurement circuit units CCB2 to CCB6 corresponding to the other drawing units U2 to U6, respectively. Here, the integrated values (actual integrated values, actual integrated light amounts) measured by the measurement circuit sections CCB1 to CCB6 based on the photoelectric signals SS1 to SS6 are FX1 to FX 6.

The processor MPU300 calculates whether each of the measured actual integrated values FX1 to FX6 is within an appropriate intensity (appropriate light amount) range or not based on the characteristic diagram shown in fig. 16 for each of the beams LB1 to LB 6. For example, when the number of On pixels drawn in one scan of the spot light SP along the drawing line SL1 is PK1, that is, the processor MPU300 determines adequacy of the actual integrated value FX1 by the following comparison operation, using PK1 · Δ Ef as the designed integrated value FXD1, based On the coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef and the error range ± Δ Ke (%).

FXD1·(1－ΔKe/100)≦FX1≦FXD1·(1+ΔKe/100)

Similarly, when the number of On pixels drawn in one scan of the spot light SP along the drawing line SL2 is PK2, that is, the processor MPU300 determines adequacy of the actual integrated value FX2 by the following comparison operation, using PK2 · Δ Ef as the design integrated value FXD2, based On the coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef and the error range ± Δ Ke.

FXD2·(1－ΔKe/100)≦FX2≦FXD2·(1+ΔKe/100)

That is, when n is set to 1 to 6 in correspondence with the drawing unit Un, the processor MPU300 determines that the actual integrated value FXn is in the appropriate range, that is, the light amount (peak intensity) of the ON/pulsed light of the beam LBn is in the appropriate range when the actual integrated value FXn falls within the error range ± Δ Ke (%) from the design integrated value FXDn.

As described above, the actual integrated value FXn corresponding to the light amount of ON/pulse light projected in one scan of the point light SP of each drawing unit Un is obtained in proportion to the drawing density (fig. 16) which is the ratio of the number of ON pixels to the total number of pixels 25000 drawn in one scan. The drawing density (%) can be previously determined from the drawing bit sequence data SDn. Thus, the difference (unevenness) in the exposure amount of the pattern drawn by each line of the drawing lines SLn can be measured substantially instantaneously by calculating the value of the actual integrated value FXn/drawing density (%) for each drawing unit Un with the processor MPU300 and determining whether or not the value matches within the allowable range between the drawing units Un.

In the present embodiment, the actual integrated value FXn can be measured every time the spot light SP scans along the scanning line SLn. However, in this case, the MPU300 needs to have high processing capability and high speed. The actual integrated value FXn may be measured for one of each of the plurality of scans of the spot light SP in such a manner that there is a margin in processing capacity. Specifically, the actual integrated value FXn may be measured during a scanning period (period of time TPab/3 in fig. 13) in which the beam LBn is scanned by 1 of the 8 reflection surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM in the drawing unit Un, during a drawing period (time TPab/3) in one rotation per multiple rotations of the polygon mirror PM, or during a drawing period (time TPab/3) in which an origin pulse of the origin signal SZn is generated multiple times.

Further, as shown in fig. 14, the actual integrated value FXn of the light amount of ON/pulsed light of the beam LBn projected ON each of the drawing lines SLn1 to SLn4 of 4 consecutive scans of the spot light SP may be measured together. Specifically, the integration of the peak intensity of the photoelectric signal SSn by the integration circuit 307 is continued for 4 consecutive times during the period in which the switching signal LPn is at the "H" level shown in fig. 13, and the actual integrated value FXn obtained during the drawing period of the 4 drawing lines SLn1 to SLn4 is measured. In this case, it is determined whether or not the value of the actual integrated value FXn/drawing density (%) is within a predetermined error range with respect to a preset reference value, based ON the drawing density (%) which is the ratio of the total number of ON pixels to the total number of pixels 4 × 25000 in each of the 4 drawing lines SLn1 to SLn4, and the measured actual integrated value FXn of the 4-time scanning amount.

In the case where the exposure amount (intensity) by the beam LBn in the drawing estimated from the actual integrated value FXn measured in the above-described manner fluctuates from the target value, the processor MPU300 sends information on the fluctuation amount (error amount) thereof to the drawing control device 200 of fig. 7. The drawing control device 200 adjusts the setting signals Pw1 to Pw6 from the gain setting circuits 252a to 252f applied to the high-frequency amplification circuits 251a to 251f by the intensity adjustment control unit 250 shown in fig. 9, based on the information on the fluctuation amount (error amount). The setting signals Pw1 to Pw6 are adjusted in accordance with the characteristics of the high-frequency power (RF power) of the drive signals DFn (DF1 to DF6) supplied to the respective optical elements for selection OSn (OS1 to OS6) shown in fig. 10 and the diffraction efficiency β of the optical elements for selection OSn.

In the present embodiment, since the patterns drawn by the respective drawing lines SL1 to SL6 of the 6 drawing units U1 to U6 are continued in the main scanning direction (Y direction), if the exposure amount of the exposed patterns varies, the line width of the linear pattern extending in the Y direction may vary on both sides in the Y direction of the connection portion. Therefore, it is particularly important to adjust the intensities of the beams LB1 to LB6 projected from the drawing units U1 to U6 to the substrate P within a predetermined allowable range (e.g., ± 2 to 5%). Further, it is important to maintain the absolute values of the intensities of the beams LB1 to LB6 projected onto the substrate P at values corresponding to the sensitivity of the photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P. Processor MPU300 estimates absolute values of the intensity difference and the intensity between beams LB1 to LB6 from the measured actual integrated value FXn (FX1 to FX6), and adjusts setting signals Pw1 to Pw6 from gain setting circuits 252a to 252f when drawing control device 200 has determined that the absolute values of the intensity difference and the intensity are out of the allowable range.

[ modification 1 ]

As shown in fig. 12, the positions of the substrate P projected with the odd-numbered beams LB1, LB3, LB5 in the sub-scanning direction are measured by the encoder head EH2, and the positions of the substrate P projected with the even-numbered beams LB2, LB4, LB6 in the sub-scanning direction are measured by the encoder head EH 3. Therefore, the actual integrated value FXn is measured by the light amount measuring unit 202 shown in fig. 11 during one or more scans of the spot light SP every time the substrate P is fed in the sub-scanning direction by a predetermined distance, for example, 5mm, and the intensity variation of the beam LBn projected onto the substrate P from each of the drawing units Un is estimated from the actual integrated value FXn. Fig. 17 shows an example of the arrangement of rectangular pattern regions WQ1, WQ2, WQ3 and alignment marks MK1, MK2, MK3, MK4 formed along the longitudinal direction (X' direction) on substrate P, and shows the arrangement of detection regions (detection fields) Vw1, Vw2, Vw3, Vw4 of objective lens OBL for each of 6 drawing lines SL1 to SL6 and 4 alignment systems AMSn (AMS1 to AMS4) arranged in the Y direction.

In fig. 17, cross-shaped markers MK1 are provided at regular intervals in the X 'direction near the-Y direction end of substrate P so as to be captured in detection region Vw1, and cross-shaped markers MK4 are provided at regular intervals in the X' direction near the + Y direction end of substrate P so as to be captured in detection region Vw 4. The cross-shaped markers MK2 and MK30 are provided in the X' -direction between the pattern regions WQ1 and WQ2 and between the pattern regions WQ2 and WQ3, respectively, so as to be captured in the detection regions Vw2 and Vw 3. In the margin region Asp, pattern exposure is not substantially performed by the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 corresponding to the drawing cells U1 to U6, respectively. Fig. 17 shows a state in which 4 markers MK1 to MK4 additionally formed on the-X' direction side (upstream side) of the pattern region WQ1 during pattern exposure of the pattern region WQ1 with the drawing lines SL1 to SL6 are detected in 4 detection regions Vw1 to Vw4, respectively. The pattern region WQ1 starts drawing of odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5, and starts drawing of even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 after the substrate P moves in the + X' direction by the distance XSL from its position.

Therefore, in the present modification, the exposure amount is measured when exposing the region Aew extending linearly in the Y direction in the pattern region WQ 1. The position of the region Aew in the X' direction is specified on the basis of the measured value CV1 (fig. 12) of the encoder read head EH1 and the position information of the markers MK1, MK4 detected with at least 2 alignment systems AMS1, AMS4, respectively. In fig. 17, although the region Aew set in the pattern region WQ1 has only 1 point in the X 'direction, it may be set at each of a plurality of positions separated from each other at predetermined intervals in the X' direction. The region Aew is set to be a region in which the spot light SP is scanned only once along each scanning line SLn, a region in which the spot light SP continuously scans a plurality of times, or a region including each position at a plurality of positions discrete in the X' direction where one scan is performed for each of a plurality of times of continuous scanning of the spot light SP (for example, 8 times as many as the number of the reflecting surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM).

In fig. 17, after the substrate P is moved in the X 'direction (sub-scanning direction) and the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 are located at the + X' direction side end of the pattern region WQ1, the drawing control device 200, that is, the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 start the pattern drawing operation, and the exposure amount (or intensity) of the beams LB1, LB3, and LB5 projected from the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 to the substrate P is instructed to the processor MPU300 in the light amount measurement unit 202 shown in fig. 11 after the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 reach the region Aew on the substrate P based on the measurement value CV2 of the encoder head EH 2. In response to this, the processor MPU300 in the light amount measurement section 202 measures the actual integrated values FX1, FX3, and FX5 as described with reference to fig. 13 to 16 in the area Aew, and calculates the exposure amount (or intensity) from the estimates of the actual integrated values FX1, FX3, and FX 5.

Similarly, in the pattern drawing operation of each of the even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6, the drawing control device 200 instructs the processor MPU300 to measure the exposure amount (or intensity) of each of the beams LB2, LB4, and LB6 projected onto the substrate P from each of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6, after the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 reach the region Aew on the substrate P based on the measured value CV3 of the encoder head EH 3. In response to this, the processor MPU300 in the light amount measurement section 202 measures the actual integrated values FX2, FX4, and FX6 in the area Aew, and estimates and calculates the exposure amount (or intensity) corresponding to each of the actual integrated values FX2, FX4, and FX 6.

By the above measurement operation, the relative error of the exposure amount (or the beam intensity) of the pattern drawn by each of the drawing units U1 to U6 in the region Aew is obtained. For example, when the relative error of the exposure amount (or intensity) is out of the allowable range (for example, ± 3%), the drawing control device 200 (the intensity adjustment control unit 250 in fig. 9) changes the amplitude of the drive signal DFn of the optical element OSn for selection corresponding to the drawing unit Un in which the exposure amount (or intensity) tends to be too high or too low, and adjusts the intensity of the corresponding beam LBn.

