JP2001044099A - Aligner and exposure method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent continuity and periodicity of a pattern which is formed on a substrate from deteriorating, and to manufacture an accurate and high quality micro device. SOLUTION: In this aligner, luminous flux from a light source 1 is applied to a mask 13, and the image of the pattern of the mask is successively projected and exposed in an adjacent region on the surface of a substrate 15, while mutual one part is overlapped at a joint. The aligner is equipped with a light-shielding member 10 provided movable in an advance/retreat movement directions with respect to the luminous flux, and a detecting device 21 for detecting movement information regarding the movement of the light-shielding member. A control device 9 moves the light-shielding member 10, so that the quantity of light of the joint part is changed continuously at prior exposure, and at the same time, controls the movement of the light-shielding member 10 based on the movement information being detected by the detecting device 21 at the prior exposure, so that the quantity of light on the joint becomes uniform as a whole on subsequent exposures.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] The present invention relates to a semiconductor integrated circuit,
The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method used when manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, a thin film magnetic head, other micro devices, and the like by using a lithography technique.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a photolithography process, which is one of the manufacturing processes of a micro device, an image of a pattern of a photomask or a reticle is projected on a substrate (a semiconductor wafer or a glass plate coated with a photoresist) to be exposed. An exposure apparatus for exposing is used. In recent years, in order to cope with an increase in the area of an exposure region accompanying an increase in the size of the substrate, the exposure region of the substrate is divided into a plurality of unit regions (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as shots or shot regions),
A stitching type exposure apparatus has been developed which sequentially projects and exposes an image of a pattern corresponding to each shot.

In such an exposure apparatus, since a mismatch may occur at a joint portion of each shot, a part of a pattern image of one shot and a pattern image of another shot adjacent thereto are shot. Are superposed and exposed. In the joint portion (overlap region) of the image of the pattern, the exposure amount is larger than that in the portion other than the joint portion, and therefore, for example, the line width (line or space of the line or space) of the pattern formed on the substrate at the joint portion Width) becomes thinner or thicker depending on the characteristics of the photoresist.

In view of this, the exposure amount distribution of a portion to be a joint portion of each shot is set to be inclined so as to become smaller toward the outside thereof, and the exposure amount of the joint portion is entirely changed by two exposures. The exposure amount is made equal to that of the portion other than the joint portion to prevent a change in line width at the joint portion.

A technique for realizing such an inclined exposure amount distribution at a joint portion of a shot is to form a dimming portion that obliquely limits the amount of transmitted light in a portion of the reticle itself corresponding to the joint portion. Is known.
However, forming the dimming portion on the reticle itself increases the manufacturing man-hour and cost of the reticle, and increases the manufacturing cost of the micro device.

For this reason, a filter has been developed in which a density filter formed by forming a light-reducing portion similar to the above on a glass plate is provided at a position substantially conjugate with the pattern forming surface of the reticle. Has the disadvantage of being low. Therefore, by providing a blind mechanism having a light-shielding plate (blind) capable of moving forward and backward with respect to the optical path at a position substantially conjugate with the pattern forming surface of the reticle, by moving the light-shielding plate forward or backward during exposure processing on the substrate, A device which realizes such an inclined exposure amount distribution has been developed. Since it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in the exposure area and a change in the size of the joint portion due to a reticle exchange or the like, there is an advantage that versatility is high.

[0007]

However, in the apparatus in which the above-mentioned blind mechanism realizes an inclined exposure amount distribution at the joint, the light shielding plate is driven at a constant speed by a motor driven ball screw mechanism or the like. However, the light-shielding plate cannot be driven at a constant speed due to the state of the mechanism (for example, deterioration of the rubbing state due to lack of lubricating oil of the driving screw) or the voltage fluctuation of the motor power supply. The movement speed of the plate may become uneven.

[0008] Therefore, the exposure amount of the spliced portion exposed on the substrate may not be uniform, and the line width of the pattern formed on the substrate may not be uniform. There is a problem that pattern continuity and periodicity are deteriorated, and characteristics and quality of a manufactured micro device are deteriorated.

The present invention has been made in view of such problems of the prior art, and has as its object to manufacture a high-precision, high-quality microdevice.

