CN113439236B

CN113439236B - Exposure apparatus, illumination optical system, and device manufacturing method

Info

Publication number: CN113439236B
Application number: CN202080011094.6A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 吉田亮平; 井田真高; 吉田大辅; 野嶋琢己; 松桥佑介; 渡辺畅章
Original assignee: Nikon Corp
Current assignee: Nikon Corp
Priority date: 2019-03-29
Filing date: 2020-03-04
Publication date: 2024-06-04
Anticipated expiration: 2040-03-04
Also published as: CN113439236A; JPWO2020203002A1; KR20210142602A; TW202040284A; WO2020203002A1

Abstract

The invention provides an exposure device, an illumination optical system and a device manufacturing method, which can prevent the change of the line width or thickness of a transferred pattern in a second area. An exposure apparatus that performs a first exposure that exposes a first exposure region on a substrate to be exposed for a first time while moving the substrate to be exposed in a scanning direction, and a second exposure that exposes a second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed for a second time different from the first time while moving the substrate to be exposed in the scanning direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for supplying illumination light; a projection optical system; and a setting means for setting the exposure amount distribution in the second region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region is repeated so as to be asymmetric with respect to the center of the second region in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction.

Description

Exposure apparatus, illumination optical system, and device manufacturing method

The disclosures of the following priority base applications are incorporated herein by reference, and Japanese patent application No. 2019-069147 (application No. 29, 3, 2019).

Technical Field

The invention relates to an exposure device, an illumination optical system, and a device manufacturing method.

Background

As a device for exposing and transferring a pattern original on a mask to a large substrate, a scanning type exposure device is known in which the mask and the substrate are relatively scanned with respect to a projection optical system to perform exposure. In the scanning exposure, an exposure field is enlarged in a scanning direction, but an exposure apparatus is also known in which exposure areas are overlapped in a non-scanning direction to perform multiple scanning exposure in order to further enlarge the exposure field in a direction intersecting the scanning direction (non-scanning direction).

Furthermore, the following methods are also known: a plurality of projection optical systems are provided in parallel in a non-scanning direction, and exposure is performed while overlapping a part of an exposure field of view in which the plurality of projection optical systems perform exposure, whereby an electronic circuit is transferred onto a substrate by one scanning (for example, patent document 1).

Prior art literature

Patent literature

Patent document 1: japanese patent laid-open publication 2016-54230

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first embodiment, an exposure apparatus that performs a first exposure that exposes a first exposure region on a substrate to be exposed in a first time while moving the substrate to be exposed in a scanning direction, and a second exposure that exposes a second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed in a second time different from the first time while moving the substrate to be exposed in the scanning direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system for supplying illumination light; a projection optical system; and a setting means for setting an exposure amount distribution in a second region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region is repeated in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction so as to be asymmetric with respect to a center of the second region.

According to a second embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes: an illumination optical system for supplying illumination light; a projection optical system; a substrate stage for relatively moving the substrate to be exposed with respect to the projection optical system in a scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate to be exposed; and an illuminance changing means for setting an exposure amount in a first region on the substrate to be exposed, which is continuously exposed in time by a scanning exposure field of the projection optical system during the exposure, to be smaller than an exposure amount in a second region on the substrate to be exposed, which is discretely exposed in time by the scanning exposure field, and which is set so that an exposure amount distribution of the second region in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction becomes an asymmetric distribution with respect to a center of the second region.

According to a third embodiment, a device manufacturing method includes: performing exposure processing on the substrate to be exposed by using the exposure apparatus of the first embodiment or the second embodiment; and developing the exposed substrate.

According to a fourth embodiment, an illumination optical system for use in an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the illumination optical system being configured to irradiate a first illumination region on an object moving in a scanning direction with illumination light during a first time period and irradiate a second illumination region on the object moving in the scanning direction during a second time period different from the first time period, the illumination optical system including a setting means for setting, in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, an exposure amount distribution in a region on the substrate to be exposed via an overlapping region where a part of each of the first illumination region and the second illumination region overlaps with the center of the region becomes an asymmetric distribution.

According to a fifth embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes: the illumination optical system of the fourth embodiment; and a substrate stage that holds the substrate and moves the substrate relative to the illumination light in a first direction so that a predetermined pattern of the object is exposed on the substrate.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a side view showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment in an enlarged manner from a fly-eye lens to a mask.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing a relationship between a field of view on a mask and a field of view on a substrate in the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment. Fig. 4 (a 1), 4 (a 2) and 4 (a 3) are diagrams showing the field of view on the mask, the field of view aperture in the projection optical system, and the field of view on the substrate in the projection optical system 19c in fig. 1, respectively, and fig. 4 (b 1), 4 (b 2), and 4 (b 3) are diagrams showing the field of view on the mask, the field of view aperture in the projection optical system, and the field of view on the substrate in the projection optical system 19b in fig. 1, respectively.

Fig. 5 is a diagram showing an example of the light amount adjustment member.

Fig. 6 is a view showing an example of the exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate and the effective light-sensitive amount in the light-sensitive material when the substrate is subjected to scanning exposure by the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment. Fig. 6 (a) is a view showing an exposure field on a substrate of each projection optical system, fig. 6 (b) is a view showing an exposure region formed on the substrate 22, fig. 6 (c) is a view showing an example of an exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate, and fig. 6 (d) is a view showing an example of an effective light sensing amount in a light sensing material.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between the exposure amount E and the effective light sensing amount EE at and around the overlapping portion Oc. Fig. 7 (a) is a diagram showing an exposure field PIc and a part of the exposure field PId on the substrate, fig. 7 (b) is a diagram showing a distribution Ec of exposure amounts of scanning exposure on the substrate 22 through the exposure field PIc, fig. 7 (c) is a diagram showing a distribution Ed of exposure amounts of scanning exposure on the substrate 22 through the exposure field PId, and fig. 7 (d) is a diagram showing an example of effective light sensing amounts in the light sensing material.

Fig. 8 is a view of the fly's eye lens, the light reducing member, and the light reducing member holding portion of the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the input lens side.

Fig. 9 shows another example of the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portion. Fig. 9 (a) is a diagram showing the distribution of the exposure amount of the scanning exposure on the substrate 22 through the exposure field PIc and the exposure field PId without the light reducing member interposed, fig. 9 (b) is a diagram showing the light reducing ratio by the light reducing member, and fig. 9 (c) is a diagram showing the distribution of the exposure amount of the scanning exposure on the substrate 22 through the exposure field PIc and the exposure field PId in a state in which the light reducing member is interposed.

Fig. 10 is a view showing another example of the exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate and the effective light-sensitive amount in the light-sensitive material when the substrate is subjected to scanning exposure by the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment. Fig. 10 (a) is a view showing an exposure field on a substrate of each projection optical system, fig. 10 (b) is a view showing an example of an exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate, and fig. 10 (c) is a view showing an example of an effective light sensing amount in a light sensing material.

Fig. 11 is a view of the light reduction member and the light reduction member holding portion of modification 1 as seen from the input lens side.

[ Description of symbols ]

1: Light source

2: Elliptical mirror

3: Deflection mirror

4: Relay lens

5: Deflection mirror

6: Relay lens

7: Optical fiber

8A, 8b: input lens

9A, 9b, 9c1, 9c2, 9c3, 9c4: light-reducing member holding portion

9C10, 9c20, 9c30, 9c40: sliding piece

10A to 10e, 10c1a, 10c1b, 10c2a, 10c2b, 10c3a, 10c3b, 10c4a, 10c4b: dimming component (illuminance changing component)

11A to 11e: fly's eye lens

12A to 12e: condensing lens

13. 24: Movable mirror

14. 25: Laser interferometer

15: Mask for mask

16: Mask carrier

17: Mask stage platform

19. 19A to 19e, 19F, 19R: projection optical system

20: Intermediate image plane

21A to 21e: view field aperture

21Ao to 21eo: an opening part

22: Substrate board

23: Position detection optical system

26: Illuminance sensor

27: Substrate carrying table

28: Substrate carrying platform

50: Control unit

71: Incident side

72A, 72b: an emission side

100: Exposure apparatus

110: Lens element

ATa to ATe: light quantity adjusting member

CAa to CAe: drive unit

CL: center of the machine

CP: conjugate plane

E. E1, E2, E3, ec1, ed1, ec2, ed2, ET2: exposure amount

Ec. Ed: distribution of exposure

EE. EE1, EE2, EEc: effective light sensing amount

IFc: irradiation region

IL, ILa-ILe: illumination optical system

IPIc: exposure field corresponding region

IWs, W1, W2, W3, ws, wo: width of (L)

IX, IXa to IXe, PAXa to PAXe: optical axis

MIa-MIe: illumination area

MIb2, MIc2: illumination light

Oa to Od: overlapping part (second area)

PG: flat glass

PIa to PIe: exposure field of view

PIac to PIec: central region

PIal to PIel: left end region

PIar to PIer: right end region

PX: spacing of

Sa to Se: non-overlapping portion (first region)

SIa-SIe: scanning exposure field of view

SigA-SigE, sigc1, sigc2, sig1A, sig2A, sig1B, sig2B, sig1C, sigMS, sigPS, sig C1, sig2C2, sig2C3, sig2C4: control signal

Sw: light shielding member

Tc, td: dimming ratio

X, Y, Z: directions Oa to Od: overlapping part (second area)

Detailed Description

(First embodiment of Exposure apparatus)

Fig. 1 is a side view showing an exposure apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. As described later, the exposure apparatus 100 includes five projection optical systems 19a to 19e, but in fig. 1, only two of the projection optical systems 19a and 19b are shown.

The projection optical systems 19a to 19e are optical systems that form an erect positive image having a projection magnification (lateral magnification) of +1, and transfer the pattern drawn on the mask 15 to a photosensitive material formed on the upper surface of the substrate 22 by exposure. Further, the substrate 22 formed with the photosensitive material may be interpreted as an exposed substrate.

