JP2011100999A - Method of manufacturing liquid crystal display device and aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device of improved angle of field and response speed. <P>SOLUTION: A mask in which two cyclic patterns are arrayed in first direction and second direction, being different from each other, is loaded on a mask stage. The mask pattern is transferred onto a substrate through a partial projection optical system, with the light quantity distribution of exposure light at pupil plane IPP of partial lighting system being such one as the light quantity becomes larger in regions 43A and 43B that run optical axis AXI of the partial lighting system and a pair of points 42A and 42B symmetrical about the optical axis AXI and positioned on a first straight line (X axis) running in the direction corresponding to the intermediate direction between the first direction and the second direction. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element and an exposure apparatus that can be used to carry out this manufacturing method.

  In recent years, with the widespread use of various information display devices and information processing devices such as flat panel televisions, laptop computers and mobile phones, there has been a demand for higher performance display panels. In order to meet such demands, liquid crystal display elements (liquid crystal display) such as IPS (In Plane Switching) method and VA (Vertical Alignment: vertical alignment) method, etc., in which fine lattice patterns are formed on the electrodes of the display pixels Equipment) has been developed. In particular, in the VA liquid crystal display element, the pitch of the fine lattice pattern formed on the electrode or the electrode is as fine as about 6 μm in order to increase the display response speed, widen the viewing angle, and further improve the transmittance. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

In addition, in the MVA (Multi-domain Vertical Alignment) type liquid crystal display element in which each pixel is divided into a plurality of domains in order to further improve the viewing angle, the above-described fine lattice pattern is formed in each divided domain. Changing the periodic direction is performed (for example, refer to Patent Document 2).
By the way, a fine lattice pattern of a liquid crystal display element is formed by a lithography process, and in order to expose the entire surface of a large substrate such as a liquid crystal display element, an exposure apparatus equipped with a large-field projection optical system is required. It is. Therefore, a multi-lens type exposure apparatus has been developed in which the projection optical system is composed of a plurality of partial projection optical systems each having a numerical aperture of less than about 0.1 (for example, see Patent Document 3).

JP 2002-107730 A JP 2001-235748 A JP 2001-330964 A

  In a conventional liquid crystal display element in which a fine lattice pattern is formed on an electrode of a display pixel or the electrode, in order to further improve the response speed, it is necessary to further refine the pitch of the lattice pattern. However, in a conventional exposure apparatus for a liquid crystal display element such as a multi-lens method, the projection optical system (or partial projection optical system) requires a large field of view of 100 mm or more, so that the numerical aperture is increased (large NA). Therefore, it is difficult to form a lattice pattern with a finer pitch.

  In view of such circumstances, it is an object of an aspect of the present invention to provide a method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element with an improved viewing angle and response speed, and an exposure apparatus that can be used to implement the method.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, an element pattern including a first pattern and a second pattern, which are periodic patterns having a predetermined pitch and are arranged in different first and second directions, respectively, is formed. The mask is disposed on the object plane side of the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus, and the light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the pupil plane of the illumination system that illuminates the mask with the exposure light of the exposure apparatus or in the vicinity thereof, It is on a first straight line that passes through the optical axis of the illumination system and extends in a direction corresponding to the intermediate direction between the first direction and the second direction, and is in the opposite direction from the optical axis and with the optical axis. The light amount in the first region and the second region including the first point and the second point having the same distance is larger than the light amount in the other region, and the element pattern of the mask is passed through the projection optical system. Teso And it is transferred to the substrate of the liquid crystal display device, a method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display device comprising a treating the substrate on which the pattern has been transferred, is provided.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, in an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with exposure light through a mask pattern, an illumination system that illuminates the mask pattern with the exposure light, and a pupil of the illumination system The light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the surface or a surface in the vicinity thereof extends in a direction corresponding to an intermediate direction between the first direction and the second direction intersecting each other on the pattern surface of the mask through the optical axis of the illumination system. The amount of light in the first region and the second region on the first straight line and in the opposite direction from the optical axis and including the first point and the second point that are equal to each other is equal to the optical axis in the other region. A light quantity distribution setting device that can be set to be larger than the light quantity; a projection optical system comprising a plurality of partial projection optical systems that form an image of the mask pattern on the surface of the substrate; and the plurality of parts of the mask And moving in a predetermined direction with respect to projection optical system, a stage system for performing synchronization with the movement in the direction corresponding to the predetermined direction of the substrate, the exposure apparatus comprising a are provided.

  According to the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention, the light flux from the first region (or the second region) on the pupil plane of the illumination system or a surface in the vicinity thereof is illuminated onto the first pattern or the second pattern of the mask. And, on the pupil plane of the projection optical system, the zero-order light from the first pattern or the second pattern passes through a position conjugate with the first area (or the second area) (position away from the optical axis), The first-order diffracted light from the first pattern or the second pattern passes through a position away from the zero-order light in a direction corresponding to the first direction or the second direction. Accordingly, since the images of the first pattern and the second pattern are formed on the substrate with high contrast, the pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern (fine lattice pattern) can be further miniaturized.

  In addition, according to the present invention, even when the same projection optical system is used, the projection optical system can be compared with a case where a normal illumination system in which zero-order light passes through a region centered on the optical axis of the projection optical system is used. Since the distance between the 0th order light and the 1st order diffracted light from the first pattern and the second pattern can be increased on the pupil plane, the pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern that can be transferred can be miniaturized. Therefore, since the pitch of the lattice pattern formed on the substrate can be reduced, a liquid crystal display element with improved response speed can be easily manufactured.

  Moreover, the manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element of this invention can be implemented using the exposure apparatus of this invention.

(A) is expanded sectional view which shows schematic structure of the liquid crystal display element manufactured by an example of embodiment, (B) is sectional drawing of the BB 'part of FIG. 1 (A), (C) is embodiment of embodiment. It is an expanded sectional view showing a schematic structure of a liquid crystal display element of a modification. It is a perspective view which shows schematic structure of the exposure apparatus of an example of embodiment. It is a figure which shows the principal part of the illumination system of FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows one partial projection optical system of FIG. (A) is a diagram showing a part of the illumination system of FIG. 2, (B) is a side view showing the intensity distribution setting device 14b of FIG. 5 (A), and (C) is the aperture stop plate 12b of FIG. 5 (A). FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of pattern of a 1st mask. (A) is a diagram showing a light amount distribution on the pupil plane of the illumination system that illuminates the first mask pattern, and (B) shows a distribution of diffracted light from the first mask pattern on the pupil plane of the projection optical system. FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the light quantity distribution of the pupil plane of the illumination system which illuminates the pattern of the modification of a 1st mask, (B) is distribution of the diffracted light from the pattern of the resolution limit in the pupil plane of a projection optical system FIG. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of pattern of a 2nd mask. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of pattern of a 3rd mask. (A) is a diagram showing a light amount distribution on the pupil plane of the illumination system that illuminates the third mask pattern, and (B) shows a diffracted light distribution from the third mask pattern on the pupil plane of the projection optical system. FIG. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a part of a TFT pattern forming surface of a glass substrate TG on the TFT side of a liquid crystal display element being manufactured in an example of an embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of pattern formation surface of glass substrate TG by the side of TFT in the state where formation of the fine lattice pattern was completed in an example of an embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged view showing a change in a pattern formed on the glass substrate TG of FIG. 12, wherein (A), (C), (E), and (G) are enlarged views showing circuit patterns near the transistor TR5 in FIG. 12, respectively. FIGS. 12B, 12D, 12F, and 11H are enlarged cross-sectional views in the vicinity of the transistor TR5 in the AA ′ portion of FIG. It is an expanded sectional view of the B-B 'part of Drawing 13 showing some liquid crystal display elements completed in an example of an embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal display element of an example of embodiment. It is an enlarged view which shows a part of pattern of the 4th mask used in the modification of embodiment.

An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1A is an enlarged view showing a schematic configuration in one display pixel of a liquid crystal display element (liquid crystal display device) 20 of an active matrix drive type by a VA (Vertical Alignment) method manufactured in this embodiment. FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the BB ′ portion of FIG. 1A. 1A, a liquid crystal display element 20 basically includes a liquid crystal layer 22 containing liquid crystal molecules 22a, a TFT (Thin Film Transistor) side glass substrate 21A that sandwiches the liquid crystal layer 22, and a color filter side glass substrate. 21B, a transparent pixel electrode 23A formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate 21A, and a transparent counter electrode 23B formed on the bottom surface of the glass substrate 21B so as to face the pixel electrode 23A. The pixel electrode 23A and the counter electrode 23B are made of ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) or IZO (Indium Zinc Oxide), respectively.

