CN117908338A

CN117908338A - Exposure apparatus, illumination optical system, and device manufacturing method

Info

Publication number: CN117908338A
Application number: CN202410239514.6A
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: 2024-04-19
Also published as: KR20210144669A; JPWO2020203003A1; WO2020203003A1; CN113439239A; CN113439239B; TW202040283A

Abstract

An exposure apparatus, an illumination optical system, and a device manufacturing method are provided, which can prevent a variation in line width or thickness of a pattern transferred to a first region and a second region. The exposure device includes: an illumination optical system having an optical integrator; 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; an illuminance changing member configured to be movable relative to the optical integrator, the illuminance changing member being configured to change one of an exposure amount for exposing a second region and an exposure amount for exposing a first region, the second region being a region in which a part of each of the first and second exposure regions on the substrate to be exposed is overlapped, the first region being a region in which other parts of the first and second exposure regions are overlapped; and a control unit that moves the illuminance changing member so that the exposure amount in the first region is relatively large with respect to the exposure amount in the second region.

Description

Exposure apparatus, illumination optical system, and device manufacturing method

Related divisional application

The present application is a divisional application of patent application number 202080014640.1, entitled "exposure apparatus, illumination optical System, and device manufacturing method" filed on even 04 th year 2020.

Cross Reference to Related Applications

The disclosures of the following priority base applications are incorporated herein by reference, in Japanese patent application No. 2019-069148 (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 (scanning direction), but there is also known an exposure apparatus for performing multiple scanning exposure by overlapping exposure areas in a non-scanning direction so as to 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 literature 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 exposes a substrate to be exposed with a first exposure that exposes a first exposure region on the substrate to be exposed for a first time 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, the exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system having an optical integrator for supplying illumination light; a projection optical system; a substrate stage that moves the substrate to be exposed relative to the projection optical system in a scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate to be exposed; an illuminance changing means that is disposed on the incidence surface side of the optical integrator, which is provided at a position where the incidence surface of the illumination light and the upper surface of the substrate to be exposed are conjugate, and that is configured to be movable relative to the optical integrator, and that changes illuminance of the illumination light so as to change one of an exposure amount for exposing a second region, which is a region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed overlaps, and an exposure amount for exposing a first region, which is a region in which other parts of the first exposure region and other parts of the second exposure region overlap, relative to the other parts of the first exposure region; and a control unit that controls relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator so that the exposure amount in the first region is relatively large with respect to the exposure amount in the second region.

According to a second embodiment, an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate to be exposed with a first exposure that exposes a first exposure region on the substrate to be exposed for a first time 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, the exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system having an optical integrator for supplying illumination light; a projection optical system; a substrate stage that moves the substrate to be exposed relative to the projection optical system in a scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate to be exposed; an illuminance changing means disposed on an incidence surface side of the optical integrator, the incidence surface side being provided at a position where an incidence surface of the illumination light is conjugate to an upper surface of the substrate to be exposed, the illuminance changing means being configured to be movable relative to the optical integrator so as to change an exposure ratio of the other of an exposure amount for exposing a second region and an exposure amount for exposing a first region, the second region being a region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region on the substrate to be exposed is overlapped, the first region being a region of the other part of the first exposure region and the other part of the second exposure region; and a control unit that controls relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system.

According to a third embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes: a projection optical system; an illumination optical system having an optical integrator, the illumination optical system being configured to supply illumination light; 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; an illuminance changing means for changing an exposure amount of one of an exposure amount of 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, and an exposure amount of the other exposure amount of a second region, which is discretely exposed in time by the scanning exposure field; and a control unit configured to move the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator in a first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction, the optical integrator being provided at a position where an incident surface of the illumination light becomes a conjugate surface with respect to the scanning exposure field of view on the substrate to be exposed; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator so that the exposure amount in the first region is relatively large with respect to the exposure amount in the second region.

According to a fourth embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes: a projection optical system; an illumination optical system having an optical integrator, the illumination optical system being configured to supply illumination light; 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; an illuminance changing means that is disposed on the incidence surface side of the optical integrator, which is provided at a position where the incidence surface of the illumination light and the upper surface of the substrate to be exposed are conjugate, and that is configured to be movable relative to the optical integrator, and that changes illuminance of the illumination light so as to change an exposure amount ratio of the other of an exposure amount in a first region on the substrate to be exposed, which is obtained continuously in time by a scanning exposure field of the projection optical system, to an exposure amount of the other of the exposure amounts in a second region, which is obtained discretely in time by the scanning exposure field; and a control unit that controls relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system.

According to a fifth embodiment, a device manufacturing method includes: performing exposure processing on the substrate to be exposed by using the exposure apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth embodiments; and developing the exposed substrate.

According to a sixth embodiment, an illumination optical system for use in an exposure apparatus that irradiates illumination light on a substrate, irradiates illumination light on a first illumination area on an object moving in a scanning direction for a first time, irradiates illumination light on a second illumination area on the object moving in the scanning direction for a second time different from the first time, the illumination optical system comprising: an optical integrator provided at a position where an incident surface on which the illumination light is incident and an upper surface of the substrate become conjugate; an illuminance changing means for changing an illuminance of the illumination light irradiated to a second area, which is an area in which a part of each of the first illumination area and the second illumination area is overlapped, relative to an illuminance of the illumination light irradiated to a first area, which is an illumination area in which other parts of the first illumination area and other parts of the second illumination area are irradiated to the object; and a control unit configured to control relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system.