According to the above modification 1, since the exposure amount (or intensity) when the pattern is drawn in the region Aew in the pattern region WQ1 is obtained, the uniformity or uniformity of the exposure amount in the Y direction (main scanning direction) is monitored, and when the display uniformity or uniformity tends to deteriorate, the exposure amount can be immediately adjusted. Therefore, in the entire pattern for the electronic component exposed to the pattern region WQ1 (also WQ2, WQ 3), local variations in line width of the wiring pattern and the like can be suppressed, and high-quality pattern formation can be performed. Further, by setting a plurality of regions Aew which are discrete at predetermined intervals in the X 'direction in 1 pattern region WQn and successively comparing the exposure amount (or beam intensity) estimated from the actual integrated value FXn measured in each of the plurality of regions Aew, even when the intensity of the beam LB (ON/pulsed light) from the light source device LS slightly fluctuates (drifts), it is possible to suppress the variation in the exposure amount in the X' direction in the pattern region WQn within the allowable range.

In the above description, the region Aew is specified in the pattern region WQn, and the actual integrated value FXn corresponding to the drawing density of the drawing bit-series data SDn drawn along the drawing line SLn scanned in the region Aew is measured, but a position (position in the X' direction) in the pattern region WQn where all pixels (25000) along the drawing line SLn become On pixels may be obtained in advance from the drawing data (SDn), and the actual integrated value FXn may be measured during drawing of the position. In addition, a position (position in the X' direction) within pattern region WQn where an arbitrary number, for example, half or more, of the total number of pixels along drawing line SLn becomes On pixels may be selected from drawing data (SDn) in advance, and actual integrated value FXn may be measured during drawing of the position.

[ modification 2 ]

As described above with reference to fig. 13 and 16, in embodiment 1, the actual integrated value FXn of On/pulse light of the beam LBn projected onto the substrate P at the time of becoming an On pixel is measured from the drawing bit sequence data SDn in one scan of the spot light SP (beam LBn) along the drawing line SLn. Therefore, when the number of On pixels in the drawing bit sequence data SDn corresponding to one scan of the spot light SP is extremely small, that is, when the drawing density described with reference to fig. 16 is extremely small, the actual integrated value FXn itself is unevenly distributed due to the influence of disturbance or the like, and the measurement accuracy is degraded, resulting in a measurement result greatly deviating from the characteristics of the straight line CRF in fig. 16. This means that, in the coefficient (inclination) Δ Ef of the straight line CRF shown in fig. 16, the reliability may be lowered in the region where the drawing density is low.

Therefore, in the present modification, as shown in fig. 18, in a region where the drawing density is low, for example, a region where the drawing density is 20% or less, the tendency of the straight line CRF is corrected to, for example, a nonlinear characteristic (correction characteristic) CRg based on the relationship between the actual integrated value FXn obtained by preliminary test exposure, calibration, or the like and the drawing density. In fig. 18, the horizontal axis represents the plotted density (%), the vertical axis represents the integrated value FXn, and the nonlinear characteristic CRg is shown in an exaggerated manner. The characteristic CRg is corrected to be shifted downward from the theoretical straight line CRF in a region where the drawing density is 20% or less.

In fig. 18, for example, PK3 represents the number of On pixels at a drawing density of 12%, and FX3 represents the actual integrated value FXn measured at that time. The processor MPU300 determines that the substrate P has been drawn with an appropriate exposure amount if the value of the actual integrated value FX3 is within ± Δ Ke from the value of the characteristic CRg corresponding to the On pixel number PK 3. In this way, in the region where the drawing density is low (the range where the On number is small), since the linear relationship between the drawing density and the theoretically available integrated value FXn may be broken, calibration, test exposure, or the like can be performed to determine the straight line CRF and the nonlinear characteristic CRg. Note that the characteristic CRg shown in fig. 18 is an example shown exaggerated for ease of understanding of description, but is not necessarily required to be such a characteristic CRg.

[ modification 3 ]

As shown in fig. 17, when a plurality of pattern regions WQn are repeatedly formed in the longitudinal direction (X' direction) of the substrate P, a margin region Asp having a constant width is formed between the pattern regions WQn. Therefore, in the present modification, the region (measurement region) Aew shown in fig. 17 is set in the margin region Asp, and an exposure dummy (dummy) pattern is drawn in the margin region Asp immediately before the start of pattern exposure to the pattern region WQn, thereby confirming the setting performance of the exposure amount such as the error of the exposure amount (beam intensity) from an appropriate value, the difference in the relative exposure amount (beam intensity) between the drawing units U1 to U6, or the variation in the characteristic CRg and the like in the straight line CRF shown in fig. 16 and 18 when the pattern drawing is performed by the drawing units U1 to U6. When an error or variation exceeding the allowable range occurs, that is, in order to correct the error or variation, the intensity adjustment control unit 250 in fig. 9 adjusts the amplitudes of the drive signals DF1 to DF6 applied to the optical elements for selection OS1 to OS6, respectively.

As an example, as shown in fig. 19, the dummy pattern (test pattern) TEG drawn in the margin region Asp is formed by arranging 10 columns of drawing bit-sequence data SDna in which all pixels of a full pixel (e.g., 25000 pixels) arranged along the drawing line SLn become On pixels (hatched portions), drawing bit-sequence data SDnb in which 90% (22500 pixels) of the full pixel become On pixels, drawing bit-sequence data SDnc · · in which 80% (20000 pixels) of the full pixel become On pixels, drawing bit-sequence data SDnf, · · · in which 50% (12500 pixels) of the full pixel become On pixels, and drawing bit-sequence data SDnj in which 10% (2500 pixels) of the full pixel become On pixels in the sub-scanning direction (X' direction).

When the size of 1 pixel on the substrate P is set to 2 μm × 2 μm, the full width of the test pattern TEG in the sub-scanning direction is about 20 μm. When the ratio of the On pixel count (drawing density) is set to 20 rows of test patterns of the drawing bit sequence data SDna to SDnt each having a difference of 5%, the full width of the test pattern TEG in the sub-scanning direction is not more than about 40 μm. While the intensity of the beam LBn (spot light SP) projected from the drawing unit Un is modulated and such a test pattern TEG is drawn, the actual integrated values FXna to FXnj (or the actual integrated values FXna to FXnt for 20 rows) are measured by the light amount measuring unit 202 shown in fig. 11 for each row of pixel rows arranged in the sub-scanning direction. At this time, the actual integrated value FXna is pattern-rendered (50000 On/pulsed light irradiation) based On the rendering bit sequence data SDna of all On pixels (25000 pixels), and thus corresponds to the maximum value Fmax shown in fig. 16.

The processor MPU300 (or the drawing control device 200) applies the actual integrated values FXna to FXnj (or FXna to FXnt) measured during exposure of the test pattern TEG to the linear CRF or the nonlinear characteristic CFg shown in fig. 16 or 18, respectively, and estimates whether or not each of the drawing units Un has drawn the test pattern TEG at the specified exposure amount. Thus, the drawing control apparatus 200 can grasp the difference in the exposure amount between the 6 drawing units U1 to U6 when drawing the pattern immediately before the exposure of the pattern region WQn on the substrate P, adjust the diffraction efficiency of each of the optical elements for selection OSn so that the difference in the exposure amount falls within the allowable range, and adjust the intensity of each of the beams LBn.

Thus, each of the plurality of pattern regions WQn repeatedly formed on the substrate P in the longitudinal direction is exposed to a predetermined proper exposure amount, and occurrence of exposure unevenness at the connecting portion in the pattern region WQn can be suppressed. In the 1-row test pattern TEG, the On pixels in all the pixels (25000 pixels) need not be arranged continuously as shown in fig. 19 as long as a predetermined drawing density can be obtained. For example, when the change rate of the drawing density set for each row is 10% (10 rows), all pixels (25000 pixels) in 1 row may be divided into 250 pixels, and the number of On pixels in the 250 pixels may be changed to drawing bit-sequence data SDna to SDnj in which 25 pixels are increased or decreased for each row. Alternatively, On pixels may be arranged at random positions in all pixels so that the drawing density of the total On pixel count is to be set.

[ modification 4 ]

In the configuration of the beam switching unit (including the selective optical elements OS1 to OS6, the selective mirrors IM1 to IM6, and the like) shown in fig. 7, a photosensor DTa for detecting the intensity (light amount) of the beam LB immediately after the light source device LS and a photosensor DTb for detecting the intensity (light amount) of the 0 th-order diffraction beam of the beam LB transmitted through all the selective optical elements OS1 to OS6 in series or the beam LB not diffracted by the selective optical element OSn in the ON state are provided. Further, as shown in fig. 11, the photoelectric signals Sa, Sb from the photoelectric sensors DTa, DTb are measured by the control signal CS1 from the processor MPU300, in the same manner as the measurement of the photoelectric signals SS1 to SS6 sent from the drawing units U1 to U6, respectively, by the measurement circuit units CCB7, CCB8 in the light quantity measurement unit 202. In the present modification, based ON the condition that only one of the 6 optical elements for selection OSn is in the ON state, the variation in diffraction efficiency of the optical element for selection OSn, that is, the variation in intensity of the radiation beam LBn supplied to each of the drawing cells Un by being diffracted by each of the optical elements for selection OSn, can be measured from the photoelectric signals Sa, Sb of the respective photosensors DTa, DTb.

Therefore, when all the optical elements for selection OSn are in the OFF state, the light source device LS oscillates the beam LB virtually (dummy) for a predetermined short time or for a predetermined number of pulses, and the integrated values of the pulse waveforms of the photoelectric signals Sa and Sb output from the photoelectric sensors DTa and DTb during this period are measured as the actual integrated values FX7a and FX8a by the measurement circuit sections CCB7 and CCB8 in fig. 11, respectively. The processor MPU300 (or drawing controller 200) calculates the ratio kci (FX8a/FX7a) of the actual integrated values FX7a and FX8 a. The ratio K ∈ corresponds to a product of the transmittances ∈ n (∈ 1 to ∈ 6) of the 6 selection optical elements OSn arranged in series so as to pass the beam LB from the light source device LS. Therefore, the ratio K ∈ is hereinafter set to the total transmittance K ∈. Of course, the total transmittance K ∈ includes the reflectance of the mirrors M1 to M12 (see fig. 3) disposed on the optical path from the light source device LS to the most downstream optical selection element OS2 (see fig. 7) and the transmittance of the relay optical system (see fig. 5) including the condenser lens Ga and the collimator lens Gb, but here, only the transmittance ∈ n of the optical selection element OSn whose change with time is large is predicted will be described as the target.

Next, for example, during exposure of the element pattern to the region Aew shown in fig. 17 or during exposure of the test pattern TEG shown in fig. 19, the measurement circuit sections CCB7 and CCB8 of fig. 11 respectively output actual integrated values FX7n and FX8n during one or more scans of the measurement spot light SP. In this case, the measurement circuit units CCB7 and CCB8 measure 6 actual integrated values FX7n (FX71 to FX76) and FX8n (FX81 to FX86) in sequence in accordance with the control signal CS1 in correspondence with the optical element OSn for selection which is turned ON in sequence so that 1 of the 6 drawing units Un is in the drawing state. Here, assuming that the diffraction efficiency of the selective optical element OSn is β n (β 1 to β 6), the actual integrated values FX7n and FX8n have a relationship FX8n ═ K ∈ (1 to β n) FX7n, assuming that n is 1 to 6.