  Further, the liquid crystal display element 20 has a fine period formed in a predetermined direction at a predetermined pitch so as to deform the electric field pattern formed between the electrodes 23A and 23B on the surface of the pixel electrode 23A formed on the glass substrate 21A. As a fine periodic structure, the first lattice pattern 24A as a typical structure and the surface of the counter electrode 23B formed on the glass substrate 21B are formed so that the phase of the lattice pattern 24A differs from that of the lattice pattern 24A by approximately 180 °, for example. The third lattice pattern 24C is provided. The lattice patterns 24A and 24C are periodic convex patterns. Note that, within one display pixel of the liquid crystal display element 20, for example, it is finely connected to or adjacent to the lattice patterns 24A and 24C and different in the periodic direction at the same pitch as the lattice patterns 24A and 24C. Second and fourth lattice patterns (not shown) as periodic structures are also formed. These first to fourth lattice patterns 24A, 24C and the like are formed of a dielectric (insulating material) or a conductive material. The lattice patterns 24A, 24C and the like are preferably formed of a material transparent to visible light, for example, so that the light beam introduced into the liquid crystal display element 20 can pass through.

In the present embodiment, the pitch of the lattice patterns 24A, 24C and the like is preferably 3 to 5 μm as an example. Within that range, as an example, the line width of the lattice patterns 24A, 24C, etc. is about 2 μm and the pitch is about 4 μm. However, the pitch of the lattice patterns 24A, 24C, etc. can be 3 μm or less or 5 μm or more.
Furthermore, the liquid crystal display element 20 includes a molecular alignment film 25A formed on the surface of the pixel electrode 23A so as to cover the lattice pattern 24A, and a molecular alignment film 25B formed on the surface of the counter electrode 23B so as to cover the lattice pattern 24C. And a polarizing film (polarizer) 26A formed on the lower surface of the glass substrate 21A and having a first light absorption axis P (see FIG. 1B), and a first light absorption formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate 21B. And a polarizing film (analyzer) 26B having a second light absorption axis A orthogonal to the axis P. The molecular alignment films 25A and 25B are in contact with the liquid crystal layer 22, and the liquid crystal molecules 22a in the liquid crystal layer 22 are in a non-driven state where no electric field is applied between the pixel electrode 23A and the counter electrode 23B. Restrict in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface. Therefore, in the non-driven state, the light beam incident on the liquid crystal display element 20 is substantially shielded.

  As an example, the liquid crystal layer 22 can be a liquid crystal having negative dielectric anisotropy commercially available from Merck, and the molecular alignment films 25A and 25B are vertical alignment films provided by JSR. Can be used. In a typical example, the glass substrates 21A and 21B are assembled using appropriate spacers so that the liquid crystal layer 22 has a thickness of about 4 μm. Further, as an example, the lattice patterns 24A, 24C and the like (fine periodic structure) can be formed from a positive photoresist which is a transparent dielectric, and as such a photoresist, a positive resist PC403 manufactured by JSR Corporation. Etc. can be used. The grid patterns 24A and 24C are preferably formed to a thickness of about 0.4 μm, for example.

  FIG. 1B shows an alignment state of the liquid crystal molecules 22a on the surface of the glass substrate 21A in a driving state of the liquid crystal display element 20 in which a driving voltage is applied between the pixel electrode 23A and the counter electrode 23B. In FIG. 1B, the extending direction (direction orthogonal to the periodic direction) of each line pattern of the lattice pattern 24A intersects the light absorption axes P and A by the polarizing films 26A and 26B at 45 °. . Further, the liquid crystal molecules 22a are aligned in a state of being tilted in the extending direction of the lattice pattern 24A due to the effect of the locally deformed electric field formed by the lattice pattern 24A. Therefore, the transmittance of the liquid crystal display element 20 in the display pixel with respect to the incident light flux is increased. Actually, a second lattice pattern (not shown) having a periodic direction different from that of the first lattice pattern 24A is formed in each display pixel. The liquid crystal molecules 22a are tilted in the first and second lattice patterns. Due to the difference, the liquid crystal display element 20 exhibits a wide viewing angle characteristic.

  Further, when such a driving electric field is formed, the individual liquid crystal molecules 22a are tilted in the extending direction of the lattice pattern 24A and the like, so that the tilt of the liquid crystal molecules need not propagate from one region to another region. The response speed will be very fast. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the pitch of the lattice pattern 24A and the like is 3 to 5 μm, which is finer than the conventional one, a higher response speed can be obtained.

  As a modification of the present embodiment, as shown by the liquid crystal display element 20A in FIG. 1C, a fine periodic structure is formed by a periodic concave pattern formed on the pixel electrode 23A of the glass substrate 21A. The first lattice pattern 24E and the third lattice pattern 24G made of a periodic concave pattern formed on the counter electrode 23B of the glass substrate 21B may be used. The grid patterns 24E and 24G are cut-out patterns formed on the pixel electrode 23A and the counter electrode 23B. Also in this configuration example, the second grating pattern (not shown) and the fourth grating pattern are connected to or close to the grating patterns 24E and 24G, and the periodic directions are different at the same pitch as the grating patterns 24E and 24G. A lattice pattern (not shown) is formed. Also in this configuration example, the pitch of the lattice patterns 24E and 24G is preferably 3 to 5 μm.

  Further, a molecular alignment film 25A is formed on the surface of the pixel electrode 23A of the glass substrate 21A so as to cover the lattice pattern 24E, and a molecular alignment film 25B is formed on the surface of the counter electrode 23B of the glass substrate 21B so as to cover the lattice pattern 24G. Has been. Also in the liquid crystal display element 20A, since the lattice patterns 24E, 24G and the like are provided, a wide viewing angle characteristic can be obtained and a high response speed can be obtained.

  Next, a manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element 20 in the present embodiment will be described. In the liquid crystal display element 20, the portions other than the lattice patterns 24A and 24C can be manufactured by a well-known technique, and the lattice pattern 24C can be manufactured in the same manner as the lattice pattern 24A. A method for manufacturing adjacent lattice patterns will be described.

First, the configuration of an exposure apparatus used in a lithography process for manufacturing the liquid crystal display element 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.
2 is a perspective view schematically showing the overall configuration of the exposure apparatus EX according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of the illumination system ILS in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a diagram in FIG. It is a figure which shows schematically the structure of each partial projection optical system (projection optical unit) which comprises the projection optical system PL. The exposure apparatus EX moves the mask M and the substrate PT with respect to the projection optical system PL composed of a plurality of catadioptric partial projection optical systems, and the pattern of the mask M is applied to the surface of the substrate PT coated with a photoresist. This is a multi-lens scanning exposure apparatus that performs projection exposure.

  Note that the pattern surface of the mask M and the surface of the substrate PT are substantially parallel during exposure. 2 to 4 and the like, the X axis is set along the moving direction (scanning direction) of the mask M and the substrate PT at the time of scanning exposure in a plane parallel to the pattern surface of the mask M (substantially horizontal plane in the present embodiment). A description will be given by setting, setting the Y axis along the direction orthogonal to the X axis (non-scanning direction), and setting the Z axis in the direction orthogonal to the X axis and the Y axis.

  2 and 3, the exposure apparatus EX includes a light source 1 including, for example, an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp that generates illumination light (exposure light) for exposure, and a predetermined plurality of pattern surfaces of the mask M using the exposure illumination light. An illumination system ILS that illuminates the illumination area with a uniform illuminance distribution, a mask stage MS that moves the mask M in parallel with the XY plane via a mask holder (not shown), and an image of the pattern of the mask M A projection optical system PL formed on the surface of the substrate PT and a substrate stage PS (see FIG. 4) that holds and moves the substrate PT are provided. The illumination light emitted from the light source 1 at the first focal position of the elliptical mirror 2 forms a light source image at the second focal position of the elliptical mirror 2 via the elliptical mirror 2 and the mirror 3. A shutter (not shown) is disposed in the vicinity of the second focal position.

  The illumination light that has passed through the open shutter enters the first relay lens system 5 including the wavelength selection filter 6 that transmits only the light flux in a desired wavelength range along the optical axis AX0. The wavelength selection filter 6 selects i-line (wavelength 365 nm) as an example of illumination light (exposure light) for exposure. Note that the wavelength selection filter 6 may simultaneously select g-line (wavelength 436 nm), h-line (wavelength 405 nm), and i-line as exposure light. Further, in the wavelength selection filter 6, for example, the g-line and the h-line may be selected simultaneously, or the h-line and the i-line may be selected simultaneously.

As described above, when the pitch of the lattice patterns 24A, 24C and the like formed on the liquid crystal display element 20 is set to 3 to 5 μm using the exposure apparatus EX, the wavelength of the exposure light is 365 to 486 nm (0.365 to 0. (486 μm) is preferable.
The illumination light that has passed through the first relay lens system 5 enters the incident end 8 a of the light guide 8 via the second relay lens system 7. The light guide 8 is a random light guide fiber formed by bundling a large number of optical fiber strands at random, and has the same number of incident ends 8a as the number of light sources 1 (one in FIG. 2) and the projection optical system PL. The number of exit ends 8b to 8f (only the exit end 8b is shown in FIG. 3) is the same as the number of partial projection optical systems (5 in FIG. 2). In this way, the illumination light incident on the incident end 8a of the light guide 8 propagates through the inside thereof and then exits from the five exit ends 8b to 8f. The illumination system ILS has a plurality (here, five) partial illumination systems arranged between the emission ends 8b to 8f and the mask M.