According to a seventh embodiment, an illumination optical system for use in an exposure apparatus that irradiates illumination light on a substrate, irradiates illumination light on a first illumination area on an object moving in a scanning direction for a first time, irradiates illumination light on a second illumination area on the object moving in the scanning direction for a second time different from the first time, the illumination optical system includes: an optical integrator provided at a position where an incident surface on which the illumination light is incident and an upper surface of the substrate become conjugate; an illuminance changing means for changing an illuminance ratio of one of an illuminance of the illumination light illuminating a second area, which is an area on the substrate where a part of each of the first illumination area and the second illumination area overlaps, and an illuminance of the illumination light illuminating a first area, which is an area of the other part of the first illumination area and the other part of the second illumination area; and a control unit that controls relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator; the control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system.

According to an eighth embodiment, an exposure apparatus includes: the illumination optical system of the sixth or seventh 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 exposure energy applied to 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. 5 (a) is a view showing an exposure field on a substrate of each projection optical system, fig. 5 (b) is a view showing an exposure region formed on the substrate 22, fig. 5 (c) is a view showing an example of an exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate, and fig. 5 (d) is a view showing another example of an exposure amount irradiated onto the substrate.

Fig. 6 is a view of the fly's eye lens, the light reduction member, and the light reduction member holding portion of the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment, as viewed from the light source 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, 9ca, 9cb, 9cc: light-reducing member holding portion

10A to 10e: dimming component (illuminance changing component)

10Ca1, 10ca2: third light-reducing member

10Cb1, 10cb2: first end dimming component

10Cc1, 10cc2: second end dimming component

11A to 11e: fly's eye lens (optical integrator)

11Ci: incidence plane

12A to 12e: condensing lens

13: Movable mirror

14: Laser interferometer

15: Mask for mask

16: Mask carrier

17: Mask stage platform

19A to 19e: projection optical system

20: Intermediate image plane

21A to 21e: view field aperture

21Bo, 21co: an opening part

22: Substrate board

23: Position detection optical system

24: Movable mirror

25: Laser interferometer

26: Illuminance sensor

27: Substrate carrying table

28: Substrate carrying platform

50: Control unit

71: Incident side

72A, 72b: an emission side

91A, 91b, 91c: sliding piece

100: Exposure apparatus

110: Lens element

CP: conjugate plane

E. E1: exposure amount

ILa-ILe: illumination optical system

IPIc: exposure field corresponding region

IXa, IXb, PAXa, PAXb: optical axis

MIa-MIe: lighting field (Lighting area)

MIb2, MIc2: illumination light

Oa to Od: overlapping part

PIa to PIe: exposure field of view

PIbc, PIcc: central region

PIbl, PIcl: left end region

PIbr, PIcr: right end region

PX: spacing of

Sa to Se: non-overlapping portion

SIa-SIe: scanning exposure field of view

SigA, sigB, sigCa, sigCb, sigCc: control signal

Wa, wb, ws, wo: width of (L)

X, Y, Z: direction of

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.

A control system, not shown, controls a linear motor, not shown, or the like based on the measured values of the laser interferometers 14, 25, or the like, to control the XY positions of the mask stage 16 and the substrate stage 27. In exposure of the mask pattern on the substrate 22, a control system, not shown, 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 the present specification, the direction in which the substrate 22 is scanned (X direction) at the time of exposure is also referred to as "scanning direction" and "sweeping direction". The directions (Y directions) included in the plane of the substrate 22 and orthogonal to the X direction are also referred to as "non-scanning directions" and "non-scanning directions". 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 separated 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. 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 having entered one entrance side 71 substantially equally, and emits the illumination light toward the five emission sides 72a to 72 e. The illumination light that has been emitted from the five emission sides 72a to 72e of the optical fiber 7 is incident on the input lenses 8a to 8e in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, respectively. The illumination light further passes through the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e and the condenser lenses 12a to 12e, and is irradiated to the illumination areas MIa to MIe on the mask 15.

The fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e are arranged at positions where the incidence side surfaces (surfaces on the input lens 8a to 8e side) thereof become conjugate surfaces CP that are 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 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 11ci (upper surface, i.e., 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 (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 11ci 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 surfaces 11ai to 11ei sides (input lenses 8a to 8e sides) of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e, light-reducing members 10a to 10e described later are disposed, and the light-reducing members 10a to 10e are held by light-reducing member holding portions 9a to 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 (a) is a diagram showing exposure fields PIa to PIe of the five projection optical systems 19a to19 e 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 21a 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 21e 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. 5 (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. 5 (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. 5 (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 two-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.

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. In contrast, the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se are areas that are exposed by one of the scanning exposure fields SIa to SIe and are continuously exposed without being divided in time.

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. 5 (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 is the coordinates of the exposure amount, and the horizontal axis is the coordinates in the Y direction. As shown in fig. 5 (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.

However, for example, when the scanning exposure field SIa, the scanning exposure field SIc, and the scanning exposure field SIe are shifted from the scanning exposure field SIb and the scanning exposure field SId in the Y direction from the state of fig. 5 (a), the exposure amounts in the overlapped portions Oa to Od are different from the exposure amounts E1 in the non-overlapped portions Sa to Se. For example, this phenomenon occurs when the scanning exposure fields SIa, SIc, SIe of the first and second columns of projection optical systems 19a, 19c, 19e are shifted from each other in the Y direction by the scanning exposure fields SIb, SId of the second columns of projection optical systems 19b, 19 d. This phenomenon also occurs when the substrate stage 27 is scanned in a direction deviated from the X direction to perform exposure in order to correct the deformation of the substrate 22 due to, for example, heat generated by a process.