The substrate 22 is held by a substrate stage 27 via a substrate holder, not shown. The substrate stage 27 is scanned in the X direction on the substrate stage 28 by a linear motor or the like, not shown, and is movable in the Y direction. The position of the substrate stage 27 in the X direction is measured by the laser interferometer 25 via the position of the movable mirror 24 attached to the substrate stage 27. The Y-direction position of the substrate stage 27 is also measured by a laser interferometer, not shown.

The position detection optical system 23 detects the position of an existing pattern such as an alignment mark formed on the substrate 22.

The mask 15 is held by a mask stage 16. The mask stage 16 is scanned in the X direction on a mask stage 17 by a linear motor or the like, not shown, and is movable in the Y direction. The position of the mask stage 16 in the X direction is measured by the laser interferometer 14 via the position of the movable mirror 13 attached to the mask stage 16. The Y-direction position of the mask stage 16 is also measured by a laser interferometer, not shown.

The control unit 50 transmits a control signal SigMS to the mask stage 16 based on the measured values of the laser interferometers 14, 25, and the like, and controls an unshown linear motor or the like to control the XY position of the mask stage 16. Similarly, a control signal SigPS is sent to the substrate stage 27, and a linear motor, not shown, or the like is controlled to control the XY position of the substrate stage 27. In exposure of the mask pattern on the substrate 22, the control unit 50 scans the mask 15 and the substrate 22 at substantially the same speed with respect to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e in the X direction while maintaining the imaging relationship formed by the projection optical systems 19a to 19 e.

In this specification, the direction in which the substrate 22 is scanned at the time of exposure (X direction) is also referred to as "scanning direction". The direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the X direction included in the plane of the substrate 22 is also referred to as "non-scanning direction". The Z direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction.

In fig. 1 and the following drawings, the directions indicated by the arrows are indicated by the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a portion from the downstream of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe to the substrate 22 in the exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The following description is also continued with reference to fig. 2.

As shown in fig. 2, among the five projection optical systems 19a to 19e, three projection optical systems 19a, 19c, 19e (hereinafter, also referred to collectively or individually as "first-row projection optical system 19F") are arranged in the Y direction. The two projection optical systems 19b and 19d (hereinafter, also collectively or individually referred to as "second-row projection optical system 19R") are arranged in the Y direction and are arranged on the +x side with respect to the first-row projection optical system 19F.

The projection optical systems of the first row of projection optical systems 19F are arranged such that the optical axes thereof are spaced apart at predetermined intervals in the Y direction. The respective optical systems of the projection optical system 19R of the second row are also arranged in the same manner as the projection optical system 19F of the first row. The projection optical system 19b is disposed so that the position in the Y direction of the optical axis thereof coincides with the substantial center of a straight line connecting the optical axes of the projection optical system 19a and the projection optical system 19 c. The projection optical system 19d is also arranged in the same manner as the projection optical system 19 b.

The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment includes a plurality of illumination optical systems ILa to ILe corresponding to the respective projection optical systems 19a to 19 e. The illumination optical system ILa, the illumination optical system ILc, and the illumination optical system ILe corresponding to the projection optical system 19F (19 a, 19c, 19 e) of the first column are also referred to as illumination optical systems of the first column, and the illumination optical system ILb and the illumination optical system ILd corresponding to the projection optical system 19R (19 b, 19 d) of the second column are also referred to as illumination optical systems of the second column.

As an example, as shown in fig. 1, the illumination optical system ILa corresponding to the projection optical system 19a includes an input lens 8a, a fly-eye lens 11a, and a condenser lens 12a along the optical axis IXa. The other illumination optical systems ILb to ILe also include input lenses 8b to 8e, fly-eye lenses 11b to 11e, and condenser lenses 12b to 12e in the same manner. As described above, fig. 2 shows only the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e and the condenser lenses 12a to 12e in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe.

In fig. 1, which is a side view, the projection optical systems 19c to 19e overlap with the projection optical system 19a or 19b in the X direction, and are therefore not shown. Similarly, the illumination optical systems ILc to ILe overlap with the illumination optical system ILa or ILb in the X-direction, and are therefore not shown.

Illumination light supplied from a light source 1 such as a lamp is supplied to each of illumination optical systems ILa to ILe via light guide optical systems such as an elliptical mirror 2, a deflection mirror 3, a relay lens 4, a deflection mirror 5, a relay lens 6, and an optical fiber 7. The optical fiber 7 branches the illumination light that has entered the one entrance side 71 substantially equally, and emits the illumination light to the five emission sides 72a to 72 e. The illumination light emitted from the five emission sides 72a to 72e of the optical fiber 7 passes through the light quantity adjusting members ATa to ATe in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, and is incident on the input lenses 8a to 8 e. The light amount adjustment members ATa to ATe and the driving units CAa to CAe will be described later. The illumination light emitted from the input lenses 8a to 8e passes through the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e and the condenser lenses 12a to 12e, and is applied to the illumination areas MIa to MIe on the mask 15.

The incidence surfaces (surfaces on the input lens 8a to the input lens 8e side) of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e are arranged on a conjugate surface CP that is conjugate (imaging relationship) with the upper surface of the substrate 22 (upper surface of the substrate holder on which the substrate 22 is mounted or in the vicinity thereof) via the projection optical system 19a to 19e, the condenser lenses 12a to 12e, and the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11 e.

As an example, fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the fly-eye lens 11c and the condenser lens 12c included in the illumination optical system ILc, and the illumination region mia on the mask 15 in an enlarged manner.

The fly-eye lens 11c is formed by arranging a plurality of lens elements 110 in the X-direction and the Y-direction, and the lens elements 110 have a rectangular cross-sectional shape (shape in the XY-plane) long in the Y-direction, which is similar to the illumination area mc. The incident surface (upper surface in fig. 3, i.e., the surface on the +z side) of each lens element 110 is a conjugate surface CP with respect to the illumination area mc on the mask 15 (the upper surface of the mask stage on which the mask 15 is placed or the vicinity thereof) by an optical system including each lens element 110 and the condenser lens 12 c. Therefore, the incident surface is also a conjugate surface CP with respect to the exposure field PIc on the substrate 22. The illumination light irradiated to the incident surface of each lens element 110 is irradiated to the illumination region lec on the mask 15 in an overlapping manner. Thereby, the illuminance of the illumination light in the illumination region lec is substantially equalized.

The structures of the other illumination optical systems ILa to ILe other than the illumination optical system ILc are also the same as those shown in fig. 3.

The fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e are examples of optical integrators that superimpose illumination light on each of the illumination areas MIa to MIe.

On the incidence surface side (input lens 8 a-input lens 8e side) of the fly-eye lenses 11 a-11 e, light-reducing members 10 a-10 e described later are arranged, and the light-reducing members 10 a-10 e are held by light-reducing member holding portions 9 a-9 e.

The projection optical systems 19a to 19e each include, for example, a secondary imaging optical system for forming an image of an orthonormal image. In this case, the intermediate image of the pattern of the mask 15 is formed on the intermediate image plane 20 located in the vicinity of the middle in the direction (Z direction) of the optical axes PAXa to PAXe of the respective projection optical systems 19a to 19e by the optical systems constituting the upper half of the respective projection optical systems 19a to 19 e. The intermediate image is formed again by the optical system constituting the lower half of each of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e, and an image of the pattern of the mask 15 is formed on the substrate 22.

Since the intermediate image plane 20 is conjugate to the substrate 22, the field stop 21a to the field stop 21e are disposed on the intermediate image plane 20 in each of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e, respectively, whereby the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe of each of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e on the substrate 22 can be defined.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the illumination areas MIa to MIe, the field aperture 21a to the field aperture 21e, and the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe on the mask 15.

Fig. 4 (a 1) is a diagram showing an illumination area mc on the mask 15 corresponding to the projection optical system 19c, the illumination area mc becoming rectangular similar to the cross-sectional shape of the lens element 110 of the fly-eye lens 11 c.

Fig. 4 (a 2) is a diagram showing the field aperture 21c in the projection optical system 19c and the illumination light mig 2 applied to the field aperture 21c. Illumination light mia 2 indicated by a broken line as an intermediate image of the illumination area mia on the mask 15 is irradiated to the field stop 21c. Among the illumination light mia 2, the illumination light that has been irradiated to the light shielding portion (portion indicated by oblique lines) of the field aperture 21c is shielded by the field aperture 21c. On the other hand, the illumination light transmitted through the opening 21co of the field stop 21c is imaged again on the substrate 22 by an optical system constituting the lower half of the projection optical system 19c, and the exposure field PIc is formed on the substrate 22.

Fig. 4 (a 3) shows the exposure field PIc on the substrate 22.

As an example, when the projection optical systems 19c to 19e include a total refraction optical system, the illumination light mc 2 as the intermediate image is an inverted positive image (an image in which both the X direction and the Y direction of the image are inverted, and not a mirror image) with respect to the illumination area mc, and the exposure field PIc becomes an inverted positive image with respect to the field stop 21 c. Therefore, as shown in fig. 4 (a 2) and 4 (a 3), the shape of the opening 21co of the field stop 21c and the shape of the exposure field PIc coincide with each other by 180 degrees around the Z axis.

As an example, the exposure field PIc is a trapezoid in which the shorter side of two sides parallel to the Y direction is located on the +x side and the longer side is located on the-X side. Here, a rectangular region surrounded by all of the short sides on the +x side and a part of the long sides on the-X side in the exposure field PIc is referred to as a center region PIcc. On the other hand, the +y-direction end not included in the center region PIcc in the exposure field PIc is referred to as a left end region PIcl, and the-Y-direction end not included in the center region PIcc in the exposure field PIc is referred to as a right end region PIcr.

The length (width) of the center region PIcc in the Y direction is referred to as a width Ws, and the lengths (widths) of the left end region PIcl and the right end region PIcr in the Y direction are equal and referred to as a width Wo.

On the other hand, (b 1) of fig. 4 to (b 3) of fig. 4 are diagrams showing the illumination area mia, the field aperture 21b, and the exposure field PIb on the mask 15 corresponding to the projection optical system 19b, respectively. As shown in fig. 4 (b 2), in the projection optical system 19b, the shape of the aperture 21bo of the field stop 21b is changed to a shape in which the shape of the aperture 21co of the field stop 21c of the projection optical system 19c is inverted in the X direction. As a result, as shown in fig. 4 (b 3), the shape of the exposure field PIb of the projection optical system 19b is changed to a shape in which the shape of the exposure field PIc of the projection optical system 19c is inverted in the X direction.