  In FIG. 3, the divergent light beam emitted from the exit end 8b of the light guide 8 is converted into a substantially parallel light beam by the collimator lens 10b in the partial illumination system 81, and then enters the fly eye integrator (optical integrator) 11b. . The fly's eye integrator 11b is formed by arranging a large number of lens elements having positive refractive powers vertically and horizontally and densely so that the central axis extends along the optical axis AXI. The light beam incident on the fly eye integrator 11b is wavefront divided by a large number of lens elements, and the pupil plane of the partial illumination system 81 (hereinafter referred to as the illumination pupil plane) IPP, which is the rear focal plane (surface in the vicinity of the exit plane). A surface light source comprising a number of secondary light sources is formed.

  A slidable aperture stop plate 12b having a plurality of aperture stops is disposed on the illumination pupil plane IPP (or a surface in the vicinity thereof). Illumination light emitted from the fly eye integrator 11b and passing through one aperture stop in the aperture stop plate 12b passes through the condenser lens system 13b in the Y direction of the pattern surface of the mask M in the shape of each element of the fly eye integrator. Illuminates a long, roughly rectangular illumination area similar to. The illumination pupil plane IPP is optically Fourier-transformed with respect to the pattern surface of the mask M. That is, the illumination light emitted from an arbitrary point on the illumination pupil plane IPP becomes substantially parallel light and enters the pattern surface of the mask M with an incident angle corresponding to the position of the arbitrary point. In other words, the illumination light applied to an arbitrary point on the pattern surface of the mask M is applied to the pattern surface of the mask M at an incident angle corresponding to the position of the illumination light on the illumination pupil plane IPP. By the aperture stop in the aperture stop plate 12b, the projection optical system corresponding to the shape of the secondary light source and the maximum numerical aperture NAIL of the light beam incident on the mask M from the partial illumination system 81 (in this embodiment, the partial projection optical system PL1). ) Is determined as a coherence factor (σ value) (= NAIL / NAin), which is a ratio of the numerical aperture NAin to the numerical aperture NAin on the incident side.

A partial illumination system 81 is configured including optical members from the collimating lens 10b to the condenser lens system 13b. Similarly, a partial illumination system having the same configuration as the partial illumination system 81 (only the condenser lens system is shown in FIG. 2) is arranged between the emission ends 8c to 8f and the mask M in FIG. Yes.
FIG. 5A shows a more detailed configuration of the partial illumination system 81 and the partial illumination system 83 downstream of the exit end 8d in FIG. In FIG. 5A, an intensity distribution setting device 14b is arranged between the collimating lens 10b and the fly eye integrator 11b. FIG. 5B is a side view of the intensity distribution setting device 14b viewed from the + Y direction. In FIG. 5B, the intensity distribution setting device 14b arranges two prisms 15A and 15B having a wedge-shaped cross section in the XZ plane and uniform in the Y direction along an axis parallel to the optical axis AXI. The optical path of the illumination light IL is alternately arranged between the first distribution setting unit 15 having the above-described configuration, the flat plate-like second partial setting unit 16 for aligning the optical path length, and the first distribution setting unit 15 and the second distribution setting unit 16. And a slide-type drive unit 17 installed in the vehicle. When the first distribution setting unit 15 is installed in the optical path of the illumination light IL, the illumination light IL is incident on the fly eye integrator 11b as two light beams ILA and ILB separated in the X direction, and therefore, along the axis parallel to the X axis. High illumination efficiency is obtained when performing 4-pole illumination or 2-pole illumination (details will be described later). The second distribution setting unit 16 is installed in the optical path of the illumination light IL when a normal illumination method is used.

Further, an interval adjusting unit that adjusts the interval between the two prisms 15A and 15B of the first distribution setting unit 15 may be further provided. In this case, higher illumination efficiency can be obtained by adjusting the interval between the prisms 15A and 15B in accordance with the interval between the quadrupole or dipole secondary light sources along the axis parallel to the X axis.
Further, as shown in FIG. 5C, the aperture stop plate 12b has two elliptical openings 18Aa and 18Ab arranged along an axis parallel to the X-axis (each of which may be two separate circles). , An aperture stop 18B having two circular openings 18Ba and 18Bb arranged along an axis parallel to the X axis, and an aperture stop 18C for normal illumination having a circular opening. By moving the aperture stop plate 12b in the X direction by a slide-type drive unit (not shown), any aperture stop among the aperture stops 18A to 18C is installed on the illumination pupil plane IPP of the exit surface of the fly eye integrator 11b. it can. The detailed shapes of the aperture stops 18A and 18B will be described later. The aperture stop plate 12b (especially the aperture stops 18A and 18B) may be exchanged according to the pattern formed on the mask to be exposed.

Further, when the shape of the secondary light source on the illumination pupil plane IPP can be set to a required shape with high accuracy by the distribution setting units 15 and 16, etc., it is not always necessary to set an aperture stop on the illumination pupil plane IPP. .
Similarly to the partial illumination system 81, the partial illumination system 83 on the exit end 8d side is the same as the intensity distribution setting device 14d, the fly eye integrator 11d, and the aperture stop plate 12b having the same configuration as the collimating lens 10d and the intensity distribution setting device 14b. The aperture stop plate 12d and the condenser lens system 13d are configured. The partial illumination system 83 having the optical axis AXId also sets the shape of the secondary light source on the illumination pupil plane IPPd on the exit surface of the fly eye integrator 11d in the same manner as the partial illumination system 81. The same applies to other partial illumination systems.

In addition, by using a condensing lens for condensing each of the two illumination light beams divided by the prisms 15A and 15B between the prism 15B and the fly-eye lens 11b, the utilization efficiency of the illumination light IL is further increased. You can also. This condensing lens may be, for example, two positive refractive power lenses whose centers coincide with the centers of the two light beams ILA and ILB in FIG.
In the above embodiment, the shape of the secondary light source on the illumination pupil plane IPP is such that the intensity distribution of illumination light increases in the vicinity of two or four points away from the optical axis AXI in the X direction. This direction is not limited to the X direction, but may be the Y direction, or may be an intermediate direction between the X direction and the Y direction. Furthermore, it can be set in any direction according to the pattern formed on the mask to be exposed.

The five partial illumination systems in FIG. 2 illuminate five generally rectangular regions arranged in two rows in the Y direction on the pattern surface (lower surface) of the mask M. In the above example, in the illumination system ILS, the illumination light from the light source 1 is equally divided into five illumination lights through the light guide 8, but the number of divisions is arbitrary.
Illumination light from each illumination area of the mask M is received from a plurality of (a total of five in FIG. 1) partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 arranged in two rows along the Y direction so as to correspond to each illumination area. Is incident on the projection optical system PL. The configurations of the partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 are the same. The numerical apertures of the partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 are, for example, between 0.1 and 0.07. Hereinafter, the configuration of each partial projection optical system will be described with reference to FIG.

  The partial projection optical system shown in FIG. 4 is arranged in the vicinity of the first imaging optical system K1 that forms a primary image of the mask pattern based on the light from the mask M and the primary image, and the partial projection optical system in the mask M A field stop FS that defines a trapezoidal shape of the field area (illumination area) and the projection area (exposure area) of the partial projection optical system on the substrate PT, and an erect image (2) of the mask pattern based on the light from the primary image And a second imaging optical system K2 for forming a next image) on the substrate PT.

  The first imaging optical system K1 includes a first right-angle prism PR1 having a first reflection surface that reflects light incident in the −Z direction from the mask M in the −X direction, and the −X direction in order from the first right-angle prism PR1 side. And a first refractive optical system G1P having a positive refractive power and a first concave reflecting mirror MI1. The light incident on the first right-angle prism PR1 in the + X direction from the first concave reflecting mirror MI1 is reflected in the −Z direction by the second reflection surface of the first right-angle prism PR1.

  On the other hand, the second imaging optical system K2 sequentially includes a second right-angle prism PR2 having a first reflection surface that reflects light incident in the −Z direction from the field stop FS in the −X direction and the second right-angle prism PR2 side. A second refractive optical system G2P having a positive refractive power and a second concave reflecting mirror MI2 are disposed in the −X direction. The light incident on the second right-angle prism PR2 in the + X direction from the second concave reflecting mirror MI2 is reflected in the −Z direction by the second reflection surface of the second right-angle prism PR2 and enters the substrate PT. In addition, parallel plane plates DP1 and DP2 as image shifters are disposed in the vicinity of the pattern surface of the mask M and in the vicinity of the field stop FS, respectively.

  In the partial projection optical system, the first imaging optical system K1 forms a primary image with a lateral magnification of +1 in the X direction and a lateral magnification of -1 in the Y direction, and the second imaging optical system K2 in the X direction. A primary image is formed with a lateral magnification of +1 and a lateral magnification in the Y direction of -1. Therefore, the image of the mask pattern formed on the substrate PT via each partial projection optical system is an equal-size erect image. Each partial projection optical system is a telecentric optical system on substantially both sides. The configuration of each partial projection optical system is arbitrary, and each partial projection optical system may be configured from a refractive system.

  In FIG. 2, an erect image equal to the mask pattern is formed in a plurality of trapezoidal exposure regions arranged in two rows in the Y direction so as to correspond to each illumination region on the surface of the substrate PT. Further, the mask stage MS of FIG. 3 is provided with a scanning drive system (not shown) having a long stroke for moving the stage along the X direction which is the scanning direction. Also, a pair of drive systems (not shown) are provided for moving the mask stage MS by a minute amount along the non-scanning direction (Y direction) and rotating the mask stage MS by a minute amount around an axis parallel to the Z axis. Yes. Then, the position coordinates of the mask stage MS are measured by a laser interferometer MIF using a moving mirror, and the position control of the mask stage MS is performed based on the measurement result.

