JP2615687B2 - Excimer laser reduction projection exposure method - Google Patents
Excimer laser reduction projection exposure methodInfo
- Publication number
- JP2615687B2 JP2615687B2 JP62269657A JP26965787A JP2615687B2 JP 2615687 B2 JP2615687 B2 JP 2615687B2 JP 62269657 A JP62269657 A JP 62269657A JP 26965787 A JP26965787 A JP 26965787A JP 2615687 B2 JP2615687 B2 JP 2615687B2
- Authority
- JP
- Japan
- Prior art keywords
- excimer laser
- projection exposure
- shutter
- laser
- energy
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70008—Production of exposure light, i.e. light sources
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Exposure And Positioning Against Photoresist Photosensitive Materials (AREA)
- Exposure Of Semiconductors, Excluding Electron Or Ion Beam Exposure (AREA)
- Lasers (AREA)
Description
【発明の詳細な説明】 産業上の利用分野 本発明は、半導体製造技術中のリソグラフィ技術に用
いるエキシマレーザ縮少投影露光方法に関するものであ
る。Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an excimer laser reduced projection exposure method used for a lithography technique in a semiconductor manufacturing technique.
従来の技術 第３図は、エキシマレーザ縮少投影露光装置の概略図
を示すものであり、１は光源であるエキシマレーザ光を
発生するエキシマレーザである。７はレーザ光の向きを
変えるための反射鏡であり、８はレーザ光強度を均一に
するためのインテグレータである。９はレーザ光を集光
するためのコンデンサレンズであり、10はレチクルであ
る。11はレチクルの転写像を縮小するためのリダクショ
ンレンズであり、12はウエハである。４はx,y,z方向に
移動停止可能なウエハステージである。また、第２図は
エキシマレーザ縮少投影露光装置の制御系統の概略図を
示すブロック図である。2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an excimer laser reduction projection exposure apparatus, wherein an excimer laser 1 generates an excimer laser beam as a light source. 7 is a reflecting mirror for changing the direction of the laser light, and 8 is an integrator for making the laser light intensity uniform. Reference numeral 9 denotes a condenser lens for condensing a laser beam, and reference numeral 10 denotes a reticle. Numeral 11 denotes a reduction lens for reducing a reticle transfer image, and numeral 12 denotes a wafer. Reference numeral 4 denotes a wafer stage that can stop moving in the x, y, and z directions. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a schematic diagram of a control system of the excimer laser reduction projection exposure apparatus.
以上のように構成された従来のエキシマレーザ縮少投
影露光装置において、露光はエキシマレーザのパワーの
ON,OFFで行われ、１チップの露光が終了するとエキシマ
レーザをOFFし、ステージ移動を行い、移動が終るとエ
キシマレーザをONするという動作を繰り返すステップア
ンドリピート方式であった。In the conventional excimer laser reduced projection exposure apparatus configured as described above, the exposure is performed using the power of the excimer laser.
This is a step-and-repeat method in which the excimer laser is turned off, the stage is moved when the exposure of one chip is completed, and the excimer laser is turned on when the movement is completed.
発明が解決しようとする問題点 しかしながら上記のような構成では、ステージが移動
する間はエキシマレーザがOFF状態であり、ステージ移
動する度にエキシマレーザをON,OFFしなければならない
ため、１パルスから数パルスで１チップの露光を行う際
ドーズ量のバラツキが大きくなったり、スループットの
低下やレーザの信頼性，寿命がおちる欠点を招くという
問題点を有していた。However, in the above configuration, the excimer laser is in the OFF state while the stage moves, and the excimer laser must be turned on and off every time the stage moves. When exposing one chip with several pulses, there is a problem that the variation in the dose amount becomes large, the throughput is reduced, and the reliability and the life of the laser are reduced.