As with the exposure field PIc, a rectangular area surrounded by all of the short sides on the-X side and a part of the long sides on the +x side is also referred to as a center area PIbc with respect to the exposure field PIc. The +y-direction end of the exposure field PIb, which is not included in the center region PIbc, is referred to as a left end region PIbl, and the-Y-direction end of the exposure field PIb, which is not included in the center region PIbc, is referred to as a right end region PIbr.

Fig. 5 is a view of the light amount adjusting member ATc and the driving unit CAc provided in the illumination optical system ILc, as viewed from the optical fiber 7 side. The light amount adjusting members ATa to ATe and the driving units CAa to CAe provided in the other illumination optical systems ILa to ILe other than the illumination optical system ILc are similar to those shown in fig. 5.

Hereinafter, the light amount adjustment members ATa, ATc, ATe provided in the first row of illumination optical systems ILa, ILc, ILd are also referred to as the first row of light amount adjustment members, and the light amount adjustment members ATb, ATd provided in the second row of illumination optical systems ILb, ILd are also referred to as the second row of light amount adjustment members.

The light amount adjustment member ATc is formed by arranging a plurality of light shielding members Sw, which are long in the X direction and have different widths in the Y direction, on the surface of the sheet glass PG having a plane parallel to the XY plane, in the Y direction.

The illumination light from the optical fiber 7 (the emission side 72 c) irradiates the irradiation region IFc, and a part thereof is shielded by the shielding member Sw. Since the width of each light shielding member Sw in the Y direction of the light amount adjustment member ATc changes according to the position in the X direction, when the light amount adjustment member ATc is moved relative to the illumination region IFc in the ±x directions by the driving unit CAc, the amount of illumination light shielded by each light shielding member Sw changes.

Further, illuminance of the illumination light immediately after passing through the light amount adjustment member ATc is not uniform in the Y direction. However, the fly-eye lens 11c disposed on the downstream side (mask 15 side) from the light amount adjusting member ATc makes the illuminance distribution of the illumination light on the mask 15 and on the substrate 22 substantially uniform.

Therefore, the light amount adjustment member ATc extends across the entire surface of the field of view of the corresponding projection optical system 19c, and increases or decreases the light amount of the illumination light supplied from the illumination optical system ILc substantially uniformly.

The control of the position of the light amount adjustment member ATc in the X direction by the driving section CAc is controlled by a control signal Sig1C from the control section 50.

Fig. 6 (a) is a diagram showing exposure fields PIa to PIe of the five projection optical systems 19a to 19e on the substrate 22. The projection optical system 19a and the projection optical system 19e of the first projection optical system 19F have a trapezoidal shape in which the shorter sides of the two sides parallel to the Y direction are positioned on the +x side and the longer sides thereof are positioned on the-X side, similarly to the exposure field PIc of the projection optical system 19 c. Meanwhile, the exposure field PId of the projection optical system 19d of the second projection optical system 19R is, like the exposure field PIb of the projection optical system 19b, a trapezoid having a short side on the-X side and a long side on the +x side, among two sides parallel to the Y direction.

The exposure fields PIa, PId, PIe of the projection optical system 19a, 19d, 19e may be defined for the center areas PIac, PIdc, PIec, and the left end areas PIal, PIdl, PIel, PIar, PIdr, PIer in the same manner as the exposure fields PIb, PIc. However, since the exposure field PIa disposed at the end in the-Y direction passes through the field aperture 21e to block the illumination light so that the end in the-Y direction becomes parallel to the X direction, the right end region PIar is not present. The exposure field PIe arranged at the end in the +y direction passes through the field aperture 21a to block the illumination light so that the end in the +y direction becomes parallel to the X direction, and thus the left end region PIal does not exist. The shapes of the field aperture 21a and the field aperture 21e may be different from the shape of the field aperture 21c, and other members may be used to shield the illumination light so that the right end region PIar does not exist in the exposure field PIa.

The lengths in the Y direction of the center regions PIac to PIec of the exposure fields PIa to PIe are equal to the width Ws, and the lengths of the left end region PIal to PIdl and the right end region PIbr to PIer are equal to the width Wo. Further, of the two exposure fields PIa to PIe adjacent in the Y direction, the adjacent left end region PIal to left end region PIdl coincide with the positions of the right end region PIbr to right end region PIer in the Y direction.

Such a shape and position of each exposure field PIa to PIe can be set by setting the arrangement positions of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and the shapes and positions of the aperture portions 21ao to 21eo of the field stops 21a to 21 e.

Fig. 6 (b) is a diagram showing an exposure region formed on the substrate 22 when the substrate 22 is scanned in the X direction by the substrate stage 27 and exposed through the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe shown in fig. 6 (a). On the substrate 22, scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe, which are exposed through the exposure fields PIa to PIe, are formed by scanning exposure. In fig. 6 (b), the scanning exposure fields SIa, SIc, SIe formed by the first projection optical system 19a, 19c, and 19e are indicated by two-dot chain lines, and the scanning exposure fields SIb, SId formed by the second projection optical system 19b and 19d are indicated by one-dot chain lines.

These scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe are formed by extending the exposure fields PIa to PIe in the X direction by scanning exposure in the X direction. The Y-direction (non-scanning direction) end portions of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe overlap with the non-scanning direction end portions of the other scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe adjacent thereto, respectively. For example, the exposure area formed by the left end area PIal coincides with the exposure area formed by the right end area PIbr. The same applies to other exposure regions, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

Hereinafter, among the Y directions, the portions exposed through one of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe are also referred to as non-overlapping portions Sa to Se, and the portions exposed through two overlapping of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe are also referred to as overlapping portions Oa to Od.

Of the exposure fields PIa to PIe, the left end region PIal to PIdl and the right end region PIbr to PIer are exposure fields corresponding to the overlapping portions Oa to Od, and the center region PIac to PIec are exposure fields corresponding to the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se.

Fig. 6 (c) is a graph showing the exposure amount E exposed on the substrate 22 by scanning exposure in the X direction. The vertical axis of the graph represents the coordinates of the exposure amount, and the horizontal axis represents the coordinates in the Y direction. As shown in fig. 6 (c), the value obtained by integrating the exposure fields PIa to PIe in the X direction is equal in each micro section in the Y direction, and the illuminance in each exposure field PIa to PIe is uniform by the action of the fly-eye lens 11 or the like, so that the exposure amount E on the substrate 22 becomes a fixed value E1.

That is, in the Y direction, the exposure amount E in the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se and the exposure amount E in the overlapping portions Oa to Od are equal to each other by E1.

In a photosensitive material such as a photoresist used in a manufacturing process of an electronic device or the like, an effective photosensitive amount (hereinafter, also referred to as an "effective photosensitive amount") is proportional to an exposure amount. That is, if the exposure amounts are the same, the effective light-sensing amount of the light-sensing material does not change regardless of whether the exposure is performed continuously in time or divided into a plurality of steps in time.

Therefore, if the exposure amount is a fixed value, the effective light-sensitive amount for a light-sensitive material such as a photoresist becomes a fixed value.

However, in the case where exposure is performed continuously in time and in the case where exposure is performed by dividing the photosensitive material into a plurality of segments in time, the effective light-sensitive amount of the photosensitive material varies even if the light-sensitive amount is the same. Specifically, in the case of performing exposure by dividing it into a plurality of steps in time, the effective light sensing amount is reduced as compared with the case of performing exposure continuously in time.

Fig. 6 (d) is a graph showing the effective light sensing amount EE of the non-superimposed photosensitive material when scanning exposure is performed in the X direction using the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe shown in fig. 6 (a) for such a part of the photosensitive material (hereinafter, also referred to as "non-superimposed photosensitive material").

The overlapping portions Oa to Od where the two scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe overlap to obtain exposure are first exposed by the first projection optical system 19a, the projection optical system 19c, and the projection optical system 19e, and then exposed by the second projection optical system 19b and the projection optical system 19d, and thus are divided in time to perform exposure. In other words, the overlapping portions Oa to Od are exposed discretely in time. Therefore, the effective light-sensing amount EE of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od is reduced with respect to the effective light-sensing amount EE of the non-overlapping portion Sa to the non-overlapping portion Se which are exposed without being divided in time by one of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe. Specifically, the value of the effective light-sensing amount EE of the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se is EE1, whereas the value of the effective light-sensing amount EE of the overlapping portions Oa to Od is smaller than EE 1.

As a result, when the pattern is transferred by exposure using the non-superimposed photosensitive material, the effective photosensitive amount EE is different in the overlapped portion Oa to the overlapped portion Od and the non-overlapped portion Sa to the non-overlapped portion Se, and therefore the line width or thickness of the transferred pattern changes.

The non-overlapping portions Sa to Se, which are exposed continuously in time, may also be interpreted as the first region. On the other hand, the overlapping portions Oa to Od where exposure is performed discretely in time may be interpreted as the second region.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between the exposure amount E and the effective light sensing amount EE at and around the overlapping portion Oc. As shown in fig. 6, the overlapping portion Oc is an area where the scanning exposure field SIc formed by the exposure field PIc overlaps with the scanning exposure field SId formed by the exposure field PId to be exposed.

Fig. 7 (a) is a diagram showing two exposure fields PIc and PId on the substrate 22. Since the exposure field PIc is located on the-X side of the exposure field PId, when the substrate 22 is scanned in the +x direction with respect to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e to perform exposure, the exposure field PIc of the projection optical system 19c of the first row is first used to perform exposure at the overlapping portion Oc.

Fig. 7 (b) is a diagram showing the distribution Ec of the exposure amount at the overlapping portion Oc and the vicinity thereof after exposure with the exposure field PIc. The exposure amount distribution Ec corresponds to the shape of the left end portion of the exposure field PIc, and increases on the-Y side (right side) of the overlap portion Oc and decreases on the +y side (left side) of the overlap portion Oc.

