JP2017194701A - Optical integrator, illumination optical system, exposure apparatus, and method for manufacturing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a transmission optical system capable of stably guiding a luminous flux having a substantially uniform intensity distribution to a spatial light modulator even when an output distribution of a light source changes.SOLUTION: The optical system includes: an optical integrator 12 including a plurality of wavefront splitting elements arranged parallel to one another; and a condenser optical system for superposing a plurality of luminous fluxes subjected to the wavefront splitting by the optical integrator 12 onto the working surface of a spatial light modulator. Each wavefront splitting element has: a first optical surface in a cylindrical surface shape having a positive refractive power with regard to a first direction; a second optical surface in a cylindrical surface shape having a positive refractive power with regard to a second direction, disposed on a rear side of the first optical surface; and a third optical surface disposed on a rear side of the second optical surface and having a positive refractive power with regard to the first direction and a positive refractive power with regard to the second direction. A focal distance with regard to the first direction of the optical integrator 12 is greater than a focal distance with regard to the second direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical integrator, an illumination unit, a transmission optical system, an illumination optical system, an exposure apparatus, and a device manufacturing method.

  In an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a device such as a semiconductor element, a light source emitted from a light source is a secondary light source (generally a surface light source consisting of a number of light sources via a fly-eye lens as an optical integrator). Form a predetermined light intensity distribution in the illumination pupil. Hereinafter, the light intensity distribution in the illumination pupil is referred to as “pupil intensity distribution”. The illumination pupil is a position where the illumination surface becomes the Fourier transform plane of the illumination pupil by the action of the optical system between the illumination pupil and the illumination surface (a mask or a wafer in the case of an exposure apparatus). Defined.

  The light from the secondary light source is collected by the condenser optical system and then illuminates the mask on which a predetermined pattern is formed in a superimposed manner. The light transmitted through the mask forms an image on the wafer via the projection optical system, and the mask pattern is projected and exposed (transferred) onto the wafer. The pattern formed on the mask is miniaturized, and it is indispensable to obtain a uniform illuminance distribution on the wafer in order to accurately transfer the fine pattern onto the wafer.

  Conventionally, there has been proposed an illumination optical system capable of continuously changing the pupil intensity distribution (and thus the illumination condition) without using a zoom optical system (see, for example, Patent Document 1). This illumination optical system uses a movable multi-mirror composed of a number of minute mirror elements arranged in an array and whose tilt angle and tilt direction are individually driven and controlled. By dividing and deflecting the light beam into two, the cross section of the light beam is converted into a desired shape or a desired size, and thus a desired pupil intensity distribution is realized.

US Patent Application Publication No. 2009/0116093

  The conventional illumination optical system uses a spatial light modulator that has a plurality of mirror elements whose postures are individually controlled, so changes in pupil intensity distribution (changes in external shape, light intensity distribution, polarization state, etc.) ) Has a high degree of freedom. However, if the intensity distribution of the light beam incident on the spatial light modulator fluctuates and the intensity ratio of the plurality of light beams divided by the plurality of mirror elements changes, a desired pupil intensity distribution cannot be formed. In other words, in order to stably form a desired pupil intensity distribution and thus stably obtain a desired imaging performance, spatial light modulation is performed on a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution even if the output distribution of the light source changes. It is desirable to lead to a stable vessel.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a transmission optical system that can stably guide a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution to a spatial light modulator even if the output distribution of the light source changes. The purpose is to provide. In addition, the present invention stably forms a desired pupil intensity distribution by using a transmission optical system that stably guides a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution to the spatial light modulator even if the output distribution of the light source changes. It is an object of the present invention to provide an illumination optical system that can do this. The present invention also provides an exposure apparatus and a device manufacturing method capable of transferring a fine pattern to a photosensitive substrate under an appropriate illumination condition using an illumination optical system that stably forms a desired pupil intensity distribution. The purpose is to provide.

In order to solve the above-described problem, in the first embodiment, in an optical integrator including a plurality of wavefront splitting elements arranged in parallel,
Each wavefront splitting element is
A cylindrical first optical surface having a positive refractive power with respect to a first direction in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical integrator;
A cylindrical second optical surface that is disposed behind the first optical surface at an interval and has a positive refractive power in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the plane;
A third optical surface that is disposed behind the second optical surface at a distance and has a positive refractive power in the first direction and a positive refractive power in the second direction;
Have
The optical integrator is characterized in that a focal length in the first direction of the optical integrator is larger than a focal length in the second direction.

In the second embodiment, in an optical integrator having a plurality of wavefront splitting elements arranged in parallel,
In the optical integrator, a light beam having a larger spatial coherency in a first direction in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical integrator than in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the plane is incident. Arranged as
The optical integrator is characterized in that a focal length in the first direction of the optical integrator is larger than a focal length in the second direction.

In the third form, the optical integrator of the first form or the second form,
There is provided an illumination unit comprising: a condenser optical system that at least partially superimposes a plurality of light beams that have been wavefront-divided by the optical integrator on a predetermined surface.

In the fourth embodiment, there is an illumination optical system that illuminates the irradiated surface with light from a light source, and has an action surface that imparts an angular distribution to incident light in order to form a pupil intensity distribution on the illumination pupil of the illumination optical system. In the transmission optical system that is arranged in the optical path of the illumination optical system and guides the light from the light source to the working surface,
An optical integrator of the first form or the second form;
There is provided a transmission optical system comprising: a condenser optical system that at least partially superimposes a plurality of light beams that have been wavefront-divided by the optical integrator on the working surface.

In the fifth embodiment, in the illumination optical system that illuminates the illuminated surface with light from the light source,
A transmission optical system of a fourth form;
An illumination optical system comprising a plurality of optical elements arranged along the working surface and individually controlled, and a spatial light modulator for spatially modulating and emitting incident light I will provide a.

  According to a sixth aspect, there is provided an exposure apparatus comprising the illumination optical system according to the fifth aspect for illuminating a predetermined pattern, and exposing the predetermined pattern onto a substrate.

In the seventh embodiment, using the exposure apparatus of the sixth embodiment, exposing the predetermined pattern onto the substrate;
Developing the substrate to which the predetermined pattern is transferred, and forming a mask layer having a shape corresponding to the predetermined pattern on the surface of the substrate;
And processing the surface of the substrate through the mask layer. A device manufacturing method is provided.

  In the transmission optical system of the present invention, a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution can be stably guided to the spatial light modulator even if the output distribution of the light source changes. In the illumination optical system of the present invention, a desired pupil intensity distribution is stably obtained by using a transmission optical system that stably guides a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution to a spatial light modulator even if the output distribution of the light source changes. Can be formed. In the exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method of the present invention, a fine pattern can be transferred to a photosensitive substrate under an appropriate illumination condition using an illumination optical system that stably forms a desired pupil intensity distribution.