[0010]

In the following description, the present invention will be described in association with member codes shown in the drawings showing the embodiments. However, the present invention is not limited to the members shown in the drawings attached with.

1. An exposure apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention irradiates a light beam from a light source (1) onto a mask (13) to image an image of a pattern of the mask on a region adjacent to a surface of a substrate (15) at a joint. A light-shielding member (19A to 19D) provided so as to be movable in the forward and backward directions with respect to the light flux in an apparatus for sequentially performing projection exposure so that a part of the light beams overlaps each other.
A detecting device (21) for detecting movement information relating to the movement of the light shielding member; and moving the light shielding member so that the light amount of the joint portion changes continuously at the time of previous exposure, and at the time of the previous exposure. A control device (19) for controlling the movement of the light shielding member based on the movement information detected by the detection device so that the light amount of the joint portion becomes uniform as a whole at the time of subsequent exposure. Features.

In this case, the control device can control the movement of the light shielding member so that the integrated light amount at the joint portion matches the integrated light amount in an area adjacent to the joint portion. The control device may include an irradiation energy detecting unit configured to detect irradiation energy of the light beam from the light source, and the control device may control movement of the light blocking member using the irradiation energy and the movement information.
Furthermore, the control device can control the movement of the light shielding member based on at least one of the position information of the light shielding member and the speed information at the time of moving.

According to this exposure apparatus, the movement information relating to the movement of the light-shielding member is detected at the time of the previous exposure, and based on the movement information, the movement of the light-shielding member is made uniform at the time of the subsequent exposure so that the total light amount at the joint is uniform. Is controlled, so that even if the movement speed of the light-shielding member is uneven during the previous exposure, the light-shielding member is moved so as to eliminate the unevenness during the subsequent exposure. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the exposure amount at the joint of each region (shot) on the photosensitive substrate.

Thus, the continuity of the connection of the pattern between adjacent shots (for example, the continuity of connection in the direction along the line in the case of a line and space (L / S) pattern) and Periodicity (for example, periodicity of an array in a direction orthogonal to the line in the case of an L / S pattern)
Can be improved. As a result, the accuracy of the pattern formed on the substrate can be increased, and the characteristics and quality of the manufactured micro device can be improved.

2. An exposure apparatus according to a second aspect of the present invention is provided with an illumination optical system that irradiates a light beam from a light source (1) to a mask (13), and a position in the illumination optical system that is substantially conjugate with the mask. A movable light shielding member (19A to 19D) for arbitrarily setting an area on the mask illuminated by a light beam, and a projection optical system (14) for projecting an image of a pattern on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate (15). When,
The arbitrary area is adjacently projected and exposed on the photosensitive substrate, and has an overlapping area in which each of the adjacent one of the exposure area and the other exposure area partially overlaps, and A control device (9) for controlling the movement of the light shielding member so that the area of the overlap region changes substantially continuously during exposure, wherein the detection device detects movement information on the movement of the light shielding member. (21) wherein the control device controls the light shielding member at the time of the other exposure based on the movement information of the light shielding member on the overlapping area side at the time of the one exposure. .

In this case, the control device can control the movement of the light shielding member so that the integrated light amount in the overlapping area coincides with the integrated light amount in an area adjacent to the overlapping area. The control device may include an irradiation energy detecting unit configured to detect irradiation energy of the light beam from the light source, and the control device may control movement of the light blocking member using the irradiation energy and the movement information. Furthermore, the control device can control the movement of the light shielding member based on at least one of the position information of the light shielding member and the speed information at the time of moving.

According to this exposure apparatus, movement information relating to the movement of the light shielding member during one exposure is detected, and the movement of the light shielding member during the other exposure is controlled based on the movement information. When the movement speed of the light shielding member becomes uneven, the light shielding member can be moved so as to eliminate the unevenness at the time of the other exposure. Therefore, it is possible to improve the uniformity of the exposure amount in the overlapping area of each area (shot) on the photosensitive substrate.

Thus, the continuity of the connection of the pattern between adjacent shots (for example, the continuity of connection in the direction along the line in the case of a line and space (L / S) pattern) and Periodicity (for example, periodicity of an array in a direction orthogonal to the line in the case of an L / S pattern)
Can be improved. As a result, the accuracy of the pattern formed on the substrate can be increased, and the characteristics and quality of the manufactured micro device can be improved.