Fig. 5 (d) is a graph showing the exposure amount E when the exposure amounts in the overlapping portions Oa to Od are different from the exposure amount E1 in the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se.

As an example, fig. 5 (d) shows an example when the scanning exposure field SIb and the scanning exposure field SId deviate from the scanning exposure field SIa, the scanning exposure field SIc and the scanning exposure field SIe in the-Y direction. In this case, the exposure amount increases in the overlapping portions Oa and Oc and decreases in the overlapping portions Ob and Od with respect to the exposure amount E1. Although not shown, when the scanning exposure field SIb, the scanning exposure field SId deviates in the +y direction from the scanning exposure field SIa, the scanning exposure field SIc, and the scanning exposure field SIe, the exposure amount decreases in the overlapping portions Oa and Oc and increases in the overlapping portions Ob and Od with respect to the exposure amount E1.

When exposure is performed with the exposure amount shown in (d) of fig. 5, the degree of reaction of the photosensitive material on the substrate 22 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 pattern transferred to the photosensitive material varies. The same phenomenon occurs, for example, when the substrate 22 to be exposed is locally deformed due to heat generated by the process, or the like, other than the above case. However, in this case, the distribution of the exposure amount E shown in the graph of fig. 5 (d) is not changed over the entire surface of the substrate 22 to be exposed, and the distribution of the exposure amount E shown in the graph of fig. 5 (d) is changed only in the region where the substrate 22 to be exposed has been locally deformed. In addition, not all of the overlapping regions Oa to Od, at least in one overlapping region, a region having an exposure amount different from the exposure amount E1 is generated. In addition, the thickness of the photosensitive material applied to the substrate 22 to be exposed is not limited to the local deformation of the substrate 22 to be exposed, but a region having an exposure amount different from the exposure amount E1 is generated in at least one overlapping region as described above.

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 in the vicinity of the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the respective illumination optical systems ILa to ILe on the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei sides of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e, that is, at positions between the input lenses 8a to 8e and the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11e, and the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11 e. The light reducing members 10a to 10e are movably held in the X direction, which is a direction substantially orthogonal to the optical axes IXa to IXe of the respective illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, by the light reducing member holding portions 9a to 9 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.

Fig. 6 is a view of the fly's eye lens 11c, the light reduction members 10c (10 ca1, 10ca2, 10cb1, 10cb2, 10cc1, 10cc 2), and the light reduction member holding portions 9c (9 ca, 9cb, 9 cc) provided in the illumination optical system ILc, as viewed from the input lens 8c side. Hereinafter, a light reduction member 10c and a light reduction member holding portion 9c provided in the illumination optical system ILc will be described with reference to fig. 6. 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 similar to the following.

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. 6 is a view of the fly-eye lens 11c from the input lens 8c side, which is the side of the incidence surface 11ai to the incidence surface 11 ei. Further, the incidence side surface of each lens element 110 becomes a conjugate plane CP with respect to the exposure field PIc formed on the substrate 22. Accordingly, in fig. 6, 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 lateral magnification of the exposure field corresponding region IPIc with respect to the exposure field PIc is set to be β times.

The exposure apparatus 100 of the first embodiment includes a first end light-reducing member 10cb1, a first end light-reducing member 10cb2, a second end light-reducing member 10cc1, a second end light-reducing member 10cc2, and third light-reducing members 10ca1, 10ca2 as light-reducing members 10c.

The widths Wb of the first end dimming members 10cb1, 10cb2, and the second end dimming members 10cc1, 10cc2 in the Y direction are substantially equal to β times the widths Wo of the right and left end regions PIcr, PIcl of the exposure field PIc.

The first end dimming means 10cb1 and the first end dimming means 10cb2 are arranged on the +x direction side of the fly-eye lens 11c, and dimming is performed by covering a portion corresponding to the left end region PIcl of the exposure field PIc in the exposure field corresponding region IPIc of the several lens elements 110.

The second end dimming members 10cc1 and 10cc2 are disposed on the +x direction side of the fly-eye lens 11c, and dimming is performed by covering the portions corresponding to the right end region PIcr of the exposure field PIc in the exposure field corresponding regions IPIc of the several lens elements 110.

As described above, the fly-eye lens 11c has a plurality of lens groups in which a plurality of lens elements 110 are arranged in the X direction, and is arranged in the Y direction. Therefore, the first end dimming means 10cb1 and the first end dimming means 10cb2 can be interpreted as a means for dimming at least a part of the left end region PIcl corresponding to the overlapping portion Oc of the lens element 110 arranged in one or more of the at least one lens group. Similarly, the second end dimming means 10cc1 and the second end dimming means 10cc2 can be interpreted as means for dimming at least a part of the right end region PIcr corresponding to the overlapping portion Ob of the lens element 110 arranged in at least one lens group.

The widths Wa of the third light reducing members 10ca1 and 10ca2 in the Y direction are substantially equal to β times the width Ws of the central region PIcc of the exposure field PIc.

The third light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 are disposed on the-X direction side of the fly-eye lens 11c, and perform light reduction by covering 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.

The third light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 can be interpreted as members that reduce light in at least a part of the central region PIcc corresponding to the non-overlapping portion Sc of the lens element 110 arranged in at least one lens group.