The conversion efficiency β n of each of the selective optical elements OSn is calculated from β n ═ 1- (FX8n)/(K ∈ FX7n) ═ 1- (FX7a · FX8n)/(FX8a · FX7 n). Since the change in the diffraction efficiency β n of each of the selective optical elements OSn becomes an intensity change of each of the beams LBn projected on the substrate P, which becomes an error in the exposure amount, the variation in the exposure amount between the drawing units Un can be suppressed for a long period of time by setting the region Aew at an appropriate timing of the exposure pattern region WQn, exposing the test pattern TEG to the blank region Asp, constantly checking the variation or tendency of variation in the diffraction efficiency β n of each of the selective optical elements OSn, and adjusting the amplitude of the drive signal DFn of the selective optical element OSn by the intensity adjustment control unit 250 in fig. 9.

In the present modification, since the photoelectric signal SSn from the photosensor SM1d or the like (see fig. 6) provided in each drawing unit Un is not used, the intensity (light amount) variation of the beam LBn generated in the drawing unit Un is not monitored. However, when there is no cause for short-term fluctuation of the intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn in the drawing unit Un, the change in the diffraction efficiency β n of the optical element for selection (AOM) OSn, which may cause the intensity fluctuation of the beam LBn, is monitored using the 2 photosensors DTa, DTb provided in the beam switching unit (see fig. 7) as in the present modification, and even if only the intensity of the beam LBn is adjusted, each of the pattern regions WQn can be exposed to a predetermined proper exposure amount, and the occurrence of exposure unevenness at the connection portion in the pattern region WQn can be suppressed well.

In the case where the photo sensor SM1d or the like is provided in each drawing unit Un as in the first embodiment 1, it is necessary to calibrate the relationship between the level of the photo signal SSn from the photo sensor SM1d or the like in each drawing unit Un and the intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn (to adjust the gain of the amplifier circuit 306 in fig. 11) in advance in order to control the relative error of the exposure amount applied to the substrate P within ± 2 to 5% for each drawing unit Un. In contrast, in the present modification, since the relative intensity change of the radiation beam LBn due to the relative variation of the diffraction efficiency β n of each of the selective optical elements OSn can be estimated by 1 photosensor DTb, the measurement accuracy can be improved without such calibration.

[ modification 5 ]

Each of the drawing units Un of embodiment 1 is provided with a photosensor DT1 that detects the reflected light of the spot light SP (beam LBn) projected onto the outer peripheral surface of the substrate P or the rotating cylinder DR via the f θ lens system FT, the polygon mirror PM, and the polarizing beam splitter BS1, as shown in fig. 4. When the same MSM photodiode as the photosensors SM1d, DTa, and DTb is used as the photosensor DT1, the photoelectric signal is output as a pulse-like waveform WFp shown in fig. 15 in response to ON/pulse light of the drawing beam LBn. However, the reflected light (regular reflected light) received by the photosensor DT1 is reduced by the reflectance of the surface of the substrate P or the reflectance of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR with respect to the original intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn.

The reflectance of the surface of the substrate P with respect to the wavelength (for example, 355nm) of the radiation beam LBn changes in accordance with the material of the layer (photosensitive functional layer or its underlying layer structure) formed on the surface. On the other hand, the reflectance of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR can be set to a predetermined value, for example, a reflectance with respect to the wavelength of the drawing beam LBn can be suppressed to a constant value of 50% or less by forming a multilayer film composed of a metal thin film or a dielectric thin film on the surface. An example of a multilayer film structure for setting the reflectance of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR in this manner is disclosed in, for example, international publication No. 2014/034161.

In the present modification, when the substrate P is not wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR, or when the transparent substrate P having no light-shielding or light-absorbing layer formed ON the surface thereof is wound around the rotating cylinder DR, the beam LBn which becomes ON/pulsed light is scanned from each of the drawing units Un along the drawing line SLn, the reflected light generated ON the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR at that time is received by the photosensor DT1, and the actual integrated value of the pulse waveform of the photoelectric signal is measured by the same measurement circuit unit as the measurement circuit unit CCBn shown in fig. 11. The actual integrated value measured from the photo signal from the photo sensor DT1 of each drawing unit Un is FXRn (FXR1 to FXR 6). The actual integrated value FXRn, when adjusted to a state in which an appropriate exposure amount is obtained, has a certain ratio to the actual integrated value FXn (FX1 to FX6) measured from the other photo signal SSn generated simultaneously or the actual integrated value FX7n (FX71 to FX76) measured from the photo signal Sa generated simultaneously.

Therefore, at the time of calibration of the apparatus or when the transparent portion on which the light-shielding or light-absorbing layer structure is not formed on the substrate P is wound around the rotating cylinder DR, the amplitude of the drive signal DFn of each optical element for selection OSn is adjusted by the intensity adjustment control section 250 so that each drawing unit Un performs pattern drawing with an appropriate exposure amount, and then, for example, the ratio (FXRn/FX7n) of the actual integrated value FXRn measured from the photoelectric signal from the photosensor DT1 to the actual integrated value FX7n measured from the photoelectric signal Sa from the photosensor DTa is stored. Thereafter, at a point in time when the transparent portion of the substrate P is wound around the rotating cylinder DR, the beam LBn is projected onto the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR via the transparent portion of the substrate P with drawing data of an appropriate dummy pattern, and the ratio (FXRn/FX7n) of the actual integrated value FXRn to the actual integrated value FX7n is measured. When the stored ratio (FXRn/FX7n) is varied among the ratios (FXRn/FX7n) measured for each drawing unit Un, it is known that the diffraction efficiency β n of the optical element for selection OSn and the transmittance or reflectance of other optical elements (such as lenses or mirrors) are varied in a series of optical paths of the radiation beam LBn corresponding to the varying drawing unit Un (optical paths from the light source device LS to the substrate P via the optical element for selection OSn and the inside of the drawing unit Un).

[ modification 6 ]

In the foregoing embodiment 1 or its modifications, the pulse-like waveform WFp shown in fig. 15 of the photoelectric signals SSn, Sa, Sb, etc. generated from the respective photosensors by the ON/pulse light of the beams LB, LBn is integrated so as to cover the number of ON pixels by the measurement circuit unit CCBn shown in fig. 11. However, when the ON/pulse light of the drawing beam LBn (spot light SP) is continuously generated for a certain time Δ Tee at the clock cycle of the clock signal LTC for setting the light emission interval of the light source device LS, the peak intensity Vdp (see fig. 15) of the waveform WFp of the ON/pulse light during the continuous generation period may be sampled and stored, and the stored peak intensity Vdp may be used instead of the previous actual integrated value FXn to perform the exposure amount control (intensity adjustment). When the light source device LS (or LS1, LS2) employs an optical fiber/laser light source, if the beam LB which becomes ON/pulsed light is continuously oscillated, the peak intensity Vdp of the ON/pulsed light is stably maintained at a substantially constant value, and the intensity unevenness between the pulsed light is also reduced. Therefore, for example, the drawing bit-series data SDn may be selected in advance from the drawing bit-series data SDn in which On pixels are continuous at a fixed time Δ Tee during drawing or line patterns extending in the main scanning direction are drawn so as to cover all pixels (25000 pixels) as On pixels, and the peak intensity Vdp of the On/pulse light of the beam LBn oscillated when the On pixels are continuously drawn may be measured by the measurement circuit portion CCBn of fig. 11.

Information On the drawing bit sequence data SDn in which the On pixels are continuous for a certain time Δ Tee or all pixels are On pixels is set by the drawing control device 200 of fig. 7 and sent to the processor MPU300 of fig. 11, and the processor MPU300 sends a control signal CS1 based On the information to each measurement circuit unit CCBn to set a sampling period of the peak intensity Vdp. The fixed time Δ Tee for which the On pixels are continuous is set in accordance with the response time (activation time) of each photosensor. As shown in fig. 15, when the MSM photodiode having a response characteristic of about several tens pS is used for each photosensor, the fixed time Δ Tee may be several consecutive times of On pixels. In the case of using an Avalanche Photodiode (APD) as the photosensor, the response time is longer than that of the MSM photodiode, and therefore the fixed time Δ Tee can be set longer.

[ modification example 7 ]

In the above embodiment 1 or its modification, the intensity (light quantity) of the drawing beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) supplied to each drawing unit Un via the optical element for selection OSn in the beam switching unit is adjusted by changing the amplitude of the drive signal DFn for each optical element for selection OSn by the intensity adjustment control unit 250 shown in fig. 9. In this case, since the intensity of the drawing beam LBn can be adjusted, the difference in the exposure amount between the patterns drawn on the substrate P by the drawing units Un can be adjusted more finely. However, since the adjustment characteristic of the efficiency β with respect to the RF power (amplitude of the drive signal DFn) input to the selective optical element OSn tends to be as shown in fig. 10, and the selective optical element OSn is arranged in series (tandem) along the optical path of the beam LB from the light source device LS, when the intensity of the beam LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected onto the substrate P is uniformly adjusted to be large, the amplitude of the drive signal DFn applied to each of the selective optical elements OSn is determined by a complicated calculation in consideration of the characteristic (the upper limit β max or the lower limit value of the efficiency β) of fig. 10. Therefore, in the present modification, the light amount adjusting means for optically adjusting the intensity (light amount) of the beam LB is provided before the beam switching unit (after the mirror M1 in the configuration of fig. 3) from which the light source device LS emits light enters.

The light amount adjusting member is typically configured as a variable ND filter in which a dielectric film having a material, a thickness, and a number of layers adjusted is evaporated on a quartz plate or the like so that the transmittance (or reflectance) changes stepwise or continuously. The variable ND filter is configured such that the transmittance (or reflectance) of the beam LB differs depending on the region on the quartz plate, and the intensity (light amount) of the transmitted beam LB can be reduced stepwise or continuously by adjusting the position of the variable ND filter with respect to the optical path of the beam LB. In the region where the dielectric film of the quartz plate is not evaporated, a transmittance of 99% or more (reflectance 1% or less) can be obtained.

The light intensity adjusting means may be configured such that a quartz plate (parallel plate) on which a dielectric film is evaporated is disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the optical path of the beam LB. In this case, as the incidence angle of the beam LB to the quartz plate changes, the ratio of the intensity of the transmitted beam to the intensity of the reflected beam also changes (a change in transmittance or reflectance depending on the incidence angle), and the amount of light can be adjusted by this point.

[ modification 8 ]

In the first embodiment 1 or its modifications, 1 of the 6 optical elements OSn for selection arranged in series in the beam switching unit shown in fig. 7 is sequentially switched to the ON state so that the beam LB from the 1 light source device LS shown in fig. 8 is selectively supplied to any one of the 6 drawing units Un. However, when the scanning efficiency 1/α per 1 reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM is not less than 1/4 but less than 1/3, efficient drawing can be performed by installing 2 light source devices LS shown in fig. 8 as disclosed in international publication No. 2015/166910.

