JP2006222130A - Exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure apparatus capable of irradiating a mask arranged on the upper part of a member to be exposed with ample quantity of exposure light. <P>SOLUTION: The exposure apparatus is provided with a collimation mirror 10 for reflecting light emitted from an exposure light source 5 toward the mask 3, and an optical element housing case 11, having an exposure light irradiating window 12 for irradiating the mask 3 with the light reflected on the collimation mirror 10. In this exposure apparatus, an exhaust fan 14 for exhausting the gas in the case 11 to the outside is provided to the rear surface of the collimation mirror 10, and an air intake fan 15 for sucking the gas outside the case 11 into the inside of the case 11 is provided on the case 11. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that irradiates exposure light onto a mask disposed above a member to be exposed such as a transparent substrate.

  As an exposure apparatus used when a resist pattern is formed on a member to be exposed such as a transparent substrate, the one shown in FIG. 6 is conventionally known. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes an exposure apparatus that irradiates a mask 3 disposed above an exposed member 2 with exposure light 4. Light emitted from an exposure light source 5 of the exposure apparatus 1 is reflected by a reflection mirror 6. The mask 3 is irradiated through a plane mirror 7, a shutter 8, an integrator lens 9, and a collimation mirror 10. Reference numeral 13 denotes a thermal chamber, and the atmospheric temperature in the thermal chamber 13 in which the exposed member 2 and the like are arranged is maintained at a predetermined temperature by a temperature control mechanism (not shown). Further, the cleanliness of the atmosphere in the thermal chamber 13 is maintained higher than the cleanliness around the thermal chamber 13 by keeping the pressure in the thermal chamber 13 at a positive pressure than the outside of the thermal chamber 13. .

Optical elements such as the collimation mirror 10 of such an exposure apparatus are accommodated in an optical element accommodation case 11, and the optical element accommodation case 11 is irradiated with the exposure light reflected by the collimation mirror 10 on the mask 3. The exposure light irradiation window 12 is formed. Accordingly, when the photoresist applied to the surface of the exposed member 2 is vaporized (evaporated), it becomes a sublimated product and enters the optical element housing case 11 from the exposure light irradiation window 12. For this reason, in the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 6, the resist sublimate that has entered the optical element housing case 11 may adhere to the optical elements such as the collimation mirror 10 and cause a shortage of exposure.
The present invention has been made paying attention to such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus that can irradiate a mask disposed above an exposed member with a sufficient amount of exposure light. It is what.

  In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward the mask, and exposure that irradiates the mask with the light reflected by the reflector. In an exposure apparatus comprising an optical element housing case having a light irradiation window, an exhaust device for exhausting the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside is provided on the back side of the reflector, and outside the optical element housing case An air intake device for sucking gas into the optical element housing case is provided in the optical element housing case.

  The invention according to claim 2 is an optical element housing case comprising a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward the mask, and an exposure light irradiation window that irradiates the mask with the light reflected by the reflector. In the exposure apparatus, the exhaust device for exhausting the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside is provided on the back side of the reflector, and an outside air intake window is provided in the optical element housing case. And

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical element housing case comprising: a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward the mask; and an exposure light irradiation window that irradiates the mask with the light reflected by the reflector. In the exposure apparatus, an air intake device that sucks gas outside the optical element accommodation case into the optical element accommodation case is provided in the optical element accommodation case, and an exhaust window is reflected in the optical element accommodation case. It is provided so as to face the back surface of the body.

  According to the exposure apparatus of the first aspect of the present invention, the resist sublimate that has entered the optical element housing case is provided on the back side of the reflector by providing an exhaust device for discharging the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside. Can be discharged to the outside of the optical element housing case by an exhaust device before being attached to the optical element such as a reflector. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case from adhering to the optical element such as the reflector, so that a sufficient amount of exposure light is applied to the mask disposed above the exposed member. Can do. In addition, since an air intake device that sucks gas outside the optical element accommodation case into the optical element accommodation case is provided in the optical element accommodation case, the inside of the thermal chamber disposed below the optical element accommodation case has a suction force of the exhaust device. Therefore, the inside of the thermal chamber can always be kept at a positive pressure.

  According to the exposure apparatus of the second aspect of the present invention, the resist sublimate that has entered the optical element housing case is provided on the back side of the reflector by providing an exhaust device for exhausting the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside. Can be discharged to the outside of the optical element housing case by an exhaust device before adhering to the optical element such as a reflector. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case from adhering to the optical element such as the reflector, so that a sufficient amount of exposure light is applied to the mask disposed above the exposed member. Can do. Further, by providing an outside air intake window in the optical element accommodation case, it is possible to prevent the inside of the thermal chamber arranged below the optical element accommodation case from becoming negative pressure due to the suction force of the exhaust device. The inside can always be kept at a positive pressure.

  According to the exposure apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, the intake device for sucking the gas outside the optical element housing case into the optical element housing case is provided in the optical element housing case, and the exhaust window is reflected on the optical element housing case. By providing it so as to face the back surface of the body, the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case is discharged from the exhaust window to the outside of the optical element housing case before adhering to the optical element such as a reflector. Can do. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case from adhering to the optical element such as the reflector, so that a sufficient amount of exposure light is applied to the mask disposed above the exposed member. It is possible to prevent the temperature inside the optical element housing case from becoming high.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The same parts as those shown in FIG. 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.
FIG. 1 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical element storage case 11 is filled with gas in the optical element storage case 11. An exhaust fan 14 is provided as an exhaust device that discharges the air. The exhaust fan 14 is provided on the back surface side of the collimation mirror 10 that reflects the light emitted from the exposure light source 5 toward the mask. The exhaust fan 14 is provided on the ceiling of the optical element storage case 11 outside the optical element storage case 11. An intake fan 15 is provided as an intake device that sucks the gas into the optical element housing case 11.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the exhaust fan 14, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a detailed configuration of the intake fan 15. As shown in these diagrams, the exhaust fan 14 and the intake fan 15 include a chemical filter 16. Is attached.
The chemical filter 16 provided in the exhaust fan 14 can prevent the resist sublimate from being discharged to the outside. Further, the chemical filter 16 provided in the intake fan 15 can prevent foreign matter from entering the optical element housing case 11 from the outside.