本発明は、かかる点に鑑み、エキシマレーザを連続発
振動作させ安定な状態で使用し、その周波数に同期させ
てステップアンドリピートによる露光が可能なエキシマ
レーザ縮少投影露光方法を提供することを目的とする。In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an excimer laser reduced projection exposure method capable of performing continuous oscillation operation of an excimer laser in a stable state, and performing step-and-repeat exposure in synchronization with the frequency. And
問題点を解決するための手段 本発明のエキシマレーザ縮小投影露光方法は、レーザ
光のエネルギーをモニタする手段と、シャッタを備えた
エキシマレーザと、エキシマレーザの発振周波数に同期
してステップアンドリピートで移動するウエハステージ
と、ウエハステージの制御手段を備えたエキシマレーザ
投影露光装置を用い、エキシマレーザを連続発振させた
状態でシャッタを開けてエキシマレーザの周波数に同期
させ１パルスまたはそれ以上のパルス数で露光し、一定
量のエネルギーが蓄積された時点でエキシマレーザパル
スに同期させてシャッタを閉じる動作をステップアンド
リピート移動間の各露光において行う構成となってい
る。Means for Solving the Problems The excimer laser reduction projection exposure method of the present invention comprises a means for monitoring the energy of a laser beam, an excimer laser having a shutter, and a step-and-repeat method synchronized with the oscillation frequency of the excimer laser. Using an excimer laser projection exposure apparatus equipped with a moving wafer stage and a control means for the wafer stage, the shutter is opened while the excimer laser is continuously oscillated to synchronize with the frequency of the excimer laser, and the number of pulses of one or more pulses is increased. When a certain amount of energy is accumulated, an operation of closing the shutter in synchronization with the excimer laser pulse is performed in each exposure during the step-and-repeat movement.
作用 本発明は前記した構成により、露光開始前及び終了後
はエキシマレーザ光をシャッタにより遮断しておきエキ
シマレーザパルスに同期させてシャッターの開閉及びス
テージのステップアンドリピート移動を行うことによ
り、エキシマレーザ光の安定した状態で１パルスまたは
それ以上のパルス数で露光することができる。つまり、
エキシマレーザ，ステージを連続動作状態で露光する方
法である。According to the present invention, the excimer laser light is blocked by the shutter before and after the start of the exposure, and the shutter is opened and closed and the stage is step-and-repeat moved in synchronization with the excimer laser pulse. Exposure can be performed with one pulse or more pulses in a stable state of light. That is,
This is a method of exposing an excimer laser and a stage in a continuous operation state.
実 施 例 第１図は、本発明の第１の実施例におけるエキシマレ
ーザ縮少投影露光装置の制御系のブロック図を示すもの
である。第１図において、１は光源であるエキシマレー
ザ、２はエキシマレーザ光のエネルギーをチェックする
モニタとエキシマレーザ光を遮断するためのシャッタを
備えた装置、３はエキシマ縮少投影露光装置の光学系、
４はステップアンドリピート移動可能なステージ、５は
エキシマレーザパルスとステージを同期させるための同
期回路、６はエキシマレーザのオン（ON），オフ（OF
F）などすべて制御するコントローラである。FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a control system of an excimer laser reduced projection exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is an excimer laser as a light source, 2 is a device having a monitor for checking the energy of the excimer laser light and a shutter for shutting off the excimer laser light, and 3 is an optical system of the excimer reduced projection exposure apparatus. ,
4 is a stage capable of step-and-repeat movement, 5 is a synchronizing circuit for synchronizing the stage with the excimer laser pulse, and 6 is ON (ON) and OFF (OF) of the excimer laser.
F) is a controller that controls everything.
以上のように構成された本実施例のエキシマレーザ縮
少投影露光装置について、以下その動作を説明する。The operation of the thus configured excimer laser reduced projection exposure apparatus of this embodiment will be described below.