3. In the exposure method according to the third aspect of the present invention, an image of the pattern of the mask (13) is projected and exposed on an adjacent exposure area on the surface of the substrate (15), and a part of the exposure area overlaps during the exposure. In an exposure method for sequentially projecting and exposing by changing the exposure area at a power joint,
The drive information of the light shielding members (19A to 19D) for setting the exposure area of the joint portion at the time of the exposure is detected, and the first
In the second exposure for exposing the exposure area adjacent to the exposure area exposed at the time of the exposure, the driving of the light shielding member is controlled based on the driving information at the time of the first exposure.

In this case, a change in the exposure at the first exposure at the joint portion is obtained from the driving information, and the driving of the light shielding member during the second exposure is performed in accordance with the change in the exposure. Can be controlled. Further, measuring the exposure energy of the light source at the time of the exposure, based on the drive information and the measured exposure energy of the light source,
The driving of the light shielding member at the time of the second exposure can be controlled.

According to this exposure method, the driving information of the light shielding member is detected at the time of the first exposure, and the driving of the light shielding member is controlled at the time of the second exposure based on the information.
Even if unevenness occurs in the exposure amount distribution at the joint at the time of the exposure, the light shielding member can be driven so as to eliminate the unevenness at the time of the second exposure. ) Can improve the uniformity of the exposure amount at the joint.

Thus, the continuity of the connection of the pattern between adjacent shots (for example, the continuity of connection in the direction along the line in the case of a line and space (L / S) pattern) and Periodicity (for example, periodicity of an array in a direction orthogonal to the line in the case of an L / S pattern)
Can be improved. As a result, the accuracy of the pattern formed on the substrate can be increased, and the characteristics and quality of the manufactured micro device can be improved.

[0023]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to this embodiment. The exposure apparatus of this embodiment is a stitching-type batch exposure type in which reduced images of a reticle pattern by a projection optical system are sequentially projected and exposed while partially overlapping each other in order to manufacture a liquid crystal display element. An exposure apparatus.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp as an exposure light source. The illumination light is condensed by an elliptical mirror 2, reflected by a reflecting mirror 3, and reaches a shutter 4. The illumination light enters the wavelength filter 5 in response to the opening operation of the shutter 4. The wavelength filter 5 has a wavelength required for exposure (generally, g
(I.e., the wavelength of a line or i-line), and the illumination light that has passed through the wavelength filter 5 is adjusted to a light beam having a uniform illuminance distribution by a fly-eye integrator 6 before reaching the beam splitter 7.

The light beam that has passed through the beam splitter 7 passes through an opening defined by a blind (light shield) of a blind mechanism 10 controlled by a control unit 9, is reflected by a reflecting mirror 11, and has a lens system having a condenser lens. It is incident on 12. An image of an opening defined by the blind of the blind mechanism 10 is formed on the reticle 13 by the lens system 12, and a range corresponding to the opening of the reticle 13 is illuminated.

The image of the pattern existing in the illumination range of the reticle 13 is formed on the photosensitive substrate 15 of a glass plate (or a wafer) by the projection optical system 14, whereby the pattern of the reticle 13 is formed on a specific area of the photosensitive substrate 15. Is projected and exposed. The blind mechanism 10 is necessarily disposed at a position conjugate with the reticle 13 in terms of its function.

The light beam reflected by the beam splitter 7 enters an integrated exposure meter (irradiation energy detecting means) 8.
The integrated exposure meter 8 detects the integrated value of the exposure from the time when the shutter 4 is opened to the present.

The photosensitive substrate 15 is mounted and fixed on a stage 16. The stage 16 is a well-known one in which a pair of blocks movable in directions orthogonal to each other are overlapped, and the position of the photosensitive substrate 15 in a horizontal plane is adjusted by the stage 16. When performing joint exposure (stitching) in which one shot area and another adjacent shot area are overlapped and exposed, the stage 16 is driven after the exposure processing for the one shot area is completed. Then, the other shot area of the photosensitive substrate 15 is positioned with respect to the projection optical system 14, and the reticle 13 is exposed as it is or as necessary. After that, every time the exposure is completed, the same procedure is repeated to expose the entire area of the photosensitive substrate 15.