As a result, the photosensitive material (non-superimposed photosensitive material) on the substrate 22 is on the-Y side of the overlapping portion Oc, and the temperature increases greatly, for example. Therefore, the non-superimposed photosensitive material is activated by heat, and thus is in a state where further photosensitivity (high effective sensitivity) is easy to be performed. On the other hand, on the +y side of the overlap portion Oc, the temperature rise of the non-superimposed photosensitive material is small, and further photosensitivity (low effective sensitivity) is difficult.

Then, in the overlapping portion Oc and its vicinity, exposure is performed with the exposure field PId of the projection optical system 19d of the second row. Fig. 7 (c) is a diagram showing the distribution Ed of the exposure amount formed by the exposure field PId in the overlapping portion Oc and its vicinity after exposure by the exposure field PId. Note that, in fig. 7 (c), the distribution Ec of the exposure amount shown in fig. 7 (b) is also shown.

As shown in fig. 7 (c), the sum of the distribution Ec of the exposure amount and the distribution Ed of the exposure amount is fixed at the overlapping portion Oc and the vicinity thereof.

However, the effective light sensing amount EEc of the non-superimposed light sensing material becomes unstable at the overlapping portion Oc and the vicinity thereof due to the non-superimposed characteristic of the non-superimposed light sensing material. Further, as shown in fig. 7 (d), the effective light sensing amount EEc has a characteristic of being asymmetric with respect to the center CL of the overlapping portion Oc in the Y direction. The reason for this is that: as described above, at the stage when the exposure using the exposure field PIc is ended at first, the effective sensitivity of the non-superimposed photosensitive material differs for each part of the superimposed part Oc.

That is, the effective sensitivity of the non-superimposed photosensitive material after exposure using the exposure field PIc is lower on the +y side (left side) than on the-Y side (right side) of the overlapping portion Oc where the exposure amount EC is small, and therefore the reaction at the time of exposure using the exposure field PId is difficult to progress. As a result, the effective light sensing amount EEc is lower on the +y side (left side) than on the-Y side (right side) of the overlapping portion Oc. Therefore, even if the line width or thickness of the pattern formed on the mask 15 at the position corresponding to the overlapping portion Oc is the same, the line width or thickness of the pattern transferred onto the substrate 22 varies because the effective light sensing amount EEc of the overlapping portion Oc varies depending on the position in the Y direction.

In the overlapping portion Oc, exposure is performed by dividing in time. Therefore, even on the-Y side (right side) of the superimposed portion Oc where the exposure amount formed by the exposure field PIc is relatively large at the first, the effective light sensing amount EEc becomes smaller than the value in the non-superimposed portion Sc and the non-superimposed portion Sd where the exposure is continuously performed in time. As one of the reasons for this, the temperature of the non-superimposed photosensitive material decreases during a period from the exposure using the exposure field PIc to the start of the exposure using the exposure field PId.

As an example, the description has been made with respect to the non-superimposed characteristic of the non-superimposed photosensitive material based on the temperature change of the non-superimposed photosensitive material. However, not all non-superimposed photosensitive materials have non-superimposed characteristics based on a temperature change as described above, and there are non-superimposed photosensitive materials having non-superimposed characteristics due to other reasons.

As described above, in the overlapping portion Oc, the non-overlapping portion Sc, and the non-overlapping portion Sd, in order to prevent the variation in the line width or thickness of the transferred pattern, more specifically, in order to make the effective light sensing amount EEc substantially equal, the exposure amount in the overlapping portion Oc must be increased compared with the exposure amount in the non-overlapping portion Sc, and the non-overlapping portion Sd. Further, the exposure amount in the overlapping portion Oc is preferably distributed asymmetrically with respect to the center CL in the Y direction of the overlapping portion Oc.

Therefore, in the exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the light reducing members 10a to 10e, which are an example of the illuminance changing member, are provided near the incidence surfaces of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, that is, at positions between the input lenses 8a to 8e and the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e, and the incidence surfaces of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11 e. The positions of the light reducing members 10a to 10e in the X direction are controlled by control signals SigA to SigE from the control unit 50.

Hereinafter, the light-reducing members 10a, 10c, and 10e provided in the first row of the illumination optical systems ILa, ILc, and ILe are also referred to as light-reducing members in the first row, and the light-reducing members 10b, 10d provided in the second row of the illumination optical systems ILb, ILd are also referred to as light-reducing members in the second row.

Fig. 8 is a view of the fly's eye lens 11c, the light reduction members 10c (10 c1a, 10c1b, 10c2a, 10c2 b), and the light reduction member holding portions 9c (9 c1, 9c 2) provided in the illumination optical system ILc, as viewed from the input lens 8c side. Hereinafter, the light-reducing members 10c and the light-reducing member holding portions 9c provided in the illumination optical system ILc will be described with reference to fig. 8, and the light-reducing members 10a to 10e and the light-reducing member holding portions 9a to 9e provided in the other illumination optical systems ILa to ILe are also the same.

The fly-eye lens 11c has a plurality of lens groups (lens blocks) arranged in the Y direction, each of which has a plurality of lens elements 110 each having a rectangular cross section that is long in the Y direction and is arranged in the X direction. As described above, fig. 8 is a view of the fly-eye lens 11c from the input lens 8c side as the incident surface side. The incident surface of each lens element 110 is a conjugate plane CP with respect to the exposure field PIc formed on the substrate 22. Accordingly, in fig. 8, in each lens element 110, an exposure field corresponding region IPIc that is a region corresponding to the exposure field PIc is indicated by a broken line. The exposure field corresponding region IPIc has a lateral magnification β times that of the exposure field PIc, and the width IWs in the Y direction of the portion corresponding to the central region PIcc of the exposure field PIc in the exposure field corresponding region IPIc is β×ws.

Among the light reducing members 10c, the light reducing member 10c1a having a width W1 in the Y direction and the light reducing member 10c1b are disposed on the-X side of the fly eye lens 11c and held by a slider 9c10 as a part of the light reducing member holding portion 9c1 so as to be movable in the X direction and the Z direction. The position of the light reducing member 10c1a, the position of the light reducing member 10c1b in the X direction (the insertion amount into the fly-eye lens 11 c), and the position in the Z direction are controlled in accordance with the control signal Sigc1 transmitted from the control unit 50 to the light reducing member holding unit 9c 1.

The light reducing members 10c2a and 10c2b each having a width W2 in the Y direction are disposed on the +x side of the fly-eye lens 11c, and are held by a slider 9c20 as a part of the light reducing member holding portion 9c2, and are movable in the X direction and the Z direction independently of the light reducing members 10c1a and 10c1 b. The position of the light reduction member 10c2a, the position of the light reduction member 10c2b in the X direction, and the position in the Z direction are controlled in accordance with a control signal Sigc transmitted from the control unit 50 to the light reduction member holding unit 9c 2. The relative positional relationship between the slider 9c10 and the body of the light reduction member holding portion 9c1, and the relative positional relationship between the slider 9c20 and the body of the light reduction member holding portion 9c2 are measured by an encoder or the like.

As an example, the width W1 of the light-reducing members 10c1a and 10b is slightly larger than the width W2 of the light-reducing members 10c2a and 10c2b, but the widths W1 and W2 are substantially the same as the width IWs. Therefore, the light reducing members 10c1a and 10c1b are arranged so as to cover the portions corresponding to the center region PIcc of the exposure field PIc in the exposure field corresponding regions IPIc of the several lens elements 110, thereby reducing the illumination light and reducing the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc on the substrate 22.

Further, by moving the slider 9c10 in the X direction, the number of the light reduction members 10c1a, the number of the lens elements 110 covered by the light reduction members 10c1b, and the ratio of the light-shielded portions in one lens element 110 can be changed. Thus, the illuminance of the center region PIcc in the exposure field PIc can be reduced substantially continuously and variably with respect to the illuminance of the left end region PIcl and the right end region PIcr.

The same effect can be obtained by moving the slider 9c20 in the X direction and moving the light reduction members 10c2a and 10c2b in the X direction.

Therefore, the light reduction members 10c (10 c1a, 10c1b, 10c2a, 10c2 b) can be interpreted as illuminance changing members that reduce the exposure amount toward the non-overlapping portion Sc on the substrate 22 relative to the exposure amount toward the overlapping portion.

The light reducing member 10c is preferably disposed at a position spaced apart from the incident surface of the fly-eye lens 11c by a predetermined distance in the Z direction. Thus, the edges of the light reducing member 10c in the XY direction are blurred and projected on the incidence plane of the fly-eye lens 11 c. Conversely, the distance by which the light reducing member 10c is spaced from the incident surface of the compound eye lens 11c in the Z direction can be determined based on the value of the transverse magnification of the incident surface of the compound eye lens 11c and the substrate 22, which is a parameter for determining the amount of penumbra blurring at the edge of the light reducing member 10c on the substrate 22, and the numerical aperture of the illumination light on the incident surface of the compound eye lens 11 c.

For example, when the width in the Y direction of the overlapping portions Oa to Od is DW, the lateral magnification of the substrate 22 to the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c is β, and the numerical aperture of the illumination light on the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c is NA, it is preferable that the distance D between the light reduction member 10c and the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c in the Z direction is NA

0≦D≦1.2×DW/(β·NA)…(1)。

When the distance D satisfies the formula (1), the influence of the variation in the exposure amount (uneven exposure amount) on the substrate 22 caused by the edge of the light reducing member 10c can be further reduced, and the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od can be prevented from excessively decreasing.

The light reducing member 10c may be a thin plate made of metal, or may be a light shielding film formed on a transparent glass plate by the light reducing member. The light reducing member 10c is not limited to a member that completely shields the illumination light as in the case of a metal plate, and may be a member that shields only a part of the illumination light and transmits the remaining illumination light. That is, the light reducing means 10c may be illumination changing means for changing the illuminance.

The structures of the light reduction members 10a to 10e and the light reduction member holding portions 9a to 9e included in the other illumination optical systems ILa to ILe are also the same as those of the light reduction member 10c and the light reduction member holding portion 9 c.

