JP2020021078A - Pattern drawing device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an exposure apparatus.SOLUTION: A pattern drawing device includes: a substrate conveying mechanism; a plurality of drawing units arranged to respectively correspond to a plurality of regions segmented on the substrate in a direction orthogonal to the moving direction of the substrate, and projecting a drawing beam with an intensity modulated based on a drawing data corresponding to the pattern to be drawn in each of the plurality of regions onto the plurality of regions; a laser light source device; a plurality of switching AOMs for deflecting, in an On state, a diffracted beam of the incident laser light toward the corresponding drawing unit; a timing measuring part for outputting a drawing enable signal so as to sequentially turn one of the plurality of switching AOMs into an On state; a drawing AOM for modulating the intensity of the laser light based on the drawing data so as to generate a drawing beam; and a control part for storing a plurality of drawing data and successively selecting a data to be drawn from the plurality of drawing data in response to the drawing enable signal so as to control the modulation operation of the drawing AOM.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 11

Description

  The present invention relates to a pattern drawing apparatus that exposes a pattern on an irradiation target.

  As disclosed in Patent Document 1 below, laser light from one laser oscillator is split into two by a half mirror, and the split laser light is made incident on each rotating polygon mirror, thereby forming a two-dimensional image on a copper plate. A laser irradiation device that scans two converging spots is known. When the technique described in Patent Literature 1 is applied to an exposure apparatus, each of a plurality of (two) divided laser beams (divided laser beams) is applied to an irradiation target using a plurality of (two) rotating polygon mirrors. It is necessary to modulate the intensity of each divided laser beam on the irradiation object according to the pattern to be scanned and drawn using, for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). In that case, one acousto-optic modulation element is provided for a laser beam scanning system including one rotating polygon mirror. However, when the intensity of the beam is modulated by the AOM in response to the pattern writing data during one beam scanning by the rotary polygon mirror, the beam scanning speed, that is, the rotation speed of the rotary polygon mirror, is modulated by the AOM modulation. (Deflection) It is determined depending on possible frequencies and the like.

JP-A-61-134724

  An aspect of the present invention is a pattern drawing apparatus that draws a pattern on a substrate by relatively scanning a drawing beam intensity-modulated based on the drawing data of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate, A transport mechanism that moves the substrate in a first direction, and a transfer mechanism that is arranged to correspond to each of a plurality of regions on the substrate that are partitioned in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A plurality of drawing units for projecting the drawing beam intensity-modulated based on the drawing data corresponding to the pattern to be drawn on each of the plurality of regions, and a laser for generating the drawing beam A light source device that outputs light, and the laser light that is provided in correspondence with each of the plurality of drawing units so as to pass the laser light from the light source device in order, and that is incident when in an On state A plurality of switching AOMs for deflecting the diffracted beam toward the corresponding writing unit, and one of the plurality of switching AOMs are sequentially turned on for a predetermined time Toa, and the remaining switching AOMs are turned on. A timing measurement unit that outputs a drawing enable signal for setting the state to an Off state, and a plurality of the switching AOMs, which are provided closer to the light source device than a first-stage switching AOM located on the light source device side; AOM for writing that modulates the intensity of the laser light based on data to generate the beam for writing, and a plurality of drawing data corresponding to each of the patterns drawn in each of the plurality of regions are stored, Enabling the data to be drawn during the time period Toa from each of the plurality of drawing data; And sequentially selected in accordance with the item, and a control unit that controls the modulation operation of the drawing AOM.

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a device manufacturing system including an exposure apparatus that performs an exposure process on a substrate according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a support frame that supports the drawing head and the rotating drum illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a drawing head. FIG. 4 is a detailed configuration diagram of a light introduction optical system shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a scanning line on which a scanning spot is scanned by each drawing unit shown in FIG. 3. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a polygon mirror of each drawing unit illustrated in FIG. 3 and a scanning direction of a scanning line. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a rotation angle of a polygon mirror capable of reflecting a laser beam so that a reflection surface of the polygon mirror illustrated in FIG. 3 is incident on an f-θ lens. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically illustrating an optical path between a light introduction optical system and a plurality of drawing units illustrated in FIG. 3. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a drawing head according to a modification of the first embodiment. It is a detailed block diagram of the light introduction optical system shown in FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a drawing head according to a second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a light introduction optical system illustrated in FIG. 11. FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating an optical path between a light introduction optical system and a plurality of drawing units illustrated in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a control circuit for rotating and driving each polygon mirror of the plurality of drawing units illustrated in FIG. 13. FIG. 15 is a timing chart illustrating an operation example of the control circuit illustrated in FIG. 14. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a circuit example for generating drawing bit string data supplied to the drawing optical element illustrated in FIGS. 11 to 13. It is a figure showing the composition of the light source device in the modification of a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a control unit for drawing control according to a third embodiment. FIG. 19 is a time chart illustrating a signal state of each part and a laser light oscillation state during pattern drawing in the control unit in FIG. 18. FIG. 18 is a time chart illustrating a clock signal for pulsed light oscillation generated by a control circuit of the light source device of FIG. 17. FIG. 21 is a time chart illustrating how the clock signal in FIG. 20 is corrected for drawing magnification correction. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining a method of correcting a drawing magnification in one scanning line (drawing line).

  A preferred embodiment of a pattern drawing apparatus according to aspects of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that aspects of the present invention are not limited to these embodiments, and include various modifications or improvements.

[First Embodiment]
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a device manufacturing system 10 including an exposure apparatus EX that performs an exposure process on a substrate (object to be irradiated) P according to the first embodiment. In the following description, an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system is set, and the X, Y, and Z directions will be described according to the arrows shown in the drawing.

  The device manufacturing system 10 is, for example, a system for manufacturing a flexible display as a device. Examples of the flexible display include an organic EL display and the like. The device manufacturing system 10 sends the substrate P from a supply roll (not shown) in which the flexible substrate P is wound in a roll shape, continuously performs various processes on the sent substrate P, and then performs the substrate after the various processes. It has a so-called roll-to-roll system in which P is wound up by a collecting roll (not shown). Therefore, the substrate P after various kinds of processing is a state in which a plurality of devices are connected, and is a substrate for multi-panning. The substrate P sent from the supply roll is sequentially subjected to various processes in the process device PR1, the exposure device EX, and the process device PR2, and is taken up by the collection roll. The substrate P has a band shape in which the moving direction of the substrate P is a longitudinal direction (long) and the width direction is a short direction (short).

  The X direction is a direction (transport direction) from the process device PR1 to the process device PR2 via the exposure device EX in the horizontal plane. The Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction in the horizontal plane, and is the width direction of the substrate P. The Z direction is a direction (upward direction) orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction.

  As the substrate P, for example, a resin film, a foil (foil) made of metal or alloy such as stainless steel, or the like is used. As the material of the resin film, for example, polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, and vinyl acetate resin Among them, one containing at least one or more may be used. Further, the thickness and rigidity (Young's modulus) of the substrate P may be in a range that does not cause folds or irreversible wrinkles due to buckling of the substrate P when passing through the transport path of the exposure apparatus EX. As a base material of the substrate P, a film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) having a thickness of about 25 μm to 200 μm is a typical example of a suitable sheet substrate.

  Since the substrate P may receive heat in each processing performed in the process apparatus PR1, the exposure apparatus EX, and the process apparatus PR2, it is preferable to select a substrate P of a material whose coefficient of thermal expansion is not significantly large. For example, a thermal expansion coefficient can be suppressed by mixing an inorganic filler with a resin film. The inorganic filler may be, for example, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina, silicon oxide, or the like. Further, the substrate P may be a single-layered body of ultra-thin glass having a thickness of about 100 μm manufactured by a float method or the like, or a laminated body in which the above-described resin film, foil, and the like are bonded to this ultra-thin glass. It may be.

  The process apparatus PR1 performs a pre-process on the substrate P to be exposed by the exposure apparatus EX. The process apparatus PR1 sends the substrate P on which the processing of the previous process has been performed to the exposure apparatus EX. The substrate P sent to the exposure apparatus EX is a substrate (photosensitive substrate) P on the surface of which a photosensitive functional layer (photosensitive layer) is formed by the processing in the preceding step.

  The photosensitive functional layer is applied as a solution on the substrate P and dried to form a layer (film). A typical example of the photosensitive functional layer is a photoresist, but a photosensitive silane coupling material (SAM) is used as a material that does not require development processing, in which the lyophilicity of a portion exposed to ultraviolet light is modified. Alternatively, there is a photosensitive reducing material or the like in which a plating reducing group is exposed in a portion irradiated with ultraviolet rays. When a photosensitive silane coupling material is used as the photosensitive functional layer, the pattern portion on the substrate P exposed to ultraviolet light is modified from lyophobic to lyophilic. Therefore, a pattern layer is formed by selectively applying a conductive ink (an ink containing conductive nanoparticles such as silver or copper) or a liquid containing a semiconductor material on the lyophilic portion. be able to. When a photosensitive reducing material is used as the photosensitive functional layer, the plating reducing group is exposed on the pattern portion of the substrate P exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore, after exposure, the substrate P is immediately immersed in a plating solution containing palladium ions or the like for a certain period of time, whereby a pattern layer of palladium is formed (deposited). Such a plating process is an additive process. However, when the etching process as a subtractive process is premised, the substrate P sent to the exposure apparatus EX uses a base material such as PET or the like. PEN may be used in which a metallic thin film such as aluminum (Al) or copper (Cu) is entirely or selectively deposited on the surface, and a photoresist layer is further laminated thereon.

  In the case of the present embodiment, the exposure apparatus EX as a pattern drawing apparatus is a direct-drawing type exposure apparatus that does not use a mask, that is, a so-called raster scan type exposure apparatus EX. Then, a pattern such as a display circuit or a wiring is drawn. As will be described later in detail, the exposure apparatus EX scans the spot light of the exposure laser beam (beam) LB on the substrate P in a predetermined scanning direction while transporting the substrate P in the X direction. The pattern is exposed on the surface (photosensitive surface) of the substrate P by modulating (on / off) the light intensity at high speed in accordance with the pattern data (drawing data and drawing information).

  The process device PR2 performs a post-process (for example, a plating process, a developing / etching process, and the like) on the substrate P exposed by the exposure device EX. A pattern layer of the device is formed on the substrate P by the processing in the subsequent process.

  The exposure apparatus EX includes a light source device (pulse light source device, pulse laser device) 12, a drawing head 14, a substrate transport mechanism 16, and a control unit 18. The light source device 12 emits pulsed laser light (pulse light) LB. This laser light LB is ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 370 mm or less, and the oscillation frequency of the laser light LB is Fs. The laser light LB emitted from the light source device 12 enters the drawing head 14. The drawing head 14 includes a plurality of drawing units U (U1 to U6) each to which the laser beam LB is incident. The drawing head 14 draws a predetermined pattern on a part of the substrate P transported by the substrate transport mechanism 16 using the plurality of rendering units U1 to U6. The drawing head 14 is a so-called multi-beam type drawing head 14 having a plurality of drawing units U1 to U6. The substrate transport mechanism 16 transports the substrate P transported from the process device PR1 to the process device PR2 at a predetermined speed. The control unit 18 controls each unit of the exposure apparatus EX and causes each unit to execute a process. The control unit 18 includes a computer and a storage medium storing a program, and functions as the control unit 18 according to the first embodiment when the computer executes the program stored in the storage medium. .

  The exposure apparatus EX is stored in a temperature control chamber ECV. The temperature control chamber ECV suppresses a change in shape due to the temperature of the substrate P transferred inside by keeping the inside at a predetermined temperature. The temperature control chamber ECV is arranged on the installation surface E of the manufacturing factory via passive or active vibration isolation units SU1 and SU2. The anti-vibration units SU1 and SU2 reduce vibration from the installation surface E. The installation surface E may be a surface on the installation base or a floor.

  The substrate transport mechanism 16 includes an edge position controller EPC, a drive roller R1, a tension adjustment roller RT1, a rotary drum (cylindrical drum) 20, a tension adjustment roller RT2, a drive roller R2, and a drive in order from the upstream side in the transport direction of the substrate P. It has a roller R3.