Fig. 20 is a view showing a configuration in an XY plane when 2 light source devices are installed without substantially changing the arrangement of the optical members of the beam switching unit shown in fig. 3. In this modification, the beam LB from the 1 st light source device LS1 is absorbed by the absorber TR1 disposed in place of the mirror M7 in fig. 3, from the same position as the mirror M1 in fig. 3, sequentially passing through the mirror M2, the optical element OS5 for selection, the mirrors M3, M4, the optical element OS6 for selection, the mirrors M5, M6, and the optical element OS3 for selection. Although not shown in fig. 20, the beam LB from the second light source LS2 passes through the selective optical element OS4, the mirrors M9 and M10, the selective optical element OS1, the mirrors M11 and M12, and the selective optical element OS2 in this order from the position of the mirror M8 shown in fig. 3, and is absorbed by the absorber TR shown in fig. 3. Therefore, the 1 st light source device LS1 generates the beams LB3, LB5, LB6 to be supplied to the three drawing units U3, U5, and U6, respectively, and the 2 nd light source device LS2 generates the beams LB1, LB2, and LB4 to be supplied to the three drawing units U1, U2, and U4, respectively.

As described above, by providing 2 light source devices LS1 and LS2, the drawing units Un can scan the spot light SP on all the reflection surfaces RP of the polygon mirror PM without skipping one of the reflection surfaces RP. Thus, the moving speed of the substrate P in the sub-scanning direction (X' direction, longitudinal direction) can be doubled as compared with that of 1 light source device LS, and the productivity can be improved. In addition, an adjustment optical system FAO including the light amount adjustment member for adjusting the light amount (intensity) described in modification 7 is provided in the optical path between the light source device LS1 and the mirror M1 shown in fig. 20. The absorber TR1 shown in fig. 20 is configured to be movable in the Y direction intersecting the traveling direction (+ X direction) of the beam LB passing through the selective optical element OS 3. Behind the absorber TR1 (+ X direction), a mirror M40 having a reflection surface RP inclined at 45 ° to the XY plane, for example, is fixed. Therefore, when the absorber TR1 is deviated from the optical path of the beam LB from the optical selection element OS3, the beam LB is projected onto the mirror M40. The beam LB reflected by the mirror M40 travels in the-Z direction through the opening DH of the supporting surface plate of each optical member holding the light source device LS (LS1, LS2) or the beam switching unit, and is used for measuring or adjusting optical performance of the drawing unit Un alone, for example, various optical characteristics such as intensity distribution (beam distribution) in the cross section of the beam (spot light), spherical aberration, image plane tilt, and field curvature, at the time of device maintenance.

[ embodiment 2 ]

The beams LBn (LB1 to LB6) projected onto the substrate P from the drawing units Un are condensed as spot beams SP on the drawing lines SLn (SL1 to SL6), but a predetermined Depth Of Focus (DOF) range exists before and after the focusing direction Of the optimum Focus position (beam waist position) where the spot beams SP converge most. As the initial setting, the optimal focus position of the spot light SP of the beam LBn projected onto the substrate P from each drawing unit Un is adjusted to be coincident with the surface of the substrate P supported by the rotating cylinder DR. As illustrated in the previous embodiment, when the wavelength of the radiation beam LBn is 355nm and the diameter (effective point diameter) of the spot light SP at the best focus position is 2 μm, the Numerical Aperture (NA) of the radiation beam LBn emitted toward the substrate P by the f θ lens FT and the cylindrical lens CYb shown in fig. 4 is small because NA < 0.1, for example, and therefore the DOF range can be within a range of about ± several tens μm to ± 100 μm from the best focus position.

On the other hand, mechanical errors such as roundness and eccentricity of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR supporting the substrate P can be suppressed to about ± several μm by improving the machining accuracy. Further, the amount of looseness (clearance tolerance) of the bearing that supports the shaft Sft (fig. 12) of the rotating cylinder DR to the apparatus main body is also several μm or less. In addition, the thickness unevenness of the substrate P itself is ± several μm or less in the case of a PET or PEN film material with respect to the nominal thickness, and is at most ± several μm or less in the case of a substrate P with a nominal thickness of 100 μm. Therefore, the surface of the substrate P on which the drawing line SLn is located in the focus direction within a range of about ± tens μm due to the influence of mechanical error of the rotating cylinder DR, looseness of the bearings, or thickness unevenness of the substrate P, but this amount is sufficiently smaller than the DOF range.

However, at the time of test exposure immediately after the drawing apparatus is assembled, or at the time of exposure of the substrate P having a thickness greatly different from the first predetermined thickness range, an adjustment operation (focus adjustment) for aligning the optimum focus position of the spot light SP of the beam LBn from each drawing unit Un with the surface of the substrate P is necessary. For example, in the configuration shown in fig. 12, the height position of the rotary cylinder DR in the Z direction or the height positions of the 6 drawing units U1 to U6 in the Z direction can be finely adjusted mechanically. In this case, the positions of the encoder heads EH1 to EH3 need to be displaced by the same amount in the Z direction to adjust the position of the alignment system AMS (objective lens OBL), and such adjustment operations are complicated and require a long time.

In the case where the height positions of the drawing units U1 to U6 (see fig. 4) in the Z direction are finely adjusted, as described with reference to fig. 5, since the reflection surface positions (surfaces Ps) of the selective mirrors IMn in the beam switching unit are set so as to be conjugate with the spot light SP of the beam LBn converging on the substrate P, when the positions of the drawing units U1 to U6 are adjusted only in the Z direction, the conjugate relationship is broken down depending on the adjustment amount. Further, in the same manner as in the case of adjusting the position of the rotary cylinder DR in the Z direction or in the case of adjusting the positions of the drawing units U1 to U6 in the Z direction, since the spacing distances XSL in the sub-scanning direction between the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 and the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 shown in fig. 17 change, it is necessary to perform an operation of precisely measuring the distance XSL by a calibration operation of obtaining measurement information such as the resolution state, positioning accuracy, overlay accuracy, and connection accuracy of the measurement pattern drawn in the test exposure.

Therefore, in embodiment 2, as shown in fig. 21, lenses GLg and GLh as focus adjustment optical members are provided before the light source device LS (or LS1, LS2) is emitted and incident on the beam switching unit (before the mirror M1 or before the initial selection optical element OS5 in fig. 3 and 20). The lenses GLg and GLh are provided in the adjusting optical system FAO in the configuration shown in fig. 20. Fig. 21 shows the optical paths from the 2 nd wavelength conversion optical element 150 to the lens GLf in the optical structure in the light source device LS shown in fig. 8. The 2 nd wavelength conversion optical element 150 is incident so that the 2 nd harmonic (wavelength λ/2) of the seed light beam Lse (wavelength λ) and the mixed beam SB (2 ω) of the seed light beam Lse (wavelength λ) converge. Among the beams emitted from the wavelength conversion optical element 150, the beam LB having a peak in the ultraviolet wavelength range as the 3 rd harmonic is separated from the original mixed beam SB (2 ω) or other wavelength beams by the beam splitter DCM as the wavelength separating element, and is converted into a parallel beam by the lens GLf to be emitted from the window BW of the light source device LS.

The lens GLg having positive refractive power for receiving the parallel beam LB from the light source device LS (or LS1, LS2) is configured to be movable in a direction along the optical axis within a range of ± Δ FC from a design reference position. The beam LB incident on the lens GLg converges on a plane Ps' at the position of the focal length on the rear side of the lens GLg so as to be a beam waist, and then diverges and enters the lens GLh having positive refractive power. In design, the plane Ps' is set at the focal length position on the front side of the lens GLh, and the beam LB passing through the lens GLh becomes again a parallel beam having a beam diameter of about 1mm and is incident on the mirror M1 or the initial selection optical element OS5 in fig. 3 or 20. The plane Ps' where the beam LB becomes a beam waist is set to be optically conjugate to the wavelength conversion optical element 150 in the initial setting, and is further set to be conjugate to the plane Ps shown in fig. 5 and each of the optimal focal planes of the 6 beams LB1 to LB6 projected onto the substrate P. In fig. 21, the front focal length position of the lens GLg is set to the position of the window BW of the light source device LS, and the rear focal length position of the lens GLh is set to the position of the first-stage optical element for selection OS5 or its conjugate position.

With the above configuration, when the lens GLg is moved in the optical axis direction from the reference position within the range of ± Δ FC, the plane Ps' which is the beam waist position of the beam LB is also positioned in the optical axis direction within the range of ± Δ FC. As a result, the optimal focus positions (beam waist positions) of the beams LB1 to LB6 projected from the drawing units U1 to U6 onto the substrate P are shifted by the same amount in the same direction as the focus direction perpendicular to the tangential plane including the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 and the tangential plane including the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 on the substrate P. By providing a simple mechanism for moving the lens GLg in this manner, the respective focal positions of the 6 beams LB1 to LB6 projected onto the substrate P can be adjusted quickly. Therefore, the calibration work time including the test exposure for finely (fine) adjusting the focus state of each of the drawing units Un can be shortened. The optimal focus positions of the beams LB1 to LB6 projected from the drawing units U1 to U6 to the substrate P can BE adjusted by, for example, slightly moving at least one of the lenses BE1 and BE2 of the beam expander system BE in the drawing unit Un shown in fig. 4 in the optical axis direction.

[ modification of embodiment 2 ]

In embodiment 2 described above, the beam LB emitted from the light source device LS (or LS1, LS2) is changed to the plane Ps' of beam waist, and is displaced from the position at the time of initial setting (at the time of setting) in the optical axis direction by the movement of the lens GLg. Therefore, the beam LB emitted from the lens GLh becomes a parallel beam in the initial setting (design) state, but becomes a divergent or convergent beam slightly according to the movement amount of the lens GLg from the initial setting position (design position). As shown in fig. 5 (fig. 3 and 20), the beam LB emitted from the lens GLh is incident from the first-stage optical element for selection OS5 to 6 optical elements for selection OSn arranged so as to be conjugate with each other via the relay optical system of the lenses Ga and Gb.

The characteristics (parallelism) of the beam LB incident on the first selection optical element OS5 slightly change (the degree of divergence or convergence changes) due to the focus adjustment by the movement of the lens GLg, and the characteristics (parallelism) of the beam LB incident on each of the second selection optical elements OS6, OS3, OS4, OS1, and OS2 also similarly change. That is, when the focus adjustment is performed by the movement of the lens GLg, the diameter of the beam LB passing through each optical selection element OSn slightly changes due to the change in the parallelism (i.e., the divergent or convergent beam) of the beam LB entering the optical selection element OSn.

As described above, when the characteristics (parallelism or beam diameter) of the beam LB incident ON the selective optical element OSn change, the diffraction efficiency β of the selective optical element OSn changes from the initially set state, and the intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn projected onto the substrate P changes even when the selective optical elements OSn are turned ON by the same RF power.