Fig. 9 is a view showing an example of exposure amounts to be exposed at and around the overlapping portion Oc on the substrate 22 when scanning exposure is performed using the exposure apparatus 100 of the first embodiment including the light reducing members 10a to 10e and the light amount adjusting members ATa to ATe. In fig. 9, the width of the overlapping portion Oc in the Y direction is set to 10mm as an example. In fig. 9, the origin of the horizontal axis (y=0) is defined as the center of the overlapping portion Oc in the Y direction, and the left side is defined as the +y direction in comparison with other figures such as fig. 6.

Fig. 9 (a) is a diagram showing exposure amounts at the time of scanning exposure in a state where only the positions of the light amount adjustment members ATa to ATe are adjusted without inserting the light reduction members 10a to 10e into the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11 for explanation. The exposure amount Ec1 represents the exposure amount generated by the scanning exposure of the exposure field PIc of the projection optical system 19c of the first column, and the exposure amount Ed1 represents the exposure amount generated by the scanning exposure of the exposure field PId of the projection optical system 19d of the second column.

The light amount adjustment member ATd of the second column is set to a state (dimming amount=1) in which the illumination light is not reduced. On the other hand, the light amount adjustment member ATc of the first column is set to a state in which the illumination light is reduced to 0.68 times (dimming amount=0.68).

Fig. 9 (b) is a diagram showing the dimming ratio of the exposure amount at the time of scanning exposure in a state where the dimming means 10c and the dimming means 10d are moved in the +x direction with respect to the fly-eye lens 11c and the fly-eye lens 11d with respect to the exposure amount Ec1 and the exposure amount Ed1 shown in fig. 9 (a), and the portions corresponding to the center region PIcc of the exposure field PIc in the exposure field corresponding region IPIc of the predetermined number of lens elements 110 are covered. The dimming ratio Tc represents the exposure amount after the dimming member 10c is inserted into the fly-eye lens 11c at each position in the Y direction, and is a ratio of the exposure amount Ec1 when scanning exposure is performed in a state where the dimming member 10c is not inserted into the fly-eye lens 11 c. The dimming ratio Td represents the exposure amount after the dimming member 10d is inserted into the fly-eye lens 11d at each position in the Y direction, and is a ratio of the exposure amount Ed1 when scanning exposure is performed in a state where the dimming member 10d is not inserted into the fly-eye lens 11 d.

Fig. 9 (b) shows a state in which the amount of insertion of the light reducing member 10d of the illumination optical system ILd into the fly-eye lens 11d is set to be larger than the amount of insertion of the light reducing member 10c of the illumination optical system ILc into the fly-eye lens 11 c. That is, a state in which the number of lens elements 110 covered by the light reduction member 10d of the illumination optical system ILd is larger than the number of lens elements 110 covered by the light reduction member 10c of the illumination optical system ILc is shown. In the non-overlapping portion Sd exposed through the exposure field PId, the dimming ratio Td based on the dimming member 10d is 0.64 times that in the case where there is no dimming. On the other hand, in the non-overlapping portion Sc exposed through the exposure field PIc, the dimming ratio Tc by the dimming member 10c is 0.94 times that in the case where there is no dimming.

As described above, the light reducing members 10c and 10d are disposed at positions spaced apart from the incidence surfaces of the fly-eye lenses 11c and 11d by a predetermined distance in the Z direction. Therefore, the edges of the light reducing members 10c and 10d are also blurred and projected onto the substrate 22 conjugated to the incidence surfaces of the fly-eye lenses 11c and 11 d. Therefore, the dimming ratio Tc by the dimming member 10c gradually increases with an increase in the position in the Y direction in the overlapping portion Oc, and the dimming ratio Td by the dimming member 10d gradually increases with a decrease in the position in the Y direction in the overlapping portion Oc. In fig. 9 (b), as an example, the amount of penumbra blurring of the edge of the light reduction member 10c on the substrate 22, that is, the amplitude of the range in which the light reduction ratio Tc and the light reduction ratio Td increase and decrease, is set to 5mm which is half of the width 10mm of the overlapping portion Oc.

Fig. 9 (c) is a diagram showing the exposure amount in the vicinity of the overlapping portion Oc on the substrate 22 caused by the scanning exposure when the light amount adjustment member ATc and the light amount adjustment member ATd are in the state described in fig. 9 (a) and the light reduction member 10c and the light reduction member 10d are in the state described in fig. 9 (b). That is, the exposure amount Ec2 represents an exposure amount obtained by multiplying the exposure amount Ec1 of fig. 9 (a) by the dimming ratio Tc of fig. 9 (b), and the exposure amount Ed2 represents an exposure amount obtained by multiplying the exposure amount Ed1 of fig. 9 (a) by the dimming ratio Td of fig. 9 (b). In addition, the exposure ET2 is the sum of the exposure Ec2 and the exposure Ed 2.

The exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sd is a product of the dimming amount=1 of the light quantity adjusting member ATd and the dimming ratio Td (0.64) of the dimming member 10d, and becomes 0.64. On the other hand, the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc is a product of the dimming amount=0.68 of the light quantity adjusting member ATc and the dimming ratio Tc (0.94) of the dimming member 10c, and is also 0.64. Therefore, the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sd is equal to the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc.

As shown in fig. 9 (c), the exposure amount ET2 is larger in the overlapping portion Oc than in the non-overlapping portions Sc and Sd, and is larger in the +y side (left side) of the overlapping portion Oc than in the-Y side (right side) of the overlapping portion Oc.

That is, the exposure amount ET2 may be set to be distributed asymmetrically with respect to the center (y=0) of the overlapping portion Oc in the overlapping portion Oc. As a result, the exposure amount ET2 is inverted from the state in which the +y side (left side) of the overlapping portion Oc is lower than the-Y side (right side) of the overlapping portion Oc in the distribution in the Y direction of the effective light sensing amount EEc shown in (d) of fig. 7. The exposure amounts of the overlapping portions Oa to Od are set to amounts asymmetric with respect to the respective centers, whereby the non-overlapping characteristics of the non-overlapping photosensitive material can be canceled.

Therefore, in the exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, by using the light amount adjustment member ATc and the light amount adjustment member ATd in combination with the light reduction member 10c and the light reduction member 10d, variations in the line width and film thickness of the overlapped portion generated when the exposure transfer of the pattern is performed using the non-superimposed photosensitive material can be prevented.

Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating the result of the entire surface on the substrate 22 when performing exposure transfer of a pattern using a non-superimposed photosensitive material in the exposure apparatus 100 of the first embodiment including the light amount adjustment members ATa to ATe and the light reduction members 10c to 10 e.

Fig. 10 (a) shows exposure fields PIa to PIe on the substrate 22 in the same manner as fig. 6 (a).

Fig. 10 (b) is a graph showing the exposure amount E exposed on the substrate 22 by scanning exposure in the X direction, as in fig. 6 (c).

Since the light reducing members 10a to 10E have been inserted into the incidence plane of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11E, the exposure amount E2 of the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se exposed by one of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe is smaller than the exposure amount E3 of the largest exposure amount among the positions in the Y direction of the overlapping portions Oa to Od exposed by the overlapping of the two scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe.

Further, the exposure amounts of the overlapping portions Oa to Od are distributed asymmetrically with respect to the centers of the respective Y-direction positions by the light amount adjustment members ATa to ATe and the light reduction members 10a to 10 e.

Here, the light amount adjustment members ATa and ATe in the first row and the dimming ratios of the light reduction members 10a and 10e in the first row are set to the same values as the light amount adjustment member ATc and the dimming ratio of the light reduction member 10c, respectively. On the other hand, the dimming amount of the second-row dimming means ATb and the dimming ratio of the second-row dimming means 10b are set to the same values as the dimming amount of the dimming means ATd and the dimming ratio of the dimming means 10d, respectively. Therefore, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oa and the asymmetry thereof become the same as those of the overlapping portion Oc.

In the overlapping portions Ob and Od, the exposure using the exposure field PIc and the exposure field PIe on the +y side is performed before the exposure using the exposure field PIb and the exposure field PId on the-Y side. At the same time, the asymmetry of the exposure amounts of the overlapping portions Ob and Od is inverted in the Y direction (the exposure amount on the-Y side is larger than the exposure amount on the +y side compared with the center), so that the variation in the line width and film thickness can be prevented in the overlapping portions Ob and Od.

Fig. 10 (c) is a graph showing the effective light sensing amount EE generated in the non-superimposed light sensing material by using the light exposure amount shown in fig. 10 (b). The effective light sensing amount EE can be set to a substantially fixed value EE2 by reducing the exposure amount E2 of the non-superimposed portions Sa to Se from the exposure amount E3 of the superimposed portions Oa to Od and setting the exposure amounts of the superimposed portions Oa to Od to amounts asymmetric with respect to the respective centers, thereby canceling the non-superimposed characteristic of the non-superimposed light sensing material.

Thus, even when the exposure transfer of the pattern is performed using the non-superimposed photosensitive material, the variation in line width or thickness of the transferred pattern between the superimposed portion Oa to the superimposed portion Od and the non-superimposed portion Sa to the non-superimposed portion Se can be prevented.

The explanation with reference to fig. 7, 9, and 10 is given on the premise that the substrate 22 is scanned in the +x direction with respect to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and exposed. However, when the substrate 22 is scanned in the-X direction with respect to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e to perform exposure, the exposure order in the respective overlapping portions Oa to Od on the substrate 22 is also reversed. That is, in the overlapping portion Oa and the overlapping portion Oc, the exposure using the exposure field PIb and the exposure field PId on the +y side is performed before the exposure using the exposure field PIa and the exposure field PIc on the-Y side. In the overlapping portions Ob and Od, the exposure using the exposure field PIb and the exposure field PId on the-Y side is performed before the exposure using the exposure field PIc and the exposure field PIe on the +y side.

Therefore, when the substrate 22 is scanned in the-X direction with respect to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e to be exposed, the asymmetry of the distribution of the exposure amounts of the respective overlapping portions Oa to Od is preferably reversed in the Y direction with respect to the case of scanning in the +x direction to be exposed. This can be achieved by changing the dimming amounts of the light amount adjusting members ATa, ATc, ATe and the dimming ratios of the light amount adjusting members 10a, 10c, 10e in the first row and the dimming ratios of the light amount adjusting members ATb, ATd, 10b, 10d in the second row when the substrate 22 is scanned in the +x direction and the substrate 22 is scanned in the-X direction.