  The edge position controller EPC adjusts the position of the substrate P conveyed from the process device PR1 in the width direction (Y direction and the shorter direction of the substrate P). The drive roller R <b> 1 rotates while holding the front and back surfaces of the substrate P transported from the edge position controller EPC, and transports the substrate P toward the rotating drum 20. The rotating drum 20 supports a portion of the substrate P where a predetermined pattern is exposed, on a circumferential surface thereof. The rotating drum 20 conveys the substrate P in the X direction by rotating about a rotation axis AX extending in the Y direction. The rotation axis AX is provided with a rotation torque from a rotation drive source (not shown) (for example, a motor or a reduction mechanism). The rotation drive source is controlled by the control unit 18. For convenience, a plane extending in the Z direction passing through the rotation axis AX is referred to as a center plane c.

  The drive rollers R2 and R3 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the transport direction of the substrate P, and give the substrate P after exposure a predetermined slack (play). The drive rollers R2 and R3 rotate while holding both the front and back surfaces of the substrate P similarly to the drive roller R1, and transport the substrate P toward the process device PR2. The drive rollers R2 and R3 are provided on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the rotary drum 20, and the drive roller R2 is provided on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the drive roller R3. The tension adjusting rollers RT1 and RT2 apply a predetermined tension to the substrate P wound and supported on the rotating drum 20.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a support frame (device column) 30 that supports the drawing head 14 and the rotating drum 20. The support frame 30 has a main body frame 32, a three-point support part 34, and a drawing head support part 36. The support frame 30 is stored in the temperature control chamber ECV. The main body frame 32 rotatably supports the rotating drum 20, and tension adjusting rollers RT1 (not shown) and RT2. The three-point support part 34 is provided at the upper end of the main body frame 32 and supports the drawing head support part 36 provided above the rotary drum 20 at three points.

  The drawing head support section 36 supports the drawing head 14. The drawing head support unit 36 supports the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 in parallel on the downstream side (+ X side) in the transport direction with respect to the rotation axis AX of the rotary drum 20 and along the width direction of the substrate P. . Further, the drawing head support unit 36 parallels the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 on the upstream side (−X side) in the transport direction with respect to the rotation axis AX, and along the width direction (Y direction) of the substrate P. To support. Here, the drawing width (spot light scanning range) of one drawing unit in the Y direction is, for example, about 20 to 50 mm, so that three odd numbered drawing units U1, U3, and U5 are used. By arranging a total of six drawing units, that is, three even-numbered drawing units U2, U4, and U6, in the Y direction, the width in the Y direction that can be drawn is increased to about 120 to 300 mm.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of the drawing head 14. In the first embodiment, the exposure apparatus EX includes two light source devices 12 (12a and 12b). The drawing head 14 includes a plurality of drawing units U1 to U6, a light introducing optical system 40a for guiding the laser beam LB from the light source device 12a to the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5, and a laser beam LB from the light source device 12b. A light introducing optical system 40b for guiding the plurality of drawing units U2, U4, and U6.

  First, the light introducing optical system 40a will be described with reference to FIG. Since the light introducing optical systems 40a and 40b have the same configuration, the light introducing optical system 40a will be described here, and the description of the light introducing optical system 40b will be omitted.

  The light introducing optical system 40a includes a condenser lens 42, a collimator lens 44, a reflection mirror 46, a condenser lens 48, a unit selection optical element 50, a reflection mirror 52, a collimator lens 54, It has an optical lens 56, a unit selecting optical element 58, a reflecting mirror 60, a collimating lens 62, a condenser lens 64, a unit selecting optical element 66, a reflecting mirror 68, and an absorber 70.

  The condenser lens 42 and the collimator lens 44 enlarge the laser beam LB emitted from the light source device 12a. Specifically, first, the condenser lens 42 converges the laser light LB to a focal position on the rear side of the condenser lens 42, and the collimator lens 44 converts the laser light LB that is converged by the condenser lens 42 into a predetermined light. A parallel beam having a beam diameter (for example, several mm) is formed.

  The reflection mirror 46 reflects the laser light LB converted into parallel light by the collimator lens 44 and irradiates the laser light LB to the unit selection optical element 50. The condenser lens 48 condenses (converges) the laser beam LB incident on the unit selection optical element 50 so as to have a beam waist in the unit selection optical element 50. The unit selection optical element 50 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM: Acousto-Optic Modulator) is used. The AOM uses an ultrasonic wave (high-frequency signal) to diffract the incident laser light LB at a diffraction angle corresponding to the frequency of the high-frequency wave, thereby changing the optical path of the laser light LB, that is, the traveling direction. The AOM turns on and off the generation of the diffracted light obtained by diffracting the incident laser light LB in accordance with the on / off of the drive signal from the control unit 18 (on / off of the high-frequency signal).

  More specifically, the unit selection optical element 50 irradiates the incoming laser light LB to the next-stage unit selection optical element 58 when an off drive signal is sent from the control unit 18. On the other hand, when the ON drive signal is sent from the control unit 18, the unit selecting optical element 50 diffracts the incident laser light LB and irradiates the laser light LB to the reflection mirror 52. The reflection mirror 52 reflects the incident laser beam LB and irradiates the collimator lens 100 of the drawing unit U1. That is, when the control unit 18 switches (drives) the unit selection optical element 50 on and off, the unit selection optical element 50 switches whether or not the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U1.

  Between the unit selecting optical element 50 and the unit selecting optical element 58, the collimating lens 54 for returning the laser beam LB applied to the unit selecting optical element 58 to parallel light, and the collimating lens 54 converts the laser light LB into parallel light. A condensing lens 56 for condensing (converging) the laser light again in the unit selecting optical element 58 is provided in the above order.

  The unit selection optical element 58 has transparency to the laser beam LB similarly to the unit selection optical element 50, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. When the drive signal (high-frequency signal) sent from the control unit 18 is off, the unit selection optical element 58 transmits the incident laser beam LB as it is and irradiates the unit selection optical element 66 with the control unit 18. When the drive signal (high-frequency signal) sent from 18 is on, the incident laser light LB is diffracted and radiated to the reflection mirror 60. The reflecting mirror 60 reflects the incident laser beam LB and irradiates the collimating lens 100 of the drawing unit U3. That is, when the control unit 18 switches the unit selection optical element 58 on and off, the unit selection optical element 58 switches whether the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U3.

  Between the unit selecting optical element 58 and the unit selecting optical element 66, the collimating lens 62 for returning the laser beam LB applied to the unit selecting optical element 66 to parallel light, and the collimating lens 62 converts the laser light LB into parallel light. A condensing lens 64 for condensing (converging) the laser light again in the unit selecting optical element 66 is provided in the above order.

  Like the unit selection optical element 50, the unit selection optical element 66 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. When the drive signal (high-frequency signal) from the control unit 18 is off, the unit selection optical element 66 irradiates the incident laser beam LB toward the absorber 70, and outputs the drive signal (high-frequency signal) from the control unit 18. ) Is on, the incident laser light LB is diffracted and irradiated toward the reflection mirror 68. The reflection mirror 68 reflects the incident laser beam LB and irradiates the collimator lens 100 of the drawing unit U5. That is, when the control unit 18 switches the unit selection optical element 66 on and off, the unit selection optical element 66 switches whether or not the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U5. The absorber 70 is an optical trap that absorbs the laser light LB for suppressing the leakage of the laser light LB to the outside.

  The light introduction optical system 40b will be briefly described. The unit selection optical elements 50, 58, 66 of the light introduction optical system 40b determine whether or not the laser light LB is incident on the drawing units U2, U4, U6. Switch. In this case, the reflection mirrors 52, 60, and 68 of the light introducing optical system 40b reflect the laser light LB emitted from the unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66, and collimate lenses 100 of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6. Irradiation.

  Next, the plurality of drawing units U1 to U6 will be described with reference to FIG. Since the drawing units U1 to U6 have the same configuration, only the drawing unit U1 will be described here.

  The drawing unit U1 includes a collimator lens 100, a reflection mirror 102, a condenser lens 104, a drawing optical element 106, a collimator lens 108, a reflection mirror 110, a cylindrical lens 112, and a reflection mirror 114 after the reflection mirror 52 shown in FIG. , A polygon mirror (optical scanning member, deflection member) 116, an f-θ lens 118, a cylindrical lens 120, and a reflection mirror 122. The collimating lenses 100 and 108, the reflecting mirrors 102, 110, 114 and 122, the condenser lens 104, the cylindrical lenses 112 and 120, and the f-θ lens 118 constitute an optical lens system.

  The reflection mirror 102 reflects the laser beam LB incident from the collimator lens 100 in the −Z direction in FIG. 3 and enters the drawing optical element 106 as a drawing light modulator. The condensing lens 104 condenses (converges) the laser beam LB (parallel light beam) incident on the drawing optical element 106 so as to form a beam waist in the drawing optical element 106. The drawing optical element 106 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. The drawing optical element 106 irradiates the incident laser light LB to a shielding plate or an absorber (not shown) when the drive signal from the control unit 18 is in an off state, and when the drive signal from the control unit 18 is on, The incident laser beam LB is diffracted and radiated to the reflection mirror 110. The shielding plate and the absorber suppress the leakage of the laser beam LB to the outside.

  Between the reflection mirror 110 and the drawing optical element 106, a collimator lens 108 for converting the laser light LB incident on the reflection mirror 110 into parallel light is provided. The reflection mirror 110 irradiates the incident laser light LB to the reflection mirror 114, and the reflection mirror 114 irradiates the incident laser light LB to the polygon mirror 116. The polygon mirror (rotating polygon mirror) 116 has a rotating shaft 116a extending in the Z direction, and a plurality of reflecting surfaces 116b formed around the rotating shaft 116a. By rotating the polygon mirror 116 in a predetermined rotation direction about the rotation axis 116a, the reflection angle of the laser beam LB applied to the reflection surface 116b can be continuously changed. Thereby, the position of the spot light of the laser beam LB irradiated on the substrate P can be scanned in the scanning direction (the width direction of the substrate P, the Y direction). That is, the polygon mirror 116 deflects the incident laser light LB and scans the spot light along the scanning line (drawing line) L1 shown in FIG. The polygon mirror 116 is rotated at a constant speed by a rotation drive source (not shown) (for example, a motor or a reduction mechanism). This rotation drive source is controlled by the control unit 18.

  The cylindrical lens 112 provided between the reflection mirror 110 and the reflection mirror 114 causes the laser beam LB to be parallel to the XY plane on the reflection surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 in the Z direction (non-scanning direction) orthogonal to the scanning direction. Light is collected in a long elliptical shape extending in the direction. Even when the reflecting surface 116b is inclined with respect to the Z direction (Z axis) (when there is a surface tilt error), the influence of the cylindrical lens 112 can be suppressed by the cylindrical lens 112. The irradiation position of the spot light by the laser beam LB is suppressed from shifting in the transport direction (X direction) of the substrate P.

  The laser beam LB reflected by the polygon mirror 116 is applied to an f-θ lens 118 including a condenser lens. The angle of incidence on the f-θ lens 118 becomes θ according to the rotation angle (θ / 2) of the polygon mirror 116. lens 118 condenses the spot light of the laser beam LB at an image height position proportional to the incident angle θ. Assuming that the focal length is f and the image height position is y, the f-θ lens 118 has a relationship of y = fθ. Therefore, scanning at a constant speed can be easily performed by the f-θ lens 118.

  The laser light LB emitted from the f-θ lens 118 is applied as spot light on the substrate P via the reflection mirror 122. The cylindrical lens 120 provided between the f-θ lens 118 and the reflection mirror 122 turns the spot light of the laser beam LB condensed on the substrate P into a minute circle having a diameter of about several μm. The generatrix is parallel to the Y direction. Thus, a scanning line L1 (see FIG. 5) extending in the Y direction by a spot light (scanning spot) is defined on the substrate P. When there is no cylindrical lens 120, the spot light condensed on the substrate P by the action of the cylindrical lens 112 in front of the polygon mirror 116 becomes a long ellipse extending in a direction (X direction) orthogonal to the scanning direction (Y direction). It takes shape.