It is a figure which shows schematically the structure of the exposure apparatus concerning embodiment. It is a figure which shows schematically the internal structure of a transmission optical system. It is a figure explaining the structure and effect | action of a spatial light modulator. It is a fragmentary perspective view of the principal part of a spatial light modulator. It is sectional drawing along the YZ plane of the optical integrator arrange | positioned in the optical path of a transmission optical system. It is sectional drawing along the XZ plane of an optical integrator. It is the figure which looked at the incident side surface of the 1st optical member which comprises an optical integrator from the light source side along the optical axis. It is the figure which looked at the incident side surface of the 2nd optical member which comprises an optical integrator from the light source side along the optical axis. It is the figure which looked at the exit surface of the 3rd optical member which comprises an optical integrator from the spatial light modulator side along the optical axis. It is a 1st figure explaining the inconvenience in the comparative example according to a normal design. It is a 2nd figure explaining the inconvenience in the comparative example according to a normal design. It is a figure explaining the effect of the optical integrator concerning this embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of liquid crystal devices, such as a liquid crystal display element.

  Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus according to the embodiment. In FIG. 1, the Z-axis is along the normal direction of the transfer surface (exposure surface) of the wafer W, which is a photosensitive substrate, and the Y-axis is in the direction parallel to the paper surface of FIG. In the W transfer surface, the X axis is set in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 1, in the exposure apparatus of the present embodiment, exposure light (illumination light) is supplied from a light source LS. As the light source LS, for example, an ArF excimer laser light source that supplies pulsed light with a wavelength of 193 nm, a KrF excimer laser light source that supplies pulsed light with a wavelength of 248 nm, or the like can be used. The light source LS is accommodated in a housing different from the housing in which the exposure apparatus main body EX is accommodated. Light emitted from the light source LS in the −Y direction is incident on the spatial light modulator 2 in the exposure apparatus main body EX via the transmission optical system 1.

  As will be described later, the spatial light modulator 2 is based on a plurality of mirror elements arranged in a predetermined plane and individually controlled, and a control signal from a control system CR that comprehensively controls the operation of the exposure apparatus. And a drive unit that individually controls and drives the postures of the plurality of mirror elements. The array surface of the plurality of mirror elements of the spatial light modulator 2 (hereinafter referred to as “spatial light modulator array surface”) distributes the pupil intensity to the illumination pupil of the illumination optical system (1-7) including the transmission optical system 1. In order to form an angle distribution to incident light.

  As illustrated in FIG. 2, the transmission optical system 1 includes an optical path bending mirror 11, an optical integrator 12, a relay optical system 13, and a beam splitter 14 in the order of incidence of light from the light source LS. The light reflected by the optical path bending mirror 11 in the + Z direction is incident on a wavefront division type optical integrator 12 composed of three optical members 121, 122, and 123 arranged at intervals in the direction of the optical axis AX. As will be described later, the optical integrator 12 is composed of a plurality of wavefront dividing elements arranged in parallel along the XY plane. A specific configuration and operation of the optical integrator 12 will be described later.

  The light beam incident on the optical integrator 12 is two-dimensionally divided by a plurality of wavefront dividing elements to form a plurality of small light sources at or near the rear focal position of the optical integrator 12. Light from a plurality of small light sources formed by the optical integrator 12 passes through an array surface (working surface) of the spatial light modulator 2 via a relay optical system 13 including a front lens group 13a and a rear lens group 13b. Illuminate in a superimposed manner. When an ArF excimer laser light source that supplies light having a wavelength of 193 nm is used as the light source LS, the three optical members 121 to 123 constituting the optical integrator 12 may be formed of, for example, fluorite.

  The light that has passed through the optical integrator 12 and the relay optical system 13 enters the beam splitter 14. The light transmitted through the beam splitter 14 enters the spatial light modulator 2 as described above. The light reflected by the beam splitter 14, that is, the light extracted from the illumination optical path by the beam splitter 14 enters the beam monitor 15. The beam monitor 15 is based on the light extracted from the illumination optical path, the position of the light incident on the spatial light modulator 2 in the arrangement plane, the angle of the light incident on the spatial light modulator 2 with respect to the arrangement plane, and the spatial light. The light intensity distribution on the arrangement surface of the modulator 2 is measured.

  The measurement result of the beam monitor 15 is supplied to the control system CR. The control system CR controls the transmission optical system 1 and the spatial light modulator 2 based on the output of the beam monitor 15. The beam monitor 15 includes a position monitor 15a, an angle monitor 15b, and an intensity distribution monitor 15c. The position monitor 15 a measures the incident position of light on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. The angle monitor 15 b measures the incident angle of light on the arrangement surface of the light incident on the spatial light modulator 2.

  The intensity distribution monitor 15 c measures the light intensity distribution on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. The position monitor 15 a and the intensity distribution monitor 15 c include an imaging unit having a photoelectric conversion surface arranged at a position optically substantially conjugate with the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. The angle monitor 15b includes an imaging unit having a photoelectric conversion surface disposed at a position where optically Fourier transform is performed with respect to the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. The internal configuration of the beam monitor 15 is disclosed in, for example, US Patent Publication No. 2011/0069305.

  In the relay optical system 13, the rear focal position of the optical integrator 12 and the front focal position of the relay optical system 13 substantially coincide with each other, and the rear focal position of the relay optical system 13 and the position of the arrangement plane of the spatial light modulator 2. And are arranged so as to substantially match. As a result, the light from each small light source formed by the optical integrator 12 becomes substantially parallel light via the relay optical system 13 and enters the array surface of the spatial light modulator 2.

  Referring again to FIG. 1, the light emitted from the spatial light modulator 2 in the + Y direction is incident on the micro fly's eye lens (or fly eye lens) 4 through the relay lens 3. The relay lens 3 has a front focal position located near the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2 and a rear focal position located near the incident surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4. 2 and the incident surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4 are optically set in a Fourier transform relationship. Therefore, as described later, the light that has passed through the spatial light modulator 2 is variably distributed on the incident surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4 so as to have a light intensity according to the postures of the plurality of mirror elements.

  The micro fly's eye lens 4 is, for example, an optical element made up of a large number of micro lenses having positive refractive power arranged vertically and horizontally and densely. The micro fly's eye lens 4 is formed by etching a parallel plane plate to form a micro lens group. Has been. In a micro fly's eye lens, unlike a fly eye lens composed of lens elements isolated from each other, a large number of micro lenses (micro refractive surfaces) are integrally formed without being isolated from each other. However, the micro fly's eye lens is the same wavefront division type optical integrator as the fly's eye lens in that the lens elements are arranged vertically and horizontally.