A plurality of types of patterns are formed on one reticle, and the illumination range of the reticle 13 is changed by the blind mechanism 10 in conjunction with the change of the exposure area of the photosensitive substrate 13 (change to a different pattern area). T) Repeat exposure may be performed. The position of the stage 16 is detected by a laser interferometer (not shown) that emits a laser beam 18 toward a movable mirror 17 on the stage 16 and measures the distance based on the interference between the reflected light and the incident light.

As shown in FIG. 2, the blind mechanism 10 includes four movable blinds (light shielding members) 19.
A to 19D and their driving mechanisms (not shown). These blinds 19A to 19D are movable in a direction orthogonal or parallel to each other in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis AX of the illumination light so as to advance or retreat with respect to the optical axis AX. Although not shown, these blinds 19A to 19D are driven by a feed mechanism combining a ball screw having a servomotor whose operation is controlled by the control unit 9.

An optical linear scale for position detection is attached to each of the blinds 19A to 19D, and a position detecting device 21 (FIG. 1) having an optical reading device provided opposite to the linear scale. ) Is sent to the control unit 9.

By setting these four blinds 19A to 19D at appropriate positions, a rectangular illumination is formed at the approximate center of the field of view of the projection optical system 14 by the leading edges 20A to 20D of the blinds 19A to 19D. A viewing area is formed.

The illumination visual field is basically set to a size substantially corresponding to the shot area. During exposure, among these four blinds 19A to 19D,
The blinds 19A to 19D corresponding to the sides forming the joint of the rectangular shot areas (the overlapping area of one shot area and another shot area adjacent thereto) advance or enter the optical path of the illumination light. By continuously moving at a predetermined speed so as to move out (in this embodiment, it is assumed to move out), the amount of exposure at the joint portion can be gradually decreased toward the outer side, whereby the density can be reduced. The same function as the filter is realized. This blind mechanism 10 is excellent in that it is not necessary to prepare and replace a plurality of filters according to shots like a density filter, and a single mechanism can flexibly cope with it.

The operation of each of the blinds 19A to 19D of the above-described blind mechanism 10 is controlled by the control unit 9 in accordance with the procedure shown in FIG. In addition,
This processing is performed for each drive device of each of the blinds 19A to 19D.
Will be described representatively.

First, when the processing is started, before the shutter 4 is opened and the exposure is started, the exposure at the joint is the first exposure, that is, the first exposure for the joint, or the subsequent exposure, That is, it is determined whether the exposure is the second exposure for the joint (ST1).

If the previous exposure is determined (Yes), the information is used to control the movement (drive) of the blind 19A, and is stored in advance in a memory (storage device) provided in the control unit 9 in advance. The setting information, which is theoretical information for driving the blind 19A, is read (ST2). In this case, the setting information is information such that the leading edge 20A of the blind 19A moves from the inner edge to the outer edge of the joint at a constant speed (target speed).

Next, the exposure process is started by opening the shutter 4 (ST3), and the blind 19A is driven at a constant speed based on the setting information read in ST2 (ST4). At this time, based on the detection signal from the reading device of the position detecting device 21, the current position of the blind 19A is obtained, and the difference between the current position and the target position when moving at the target speed of the setting information is obtained. Is stored in a predetermined area of a memory provided in the control unit 9 as detection information relating to the movement of the control unit 9 (ST5).

Thereafter, it is determined whether or not the exposure should be terminated (ST6).
), The process returns to ST4 to repeat the drive of the blind 19A and the detection and writing of the movement information. If it is determined in ST6 that the exposure should be terminated (Yes), the shutter 4 is closed (ST7), and this process ends.

If it is determined in ST1 that the exposure is to be performed later (No), the process proceeds to ST8, in which the blind 1
As information used for controlling the movement (driving) of 9A, the detection information that is the information detected about the movement of the blind 19A, which is stored and held in the predetermined area of the memory provided in the control unit 9 by ST5, is read.
The shutter 4 is opened (ST3), and the blind 19A is driven based on the detection information (ST4). In this case, ST5 can pass.

According to this embodiment, the difference between the actual position and the target position is detected and stored at predetermined time intervals of the blinds 19A to 19D as movement information relating to the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D during the previous exposure. In addition, based on this detection information (movement information), the blind 19A is controlled so that the light amount at the joint portion becomes uniform as a whole at the time of subsequent exposure.
Since the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D is controlled at the time of the previous exposure, the blinds 19A to 19D are controlled so as to eliminate the unevenness at the time of the subsequent exposure. Will be moved.