  As described above, while the substrate P is being conveyed in the X direction, the scanning spot of the laser beam LB is scanned in the scanning direction (Y direction) by each of the drawing units U1 to U6, so that a predetermined pattern is formed on the substrate P. Draw on top. The drawing units U1 to U6 are arranged on the drawing head support section 36 so as to scan different areas on the substrate P. When the size of the scanning spot on the substrate P in the scanning direction (the length of the scanning line) is Ds, and the scanning speed of the scanning spot on the substrate P is Vs, the oscillation frequency Fs of the laser beam LB is Fs It is necessary to satisfy the relationship of ≧ Vs / Ds. Since the laser light LB is a pulse light, if the oscillation frequency Fs does not satisfy the relationship of Fs ≧ Vs / Ds, the scanning spot of the laser light LB is irradiated onto the substrate P at a predetermined interval (gap). It is because. If the oscillation frequency Fs satisfies the relationship of Fs ≧ Vs / Ds, it is possible to irradiate the substrate P so that the scanning spots overlap each other in the scanning direction. A straight line pattern that is substantially continuous in the direction can be satisfactorily drawn on the substrate P.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram showing scan lines L (L1 to L6) on which scan spots are scanned by the drawing units U1 to U6. The plurality of scanning lines (drawing lines) L1 to L6 are arranged in two rows in the circumferential direction of the rotating drum 20 with the center plane c interposed therebetween. The scanning lines L1, L3, L5 are located on the substrate P on the downstream side in the transport direction with respect to the center plane c. The scanning lines L2, L4, L6 are located on the substrate P on the upstream side in the transport direction with respect to the center plane c. Each of the scanning lines L1 to L6 is substantially parallel to the width direction of the substrate P, that is, along the rotation axis AX of the rotary drum 20, and is shorter than the length of the substrate P in the width direction.

  The scanning lines L1, L3, L5 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction of the substrate P, and the scanning lines L2, L4, L6 are also arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction of the substrate P. It is arranged. At this time, the scanning line L2 is disposed between the scanning line L1 and the scanning line L3 in the width direction of the substrate P. Similarly, the scanning line L3 is arranged between the scanning line L2 and the scanning line L4 in the width direction of the substrate P. The scanning line L4 is arranged between the scanning line L3 and the scanning line L5 in the width direction of the substrate P. The scanning line L5 is arranged between the scanning line L4 and the scanning line L6 in the width direction of the substrate P. That is, the scanning lines L1 to L6 are arranged so as to cover the entire width of the exposure region W drawn on the substrate P in the width direction.

  The scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along each of the odd-numbered scanning lines L1, L3, and L5 is a one-dimensional direction, which is the same direction. The scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along each of the even-numbered scanning lines L2, L4, L6 is a one-dimensional direction, and is the same direction. The scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along the scanning lines L1, L3, L5 and the scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along the scanning lines L2, L4, L6 are opposite to each other. . Specifically, the scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along the scanning lines L2, L4, L6 is the + Y direction, and the scanning direction of the laser beam LB scanned along the scanning lines L1, L3, L5 (- (Y direction). This is because polygon mirrors rotating in the same direction are used as the polygon mirrors 116 of the drawing units U1 to U6. Thus, the drawing start positions of the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5 and the drawing start positions of the scan lines L2, L4, and L6 are adjacent to each other in the Y direction. The drawing end positions of the scanning lines L3 and L5 and the drawing end positions of the scanning lines L2 and L4 are adjacent to each other in the Y direction. Note that the scanning distance of the laser light LB (spot light) scanned along each of the scanning lines L1 to L6 is the same.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the polygon mirrors 116 of the drawing units U1 to U6 and the scanning directions of the scanning lines L1 to L6. In the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 and the plurality of drawing units U2, U4, and U6, the reflection mirror 114, the polygon mirror 116, and the f-θ lens 118 have a symmetric configuration with respect to the center plane c. I have. Therefore, by rotating the polygon mirror 116 of each of the drawing units U1 to U6 in the same direction (counterclockwise), each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 moves in the −Y direction from the drawing start position to the drawing end position. Then, each of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 scans the scanning spot of the laser beam LB in the + Y direction from the drawing start position to the drawing end position. By setting the rotation direction of the polygon mirror 116 of each of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 to be opposite to the rotation direction of the polygon mirror 116 of each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5, the laser of each of the drawing units U1 to U6 is changed. The scanning direction of the scanning spot of the light LB may be adjusted to the same direction (+ Y direction or -Y direction).

  Here, since the polygon mirror 116 is rotating, the angle of the reflection surface 116b also changes with time. Therefore, the rotation angle α of the polygon mirror 116 at which the laser light LB incident on the specific reflection surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 can be incident on the f-θ lens 118 is limited.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the rotation angle α of the polygon mirror 116 that can reflect the laser beam LB so that the reflection surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 enters the f-θ lens 118. The rotation angle β is from the angle of the polygon mirror 116 when the laser beam LB starts to enter the specific reflection surface 116b to the angle of the polygon mirror 116 when the incidence to the specific reflection surface 116b ends. The rotation angle is shown. The rotation angle β is defined as β ≒ 360 / N by the number N of the reflecting surfaces 116b of the polygon mirror 116. Therefore, the rotation angle range γ in which the laser light LB incident on the specific reflection surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 cannot enter the f-θ lens 118 is represented by the relational expression of γ = β−α. That is, in this rotation angle range γ, the laser beam LB cannot be irradiated onto the substrate P. The rotation angle α and the rotation angle range γ have the relationship of Expression (1).
γ = (360 degrees / N) −α (1)
(Where N is the number of reflection surfaces 116b of the polygon mirror 116)

In the first embodiment, since the polygon mirror 116 has eight reflecting surfaces 116b, N = 8. Therefore, Equation (1) can be represented by Equation (2).
γ = 45 degrees-α (2)

Further, the rotation angle α that is an effective drawing period and the rotation angle range γ that is a non-drawing period have a relational expression of Expression (3).
γ = (m−1) × α (3)
(Where m is the number of drawing units U on which laser light LB from one light source device 12 is incident)

In the first embodiment, since the laser beam LB from one light source device 12 is made incident on three drawing units U (U1, U3, U5, or U2, U4, U6), m is 3 Become. Therefore, equation (3) can be represented by equation (4).
γ = 2 × α (4)

  From Equation (2) and Equation (4), α = 15 degrees. That is, the rotation angle α of the polygon mirror 116 that can reflect the laser beam LB incident on the reflection surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 so as to be incident on the f-θ lens 118 is 15 degrees at the maximum. Therefore, when the rotation angle α is set to 15 degrees, the rotation angle range γ during the non-drawing period is 30 degrees (twice the rotation angle α), and the polygon is rotated while the polygon mirror 116 rotates by the rotation angle range γ. The laser light LB incident on the mirror 116 is wasted and inefficient. At this time, the scanning efficiency of drawing is 1/3.

  The rotation angle α, which is the effective drawing period, is a range in which the laser beam LB is incident on the f-θ lens 118 and the spot light can effectively scan on the scanning lines (L1 to L6). The rotation angle α also changes depending on the front focal length of the θ lens 118 and the like. When the rotation angle α, which is the effective drawing period, is 10 degrees with the same eight-plane polygon mirror 116 as described above, the rotation angle range γ, which is the non-drawing period, is 35 degrees from Expression (2). The efficiency is about 1/4 (10/45). Conversely, when the rotation angle α, which is the effective drawing period, is 20 degrees, the rotation angle range γ, which is the non-drawing period, is 25 degrees from Expression (2). 20/45). When the scanning efficiency is 以上 or more, the number of the drawing units U for distributing the laser light LB may be two. That is, the number of drawing units U to which the laser light LB can be distributed is limited by the scanning efficiency.

  Therefore, in the first embodiment, scanning is performed by switching the drawing unit U to which the laser light LB from one light source device 12 is incident and periodically distributing the laser light LB to the three drawing units U. Improve efficiency. That is, by shifting the drawing periods (scanning periods for scanning the scanning spots) of the three drawing units U, the scanning efficiency is improved without wasting the laser light LB from the light source device 12.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically illustrating an optical path between the light introducing optical system 40a and the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5. When an ON drive signal is sent from the control unit 18 to the unit selection optical element (AOM) 50 and an OFF drive signal is sent to the unit selection optical elements 58 and 66, the unit selection optical element 50 receives the incident laser. The light LB is diffracted. Thereby, the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U1 by the reflection mirror 52, and is not incident on the drawing units U3 and U5. Similarly, when an ON drive signal is sent from the control unit 18 to the unit selection optical element (AOM) 58 and an OFF drive signal is sent to the unit selection optical elements 50 and 66, the unit selection optical element in the OFF state is sent. The laser beam LB transmitted through the element 50 is incident on the unit selection optical element 58, and the unit selection optical element 58 diffracts the incident laser beam LB. Thus, the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U3 by the reflection mirror 60, and is not incident on the drawing units U1 and U5. Further, when an ON drive signal is transmitted from the control unit 18 to the unit selection optical element (AOM) 66 and an OFF drive signal is transmitted to the unit selection optical elements 50 and 58, the unit selection optical element in the OFF state is transmitted. The laser light LB that has passed through 50 and 58 enters the unit selection optical element 66, and the unit selection optical element 66 diffracts the incident laser light LB. Thereby, the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U5 by the reflection mirror 68, and is not incident on the drawing units U1 and U3.

  As described above, by arranging the plurality of unit selecting optical elements 50, 58, 66 of the light introducing optical system 40a in series along the traveling direction of the laser light LB from the light source device 12a, a plurality of unit selecting optical elements are provided. The elements 50, 58, and 66 can be switched by selecting whether the laser beam LB is incident on one of the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5. The control unit 18 controls the plurality of units so that the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident is periodically switched in the order of, for example, the drawing unit U1 → the drawing unit U3 → the drawing unit U5 → the drawing unit U1. The selection optical elements 50, 58, 66 are controlled. That is, switching is performed so that the laser beam LB is sequentially incident on each of the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 for a predetermined scanning time.

  The rotation of the polygon mirror 116 of the drawing unit U1 is controlled by the control unit so that the incident laser light LB can be reflected toward the f-θ lens 118 during the period when the laser light LB is incident on the drawing unit U1. 18. That is, the period during which the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U1 is synchronized with the scanning period (rotation angle α in FIG. 7) of the scanning spot of the laser beam LB by the drawing unit U1. In other words, the polygon mirror 116 of the drawing unit U1 scans the scanning spot of the laser light LB incident on the drawing unit U1 along the scanning line L1 in synchronization with the period during which the laser light LB is incident. The laser beam LB is scanned. Similarly, the polygon mirror 116 of each of the drawing units U3 and U5 is so arranged that the incident laser light LB can be reflected by the f-θ lens 118 during the period when the laser light LB is incident on the drawing units U3 and U5. The rotation is controlled by the control unit 18. That is, the period during which the laser light LB is incident on the drawing units U3 and U5 is synchronized with the scanning period of the scanning spot of the laser light LB by the drawing units U3 and U5. In other words, the polygon mirror 116 of the drawing units U3 and U5 synchronizes the scanning spot of the laser light LB incident on the drawing units U3 and U5 with the scanning lines L3 and L5 in synchronization with the period during which the laser light LB is incident. The laser light LB is scanned so as to scan along.

  As described above, since the laser beam LB from one light source device 12a is supplied to any one of the three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 in a time-division manner, the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 The rotation drive of each of the polygon mirrors 116 is controlled such that the rotational angle positions thereof maintain a constant angular difference (maintain a phase difference) while keeping the rotational speeds equal. A specific example of the control will be described later.

  In addition, the control unit 18 controls each of the drawing units U1, U3, U3, On / off of a drive signal (high-frequency signal) supplied to the drawing optical element 106 of U5 is controlled. Thereby, the drawing optical element 106 of each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 can modulate the intensity of the scanning spot by diffracting the incident laser light LB based on the ON / OFF drive signal. This drawing data is, for example, “1” when one dot (pixel) of the drawing pattern is 3 × 3 μm and the drive signal is turned on (drawn) for each dot, and turned off (non-drawn). Is generated as binary map data of "0" as bitmap data, and is temporarily stored in a memory (RAM) for each drawing unit U.

  To be more specific, the control unit 18 renders the drawing optics of the drawing unit U on which the laser light LB enters based on the drawing data (bit stream of “0” and “1”) of the drawing unit U on which the laser light LB enters. An on / off drive signal is input to the element (AOM) 106. When an ON drive signal is input, the drawing optical element 106 diffracts the incident laser light LB and irradiates it to the reflection mirror 110. When an OFF drive signal is input, the incident laser light LB is not shown. Irradiate the shielding plate or the absorber. As a result, when the ON drive signal is input to the drawing optical element 106, the drawing unit U on which the laser light LB is incident irradiates the substrate P with the spot light of the laser light LB (the intensity of the scanning spot is high). No), when the OFF drive signal is input to the drawing optical element 106, the substrate P is not irradiated with the spot light of the laser light LB (the intensity of the scanning spot becomes 0). Therefore, the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident can draw a pattern based on the drawing data on the substrate P along the scanning line L.