  A rectangular minute refracting surface as a unit wavefront dividing surface in the micro fly's eye lens 4 is a rectangular shape similar to the shape of the illumination field to be formed on the mask M (and thus the shape of the exposure region to be formed on the wafer W). It is. For example, a cylindrical micro fly's eye lens can be used as the micro fly's eye lens 4. The configuration and operation of the cylindrical micro fly's eye lens are disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,913,373.

  The light beam incident on the micro fly's eye lens 4 as the second optical integrator is two-dimensionally divided by a large number of microlenses, and the light intensity formed on the incident surface on the rear focal plane or in the vicinity of the illumination pupil. A secondary light source (substantial surface light source consisting of a large number of small light sources: pupil intensity distribution) having a light intensity distribution substantially the same as the distribution is formed. The light from the secondary light source formed on the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4 illuminates the mask blind 6 in a superimposed manner via the condenser optical system 5.

  Thus, a rectangular illumination field corresponding to the shape and focal length of the rectangular micro-refractive surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4 is formed on the mask blind 6 as an illumination field stop. Note that the aperture (light) having a shape corresponding to the secondary light source is located at or near the rear focal plane of the micro fly's eye lens 4, that is, at a position optically conjugate with an entrance pupil plane of the projection optical system PL described later. An illumination aperture stop having a transmission part) may be arranged.

  The light beam that has passed through the rectangular opening (light transmitting portion) of the mask blind 6 is subjected to the condensing action of the imaging optical system 7 and is reflected by the optical path bending mirror disposed in the optical path of the imaging optical system 7. After being reflected in the −Z direction, the mask M on which a predetermined pattern is formed is illuminated in a superimposed manner. That is, the imaging optical system 7 forms an image of the rectangular opening of the mask blind 6 on the mask M.

  The light beam transmitted through the mask M held on the mask stage MS forms an image of a mask pattern on the wafer (photosensitive substrate) W held on the wafer stage WS via the projection optical system PL. In this way, batch exposure or scan exposure is performed while the wafer stage WS is two-dimensionally driven and controlled in a plane (XY plane) orthogonal to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, and thus the wafer W is two-dimensionally driven and controlled. As a result, the pattern of the mask M is sequentially exposed in each exposure region of the wafer W.

  The exposure apparatus of the present embodiment is a first pupil intensity distribution measurement unit that measures the pupil intensity distribution on the exit pupil plane of the illumination optical system based on light via the illumination optical system (1-7) including the transmission optical system 1. A first pupil intensity distribution measurement unit DTw that measures a pupil intensity distribution on a pupil plane of the projection optical system PL (an exit pupil plane of the projection optical system PL) based on light through the DTr and the projection optical system PL; And a control system CR that controls the spatial light modulator 2 on the basis of the measurement result of at least one of the second pupil intensity distribution measurement units DTr and DTw, and controls the overall operation of the exposure apparatus.

  The first pupil intensity distribution measurement unit DTr includes, for example, an imaging unit having a photoelectric conversion surface disposed at a position optically conjugate with the exit pupil position of the illumination optical system, and each point on the surface to be irradiated by the illumination optical system. Is measured (pupil intensity distribution formed at the exit pupil position of the illumination optical system by the light incident on each point). In addition, the second pupil intensity distribution measurement unit DTw includes an imaging unit having a photoelectric conversion surface arranged at a position optically conjugate with the pupil position of the projection optical system PL, for example, and includes each image plane of the projection optical system PL. A pupil intensity distribution related to the points (pupil intensity distribution formed by light incident on each point at the pupil position of the projection optical system PL) is measured.

  For the detailed configuration and operation of the first and second pupil intensity distribution measuring units DTr and DTw, reference can be made to, for example, US Patent Publication No. 2008/0030707. As the pupil intensity distribution measuring unit, the disclosure of US Patent Publication No. 2010/0020302 can be referred to.

  In this embodiment, the secondary light source formed by the micro fly's eye lens 4 is used as a light source, and the mask M (and thus the wafer W) disposed on the irradiated surface of the illumination optical system is Koehler illuminated. For this reason, the position where the secondary light source is formed is optically conjugate with the position of the aperture stop AS of the projection optical system PL, and the formation surface of the secondary light source can be called the illumination pupil plane of the illumination optical system. Further, the image of the formation surface of the secondary light source can be called an exit pupil plane of the illumination optical system. Typically, the irradiated surface (the surface on which the mask M is disposed or the surface on which the wafer W is disposed when the illumination optical system including the projection optical system PL is considered) is optical with respect to the illumination pupil plane. A Fourier transform plane. The pupil intensity distribution is a light intensity distribution (luminance distribution) on the illumination pupil plane of the illumination optical system or a plane optically conjugate with the illumination pupil plane.

  When the number of wavefront divisions by the micro fly's eye lens 4 is relatively large, the overall light intensity distribution formed on the incident surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4 and the overall light intensity distribution (pupil intensity distribution) of the entire secondary light source. ) And a high correlation. For this reason, the incident surface of the micro fly's eye lens 4 and a surface optically conjugate with the incident surface can also be referred to as an illumination pupil plane, and the light intensity distribution on these surfaces can also be referred to as a pupil intensity distribution. In the configuration of FIG. 1, the relay lens 3 and the micro fly's eye lens 4 include a distribution forming optical system that forms a pupil intensity distribution on the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4 based on the light beam that has passed through the spatial light modulator 2. It is composed.

  Next, the configuration and operation of the spatial light modulator 2 will be specifically described. As shown in FIG. 3, the spatial light modulator 2 includes a plurality of mirror elements 2a arranged in a predetermined plane, a base 2b holding the plurality of mirror elements 2a, and a cable (not shown) connected to the base 2b. ) Through which the plurality of mirror elements 2a are individually controlled and driven. FIG. 3 shows an optical path from the spatial light modulator 2 to the incident surface 4 a of the micro fly's eye lens 4.

  In the spatial light modulator 2, the attitude of the plurality of mirror elements 2a is changed by the action of the drive unit 2c that operates based on a command from the control system CR, and each mirror element 2a is set in a predetermined direction. . As shown in FIG. 4, the spatial light modulator 2 includes a plurality of minute mirror elements 2 a that are two-dimensionally arranged, and the spatial modulation according to the incident position of the incident light can be varied. Is applied and injected. For ease of explanation and illustration, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 show a configuration example in which the spatial light modulator 2 includes 4 × 4 = 16 mirror elements 2a. The number of mirror elements 2a is typically large, typically about 4000 to 100,000.