Therefore, the control unit 50 desirably controls the positions of the light amount adjustment members ATa to ATe and the light reduction members 10a to 10e in accordance with the scanning directions of the substrate stage 27 and the mask stage 16 at the time of exposure.

The non-superimposed characteristics of the non-superimposed photosensitive materials are inherent in each non-superimposed photosensitive material, and also vary depending on the time or the like since the non-superimposed photosensitive material is formed on the substrate 22. Therefore, in order to accurately cancel out the non-superimposed characteristics of the non-superimposed photosensitive material to be exposed, it is necessary to accurately control the distribution of the exposure amount in the superimposed portions Oa to Od against the non-superimposed characteristics.

As shown in fig. 8, the exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment includes two types of light reducing members 10c1a and 10c1b having different widths in the Y direction, and light reducing members 10c2a and 10c2b. Then, the control signals Sig2C1 and Sig2C2 from the control unit 50 control the positions (the insertion amounts into the fly eye lens 11C) of the light reduction members 10C1a and 10C1b having the width W1 and the positions in the X direction of the light reduction members 10C2a and 10C2b having the width W2. This makes it possible to accurately control the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portions Oa to Od.

However, when the non-superimposed characteristics of the non-superimposed photosensitive material to be exposed are relatively similar, there is a case where the necessity of using two types of light-reducing members having different widths in the Y direction is reduced, and therefore, it is sufficient to use only one type of light-reducing member 10c1a and light-reducing member 10c1b having a width in the Y direction.

Further, by moving the light reduction member 10c in the direction of the optical axis IXc (optical axis direction) of the illumination optical system ILc, the illumination optical system ILd, the amount of penumbra blurring at the XY-direction edge of the light reduction member 10c on the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c can be changed. Therefore, by controlling the Z-direction positions (positions in the optical axis direction) of the illumination optical system ILc and the light reduction members 10c1a, 10c1b, and 10c2a, and 10c2b in the illumination optical system ILd, respectively, the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portion Oc can be adjusted. Further, by controlling only one of the illumination optical system ILc and the light reduction member 10c1a, the light reduction member 10c1b, the light reduction member 10c2a, and the Z-direction position (optical axis direction position) of the light reduction member 10c2b in the illumination optical system ILd, or by making one control amount (changing the moving distance in the Z-direction) different from the other control amount, the amount of penumbra blurring on one side becomes larger than the amount of penumbra blurring on the other side, and the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portion Oc becomes asymmetric. In this case, the light amount adjusting member AT may be omitted. The method described in the first embodiment may be used in combination with a method of adjusting the positions of the light reduction members 10c1a and 10c1b and the positions of the light reduction members 10c2a and 10c2b in the Z direction. In addition, the method of making the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portion Oc asymmetrical may be changed in each illumination optical system. The positions of the light-reducing members 10c1a, 10c1b, and 10c2a, 10c2b in the optical axis direction can be controlled by the control signals SigC, sigD from the control unit 50, respectively.

The relationship between the effective light sensing amount and the cumulative light exposure amount of the non-superimposed light sensing material with respect to the exposure performed by the time division is different for each non-superimposed light sensing material. Therefore, before the actual exposure of the specific non-superimposed photosensitive material, for example, test exposure may be performed under a plurality of conditions in which the insertion amounts (positions in the X direction) of the light-reducing members 10c1a, 10c1b, and 10c2a, and 10c2b are set to be different in several stages. The optimum insertion amounts of the light reduction members 10c1a, 10c1b, and 10c2a, 10c2b can be determined based on the test exposure result.

When determining the insertion amount of the light reducing member 10c, the illuminance sensor 26 provided on the substrate stage 27 may be used to determine the illuminance of the center region PIcc, the left end region PIcl, and the right end region PIcr in the exposure field PIc.

Further, the ends in the +x direction of the two light reduction members 10c1a, 10c1b having a width W1 shown in fig. 8 are each offset by only half of the pitch PX of the arrangement in the X direction of the lens elements 110 of the fly-eye lens 11 c. The same is true of the two dimming members 10c2a, 10c2b having the width W2. As described above, in each lens element 110, there is an exposure field corresponding region IPIc corresponding to the exposure field PIc, but the exposure field corresponding region IPIc does not extend across the entire surface of the lens element 110 in the X direction. That is, both ends of the lens element 110 in the X direction do not correspond to the exposure field PIc on the substrate 22, and are projected onto the field aperture 21c in the projection optical system 19c, and the field aperture 21c shields light.

Therefore, for example, when the +x-direction end portions of the light reduction member 10c1a are located in the vicinity of the X-direction end portions of the lens element 110, the exposure amount on the substrate 22 cannot be changed even if the light reduction member 10c1a is moved in the X-direction.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, the end portions in the +x direction of the two light reduction members 10c1a and 10c1b and the two light reduction members 10c2a and 10c2b are offset by only half of the pitch PX of the arrangement in the X direction of the lens elements 110.

With this arrangement, when the +x direction end of one of the two light reduction members 10c1a, 10c1b is located in the vicinity of both ends of the lens element 110 in the X direction, the +x direction end of the other is arranged in the vicinity of the center of the lens element 110 in the X direction. Therefore, by moving both the light reduction members 10c1a, 10c1b in the X direction, the exposure amount on the substrate 22 can be constantly changed. Further, the two light reduction members 10c1a and 10c1b may be independently moved in the X direction. The same is true of the two light reduction members 10c2a, 10c2 b.

The light reducing members 10c1a and 10c1b are not limited to the two, and may be three or more and may be arranged in different lens groups. In this case, if the number of light reduction members is m (m is a natural number of 2 or more), the +x direction end of each light reduction member is preferably set so as to deviate from the pitch PX by PX/m.

The light reduction members 10c (10 c1a, 10c1b, 10c2a, 10c2 b) are disposed at positions spaced apart from the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c by a predetermined distance in the Z direction, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The light reducing member 10c may be provided on the incidence surface of the fly-eye lens 11c, that is, the conjugate surface CP with respect to the upper surface of the substrate 22. If the light reducing member 10c is configured to completely shield the illumination light, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od and the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sa to the non-overlapping portion Se may be discontinuously changed when the light reducing member is arranged to coincide with the conjugate surface CP. Therefore, in this case, the light reducing member 10c may deform the shape or change the light shielding rate of the illumination light continuously at a position corresponding to the Y direction like a filter.

Modification 1

Fig. 11 (a) is a view (plan view) of the light reduction members 10c (10 c3a, 10c4a, 10c3b, 10c4 b) and the light reduction member holding portions 9c (9 c3, 9c 4) of modification 1 as viewed from the input lens 8c side. Fig. 11 (b) is a side view of the light reduction member 10c and the light reduction member holding portion 9c of modification 1. Hereinafter, the same members as those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and only the differences will be described below.

The light reducing member 10c of modification 1 includes: the end in the Y direction is a group of two light reduction members 10c3a, 10c4a and a group of two light reduction members 10c3b, 10c4b arranged to overlap in the Z direction (direction of the optical axis IXc of the illumination optical system ILc). The light reduction members 10c3a and 10c3b are held by the light reduction member holding portion 9c3 via the slider 9c30 so as to be movable in the X direction, the Z direction, and the Y direction. The light reducing member 10c4a is held by the light reducing member holding portion 9c4 so as to be movable in the X direction, the Z direction, and the Y direction via the slider 9c40 similarly to the light reducing member 10c4 b.

As shown in fig. 11 (b), when the slider 9c30 holding the light reduction member 10c3a moves in the +y direction and the slider 9c40 holding the light reduction member 10c4a moves in the-Y direction, the width W3 in the Y direction of the entire group of the two light reduction members 10c3a, 10c4a increases. On the other hand, when the slider 9c30 moves in the-Y direction, the width W3 decreases as the slider 9c40 moves in the +y direction.

Therefore, the substantial width W3 (effective width) in the Y direction of the light reduction member 10c of modification 1 can be made variable. Thus, the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portions Oa to Od can be controlled. The width W3 can be set by controlling the light reducing member holding portion 9C3 and the light reducing member holding portion 9C4 by the control signal Sig2C3 and the control signal Sig2C4 from the control portion 50.

In modification 1, the control unit 50 may control the light reducing member 10c in the Z direction via the positions of the slider 9c30 and the slider 9c 40.

The control unit 50 controls the positions of the slider 9c30 and the slider 9c40 in the X direction so that the position of the light reducing member 10c3a coincides with the position of the end portion of the light reducing member 10c4a in the +x direction and so that the position of the light reducing member 10c3b coincides with the position of the end portion of the light reducing member 10c4b in the +x direction.

In the first embodiment and modification 1 described above, the exposure apparatus 100 is provided with five projection optical systems 19a to 19e, but the number of projection optical systems is not limited to five, and may be any number such as three or eight.

In the first embodiment and modification 1 described above, the plurality of projection optical systems 19a to 19e are provided, and the plurality of scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe formed by the respective projection optical systems are superimposed on each other in the Y direction by one scan in the X direction.

However, the projection optical system 19 may be one, and the substrate 22 and the mask 15 may be moved in the Y direction and the scanning exposure in the X direction may be performed a plurality of times on the substrate 22 so that a plurality of exposure fields formed by the respective scanning exposures overlap each other in the Y direction. The exposure apparatus having such a structure will be hereinafter referred to as a scanning and stitching (SCAN AND STITCH) exposure apparatus.

In the scanning and stitching exposure apparatus, it is desirable that the illumination optical system IL corresponding to one projection optical system 19 also include the same configuration as the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe. However, in the scanning and stitching exposure apparatus, for example, by changing the scanning speeds of the substrate stage 27 and the mask stage 16 at the time of scanning exposure, the exposure amount in the scanning exposure field can be increased or decreased in a unified manner. Therefore, instead of providing the light amount adjusting means AT in the illumination optical system IL, the controller 50 may control the scanning speeds of the substrate stage 27 and the mask stage 16 to increase or decrease the exposure amount in each scanning exposure field.