  For example, when the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U3, the control unit 18 switches (drives) the drawing optical element 106 of the drawing unit U3 on and off based on the drawing data of the drawing unit U3. Thereby, the drawing unit U3 can draw a pattern based on the drawing data on the substrate P along the scanning line L3. In this manner, each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 can draw a pattern on the substrate P based on the drawing data by modulating the intensity of the scanning pot along the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5.

  Although the operation of the light introducing optical system 40a and the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 has been described with reference to FIG. 8, the same applies to the light introducing optical system 40b and the plurality of drawing units U2, U4, and U6. . In brief, the control unit 18 determines that the even-numbered drawing unit U on which the laser light LB from the light source device 12b is incident is, for example, a drawing unit U2 → a drawing unit U4 → a drawing unit U6 → a drawing unit U2. The plurality of unit selecting optical elements 50, 58, and 66 are controlled so as to be switched in order. That is, switching is performed so that the laser beam LB is sequentially incident on each of the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 for a predetermined scanning time. The control unit 18 controls the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident so that each of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 can draw a pattern based on the drawing data on the substrate P along the scanning lines L2, L4, and L6. The drawing optical element (AOM) 106 of the drawing unit U is controlled based on the drawing data (bit stream of “0” and “1”).

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the plurality of unit selecting optical elements 50, 58, and 66 are arranged in series along the traveling direction of the laser beam LB from the light source device 12a (12b). The laser light LB is time-divided by the plurality of unit selecting optical elements 50, 58, 66 into any one of the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, U5 (drawing units U2, U4, U6). The laser beam LB can be selectively incident, and the utilization efficiency of the laser beam LB can be improved without wasting the laser beam LB.

  In addition, the rotation speed and the rotation phase of each of the polygon mirrors 116 of the plurality of (here, three) drawing units U are synchronized with each other, and each of the drawing units U is controlled by the plurality of unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66. The laser beam LB is scanned such that the scanning spot scans the substrate P in synchronization with the period in which the laser beam LB is incident on the substrate P. Therefore, the scanning efficiency can be improved without wasting the laser beam LB. it can.

[Modification of First Embodiment]
The first embodiment may be modified as follows. In the first embodiment, the laser light LB is distributed to the three drawing units U. However, in this modified example, the laser light LB from one light source device 12 is distributed to the five drawing units U.

  FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of the drawing head 14 according to a modification of the first embodiment. In this modification, the number of the light source devices 12 is one, and the drawing head 14 has five drawing units U (U1 to U5). The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals or omitted from the drawings, and only different portions will be described. In FIG. 9, the illustration of the cylindrical lens 120 shown in FIG. 3 is omitted.

  In this modification, a light introduction optical system 130 is used instead of the light introduction optical systems 40a and 40b. As shown in FIG. 10, the light introduction optical system 130 includes the condenser lens 42, the collimator lens 44, the reflection mirror 46, the condenser lens 48, the unit selection optical element 50, the reflection mirror 52, and the like shown in FIG. In addition to the collimator lens 54, the condenser lens 56, the unit selection optical element 58, the reflection mirror 60, the collimator lens 62, the condenser lens 64, the unit selection optical element 66, the reflection mirror 68, and the absorber 70, It includes a selection optical element 132, a reflection mirror 134, a collimator lens 136, a condenser lens 138, a unit selection optical element 140, a reflection mirror 142, a collimator lens 144, and a condenser lens 146.

  The unit selecting optical element 132, the collimating lens 136, and the condenser lens 138 are provided between the condenser lens 56 and the unit selecting optical element 58 in the above order. Therefore, in this modification, when the unit selection optical element 50 receives the off drive signal from the control unit 18, the unit selection optical element 50 transmits the incident laser beam LB as it is and irradiates the unit selection optical element 132 with the condensing lens. 56 focuses the laser beam LB incident on the unit selection optical element 132 so as to form a beam waist in the unit selection optical element 132.

  The unit selection optical element 132 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. When the unit selection optical element 132 receives the off drive signal from the control unit 18, it transmits the incident laser beam LB as it is and irradiates the unit selection optical element 58 with the on drive signal. Then, the incident laser light LB is diffracted and radiated to the reflection mirror 134. The reflection mirror 134 reflects the incident laser beam LB and causes the laser beam LB to enter the collimator lens 100 of the drawing unit U2. That is, when the control unit 18 switches the unit selection optical element 132 on and off, the unit selection optical element 132 switches whether the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U2. The collimating lens 136 converts the laser light LB applied to the unit selecting optical element 58 into parallel light, and the condensing lens 138 converts the laser light LB converted by the collimating lens 136 into parallel light. The light is focused so as to be a beam waist in the element 58.

  The unit selection optical element 140, the collimator lens 144, and the condenser lens 146 are provided between the condenser lens 64 and the unit selection optical element 66 in the above order. Therefore, in this modification, when the unit selection optical element 58 receives the off drive signal from the control unit 18, the unit selection optical element 58 transmits the incident laser beam LB as it is and irradiates the unit selection optical element 140 with the condensing lens. Reference numeral 64 focuses the laser beam LB incident on the unit selection optical element 140 so as to form a beam waist in the unit selection optical element 140.

  The unit selection optical element 140 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. The unit selection optical element 140 irradiates the incident laser light LB to the unit selection optical element 66 when receiving the off drive signal from the control unit 18, The reflected laser beam LB is diffracted and applied to the reflection mirror 142. The reflection mirror 142 reflects the incident laser beam LB and irradiates the collimator lens 100 of the drawing unit U4. That is, when the control unit 18 switches the unit selection optical element 140 on and off, the unit selection optical element 140 switches whether the laser beam LB is incident on the drawing unit U4. The collimating lens 144 converts the laser light LB applied to the unit selecting optical element 66 into parallel light. The light is focused so as to be a beam waist in the element 66.

  By arranging the plurality of unit selecting optical elements (AOMs) 50, 58, 66, 132, and 140 in a serial manner, a laser is applied to any one of the drawing units U1 to U5. Light LB can be incident. The control unit 18 periodically controls the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident in the order of, for example, the drawing unit U1 → the drawing unit U2 → the drawing unit U3 → the drawing unit U4 → the drawing unit U5 → the drawing unit U1. The plurality of unit selection optical elements 50, 132, 58, 140, 66 are controlled so as to be switched. That is, switching is performed so that the laser beam LB is sequentially incident on each of the plurality of drawing units U1 to U5 for a predetermined scanning time. Under the control of the control unit 18, the polygon mirror 116 of each of the drawing units U1 to U5 synchronizes the scanning spot of the incident laser beam LB with the scanning line L1 to L5 in synchronization with the period of incidence of the laser beam LB. Is scanned by the laser beam LB so as to scan along the line.

  That is, in the case of the present embodiment, the polygon mirrors 116 of the five drawing units U1 to U5 are synchronously rotated so that the rotation angle positions are out of phase by a fixed angle. Further, in the case of the present embodiment, since the laser light (beam) LB is distributed to the five drawing units U1 to U5 in a time-division manner, an angle range in which the laser light LB can be irradiated to one reflecting surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 ( The rotation angle β in FIG. 7) and the maximum deflection angle (the angle 2α in FIG. 7) at which the laser beam LB reflected by the reflection surface 116b enters the f-θ lens 118 satisfy β ≧ 5α. In addition, the front focal length of the f-θ lens 118 and the number N of reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 116 are set.

  Thus, also in the present modification, the use efficiency of the laser light from the light source device 12 can be increased without wasting the laser light LB, and the scanning efficiency can be improved. In this modification, the laser light LB from one light source device 12 is distributed to five drawing units U. However, the laser light LB from one light source device 12 is distributed to two drawing units U. Alternatively, four or six or more drawing units U may be allocated. In this case, assuming that the number of drawing units U to be distributed is n, the angle range (rotation angle β in FIG. 7) in which one reflection surface 116b of polygon mirror 116 can be irradiated with laser light LB and the reflection surface 116b The front focal length of the f-θ lens 118 and the maximum deflection angle (the angle 2α in FIG. 7) at which the reflected laser light LB is incident on the f-θ lens 118 satisfy β ≧ n × α. The number N of reflection surfaces of the polygon mirror 116 is set. Also, as described in the first embodiment, the case where the laser light LB is distributed from the two light source devices 12 (12a, 12b) to the plurality of drawing units U is not limited to three, but may be any number. You may make it distribute to the drawing unit U. For example, the laser light LB from the light source device 12a may be distributed to five drawing units U, and the laser light LB from the light source device 12b may be distributed to four drawing units U.

[Second embodiment]
In the first embodiment, since the drawing optical elements (AOM) 106 are provided before the polygon mirror 116 in each drawing unit U, the number of drawing optical elements 106 to be used increases, resulting in high cost. . Therefore, in the second embodiment, one drawing optical modulator (AOM) is provided on the optical path of the laser light LB from one light source device 12, and a plurality of light modulators are used by using one drawing light modulator. The pattern is drawn by modulating the intensity of the laser beam LB applied to the substrate P from the drawing unit U. That is, in the second embodiment, only one drawing optical modulator (AOM), which requires high responsiveness, is arranged in front of the plurality of drawing units U, and each drawing unit U has a responsiveness. The unit selection optical element (AOM) which may be low.

  FIG. 11 is a diagram showing the configuration of the drawing head 14 according to the second embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the light introducing optical system 40a shown in FIG. The same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and only different portions will be described. In FIG. 11, the cylindrical lens 120 shown in FIG. 3 is not shown, and the light introducing optical systems 40a and 40b have the same configuration. Therefore, here, the light introducing optical system 40a will be described. Description of the introduction optical system 40b is omitted. As shown in FIG. 12, the light introducing optical system 40a includes the condenser lens 42, the collimator lens 44, the reflection mirror 46, the condenser lens 48, the unit selection optical element 50, the reflection mirror 52, and the condenser lens 42 shown in FIG. In addition to the collimator lens 54, the condenser lens 56, the unit selection optical element 58, the reflection mirror 60, the collimator lens 62, the condenser lens 64, the unit selection optical element 66, the reflection mirror 68, and the absorber 70, and further, drawing A drawing optical element (AOM) 150 as a light modulator for use, a collimator lens 152, a condenser lens 154, and an absorber 156 are provided. In the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the drawing units U1 to U6 do not have the drawing optical element 106 as in the first embodiment.

  The drawing optical element 150, the collimating lens 152, and the condenser lens 154 are provided between the condenser lens 48 and the unit selection optical element 50 in the above order. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the reflection mirror 46 reflects the laser light LB converted into parallel light by the collimator lens 44 and directs the laser light LB to the drawing optical element 150. The condensing lens 48 condenses the laser light LB incident on the drawing optical element 150 so as to form a beam waist in the drawing optical element 150.

  The drawing optical element 150 has transparency to the laser beam LB, and for example, an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) is used. The drawing optical element 150 is provided closer to the light source device 12 (12a) than the first-stage unit selection optical element 50 closest to the light source device 12 (12a) among the unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66. Have been. The drawing optical element 150 irradiates the incident laser beam LB to the absorber 156 when an off drive signal is transmitted from the control unit 18, and receives the incident laser beam when the on drive signal is transmitted from the control unit 18. The LB is diffracted and irradiated on the first-stage unit selecting optical element 50. The collimating lens 152 converts the laser light LB applied to the unit selecting optical element 50 into parallel light, and the condensing lens 154 converts the laser light LB converted into parallel light by the collimating lens 152 into the unit selecting optical element. The light is focused so as to be a beam waist in the element 50.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the drawing units U1 to U6 include a collimating lens 100, a reflecting mirror 102, a reflecting mirror 110, a cylindrical lens 112, a reflecting mirror 114, a polygon mirror 116, an f-θ lens 118, and a cylindrical lens 120 (FIG. 11). , A reflection mirror 122, and a first shaping lens 158a and a second shaping lens 158b as beam shaping lenses. That is, in the second embodiment, instead of the condenser lens 104 and the collimating lens 108 of the first embodiment, the first forming lens 158a and the second forming lens 158b are provided in the drawing units U1 to U6. Have been.