  Referring to FIG. 3, among the light beams incident on the spatial light modulator 2, the light beam L1 is incident on the mirror element SEa of the plurality of mirror elements 2a, and the light beam L2 is incident on the mirror element SEb different from the mirror element SEa. To do. Similarly, the light beam L3 is incident on a mirror element SEc different from the mirror elements SEa and SEb, and the light beam L4 is incident on a mirror element SEd different from the mirror elements SEa to SEc. The mirror elements SEa to SEd give spatial modulations set according to their positions to the lights L1 to L4.

  In the spatial light modulator 2, in a reference state in which the reflecting surfaces of all the mirror elements 2a are set along one plane, a light beam incident along a direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the transmission optical system 1 After being reflected by the light modulator 2, the light travels in a direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the relay lens 3. Further, as described above, the array surface of the plurality of mirror elements 2 a of the spatial light modulator 2 and the incident surface 4 a of the micro fly's eye lens 4 are optically positioned in a Fourier transform relationship via the relay lens 3. ing.

  Therefore, light reflected by the plurality of mirror elements SEa to SEd of the spatial light modulator 2 and given a predetermined angular distribution forms predetermined light intensity distributions SP1 to SP4 on the incident surface 4a of the micro fly's eye lens 4. To do. That is, the relay lens 3 determines the angle that the plurality of mirror elements SEa to SEd of the spatial light modulator 2 gives to the emitted light on the incident surface 4 a that is the far field (Fraunhofer diffraction region) of the spatial light modulator 2. Convert to position. Thus, the light intensity distribution (pupil intensity distribution) of the secondary light source formed by the micro fly's eye lens 4 is the light intensity distribution formed on the incident surface 4 a of the micro fly's eye lens 4 by the spatial light modulator 2 and the relay lens 3. Corresponding distribution.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the spatial light modulator 2 is a large number of minute reflecting elements regularly and two-dimensionally arranged along one plane with a planar reflecting surface as an upper surface. A movable multi-mirror including a mirror element 2a. Each mirror element 2a is movable, and the inclination of the reflection surface, that is, the inclination angle and the inclination direction of the reflection surface are independently controlled by the action of the drive unit 2c that operates based on the control signal from the control system CR. Each mirror element 2a can be rotated continuously or discretely by a desired rotation angle with two directions parallel to the reflecting surface and orthogonal to each other as rotation axes. That is, it is possible to two-dimensionally control the inclination of the reflecting surface of each mirror element 2a.

  When the reflection surface of each mirror element 2a is discretely rotated, the rotation angle is set in a plurality of states (for example,..., -2.5 degrees, -2.0 degrees, ... 0 degrees, +0.5 degrees). ... +2.5 degrees,. Although FIG. 4 shows a mirror element 2a having a square outer shape, the outer shape of the mirror element 2a is not limited to a square. However, from the viewpoint of light utilization efficiency, the shape can be arranged so that the gap between the mirror elements 2a is reduced (a shape that can be packed most closely). Further, from the viewpoint of light utilization efficiency, the interval between two adjacent mirror elements 2a can be minimized.

  In the present embodiment, as the spatial light modulator 2, for example, a spatial light modulator that continuously changes the directions of a plurality of mirror elements 2a arranged two-dimensionally is used. As such a spatial light modulator, for example, European Patent Publication No. 779530, US Pat. No. 5,867,302, US Pat. No. 6,480,320, US Pat. No. 6,600,591 U.S. Patent No. 6,733,144, U.S. Patent No. 6,900,915, U.S. Patent No. 7,095,546, U.S. Patent No. 7,295,726, U.S. Patent No. 7, No. 424,330, U.S. Pat. No. 7,567,375, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0309901, U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2011/0181852, and U.S. Pat. Publication No. 2011/188017. A spatial light modulator can be used. Note that the orientations of the plurality of mirror elements 2a arranged two-dimensionally may be controlled so as to have a plurality of discrete stages.

  In the spatial light modulator 2, the attitude of the plurality of mirror elements 2a is changed by the action of the drive unit 2c that operates according to the control signal from the control system CR, and each mirror element 2a is set in a predetermined direction. The The light reflected at a predetermined angle by each of the plurality of mirror elements 2a of the spatial light modulator 2 is applied to the incident surface 4a of the micro fly's eye lens 4 (to the illumination pupil) by the optical Fourier transform action by the relay lens 3. As a result, a desired pupil intensity distribution is formed on the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4.

  Further, the position of another illumination pupil optically conjugate with the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4, that is, the pupil position of the imaging optical system 7 and the pupil position of the projection optical system PL (the aperture stop AS is disposed). The desired pupil intensity distribution is also formed at the (position). Thus, the spatial light modulator 2 variably forms a pupil intensity distribution on the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4. The relay lens 3 converts the angular distribution of the emitted light beam from the spatial light modulator 2 into a position distribution in the cross section of the emitted light beam from the distribution forming optical system.

  In this embodiment, the measurement result of the light intensity distribution on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2 is supplied to the control unit CR from the intensity distribution monitor 15c of the beam monitor 15 as necessary. In this case, the controller CR refers to the measurement result regarding the light intensity distribution of the intensity distribution monitor 15c as needed, and appropriately controls the spatial light modulator 2 according to the temporal variation of the beam profile of the light supplied from the light source LS. By doing so, a desired pupil intensity distribution is stably formed.

  Further, the controller CR finely adjusts the position fluctuation of the light beam incident on the working surface of the spatial light modulator 2 with reference to the output of the position monitor 15a, and refers to the output of the angle monitor 15b. The angle variation of the light beam incident on the working surface of the light modulator 2 is finely adjusted by the angle adjusting member. As the position adjusting member and the angle adjusting member, for example, a pair of electric tilt mirrors (not shown) disposed in the optical path between the front lens group 13a of the relay optical system 13 and the beam splitter 14 can be used.

  The exposure apparatus main body EX, that is, the part from the spatial light modulator 2 to the wafer stage WS is a considerably large apparatus as a whole, and the floor area required for installation is large. An ArF excimer laser light source (or KrF excimer laser light source) used as a light source LS for supplying exposure light (illumination light) to the exposure apparatus is also a considerably large apparatus. Therefore, in an exposure apparatus using an excimer laser light source, the light source LS is often arranged at a certain distance from the exposure apparatus main body (EX; 2 to WS).