  A similar stage drive system is also provided in the substrate stage PS of FIG. That is, a scanning drive system (not shown) having a long stroke for moving the substrate stage PS along the scanning direction (X direction) and the substrate stage PS is moved by a minute amount along the non-scanning direction (Y direction). And a pair of drive systems (not shown) for rotating the axis around the axis parallel to the Z axis by a minute amount. Then, the position coordinate of the substrate stage PS is measured by a laser interferometer PIF using a moving mirror, and the position control of the substrate stage PS is performed based on the measurement result.

Further, in FIG. 2, as a means for relatively aligning the mask M and the substrate PT along the XY plane, a pair of, for example, an image processing type alignment system AL is disposed above the mask M.
In this way, the mask M and the substrate PT are integrated with each other with respect to the projection optical system PL including the plurality of partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 by the scanning drive system on the mask stage MS side and the scanning drive system on the substrate stage PS side. By moving in the direction (X direction), the entire image of the pattern area of the mask P is sequentially transferred (scanned exposure) to the entire surface of each pattern formation area of the substrate PT. The shape and arrangement of the plurality of trapezoidal exposure areas and the shape and arrangement of the plurality of generally rectangular illumination areas are described in detail in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 7-183212.

  Next, in order to form a lattice pattern 24A or the like as a fine periodic structure on the glass substrate 21A on the TFT side of the liquid crystal display element 20 of FIG. 1A, the element pattern shown in FIG. 6 was formed. Mask M1 is arranged on the object plane (upper surface of mask stage MS) of projection optical system PL of exposure apparatus EX. In the pattern area of the mask M1, a plurality of positions P (i, j) arranged in I rows × J columns (I and J are each an integer of about several hundreds to 1,000, for example) at predetermined intervals in the X and Y directions. A pixel region 30 corresponding to each display pixel of the liquid crystal display element 20 is arranged around (i = 1 to I, j = 1 to J). The plurality of pixel areas 30 are element patterns for one liquid crystal display element (liquid crystal display panel), and the pattern area of the mask M1 includes a plurality of liquid crystal displays at predetermined intervals in the X direction and the Y direction. Element patterns for elements are formed.

  FIG. 6 shows an enlarged view of the pixel region 30 for 2 rows × 2 columns located at positions P (i, j) to P (i + 1, j−1) among the plurality of pixel regions 30. In FIG. 6, the X axis and the Y axis are respectively set in parallel to the directions corresponding to the light absorption axes P and A in FIG. 1B due to the polarizing films 26 </ b> A and 26 </ b> B of the liquid crystal display element 20. In this case, each pixel region 30 is a rectangular region that is substantially elongated in the Y direction and is surrounded by two sides parallel to the X axis and two sides parallel to the Y axis. A recess for forming the TFT is provided. In each pixel region 30, a periodic pattern 31 having the same shape is formed with the light transmission portion as a background.

  The pattern 31 is a first line and space pattern (hereinafter referred to as an L & S pattern) formed at a pitch P1 parallel to a direction S1 (first direction) that intersects the X axis clockwise at an angle θ. A periodic pattern 31S, a second periodic pattern 31R composed of an L & S pattern formed at a pitch P1 parallel to a direction R1 (second direction) that intersects the X axis counterclockwise at an angle θ, and an X axis It is composed of a connecting portion 31C that is parallel and has a period P0 in the X direction that connects each line pattern 31Sa of the periodic pattern 31S and the corresponding line pattern 31Ra of the periodic pattern 31R. In other words, the first periodic pattern 31S extends in a direction orthogonal to the direction S1 and pitches a large number of line patterns 31Sa made of a thin film having a line width of about P1 / 2 in the direction S1 in parallel to the direction S1. It is arranged at P1. Similarly, the second periodic pattern 31R extends in a direction orthogonal to the direction R1, and pitches a number of line patterns 31Ra made of a thin film having a line width of approximately P1 / 2 in the direction R1 in parallel to the direction R1. It is arranged at P1.

  In this case, the first periodic pattern 31S is a pattern for forming the first lattice pattern 24A of FIG. 1A, and the second periodic pattern 31R is a second lattice pattern (not shown). It is a pattern for forming. The angle formed by the periodic direction (direction S1) of the periodic pattern 31S and the periodic direction (direction R1) of the periodic pattern 31R is 2θ, and the intermediate direction between the direction S1 and the direction R1 is a direction parallel to the X axis. It is. Further, the angle θ can take any value within the range of (0 ° <θ <90 °), but in the present embodiment, the angle θ is 45 °. Therefore, the direction S1 and the direction R1 are orthogonal. Note that the angle θ1 may be different from the angle θ2, where θ1 is an angle that the direction S1 is clockwise with respect to the X axis, and θ2 is an angle that the direction R1 is clockwise with respect to the X axis. Furthermore, both the direction S1 and the direction R1 can be set to different angles clockwise (or counterclockwise) with respect to the X axis.

In FIG. 6, the pitch P0 in the X direction (direction D3) of the connecting portion 31C is in the following relationship with the pitch P1 of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R.
P0 = P1 / cos θ> P1 (1)
Since the magnification β of the projection optical system PL of the present embodiment is equal, the pitch P1 is the same as the pitch of the lattice pattern 24A and the like, and the preferable range of the pitch P1 is 3 to 5 μm. When the magnification β of the projection optical system PL is not equal, the pitch P1 is set to 1 / β times the pitch of the lattice pattern 24A or the like.

  When the exposure apparatus EX projects the pattern of the mask M1 onto the substrate PT via the projection optical system PL, the amount of illumination light IL on the illumination pupil plane IPP of the partial illumination system 81 in FIG. 5A of the illumination system ILS. The distribution is set so that the amount of light (integrated value) in the four circular regions 43A, 43B and 45A, 45B shown with diagonal lines in FIG. 7A is larger than the amount of light (integrated value) in the other regions. Is done. The light amount distribution on the illumination pupil plane of all other partial illumination systems 83 and the like is also set to the same distribution as the light amount distribution of the illumination light IL on the illumination pupil plane IPP.

  In FIG. 7A, the origins of the X axis and the Y axis are set to the optical axis AXI of the partial illumination system 81. Further, since the illumination pupil plane IPP of the partial illumination system 81 and the pattern surface of the mask are in an optical Fourier transform relationship, the light beam passing through a position away from the optical axis AXI in the predetermined direction DILS on the illumination pupil plane IPP The light is incident on the pattern surface of the mask (for example, mask M1) in a direction DM corresponding to the direction DILS. In other words, the projection of the light flux on the pattern surface is parallel to the direction DM. Hereinafter, it is said that the direction DM on the pattern surface of the mask having such a relationship and the direction DILS on the illumination pupil plane IPP are in correspondence with each other.

In the partial illumination system 81 of FIG. 5 (A), since there is only the condenser lens system 13b between the illumination pupil plane IPP and the mask pattern plane, it is on the illumination pupil plane IPP corresponding to a predetermined direction of the mask pattern plane. The direction of is parallel to the predetermined direction. Accordingly, the direction on the illumination pupil plane IPP corresponding to the direction parallel to the X axis of the mask pattern surface is parallel to the X axis. Needless to say, when a folding mirror is arranged between the illumination pupil plane IPP and the mask, the corresponding relationship changes with respect to a simple spatial relationship due to the reversal effect of the mirror.
In FIG. 7A, a circumference 46 centered on the optical axis AXI is an area where the numerical aperture NAin on the incident side of the corresponding partial projection optical system PL1 is the same as the numerical aperture of the emitted illumination light. Accordingly, the circumference 46 is a region where the coherence factor (σ value) is 1. In addition, the directions on the illumination pupil plane IPP corresponding to the directions S1 and R1 which are the periodic directions of the two periodic patterns 31S and 31R of the mask M1 in FIG. 6 are the directions S2 and R2, respectively. In this case, the direction on the illumination pupil plane IPP corresponding to the intermediate direction (X direction) between the directions S1 and R1 in FIG. 6 is also the X direction. Accordingly, in FIG. 7A, the direction S2 intersects the X axis clockwise at an angle θ, and the direction R2 intersects the X axis counterclockwise at an angle θ.

  In addition, on the illumination pupil plane IPP, two symmetrical straight lines 40S and 40SB passing through a point of distance D2 from the optical axis AXI along the direction S2 and orthogonal to the direction S2 are assumed, and the intersections of the straight lines 40S and 40SB and the X axis are assumed. Regions 43A and 43B surrounded by a circumference with a predetermined radius r centering on 42A and 42B are regions with a large amount of light. In this case, the wavelength P of the illumination light (λ) and the numerical aperture of the illumination light (illumination system ILS or partial illumination system 81) as a unit, the pitch P1 of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R in FIG. Is used to set the distance D2 as follows.