In the scanning and stitching exposure apparatus, for example, the +y-direction end overlaps with the exposure field that has been exposed by the past scanning exposure, and the +y-direction end overlaps with the exposure field that has been exposed by the future scanning exposure, among the exposure fields formed by the X-direction scanning of the substrate 22. Therefore, the exposure amount must be made different in the vicinity of both ends of the scanning exposure field in the non-scanning direction (Y direction).

Therefore, when the illuminance changing member 10c and the light reducing member holding portion 9c shown in fig. 8 are used in the scanning and stitching exposure apparatus, the slider 9c10 and the slider 9c20 are preferably movable not only in the X direction and the Z direction but also in the Y direction. The illuminance changing member 10C (10C 1a, 10C1b, 10C2a, 10C2 b) is moved in the Y direction by the control signal Sig2C1 and the control signal Sig2C2 from the control unit 50, whereby the exposure amount in the vicinity of both ends of the scanning exposure field in the non-scanning direction (Y direction) can be changed.

Further, the apparatus having the plurality of projection optical systems 19a to 19e as in the first embodiment can expose a larger area on the substrate 22 by one scanning exposure, and is excellent in processing capability.

In the first embodiment and the respective modifications described above, the plurality of projection optical systems 19a to 19e are provided to include the total refraction optical system, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a catadioptric optical system or a total reflection optical system may be employed.

In the first embodiment and the modifications described above, the shape of the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe is a trapezoid, but the shape is not limited to a trapezoid, and for example, the shape of the portion corresponding to the center portion may be an arc, and the fields of view of the right end region and the left end region of the triangle may be included at both ends of the arc.

In the first embodiment and the modifications described above, the optical axes PAXa to PAXe of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and the optical axes IXa to IXe of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe are set substantially parallel to the Z direction. However, when a deflection mirror is employed in any one of the optical systems, the direction of the optical axis becomes non-parallel to the Z direction.

When a deflection mirror is used in any one of the optical systems, the moving direction of the light reduction members 10a to 10e also becomes a direction different from the scanning direction (X direction) of the substrate 22. However, even in this case, the light reducing members 10a to 10e may be movable in a direction (first direction) optically corresponding to the scanning direction of the substrate 22, based on the conjugate relationship between the substrate 22 including the deflection mirror and the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11 e. Further, the light reduction members 10a to 10e may be movable in three directions in total, that is, in the direction of the optical axis IX of the illumination optical system IL, the first direction, and the direction orthogonal to the direction of the optical axis IX.

In the above embodiment, the projection optical systems 19a to 19e are two-row optical systems in which the first-row projection optical system 19F and the second-row projection optical system 19R are arranged in the X direction, but the present invention is not limited to two rows, and three or more rows of optical systems may be arranged in the X direction.

As the optical integrator, a rod integrator may be used instead of the fly-eye lens 11. In the case of using a rod integrator, the conjugate plane CP with the substrate 22 and the mask 15 becomes the emission side of the rod integrator (mask 15 side), and therefore the light reducing member 10 is also disposed in the vicinity of the emission side of the rod integrator.

The light is partially attenuated in the vicinity of one end of the rod integrator on the X side of the output surface.

The light reduction members 10a to 10e may be disposed near the intermediate image plane 20 of the projection optical systems 19a to 19e instead of being disposed in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe. In this case, the light reducing member is also configured to reduce light in the vicinity of the intermediate image plane 20 at a portion corresponding to the central regions PIac to PIec of the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe.

Instead of disposing the field stop 21a to the field stop 21e in the projection optical system 19a to the projection optical system 19e, an intermediate image plane (conjugate plane with respect to the mask 15) may be disposed in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, and a field stop defining the shapes of the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe on the substrate 22 may be disposed in the intermediate image plane in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe.

Further, the shapes of the diaphragms in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe may be deformed, and the Y-directional exposure dose distribution in the overlapping regions Oa to Od on the mask 15 and the substrate 22 may be made asymmetrical. That is, the shape of the aperture in each of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe may be deformed as follows: in each micro section in the Y direction, the values obtained by integrating the left end regions PIal to PIdl and the right end regions PIbr to PIer of the exposure fields PIa to PIe corresponding thereto in the X direction are asymmetric with respect to the center CL of each of the overlapping regions Oa to Od.

The light amount adjustment member AT is not limited to the structure shown in the first embodiment. The light amount adjustment member AT may be a filter that shields a part of the illumination light and transmits the part. The filter may be formed so as to increase or decrease the light shielding amount of the illumination light in accordance with the position in the X direction.

In the above embodiment, the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe are fixed, and the substrate 22 is moved by the substrate stage 27, but alternatively, the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe may be provided on the substrate stage, so that the substrate 22 is scanned.

The mask 15 is not limited to a mask having a pattern formed on a glass substrate, and may be a variable-shape mask including a digital multi-mirror element or a liquid crystal element.

The exposure apparatus 100 may be used for a liquid crystal exposure apparatus for transferring a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate, for example, for manufacturing an organic Electroluminescence (EL) panel. In addition, the present invention can be used as an exposure apparatus for transferring a circuit pattern to a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, or the like, for example, by manufacturing a mask or a photomask which can be used not only for a micro element such as a semiconductor element but also for a light exposure apparatus, an extreme ultraviolet (Extreme Ultraviolet, EUV) exposure apparatus, an X-ray exposure apparatus, an electron beam exposure apparatus, or the like.

The substrate (glass plate or the like) exposed by the exposure apparatus 100 is subjected to a development process by a developing apparatus (not shown), and if necessary, etching processing or the like is performed in accordance with the pattern of the photosensitive material formed by the exposure and development processes.

The exposure target is not limited to a glass substrate, and may be, for example, a wafer, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or another object such as a photomask. In the case where the exposure target is a substrate for a flat panel display, the thickness of the substrate is not particularly limited, and may include, for example, a film (flexible sheet-like member). The exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment is particularly effective when a substrate having a length of one side or a diagonal length of 500mm or more is an exposure target. In addition, when the substrate to be exposed is a flexible sheet, the sheet may be formed into a roll shape.

According to the first embodiment and the modification, the following operational effects can be obtained.

(1) The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment or each modification example performs a first exposure for exposing a first exposure region (a scanning exposure field SIa, a scanning exposure field SIc, a scanning exposure field SIe) on the substrate 22 to be exposed in a first time while moving the substrate 22 to be exposed in a scanning direction (X direction), and a second exposure for exposing a second exposure region (a scanning exposure field SIb, a scanning exposure field SId) on the substrate 22 to be exposed in a second time different from the first time while moving the substrate 22 to be exposed in the scanning direction (X direction), and the exposure apparatus 100 includes: illumination optical systems ILa to ILe for supplying illumination light; projection optical systems 19a to 19e; and setting means 10a to 10e for setting the exposure dose distribution in the second region (overlapping portions Oa to Od) in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region overlaps in the non-scanning direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the scanning direction so as to be asymmetric with respect to the center CL of the second region.

With this configuration, even when the exposure transfer of the pattern is performed using the non-superimposed photosensitive material, the variation in the line width or thickness of the transferred pattern in the second region (the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od) can be prevented, and when the exposure is performed by dividing the non-superimposed photosensitive material into a plurality of segments in time, the effective light sensing amount is reduced as compared with the case of performing the exposure continuously in time.

(2) The exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment or the modification example includes: illumination optical systems ILa to ILe for supplying illumination light; projection optical systems 19a to 19e; and a substrate stage 27 for moving the substrate 22 to be exposed relative to the projection optical systems 19a to 19e in the scanning direction (X direction) so that the predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate 22 to be exposed. Further, the exposure apparatus includes an illuminance changing means 10a to an illuminance changing means 10e, wherein the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e sets the exposure amount in a first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) which is a region on the substrate 22 to be exposed continuously in time by the scanning exposure field SIa to scanning exposure field SIe of the projection optical system 19a to the projection optical system 19e during exposure to be smaller than the exposure amount in a second region (overlapping portion Oa to non-overlapping portion Od) which is a region on the substrate 22 to be exposed discretely in time by the scanning exposure field SIa to the scanning exposure field SIe and sets the exposure amount distribution of the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion CL) in a direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the scanning direction to be asymmetric with respect to the center of the second region.

With this configuration, even in the case of performing exposure transfer of a pattern using a non-superimposed photosensitive material that is divided into a plurality of segments in time for exposure, the effective photosensitive amount is reduced as compared with the case of performing exposure continuously in time, the variation in line width or thickness of the transferred pattern between the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) and the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) can be prevented. In addition, the variation in line width or thickness of the transferred pattern in the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) can be prevented.

(3) The illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e are disposed on or near the conjugate plane CP of the substrate 22 to be exposed in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, whereby the exposure amount of the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) can be accurately controlled.

(4) The following structure may be employed: the illumination system ILa to the illumination optical system ILe further include a control unit 50 for controlling the positions of the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e, and the illumination optical system ILa to the illumination optical system ILe include optical integrators 11a to 11e, and the optical integrators 11a to 11e are provided at positions where the incidence plane of the illumination light becomes the conjugate plane CP with respect to the scanning exposure field SIa to the scanning exposure field SIe of the projection optical system 19a to 19 e. Further, the control unit 50 moves the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e relative to the optical integrators 11a to 11e so as to change the illuminance of the illumination light incident on the optical integrators 11a to 11e in a first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction, the first direction being a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axis direction of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, whereby the distribution of the exposure amount in the overlapping portions Oa to Od can be accurately controlled.

(5) The control unit 50 is configured to control the effective width of the illuminance changing member 10a to the illuminance changing member 10e in the Y direction (second direction) orthogonal to the X direction (first direction) and the optical axes IXa to IXe of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, respectively, so that the distribution of the exposure amount in the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) can be controlled more accurately.