  As an example, an exposure apparatus body (EX; 2 to WS) is installed on the upper floor where the light source LS is installed, and light emitted from the light output port of the light source LS is exposed via the transmission optical system 1. In some cases, the spatial light modulator 2 may be guided to the arrangement surface (working surface) of the spatial light modulator 2 arranged at the light inlet of the apparatus main body (EX; That is, the optical path from the light output port of the light source LS to the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2 is relatively long.

  In the transmission optical system 1 of the present embodiment, a plurality of partial light beams that have been wavefront-divided by the optical integrator 12 are superimposed on the array surface (working surface) of the spatial light modulator 2 via the relay optical system 13. Therefore, light having a non-uniform beam profile emitted from the light source LS becomes light with improved uniformity of intensity distribution due to the action of the optical integrator 12 and is incident on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. That is, due to the smoothing action of the optical integrator 12, the light intensity distribution of the light beam incident on each mirror element 2a of the spatial light modulator 2 is made uniform, and the light intensity distribution of the light beam emitted from each mirror element 2a is also uniform. It becomes.

  Here, when the intensity distribution in the light beam cross section of the light beam reaching the array surface of the spatial light modulator 2 is more uniform than the intensity distribution in the light beam cross section of the light beam incident on the optical integrator 12, the uniformity is almost uniform in the array surface. It can be regarded as an intensity distribution. In addition, as an evaluation scale of uniformity, PV value (peak to valley value: difference between maximum value and minimum value), RMS (root mean square), standard deviation, Alternatively, contrast (Imax−Imin) / (Imax + Imin) or Imax / Imin, where Imax is the maximum intensity and Imin is the minimum intensity) can be used.

  However, if a plurality of partial light beams that have been wavefront-divided through the optical integrator 12 are superimposed on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2, the spatial coherency of the light source is relatively high on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. Interference fringes may occur. Since the interference fringe distribution reacts sensitively to changes in the output distribution of the light source LS, it has an adverse effect on the uniformity of the light intensity distribution of the light flux on the array surface of the spatial light modulator 2, and thus stabilizes the desired pupil intensity distribution. Difficult to form.

  As described above, the plurality of partial light beams that have passed through the plurality of wavefront splitting elements of the optical integrator 12 are superimposed on the array surface of the spatial light modulator 2. For this reason, the partial light flux that has passed through the two wavefront splitting elements adjacent to each other forms an interference fringe on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. However, since the spatial light coherency is not so high in the light source LS such as the excimer laser light source, the partial light flux that has passed through the two wavefront splitting elements that are separated from each other almost forms interference fringes on the array surface of the spatial light modulator 2. (Ie, only interference fringes with low contrast are formed).

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the YZ plane of the optical integrator disposed in the optical path of the transmission optical system. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the optical integrator along the XZ plane. FIG. 7 is a view of the incident-side surface of the first optical member constituting the optical integrator as viewed from the light source side along the optical axis. FIG. 8 is a view of the incident side surface of the second optical member constituting the optical integrator as viewed from the light source side along the optical axis.

  FIG. 9 is a view of the exit surface of the third optical member constituting the optical integrator as viewed from the spatial light modulator side along the optical axis. Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the optical integrator 12 includes a first optical member 121, a second optical member 122, and a third optical member 123 in order from the light incident side (light source LS side). . The optical members 121 to 123 have a form of a plane-parallel plate as a whole, and are arranged at intervals along the optical axis AX.

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, the first optical member 121 includes an incident-side surface 121 a in which a plurality of cylindrical unit optical surfaces 121 aa are arranged in the Y direction, and an optical axis. A planar emission surface 121b orthogonal to AX (Z direction). Specifically, the optical surface 121aa is a cylindrical surface with a convex surface facing the light incident side, and has a curvature in the YZ plane, but has no curvature in the XZ plane. In other words, the optical surface 121aa has a positive refractive power in the Y direction but does not have a refractive power in the X direction. A boundary line between two optical surfaces 121aa adjacent to each other along the Y direction extends linearly along the X direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 8, the second optical member 122 includes an incident-side surface 122 a in which a plurality of cylindrical optical unit surfaces 122 aa are arranged in the X direction, and an optical axis. A planar exit surface 122b orthogonal to AX. Specifically, the optical surface 122aa has a cylindrical shape with a convex surface facing the light incident side, and has a curvature in the XZ plane, but has no curvature in the YZ plane. In other words, the optical surface 122aa has a positive refractive power in the X direction, but does not have a refractive power in the Y direction. The boundary line between two optical surfaces 122aa adjacent to each other along the X direction extends linearly along the Y direction.

  As shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 9, the third optical member 123 includes a planar incident side surface 123 a orthogonal to the optical axis AX and a plurality of toric surface unit optical surfaces 123 ba that are X And an exit surface 123b arranged adjacently in the vertical and horizontal directions along the direction and the Y direction. Specifically, the optical surface 123ba has a toric surface shape with a convex surface facing the light emission side (spatial light modulator 2 side), and the curvature in the YZ plane and the curvature in the XZ plane are different from each other. In other words, the refractive power in the Y direction of the optical surface 123ba (that is, the refractive power in the YZ plane) is different from the refractive power in the X direction (that is, the refractive power in the XZ plane).

  As shown in FIG. 9, the optical surface 123ba has a rectangular outer shape defined by one side along the X direction and one side along the Y direction. The optical integrator 12 is a boundary extending linearly along the X direction of the plurality of optical surfaces 121aa when viewed along the direction of the optical axis AX (Z direction), as indicated by a broken line in FIGS. And the boundary lines extending linearly along the X direction of the plurality of optical surfaces 123ba overlap with each other, and the boundary lines extending linearly along the Y direction of the plurality of optical surfaces 122aa and Y of the plurality of optical surfaces 123ba A boundary line extending linearly along the direction is configured to overlap each other.

  That is, in the optical integrator 12, a rectangular parallelepiped portion that linearly extends to the corresponding optical surface 121aa along the Z direction toward the light source LS with one optical surface 123ba as an emission surface constitutes a unitary wavefront dividing element. ing. Therefore, each wavefront splitting element constituting the optical integrator 12 has a rectangular cross section defined by one side along the X direction and one side along the Y direction. 5 to 9, the number of wavefront dividing elements constituting the optical integrator is shown to be smaller than the actual number for the sake of clarity.

  Thus, in this embodiment, each wavefront splitting element constituting the optical integrator 12 includes a cylindrical optical surface 121aa having positive refractive power in the Y direction, and a rear side (spatial light modulation) of the optical surface 121aa. A cylindrical optical surface 122aa having a positive refractive power with respect to the X direction and spaced apart on the rear side of the optical surface 122aa and being positive with respect to the Y direction. And an optical surface 123ba having a refractive power and a positive refractive power in the X direction.