コントローラ６からエキシマレーザ１に信号を送りエ
キシマレーザ１を発振させ、エキシマレーザ１が安定し
たところで、シャッタ２を開ると同時にレーザ光のエネ
ルギーをモニタし、一定量のエネルギーが蓄積された時
点でシャッタを閉じる。同時にステージ４を次のチップ
位置まで移動し、また、シャッタ２を開く。以下この動
作を繰り返し全チップを露光する。１枚のウエハのすべ
てのチップの露光が終了した時点でコントローラ６から
エキシマレーザ１に信号を送り、エキシマレーザ１の発
振を終了する。その後、ウエハを交換し、全ての動作を
繰り返し実施することによりウエハ処理を進行する。こ
のようにして、本発明によれば１パルスまたはそれ以上
のパルス数毎のステップアンドリピート露光が可能とな
る。A signal is sent from the controller 6 to the excimer laser 1, and the excimer laser 1 is oscillated. When the excimer laser 1 is stabilized, the shutter 2 is opened and the energy of the laser beam is monitored at the same time. Close the shutter. At the same time, the stage 4 is moved to the next chip position, and the shutter 2 is opened. Hereinafter, this operation is repeated to expose all chips. When the exposure of all the chips on one wafer is completed, a signal is sent from the controller 6 to the excimer laser 1, and the oscillation of the excimer laser 1 is completed. Thereafter, the wafer is replaced, and the wafer processing is advanced by repeatedly performing all the operations. Thus, according to the present invention, step-and-repeat exposure can be performed for each pulse number of one pulse or more.
以上のように本実施例によれば、エキシマレーザ光の
出射後にレーザ光のエネルギーモニタとレーザ光を遮断
するシャッタを備えた装置を設け、さらにステージ及び
エネルギーモニタとシャッタを備えた装置をエキシマレ
ーザパルス周波数による同期制御回路を設けることによ
り、エキシマレーザをON,OFFすることなく、レーザ光の
安定なON状態のままで使用し、１パルスまたはそれ以上
のパルス数でステップアンドリピート露光できる。As described above, according to the present embodiment, a device having an energy monitor for laser light and a shutter for shutting off laser light after emission of excimer laser light is provided, and a device having a stage and an energy monitor and a shutter is further provided with an excimer laser. By providing the synchronization control circuit based on the pulse frequency, the excimer laser can be used in a stable ON state without turning the excimer laser on and off, and step-and-repeat exposure can be performed with one or more pulses.
発明の効果 以上説明したように、本発明によれば、エキシマレー
ザを連続動作で用いるため従来より安定な状態で使用可
能となり、その結果、１チップの露光毎にエキシマレー
ザのON、OFFを繰り返す従来の方式に比べてレーザ光の
エネルギーばらつきやレーザ光面内ばらつきやむら等を
大きく低減することができる。しかも、レーザ光のエネ
ルギーモニタで全露光エネルギーをモニタし一定露光エ
ネルギーでシャッタを閉じるため、チップ間の露光エネ
ルギーの変動は極めて小さくなる。また、レーザを動作
状態のまま、ステップアンドリピート露光できるため
に、レーザのON,OFFに要する時間やコントローラの信号
処理時間を低減することができ、非常にスループットが
向上する。Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, the excimer laser is used in a continuous operation, so that the excimer laser can be used in a more stable state than before, and as a result, the excimer laser is repeatedly turned on and off every time one chip is exposed. Compared with the conventional method, it is possible to greatly reduce the variation in the energy of the laser beam, the variation in the laser beam plane, the unevenness, and the like. Further, since the entire exposure energy is monitored by the energy monitor of the laser beam and the shutter is closed at a constant exposure energy, the fluctuation of the exposure energy between chips becomes extremely small. In addition, since step-and-repeat exposure can be performed while the laser is in the operating state, the time required for turning on and off the laser and the signal processing time of the controller can be reduced, and the throughput is greatly improved.
このように、安定な定常状態のエキシマレーザ光を用
い連続かつ均一な露光量で高スループットのステップア
ンドリピート露光が可能となり、その実用的効果は非常
に大きい。またこれにより、エキシマレーザ縮少投影露
光装置の実用化が大きく前進する。As described above, high throughput step-and-repeat exposure can be performed with a continuous and uniform exposure amount using stable steady-state excimer laser light, and its practical effect is extremely large. This also greatly advances the practical use of excimer laser reduced projection exposure apparatuses.