  In the exposure apparatus according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the exhaust fan 14 provided on the back surface side of the collimation mirror 10 and the intake fan 15 provided on the ceiling slightly closer to the light source side than the collimation mirror 10 are obtained. The resist sublimate that has entered the optical element housing case 11 from the exposure light irradiation window 12 by the generated air flow is discharged to the outside of the optical element housing case 11 by the exhaust fan 14 before adhering to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10. Can do. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case 11 from adhering to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10, so that the exposure light having a sufficient amount of light for the mask 3 disposed above the exposed member 2. 4 and the inside of the optical element housing case 11 can be prevented from being heated to a high temperature by the heat generated from the exposure light source 5.

Further, by providing the optical element housing case 11 with an intake fan 15 that sucks gas outside the optical element housing case 11 into the optical element housing case 11, the inside of the thermal chamber 13 disposed below the optical element housing case 11. Can be prevented from becoming a negative pressure due to the suction force of the exhaust fan 14, so that the inside of the thermal chamber 13 can always be kept at a positive pressure.
In the present embodiment, the exhaust fan 14 and the intake fan 15 are provided, so that an airflow that can surely be discharged before the resist sublimate adheres to the collimation mirror 10 or the like is obtained, and the inside of the thermal chamber 13 Atmospheric temperature and pressure can be kept stable.

  FIG. 4 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the optical element storage case 11 is filled with gas in the optical element storage case 11. An exhaust fan 14 is provided as an exhaust device that discharges the air. The exhaust fan 14 is provided on the back side of the collimation mirror 10 that reflects the light emitted from the exposure light source 5 toward the mask 3, and the outside air intake window 17 is provided on the ceiling of the optical element housing case 11. Is provided.

  In the exposure apparatus according to the second embodiment configured as described above, by providing the exhaust fan 14 on the back side of the collimation mirror 10, the resist sublimation that has entered the optical element housing case 11 from the exposure light irradiation window 12. The object can be discharged to the outside of the optical element housing case 11 by the exhaust fan 14 before being attached to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case 11 from adhering to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10, so that the exposure light having a sufficient amount of light for the mask 3 disposed above the exposed member 2. 4 and the inside of the optical element housing case 11 can be prevented from being heated to a high temperature by the heat generated from the exposure light source 5.

Further, the provision of the outside air intake window 17 in the optical element housing case 11 can prevent the inside of the thermal chamber 13 disposed below the optical element housing case 11 from becoming a negative pressure due to the suction force of the exhaust fan 14. Therefore, the inside of the thermal chamber 13 can always be kept at a positive pressure.
FIG. 5 is a view showing the schematic arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the optical element accommodation case 11 is optically supplied with gas outside the optical element accommodation case 11. An intake fan 15 is provided as an intake device for intake into the element housing case 11, and an exhaust window 18 is provided so as to face the back surface of the collimation mirror 10.

  In the exposure apparatus according to the third embodiment configured as described above, the intake fan 15 is provided in the optical element accommodation case 11, and the exhaust window 18 is opposed to the back surface of the collimation mirror 10 in the optical element accommodation case 11. The resist sublimate that has entered the optical element housing case 11 from the exposure light irradiation window 12 is attached to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10 from the exhaust window 18 to the outside of the optical element housing case 11. Can be discharged. Accordingly, it is possible to suppress the resist sublimate entering the optical element housing case 11 from adhering to the optical element such as the collimation mirror 10, so that the exposure light having a sufficient amount of light for the mask 3 disposed above the exposed member 2. 4 can be irradiated. Moreover, it can prevent that the temperature in the optical element storage case 11 becomes high temperature.

1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the exhaust fan shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the intake fan shown in FIG. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the exposure apparatus which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the conventional exposure apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Exposure apparatus 2 To-be-exposed member 3 Mask 4 Exposure light 5 Exposure light source 6 Spherical mirror 7 Plane mirror 8 Shutter 9 Integrator lens 10 Collimation mirror 11 Optical element storage case 12 Exposure light irradiation window 13 Thermal chamber 14 Exhaust fan 15 Intake fan 16 Chemical filter 17 Open air window 18 Exhaust window

Claims (3)

An exposure apparatus comprising: a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward a mask; and an optical element housing case having an exposure light irradiation window that irradiates the mask with light reflected by the reflector. ,
An exhaust device for exhausting the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside is provided on the back side of the reflector, and an intake device for sucking the gas outside the optical element housing case into the optical element housing case is provided. An exposure apparatus provided in a receiving case. An exposure apparatus comprising: a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward a mask; and an optical element housing case having an exposure light irradiation window that irradiates the mask with light reflected by the reflector. ,
An exposure apparatus, wherein an exhaust device for exhausting the gas in the optical element housing case to the outside is provided on the back side of the reflector, and an outside air intake window is provided in the optical element housing case. An exposure apparatus comprising: a reflector that reflects light emitted from an exposure light source toward a mask; and an optical element housing case having an exposure light irradiation window that irradiates the mask with light reflected by the reflector. ,
An air intake device that sucks gas outside the optical element accommodation case into the optical element accommodation case is provided in the optical element accommodation case, and an exhaust window is opposed to the back surface of the reflector in the optical element accommodation case. An exposure apparatus provided.

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