  In the present embodiment, the focal length in the Y direction of the optical integrator 12 (that is, the focal length in the YZ plane) is larger than the focal length in the X direction (that is, the focal length in the XZ plane). Here, the focal length in the Y direction of the optical integrator 12 is the positive refractive power in the Y direction of the optical surface 121aa, the positive refractive power in the Y direction of the optical surface 123ba, and the light of the optical surfaces 121aa and 123ba. Depending on the spacing along the axis AX. On the other hand, the focal length in the X direction of the optical integrator 12 is the positive refractive power in the X direction of the optical surface 122aa, the positive refractive power in the X direction of the optical surface 123ba, and the optical axes of the optical surfaces 122aa and 123ba. Depends on the spacing along AX.

  In the optical integrator 12 of the present embodiment, the optical surface 121aa and the optical surface 122aa are arranged at different positions along the optical axis AX, and the refractive power in the Y direction and the refractive power in the X direction of the optical surface 123ba are different from each other. The distance between the optical surface 121aa and the optical surface 123ba and the distance between the optical surface 122aa and the optical surface 123ba are different from each other. As a result, the focal length in the Y direction is larger than the focal length in the X direction without greatly separating the rear focal position in the Y direction and the rear focal position in the X direction of the optical integrator 12 along the optical axis AX direction. It is easy to design the optical integrator 12 so as to increase by a required amount.

  Further, in the optical integrator 12 of the present embodiment, the rear focal position in the Y direction and the rear focal position in the X direction are behind the optical surface 123ba constituting the exit surface of the third optical member 123 (spatial light It is located on the modulator 2 side). The rear focal position in the Y direction of the optical integrator 12 is at the rear focal position in the X direction, or is located behind the rear focal position in the X direction. With this configuration, damage due to the irradiation energy of the third optical member 123 can be avoided. On the other hand, the front focal position in the Y direction of the optical integrator 12 is at the position of the optical surface 121aa constituting the incident side surface of the first optical member 121, and the front focal position in the X direction is at the incident side of the second optical member 122. At the position of the optical surface 122aa constituting the surface.

  Hereinafter, prior to the description of the specific operation of the optical integrator 12 of the present embodiment, inconveniences in the comparative example according to the normal design will be described. In a normal design, since the array plane of the spatial light modulator 2 is inclined in the YZ plane, a light beam having a rectangular cross section elongated in the X direction is incident on the spatial light modulator 2. Corresponding to this, as shown in FIG. 10, the optical integrator 101 is formed by arranging a plurality of wavefront splitting elements 101a having a rectangular cross section elongated along the X direction in parallel along the X direction and the Y direction. Is configured.

  That is, the outer shape of the cross section of the light beam to be incident on the spatial light modulator 2 and the outer shape of the cross section of each wavefront splitting element 101a constituting the optical integrator 101 for smoothing the light beam incident on the spatial light modulator 2 Is similar. For example, in a configuration using an excimer laser light source, in the light beam incident on the optical integrator 101, the spatial coherency in the Y direction which is the short side direction of the rectangular wavefront splitting element 101a is longer than the long side of the wavefront splitting element 101a. Greater than the spatial coherency for the X direction, which is the direction.

  In this case, since the Y direction pitch in the plurality of wavefront dividing elements 101a is smaller than the X direction pitch and the spatial coherency in the Y direction is larger than the spatial coherency in the X direction, they are adjacent to each other along the Y direction. The partial light beams that have passed through the two matching wavefront splitting elements 101a are likely to form interference fringes on the arrangement surface of the spatial light modulator 2. Therefore, in order to reduce the formation of interference fringes by partial light beams that have passed through two wavefront division elements adjacent to each other along the Y direction (to reduce the contrast of the interference fringes), a wavefront division element 101a is provided as shown in FIG. A method of configuring the optical integrator 102 by arranging the wavefront splitting elements 102a having an outer shape obtained by enlarging in a similar manner in parallel along the X direction and the Y direction can be considered.

  In the method shown in FIG. 11, the formation of interference fringes due to partial light fluxes that have passed through two wavefront splitting elements adjacent to each other along the Y direction can be reduced, and a light flux having a desired rectangular cross section elongated in the X direction. The light can enter the spatial light modulator 2. However, the smoothing effect is reduced by the reduction in the number of wavefront splitting elements 102a constituting the optical integrator 102, and the light intensity distribution of the light beam incident on each mirror element 2a of the spatial light modulator 2 is made uniform. Becomes difficult.

  In the optical integrator 12 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, the wavefront splitting element 12a having an outer shape obtained by enlarging the wavefront splitting element 101a only in the Y direction having high spatial coherency is provided along the X direction and the Y direction. Are arranged adjacent to each other in parallel. In other words, the outer shape of the cross section of each wavefront splitting element 12 a constituting the optical integrator 12 is not similar to the outer shape of the cross section of the light beam to be incident on the spatial light modulator 2.

  In the optical integrator 12, the pitch of the wavefront splitting elements 12 a along the Y direction with high spatial coherency is expanded, so that interference fringes are formed by partial light beams that have passed through two wavefront splitting elements adjacent to each other along the Y direction. Can be reduced. Moreover, as apparent from a comparison between FIG. 10 and FIG. 12, the pitch of the wavefront dividing elements 12a is increased only in the Y direction, which is easy to ensure, not in the X direction, where it is difficult to secure a large number of wavefront dividing elements arranged in a row. Therefore, the smoothing effect is not substantially impaired.

  However, if the focal length in the Y direction and the focal length in the X direction of the optical integrator 12 are set to be equal to each other according to a normal design, a light beam having a desired rectangular cross section elongated in the X direction is incident on the spatial light modulator 2. I can't let you. In the optical integrator 12 of the present embodiment, the light beam having a desired rectangular cross section elongated in the X direction is configured so that the focal length in the Y direction is larger than the focal length in the X direction by a required amount as described above. Is allowed to enter the spatial light modulator 2.

Incidentally, the dimension along the X direction and the dimension along the Y direction of the rectangular wavefront splitting element 12a are defined as Ex and Ey (see FIG. 12), and the focal length of the optical integrator 12 in the X direction and the focal length in the Y direction. Is Fox and Foy, the focal length of the relay optical system 13 is Fr, and the dimension along the X direction and the dimension along the Y direction of the rectangular cross section of the incident light beam to the spatial light modulator 2 are Sx and Sy. Therefore, the relationship shown in the following equations (1) and (2) is established.
Sx = Ex × (Fr / Fox) (1)
Sy = Ey × (Fr / Foy) (2)

  As described above, the optical integrator 12 according to the present embodiment is arranged so that a light beam having a larger spatial coherency in the Y direction than the spatial coherency in the X direction is incident, and the focal length in the Y direction is X direction. Is set larger than the focal length. As a result, it is possible to reduce the formation of interference fringes due to partial light fluxes passing through two wavefront splitting elements adjacent to each other along the Y direction without substantially impairing the smoothing effect, and to obtain a desired rectangular cross section elongated in the X direction. And making the spatial light modulator 2 incident on the spatial light modulator 2.