The first end dimming member 10cb1 and the first end dimming member 10cb2 are held by the slider 91b, and the slider 91b is held by the dimming member holding portion 9cb so as to be movable in the X direction. The relative positional relationship between the slider 91b and the light reduction member holding portion 9cb is measured by an encoder or the like, and is transmitted to the control portion 50. The relative positional relationship between the slider 91b and the dimming member holding portion 9cb, that is, the positions of the first end dimming member 10cb1 and the first end dimming member 10cb2 in the X direction, is controlled by a control signal SigCb from the control portion 50.

The second end dimming member 10cc1 and the second end dimming member 10cc2 are similarly held by the slider 91c, and the slider 91c is held by the dimming member holding portion 9cc so as to be movable in the X direction.

The third light reduction member 10ca1 and the third light reduction member 10ca2 are similarly held by the slider 91a, and the slider 91a is held by the light reduction member holding portion 9ca so as to be movable in the X direction.

The X-direction positions of the second end dimming members 10cc1, 10cc2, and the third dimming members 10ca1, 10ca2 are also measured in the same manner as described above, and are controlled by the control signals SigCc, sigCa from the control unit 50.

By moving the first end dimming members 10cb1 and 10cb2 in the ±x directions, the number of lens elements 110 that are dimmed by the first end dimming members 10cb1 and 10cb2 can be changed. Thus, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oc on the substrate 22 can be increased or decreased.

The number of lens elements 110 that are dimmed by the second end dimming members 10cc1, 10cc2 can be changed by moving the second end dimming members 10cc1, 10cc2 in the ±x directions. Thus, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Ob on the substrate 22 can be increased or decreased.

Similarly, by moving the third light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 in the ±x directions, the number of lens elements 110 subjected to light reduction by the third light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 can be changed. Thus, the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc on the substrate 22 can be increased or decreased.

As described above, by appropriately adjusting the positions of the first end portion light reducing member 10cb1 and the first end portion light reducing member 10cb2, the second end portion light reducing member 10cc1 and the second end portion light reducing member 10cc2, and the third light reducing member 10ca1 and the third light reducing member 10ca2 in the X direction, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Ob on the substrate 22 can be relatively increased or decreased as compared with the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc on the substrate 22.

The control unit 50 may appropriately adjust the X-direction positions of the first end dimming member 10cb1 and the first end dimming member 10cb2, the second end dimming member 10cc1 and the second end dimming member 10cc2, and the third dimming member 10ca1 and the third dimming member 10ca2 during the period of scanning in the X-direction for exposing the substrate 22. The control unit 50 may appropriately adjust the positions of the first end dimming member 10cb1, the first end dimming member 10cb2, the second end dimming member 10cc1, the second end dimming member 10cc2, the third dimming member 10ca1, and the third dimming member 10ca2 in the X direction immediately before exposing the partially deformed region in the substrate 22, and change the positions of the first end dimming member 10cb1, the first end dimming member 10cb2, the second end dimming member 10cc1, the second end dimming member 10cc2, the third dimming member 10ca1, and the third dimming member 10ca2 in the X direction after completing the exposure of the deformed region. When the substrate 22 having uneven application of the photosensitive material is exposed, the control unit may move the light reduction members in the X direction, respectively, in accordance with the thickness of the photosensitive material on the substrate 22. The exposure apparatus 100 may be provided with a measuring unit that detects local deformation on the substrate 22 or uneven application of the photosensitive material during scanning in the X direction for exposing the substrate 22 or before scanning exposure of the substrate 22.

The light reducing members 10c (first end light reducing member 10cb1, first end light reducing member 10cb2, second end light reducing member 10cc1, second end light reducing member 10cc2, third light reducing member 10ca1, third light reducing member 10ca 2) may be thin metal plates or light reducing films formed on transparent glass plates by the light reducing members. The light reducing member 10c is not limited to a member that completely shields the illumination light like a filter, 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 other illumination optical system ILa, ILb, ILd, ILe includes a light-reducing member 10a, a light-reducing member 10b, a light-reducing member 10d, a light-reducing member 10e, and a light-reducing member holding portion 9a, a light-reducing member holding portion 9b, a light-reducing member holding portion 9d, and a light-reducing member holding portion 9e, which are also configured in the same manner as the light-reducing member 10c and the light-reducing member holding portion 9 c.

Thus, the ratio of the exposure amounts of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od and the exposure amounts of the non-overlapping portion Sa to the non-overlapping portion Se can be adjusted in each of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe, and variations in the line width or thickness of the pattern transferred to the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od and the non-overlapping portion Sa to the non-overlapping portion Se can be prevented.

As an example, in the state of fig. 5 (d), the second end light reducing members in the illumination optical systems ILb and ILd are moved in the +x direction to reduce the exposure amounts of the right end regions PIbr and PIdr of the exposure fields PIb and PId, or the first end light reducing members in the illumination optical systems ILa, ILc and ILe are moved in the-X direction to increase the exposure amounts of the left end regions PIal, PIcl and PIel of the exposure fields PIa, PIc, PIe, so that the exposure amounts of the overlapping portions Oa and Oc are equal to the exposure amounts of the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se. The exposure amount may be adjusted by moving the second end portion dimming member in the +x direction and moving the first end portion dimming member in the-X direction. In addition, with respect to the overlapping portion Ob and the overlapping portion Od, the exposure amounts of the overlapping portion Ob and the overlapping portion Od may be made equal to the exposure amounts of the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se by moving the second end dimming members in the illumination optical systems ILa, ILc, ILe in the +x direction, moving the first end dimming members in the illumination optical systems ILb, ILd in the-X direction, or both.