  FIG. 13 is a diagram schematically illustrating an optical path between the light introducing optical system 40a and the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 in FIG. The control unit 18 controls the light introduction optical system 40a based on drawing data (bit stream) that defines a pattern drawn on the substrate P by a scanning spot of the laser light LB emitted from each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5. An on / off drive signal is output to the drawing optical element 150. Accordingly, the drawing optical element 150 of the light introducing optical system 40a can diffract the incident laser light LB based on the ON / OFF drive signal and modulate (On / Off) the intensity of the scanning spot. .

  More specifically, the control unit 18 inputs an ON / OFF drive signal to the drawing optical element 150 based on the drawing data of the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident. When the ON drive signal is input, the drawing optical element 150 diffracts the incident laser light LB and irradiates the diffracted laser light LB onto the unit selection optical element 50 (the intensity of the laser light LB incident on the unit selection optical element 50). Is higher). On the other hand, when the OFF drive signal is input, the drawing optical element 150 irradiates the incident laser light LB onto the absorber 156 (FIG. 12) (the intensity of the laser light LB incident on the unit selection optical element 50). Becomes 0). Therefore, the drawing unit U on which the laser light LB is incident can irradiate the substrate P with the laser light LB whose intensity is modulated along the scanning line L, and draw a pattern on the substrate P based on the drawing data. Can be.

  For example, when the laser light LB is incident on the drawing unit U3, the control unit 18 switches the drawing optical element 150 of the light introduction optical system 40a on and off based on the drawing data of the drawing unit U3. Thereby, the drawing unit U3 can irradiate the substrate P with the laser light LB whose intensity has been modulated along the scanning line L3, and can draw a pattern on the substrate P based on the drawing data. The drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident is sequentially switched in the order of, for example, the drawing unit U1, the drawing unit U3, the drawing unit U5, and the drawing unit U1. Accordingly, the control unit 18 similarly sets the drawing optical of the light introducing optical system 40a, such as drawing data of the drawing unit U1, drawing data of the drawing unit U3, drawing data of the drawing unit U5, and drawing data of the drawing unit U1. The drawing data for determining the on / off signal to be sent to the element 150 is sequentially switched. Then, the control unit 18 controls the drawing optical element 150 of the light introducing optical system 40a based on the sequentially switched drawing data. Accordingly, each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 irradiates the substrate P with the laser light LB whose intensity is modulated along the scan lines L1, L3, and L5, thereby forming a pattern corresponding to the drawing data on the substrate P. Can be drawn.

  The configuration and operation of a part of the control system applied to the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. The configuration and operation described below are also applicable to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a rotation control system of the polygon mirror 116 provided in each of the three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 in FIGS. 11 and 13 as an example. The configuration of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 Are the same, the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals. Each of the drawing units U1, U3, U5 has an origin sensor Sz1, Sz3, which photoelectrically detects the scanning start timing of the scanning lines (drawing lines) L1, L3, L5 generated on the substrate P by the polygon mirror 116. Sz5 is provided. The origin sensors Sz1, Sz3, and Sz5 are photoelectric detectors that project light onto the reflecting surface 116b of the polygon mirror 116 and receive the reflected light, and the spot light is used as a scanning start point of the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5. Each time it comes to the immediately preceding position, it outputs a pulsed origin signal ZP1, ZP3, ZP5.

  The timing measurement unit 180 receives the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5, and measures whether or not the generation timing of each of the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 falls within a predetermined allowable range (time interval). When an error from the allowable range occurs, deviation information corresponding to the error is output to the servo control unit 182. The servo controller 182 outputs a command value based on the deviation information to each servo drive circuit of the motor Mp that rotationally drives the polygon mirror 116 in each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5. Each servo drive circuit unit of the motor Mp inputs an up / down pulse signal (hereinafter, encoder signal) from an encoder EN attached to the rotation shaft of the motor Mp, and outputs a speed signal corresponding to the rotation speed of the polygon mirror 116. A servo drive for inputting a command value from the servo control unit 182 and a speed signal from the feedback circuit unit FBC to drive the motor Mp so as to achieve a rotation speed according to the command value. And a circuit (amplifier) SCC. Note that the servo drive circuit unit (feedback circuit unit FBC, servo drive circuit SCC), the timing measurement unit 180, and the servo control unit 182 constitute a part of the control unit 18.

  In the second embodiment, the polygon mirrors 116 in the three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 need to be rotated at the same speed while maintaining a constant phase difference in their rotation angle positions, which is realized. To this end, the timing measurement unit 180 receives the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 and performs measurement as shown in, for example, a timing chart of FIG.

  FIG. 15 schematically shows various signal waveforms generated when the three polygon mirrors 116 are rotated with a phase difference within a predetermined allowable range with respect to the rotation angle. Immediately after each polygon mirror 116 is rotated, the relative phase difference between the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 varies, but the timing measurement unit 180, for example, sets another origin signal ZP3 based on the origin signal ZP1. , And ZP5 are generated at the same frequency (period) as the origin signal ZP1, and the time intervals Ts1, Ts2, and Ts3 among the three origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 are all equal to each other. Measure the correction information. The timing measurement section 180 outputs the correction information to the servo control section 182, thereby controlling the motors Mp of the drawing units U3, U5 by servo control, and generating the three origin signals ZP1, ZP3, ZP5 in FIG. Is controlled to be stable at Ts1 = Ts2 = Ts3.

  When the generation timings of the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 are stabilized, the timing measuring section 180 sets the drawing enable (On) to each of the unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66 shown in FIGS. The signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 are output. The drawing enable (On) signals SP1, SP3, SP5 cause the corresponding unit selecting optical elements 50, 58, 66 to perform the modulation operation (light deflection switching operation) only during the H level period. Since the three origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 are stably maintained at a constant phase difference (here, 1/3 of the cycle of the origin signal ZP1), each rising edge (L) of the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 → H) also has a constant phase difference.

  The timing of the drop (H → L) of the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, SP5 is determined by the clock signal CLK for turning on / off the spot light in each of the scanning lines L1, L3, L5, and the counter in the timing measuring unit 180. It is set by measuring with. The clock signal CLK controls the timing of On / Off of the drawing optical element 150 (or the drawing optical element 106 in FIG. 3), the length of the scanning line (L1, L3, L5), the spot light And the scanning speed of the spot light. For example, when the length of the scanning line L is 30 mm, the dimension (diameter) of the spot light is 6 μm, and the spot light is turned on / off by overlapping 3 μm in the scanning direction, the counter in the timing measuring unit 180 When the clock signal CLK is counted 10,000 (30 mm / 3 μm), the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 may be lowered (H → L).

  Further, assuming that the number of reflection surfaces 116b of the polygon mirror 116 is 10, and the rotation speed is Vr (rpm), the frequency of each origin signal ZP1, ZP3, ZP5 is 10Vr / 60 (Hz). Therefore, when the time interval is stabilized at Ts1 = Ts2 = Ts3, the time interval Ts1 is 60 / (30 Vr) seconds. As an example, assuming that the reference rotation speed Vr of the polygon mirror 116 is 8000 rpm, the time interval Ts1 is 60 / (30.8000) seconds = 250 μS.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the On time (H level continuation time) Toa of the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, SP5 is a period during which the laser light (beam) LB from the polygon mirror 116 is projected on the substrate P as spot light. (Projection period), it is necessary to set it shorter than the time interval Ts1. Thus, for example, if the On time Toa is set to 200 μS, the frequency of the clock signal CLK for 10,000 counts during this period is 10,000 / 200 = 50 (MHz). In synchronization with such a clock signal CLK, drawing bit string data (10000 bits) Sdw corresponding to the scanning line L generated from the drawing data (“0” or “1” on the bitmap) is generated by the drawing optical system. Output to element 150. As shown in FIG. 3, in the configuration in which each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 is provided with the drawing optical element 106, the drawing bit string data Sdw corresponding to the scanning line L1 is stored in the drawing optical element 106 of the drawing unit U1. The drawing bit string data Sdw corresponding to the scanning line L3 is sent to the drawing optical element 106 of the drawing unit U3, and the drawing bit string data Sdw corresponding to the scanning line L5 is sent to the drawing optical element 106 of the drawing unit U5. Can be

  In the second embodiment, the drawing bit string data Sdw generated from the drawing data corresponding to each of the three scanning lines L1, L3, L5 is used as the drawing enable signal SP1, SP3, SP5 (or the origin signal ZP1, ZP3). , ZP5) are sequentially supplied for On / Off of the drawing optical element 150.

  FIG. 16 shows an example of a circuit for generating such drawing bit string data Sdw. The circuit includes generation circuits (drawing data generation circuits) 501, 503, and 505, and an OR circuit GT4. The generation circuit 501 includes a memory unit BM1, a counter unit CN1, and a gate unit GT1, the generation circuit 503 includes a memory unit BM3, a counter unit CN3, and a gate unit GT3, and the generation circuit 505 includes a memory unit BM5 , A counter section CN5, and a gate section GT5. The generation circuits 501, 503, 505 and the OR circuit GT4 constitute a part of the control unit 18.

  The memory units BM1, BM3, BM5 are memories for temporarily storing bitmap data corresponding to patterns to be drawn and exposed by the drawing units U1, U3, U5. The counter units CN1, CN3, and CN5 synchronize a bit sequence (for example, 10000 bits) of one scan line to be drawn next among the map data in each of the memory units BM1, BM3, and BM5 one bit at a time with the clock signal CLK. This is a counter for outputting the serial data DL1, DL3, DL5 during the period when the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, SP5 are On.

  The map data in each of the memory units BM1, BM3, BM5 is shifted by one scan line of data by an address counter or the like (not shown). For example, in the case of the memory unit BM1, the shift is performed at the timing when the origin signal ZP3 of the next active drawing unit U3 is generated after the output of the serial data DL1 for one scanning line is completed. Similarly, the shift of the map data in the memory unit BM3 is performed at the timing when the origin signal ZP5 of the next active drawing unit U5 is generated after the output of the serial data DL3 is completed. The shift of the map data is performed at the timing when the origin signal ZP1 of the next active drawing unit U1 is generated after the output of the serial data DL5 is completed.

  The serial data DL1, DL3, and DL5 sequentially generated in this manner pass through the gate units GT1, GT3, and GT5 that are opened during the On period of the drawing enable signals SP1, SP3, and SP5, and the three-input OR circuit GT4. Is applied to The OR circuit GT4 outputs a bit data string repeatedly synthesized in the order of serial data DL1, DL3, DL5, DL1,... As drawing bit string data Sdw for On / Off of the drawing optical element 150. As shown in FIG. 3, in the configuration in which the drawing optical elements 106 are provided in each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5, the serial data DL1 output from the gate unit GT1 is converted into the drawing optical elements in the drawing unit U1. The serial data DL3 output from the gate unit GT3 is sent to the drawing optical element 106 in the drawing unit U3, and the serial data DL5 output from the gate unit GT5 is sent to the drawing optical element 106 in the drawing unit U5. Just send it.

  As described above, the On / Off of the drawing optical element 150 (or 106) needs to respond to the high-speed clock signal CLK (for example, 50 MHz). On / Off may be performed in synchronization with the enable signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 (or the origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5). Since it is 200 μS, it may be about 10 KHz, and an inexpensive one with high transmittance can be used. The frequency of the clock signal CLK counted by the counter in the timing measurement unit 180 or counted by the counter units CN1, CN3, and CN5 in FIG. Assuming that the frequency is Fs, it is good to set n as an integer of 1 or more (preferably n ≧ 2) so as to satisfy the relationship of n · Fcc = Fs.

  The operation of the light introducing optical system 40a and the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, and U5 using FIG. 13 and the drawing timing and the like by each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5 using FIGS. The same applies to the light introducing optical system 40b and the plurality of drawing units U2, U4, and U6. In brief, the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident is sequentially switched in the order of, for example, the drawing unit U2 → the drawing unit U4 → the drawing unit U6 → the drawing unit U2. Accordingly, the control unit 18 similarly sets the drawing optical of the light introduction optical system 40b, such as drawing data of the drawing unit U2 → drawing data of the drawing unit U4 → drawing data of the drawing unit U6 → drawing data of the drawing unit U2. The drawing data for determining the on / off signal to be sent to the element 150 is sequentially switched. Then, the control unit 18 controls the drawing optical element 150 of the light introducing optical system 40b based on the sequentially switched drawing data. Alternatively, drawing bit string data Sdw is generated by combining drawing data for three scanning lines with the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 16 and supplied to the drawing optical element 150. Thus, each of the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 irradiates the substrate P with the laser light LB whose intensity is modulated along the scanning lines L2, L4, and L6, thereby forming a pattern based on the drawing data on the substrate P. Can be drawn.