  Thus, in the transmission optical system 1 of the present embodiment, the optical integrator 12 makes the light intensity distribution of the light beam incident on each mirror element 2a of the spatial light modulator 2 uniform, and two adjacent wavefront splitting elements 12a. The formation of interference fringes due to the partial light flux that has passed through can be reduced, and as a result, even when the output distribution of the light source LS changes, the light flux having a substantially uniform intensity distribution can be stably guided to the working surface of the spatial light modulator 2. Can do. As a result, the controllability of the spatial light modulator 2 to drive a large number of mirror elements 2a when forming the pupil intensity distribution is improved.

  In the illumination optical system (1-7) of the present embodiment, the transmission optical system 1 that stably guides a light beam having a substantially uniform intensity distribution to the working surface of the spatial light modulator 2 even if the output distribution of the light source LS changes. , A desired pupil intensity distribution can be stably formed on the illumination pupil immediately after the micro fly's eye lens 4. In the exposure apparatus (1 to WS) of the present embodiment, the illumination optical system (1 to 7) that stably forms a desired pupil intensity distribution is realized according to the pattern characteristics of the mask M to be transferred. The fine pattern can be accurately transferred onto the wafer W under appropriate illumination conditions.

  In the above description, the transmission optical system 1 uses the optical integrator 12 having the specific configuration shown in FIGS. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made to the specific configuration of the optical integrator disposed in the transmission optical system. As an example, a plurality of cylindrical optical surfaces 121aa are arranged in the Y direction on the incident-side surface 121a of the first optical member 121. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the first optical member 121 A plurality of cylindrical optical surfaces may be arranged on the exit surface.

  The optical surface 121aa has a cylindrical shape with a convex surface facing the light incident side, and has a curvature in the YZ plane, but has no curvature in the XZ plane. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cylindrical optical surface disposed on the incident side surface or the exit surface of the first optical member may have a small refractive power in the X direction.

  A plurality of cylindrical optical surfaces 122aa are arranged in the X direction on the incident surface 122a of the second optical member 122. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of cylindrical optical surfaces may be disposed on the exit surface of the second optical member. The optical surface 122aa is cylindrical with a convex surface facing the light incident side, and has a curvature in the XZ plane, but has no curvature in the YZ plane. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cylindrical optical surface disposed on the incident side surface or the exit surface of the second optical member may have a small refractive power in the Y direction.

  In addition, a plurality of toric surface-like optical surfaces 123ba are adjacently arranged vertically and horizontally along the X direction and the Y direction on the exit surface 123b of the third optical member 123. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a plurality of toric surface-like optical surfaces may be arranged on the incident side surface of the third optical member. The optical surface 123ba is a toric surface with a convex surface facing the light exit side, and the refractive power in the Y direction and the refractive power in the X direction of the optical surface 123ba are different from each other. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the refractive power in the Y direction and the refractive power in the X direction of unit optical surfaces arranged on the incident side surface or the exit surface of the third optical member may be the same.

  What is important in the present invention is that each wavefront splitting element constituting the optical integrator is spaced apart from the cylindrical first optical surface having a positive refractive power in the first direction and the rear side of the first optical surface. A second optical surface having a cylindrical surface having a positive refractive power with respect to a second direction that is spaced apart and intersects the first direction, and a first direction that is spaced apart from the second optical surface at a rear side. And a third optical surface having a positive refractive power with respect to the second direction and having a positive refractive power with respect to the second direction, and the focal length in the first direction of the optical integrator is greater than the focal length in the second direction. . Alternatively, the optical integrator is arranged so that the light beam having a larger spatial coherency in the first direction than the spatial coherency in the second direction is incident, and the focal length in the first direction of the optical integrator is the focal length in the second direction. Is bigger than that.

  In the above-described embodiment, as the spatial light modulator having a plurality of mirror elements that are two-dimensionally arranged and individually controlled, the directions (angle: inclination) of the plurality of two-dimensionally arranged reflecting surfaces are individually set. The controllable spatial light modulator 2 is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a spatial light modulator that can individually control the height (position) of a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged reflecting surfaces can be used. As such a spatial light modulator, for example, the spatial light modulator disclosed in FIG. 1d of US Pat. No. 5,312,513 and US Pat. No. 6,885,493 can be used. In these spatial light modulators, by forming a two-dimensional height distribution, an action similar to that of the diffractive surface can be given to incident light. The spatial light modulator having a plurality of reflection surfaces arranged two-dimensionally as described above is modified in accordance with the disclosure of, for example, US Pat. No. 6,891,655 and US Patent Publication No. 2005/0095749. May be.

  In the above-described embodiment, as an optical member having a working surface that imparts an angular distribution to incident light in order to form a pupil intensity distribution in the illumination pupil of the illumination optical system (1 to 7), two-dimensionally within the working surface. A reflective spatial light modulator 2 having a plurality of mirror elements 2a arranged is used. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a transmission-type spatial light modulator having a plurality of transmission optical elements arranged in a predetermined plane and individually controlled, and a diffractive optical element having a diffractive optical surface (working surface) Etc. can also be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, a variable pattern forming apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern based on predetermined electronic data can be used instead of a mask. As the variable pattern forming apparatus, for example, a spatial light modulation element including a plurality of reflection elements driven based on predetermined electronic data can be used. An exposure apparatus using a spatial light modulator is disclosed, for example, in US Patent Publication No. 2007/0296936. In addition to the non-light-emitting reflective spatial light modulator as described above, a transmissive spatial light modulator may be used, or a self-luminous image display element may be used.

  The exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment is manufactured by assembling various subsystems including the respective constituent elements recited in the claims of the present application so as to maintain predetermined mechanical accuracy, electrical accuracy, and optical accuracy. Is done. In order to ensure these various accuracies, before and after assembly, various optical systems are adjusted to achieve optical accuracy, various mechanical systems are adjusted to achieve mechanical accuracy, and various electrical systems are Adjustments are made to achieve electrical accuracy. The assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus includes mechanical connection, electrical circuit wiring connection, pneumatic circuit piping connection and the like between the various subsystems. Needless to say, there is an assembly process for each subsystem before the assembly process from the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus. When the assembly process of the various subsystems to the exposure apparatus is completed, comprehensive adjustment is performed to ensure various accuracies as the entire exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus may be manufactured in a clean room where the temperature, cleanliness, etc. are controlled.