Therefore, in the present modification, in order to adjust the focus position of the spot light SP (the beam LBn) projected onto the substrate P, in the case where the focus adjustment optical member (the adjustment optical system FAO) of the lens GLg, GLh is provided between the light source device LS and the beam switching unit (including the selection optical element OSn) as shown in fig. 21, the intensity adjustment control unit 250 shown in fig. 9 adjusts the RF power (the amplitude of the drive signal DFn) applied to each of the selection optical elements OSn in accordance with the focus adjustment. At this time, the focus adjustment amount corresponds to the movement position of the lens GLg in fig. 21, and therefore, a table or a function that correlates the amount of change in intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn associated with the focus adjustment with the movement position of the lens GLg, or a table or a function that correlates the movement position of the lens GLg with the amount of correction of the RF power (amplitude of the drive signal DFn) is obtained in advance by experiments or the like. Next, when the substrate P having a large difference in thickness of about 2 times is mounted, for example, the intensity (light amount) of the beam LBn can be adjusted by performing focus adjustment and adjusting the diffraction efficiency β of each of the optical elements OSn for selection based on a table or a function, whereby a pattern in a good focus state can be drawn with an appropriate exposure amount.

[ 3 rd embodiment ]

As shown in fig. 20, when 2 light source devices LS1 and LS2 are used, the beam LB from the light source device LS1 can be used for purposes other than actual pattern drawing by the mirror M40 through each of the three optical elements for selection OS5, OS6, and OS 3. The mirror M40 is located in the vicinity of the opening CP5 formed on the outer wall in the-X direction of the chamber CB of the exposure section main body EX shown in fig. 2 in the XY plane. Therefore, when the door panel CBh that closes the opening CP5 is opened during maintenance of the apparatus, the beam LB from the light source LS1 that passes through the opening DH shown in fig. 20 can be used.

Fig. 22 is a diagram showing a configuration example when the drawing unit Un is optically adjusted by using the beam LB at the time of device maintenance, and shows a partial cross section of a plane parallel to the XZ plane including the mirror M40 and the opening DH in fig. 20 in the exposure unit main body EX. In fig. 22, the absorber TR1, the mirror M40, and various other optical members or the light source device LS1 shown in fig. 20 are attached to the supporting surface BF. A tube member IUa extending in the-Z direction so as to cover the optical path of the beam LB reflected by the mirror M40 is attached to the lower portion of the opening DH for supporting the fixed platen BF, and an annular joint member IUb connected to the beam incident portion Jpe of the drawing unit Un to be adjusted or inspected is provided at the lower end portion of the tube member IUa. The drawing unit Un shown in fig. 22 is removed from the apparatus main body and attached to a coupling mechanism (support base for measurement) DKS, when the drawing unit Un shown in fig. 4 is viewed from the-Y direction. A beam analyzer (optical measurement unit) OMU is provided in the coupling mechanism DKS, and can measure the spot light SP distribution or telecentric characteristics (tilt error of the beam LBn with respect to the Z axis), the focusing characteristics (optimum focus position and DOF range), and the like of the beam LBn passing through the f θ lens FT, the mirror M24, and the cylindrical lens CYb of the drawing unit Un to be inspected.

The coupling mechanism DKS is configured to detachably mount the drawing unit Un such that the optical axis AXf of the f θ lens FT is parallel to the XY plane, that is, perpendicular to the principal ray of the beam LB that travels in the-Z direction after being reflected by the mirror M40. Further, the coupling mechanism DKS can be detachably attached to the apparatus main body frame portion (pillar portion) located in the vicinity of the opening CP5 of the chamber CB with accuracy of about ± several tens μm at the time of maintenance. The coupling mechanism DKS includes a 1 st moving mechanism MV1 for finely moving the attached drawing unit Un in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction with a positioning accuracy of ± several μm or less with respect to the coupling mechanism DKS (main body frame portion). The coupling mechanism DKS includes a 2 nd movement mechanism MV2 for changing the position of the optical measurement instrument OMU with respect to the beam LBn (spot light SP) to the X axis direction and the Y axis direction, and a Z fine movement mechanism (3 rd movement mechanism) MV3 for finely moving the optical measurement instrument OMU in the Z axis direction (focus direction).

In the above configuration, at the time of maintenance, the coupling mechanism DKS having the optical measurement instrument OMU is attached to the opening CP5 of the chamber CB, and 1 (unit frame) of the drawing unit Un to be adjusted or inspected is detached from the apparatus main body and attached to the coupling mechanism DKS. A jig (polygon mirror fixing jig) capable of manually setting the reflection surface RP to an arbitrary angular position is attached to the polygon mirror PM attached to the inside of the drawing unit Un of the coupling mechanism DKS. Thereafter, the absorber TR1 in fig. 22 is moved away from the optical path of the beam LB, and the position adjustment is performed using at least one of the 1 st moving mechanism MV1 and the 2 nd moving mechanism MV2 of the coupling mechanism DKS so that the beam LB transmitted through the optical element for selecting OS3 and reflected by the mirror M40 is accurately incident on the mirror M20 and the beam LBn (spot light SP) to the optical measurement instrument OMU via the incident portion Jpe of the drawing unit Un. At this time, the optical measurement instrument OMU is positioned by the 2 nd movement mechanism MV2 so that the incident portion of the beam LBn is set at the position of the optical axis AXf of the f θ lens FT, that is, at the center position in the main scanning direction of the drawing line SLn of the spot light SP.

When the distribution of the spot light SP (beam LBn) is measured by the optical measuring instrument OMU, the beam LB of ON/pulse light is continuously output from the light source device LS1 at the oscillation frequency Fa, and all of the three optical elements for selection OS5, OS6, and OS3 are kept in the OFF state. Further, the 2 nd movement mechanism MV2 performs fine adjustment according to the level of the output signal (measurement signal) of the optical measurement instrument OMU so that the spot light SP (beam LBn) is accurately incident on the measurement window of the optical measurement instrument OMU at a predetermined position in the XY direction. The optical measurement instrument OMU measures the intensity distribution and size of the beam LBn in the XY direction in the cross section of the beam LBn at a plurality of positions in the Z direction (focus direction), for example, at positions of 20 μm each, by fine movement in the Z direction by the 3 rd movement mechanism MV 3. From the measurement results, optical performances such as an optimum focus position (beam waist position) of the beam LBn (spot light SP) and distortion (distortion) (spherical aberration and coma aberration) of the spot light SP can be confirmed.

The measurement of the best focus position or distortion of the beam LBn is performed by positioning the optical measurement instrument OMU by the 2 nd movement mechanism MV2 so that the positions on both end sides in the main scanning direction are different from the center position of the scanning line SLn, and adjusting the angle of the reflection surface RP of the polygon mirror PM by the polygon mirror fixing jig. As described above, when the optimum focus position or distortion deviates from a predetermined allowable range from the measurement results of the optimum focus position (DOF range) or distortion of the beam LBn measured at three positions, i.e., the center position and both end positions of the drawing line SLn, the position or posture of the lens (e.g., the beam expander system BE, the cylindrical lenses CYa, CYb, or the f θ lens FT) in the drawing unit Un is finely adjusted while being mounted on the coupling mechanism DKS. After the adjustment of the lens is completed, the optical measurement unit OMU again confirms the best focus position or distortion. Further, by measuring the intensities of the spot light SP and the best focus position at each of the three positions of the center position and both end positions of the drawing line SLn with the optical measuring instrument OMU, it is possible to grasp the error of the f θ characteristic on the image plane of the f θ lens FT, the intensity unevenness of the spot light SP in the position in the main scanning direction, and the like.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the drawing unit Un can be inspected or adjusted using the beam LB from the tuned light source device LS1 mounted on the pattern drawing device (exposure unit main body) EX. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately prepare another equivalent light source device for inspection or adjustment, and inspection work or adjustment work can be efficiently performed at the installation site (in the manufacturing line) of the pattern drawing device (exposure unit main body) EX. The optical measurement instrument OMU may be replaced with a dedicated measurement instrument that precisely measures the precise beam light amount (peak value) of the beam LBn, the positional error of the spot light SP in the sub-scanning direction (linearity of the trace line SLn), and the like.

In the present embodiment, when the beam LB from the light source device LS1 is used, the optical members (the optical elements for selection OS5, OS5, OS3, the mirrors M1 to M6, M40, the lenses Ga, Gb of the relay optical system, the selective mirrors IM5, IM6, and IM3) from the light source device LS1 to the mirror M40 are maintained in a fixed state, and only the absorber TR1 whose position setting accuracy is not strict is removed from the optical path. Therefore, after the operation of checking or adjusting the drawing unit Un using the beam LB is completed, the beam LB can be sent out again with the original accuracy by only returning the absorber TR1 to the original position.

In fig. 20, although the beam LB is captured at the position of the absorber TR1, the beam LB traveling in the-Y direction reflected by the mirror M3 (or the mirror M1) may be reflected by a movable mirror in the + X direction between the mirror M3 and the mirror M4 (or between the mirror M1 and the mirror M2) so as to be attachable to and detachable from the optical path, and the mirror M40 and the opening DH may be provided in the traveling direction of the beam LB traveling in the + X direction from the movable mirror.

[ 4 th embodiment ]

As shown in the previous embodiment, the pattern drawing apparatus EX that performs successive exposure using a plurality of drawing units Un needs to match the focus state of the pattern drawn by each drawing unit Un, and therefore, before exposing the pattern for electronic components to the substrate P, it performs an operation of checking whether the focus state is appropriate or not or the focus difference between the drawing units Un by test exposure or the like. In addition, test exposure may be performed to confirm a connection error (connection accuracy) in each direction of the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction, an overlay error of a pattern newly drawn on the base pattern, an exposure dose adequacy, and the like. In this test exposure, a sheet-like substrate for test exposure is used, and a test pattern is drawn under various conditions. As a sheet substrate for test exposure, for example, a metal layer of copper, aluminum, or the like is evaporated on a PET or PEN film, and a photoresist layer is applied on the metal layer. After the development treatment and the drying treatment, the test-exposed sheet-like substrate is observed in an inspection apparatus equipped with an optical microscope for a resist image of a test pattern, a line width dimension, a space dimension, and the like, and a difference (error) from a drawing state estimated from a condition (initial condition) set at the time of drawing is confirmed. When the difference (error) deviates from the allowable range, the calibration operation of the driving unit or the adjustment mechanism associated with resetting or fine-tuning is performed on the initial condition.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, various initial conditions set at the time of test exposure are used as information patterns of characters or bar codes, and are additionally drawn on the sheet-like substrate for test exposure, thereby improving the work efficiency of inspection using the inspection apparatus. Fig. 23 is a view showing an example of arrangement of 1 test pattern region TPEa, TPEb, TPLn, TPCn, TPRn and information pattern region PIFa, PIFa ', PIFb ' drawn on a sheet-like substrate for test exposure (hereinafter referred to as P ') by the drawing unit Un in order to confirm the adequacy of the exposure amount and the adequacy of the focus state. Similarly, in fig. 23, the main scanning direction in which the scanning line SLn extends is the Y direction, and the sub-scanning direction in which the sheet-like substrate P 'is transferred is the X' direction as in fig. 17. In each of the test pattern regions TPEa, TPEb, a test pattern (dummy pattern) TEG as shown in fig. 19 is drawn in order to confirm the control accuracy of the exposure amount. In fig. 23, the test pattern regions TPEa, TPEb are set at 2 separated in the sub-scanning direction (the transfer direction of the sheet-like substrate P').