  In the above-described second embodiment, the following effects can be obtained in addition to the effects of the first embodiment. That is, one drawing optical element 150 is provided in the light introducing optical system 40a, and the drawing optical element 150 is disposed closer to the light source device 12a than the first-stage unit selecting optical element 50, and one drawing optical element 150 is provided. Then, the intensity of the laser beam LB applied to the substrate P from the plurality of drawing units U1, U3, U5 is modulated according to the pattern. Similarly, one drawing optical element 150 is provided in the light introducing optical system 40b, and the drawing optical element 150 is disposed closer to the light source device 12b than the unit selection optical element 50 in the first stage. At 150, the intensity of the laser beam LB applied to the substrate P from the plurality of drawing units U2, U4, U6 is modulated according to the pattern. Thereby, the number of acousto-optic modulation elements can be reduced, and the cost is reduced.

  In the second embodiment, the drawing head 14 that divides the laser light LB into three is described. However, as described in the modification of the first embodiment, the drawing head that divides the laser light LB into five. The head 14 may be used (see FIGS. 9 and 10). 9 and 10, since there is one light source device 12, one drawing optical element 150 is also provided.

[Modification of Second Embodiment]
The second embodiment may be modified as follows. In the second embodiment, the drawing optical element 150 is provided in the light introducing optical systems 40a and 40b as a drawing light modulator. However, in this modification, the light source device 12 is used instead of the drawing optical element 150. A drawing light modulator is provided in each of (12a, 12b). The same components as those in the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals or omitted from the drawings, and only different portions will be described. Further, the light source devices provided with the drawing light modulators on the light source devices 12a and 12b are called light source devices 12A and 12B, respectively. Since the light source devices 12A and 12B have the same configuration, only the light source device 12A will be described. I do.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram showing a configuration of a light source device (pulse light source device, pulse laser device) 12A of the present modified example. The light source device 12A as a fiber laser device includes a DFB semiconductor laser device 200, a DFB semiconductor laser device 202, a polarization beam splitter 204, an electro-optic device 206 as a drawing light modulator, a driving circuit 206a for the electro-optic device 206, A control circuit including a beam splitter 208, an absorber 210, an excitation light source 212, a combiner 214, a fiber optical amplifier 216, a wavelength conversion optical element 218, a wavelength conversion optical element 220, a plurality of lens elements GL, and a clock generator 222a. ) 222 is provided.

  The DFB semiconductor laser element (first laser element) 200 generates a sharp or sharp pulsed seed light (laser light) S1 at a predetermined frequency Fs, and the DFB semiconductor laser element (second laser element) 202 A pulsed seed light (laser light) S2 that is slow (broadly temporal) at the frequency Fs is generated. The seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 200 and the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 202 have substantially the same energy but different polarization states, and the seed light S1 has a higher peak intensity. strong. In this modified example, the polarization state of the seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 will be described as S-polarized light, and the polarization state of the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 202 will be described as P-polarized light. The DFB semiconductor laser devices 200 and 202 respond to the clock signal LTC (fundamental frequency Fs) generated by the clock generator 222a and control the control circuit 222 to electrically control the seed light S1 and S2 at the oscillation frequency Fs. Is controlled to emit light. The clock signal LTC is a base of the clock signal CLK supplied to each of the counter units CN1, CN3, and CN5 shown in FIG. 16, and divides the clock signal LTC by n (n is an integer of 2 or more). Is preferable) becomes the clock signal CLK. The clock generator 222a also has a function of adjusting the fundamental frequency Fs of the clock signal LTC by ± ΔF, that is, a function of finely adjusting the time interval of the pulse oscillation of the laser light LB. Thereby, for example, even if the scanning speed Vs of the spot light slightly changes, the dimension (drawing magnification) of the pattern drawn over the scanning line L is precisely maintained by finely adjusting the fundamental frequency Fs. Can be.

  The polarization beam splitter 204 transmits S-polarized light and reflects P-polarized light. The seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 and the seed light S2 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser device 202 Is applied to the electro-optical element 206. More specifically, the polarization beam splitter 204 transmits the S-polarized seed light S1 generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 200 to irradiate the electro-optical element 206 with the seed light S1 and the P-polarized light generated by the DFB semiconductor laser element 202. The electro-optical element 206 is irradiated with the seed light S2 by reflecting the seed light S2.

  The electro-optical element (modulation member) 206 has transparency to the seed lights S1 and S2, and for example, an electro-optical modulator (EOM: Electro-Optic Modulator) is used. The EOM responds to the On / Off state (H or L) of the drawing bit string data Sdw (or the serial data DLn) shown in FIG. 16 and outputs the seed lights S1 and S2 that have passed through the polarization beam splitter 204. The polarization state is switched by a drive circuit (drive circuit section) 206a. For example, when the drawing bit string data Sdw (or DLn) is in the Off state (L), the electro-optical element 206 irradiates the polarized beam splitter 208 as it is without changing the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 or S2, and When the data Sdw (or DLn) is in the On state (H), the electro-optical element 206 changes the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 or S2 (changes the polarization direction by 90 degrees) to irradiate the polarization beam splitter 208. Therefore, when the drawing bit string data Sdw (or DLn) is in the On state (H), the electro-optical element 206 converts the S-polarized seed light S1 into the P-polarized seed light S1 and converts the P-polarized seed light S2 into S-polarized light. It is converted into a polarized seed light S2.

  The polarization beam splitter 208 transmits the P-polarized light to irradiate the combiner 214 via the lens element GL, and reflects the S-polarized light to irradiate the absorber 210 with reflection. The excitation light source 212 generates excitation light, and the generated excitation light is guided to the combiner 214 via the optical fiber 212a. The combiner 214 combines the seed light irradiated from the polarization beam splitter 208 and the excitation light, and outputs the combined light to the fiber optical amplifier (optical amplifier) 216. The fiber optical amplifier 216 is doped with a laser medium pumped by pump light. Therefore, in the fiber optical amplifier 216 through which the combined seed light and pump light are transmitted, the pump light excites the laser medium to amplify the seed light. As a laser medium doped in the fiber optical amplifier 216, a rare earth element such as erbium (Er), ytterbium (Yb), and thulium (Tm) is used. The amplified seed light is emitted from the emission end 216a of the fiber optical amplifier 216 with a predetermined divergence angle, is converged or collimated by the lens element GL, and enters the wavelength conversion optical element 218.

The wavelength conversion optical element (first wavelength conversion optical element, wavelength conversion optical member) 218 converts the seed light (wavelength λ) incident by the second harmonic generation (SHG) into one of wavelengths λ. / 2 second harmonic. A PPLN (Periodically Poled LiNbO ₃ ) crystal, which is a quasi phase matching (QPM) crystal, is preferably used as the wavelength conversion optical element 218. In addition, a PPLT (Periodically Poled LiTaO ₃ ) crystal or the like can be used.

  The wavelength conversion optical element (second wavelength conversion optical element, wavelength conversion optical member) 220 is not converted by the wavelength conversion optical element 218 with the second harmonic (wavelength λ / 2) converted by the wavelength conversion optical element 218. A third harmonic having a wavelength of 1/3 of λ is generated by a sum frequency generation (SFG) with the seed light (wavelength λ) remaining in the laser beam. This third harmonic becomes ultraviolet light (laser light LB) having a peak wavelength in a wavelength band of 370 mm or less.

  As described above, when the drawing bit string data Sdw (or DLn) sent from the drawing data generation circuit shown in FIG. 16 is applied to the electro-optical element 206 in FIG. 17, the drawing bit string data Sdw (or DLn) ) Is in the Off state (L), the electro-optical element 206 directly irradiates the polarization beam splitter 208 without changing the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 or S2, so that the seed light transmitted through the polarization beam splitter 208 is , The seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 202. Therefore, the laser light LB finally output from the light source device 12A has the same oscillation profile (time characteristic) as the seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 202. That is, the laser light LB has a low peak intensity of the pulse, and has a broad and dull characteristic with time. Since the fiber optical amplifier 216 has low amplification efficiency with respect to the seed light S2 having such a low peak intensity, the laser light LB output from the light source device 12A is light that is not amplified to the energy required for exposure. Therefore, in this case, from the viewpoint of exposure, the result is substantially the same as that in which the light source device 12A does not emit the laser beam LB. However, during a period in which pattern writing is not performed along each of the scanning lines L1 to L6 (non-projection period), even if the intensity of the ultraviolet laser beam LB derived from the seed light S2 is slight, the laser beam LB continues to be emitted. When a situation occurs in which the lines L1 to L6 are irradiated to the same position on the substrate P for a long time (for example, an emergency stop of the substrate P due to a trouble in the transport system or the like), the laser light LB of the light source device 12A is generated. It is preferable to provide a movable shutter on the exit window to close the exit window.

  On the other hand, when the drawing bit string data Sdw (or DLn) applied to the electro-optical element 206 of FIG. 17 is in the On state (H), the electro-optical element 206 changes the polarization state of the incident seed light S1 or S2 to change the polarization beam. Since the light is applied to the splitter 208, the seed light transmitted through the polarization beam splitter 208 becomes the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 200. Therefore, the laser light LB output from the light source device 12A is generated from the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 200. Since the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 200 has a high peak intensity, the seed light S1 is efficiently amplified by the fiber optical amplifier 216, and the laser light LB output from the light source device 12A has energy necessary for exposing the substrate P. .

  As described above, since the electro-optical element 206 as the light modulator for drawing is provided in the light source device 12A, the electro-optical element is controlled in the same manner as the control of the optical element for drawing 150 in the second embodiment. By controlling 206, the same effect as in the second embodiment can be obtained. That is, based on the drawing data of the drawing unit U on which the laser beam LB is incident (or the drawing bit string data Sdw in FIG. 15 and FIG. 16), the electro-optical element 206 is switched on / off (driven), so that the first unit The intensity of the laser beam LB incident on the selection optical element 50, that is, the intensity of the scanning spot of the laser beam LB irradiated on the substrate P can be modulated according to the pattern to be drawn.

  The light source device 12A may have a structure without the DFB semiconductor laser element 202 and the polarization beam splitter 204. In this case, the electro-optical element 206 is irradiated only with the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 200. Then, by switching the electro-optical element 206 on and off based on the drawing data, it is possible to modulate the intensity of the laser beam LB incident on the first-stage unit selecting optical element 50. However, when this configuration is employed, the periodicity of the seed light S1 incident on the fiber optical amplifier 216 is greatly disturbed in accordance with the pattern to be drawn. That is, after the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 202 does not enter the fiber optical amplifier 216 and then the seed light S1 enters the fiber optical amplifier 216, the seed light S1 immediately after the incidence is higher than normal. There is a problem that a beam having a larger intensity than specified is generated from the fiber optical amplifier 216 because it is amplified with a large amplification factor. Therefore, in the present modification, as a preferable mode, the seed light S2 (broad pulse light having a low peak intensity) from the DFB semiconductor laser device 202 is transmitted to the fiber optical amplifier 216 during a period in which the seed light S1 does not enter the fiber optical amplifier 216. The above problem is solved by making the light incident on the surface.

  Although the electro-optical element 206 is switched, the DFB semiconductor laser elements 200 and 202 may be driven based on drawing data (drawing bit string data Sdw). That is, the control circuit 222 controls the DFB semiconductor laser elements 200 and 202 based on the drawing data (drawing bit string data Sdw or DLn) and selects the seed lights S1 and S2 that oscillate in a pulse shape at the fundamental frequency Fs. Generate (alternatively). In this case, the polarization beam splitters 204 and 208, the electro-optical element 206, and the absorber 210 are not required, and one of the seed lights S1 and S2 selectively pulsed from one of the DFB semiconductor laser elements 200 and 202. Directly enter the combiner 214. At this time, the control circuit 222 controls each of the DFB semiconductor laser devices 200 and 200 so that the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 and the seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 202 do not simultaneously enter the fiber optical amplifier 216. 202 is controlled. That is, when irradiating the substrate P with the laser light LB, the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 is controlled so that only the seed light S1 enters the fiber optical amplifier 216. When the substrate P is not irradiated with the laser light LB, the DFB semiconductor laser element 202 is controlled so that only the seed light S2 enters the fiber optical amplifier 216. Whether or not to irradiate the substrate P with the laser beam LB is determined based on the drawing data (H or L of the drawing bit string data Sdw).