  Next, a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus according to the above-described embodiment will be described. FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a semiconductor device manufacturing process. As shown in FIG. 13, in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a metal film is vapor-deposited on a wafer W to be a semiconductor device substrate (step S40), and a photoresist, which is a photosensitive material, is applied on the vapor-deposited metal film. (Step S42). Subsequently, using the projection exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, the pattern formed on the mask (reticle) M is transferred to each shot area on the wafer W (step S44: exposure process), and the wafer W after the transfer is completed. Development, that is, development of the photoresist to which the pattern has been transferred (step S46: development process).

  Thereafter, using the resist pattern generated on the surface of the wafer W in step S46 as a mask, processing such as etching is performed on the surface of the wafer W (step S48: processing step). Here, the resist pattern is a photoresist layer in which unevenness having a shape corresponding to the pattern transferred by the projection exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment is generated, and the recess penetrates the photoresist layer. It is. In step S48, the surface of the wafer W is processed through this resist pattern. The processing performed in step S48 includes, for example, at least one of etching of the surface of the wafer W or film formation of a metal film or the like. In step S44, the projection exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment performs pattern transfer using the wafer W coated with the photoresist as a photosensitive substrate.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device such as a liquid crystal display element. As shown in FIG. 14, in the liquid crystal device manufacturing process, a pattern formation process (step S50), a color filter formation process (step S52), a cell assembly process (step S54), and a module assembly process (step S56) are sequentially performed. In the pattern forming process of step S50, a predetermined pattern such as a circuit pattern and an electrode pattern is formed on the glass substrate coated with a photoresist as the plate P using the projection exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment. The pattern forming step includes an exposure step of transferring the pattern to the photoresist layer using the projection exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and development of the plate P on which the pattern is transferred, that is, development of the photoresist layer on the glass substrate. And a developing step for generating a photoresist layer having a shape corresponding to the pattern, and a processing step for processing the surface of the glass substrate through the developed photoresist layer.

  In the color filter forming process in step S52, a large number of sets of three dots corresponding to R (Red), G (Green), and B (Blue) are arranged in a matrix or three R, G, and B A color filter is formed by arranging a plurality of stripe filter sets in the horizontal scanning direction. In the cell assembly process in step S54, a liquid crystal panel (liquid crystal cell) is assembled using the glass substrate on which the predetermined pattern is formed in step S50 and the color filter formed in step S52. Specifically, for example, a liquid crystal panel is formed by injecting liquid crystal between a glass substrate and a color filter. In the module assembling process in step S56, various components such as an electric circuit and a backlight for performing the display operation of the liquid crystal panel are attached to the liquid crystal panel assembled in step S54.

  In addition, the present invention is not limited to application to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor device, for example, an exposure apparatus for a display device such as a liquid crystal display element formed on a square glass plate or a plasma display, It can also be widely applied to an exposure apparatus for manufacturing various devices such as an image sensor (CCD or the like), a micromachine, a thin film magnetic head, and a DNA chip. Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to an exposure process (exposure apparatus) when manufacturing a mask (photomask, reticle, etc.) on which mask patterns of various devices are formed using a photolithography process.

In the above-described embodiment, ArF excimer laser light (wavelength: 193 nm) or KrF excimer laser light (wavelength: 248 nm) is used as the exposure light. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other suitable pulse lasers are used. A light source, for example, an F ₂ laser light source that supplies laser light with a wavelength of 157 nm, a Kr ₂ laser light source that supplies laser light with a wavelength of 146 nm, an Ar ₂ laser light source that supplies laser light with a wavelength of 126 nm, or the like can be used. It is also possible to use a CW (Continuous Wave) light source such as an ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp that emits bright lines such as g-line (wavelength 436 nm) and i-line (wavelength 365 nm). A harmonic generator of a YAG laser or the like can also be used. In addition, as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 7,023,610, a single wavelength laser beam in an infrared region or a visible region oscillated from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser is used as vacuum ultraviolet light. For example, a harmonic that is amplified by a fiber amplifier doped with erbium (or both erbium and ytterbium) and wavelength-converted into ultraviolet light using a nonlinear optical crystal may be used.

  In the above-described embodiment, a so-called immersion method is applied in which the optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate is filled with a medium (typically liquid) having a refractive index larger than 1.1. You may do it. In this case, as a technique for filling the liquid in the optical path between the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate, a technique for locally filling the liquid as disclosed in International Publication No. WO99 / 49504, a special technique, A method of moving a stage holding a substrate to be exposed as disclosed in Kaihei 6-124873 in a liquid bath, or a predetermined stage on a stage as disclosed in JP-A-10-303114. A method of forming a liquid tank having a depth and holding the substrate therein can be employed. Here, the teachings of International Publication No. WO99 / 49504, JP-A-6-124873 and JP-A-10-303114 are incorporated by reference.

  In the above-described embodiment, a so-called polarization illumination method disclosed in US Publication Nos. 2006/0170901 and 2007/0146676 can be applied. Here, the teachings of US Patent Publication No. 2006/0170901 and US Patent Publication No. 2007/0146676 are incorporated by reference.

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the illumination optical system that illuminates the mask (or wafer) in the exposure apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an object other than the mask (or wafer) is used. The present invention can also be applied to a general illumination optical system that illuminates the irradiation surface.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Transmission optical system 12 Optical integrator 13 Relay optical system 14 Beam splitter 15 Beam monitor 2 Spatial light modulator 3 Relay lens 4 Micro fly eye lens 5 Condenser optical system 6 Mask blind 7 Imaging optical system LS Light source DTr, DTw Pupil intensity distribution Measuring unit CR Control system M Mask MS Mask stage PL Projection optical system W Wafer WS Wafer stage

Claims (1)

In an optical integrator with multiple wavefront splitting elements arranged in parallel,
Each wavefront splitting element is
A cylindrical first optical surface having a positive refractive power with respect to a first direction in a plane orthogonal to the optical axis of the optical integrator;
A cylindrical second optical surface that is disposed behind the first optical surface at an interval and has a positive refractive power in a second direction intersecting the first direction in the plane;
A third optical surface that is disposed behind the second optical surface at a distance and has a positive refractive power in the first direction and a positive refractive power in the second direction;
Have
The optical integrator according to claim 1, wherein a focal length in the first direction of the optical integrator is larger than a focal length in the second direction.

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