In each of the test pattern regions TPLn, TPCn, TPRn (n is 1 to 6, respectively), a plurality of lattice patterns of lines and spaces in the vertical direction (X' direction) and a plurality of lattice patterns of lines and spaces in the horizontal direction (Y direction) are drawn, the line widths of which are stepwise different from each other. These grid patterns are suitable for checking the state of resolution, focus, and exposure. The test pattern regions TPL1 to TPL6 are set at positions near the end portion of the trace line SLn in the + Y direction, the test pattern regions TPC1 to TPC6 are set at positions near the center of the trace line SLn, and the test pattern regions TPR1 to TPR6 are set at positions near the end portion of the trace line SLn in the-Y direction. The drawing data (drawing bit-sequence data SDn) related to the plurality of lattice patterns respectively drawn in the test pattern regions TPLn, TPCn, TPRn may be the same. Here, the test pattern regions TPLn, TPCn, TPRn are provided in three places near the both ends and the center of the drawing line SLn in order to grasp the tilt error around the X' axis of the optimum focal plane, the distortion error in each region, the error in the f- θ characteristic of the f θ lens FT, and the like.

In fig. 23, test pattern regions TPL1 to TPL3, TPC1 to TPC3, and TPR1 to TPR3 arranged so as to cover 3 columns in the X' direction are exposed with the exposure amount (intensity of beam LBn) changed for each column, and the exposure amount for obtaining a sharp resolution is confirmed by comparing the resist images of the plurality of drawn lattice patterns. Further, the test pattern regions TPL4 to TPL6, TPC4 to TPC6, and TPR4 to TPR6 arranged so as to cover 3 columns in the X' direction are exposed by changing the focus state (the best focus position of the beam LBn) by a certain amount for each column one by one, and the exposure amount for obtaining a sharp image is confirmed by comparing the resist images of the plurality of drawn lattice patterns. In the present embodiment, the change of the exposure amount is performed by the change of the amplitude of the drive signal DFn of the selective optical element OSn or the adjustment (drive) of the light amount adjustment member described in the modification 7, and the change of the focus state is performed by the fine movement of the lens GLg in the adjustment optical system FAO described with reference to fig. 21.

The sheet-like substrate P 'is transferred at a constant speed in the X' direction by the rotation of the rotating cylinder DR, and after the test exposure is started, the drawing control device 200 (see fig. 7) draws the condition related to the test exposure or the information related to the parameter value (set value) in the information pattern region PIFa in the exposure amount (intensity of the beam LBn) set to the standard and the focus state set to the standard. In the information pattern region PIFa, for example, an information amount can be drawn to the extent that 10 to 20 characters are arranged in the horizontal direction (Y direction) and 6 lines are arranged in the vertical direction (X' direction) in a character pattern (1 character size in which 14 pixels in the vertical direction and 8 pixels in the horizontal direction are used as characters) having a size that can be observed with an optical microscope or the like. When the size of 1 pixel that can be drawn by the drawing unit Un is 2 × 2 μm, 1 character is 28 μm in vertical direction and 16 μm in horizontal direction, and when the number of characters and lines is 2 pixels (4 μm), the information pattern region PIFa on the sheet substrate P' has a size of about 200 to 400 μm in horizontal direction and about 200 μm in vertical direction. This dimension is a size that can be observed in a detection region (detection field) Vwn (see fig. 17) of the objective lens OBL of the alignment system AMS shown in fig. 12.

When the exposure amount (beam intensity) is set to a plurality of different values as the test exposure condition, the information (arrangement of character patterns) drawn in the information pattern region PIFa is represented by information corresponding to each of the plurality of values, for example, a character string indicating a change ratio (±. o ℃) from the beam intensity set as the standard. The information to be drawn in the information pattern area PIFa includes a transport speed (mm/S) of the sheet-like substrate P', a rotation speed (rpm) of the polygon mirror PM, a position (mm) in the optical axis direction of the lens GLg (see fig. 21) corresponding to a focus state (initial focus position) set as a standard, and the like. Therefore, the drawing control device 200 (fig. 7) has a function of generating drawing data (drawing bit sequence data SDn) corresponding to a character string indicating information (numerical value) related to conditions and parameters at the time of the test exposure.

After drawing the information (character pattern sequence) necessary for the information pattern region PIFa, the drawing unit Un draws the test pattern TEG shown in fig. 19 in the test pattern region TPEa under the control of the drawing control device 200. At the same time, the processor MPU300 of the light amount measurement unit 202 shown in fig. 11 sequentially measures the actual integrated value FXn of the ON/pulse light of the beam LBn for drawing the test pattern TEG, and immediately after the drawing of the test pattern TEG is finished, information (beam intensity information) relating to the intensity of the beam LBn is obtained based ON the calculation based ON the measured actual integrated value FXn and the drawing density, and is sent to the drawing control device 200.

After the test pattern TEG is drawn, the drawing control device 200 (fig. 7) prepares to draw drawing data of a test pattern including a plurality of lattice patterns in the 1 st column test pattern area TPL1, TPC1, and TPR1, and starts the drawing operation of the drawing unit Un. The exposure amount (intensity of the beam LBn) when the test pattern (lattice pattern) is drawn in each of the test pattern regions TPL1, TPC1, and TPR1 in the 1 st column is adjusted by the optical element OSn for selection or the light amount adjusting means so as to change the change ratio (± ≈ o%) with respect to the beam intensity obtained when the test pattern TEG is drawn. In order to ensure the adjustment time, the terminal end of the test pattern region TPEa (end in the "X 'direction") is separated from the leading end of the 1 st column test pattern region TPL1, TPC1, TPR1 (end in the + X' direction) by a distance Δ XTa in the transfer direction (X 'direction) on the sheet-like substrate P'.

Similarly, test patterns are sequentially drawn in the row 2 test pattern area TPL2, TPC2, TPR2, the row 3 test pattern area TPL3, TPC3, and TPR 3. At this time, the exposure amount (intensity of the beam LBn) when the test pattern is drawn in each of the 2 nd column test pattern regions TPL2, TPC2, and TPR2 is adjusted by the optical element OSn for selection or the light amount adjusting means so that the value corresponding to the change ratio (±. o%) is further changed from the beam intensity set when the test pattern is drawn in the 1 st column test pattern regions TPL1, TPC1, and TPR 1. The exposure amount (intensity of the beam LBn) when the test pattern is drawn in each of the 3 rd column test pattern regions TPL3, TPC3, and TPR3 is adjusted by the optical element OSn for selection or the light amount adjustment means so that the value corresponding to the change ratio (±. o%) is further changed from the beam intensity set when the test pattern regions TPL2, TPC2, and TPR2 for the 2 nd column are drawn. The distance between the 1 st row test pattern region and the 2 nd row test pattern region in the X 'direction and the distance between the 2 nd row test pattern region and the 3 rd row test pattern region in the X' direction are both set to be a distance Δ XTa.

Next, in order to perform test exposure for confirming the focus state, the drawing control device 200 controls each unit to draw the information pattern region PIFb at the same position in the Y direction as the information pattern region PIFa previously drawn by the drawing unit Un. In the case where the information to be drawn in the information pattern region PIFb is the same as the information drawn in the information pattern region PIFa, the drawing of the information on the information pattern region PIFb is omitted. Further, the drawing control device 200 controls each unit to generate drawing data indicating beam intensity information (measured when drawing the test pattern TEG in the test pattern region TPEa), and the drawing unit Un draws a character string or the like corresponding to the beam intensity information in the information pattern region PIFa' of fig. 23. Next, in order to confirm the exposure amount (intensity of beam LBn), test pattern TEG is drawn in test pattern region TPEb, and beam intensity information at the time of drawing is measured. Next, in each of the 4 th row test pattern regions TPL4, TPC4, TPR4, a test pattern is drawn so that the focal position is shifted by a certain amount from the focus state set as the standard (the state in which the best focus position of the beam LBn and the surface of the sheet-like substrate P' are regarded as roughly matching). The value corresponding to the amount of focus shift is represented as a character string in the information pattern region PIFb (or PIFa), but is represented as a numerical character string in the present example as a movement amount (or set position) in the optical axis direction of the lens GLg shown in fig. 21.

In the 4 th column test pattern region TPL4, TPC4, TPR4, the focus position (the movement position of the lens GLg) when the test pattern (lattice pattern) is drawn is adjusted so as to be shifted by a certain amount in the negative direction from the standard focus position (initial position) when the test pattern TEG is drawn. In order to ensure the adjustment time, the terminal end of the test pattern region TPEb (-the end in the X 'direction) is separated from the leading end of the 4 th column of test pattern regions TPL4, TPC4, TPR4 (+ X' direction end) by a distance Δ XTb in the transfer direction (X 'direction) on the sheet-like substrate P'. Similarly, test patterns are drawn in the 5 th row test pattern region TPL5, TPC5, TPR5, 6 th row test pattern region TPL6, TPC6, and TPR6, respectively, with a distance Δ XTb in the X 'direction on the sheet-like substrate P'. At this time, when drawing the test pattern in the 5 th row test pattern region TPL5, TPC5, TPR5, the focus state is returned to the initial state, that is, the focus position (the set position of the lens GLg) when drawing the test pattern TEG in the test pattern region TPEb. When drawing the test pattern in the 6 th row test pattern regions TPL6, TPC6, TPR6, the position of the lens GLg is adjusted so as to be shifted by a predetermined amount in the positive direction from the standard focus position (initial position) at the time of drawing the test pattern TEG in the test pattern region TPEb.

After the test patterns in the 6 th row test pattern regions TPL6, TPC6 and TPR6 are drawn as described above, the drawing control device 200 controls the respective units to generate drawing data of a character string indicating beam intensity information (measured when the test pattern TEG is drawn in the test pattern region TPEb) (numerical values and the like), and the drawing unit Un draws a character string and the like corresponding to the beam intensity information in the information pattern region PIFb' of fig. 23. The information (character string such as numerical values) drawn in the information pattern region PIFb' is not limited to the beam intensity information, and information related to factors that can vary the focus state during the drawing of each of the 4 th to 6 th test pattern regions, for example, error information due to the roundness or eccentricity of the rotating cylinder DR measured by a plurality of encoder heads, measurement information from a sensor that monitors the variation in the parallelism of the outgoing beam LB due to the drift of optical components in the light source device LS (LS1, LS2), or the like may be drawn as the character string.