D2 = λ / (2 · P1) = λ / (2 · P0 · cos θ) (2)
Since the angle formed between the direction S2 and the X axis is θ, the distance D1 between the centers 42A and 42B and the optical axis AXI is as follows.
D1 = D2 / cos θ = λ / (2 · P1 · cos θ)
= Λ / (2 · P0 · cos ² θ)> D2 (3)
In addition, on the X axis, points 44A and 44B having a distance D0 symmetrically from the optical axis AXI are taken, and regions 45A and 45B surrounded by a circle with a predetermined radius r centered on the points 44A and 44B are also regions with a large amount of light. It is. The distance D0 is set as follows using the pitch P0 of the connecting portion 31C in FIG.

D0 = λ / (2 · P0) (4)
In the present embodiment, since the amount of light in the four regions 43A, 43B and 45A, 45B arranged along the X axis passing through the optical axis AXI is large, this illumination condition is referred to as quadrupole illumination along a straight line. it can. As an example, the radius r of the regions 43A and 43B and the regions 45A and 45B is preferably set to 0.2 to 0.3 as follows, with the radius of 1 as the unit.

r = 0.2-0.3 (5)
In this case, when the radius r is large, as shown in FIG. 7A, the -X direction regions 43A and 45A and the + X direction regions 43B and 45B are connected to form one substantially elliptical region. The illumination condition is substantially dipole illumination along the X axis. It should be noted that the light amount of the illumination light is substantially zero in the outer regions 43A and 43B that protrude from the circumference 46. On the other hand, when the radius r is small, the regions 43A and 45A and the regions 43B and 45B may be two separated regions.

  As an example, the regions 43A and 43B and the regions 45A and 45B have the same uniform light amount distribution, and the regions 43A and 43B and the regions 45A and 45B out of the amount of illumination light passing through the circumference 46 are respectively. It is preferable that the integral value of the amount of illumination light passing through the interior is about 90% or more and the integral value of the amount of illumination light passing through the other region is about 10% or less. Further, for example, the radius of the regions 43A and 43B and the radius of the regions 45A and 45B may be different within a range satisfying the expression (5).

In place of the regions 43A, 43B, 45A, 45B, illumination conditions are used in which the amount of light is large in a small oval, rectangular, or fan-shaped region having substantially the same area as the regions 43A, 43B, 45A, 45B. May be.
When a large number of patterns 31 (periodic patterns 31S and 31R and connecting portions 31C) of the mask M1 in FIG. 6 are illuminated with illumination light having a light amount distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP in FIG. 7A, the corresponding numerical aperture NA is obtained. The distribution of diffracted light on the pupil plane PP (surface conjugate with the exit pupil) of the partial projection optical system PL1 is as shown in FIG. The distribution of diffracted light on the pupil planes of the other partial projection optical systems PL2 to PL5 is also the same as that in FIG. Since the partial projection optical system PL1 has the same magnification, the numerical aperture NAin on the incident side and the numerical aperture NA on the emission side are equal. Moreover, since the pupil plane PP is optically conjugate with the illumination pupil plane IPP, the coordinate axes on the pupil plane PP corresponding to the X axis and the Y axis on the illumination pupil plane IPP are set as the X axis and the Y axis, respectively.

In the pupil plane PP of FIG. 7B, a circumference 46P is an area through which illumination light having a numerical aperture NA conjugate with the circumference 46 (σ = 1) of the illumination pupil plane IPP passes. Further, two circular regions (regions conjugate to the regions 43A and 43B) centering on a symmetrical point on the X axis passing through the optical axis AX within the circumference 46P are represented as regions 43A and 43B in FIG. 0th order light 43A0 and 43B0 which have been emitted from the light and passed through the periodic patterns 31S and 31R in FIG.
Further, a region centering on the point of the distance λ / P1 with the numerical aperture as a unit in the direction that intersects the X axis clockwise from the zero-order light 43A0 and 43B0 with an angle θ is a region 43A in FIG. , 43B pass through the first-order diffracted light beams 43AS and 43BS by the first periodic pattern 31S of FIG.

Further, in the direction crossing the 0th-order light 43A0 and 43B0 in the counterclockwise direction with respect to the X axis at an angle θ, an area centered on the point of the distance λ / P1 with the numerical aperture as a unit is shown in FIG. First-order diffracted lights 43AR and 43BR through the second periodic pattern 31R of the light beams emitted from 43A and 43B pass through. In this case, since the conditions of the expressions (2) and (3) are satisfied, the first-order diffracted lights 43AR and 43BR pass through the same position on the Y axis as the first-order diffracted lights 43AS and 43BS. The two 0th-order light beams 43A0 and 43B0 and the four first-order diffracted light beams 43AS, 43BS, 43AR, and 43BR all pass through substantially the same distance from the optical axis AX on the pupil plane PP. Thus, the light enters the surface of the substrate PT.
The main components of the diffracted light generated from the first periodic pattern 31S in the multiple patterns 31 in FIG. 6 are the 0th order light and the first order diffracted lights 43AS and 43BS. The image of the periodic pattern 31S is formed on the surface of the substrate PT with high contrast. On the other hand, since the main components of the diffracted light generated from the second periodic pattern 31R in the multiple patterns 31 in FIG. 6 are the 0th order light and the first order diffracted lights 43AR and 43BR, the image of the periodic pattern 31R also has a high contrast. Is formed on the surface of the substrate PT. Since the 0th-order light and the first-order diffracted light are both incident on the surface of the substrate PT at substantially the same incident angle, the images of the periodic patterns 31R and 31S have a large depth of focus.

In the pupil plane PP of FIG. 7B, two circular regions (regions conjugate to the regions 45A and 45B) centering on a symmetrical point on the X axis passing through the optical axis AX are shown in FIG. The zero-order lights 45A0 and 45B0 emitted from the regions 45A and 45B and passing through the periodic patterns 31S and 31R in FIG. 6 pass.
Further, regions having a distance λ / P0 as the center in the opposite direction along the X axis with respect to the zero-order light 45A0 and 45B0 are emitted from the regions 45A and 45B in FIG. The first-order diffracted lights 45AD and 45BD by the connecting portion 31C in FIG. At this time, since the condition of Expression (4) is satisfied, the positions of the 0th-order light 45A0 and 45B0 are the same as the positions of the 1st-order diffracted lights 45AD and 45BD, and the distances from the optical axis AX are substantially equal. Therefore, the image of the connecting portion 31C in FIG. 6 is also formed on the surface of the substrate PT with a high contrast and a large depth of focus.

  FIG. 8B shows zero-order light 43A0, 43B0 and 1 in the pupil plane PP when the pitch P1 of the periodic pattern 31S having an angle θ of 45 ° formed by the partial projection optical system PL1 is the smallest. The positions of the next diffracted beams 43AS and 43BS are shown. In FIG. 8B, since the 0th-order light 43A0 and the 1st-order diffracted light 43AS are on the circumference 46P having a numerical aperture NA, the distance λ / P1 is as follows.

λ / P1 = 2 ^1/2 × NA, that is, P1 = λ / (2 ^1/2 × NA) (6)
In contrast, under normal illumination conditions, the center of the zero-order light 470 is on the optical axis AX and the center of the first-order diffracted light 47S is on the circumference 46P, so the pitch of the periodic pattern 31S is P1 ′. Then, it becomes as follows.
λ / P1 ′ = NA, that is, P1 ′ = λ / NA (7)
By comparing the expression (6) with the expression (7), by using the illumination conditions of the present embodiment, the periodic pattern 31S, which can be transferred as compared with the normal illumination, even if the same partial projection optical system PL1 is used. It can be seen that the pitch P1 of 31R can be reduced to 1/2 ^1/2 , that is, approximately 1 / 1.41 times.

  As an example, when the wavelength λ of the illumination light is 0.365 μm and the numerical aperture NA of the partial projection optical system PL1 is 0.1, the minimum pitch P1 of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R that can be transferred from Expression (6) The value is approximately 2.6 μm. Therefore, if the numerical aperture NA of the partial projection optical system PL1 is larger than 0.1 and / or the wavelength λ of the illumination light can be shortened, the transferable periodic patterns 31S, 31R The pitch P1 can be made smaller than 2.6 μm.

  In the pattern 31 of the mask M1 in FIG. 6, when the angle θ1 of the periodic pattern 31S is different from the angle θ2 of the periodic pattern 31R, the light amount distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP is as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the angle in the intermediate direction between the direction S2 and the direction R2 is (θ2−θ1) / 2 counterclockwise with respect to the X axis. Accordingly, the X ′ axis and the Y ′ axis of the new coordinate system obtained by rotating the X axis and the Y axis counterclockwise around the optical axis AXI by an angle (θ2−θ1) / 2 are set, and FIG. Similarly to the case of, the regions 43A, 43B and 45A, 45B where the amount of light increases on the X ′ axis may be set.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 9, the illumination condition using the light amount distribution of FIG. 7A is a mask M2 in which an element pattern in which patterns 31 of adjacent pixel regions 30 are connected by connecting portions 32 is formed. Can also be used when placed on the object plane of the projection optical system PL. In this case, the lattice pattern 24A in FIG. 1A is connected between adjacent display pixels. Further, since the connecting portion 32 is a pattern having a pitch P0 in the X direction as in the connecting portion 31C of the pattern 31, it is high in illumination light from the regions 45A and 45B inside the illumination pupil plane IPP in FIG. It is possible to form an image with contrast.