  Thus, also in the present modification, the number of acousto-optic modulation elements can be reduced, and the cost is reduced.

  Note that the light source devices 12A and 12B of this modification may be used for the light source devices 12a and 12b of the first embodiment. In this case, the output timing of the seed light S1 from the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 output from the light source devices 12A and 12B and the switching of the drawing optical element 106 of each of the drawing units U1 to U6 are described as drawing data (drawing bit string). The control may be performed based on the data Sdw).

[Third Embodiment]
Next, a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 18, but in the third embodiment, the light source device 12A (see FIG. 17) described in the modification of the second embodiment, It is assumed that 12B is used. However, in order to be suitable for the third embodiment, the clock generator 222a in the control circuit 222 of the light source device 12A in FIG. 17 is provided with a magnification correction from the drawing control unit (control circuit 500) shown in FIG. It has a function to partially (discretely) expand and contract the time interval of the clock signal LTC according to the information CMg. Similarly, the clock generator 222a in the control circuit 222 of the light source device 12B also has a function of partially (discretely) expanding and contracting the time interval of the clock signal LTC according to the magnification correction information CMg. The operations of the light source device 12B, the light introducing optical system 40b, and the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 are the same as the operations of the light source device 12A, the light introducing optical system 40a, and the drawing units U1, U3, and U5. The description of the operation of the light source device 12B, the light introduction optical system 40b, and the drawing units U2, U4, and U6 is omitted. The same components as those of the modification of the second embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals or omitted from the drawings, and only different portions will be described.

  In FIG. 18, laser light (beam) LB from one light source device 12A is supplied to three drawing units via the unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66 in the same manner as in the configurations of FIGS. It is supplied to the units U1, U3, U5. Each of the unit selection optical elements 50, 58, and 66 selectively deflects (switches) the laser beam LB in response to the drawing enable (On) signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 described with reference to FIGS. , And guides the laser beam LB to any one of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5. Note that, as described above, in the period in which pattern writing is not performed along each scanning line (non-projection period), even if the intensity of the ultraviolet laser light LB derived from the seed light S2 is slight, the laser light LB is emitted. Subsequently, a movable shutter SST is provided in the emission window of the laser beam LB of the light source device 12A in consideration of a case where each scanning line is irradiated to the same position on the substrate P for a long time. .

  As shown in FIG. 14, origin signals ZP1, ZP3, and ZP5 from origin sensors Sz1, Sz3, and Sz5 of each of the rendering units U1, U3, and U5 are used to generate rendering data for each of the rendering units U1, U3, and U5. The circuits (drawing data generation circuits) 501, 503, and 505 are supplied. The generation circuit 501 includes the gate unit GT1, the memory unit BM1, the counter unit CN1, and the like in FIG. 16, and the counter unit CN1 is based on the clock signal LTC output from the control circuit 222 (clock generator 222a) of the light source device 12A. Is configured to count the clock signal CLK1 generated at the time.

  Similarly, the generation circuit 503 includes a gate unit GT3, a memory unit BM3, a counter unit CN3, and the like in FIG. 16, and the counter unit CN3 is configured to count the clock signal CLK3 generated based on the clock signal LTC. The generation circuit 505 includes a gate unit GT5, a memory unit BM5, a counter unit CN5, and the like in FIG. 16, and the counter unit CN5 is configured to count the clock signal CLK5 generated based on the clock signal LTC.

  The clock signals CLK1, CLK3, and CLK5 are converted into 1 / n (n is an integer of 2 or more) by the control circuit 500 that functions as an interface between each of the generation circuits 501, 503, and 505 and the light source device 12A. ) It is made by dividing. The supply of the clock signals CLK1, CLK3, and CLK5 to each of the counter units CN1, CN3, and CN5 is limited to one of them in response to the drawing enable (On) signals SP1, SP3, and SP5 (see FIG. 15). You. That is, when the drawing enable signal SP1 is On (H), only the clock signal CLK1 obtained by dividing the clock signal LTC by 1 / n is supplied to the counter unit CN1, and when the drawing enable signal SP3 is On (H), Only the clock signal CLK3 obtained by dividing the clock signal LTC by 1 / n is supplied to the counter CN3. When the drawing enable signal SP5 is On (H), only the clock signal CLK5 obtained by dividing the clock signal LTC by 1 / n is used. It is supplied to the counter section CN5.

  As a result, the serial data DL1, DL3, and DL5 sequentially output from each of the generation circuits 501, 503, and 505 are supplied to the three input terminals provided in the control circuit 500 via the gate units GT1, GT3, and GT5, respectively. The result is added by the OR circuit GT4, and is supplied as drawing bit string data Sdw to the electro-optical element 206 in the light source device 12A. Note that the generation circuits 501, 503, 505, and the control circuit 500 constitute a part of the control unit 18.

  The above configuration is basically the same as the usage of the light source device 12A described with reference to FIG. 17, but in the present embodiment, each scanning line (the drawing line) of each of the three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 is used. A) A function is provided for individually fine-adjusting the drawing magnification in the spot scanning direction (Y direction) of the pattern drawn by L1, L3, L5. For this function, in the present embodiment, memory units BM1a, BM3a, BM5a for temporarily storing information mg1, mg3, mg5 relating to the correction amount of the drawing magnification are provided for each of the drawing units U1, U3, U5. . Although the memory units BM1a, BM3a, and BM5a are illustrated as being independent in FIG. 18, they may be part of the memory units BM1, BM3, and BM5 provided in each of the generation circuits 501, 503, and 505. The information mg1, mg3, and mg5 regarding the correction amount also constitute a part of the drawing information.

  The information mg1, mg3, mg5 relating to the correction amount corresponds to, for example, a rate (ppm) of how much the dimension in the Y direction of the pattern drawn by each scanning line L1, L3, L5 is expanded or contracted. It is. As an example, when the length of the area in the Y direction that can be drawn by each of the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5 is 30 mm, and when it is desired to expand and contract by ± 200 ppm (corresponding to ± 6 μm), information mg1, mg3, and mg5 Is set to a numerical value of ± 200. The information mg1, mg3, and mg5 may be set not by the rate but by the amount of direct expansion and contraction (± ρμm). The information mg1, mg3, and mg5 may be sequentially reset for each line of drawing data (serial data) along each of the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5, or may be set for a plurality of lines of drawing data (serial data). It may be reset every time serial data is transmitted. As described above, in the present embodiment, while the substrate P is being sent in the X direction (long direction), while the pattern is being drawn along each of the scan lines L1, L3, and L5, the Y is dynamically changed. The drawing magnification in the direction can be changed, and when deformation or in-plane distortion of the substrate P is known, deterioration of the drawing position accuracy caused by the deformation can be suppressed. Further, in the case of the overlay exposure, the overlay accuracy can be greatly improved corresponding to the deformation of the already formed base pattern.

  FIG. 19 shows a time chart of the signal state of each part and the oscillation state of the laser beam LB at the time of standard pattern drawing by the drawing unit U1 as a representative of the drawing apparatus shown in FIG. In FIG. 19, a two-dimensional matrix Gm shows a drawing map (bitmap) of a pattern PP to be drawn. One grid (one pixel unit) on the substrate P has, for example, a dimension Py in the Y direction of 3 μm, X The dimension Px in the direction is set to 3 μm. In FIG. 19, L1-1, L1-2, L1-3,... L1-6 indicated by arrows indicate scanning lines along with the movement of the substrate P in the X direction (sub-scanning in the long direction). L1 indicates a drawing line to be sequentially drawn, and the distance between the scanning lines L1-1, L1-2, L1-3,... L1-6 in the X direction is, for example, a dimension Px (3 μm) in pixel units. The transport speed of the substrate P is set so as to be 1/2.

Furthermore, the dimension (spot size) in the XY direction of the spot light SP projected on the substrate P is set to be approximately the same as one pixel unit or slightly larger. Therefore, the size of the spot light SP is set to about 3 to 4 μm as an effective diameter (a width of 1 / e ² of the Gaussian distribution or a full width at half maximum of the peak intensity). When the laser beam LB is continuously projected, the oscillation frequency Fs (pulse time interval) of the laser beam LB and the scanning of the spot beam SP by the polygon mirror 116 are overlapped, for example, so as to overlap with an effective diameter of the spot beam. The speed Vs is set. That is, assuming that the seed light emitted from the polarizing beam splitter 208 in the light source device 12A is the beam Lse (FIG. 18), the seed light beam Lse is generated by the clock signal LTC output from the control circuit 222 (clock generator 222a). Are emitted in response to each of the clock pulses shown in FIG.

  The clock signal LTC and the clock signal CLK1 supplied to the counter unit CN1 in the generation circuit 501 in FIG. 18 are set to have a frequency ratio of 1: 2, and when the clock signal LTC is 100 MHz, the clock signal in FIG. The clock signal CLK1 is set to 50 MHz by the 分 frequency divider of the control circuit 500. The frequency ratio between the clock signal LTC and the clock signal CLK1 may be an integer multiple. For example, the setting frequency of the clock signal CLK1 may be reduced to half of 25 MHz, and the scanning speed Vs of the spot light may be reduced to half. Is also good.

  The drawing bit string data Sdw shown in FIG. 19 corresponds to the serial data DL1 output from the generation circuit 501, and here, for example, corresponds to the pattern on the scanning line L1-2 of the pattern PP. Since the electro-optical element 206 in the light source device 12A switches the polarization state in response to the drawing bit string data Sdw, the seed light beam Lse is in FIG. 17 while the drawing bit string data Sdw is in the On state (“H”). 17 is generated by the seed light S2 from the DFB semiconductor laser element 202 in FIG. 17 while the drawing bit string data Sdw is in the Off state (“L”).

  In the control circuit 222 of the light source device 12A, while the drawing bit string data Sdw is in the On state (“H”), the seed light S1 (the sharp pulse light) is transmitted from the DFB semiconductor laser element 200 in response to the clock signal LTC. ), And a drive circuit for generating the seed light S2 (broad pulse light) from the DFB semiconductor laser element 202 in response to the clock signal LTC while the drawing bit string data Sdw is in the Off state (“L”). Is provided, the electro-optical element 206 shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, the polarization beam splitter 208 and the absorber 210 shown in FIG. 17 can be omitted.

  As described above, each pulse light of the seed light beam Lse is output in response to each clock pulse of the clock signal LTC generated by the clock generator 222a shown in FIG. A circuit configuration for partially increasing or decreasing the time (cycle) between pulses of the clock signal LTC is provided in the generator 222a. The circuit configuration includes a reference (standard) clock generator serving as a source of the clock signal LTC, a frequency division counter circuit, a variable delay circuit, and the like.

  FIG. 20 is a time chart showing a relationship between the reference clock signal TC0 from the reference clock generator in the clock generator 222a and the clock signal LTC, and is based on the magnification correction information CMg shown in FIGS. This shows a state in which no correction is performed. The variable delay circuit in the clock generator 222a delays the reference clock signal TC0 always generated at the constant frequency Fs (the fixed time Td0) by the time DT0 according to the preset value, and outputs it as the clock signal LTC. Therefore, for example, if the reference clock signal TC0 is 100 MHz (Td0 = 10 nS), the clock signal LTC is also continuously generated at 100 MHz (Td0 = 10 nS) unless a change occurs in the preset value (delay time DT0).

  Therefore, the frequency division counter circuit in the clock generator 222a counts the reference clock signal TC0, and when the count value reaches a predetermined value Nv, changes the preset value set in the variable delay circuit by a fixed amount. I do. This will be described with reference to the time chart of FIG. In FIG. 21, the preset value set in the variable delay circuit is the delay time DT0 until the reference clock signal TC0 is counted up to Nv by the frequency division counter circuit. Thereafter, when the frequency dividing counter circuit counts up to Nv by one clock pulse Kn of the reference clock signal TC0, the preset value set in the variable delay circuit is immediately changed to the delay time DT1. Therefore, each clock pulse (after K'n + 1) of the clock signal LTC generated after the clock pulse Kn + 1 generated after the clock pulse Kn of the reference clock signal TC0 is uniformly generated with the delay time DT1.