According to the present embodiment, the test pattern (a plurality of grid patterns, etc.) of each of the test pattern regions TPLn, TPCn, TPRn set on the sheet-like substrate P 'for test exposure is observed with the optical microscope of the inspection apparatus or the alignment system AMS provided in the pattern drawing apparatus EX, and when the setting state or the focus state of the exposure amount is confirmed, the information of the condition or the parameter value at the time of test exposure recorded on the sheet-like substrate P' and the various information obtained at the time of test exposure (the beam intensity information, the error information of the rotating cylinder DR, the measurement information of the beam parallelism due to the drift of the light source apparatus LS, etc.) can be visually confirmed with the microscope (the objective lens OBL). Therefore, the calibration work based on the test exposure result can be simply performed.

In the present embodiment, numerical values and the like are drawn as character patterns in the information pattern regions PIFa, PIFa ', PIFb, and PIFb', respectively, but may be bar code patterns. In addition, when the stage of changing the exposure amount (beam intensity) or the focus position to be adjusted is set to, for example, 10 stages, and the 5 th stage corresponds to the initial state (initial position) set as a standard, the patterns drawn in the information pattern regions PIFa, PIFa ', PIFb, and PIFb' may be linear patterns (lattice shapes) corresponding to the number of stages. In this way, when the amount of adjustment of the exposure amount is excessive or insufficient or the amount of adjustment of the focus position is expressed by the number of simple line patterns, the line width of the line pattern can be made large first, and the pattern can be drawn in a state where the defocus is increased, and the resist image can be easily observed.

[ modification of embodiment 4 ]

In the above embodiment 4, in the test exposure in which the focus state is confirmed, the lens GLg of the adjustment optical system FAO in fig. 21, which converges and diverges the beam LB emitted from the light source device LS (LS1, LS2) in the pattern drawing device EX, is moved, and the optimum focus position (beam waist position) of the beam LBn projected onto the sheet-like substrate P' is shifted in the focus direction in a stepwise manner. However, when the lens GLg of the adjustment optical system FAO is configured to be movable in the optical axis direction, if the posture of the lens GLg slightly changes with the movement, the beam LBn after the adjustment optical system FAO may move laterally or travel at a slight inclination.

Therefore, in the present modification, the sheet substrate PFC shown in fig. 24 is prepared so that the test exposure for confirming the focus state can be performed without finely moving the lens GLg of the adjustment optical system FAO or other optical members. Fig. 24 shows a sheet-like substrate PFC which is a single sheet that can be wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR and temporarily fixed with an adhesive tape or the like, and which is spread in a plane parallel to the X' Y plane. The size (short side size) of the sheet substrate PFC in the Y direction is set to be longer than the total length in the Y direction (main scanning direction) of the 6 drawing lines SL1 to SL6 set in the carousel cylinder DR, and the size (long side size) LLx of the sheet substrate PFC in the X' direction is set to LLx ≦ pi · DC corresponding to the straight diameter DC of the carousel cylinder DR.

The sheet-shaped substrate PFC is a laminate of 7 rectangular sheet-shaped substrates PF2 to PF8, each of which has an X' -direction end EE aligned, and is laminated on a sheet-shaped substrate PF1 serving as a base which is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR. The surface of the sheet substrate PFC is divided into 8 regions in the X ' direction, for example, and when the dimension of 1 region in the X ' direction is Δ XJ, this means that the sheet substrate PF1 is set to the dimension LLx in the X ' direction, the sheet substrate PF2 is set to the dimension LLx- Δ XJ in the X ' direction from the end EE, and the sheet substrate PF3 is set to the dimension LLx-2 · Δ XJ in the X ' direction from the end EE. In this way, the sheet-like substrates PFn (n is 1 to 8) are laminated by a laminator or the like which performs thermocompression bonding, with the dimension of the sheet-like substrates PFn in the X' direction from the end EE set to LLx- (n-1) · Δ XJ.

The dimension Δ XJ is preferably set to be longer than the distance XSL (see fig. 17) between the odd-numbered drawing lines SL1, SL3, and SL5 and the even-numbered drawing lines SL2, SL4, and SL6 in the X' direction (sub-scanning direction). The base sheet-like substrates PF2 to PF8, other than the sheet-like substrate PF1, were films of PET or PEN having a nominal thickness of 20 μm, for example. The thickness of the sheet-like substrate PF1 is set in accordance with a standard thickness of the substrate P that can be exposed by the pattern drawing device EX. For example, when the nominal thickness of the substrate P on which the electronic component pattern is drawn is 100 μm, the thickness of the base sheet-like substrate PF1 is set to about 30 μm because the surface of the substrate P is set (adjusted) to be the best focus position.

As described above, the sheet substrate PFC becomes a laminate as shown in fig. 25. Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the laminated structure of the sheet-shaped substrate PFC, in which the vertical axis represents the thickness (μm) and the horizontal axis represents the length in the X' direction. The height position at which the thickness is zero is the position of the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR, and the position at which the length is zero is the position of the end EE. When the sheet substrate PFC is wound in close contact with the rotating cylinder DR, the surfaces of the sheet substrates PF1 to PF4 are defocused by-70 μm, -50 μm, -30 μm, and-10 μm, respectively, with respect to the optimum focus position set at 100 μm upward from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR. Similarly, the surfaces of the sheet-shaped substrates PF5 to PF8 were defocused at +10 μm, +30 μm, +50 μm, and +70 μm, respectively, with respect to the best focus position. Further, the sheet-like substrates PF1 to PF8 may be laminated as shown in fig. 25, in which a metal layer of copper, aluminum or the like is evaporated on the upper surface side. The base sheet-like substrate PF1 may be a metal sheet (foil) or an extremely thin bent glass sheet having excellent flatness and high rigidity (young's modulus).

The surface of the sheet-shaped substrate PFC shown in fig. 24 and 25 (the surface on the side where the sheet-shaped substrates PF2 to PF8 are laminated) is coated with a photoresist having a predetermined thickness (for example, 1 μm), and is prebaked as necessary. Since the surface of the sheet substrate PFC has a step difference of 20 μm in thickness of each of the sheet substrates PF2 to PF8, a photosensitive layer of the photoresist is formed on the sheet substrate PFC in a manner such that the photoresist can be favorably coated even with the step difference, for example, by a printing method in which a transfer cylinder uniformly coated with a photoresist liquid on the outer peripheral surface is pressed against the surface of the sheet substrate PFC and rotated, a spraying method in which a photoresist liquid is sprayed in a mist form, an ink jet method in which a photoresist liquid is sprayed from a plurality of liquid droplet nozzles, or the like.

The sheet substrate PFC on which the photosensitive layer is formed is wound around the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR and fixed to the outer peripheral surface by an adhesive tape or the like. At this time, the end EE of the sheet substrate PFC is manually positioned and wound around the rotating cylinder DR so as to match the angular position of the origin pattern (origin signal is generated every 360 degrees of rotation) engraved at one point on the outer periphery of the disc-shaped or annular scale member ESD shown in fig. 12. In order to indicate the angular position of the original point pattern engraved on the scale member ESD, a visible mark is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder DR or the side surface of the rotating cylinder DR at the same azimuth as the angular position of the original point pattern engraved when viewed from the center axis AXo. Therefore, the PFC of the sheet substrate can be positioned according to the mark.

After the sheet-shaped substrate PFC is fixed to the rotating cylinder DR, the pattern drawing device EX sets the test pattern regions TPL1 to TPL3, TPC1 to TPC3, TPR1 to TPR3, or TPEa described in fig. 23 in the region of the size Δ XJ of each of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF8 on which the sheet-shaped substrate PFC is laminated, and draws each test pattern. At this time, since the optimum focus position (the position in which the spot light SP is the focus direction of the beam waist) of each drawing unit Un set in the pattern drawing device EX must be changed, the test pattern regions TPEb, TPL4 to TPL6, TPC4 to TPC6, TPR4 to TPR6 described with reference to fig. 23 are not set to expose the test pattern.

After exposing the surface of each of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF8 of the sheet-shaped substrate PFC with the test pattern regions TPL1 to TPL3, TPC1 to TPC3, TPR1 to TPR3, or TPEa, the sheet-shaped substrate PFC is removed from the rotating cylinder DR, subjected to a development process and a drying process, and the resist image of the test pattern (a line & space lattice pattern) formed on the sheet-shaped substrate PFC is measured by an inspection apparatus. Since the surfaces of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF8 constituting the sheet-shaped substrate PFC are shifted in the focus direction in steps of 20 μm, the test pattern images are exposed to light in a state where the focus position is relatively displaced for every 20 μm in the range of-70 μm to +70 μm in the focus direction including the optimum focus position on the surfaces of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF 8.

Thus, by sequentially observing the resist images of the test patterns formed on the surfaces of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF8, it can be confirmed whether or not the best focus position matches the surface of the substrate P of 100 μm in thickness within an allowable error range (e.g., ± 15 μm) as shown in fig. 25, for example, by confirming the line width change of the line & space lattice pattern drawn with the line width (e.g., 3 pixels ═ 6 μm) which is a design critical value. As a result, for example, when the critical line width of the test pattern (lattice pattern) formed on the surface of each of the sheet-like substrates PF2 and PF3 was measured to be closest to the design value (6 μm), the true best focus position was determined to be present at a focus position corresponding to a thickness of approximately 60 μm, which is not the focus position corresponding to a thickness of 100 μm. Based on the measurement results, the position of the lens GLg of the adjustment optical system FAO in fig. 21 is adjusted in the optical axis direction so that the best focus position is displaced upward by +40 μm. Alternatively, the position of the rotating cylinder DR in the Z direction is adjusted to-40 μm.

As described above, in the present modification, it is not necessary to draw a test pattern by displacing the focus position by the movement of the optical member (such as the lens GLg) on the pattern drawing apparatus EX side at the time of test exposure, so that the test exposure time can be shortened, and the measurement accuracy for obtaining the change in the true best focus position is improved because the drawing accuracy of the test pattern is not changed. The sheet substrate PFC for test exposure shown in fig. 24 and 25 may be a mask projection exposure apparatus in which a mask pattern formed on a flat or cylindrical mask is projected onto the substrate P through a projection optical system, or a maskless exposure apparatus in which a plurality of variable micromirrors are modulated at high speed based on CAD data of a pattern for an electronic device, for example, so as to project light intensity components corresponding to the pattern onto the substrate P, in addition to a direct-scanning exposure apparatus in which the spot light SP is linearly scanned by a polygonal mirror. In particular, in a mask projection exposure apparatus or a maskless exposure apparatus, since a projection area of a mask image or a light intensity distribution projected on a substrate P has a two-dimensional size, a depth of focus (DOF) is narrow and a defocus allowance for an optimum focus position is small compared to a direct-writing type exposure apparatus. Therefore, a situation also arises in which the variation in the best focus position is confirmed at short intervals. Even in such a case, by using the sheet-like substrate PFC according to the present modification, it is possible to easily obtain the fluctuation of the true best focus position and immediately adjust the fluctuation.