  On the other hand, in FIG. 1A, when the first lattice pattern 24A and the second lattice pattern (not shown) are separated, in order to form the lattice pattern 24A and the like, as shown in FIG. A mask M3 in which a pattern 31A having a shape in which the first periodic pattern 31S and the second periodic pattern 31R are arranged apart from each other in each pixel region 30 may be used. When illuminating the pattern of the mask M3, as the aperture stop of the partial illumination system 81, the aperture stop 18B in which two circular openings in FIG. 5C are formed may be used.

  In this case, the light quantity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP of the partial illumination system 81 (the same applies to other partial illumination systems), as shown in FIG. 11 (A), is outside the four regions in FIG. 7 (A). It is sufficient that the amount of light is increased only by the two circular regions 43A and 43B. This illumination condition can be referred to as dipole illumination along the X axis. The centers of the regions 43A and 43B are the intersections of the straight lines 40S and 40SB whose distance from the optical axis AXI is D2 perpendicular to the direction S2 and the X axis. Further, the distance D1 between the centers of the regions 43A and 43B and the optical axis AXI is expressed by Expression (3).

When the mask M3 in FIG. 10 is illuminated using this illumination condition, the primary light 43AS, 43BS, or 43AR from the periodic pattern 31S or 31R on the pupil plane PP of the partial projection optical system PL1 shown in FIG. 43BR passes on the Y-axis, and the distances from the optical axes AX of the two 0th-order lights and the four primary lights are almost equal, so that images of the fine periodic patterns 31S and 31R have high contrast. That is, it can be formed with a high resolution and a large depth of focus.
Next, an example of a process for manufacturing the liquid crystal display element 20 of FIG. 1A using the exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. The structure of the liquid crystal display element in the manufacturing process will be described with reference to FIGS. 12 to 15, the TFT side glass substrate 21A in FIG. 1A is the glass substrate TG, the lattice patterns 24A and 24C are the lattice patterns LS1 and LC1, and the color filter side glass substrate 21B is the glass substrate. FG, the liquid crystal layer 22 will be described as the liquid crystal layer LC, the counter electrode 23B as the counter electrode CE, and the pixel electrode 23A as the pixel electrodes PE1, PE2,. Further, the description of the molecular alignment films 25A and 25B and the polarizing films 26A and 26B is omitted, and in FIGS. 12 and 13, the polarizing films 26A and 26B are parallel to the light absorption axes P and A of FIG. A description will be given by taking the X axis and the Y axis.

  FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of a main part including a plurality of pixel regions of the glass substrate TG on the TFT side of the liquid crystal display element being manufactured as viewed from the side where the TFT pattern is formed. 12, a large number of signal lines (signal electrodes) SL1, SL2, SL3,... Extend in the Y direction on the upper surface of the glass substrate TG, and a large number of selection lines (scanning electrodes) GL1, GL2,. ... is extended. Transistors TR1, TR2,... Composed of TFTs are formed at the intersections between the signal lines SL1, SL2,... And the selection lines GL1, GL2,. .. Are determined by the transistors TR1, TR2,..., And the brightness (transmittance) of each display pixel is determined.

First, in the pattern formation process 401 of FIG. 16, a glass substrate TG on the TFT side is manufactured by forming a circuit pattern on the glass substrate TG. This manufacturing process will be described with reference to FIG.
FIGS. 14A, 14C, 14E, and 14G are enlarged views of the vicinity of the transistor TR5 in FIG. 12, and FIGS. 14B, 14D, 14F, and 14H are shown in FIGS. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ in the vicinity of the transistor TR5 in FIG.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B, a metal film such as tantalum is formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate TG, and an exposure apparatus (for example, the exposure apparatus EX of FIG. 2 may be used). The selection line GL2 and the gate electrode TG5 made of the metal film are formed in predetermined portions by the lithography process. Thereafter, for example, by anodizing the metal film, a metal oxide film (not shown) is formed on the surfaces of the selection line GL2 and the gate electrode TG5.

Here, the line widths of the selection line GL2 and the gate electrode TG5 are preferably about 10 μm, respectively.
Next, as shown in FIGS. 14C and 14D, an amorphous silicon film is formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate TG, and the transistor TR5 made of the above amorphous silicon is straddled across the gate electrode TG5 by a lithography process. Form. Then, a metal such as aluminum or a highly conductive semiconductor is formed thereon, and the source electrode TS5 and the drain electrode TD5 are formed in a predetermined region over the transistor TR5 by a lithography process.

In this state, the gap between the source electrode TS5 and the drain electrode TD5 is preferably about 3 μm.
Subsequently, as shown in FIGS. 14E and 14F, a metal such as aluminum is formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate TG on the TFT side and aligned with the source electrode TS5 by a lithography process. A signal line SL2 is formed at the position. Thereafter, a transparent insulating film PV made of, for example, an organic material is formed on the upper surface of the glass substrate TG, and an opening (hole) is formed in the insulating film PV at a position aligned with the drain electrode TD5 by a lithography process. A transparent electrode made of ITO or IZO is formed thereon, and the transparent electrode is separated into transparent pixel electrodes PE5 corresponding to the respective display pixels by a lithography process.

  Next, as shown in FIGS. 14G and 14H, a fine lattice pattern LS1, which is a feature of the present embodiment, is formed on the surface of the transparent pixel electrode PE5 or the like by a lithography process. . This process will be described in detail. In step 301 of FIG. 16, a coater / developer (not shown) applies a positive photoresist as a dielectric to the surface of the glass substrate TG including the pixel electrodes PE5 and the like. In the next step 302, a mask M1 in which a periodic pattern 31 is formed for each of a large number of pixel regions 30 in FIG. 6 on the object plane (upper surface of the mask stage) of the projection optical system PL of the exposure apparatus EX in FIG. Load it. Almost in parallel with this, in step 303, the illumination conditions of the illumination system ILS (partial illumination system 81, etc.) of the exposure apparatus EX are set on a straight line so that the light quantity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP, etc. becomes the state of FIG. 4 pole illumination.

  In the next step 304, the exposure apparatus EX scans and exposes the pattern image of the mask M1 on the photoresist layer of the glass substrate TG. In the next step 305, a coater / developer (not shown) develops the photoresist on the glass substrate TG, thereby forming an image of the periodic pattern 31S of FIG. 6 on the surface of the pixel electrodes PE5 and the like of the plurality of display pixels. A lattice pattern LS2 (see FIG. 13) as an image of the lattice pattern LS1 and the periodic pattern 31R (see FIG. 13) and a connection portion of the lattice patterns LS1 and LS2 as an image of the connection portion 31C are formed with high accuracy.

  FIG. 13 includes a plurality of pixel regions (pixel electrodes PE1, PE2,... Are formed respectively) of the glass substrate TG on the TFT side of the present embodiment in a state where the formation of the fine lattice patterns LS1, LS2 is completed. The enlarged view of the principal part is shown. As an example, the line width of the lattice patterns LS1 and LS2 is about 2 μm and the pitch is about 4 μm, but the numerical aperture NA of the partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 (projection optical system PL) of the exposure apparatus EX is 0. If it is larger than 1, the pitch of the lattice patterns LS1 and LS2 may be finer.

  Next, in step 402, a glass substrate FG on the color filter side is manufactured. FIG. 15 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a plurality of display pixels of the completed liquid crystal display element in the present embodiment, and FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B ′ in FIG. 13. As shown in FIG. 15, in the completed liquid crystal display element, the glass substrate TG on the TFT side and the glass substrate FG on the color filter side are arranged to face each other, and the liquid crystal layer LC is sandwiched therebetween.

  A portion facing the pixel electrodes PE5, PE6, and PE10 of the TFT side glass substrate TG on the bottom surface of the color filter side glass substrate FG is formed by a lithography process in the same manner as a general color filter side glass substrate. The black matrix layers MB2, MB3, BM4, the red color filter CR, the green color filter CG, and the blue color filter CB are formed. A transparent insulating film PV2 and a counter electrode CE made of ITO or IZO are formed so as to cover these surfaces (lower surfaces).

Further, in the glass substrate FG on the color filter side in the present embodiment, the main surface of the counter electrode CE (the lower surface in FIG. 15) is opposed to the lattice patterns LS1 and LS2 (not shown in FIG. 15) by the lithography process. A fine first lattice pattern LC1 and a second lattice pattern (not shown), which are features of the embodiment, are formed.
Note that the lattice pattern LC1 and the like are the same as the mask M1 in FIG. 6 in the exposure apparatus EX in FIG. 2 (or a mask in which a periodic pattern having a phase different by 180 ° from the periodic patterns 31S and 31R is formed). Can be formed by performing the same process as steps 301 to 305.

Then, after the color filter forming step 402, a cell assembly step 403 is executed. In the cell assembly step 403, liquid crystal is injected between the TFT side glass substrate TG obtained in the pattern formation step 401 and the color filter side glass substrate FG obtained in the color filter formation step 402. A liquid crystal display element (liquid crystal cell) is manufactured.
Thereafter, in a module assembling step 404, components such as an electric circuit and a backlight for performing display operation of the assembled liquid crystal cell are attached to complete a liquid crystal display element. According to the above-described method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element, it is possible to obtain a liquid crystal display element with a very high response speed with a high throughput on which fine lattice patterns LS1, LC1, etc. are formed, using the exposure apparatus EX.