When the light reducing member 10c moves in the-X direction from above the compound lens 11c, the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Sc increases as compared with before the movement, and therefore, it can be said that the light reducing member 10c functions as an increasing member. Similarly, when the first end dimming member and the second end dimming member move in the +x direction from above the compound lens 11c, the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oc increases as compared with before the movement, and therefore, the first end dimming member and the second end dimming member can be said to function as increasing members. The light reducing member 10c is moved in the-X direction from above the fly's eye lens 11c, but may be moved in the X direction to a position not overlapping the fly's eye lens 11c, and may be moved so that the amount of overlapping between the light reducing member 10c and the fly's eye lens 11c in the X direction becomes small.

Since the light reducing member 10c is disposed at a position separated from the incidence surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c by a predetermined distance in the Z direction, the edge of the light reducing member 10c in the XY direction is blurred and projected on the incidence surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11 c. Conversely, the distance by which the light reducing member 10c is separated from the incidence surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c in the Z direction can be determined based on the value of the transverse magnification (β) between the incidence surface 11ci of the fly-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 incidence surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11 c. Further, the width of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od on the substrate 22 in the Y direction may be referred to. Further, it is preferable to provide a mechanism capable of changing the Z-direction position of the light reducing member 10c with respect to the incidence surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c, that is, capable of changing the distance between the light reducing member 10c and the fly-eye lens 11c in the Z-direction.

As an example, when the width in the Y direction of the overlapping portion Oa to the overlapping portion Od is DW, the lateral magnification of the substrate 22 to the incident surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c is β, and the numerical aperture of the illumination light on the incident surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c is NA, it is preferable that the distance D between the light reduction member 10c and the Z direction of the incident surface 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c is 0+.d+. 1.2xdw/(β·na) … (1).

When the distance D satisfies the formula (1), the influence of the variation in the exposure amount (exposure amount unevenness) on the substrate 22 caused by the edge of the light reduction member 10c can be further reduced.

Further, the determination of the position of the light reducing member 10c in the X direction is preferably performed under a plurality of conditions in which the insertion amount (position in the X direction) of the light reducing member 10c is set to be different in several stages, for example, and the optimum insertion amount is determined based on the result.

The thickness of the coated photosensitive material of the substrate 22 may be measured by a measuring device provided inside the exposure device 100, and the optimum insertion amount of the light reducing member 10c may be determined based on the result. Furthermore, the measuring device may be disposed outside the exposure device 100.

When determining the insertion amount of the light reducing member 10c, it is preferable to determine the insertion amount by measuring the illuminance of each portion in the exposure field PIc using the illuminance sensor 26 provided on the substrate stage 27.

Further, the respective +x-direction end portions of the two light reduction members 10ca1, 10ca2 constituting the third light reduction member shown in fig. 6 are offset by only half of the pitch PX of the arrangement of the lens elements 110 of the fly-eye lens 11c in the X-direction. 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, when the +x-direction end portions of the light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 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 members 10ca1 and 10ca2 are moved in the X-direction.

Therefore, in the first embodiment, the end portions in the +x direction of the two light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 are offset by only half of the pitch PX at which the lens elements 110 are arranged in the X direction.

With this arrangement, when the +x direction end portion of one of the two light reduction members 10ca1, 10ca2 is located in the vicinity of both end portions in the X direction of the lens element 110, the +x direction end portion of the other is arranged in the vicinity of the center in the X direction of the lens element 110. Therefore, by moving both the light reduction members 10ca1, 10ca2 in the X direction, the exposure amount on the substrate 22 can be constantly changed. The light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 may be independently moved in the X direction.

The light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 are not limited to the two, but 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 positions or numbers of the +x direction ends of the light-reducing members 10ca1 and 10ca2 constituting the third light-reducing member are similarly applicable to the positions or numbers of the-X direction ends of the light-reducing members 10cb1 and 10cb2 constituting the first end light-reducing member and the light-reducing members 10cc1 and 10cc2 constituting the second end light-reducing member.

The light reducing member 10c is disposed at a position separated from the incident surface 11ci 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 conjugate plane CP with respect to the incidence plane 11ci of the fly-eye lens 11c, i.e., the upper surface of the substrate 22. If the light reducing member 10c is a member that completely shields the illumination light, the exposure amount of the overlapping portions Oa to Od and the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se may be discontinuously changed when the light reducing member is disposed so as to coincide with the conjugate plane CP. Therefore, in this case, the light reducing member 10c is preferably a member that deforms the shape or continuously changes the light shielding rate of the illumination light at a position corresponding to the Y direction, such as a filter. The light shielding rate of the illumination light may be changed by the first end light-reducing member 10cb1, the first end light-reducing member 10cb2, the second end light-reducing member 10cc1, the second end light-reducing member 10cc2, the third light-reducing member 10ca1, and the third light-reducing member 10ca 2.

Modification 1

In the first embodiment described above, the first end portion light reducing member 10cb1, the first end portion light reducing member 10cb2, the second end portion light reducing member 10cc1, and the second end portion light reducing member 10cc2 are arranged on the +x direction side of the fly eye lens 11c, and the third light reducing member 10ca1, the third light reducing member 10ca2 are arranged on the-X direction side of the fly eye lens 11c, but the arrangement is not limited thereto. When the light-reducing members 10c are moved in the X direction, the light-reducing members 10c do not collide with each other or mechanically interfere with each other, and all the light-reducing members 10c may be disposed on the +x direction side or the-X direction side of the fly-eye lens 11c, so that the size of the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe in the X direction can be reduced.