Although not shown in fig. 24, a mark pattern detectable by any of the 4 detection regions Vw1 to Vw4 shown in fig. 17, which is the observation region of the objective lens OBL of the alignment system AMS shown in fig. 12, may be formed on each of the sheet-shaped substrates PF1 to PF 8. When test exposure is performed using a sheet substrate PFC on which a mark pattern is formed, the alignment system AMS measures the position of the mark pattern, and corrects the drawing position of each test pattern based on the measured position and performs exposure, thereby making it possible to confirm the overlay accuracy of a second pattern (test pattern) of a first pattern (mark pattern). The sheet-shaped substrate PFC shown in fig. 24 is a single sheet having a dimension LLx shorter than the entire circumference of the outer circumferential surface of the rotating cylinder DR, but it is also possible to form a base sheet-shaped substrate PF1 in an elongated shape, repeatedly laminate the sheet-shaped substrates PF2 to PF8 shown in fig. 24 on the base sheet-shaped substrate PF1 in the longitudinal direction thereof, and wind the laminate around a roller, and attach the laminate to the pattern drawing device EX in place of the supply roller FR of the supply roller attachment EPC1 shown in fig. 1.

[ other modifications ]

In each of the above embodiments or the modifications thereof, although the optical selection element OSn included in the beam switching unit is an acousto-optic modulation element (AOM), it may be an electro-optic deflecting member that does not use a diffraction phenomenon, for example, an electro-optic element (EO element) that uses a pockels effect or a kerr effect. The EO element is composed of a crystalline medium or an amorphous medium whose refractive index changes to the 1 st or 2 nd power of the applied electric field intensity. When the EO element is used, the fine parallel beam LB from the light source device LS (LS1, LS2) is linearly polarized light polarized in either the longitudinal direction or the lateral direction, and passes through the EO element and the Polarizing Beam Splitter (PBS) in sequence. When the state in which the driving signal (high voltage of direct current) is not applied to the EO element and the state in which the driving signal is applied are alternately switched, the polarization direction of the beam LB emitted from the EO element is alternately rotated by 90 degrees. Therefore, the beam LB incident on the Polarizing Beam Splitter (PBS) is emitted in a state of being either reflected or transmitted on the polarization splitting surface in accordance with the direction of the linearly polarized light. Therefore, in association with each of the plurality of (6 or 3) drawing units Un, the group of EO elements and PBS is configured such that the beam LB from the light source device LS (LS1, LS2) passes in series, and when a drive signal is not applied to the EO elements, the PBS transmits the beam LB, and when a drive signal is applied to the EO elements, the PBS reflects the beam LB, whereby the beam LB can be selectively supplied to any of the drawing units Un.

In addition, as an alternative optical element OSn, a chemical composition of KDP (KH) can be used₂PO₄)、ADP(NH₄H₂PO₄)、KD*P(KD₂PO₄)、KDA(KH₂AsO₄)、BaTiO₃,SrTiO₃,LiNbO₃,LiTaO₃And the like, and a transmissive electro-optical element in which a crystal medium made of the material represented by the above formula is formed in a prism shape (triangle shape). Since the refractive index of the medium changes in accordance with the applied voltage, the polarization of the incident beam LB at the prism can be changedAngle of refraction. Further, as the electro-optical element for deflecting the traveling direction of the incident beam at an angle according to the applied voltage, for example, KTN (KTa) disclosed in japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2014-081575 and international publication No. 2005/124398 can be used_1-xNb_xO₃) And (4) crystallizing.

In each embodiment and modification, the case where the beam LB from 1 light source device LS is alternatively supplied to each of the drawing units U1 to U6 in a time-division manner, or the case where the beam LB1 (or LB2) from 1 light source device LS1 (or LS2) is alternatively supplied to each of the three drawing units U5, U6, and U3 (or U4, U1, and U2) in a time-division manner is illustrated, but when the dimension of the drawing line SLn in the main scanning direction can be made long due to the configuration of the drawing unit Un (such as an increase in the aperture of the f θ lens FT), the drawing units Un arranged in the substrate P width direction (main scanning direction) can be made to be2 of the drawing units U5 and U6 shown in fig. 3, for example, and the beam LB (LB1) from 1 light source device LS1 can be alternatively supplied to the drawing units U5 in a time-division manner, each of U6. In this case, if the patterns drawn by the 2 drawing lines SL5 and SL6 need to be continued in the main scanning direction (Y direction), the 2 drawing units U5 and U6 are arranged to be shifted in each direction of the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction. However, when performing precise pattern drawing by a double exposure (double patterning) method in which patterns drawn by the drawing lines SL5 and SL6 are superimposed on the substrate P, the 2 drawing units U5 and U6 are arranged so as to be shifted only in the sub-scanning direction with the same position in the main scanning direction.

Claims (14)

1. A pattern drawing method for drawing a pattern ON a substrate by moving a drawing beam modulated ON or OFF according to a pattern to be drawn in a sub-scanning direction intersecting a main scanning direction relative to the substrate while one-dimensionally scanning the drawing beam in the main scanning direction ON the substrate by a scanning means, the method comprising:

an operation of storing drawing data indicating an ON state and an OFF state of the drawing beam in a storage unit in units of the pixels when the pattern to be drawn ON the substrate is divided into an arrangement of two-dimensional pixels in the main scanning direction and the sub scanning direction;

an operation of measuring an actual integrated value of a photoelectric signal output from a photoelectric sensor that receives at least a part of the drawing beam before entering the scanning member, in accordance with an intensity of the drawing beam in an ON state, during a period in which the drawing beam is scanned at least once in the main scanning direction; and

and an operation of adjusting the intensity of the drawing beam in the ON state based ON an appropriate intensity to be set when the drawing beam is in the ON state and a difference between the target integrated value and the actual integrated value, which is predetermined based ON a product of the number of pixels set to the ON state out of the total number of pixels arranged in the main scanning direction.

2. The pattern drawing method according to claim 1, wherein the drawing beam is pulse light of an oscillation frequency Fa and pulse light of an ultraviolet wavelength region having a light emission time shorter than a cycle Tf of the oscillation frequency Fa when the drawing data corresponding to the pixels sequentially output from the storage unit in synchronization with the scanning in the main scanning direction indicates an ON state.

3. The pattern drawing method according to claim 2, wherein the scanning means is a polygon mirror having Np reflecting surfaces and rotating at a predetermined rotation speed vr (rpm);

the size of the spot light formed by the drawing beam projected on the substrate is set as

The number of pulsed light per 1 pixel of the drawing beam set for drawing the pixel is Nsp, the scanning length of the drawing beam on the substrate is LT, and the scanning efficiency of 1 reflecting surface of the polygon mirror is 1/alpha, so as to satisfy the requirement

The oscillation frequency Fa or the rotation speed VR is adjusted.

4. The pattern drawing method according to claim 3, wherein the photosensor is disposed on a back side of a mirror that reflects the drawing beam in an optical path before the drawing beam enters the scanning member, and receives a light leakage component transmitted through the mirror.

5. The pattern drawing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein test exposure is performed in advance to obtain information ON a correspondence relationship between a drawing density, which is a ratio of the number of pixels set to an ON state among the number of full pixels arranged in the main scanning direction, and the target integrated value to be obtained in accordance with the drawing density.

6. The pattern drawing method according to claim 5, wherein it comprises: the test exposure includes an operation of drawing a test pattern on the substrate, the test pattern having test exposure drawing data with different drawing densities arranged in the sub-scanning direction.

7. The pattern drawing method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the photosensor is a PIN photodiode, an avalanche photodiode, or a metal-semiconductor-metal photodiode.

8. A pattern drawing device for drawing a pattern on a substrate by moving the substrate in a sub-scanning direction, the pattern drawing device being arranged in a main scanning direction or a sub-scanning direction intersecting the main scanning direction, by scanning a spot light whose intensity is modulated according to the pattern on the substrate by a scanning means, the pattern drawing device comprising:

a light source device for generating a beam as the spot light;

a beam switching unit including: a 1 st selection optical element for passing the beam from the light source device and deflecting an optical path of the beam by electrical control when the beam is supplied to the 1 st drawing unit; and a 2 nd optical element for selection, which passes the beam from the light source device passing through the 1 st optical element for selection, and deflects an optical path of the beam by electrical control when the beam is supplied to the 2 nd drawing unit;

a 1 st optical system for forming a 1 st condensed position optically conjugate to a spot light formed by the beam projected from the 1 st drawing unit onto the substrate, in an optical path between the light source device and the 1 st optical element for selection;

a 2 nd optical system for forming a 2 nd light condensing position optically conjugate to the spot light formed by the beam projected from the 2 nd drawing unit to the substrate and also conjugate to the 1 st light condensing position in an optical path between the 1 st selective optical element and the 2 nd selective optical element; and

and an adjusting means for displacing the 1 st condensing position in a direction along the optical path in order to adjust the focus state of the spot light.

9. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the light source device emits pulsed light emitted at a predetermined cycle in an ultraviolet wavelength region as substantially parallel light beams;

the adjusting means includes a lens for focus adjustment for converging the beam from the light source device to the 1 st condensed position.

10. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the 1 st drawing unit and the 2 nd drawing unit includes a scanning lens system for entering the beam supplied from the beam switching unit and deflected in the main scanning direction by the scanning member and condensing the beam as the spot light;

the 1 st optical system includes the scanning lens system of the 1 st drawing unit.

11. The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the 2 nd optical system includes a part of a lens of a relay optical system in which the 1 st selective optical element and the 2 nd selective optical element are optically conjugate, and the scanning lens system of the 2 nd drawing unit.

12. A pattern drawing device for projecting a drawing light beam, the intensity of which is modulated based on drawing data corresponding to a pattern for an electronic component, onto a flexible long sheet-like substrate on which the electronic component is formed while moving the substrate in one direction, and drawing the pattern on the substrate, the pattern drawing device comprising:

a rotating cylinder having an outer peripheral surface which is curved into a cylindrical surface shape with a certain radius from a central axis extending in a width direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the sheet-like substrate to bend and support a part of the sheet-like substrate in the longitudinal direction, and which moves the sheet-like substrate in the longitudinal direction by rotating around the central axis;

a plurality of drawing units arranged in the width direction so as to project the drawing beams on each of a plurality of regions in the width direction of a portion of the sheet-like substrate supported on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder;

a chamber having an outer wall surrounding the rotary cylinder and each of the drawing units, and supplied with temperature-controlled gas from an air conditioning unit;

a rotation driving motor having a shaft and disposed outside a 1 st outer wall, the shaft being directly drivingly coupled to the central shaft of the rotation cylinder through a 1 st opening of the 1 st outer wall provided in the outer wall of the chamber and located in the extending direction of the central shaft of the rotation cylinder; and

and a seat member that is movable in the direction of the central axis so that the rotating cylinder is integrally attached to the rotating drive motor and the rotating cylinder is drawn out to the outside of the 1 st outer wall.

13. The pattern drawing device according to claim 12,

the rotary driving motor is a brushless motor.

14. The pattern drawing device according to claim 12 or 13,

the outer wall of the chamber is provided with a 2 nd opening part which can be contacted with the rotating cylinder and a door plate which plugs the 2 nd opening part on a 2 nd outer wall which is parallel to the central axis of the rotating cylinder.

Images