第１図は本発明の一実施例におけるエキシマレーザ縮少
投影露光装置のブロック図、第２図は従来の装置のブロ
ック図、第３図は従来装置の概略斜視図である。 １……エキシマレーザ、２……エネルギーモニタとシャ
ッタ、３……光学系、４……ステージ、５……同期用制
御回路、６……コントローラ、７……反射鏡、８……イ
ンテグレータ、９……コンデンサレンズ、10……レチク
ル、11……リダクションレンズ、12……ウエハ。FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an excimer laser reduced projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a conventional apparatus, and FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of the conventional apparatus. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Excimer laser, 2 ... Energy monitor and shutter, 3 ... Optical system, 4 ... Stage, 5 ... Synchronization control circuit, 6 ... Controller, 7 ... Reflector, 8 ... Integrator, 9 …… Condenser lens, 10… Reticle, 11… Reduction lens, 12… Wafer.
───────────────────────────────────────────────────── フロントページの続き (51)Int.Cl.6 識別記号 庁内整理番号 ＦＩ 技術表示箇所 Ｈ０１Ｓ 3/101 Ｈ０１Ｓ 3/101 Ｈ０１Ｌ 21/30 ５２７ ５１６Ｄ (72)発明者 小川 一文 大阪府門真市大字門真1006番地 松下電 器産業株式会社内 (56)参考文献 特開 昭61−2325（ＪＰ，Ａ) 特開 昭62−176129（ＪＰ，Ａ)──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. 6 Identification number Agency reference number FI Technical display location H01S 3/101 H01S 3/101 H01L 21/30 527 516D (72) Inventor Kazufumi Ogawa Kadoma City, Osaka 1006 Oaza Kadoma Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-2325 (JP, A) JP-A-62-176129 (JP, A)
Claims (1)
と、シャッタを備えたエキシマレーザと、前記エキシマ
レーザの発振周波数に同期してステップアンドリピート
で移動するウエハステージと、前記ウエハステージの制
御手段を備えたエキシマレーザ投影露光装置を用い、前
記エキシマレーザを連続発振させた状態で前記シャッタ
を開けて前記エキシマレーザの周波数に同期させ１パル
スまたはそれ以上のパルス数で露光し、一定量のエネル
ギーが蓄積された時点で前記エキシマレーザパルスに同
期させて前記シャッタを閉じる動作をステップアンドリ
ピート移動間の各露光において行うことを特徴とするエ
キシマレーザ縮小投影露光方法。An excimer laser provided with a shutter for monitoring energy of a laser beam, a wafer stage moving in a step-and-repeat manner in synchronization with an oscillation frequency of the excimer laser, and a control means for controlling the wafer stage. Using an excimer laser projection exposure apparatus provided, the shutter is opened in a state where the excimer laser is continuously oscillated, synchronized with the frequency of the excimer laser, and exposed with one or more pulses, and a certain amount of energy is emitted. An excimer laser reduction projection exposure method, wherein the operation of closing the shutter in synchronization with the excimer laser pulse at the time of accumulation is performed in each exposure during a step-and-repeat movement.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62269657A JP2615687B2 (en) | 1987-10-26 | 1987-10-26 | Excimer laser reduction projection exposure method |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62269657A JP2615687B2 (en) | 1987-10-26 | 1987-10-26 | Excimer laser reduction projection exposure method |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| JPH01111321A JPH01111321A (en) | 1989-04-28 |
| JP2615687B2 true JP2615687B2 (en) | 1997-06-04 |
Family
ID=17475403
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP62269657A Expired - Lifetime JP2615687B2 (en) | 1987-10-26 | 1987-10-26 | Excimer laser reduction projection exposure method |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| JP (1) | JP2615687B2 (en) |
Family Cites Families (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPS612325A (en) * | 1984-06-15 | 1986-01-08 | Hitachi Ltd | High energy beam machine |
| JPS62176129A (en) * | 1986-01-29 | 1987-08-01 | Canon Inc | Exposure apparatus |
-
1987
- 1987-10-26 JP JP62269657A patent/JP2615687B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| JPH01111321A (en) | 1989-04-28 |
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