  As a result, only when the preset value set in the variable delay circuit is changed by a fixed amount, that is, only between the clock pulse K'n and the clock pulse K'n + 1 of the clock signal LTC changes to the time interval Td1, The time interval between the subsequent clock pulses of the clock signal LTC is Td0. In FIG. 21, the delay time DT1 is made longer than the delay time DT0, and the time between two clock pulses of the clock signal LTC is made longer than Td0. However, the time can be reduced similarly. When the frequency division counter circuit counts the reference clock signal TC0 to Nv, it is reset to zero and starts counting up to Nv again.

  The initial value of the preset value set in the variable delay circuit is the delay time DT0, the variation of the delay time is ± ΔDh, the number of times the frequency division counter circuit is reset to zero is Nz, and the frequency division counter circuit counts up to Nv. Assuming that the delay time of a preset value sequentially set in the variable delay circuit (every time it is reset to zero) is DTm, the delay time DTm is set to the relationship of DTm = DT0 + Nz · (± ΔDh). Therefore, as shown in FIG. 21, the delay time DT1 set while the number Nz of zero resets is 1 (m = 1) is DTm = DT1 = DT0 ± ΔDh, and the next zero reset (Nz = 2, m = DT2 = DT0 + 2 · (± ΔDh). Therefore, the change amount ± ΔDh of the delay time corresponds to the difference between the reference time Td0 and the time Td1 between the clock pulse K′n and the clock pulse K′n + 1 of the clock signal LTC.

  As described above, the operation of changing the time interval between two specific clock pulses of the clock signal LTC is performed according to the predetermined value Nv set in the frequency division counter circuit for one scan line (L1 to L6). It is performed discretely at a plurality of points in the entire length. This is shown in FIG. FIG. 22 shows, as correction points CPP, a plurality of positions that are reset to zero each time the count value of the frequency dividing counter circuit reaches the predetermined value Nv over the entire length of the scanning line L1. At each of the correction points CPP, only the time between two specific clock pulses of the clock signal LTC is expanded or contracted by ± ΔDh with respect to the time Td0.

  Therefore, the reference clock signal TC0 is set to 100 MHz (Td0 = 10 nS), the effective size of the spot light in the main scanning direction is set to 3 μm, the length of the scanning line L1 (L2 to L6 is also the same) is set to 30 mm, and the laser light LB is set to 2 mm. Assuming that spot light projected on the substrate P by two consecutive pulse lights is drawn by overlapping about half (1.5 μm) in the main scanning direction, a reference generated over the length of the scanning line L1. The number of clocks of the clock signal TC0 is 20,000. The change amount ΔDh of the delay time is set to be sufficiently smaller than the reference time interval Td0, for example, set to about 2%. When a pattern drawn along the scanning line L1 is expanded and contracted by 150 ppm in the main scanning direction (Y direction) under these conditions, 150 ppm of the scanning line L1 having a length of 30 mm corresponds to 4.5 μm. The information relating to the drawing magnification rate of 150 ppm or the actual size length of 4.5 μm is stored as information mg1 in the memory unit BM1a in FIG.

  Therefore, the number of correction points CPP (FIG. 22) for expanding / contracting the time Td0 by ΔDh in the 20,000 clock pulse trains of the clock signal LTC is 4.5 μm / (1.5 μm × 2%) = 150. The maximum predetermined value Nv set in the frequency dividing counter circuit shown in FIG. 22 is about 133 from 20000/150.

  When the amount of change ΔDh of the delay time is 5%, the number of correction points CPP is 4.5 μm / (1.5 μm × 5%) = 60, which is the maximum predetermined value set in the frequency division counter circuit. Nv is about 333 from 20000/60. As described above, since the change amount ΔDh of the delay time is as small as less than 10%, even if there is a pattern to be drawn at the correction point CPP, the size of the pattern is larger than the size of the spot light. The drawing error due to slight displacement of the spot light in the main scanning direction in the above can be ignored.

  The setting of the change amount ΔDh of the delay time, the number of correction points CPP, and the predetermined value Nv by the frequency dividing counter circuit as described above are based on the magnification correction information CMg (ppm) output from the control circuit 500 in FIG. The calculation is performed in the control circuit 222 shown in FIG. 17, and is set in a frequency dividing counter circuit, a variable delay circuit, and the like in the clock generator 222a.

  According to the third embodiment described above, the laser beam LB from the light source device 12A can be sequentially supplied to, for example, each of the three drawing units U1, U3, and U5 in a time-sharing manner. , U3, and U5, the drawing operations along the scanning lines L1, L3, and L5 can be performed serially and individually. As shown in FIG. 18, the amount of correction of the drawing magnification is different for each of the drawing units U1, U3, and U5. Information mg1, mg3, and mg5 can be set. Accordingly, even if the expansion and contraction of the substrate P in the Y direction are not uniform and the expansion and contraction rates are different for each of several regions divided in the Y direction, the optimum correction of the drawing magnification for each drawing unit is adapted to cope with the difference. An advantage is obtained in that the amount can be set and nonlinear deformation of the substrate P can be dealt with.

  As described above, the light source device 12A that is connected to the apparatus that scans the spot light condensed on the irradiation target (substrate P) to draw a pattern and emits the laser light (beam) LB as the spot light is illustrated in FIG. 17, in response to a clock pulse (clock signal LTC) having a predetermined period (Td0), the light emission time is short with respect to the predetermined period, and the first pulse light (seed light) having a high peak intensity is provided as shown in FIG. A first semiconductor laser light source (200) that generates S1), and in response to a clock pulse, a light emission time shorter than a predetermined period and longer than a light emission time of the first pulse light (seed light S1), and a peak intensity is increased. A second semiconductor laser light source (202) for generating a low broad second pulse light (seed light S2) and a fiber optical amplifier for receiving the first pulse light (seed light S1) or the second pulse light (seed light S2) (216) At the time of drawing to project a spot light on an irradiation target based on information of a pattern to be drawn (drawing bit string data Sdw), the first pulse light (seed light S1) is made incident on the fiber optical amplifier (216), A switching device for switching the second pulse light (seed light S2) so as to be incident on the fiber optical amplifier (216) is provided at the time of non-drawing without projecting the spot light on the irradiation object. An electro-optical element (206) for selecting one of the first pulse light (seed light S1) and the second pulse light (seed light S2) based on pattern information to be drawn, A first semiconductor laser light source (200) and a second semiconductor laser light source (200) based on pattern information to be drawn so that one of the pulse light (seed light S1) and the second pulse light (seed light S2) is generated. 202) and a circuit for controlling the driving.

  The third embodiment is also applicable to the first embodiment or its modified example, and the second embodiment. That is, the clock generator 222a in the control circuit 222 of the light source device 12A described in the third embodiment responds to the magnification correction information CMg from the drawing control unit (control circuit 500) shown in FIG. The function of partially or discretely expanding or contracting the time interval of the clock signal LTC is applied to the light source device 12 of the first embodiment or its modified example and the light source device 12 of the second embodiment. Applicable. In this case, the light source device 12 may not include the DFB semiconductor laser element 202, the polarizing beam splitter 204, the electro-optical element 206, the polarizing beam splitter 208, and the absorber 210. The pulsed seed light S1 emitted from the DFB semiconductor laser device 200 may be amplified by the fiber optical amplifier 216 and emitted as laser light LB. In this case, since the light source device 12 does not include the electro-optical element 206, the serial data DL1, DL3, and DL5 generated by the generation circuits 501, 503, and 505 are used for the drawing optical element 106 or the drawing optical element of the drawing unit U. It is sent to the element 150.

12, 12a, 12b, 12A, 12B Light source device 14 Drawing head 16 Substrate transport mechanism 18 Control unit 20 Rotating drum 36 Drawing head support unit 40a, 40b, 130 Light introduction optical system 50, 58, 66 , 132, 140 ... unit selecting optical elements 106, 150 ... drawing optical element 116 ... polygon mirror 180 ... timing measuring section 182 ... servo control section 200, 202 ... DFB semiconductor laser element 206 ... electro-optical element 212 ... excitation light source 216 ... Fiber optical amplifiers 218, 220 ... Wavelength conversion optical element 222 ... Control circuit EX ... Exposure device P ... Substrate LB ... Laser light U, U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, U6 ... Drawing units L, L1, L2, L3 , L4, L5, L6... Scanning lines

Claims (7)

A pattern drawing apparatus that draws a pattern on the substrate by relatively scanning a drawing beam intensity-modulated based on the pattern drawing data on the photosensitive substrate,
A transport mechanism for moving the substrate in a first direction;
Based on the drawing data corresponding to a pattern to be drawn on each of the plurality of regions, the plurality of regions are arranged on the substrate and partitioned in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. A plurality of drawing units that project the intensity-modulated drawing beam onto each of the plurality of regions,
A light source device that outputs a laser beam for generating the drawing beam,
Provided in correspondence with each of the plurality of drawing units, so as to sequentially pass the laser light from the light source device, and when in the On state, the incident diffraction beam of the laser light is transmitted to the corresponding drawing unit. A plurality of switching AOMs deflecting towards
A timing measuring unit for sequentially outputting one of the plurality of switching AOMs to a ON state for a predetermined time Toa for a predetermined time Toa and outputting a drawing enable signal for setting the remaining switching AOMs to an OFF state;
Of the plurality of switching AOMs, the switching AOM is provided closer to the light source device than the first-stage switching AOM located on the light source device side, and modulates the intensity of the laser light based on the drawing data to form the drawing beam. AOM for drawing that generates
A plurality of drawing data corresponding to each of the patterns to be drawn in each of the plurality of regions is stored, and data to be drawn during each of the plurality of drawing data during the time period Toa is stored in the drawing enable signal. A control unit for controlling the modulation operation of the drawing AOM in accordance with the order selected according to the order;
A pattern drawing apparatus comprising: The pattern drawing apparatus according to claim 1,
The photosensitive substrate is a long sheet substrate having flexibility,
The pattern drawing apparatus, wherein the transport mechanism has a cylindrical outer peripheral surface around which a part of the sheet substrate is wound in a longitudinal direction, and includes a rotating drum rotatable around a central axis. It is a pattern drawing apparatus of Claim 2, Comprising:
Each of the plurality of drawing units condenses the drawing beam as spot light on the sheet substrate, and one-dimensionally scans the spot light in a direction substantially parallel to the central axis of the rotating drum. Drawing device. It is a pattern drawing apparatus of Claim 3, Comprising:
The light source device is a pulsed laser light source that outputs, as the laser light, a pulsed laser light in an ultraviolet wavelength range that oscillates at a frequency of Fs,
When the effective size of the spot light projected on the sheet substrate is Ds, and the scanning speed of the spot light is Vs, the frequency Fs is set to be equal to or higher than a frequency determined by Vs / Ds. . It is a pattern drawing apparatus of Claim 4, Comprising:
A rotating polygon mirror for repeatedly deflecting the drawing beam incident through the switching AOM for one-dimensional scanning of the spot light; and a reflecting surface of the rotating polygon mirror. An origin sensor that generates a pulse-like origin signal each time a predetermined angle is reached,
When the scanning efficiency of one reflecting surface of the rotating polygon mirror is 1 / n, the number of the plurality of drawing units is set to n,
The rotation driving of the rotary polygon mirror is controlled such that the origin signals output from the origin sensors of the n drawing units are equal to or longer than the time Toa with a phase difference of 1 / n from each other. A pattern drawing apparatus further comprising a servo control unit. It is a pattern drawing apparatus of Claim 5, Comprising:
The pattern writing device, wherein the timing measurement unit generates the writing enable signal based on the origin signal output from the origin sensor of each of the n writing units with the 1 / n phase difference. It is a pattern drawing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The light source device includes a light source unit that generates seed light that oscillates at a predetermined frequency Fs, a fiber optical amplifier that amplifies the seed light, and the seed light that has been amplified by the fiber optical amplifier. A pattern drawing apparatus, which is a fiber laser light source having a wavelength conversion optical element that emits ultraviolet pulse light converted into a wavelength range.

Images