The effects and the like of this embodiment are as follows.
(1) A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element using the exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is a periodic method having a pitch P1 and arranged in different directions S1 (first direction) and R1 (second direction). A pattern 31S (first pattern), a periodic pattern 31R (second pattern), and a connection that connects the periodic pattern 31S and the periodic pattern 31R in a direction orthogonal to the intermediate direction (X direction) of the direction S1 and the direction R1. A step 302 of disposing a mask M1 on which a pattern 31 (element pattern) including the part 31C is formed on the object plane side of the projection optical system PL of the exposure apparatus EX. Further, the manufacturing method calculates the light amount distribution of the illumination light on the illumination pupil plane IPP (or a surface in the vicinity thereof) of the partial illumination system 81 of the illumination system ILS that illuminates the mask M1 with illumination light (exposure light) of wavelength λ. The distance between the optical axis AXI and the X axis (first straight line) extending in the direction corresponding to the intermediate direction between the direction S1 and the direction R1 and opposite to the optical axis AXI An area 43A (first area) and an area 43B (second area) including an intersection 42A (first point) and an intersection 42B (second point) having the same D1 are closer to the optical axis AXI than the intersections 42A and 42B, In addition, the light quantity in the region 45A (third region) and the region 45B (fourth region) including the center 44A (third point) and the center 44B (fourth point) arranged symmetrically with respect to the optical axis AXI is different in other regions. Greater than light Thus, steps 303 and 304 for transferring the element pattern of the mask M1 to the glass substrate TG of the liquid crystal display element via the projection optical system PL, and a photoresist of the glass substrate TG to which the element pattern is transferred. And developing and processing step 305.

According to the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, when the light flux from the regions 43A and 43B of the illumination pupil plane IPP is illuminated on the periodic pattern 31S (or 31R) of the mask M1, the pupil plane (partial projection) of the projection optical system PL In the pupil plane PP) of the optical system PL1, the 0th-order light 43A0 and 43B0 from the periodic pattern 31S (or 31R) passes through positions conjugate to the regions 43A and 43B (positions away from the optical axis AX) and periodically. The first-order diffracted light 43AS, 43BS (or 43AR, 43BR) from the pattern 31S (or 31R) passes through a position separated from the position of the zero-order light 43A0, 43B0 by λ / P1 in the direction corresponding to the direction S1 or the direction R1. To do. And
Each 0th-order light and each 1st-order diffracted light pass through the pupil plane PP at substantially the same distance from the optical axis, and are incident on the glass substrate TG at an almost equal angle. Therefore, images of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R are formed on the glass substrate TG with high contrast, and the pitch P1 of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R that can be transferred is, for example, 1 as compared with the case of using a normal illumination method. / 2 ^1/2 times (approximately 1 / 1.41 times) can be miniaturized and a greater depth of focus can be obtained, so that the pitch of the fine lattice pattern LS1 formed on the glass substrate TG can be further reduced.

Furthermore, the image of the connection part 31C can be projected onto the glass substrate TG with high contrast by illumination light from the regions 45A and 45B inside the illumination pupil plane IPP. For this reason, the entire image of each pattern 31 of the mask M1 can be transferred to the glass substrate TG with a high resolution and a large depth of focus, and a liquid crystal display element with a wide viewing angle and improved response speed can be manufactured.
(2) In step 302, as shown in FIG. 10, the mask M3 on which the pattern 31A composed of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R from which the connecting portion 31C has been removed is formed as an object of the projection optical system PL of the exposure apparatus EX. It may be arranged on the surface. In order to expose the pattern of the mask M3, in steps 303 and 304, the light quantity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP of the partial illumination system 81 of the illumination system ILS is only in the outer regions 43A and 43B as shown in FIG. The amount of light may be increased. In this case, the images of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R can be transferred to the glass substrate TG with high resolution and a large depth of focus via the projection optical system PL by the illumination light that has passed through the regions 43A and 43B.

(3) Further, the periodic patterns 31S and 31R of the mask M1 are patterns for patterning a photoresist as a dielectric film on the surface of the glass substrate TG. Note that a substance other than a photoresist can be used as the dielectric film.
(4) Further, the liquid crystal display element 20 manufactured in the present embodiment is a multi-domain type VA method having two domains in a pixel electrode corresponding to one TFT. The present invention can also be applied to the case of manufacturing a multi-domain VA liquid crystal display element having four or more domains in a pixel electrode corresponding to one TFT. In this case, the periodic patterns 31S and 31R of the mask M1 can be used as patterns for forming the respective domains included in the multi-domain in the display pixel. The present invention can also be applied to the case of manufacturing a multi-domain VA liquid crystal display element in which one pixel electrode is divided into two or more pixel electrodes. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the VA method, and can be applied to the manufacture of an IPS liquid crystal display element when a fine L & S pattern is required for the pixel electrode.

  (5) In the present embodiment, the fine lattice pattern LS1 and the pixel electrode on the TFT-side glass substrate TG constituting the liquid crystal display element and the pixel electrode on the color filter-side glass substrate FG Since LC1 is formed, the response speed of the liquid crystal display element can be further increased. Note that the fine lattice pattern LS1 or LC1 may be formed only on at least one of the pixel electrode on the TFT-side glass substrate TG and the color filter-side glass substrate FG constituting the liquid crystal display element. Even in this case, the response speed is increased.

(6) Further, the projection optical system PL includes a plurality of partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 that respectively form partial images of the pattern of the mask M1 on the surface of the glass substrate TG or the like. Accordingly, since the exposure area can be widened by using the small projection optical system PL as a whole, the image of the pattern of the mask M1 can be exposed to the glass substrate TG having a large area by one scanning exposure.
The optical system on the exit side of the illumination system ILS is divided into a plurality of partial illumination systems 81 and the like corresponding to the plurality of partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5. Therefore, the illumination system ILS can also be reduced in size.

Note that the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention can also be applied to exposure using an exposure apparatus having a projection optical system composed of only one imaging optical system. In this case, the illumination system ILS can be composed of one optical system that illuminates one illumination area as a whole.
(7) Although the exposure apparatus EX performs scanning exposure, the method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element of the present invention is also applicable when exposure is performed with a stepper type exposure apparatus.

  (8) The exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is a part that illuminates the pattern of the mask M with the illumination light IL in the exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate PT through the pattern of the mask M with the illumination light IL (exposure light). The distribution of the amount of illumination light in the illumination system ILS including the illumination system 81 and the illumination pupil plane IPP of the partial illumination system 81 (or in the vicinity thereof) passes through the optical axis AXI of the partial illumination system 81 and passes through the optical axis AXI of the mask M. The optical axis AXI is on the X axis (first straight line) extending in the direction corresponding to the intermediate direction (X direction) between the S1 direction and the R1 direction intersecting each other on the pattern surface, and is in the opposite direction from the optical axis AXI. An intensity distribution setting device 14b and an aperture that can be set so that the amount of light in the regions 43A and 43B including the intersections 42A and 42B having the same distance D1 is larger than the amount of light in the other regions. A projection plate 12b (light quantity distribution setting device), a projection optical system PL composed of a plurality of partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5 for forming a pattern image of the mask M on the surface of the substrate PT, and a plurality of partial projection optics of the mask M And a stage system that synchronizes the movement in the X direction (predetermined direction) relative to the systems PL1 to PL5 and the movement of the substrate PT in a direction corresponding to the predetermined direction.

  According to the exposure apparatus EX, the images of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R of the mask M3 can be exposed to the substrate PT with high resolution and a large focal depth by illumination light from the regions 43A and 43B of the illumination pupil plane IPP. Therefore, by using the substrate PT as the glass substrate of the liquid crystal display element, the fine lattice patterns LC1 and LC2 can be formed on the glass substrate, and the response speed of the liquid crystal display element can be increased.

  (9) Further, the intensity distribution setting device 14b and the aperture stop plate 12b are used to change the light amount distribution of the illumination light on the illumination pupil plane IPP (or a surface in the vicinity thereof) of the partial illumination system 81 on the X axis (first straight line). The light amounts in the regions 45A and 45B and the regions 43A and 43B including the centers 44A and 44B that are closer to the optical axis AXI than the intersections 42A and 42B and symmetrically arranged with respect to the optical axis AXI are larger than the light amounts in the other regions. It can be set to be larger.

  In this case, the pattern of the mask M1 in which the pattern 31 including the coupling portion 31C in addition to the periodic patterns 31S and 31R can be transferred to the substrate PT with a high resolution and a large depth of focus. Accordingly, since the fine lattice patterns LC1 and LC2 corresponding to the pattern 31 and the connecting portions can be formed on the glass substrate of the liquid crystal display element, the response speed of the liquid crystal display element can be improved.