Modification 2

The light-reducing member 10c can change the ratio of the exposure amounts of the overlapping portion Ob, the overlapping portion Od, and the non-overlapping portion Sa to the exposure amount of the non-overlapping portion Se by moving the first end light-reducing member 10cb1, the first end light-reducing member 10cb2, the second end light-reducing member 10cc1, and the second end light-reducing member 10cc2 in the X direction, and therefore, the third light-reducing member 10ca1, the third light-reducing member 10ca2 may be omitted, and only the first end light-reducing member 10cb1, the first end light-reducing member 10cb2, the second end light-reducing member 10cc1, and the second end light-reducing member 10cc2 may be included. The light reducing member 10 may omit the first end light reducing member 10cb1, the first end light reducing member 10cb2, the second end light reducing member 10cc1, and the second end light reducing member 10cc2, and include only the third light reducing member 10ca1 and the third light reducing member 10ca2.

In the first embodiment, the structures of the light reduction members 10a to 10e in all the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe are the same, but the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the structures of the light reduction members may be changed in the first-row projection optical system 19F and the second-row projection optical system 19R, or the structures of the light reduction members may be changed in the respective illumination optical systems ILa to ILe.

In addition, when the substrate 22 is locally deformed, when there is uneven application of the photosensitive material, or the like, only the light reduction members included in the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe that project illumination light to the region among the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe may be moved, or the light reduction members may not be moved in the illumination optical systems that project illumination light to other regions.

Modification 3

In the first embodiment, the first end dimming members 10cb1 and 10cb2 are moved relative to the two rows in the +y direction in the lens element in the X direction, the second end dimming members 10cc1 and 10cc2 are moved relative to the two rows in the-Y direction in the lens element in the X direction, and the third dimming members 10ca1 and 10ca2 are moved relative to the two columns in the center in the lens element in the X direction. The first end dimming means 10cb1, the first end dimming means 10cb2, the second end dimming means 10cc1, the second end dimming means 10cc2, and the third dimming means 10ca1, the third dimming means 10ca2 may all be moved relative to the lens elements arranged in the same row in the X direction, or may partially be different.

Modification 4

The description has been made of the light reduction members 10a to 10e as an example of the illuminance changing member, which are movable in the X direction with respect to the fly-eye lens 11, but may be movable in the Z direction. Each of the light reduction members 10a to 10e may include a plurality of light reduction members stacked in the Z direction. The plurality of light reduction members may be relatively movable in the Y direction with respect to each other, in other words, the plurality of light reduction members may be relatively movable in the Y direction with respect to the fly's eye lens 11. In this way, the illuminance changing means is moved relative to the fly-eye lens 11 in any one of the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction, and thus the exposure amount distribution on the substrate 22 can be changed.

Modification 5

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

However, the projection optical system 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. In this case, it is desirable that the illumination optical system corresponding to one projection optical system also include the same structure as the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe.

Further, the apparatus having the plurality of projection optical systems 19a to 19e as in the first embodiment and the respective modifications 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 optically corresponding to the scanning direction of the substrate 22, depending on the conjugate relationship between the substrate 22 including the deflection mirror and the fly-eye lenses 11a to 11 e.

In the above embodiments, 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 rod integrator is configured to partially shield the vicinity of one end of the output surface on the X side.

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 shield a portion corresponding to the central region PIac to the central region PIec of the exposure field PIa to the exposure field PIe in the vicinity of the intermediate image plane 20.

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.

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 the projection optical systems 19a to 19e and the illumination optical systems ILa to ILe may be provided on the substrate stage, and the substrate 22 may be scanned instead.

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 applied to an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal, for example, an exposure apparatus for manufacturing an organic Electroluminescence (EL) panel, which transfers a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate. In addition, the present invention is applicable to an exposure apparatus for transferring a circuit pattern to a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, or the like in order to manufacture a mask or a photomask 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 first embodiment and the modifications thereof are 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 modifications, the following operational effects can be obtained.

(1) The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment or each modification exposes the substrate 22 to be exposed by 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 at a first time, 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 at a second time different from the first time, the exposure apparatus including: illumination optical systems ILa to ILe each having an optical integrator 11a to 11e and configured to supply 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.

Moreover, the method includes: the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e are disposed so as to be movable relative to the optical integrators 11a to 11e on the incidence surface side of the optical integrators 11a to 11e provided at positions (conjugate surfaces CP) where the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the incident illumination light and the upper surface of the substrate 22 to be exposed become conjugate, and change the illuminance of the illumination light so that one of the exposure amounts for exposing the second region (overlapping portion Oa to Od) and the exposure amount for exposing the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) on the substrate 22 to be exposed is changed relative to the other, the second region being a region in which a part of each of the first exposure region and the second exposure region on the substrate 22 to be exposed overlaps, the first region being a region in which other part of the first exposure region and the other part of the second exposure region overlap; and a control unit 50 for controlling the relative movement of the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e with respect to the optical integrators 11a to 11 e.

Further, the control unit 50 relatively moves the illuminance changing members 10a to 10e with respect to the optical integrator so that the exposure amount in the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) is relatively large with respect to the exposure amount in the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od).

With this configuration, the ratio of the exposure amount of the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) to the exposure amount of the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) can be adjusted, and variation in the line width or thickness of the pattern transferred to the first region and the second region can be prevented.

(2) The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment or each modification exposes the substrate 22 to light by using a first exposure for exposing a first exposure region (SIa, SIc, SIe) on the substrate 22 to light in a first time period and a second exposure for exposing a second exposure region (sibs, SId) on the substrate 22 to light in a second time period different from the first time period, the exposure apparatus including: illumination optical systems ILa to ILe each having an optical integrator 11a to 11e and configured to supply 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.