For example, since the exposure amount is excessive in a portion where the moving speed of the blinds 19A to 19D with respect to the side constituting the joint portion of the shot region at the time of the previous exposure is excessive, the blind at the side of the joint portion at the time of the previous exposure is excessive. In the subsequent exposure in the case where the moving directions are opposite to each other, the moving speed of the blinds 19A to 19D is slowed down in that portion so that the amount of exposure is insufficient, so that the proper exposure is obtained by two exposures. Therefore, on the photosensitive substrate 15, the uniformity of the exposure amount at the joint of each shot area can be improved.
If the blinds move in the same direction for the first exposure and the second exposure at the joint, the unevenness of the exposure amount can be reduced by driving the corresponding blind at the later exposure so that the speed changes in the same way. The exposure amount can be made uniform by reducing the amount.

Thus, the continuity of the pattern connection portion between adjacent shots (for example, the continuity of connection in the direction along the line in the case of a line and space (L / S) pattern) and Periodicity (for example, periodicity of an array in a direction orthogonal to the line in the case of an L / S pattern)
Can be improved. As a result, the accuracy of the pattern formed on the photosensitive substrate 15 can be increased, and the characteristics and quality of the manufactured micro device can be improved.

In the above-described embodiment, the difference between the actual position and the target position is used as the movement information regarding the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D during the previous exposure. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the blind 19A is not limited to this. The difference between the actual speed and the target speed of ~ 19D may be used.

In the above-described embodiment, the position detecting device for detecting the position of the blind, which includes a linear scale and a reading device, for detecting the movement information on the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D at the time of the previous exposure. 21 was used, but the present invention is not limited to this,
For example, in the previous exposure, the blinds 19A to 19A
The signal from the rotary encoder attached to the servomotor of the driving device for driving D is detected and processed as necessary to obtain movement information. Based on this movement information, the exposure amount of the joint portion at the time of subsequent exposure is appropriate. The driving of the blinds 19A to 19D can be controlled so as to obtain the exposure amount.

Further, the blinds 19A-
The driving information from the control unit 9 for the driving device for driving the 19D is stored and held, and the change in the exposure amount at the time of the previous exposure is obtained based on this information. Of the blinds 19A to 19D may be controlled.

In the above-described embodiment, the unevenness of the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D at the time of the previous exposure is detected, and the blind 19 at the time of the subsequent exposure is compensated so as to compensate for the unevenness.
Although the driving of A to 19D is controlled, the blinds 19A to 19B are driven at a constant speed at the time of the subsequent exposure, and the output of the light source is controlled so as to compensate for the speed unevenness at the time of the previous exposure. Similarly to the above, it is possible to make the exposure amount of the joint portion uniform and appropriate.

In the case where speed unevenness that cannot be compensated for by controlling the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D during the previous exposure occurs during the previous exposure, it can be treated as an unrecoverable error. it can.

Here, if the light source fluctuates in output during the previous exposure, the blinds 19A to 19D
As in the case where the speed non-uniformity occurs, the exposure amount is excessively increased or the exposure amount is insufficient, and the exposure amount at the joint portion is not uniform as a whole, and the exposure accuracy is reduced. Therefore,
Take the following measures.

That is, the irradiation energy of the light beam from the light source is detected (measured), and the blinds 19A to 19A-1 at the subsequent exposure are detected.
The movement information at the time of the previous exposure used for controlling the driving of 9D is corrected by the variation of the irradiation energy. This allows
The unevenness of the exposure amount at the joint portion due to the change in the irradiation energy is compensated by controlling the movement of the blinds 19A to 19D during the subsequent exposure, and the exposure amount at the joint portion can be made uniform and appropriate. The irradiation energy can be detected by an integrated exposure meter 8 that detects the integrated light amount from the start of exposure to the time of detection.

The integrated exposure meter 8 converts an output signal of an integrator sensor that outputs a voltage corresponding to the illuminance of the illumination light into a pulse train having a cycle corresponding to the voltage value by V / F conversion, and counts the number of pulses. Or the one which integrates the output signal of the integrator sensor by A / D conversion, takes it into the control unit 9 and integrates it on software can be adopted.