(10) In addition, the intensity distribution setting device 14b includes two prisms 15A and 15B whose intervals in the optical axis direction are variable. Therefore, when the amount of light is increased in the areas 43A and 43B of the illumination pupil plane IPP, the use efficiency of the illumination light can be increased.
(11) Since the illumination system ILS includes a plurality of partial illumination systems 81 and 83 provided corresponding to the plurality of partial projection optical systems PL1 to PL5, a plurality of illumination areas are respectively formed by the small illumination system ILS. Can be illuminated under optimal lighting conditions. For example, when the number of partial projection optical systems is small, the illumination areas of the plurality of partial projection optical systems may be illuminated by one common illumination system.

  Next, a modification of the above embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the periodic cutout pattern provided on the pixel electrode 23A (PE1 or the like) on the TFT side glass substrate 21A (TG) as in the liquid crystal display element 20A of FIG. A periodic cutout pattern provided on the counter electrode 23B (CE) on the bottom surface of the glass substrate 21B (FG) on the color filter side is defined as a fine lattice pattern 24G (LC1) as 24E (LS1). In order to form the lattice pattern 24E, when the pixel electrode 23A is formed on the glass substrate 21A, a light shielding film 33 is formed in each pixel region 30, as shown in FIG. 6A and 6B, the periodic pattern 31BS composed of the L & S pattern with the pitch P1 along the direction S1 and the period composed of the L & S pattern with the pitch P1 along the direction R1 so that the contrast is opposite to that of the periodic patterns 31S and 31R in FIG. A mask M4 formed with a pattern 31B composed of a target pattern 31BR and a connecting portion 31BC that connects the periodic patterns 31BS and 31BR may be used.

  In this case, the periodic pattern 31BS (31BR) is formed by pitching the line pattern 31BSa (31BRa) including the opening pattern having a width of approximately P1 / 2 extending in the direction orthogonal to the direction S1 (R1) in the direction S1 (R1). Arranged at P1. As an illumination condition for illuminating the pattern of the mask M4, a condition in which the light quantity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP of each partial illumination system 81 or the like becomes four poles on a straight line as shown in FIG.

  In this modification, for example, when the pixel electrode 23A is formed on the glass substrate 21A of FIG. 1C or when the pixel electrode PE5 of FIG. 14F is formed, a transparent conductive film such as ITO is used. A positive photoresist is applied on the entire surface of the substrate. Thereafter, the exposure apparatus EX may transfer the image of the pattern of the mask M4 in FIG. 17 to the photoresist under the illumination conditions in FIG. 7A, and perform development and etching. Similarly, the lattice pattern 24G on the glass substrate 21B (FG) side can be formed.

In the above-described embodiment, an ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp is used as the light source, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other appropriate light sources can be used. That is, in the present invention, the exposure wavelength is not particularly limited to g-line, h-line, i-line and the like.
In addition, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, A various structure can be taken in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  ILS ... illumination device, IPP ... illumination pupil plane, M1 to M4 ... mask, PL ... projection optical system, PT ... substrate, 20, 20A ... liquid crystal display element, 21A (TG) ... TFT side glass substrate, 21B (FG) ... glass substrate on the color filter side, 24A (LS1) ... lattice pattern, 24C (LC1) ... lattice pattern, 31S ... first periodic pattern, 31R ... second periodic pattern, 31C ... connecting part, 43A, 43B ... Area with a large amount of light, 45A, 45B ... Area with a large amount of light

Claims (23)

A method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element,
An object plane of the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus is formed by using a mask having a periodic pattern having a predetermined pitch and an element pattern including a first pattern and a second pattern arranged in different first and second directions, respectively. Placing it on the side,
The light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the pupil plane of the illumination system that illuminates the mask with the exposure light of the exposure apparatus or in the vicinity thereof, passes through the optical axis of the illumination system, and the first direction and the second direction. A first region including a first point and a second point which are on a first straight line extending in a direction corresponding to an intermediate direction of the first and second points in opposite directions from the optical axis and having the same distance from the optical axis. Transferring the element pattern of the mask to the substrate of the liquid crystal display element via the projection optical system so that the light quantity in the two areas is larger than the light quantity in the other areas;
Processing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred;
A method for producing a liquid crystal display element comprising: When the pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern is P1, the wavelength of the exposure light is λ, and the angle of the first direction with respect to the intermediate direction is θ,
2. The liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the position of the first point and the second point is set to a point where a distance from the optical axis is λ / (2 · P1 · cos θ). Production method. At least a part of the first pattern and the second pattern of the element pattern is connected in a direction orthogonal to the intermediate direction,
The light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the pupil plane of the illumination system or a plane near the pupil plane is closer to the optical axis than the first point and the second point on the first straight line and symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. The amount of light in the third region and the fourth region including the third point and the fourth point and the first region and the second region arranged in the region is made larger than the light amount in the other regions. Item 3. A method for producing a liquid crystal display element according to Item 1 or 2.   The distance between the optical axis and the third point is the numerical aperture of the illumination system, where P0 is the pitch in the intermediate direction of the connecting portion between the first pattern and the second pattern, and λ is the wavelength of the exposure light. 4. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 3, wherein the unit is set to [lambda] / (2.P0).   4. The first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region are circular regions each having a radius converted to a coherence factor of 0.2 to 0.3. Or 4. A method for producing a liquid crystal display element according to 4.   The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the first direction and the second direction of the element pattern are orthogonal to each other.   7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern of the element pattern are patterns for forming an electrode pattern of each pixel of the liquid crystal display element. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element of description.   7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first pattern and the second pattern of the element pattern are patterns for patterning a dielectric film on a surface of the substrate. 8. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element.   The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 8, wherein the dielectric film is a photoresist.   The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the liquid crystal display element is a vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element.   The liquid crystal display element is a multi-domain vertical alignment type liquid crystal display element, and the first pattern and the second pattern are patterns for forming respective domains included in the multi-domain in the display pixel. It exists, The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as described in any one of Claims 1-10 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The formation of the first pattern and the second pattern is performed on at least one of a pixel electrode on a glass substrate on a TFT side and a pixel electrode on a glass substrate on a color filter side constituting the liquid crystal display element. The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as described in any one of Claims 1-11 characterized by these.   The pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern is 3 μm to 5 μm, the exposure wavelength λ is between 0.365 μm and 0.486 μm, and the numerical aperture NA of the projection optical system is 0.1 to 0. It is between 0.07, The manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display element as described in any one of Claims 1-12 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The said projection optical system consists of a some partial projection optical system which forms the one part image of the pattern of the said mask on the surface of the said board | substrate, respectively. A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element.   The method for manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the illumination system is provided in a plurality corresponding to the plurality of partial projection optical systems.   In order to transfer the element pattern of the mask to the substrate via the projection optical system, the mask moves in a predetermined direction with respect to the projection optical system, and the substrate moves in a direction corresponding to the predetermined direction. The method of manufacturing a liquid crystal display element according to claim 1, wherein the movement is performed in synchronization. In an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate through a mask pattern with exposure light,
An illumination system for illuminating the pattern of the mask with the exposure light;
The light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the pupil plane of the illumination system or a surface in the vicinity thereof is in an intermediate direction between the first direction and the second direction passing through the optical axis of the illumination system and intersecting each other on the pattern surface of the mask. Amount of light in the first area and the second area that are on the first straight line extending in the corresponding direction and that are in opposite directions from the optical axis and that have the same distance from the optical axis. A light quantity distribution setting device that can be set to be larger than the light quantity in other regions, a projection optical system comprising a plurality of partial projection optical systems that form an image of the pattern of the mask on the surface of the substrate,
An exposure apparatus comprising: a stage system that synchronizes movement of the mask in a predetermined direction with respect to the plurality of partial projection optical systems and movement of the substrate in a direction corresponding to the predetermined direction. . The light quantity distribution setting device includes:
The light quantity distribution of the exposure light on the pupil plane of the illumination system or a plane near the pupil plane is closer to the optical axis than the first point and the second point on the first straight line and symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. The third region and the fourth region including the third point and the fourth point, and the light amount in the first region and the second region can be set to be larger than the light amount in the other regions. The exposure apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:   19. The first region, the second region, the third region, and the fourth region are circular regions having a radius converted to a coherence factor of 0.2 to 0.3, respectively. The exposure apparatus described in 1. The pitch of the first pattern and the second pattern formed at the same pitch in the first direction and the second direction on the pattern surface of the mask is P1, the wavelength of the exposure light is λ, and the intermediate in the first direction When the angle with respect to the direction is θ,
The light quantity distribution setting device includes:
The position of the first point and the second point is set to a point where the distance from the optical axis is λ / (2 · P1 · cos θ). The exposure apparatus described in 1. A pitch in a direction corresponding to a direction along the first straight line of the first pattern and the second pattern formed on the pattern surface of the mask at the same pitch in the first direction and the second direction and connected to each other. Is P0, and the wavelength of the exposure light is λ,
19. The exposure according to claim 18, wherein the light quantity distribution setting device sets the distance between the optical axis and the third point to λ / (2 · P0) with the numerical aperture of the illumination system as a unit. apparatus.   The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the light quantity distribution setting device has two prisms whose interval in the optical axis direction is variable.   23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 17, wherein at least a part of the illumination system is provided in a plurality corresponding to the plurality of partial projection optical systems.

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