Moreover, the method includes: the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e are disposed so as to be movable relative to the optical integrator on the incidence surface side of the optical integrator provided at a position where the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the incident illumination light and the upper surface of the substrate 22 to be exposed become conjugate, and change the illuminance of the illumination light so as to change the exposure amount of the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) that overlaps the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) on the substrate 22 to be exposed and the exposure amount ratio of the other to the first region (non-overlapping portion Se) that overlaps the other of the first region and the second region; and a control unit 50 for controlling the relative movement of the illuminance changing member with respect to the optical integrator.

Further, the control unit 50 moves the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e relative to the optical integrator during the movement of the substrate stage 27 relative to the projection optical systems 19a to 19 e.

(3) The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment or each modification includes: projection optical systems 19a to 19e; illumination optical systems ILa to ILe each having an optical integrator 11a to 11e and supplying illumination light to 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 so that the predetermined pattern is exposed on the substrate 22 to be exposed.

Further, the method includes: the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e change the exposure amount of one of the exposure amounts in the 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 during exposure and the exposure amount of the other region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) which is a region to be exposed discretely in time by the scanning exposure field; and a control unit that moves the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e relative to an optical integrator provided at a position where the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the illumination light become conjugate planes CP with respect to the scanning exposure field SIa to the scanning exposure field SIe on the substrate 22 in a first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction.

The control unit 50 relatively moves the illuminance changing members 10a to 10e with respect to the optical integrator so that the exposure amount in the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) is relatively large with respect to the exposure amount in the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od).

(4) The exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment or each modification includes: projection optical systems 19a to 19e; illumination optical systems ILa to ILe each having an optical integrator 11a to 11e and supplying illumination light to 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.

Moreover, the method includes: the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e are disposed so as to be movable relative to the optical integrator on the incidence surface side of the optical integrator provided at a position (conjugate surface CP) where the incidence surfaces 11ai to 11ei of the incident illumination light and the upper surface of the substrate 22 to be exposed become conjugate, and change the illuminance of the illumination light so as to change the exposure amount ratio of the other of the first region (non-overlapping portion Sa to non-overlapping portion Se) on which the exposure is to be performed to the one of the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) on which the exposure is to be performed by the scanning exposure field of the projection optical system 19a to 19e, the first region being a region on the substrate 22 to be exposed being obtained continuously in time, and the second region being a region to be exposed being obtained discretely in time by the scanning exposure field; and a control unit 50 for controlling the relative movement of the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e with respect to the optical integrators 11a to 11 e; the control unit 50 moves the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e relative to the optical integrators 11a to 11e during the movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical systems 19a to 19 e.

(5) By configuring the illuminance changing member 10a to the illuminance changing member 10e to include the first end portion dimming member 10cb1 and the first end portion dimming member 10cb2, which are provided in the vicinity of the end portion of the conjugate plane CP on the first side in the second direction intersecting the first direction of the portion corresponding to the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od) and the second end portion dimming member 10cc1 and the second end portion dimming member 10cc2, which are provided in the vicinity of the end portion of the conjugate plane CP on the second side opposite to the first side in the second direction of the portion corresponding to the second region (overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od), the exposure amount of the overlapping portion Oa to overlapping portion Od can be reduced with high accuracy.

(6) By controlling the first end dimming members 10cb1 and 10cb2 and the second end dimming members 10cc1 and 10cc2 by the control unit 50 so as to move the dimming members in the first direction, the exposure amounts of the second areas (overlapping portions Oa to Od) can be individually adjusted, and the line width and thickness of the transferred pattern can be made more uniform.

(7) By configuring the illuminance changing means 10a to the illuminance changing means 10e to include the third light reducing means 10ca1 and the third light reducing means 10ca2 provided at the portions corresponding to the first regions (the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se) in the conjugate plane CP, the ratio of the exposure amount of the first regions (the non-overlapping portions Sa to Se) to the exposure amount of the second regions (the overlapping portions Oa to Od) can be adjusted with higher accuracy. (8) The control unit 50 is configured to move the third light reduction members 10ca1 and 10ca2 in the first direction independently of the first end light reduction members 10cb1 and 10cb2, and the second end light reduction members 10cc1 and 10cc2, so that the ratio of the exposure amount of the first region (non-overlapping portions Sa to Se) to the exposure amount of the second region (overlapping portions Oa to Od) can be adjusted with higher accuracy.

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 for exposing a substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:

A substrate stage for moving the substrate in a scanning direction;

An illumination optical system for supplying illumination light, the illumination optical system comprising:

an optical integrator provided at a position where an incident surface on which the illumination light is incident and the substrate become conjugate; and

An illuminance changing means for disposing the incidence surface side of the optical integrator;

a projection optical system that enters the illumination light, the projection optical system having:

a diaphragm that sets an illumination area of the illumination light to the substrate, and is provided at a position on an optical path between the optical integrator and the substrate and conjugate to the substrate; and

A control unit that moves the illuminance changing member in a first direction with respect to the optical integrator, and changes an amount by which the illuminance changing member overlaps the incident surface in an optical axis direction of the optical integrator;

The illuminance changing means includes:

A first light reduction member movable in the first direction to overlap a first portion of the incident surface in the illumination area in the optical axis direction, the first portion corresponding to a first end portion including one end of a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction; and

A second light reduction member movable in the first direction to overlap a second portion of the incident surface in the illumination area in the optical axis direction, the second portion corresponding to a second end portion including the other end of the non-scanning direction,

The control unit moves the first dimming member in the first direction by a first control signal, and moves the second dimming member in the first direction by a second control signal, which is different from the first control signal.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illuminance changing means includes:

A third light reduction member overlapping, in the optical axis direction, a portion of the incident surface corresponding to a center region including a center of the non-scanning direction among the illumination regions,

The control unit moves the third dimming member in the first direction by a third control signal, the third control signal being different from the first control signal and the second control signal.

3. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising:

A substrate stage for moving the substrate in a scanning direction;

A projection optical system for inputting the illumination light, the projection optical system having

The illuminance changing means includes:

The control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system,

4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the illuminance changing means includes:

5. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, comprising:

A substrate stage for moving the substrate in a scanning direction;

Projection optical system, incident illumination light:

an illumination optical system that supplies illumination light to the projection optical system, the illumination optical system including:

An illuminance changing means for changing an exposure amount in a first region, which is a region in which exposure is continuously obtained in time by a scanning exposure field of the projection optical system, relative to an exposure amount in each of a second region and a third region, which are regions in which exposure is discretely obtained in time by the scanning exposure field and which are arranged in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, with the first region interposed therebetween; and

A control unit that moves the illuminance changing member in a first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction;

The illuminance changing means includes:

A first light reduction member movable in the first direction to overlap a first portion of the incident surface corresponding to the second region in an optical axis direction of the optical integrator; and

A second light reduction member movable in the first direction to overlap a second portion of the incident surface corresponding to the third region in the optical axis direction;

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

The control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate stage relative to the projection optical system.

7. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, comprising:

A substrate stage for moving the substrate in a scanning direction;

Projection optical system, incident illumination light:

An illuminance changing means for changing the illuminance of the illumination light so as to change the ratio of the exposure amount in a first region in which exposure is continuously obtained in time by a scanning exposure field of the projection optical system during the exposure to the respective exposure amounts in a second region and a third region in which exposure is obtained discretely in time by the scanning exposure field and which are arranged with the first region interposed therebetween in a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, the incidence surface side of the optical integrator being arranged; and

A control unit that moves the illuminance changing member in a first direction;

The illuminance changing means has:

8. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein,

The first light reduction member is movable in the first direction to overlap the first portion in the optical axis direction in a state of not overlapping the second portion in the optical axis direction,

The second light reduction member is movable in the first direction to overlap the second portion in the optical axis direction in a state of not overlapping the first portion in the optical axis direction.

9. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the illuminance changing means has:

A third light reduction member overlaps with a portion corresponding to the first region at the incident surface in the optical axis direction.

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

11. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein,

The first light reduction member and the second light reduction member are each provided at a position separated from the incident surface in the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system by a predetermined distance determined in accordance with a width of the second region in the non-scanning direction, a lateral magnification of the substrate with respect to the incident surface, and a numerical aperture of the illumination light on the incident surface.

12. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein,

The first light reduction member and the second light reduction member are each provided at a position separated from the incident surface in the optical axis direction of the illumination optical system by a predetermined distance determined by the following equation (1) when the non-scanning direction width of the second region is DW, the lateral magnification of the substrate with respect to the incident surface is β, and the numerical aperture of the illumination light on the incident surface is NA:

0≦D≦1.2×DW/(β·NA)…(1)。

13. 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 a second direction intersecting the first direction are arranged in the first direction optically corresponding to the scanning direction,

The first light-reducing member reduces light of at least a part of a portion corresponding to the second region of one or more lens elements arranged in at least one of the lens groups,

The second light reduction member reduces light of at least a part of a portion corresponding to the third region of one or more lens elements arranged in at least one of the lens groups.

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

The first light-reducing member and the second light-reducing member are each configured with m pieces of m lens groups corresponding to each of the m lens groups, where m is a natural number of 2 or more,

One end portion of the m first light reduction members and the second light reduction members in the first direction is set at a position different from each other by P/m in the first direction with respect to a period P of arrangement of the lens elements in the first direction in the lens group.

15. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein,

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 is a region in which a part of a first exposure region on the substrate exposed by a scanning exposure field of a first projection optical system among the plurality of projection optical systems is overlapped with a part of a second exposure region on the substrate exposed by a scanning exposure field of a second projection optical system provided separately from the first projection optical system in the scanning direction and a non-scanning direction orthogonal to the scanning direction.

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

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

17. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising:

performing an exposure process on the substrate using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 16; and

And developing the exposed substrate.

18. An illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination area on an object moving in a scanning direction, the illumination optical system being used in an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the illumination optical system comprising:

An optical integrator provided at a position where an incident surface on which the illumination light is incident and an upper surface of the substrate become conjugate;

An illuminance changing means for disposing the incidence surface side of the optical integrator; and

The illuminance changing means includes:

19. An illumination optical system for illuminating an illumination area on an object moving in a scanning direction, the illumination optical system being used in an exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate, the illumination optical system comprising:

The illuminance changing means includes:

The control unit moves the illuminance changing member relative to the optical integrator during movement of the substrate relative to the illumination light,

20. An illumination optical system according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that,

21. An illumination optical system according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that,

The illuminance changing means includes:

And a third light reduction member that overlaps, in the optical axis direction, a portion of the incident surface corresponding to a center region including a center in the non-scanning direction of the illumination region.

22. An illumination optical system according to claim 21 wherein,

23. An exposure apparatus, comprising:

The illumination optical system according to any one of claims 18 to 22; and

And a substrate stage for holding the substrate and moving the substrate relative to the illumination light in the scanning direction so that a predetermined pattern of the object is transferred onto the substrate.