In the above-described embodiment, the exposure apparatus used for manufacturing the liquid crystal display element has been described.
A reticle exposure apparatus that uses a plurality of master reticles to sequentially transfer patterns onto blanks (mask substrate) while overlapping at joints, and is manufactured by this reticle exposure apparatus or manufactured by another method. The present invention can be similarly applied to a device exposure apparatus in which a plurality of working masks are used to transfer a pattern onto a device substrate sequentially while overlapping at a joint portion.

In the above-described embodiment, a g-line having a wavelength of 435 nm and an i-line having a wavelength of 365 nm are used as the illumination light for exposure, but a KrF excimer laser having a wavelength of 248 nm, an ArF excimer laser having a wavelength of 193 nm, Ar but _{F 2} laser of 157 nm, a wavelength of 126nm
_Two lasers or the like can be used. In the scanning type exposure apparatus for the F ₂ laser as a light source, with the catadioptric optical system is employed as a projection optical system, the refractive optical element (lens elements) that are used in the illumination optical system or the projection optical system is all fluorite The air in the laser light source, the illumination optical system, and the projection optical system is replaced with, for example, helium gas, and helium is also provided between the illumination optical system and the projection optical system, and between the projection optical system and the substrate. Filled with gas.

In an exposure apparatus using an F ₂ laser, the reticle or the like is made of fluorite, fluorine-doped synthetic quartz, magnesium fluoride, LiF, LaF ₃ , lithium calcium aluminum fluoride (Lycaffe crystal) or Those manufactured from quartz or the like are used.

Instead of the excimer laser, a harmonic of a solid-state laser such as a YAG laser having an oscillation spectrum at any one of 248 nm, 193 nm and 157 nm may be used.

A single-wavelength laser in the infrared or visible range oscillated from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser is amplified by, for example, a fiber amplifier doped with erbium (or both erbium and ytterbium), and is then subjected to nonlinear optics. Higher harmonics whose wavelength has been converted to ultraviolet light using a crystal may be used.

For example, the oscillation wavelength of a single-wavelength laser is set to 1.
When the wavelength is in the range of 51 to 1.59 μm, the generated wavelength is 18
An eighth harmonic having a wavelength in the range of 9 to 199 nm or a tenth harmonic having a generation wavelength in the range of 151 to 159 nm is output. Especially the oscillation wavelength is 1.544 to 1.553 μm
m, 8 in the range of 193 to 194 nm.
A harmonic wave, that is, ultraviolet light having substantially the same wavelength as the ArF excimer laser is obtained, and the oscillation wavelength is set to 1.57 to 1.58 μm.
m, 1 in the range of 157 to 158 nm.
0 harmonic, i.e., ultraviolet light having almost the same wavelength as the F ₂ laser is obtained.

The oscillation wavelength is set to 1.03 to 1.12 μm.
, A 7th harmonic whose output wavelength is in the range of 147 to 160 nm is output.
Assuming that the wavelength is in the range of 099 to 1.106 μm, the generation wavelength is the seventh harmonic within the range of 157 to 158 nm, that is, F _2.
Ultraviolet light having substantially the same wavelength as the laser is obtained. In addition,
As a single-wavelength oscillation laser, ytterbium-doped
A fiber laser is used. Further, a soft X-ray region generated from a laser plasma light source or SOR, for example, a wavelength of 1
EUV (Extrem) of 3.4 nm or 11.5 nm
e UltraViolet) light may be used.

As the projection optical system, not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification system or an enlargement system may be used. Further, any of a catoptric optical system, a refractive optical system, and a catadioptric optical system may be used as the projection optical system.

Further, not only an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a display including a liquid crystal display element and the like but also for transferring a device pattern onto a glass plate, an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a photomask and a semiconductor element, and a thin film magnetic head. Exposure equipment and image sensors (CCD, etc.) that transfer device patterns onto ceramic wafers used in manufacturing
The present invention can also be applied to an exposure apparatus and the like used in the manufacture of a device.