While various embodiments and modifications have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these. The embodiments and modifications may be applied individually or in combination. Other embodiments conceivable within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention are also included in the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus that performs a first exposure that exposes a first exposure region on a substrate to be exposed in a scanning direction while moving the substrate to be exposed in a first time, and a second exposure that exposes a second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed in a second time different from the first time while moving the substrate to be exposed in the scanning direction, the first exposure region extending in the scanning direction, the second exposure region being juxtaposed with the first exposure region in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction and extending in the scanning direction, the exposure apparatus comprising:

An illumination optical system for supplying illumination light;

a projection optical system, the illumination light being incident on the projection optical system; and

And a setting means for setting, in the non-scanning direction, an exposure amount distribution in a second region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region is repeated so as to be asymmetric with respect to a center of the second region.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein,

The setting means has illuminance changing means for making an illuminance distribution of the illumination light illuminating the first exposure region different from an illuminance distribution of the illumination light illuminating the second exposure region.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein,

The illuminance changing means changes the exposure amount in the second region relative to the exposure amount in a first region, the first region being a region of the other portion of the first exposure region and the other portion of the second exposure region.

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein,

Further comprising a control part for controlling the position of the illumination changing member,

The projection optical system and the illumination optical system are arranged in parallel in a direction intersecting the scanning direction,

The second region on the substrate to be exposed is a region in which a part of the first exposure region is overlapped with a part of the second exposure region, the first exposure region is a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a first projection optical system among the plurality of projection optical systems during the exposure, the second exposure region is a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a second projection optical system provided separately from the first projection optical system in the scanning direction and a direction intersecting the scanning direction,

The illumination optical systems each have:

A fly-eye lens having an incidence surface on which the illumination light is incident, the incidence surface being located at a position conjugate to the substrate to be exposed;

A light amount adjusting means for increasing or decreasing the amount of the illumination light that irradiates the fly-eye lens; and

The illuminance changing means is located on the incidence surface side of the fly-eye lens, shields at least a part of the fly-eye lens,

The control unit performs the following control:

controlling the position of the illuminance changing member so that a dimming ratio of the illuminance changing member based on a first one of the plurality of illumination optical systems is larger than a dimming ratio of the illuminance changing member based on a second one of the plurality of illumination optical systems, and

The light quantity adjusting member is controlled such that a dimming ratio of the light quantity adjusting member based on the first illumination optical system is smaller than a dimming ratio of the light quantity adjusting member based on the second illumination optical system.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein,

The illuminance changing means reduces the exposure amount in the first region relative to the exposure amount in the second region.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein,

The second region on the substrate to be exposed is a region in which a part of the first exposure region is overlapped with a part of the second exposure region, the first exposure region is a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a first projection optical system among the plurality of projection optical systems during the exposure, and the second exposure region is a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a second projection optical system provided separately from the first projection optical system in the scanning direction and a direction intersecting the scanning direction.

7. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

An illumination optical system for supplying illumination light;

A projection optical system, the illumination light being incident on the projection optical system;

A substrate stage for relatively moving the substrate to be exposed with respect to the projection optical system in a scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate to be exposed; and

And an illuminance changing means for setting an exposure amount in a first region, which is a region extending in the scanning direction on the substrate to be exposed continuously in time by a scanning exposure field of the projection optical system during the exposure, to be smaller than an exposure amount in a second region, which is a region juxtaposed with the first region in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction and extending in the scanning direction on the substrate to be exposed discretely in time by the scanning exposure field, and is set so that an exposure amount distribution of the second region in the non-scanning direction becomes an asymmetric distribution with respect to a center of the second region.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein,

The second region on the substrate to be exposed is a region in which a part of a first exposure region is overlapped with a part of a second exposure region, the first exposure region being a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a first projection optical system among the plurality of projection optical systems, the second exposure region being a region in which exposure is obtained by scanning exposure fields of a second projection optical system provided separately from the first projection optical system in the scanning direction and a direction intersecting the scanning direction,

The illumination optical systems each have:

The control unit performs the following control:

9. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 3, 5, and 7, wherein the illuminance changing means is disposed on or near a conjugate surface of the substrate to be exposed in the illumination optical system.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein,

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising a control section for controlling a position of the illuminance changing member,

The illumination optical system has an optical integrator that,

The optical integrator is disposed at a position where an incident surface of the illumination light becomes a conjugate surface with respect to a scanning exposure field of view of the projection optical system on the substrate to be exposed,

The control unit moves the illuminance changing means relative to the optical integrator in a first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction, the first direction being a direction substantially orthogonal to an optical axis direction of the illumination optical system, so as to change illuminance of the illumination light incident on the optical integrator.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

The control unit moves the illuminance changing means relative to the optical integrator in the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11 or 12, wherein,

The control unit moves the illuminance changing means relative to the optical integrator in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein,

The control unit moves the illuminance changing member in the second direction in accordance with a movement direction of the substrate to be exposed with respect to the projection optical system in the first direction.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

The control unit controls an effective width of the illuminance changing member in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction and the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system.

16. The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein,

The control unit controls the effective width of the illuminance changing member in accordance with the direction of movement of the projection optical system and the substrate to be exposed.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein,

The illuminance changing means includes a first dimming means and a second dimming means, at least a part of which are arranged so as to overlap in the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system,

The control unit controls the effective width by relatively moving one of the first light reduction member and the second light reduction member with respect to the other light reduction member in the second direction.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, wherein,

19. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

The illuminance changing means is provided at a position spaced apart from the conjugate surface in the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system by a predetermined range, and the predetermined range distance is determined in accordance with a width of the second region in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, a lateral magnification of the conjugate surface and the substrate to be exposed, and a numerical aperture of illumination light in the conjugate surface.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

The optical integrator is a fly-eye lens in which a plurality of lens groups including a plurality of lens elements arranged in the first direction are arranged in a direction intersecting the first direction,

The illuminance changing means attenuates at least a part of a portion corresponding to the first region of one or more lens elements arranged in at least one of the lens groups.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein,

The illuminance changing means is arranged in correspondence with each of m lens groups among the plurality of lens groups, m being a natural number of 2 or more.

22. The exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein,

One end of the m illuminance changing means in the first direction is set at a position where the period of arrangement of the lens elements in the first direction in the lens group is P and the first direction differs from each other by P/m.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the exposure apparatus comprises,

The m illuminance changing members are different from each other in width in a direction orthogonal to the first direction, and the control unit controls positions of the m illuminance changing members in the first direction.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

The control unit changes the position of the illuminance changing member so that a part of the predetermined pattern to be exposed and a part of the scanning exposure field overlap each other in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction on the substrate to be exposed.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein,

26. The exposure apparatus according to claim 25, wherein the exposure apparatus comprises a plurality of exposure units,

The first region on the substrate to be exposed is a region of the other part of the first exposure region on the substrate to be exposed by the scanning exposure field of the first projection optical system or a region of the other part of the second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed by the scanning exposure field of the second projection optical system during the exposure.

27. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 4, 6, 10, 25, wherein,

The plurality of illumination optical systems each have a light amount adjustment member that increases or decreases the light amount of the illumination light across the entire surface of the field of view of the corresponding projection optical system.

28. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising:

Performing an exposure process on the substrate to be exposed using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 27; and

And developing the exposed substrate.

29. An illumination optical system for use in an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the illumination optical system being configured to irradiate a first illumination area on an object moving in a scanning direction with illumination light during a first time period, irradiate a second illumination area on the object moving in the scanning direction during a second time period different from the first time period, the first illumination area extending in the scanning direction, the second illumination area being juxtaposed with the first illumination area in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction and extending in the scanning direction,

The illumination optical system includes a setting means that sets, in the non-scanning direction, an exposure amount distribution in a region on the substrate that is exposed via an overlapping region where a part of each of the first illumination region and the second illumination region is repeated, so as to become an asymmetric distribution with respect to a center of the region.

30. An illumination optical system according to claim 29 wherein,

The setting means has illuminance changing means for making the exposure amount distribution in a first region on the substrate exposed via the first illumination region different from the exposure amount distribution in a second region on the substrate exposed via the second illumination region.

31. An illumination optical system according to claim 30 wherein,

The illuminance changing means changes illuminance of the illumination light illuminating the overlapping region relative to illuminance of the illumination light illuminating a non-overlapping region, which is a region of other portions of the first illumination region and other portions of the second illumination region.

32. An illumination optical system according to claim 31 wherein,

The illuminance changing means reduces the exposure amount in a third region on the substrate exposed via the non-overlapping region relative to the exposure amount in the region.

33. An illumination optical system according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that,

The illuminance changing means is disposed on or near a conjugate plane of the object in the illumination optical system.

34. An illumination optical system according to claim 33, comprising:

a control unit for controlling the position of the illuminance changing member; and

An optical integrator;

The optical integrator is disposed at a position where an incident surface of the illumination light becomes a conjugate surface with respect to the first illumination area or the second illumination area on the object,

35. An illumination optical system according to claim 34 wherein,

36. An illumination optical system according to claim 29 wherein,

Comprises a light shielding part which is arranged on a conjugate surface relative to the object and shields part of the illumination light which illuminates a position corresponding to the first illumination area,

The light shielding portion shields the part of the illumination light so that the illuminance of the illumination light is different at a position corresponding to a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction in the first illumination region.

37. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of illumination optical systems as claimed in any one of claims 30 to 33;

A substrate stage for holding the substrate, and for moving the substrate relative to the illumination light in the scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern of the object is exposed on the substrate,

The overlapping region is a region in which a part of a first illumination region is overlapped with a part of a second illumination region in the irradiation, the first illumination region being a region illuminated by an illumination field of a first illumination optical system among the plurality of illumination optical systems, the second illumination region being a region illuminated by an illumination field of a second illumination optical system provided to be spaced apart from the first illumination optical system in the scanning direction and a direction intersecting the scanning direction,

The illumination optical systems each have:

The control unit performs the following control:

38. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of illumination optical systems as claimed in claim 34 or 35; and

The overlapping region is a region in which a part of a first illumination region is overlapped with a part of a second illumination region in the irradiation, the first illumination region being a region illuminated by an illumination field of a first illumination optical system among the plurality of illumination optical systems, and the second illumination region being a region illuminated by an illumination field of a second illumination optical system provided to the first illumination optical system so as to be spaced apart from the first illumination optical system in the scanning direction and a direction intersecting the scanning direction.