The exposure apparatus of the present embodiment incorporates an illumination optical system and a projection optical system composed of a plurality of lenses into an exposure apparatus main body to perform optical adjustment, and exposes a reticle stage or a substrate stage composed of a number of mechanical parts to an exposure apparatus. It can be manufactured by attaching it to the main body of the device, connecting wiring and piping, and performing overall adjustment (electrical adjustment, operation confirmation, etc.). It is desirable that the manufacture of the exposure apparatus be performed in a clean room in which the temperature, cleanliness, and the like are controlled.

The micro device has a step of designing the function and performance of the device.
A step of manufacturing a working reticle by the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, a step of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, a step of exposing and transferring a reticle pattern onto the wafer by the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment,
It is manufactured through a device assembly step (including a dicing step, a bonding step, and a package step), an inspection step, and the like.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, but can be variously modified within the scope of the present invention.

[0064]

According to the present invention, when a part of an image of a mask pattern is projected onto a different region of a substrate and projected and exposed, deterioration of continuity and periodicity of a pattern formed on the substrate is prevented. Thus, there is an effect that a high-precision, high-quality micro device can be manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of a blind mechanism according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a main part of a process performed by a control unit according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Light source 4 ... Shutter 7 ... Beam splitter 8 ... Integrated exposure meter 9 ... Control unit 10 ... Blind mechanism 13 ... Reticle 14 ... Projection optical system 15 ... Photosensitive substrate 19A to 19D ... Blind 21 ... Position detection apparatus

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. An apparatus for irradiating a mask with a light beam from a light source and sequentially exposing an image of a pattern of the mask to an adjacent region of a surface of a substrate so that a part of the pattern overlaps at a joint portion. A light shielding member provided to be movable in the forward and backward directions with respect to the light flux; a detection device for detecting movement information on the movement of the light shielding member; and Move the light shielding member, based on the movement information detected by the detection device at the time of the previous exposure,
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a control device that controls the movement of the light shielding member so that the light amount of the joint portion becomes uniform as a whole at the time of subsequent exposure. 2. An illumination optical system for irradiating a light beam from a light source onto a mask, and an illumination optical system arranged at a position substantially conjugate with the mask in the illumination optical system, and arbitrarily changing an area on the mask illuminated by the light beam. A movable light-shielding member to be set; a projection optical system for projecting an image of the pattern on the mask onto a photosensitive substrate; and a plurality of projection exposures in which the arbitrary area is adjacent to the photosensitive substrate. Each of the exposure region at the time of exposure and the exposure region at the time of the other exposure has an overlap region partially overlapping, and the movement of the light shielding member is performed such that the area of the overlap region changes substantially continuously at the time of exposure. An exposure device comprising: a control device that controls the light-shielding member; and a detection device that detects movement information relating to the movement of the light-shielding member. Serial based on the movement information, the exposure apparatus characterized by controlling the light shielding member at the other exposure. 3. The control device controls the movement of the light shielding member such that an integrated light amount in the joint portion or the overlap region matches an integrated light amount in an area adjacent to the joint portion or the overlap region. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein
Exposure apparatus according to the above. 4. An irradiation energy detecting means for detecting irradiation energy of a light beam from the light source, wherein the control device controls movement of the light shielding member using the irradiation energy and the movement information. 4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the exposure apparatus comprises: 5. The control device according to claim 1, wherein the control device controls the movement of the light shielding member based on at least one of position information of the light shielding member and speed information at the time of movement. 3. The exposure apparatus according to 3. 6. A method for projecting and exposing an image of a pattern of a mask onto an adjacent exposure area on a surface of a substrate, and sequentially changing the exposure area at a joint where a part of the exposure area should overlap during exposure. An exposure method for performing projection exposure, comprising: detecting drive information of a light-shielding member for setting an exposure area of the joint portion at the time of a first exposure; and exposing an exposure area adjacent to the exposure area exposed at the time of the first exposure. 2. The exposure method according to 2, wherein the driving of the light blocking member is controlled based on the driving information at the time of the first exposure. 7. A change in an exposure amount at the joint portion during the first exposure is obtained from the drive information, and the driving of the light shielding member during the second exposure is controlled in accordance with the change in the exposure amount. The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein the exposure is performed. 8. An exposure energy of the light source at the time of the exposure is measured, and driving of the light shielding member at the time of the second exposure is controlled based on the driving information and the measured exposure energy of the light source. The exposure method according to claim 6, wherein: