JP5282895B2 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a throughput of transferring a pattern onto a belt-like photosensitive substrate while utilizing flexibility of the photosensitive substrate conveyed in a roll-to-roll system. <P>SOLUTION: An exposure apparatus includes: a moving mechanism (RL) having a cylindrical face (RLa), which moves a photosensitive substrate (SH) along a direction of the axial line (RLb) of the cylindrical face while holding the substrate along the cylindrical face; a stage mechanism holding a planar mask (M) having a pattern and moving along a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axial line synchronously with the movement of the substrate in the axial direction; an illumination optical system forming an illumination region (IR) on the mask; and a projection optical system (PL) forming a projected image of the pattern in the illumination region onto an imaging region (ER) extending into an elliptical arc. The axial line of the cylindrical face is tilted with respect to the pattern face in such a manner that the imaging region is formed on the substrate along a plane approximately parallel to the pattern face of the mask. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a scanning exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern onto, for example, a flexible strip-shaped photosensitive substrate.

  Liquid crystal display panels are frequently used as display elements for personal computers and televisions. Recently, a method of manufacturing a display panel by patterning a transparent thin film electrode on a flexible polymer sheet (photosensitive substrate) by a photolithography technique has been devised. As an exposure apparatus used in this photolithography process, an exposure apparatus that transfers a mask pattern onto a flexible photosensitive substrate conveyed by roll-to-roll (hereinafter referred to as a roll-to-roll type exposure apparatus). Has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2007-114385 A

  In the roll-to-roll type exposure apparatus, it is required to improve the throughput for transferring the pattern to the photosensitive substrate while utilizing the flexibility of the belt-shaped photosensitive substrate.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems. For example, the invention relates to the transfer of a pattern to a photosensitive substrate while utilizing the flexibility of a strip-shaped photosensitive substrate conveyed by roll-to-roll. It is an object of the present invention to provide an exposure apparatus, an exposure method, and a device manufacturing method that can achieve an improvement in throughput.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the moving mechanism has a cylindrical surface and moves along the axial direction of the cylindrical surface while holding the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface;
A stage mechanism that holds a planar mask having a pattern and moves in a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
An illumination optical system that forms an illumination area on the mask held by the stage mechanism;
A projection optical system for forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an elliptical arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask ;
The conjugate plane of the pattern plane and the axis of the cylindrical plane are set to be predetermined so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the cylindrical plane substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the elliptical arc shape. There is provided an exposure apparatus characterized by being disposed at an angle .

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the moving mechanism has an elliptic cylinder surface and moves along the direction of the axis of the elliptic cylinder surface while holding a photosensitive substrate along the elliptic cylinder surface; ,
A stage mechanism that holds a planar mask having a pattern and moves in a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
An illumination optical system that forms an illumination area on the mask held by the stage mechanism;
A projection optical system for forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an arc shape along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask;
The major axis direction of the elliptic cylinder surface is a conjugate of the pattern surface so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the elliptic cylinder surface substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the arc shape. An exposure apparatus is provided in which the elliptic cylinder surface is arranged so as to be parallel to the surface, and the conjugate plane of the pattern surface and the axis of the elliptic cylinder plane are inclined at a predetermined angle.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the step of moving the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface while holding the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface;
Holding a planar mask having a pattern and moving the substrate along a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
Forming an illumination area on the mask;
Forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an elliptical arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask ;
The conjugate plane of the pattern plane and the axis of the cylindrical plane are set to be predetermined so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the cylindrical plane substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the elliptical arc shape. And an exposure method characterized in that it includes a step of inclining and arranging at an angle .

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the photosensitive substrate is moved along the direction of the axis of the elliptic cylinder surface while being held along the elliptic cylinder surface;
Holding a planar mask having a pattern and moving the substrate along a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
Forming an illumination area on the mask;
Forming a projected image of the pattern in the illumination region in an imaging region extending in an arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask;
The major axis direction of the elliptic cylinder surface is a conjugate of the pattern surface so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the elliptic cylinder surface substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the arc shape. And arranging the elliptic cylindrical surface so as to be parallel to the surface, and inclining the conjugate plane of the pattern surface and the axis of the elliptic cylindrical surface at a predetermined angle. Is provided.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, using the exposure apparatus according to the first aspect or the second aspect of the present invention, the step of transferring the pattern to the substrate;
Developing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred, and forming a transfer pattern layer having a shape corresponding to the pattern;
Processing the substrate via the transfer pattern layer;
A device manufacturing method is provided.

  According to one aspect of the present invention, the projection optical system forms a projected image of a pattern in the illumination area extending in an elliptical arc shape on the mask, and extends in an elliptical arc shape on the photosensitive substrate held along the cylindrical surface. Form in the image area. This elliptical arc-shaped imaging region is formed along a plane substantially parallel to the pattern surface of the mask on the substrate held in a cylindrical shape. More generally, a part of the intersection line between the conjugate plane of the pattern surface by the projection optical system and the cylindrical surface has an elliptical arc shape substantially equal to the imaging region.

  Therefore, a good image of the mask pattern is formed in the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region on the substrate, for example, although the flexible belt-like substrate is held in a cylindrical surface. As a result, in the exposure apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention, for example, the throughput for transferring the pattern to the photosensitive substrate can be increased while utilizing the flexibility of the belt-shaped photosensitive substrate conveyed by roll-to-roll. Can be improved.

It is a figure which shows schematically the structure of the exposure apparatus concerning embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows roughly the principal part structure of the exposure apparatus of this embodiment. It is a figure explaining the relationship between the inclination angle of the axis of a roller, and the external shape of an image formation area. It is a 1st figure explaining operation | movement of the scanning exposure in this embodiment. It is a 2nd figure explaining operation | movement of the scanning exposure in this embodiment. It is a 3rd figure explaining operation | movement of the scanning exposure in this embodiment. It is a figure which shows roughly the structure of the projection optical system concerning a modification. It is a figure explaining the structure which forms the projection image of the pattern in the illumination area extended in circular arc shape in the imaging area extended in circular arc shape using an elliptic cylinder member. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. It is a flowchart which shows the manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a drawing schematically showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, roll-to-roll is used to project and expose (transfer) the pattern of the mask M onto the sheet SH while moving the mask M and the strip-shaped sheet SH relative to the projection optical system PL. The present invention is applied to a type exposure apparatus. In FIG. 1, the Z axis in the direction of the reference optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, the Y axis in the direction parallel to the plane of FIG. 1 in the plane orthogonal to the reference optical axis AX, and the plane orthogonal to the reference optical axis AX. The X axis is set in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG.

  The exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment includes a mask stage MS that moves while holding a planar mask M having a pattern, an illumination optical system IL that forms an illumination area on the mask M, and a pattern image of the mask M. Operations of the projection optical system PL formed on the SH, the roller RL that moves and rotates while holding the sheet SH, the drive system DR that drives the mask stage MS and the roller RL, and the drive system DR are integrated. And a main control system CR to be controlled. The sheet SH is a flexible (flexible) band-shaped polymer sheet coated with a photoresist (photosensitive material).

  Illumination light (exposure light) for exposure is supplied from the light source LS to the illumination optical system IL. As exposure light, for example, light of i-line (wavelength 365 nm) selected from light emitted from an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp, pulsed light composed of third harmonic of YAG laser (wavelength 355 nm), KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm) Etc. can be used. The illumination optical system IL includes a collimator lens 20, a fly-eye lens 21, a condenser optical system 22, a mask blind 23 as a variable field stop, an illumination imaging optical system 24 (24a, 24b), and the like in the order of light incidence. .

  The light emitted from the light source LS forms an illumination area IR extending in an elliptical arc shape on the mask M via the illumination optical system IL. The light from the illumination area IR on the mask M forms a projected image of the pattern in the illumination area IR on the imaging area ER on the sheet SH via the projection optical system PL. As an example, the projection optical system PL is a twice-imaging catadioptric optical system, and the optical axis on the incident side and the optical axis on the exit side coincide with the linear reference optical axis AX extending in the Z direction. .

  The projection optical system PL is telecentric on the mask M side and the sheet SH side, has an enlargement magnification from the mask M side to the sheet SH side, and produces an upright image erect in the Y direction that is the scanning direction of the mask M. It is formed in the imaging region ER. Accordingly, the shape of the imaging region ER is an elliptical arc shape obtained by enlarging the shape of the illumination region IR with the projection magnification β of the projection optical system PL. However, the shape of the illumination region IR, and hence the shape of the imaging region ER, is variably set according to the shape of the variable opening (light transmission portion) of the mask blind 23 in the illumination optical system IL.

  The mask M is sucked and held on the mask stage MS via a mask holder (not shown). On the mask stage MS, a mask side laser interferometer (not shown) having a known configuration is arranged. The mask side laser interferometer measures the position of the mask stage MS in the X direction, the position in the Y direction, and the rotation angle around the Z axis, and supplies the measurement result to the main control system CR. The main control system CR controls the position of the mask stage MS in the X direction, the position and speed in the Y direction as the scanning direction, and the rotation angle around the Z axis through the drive system DR based on the measured values. .

  For example, in the middle of the path along which the belt-shaped sheet SH is conveyed in accordance with the roll-to-roll system, it has a cylindrical surface (hereinafter referred to as “cylindrical surface”) RLa and has a predetermined axis RLb as the center. A cylindrical roller RL configured to be rotatable is provided. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sheet SH is held (arranged) along the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. More specifically, the sheet SH is held in contact with the cylindrical surface RLa so as not to slide along the cylindrical surface RLa. As a result, the sheet SH moves in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa with the rotation of the roller RL around the axis RLb.

  As clearly shown in FIG. 3, the axis RLb of the roller RL extends along the YZ plane and is inclined by a predetermined angle θ with respect to the Y direction. The roller RL moves in the direction of the axis RLb while holding the sheet SH along the cylindrical surface RLa during the scanning exposure of the mask pattern on the sheet SH. Further, the roller RL rotates around the axis RLb while holding the sheet SH along the cylindrical surface RLa during the step movement from the scanning exposure end position to the sheet SH to the next scanning exposure start position. The details of the scanning exposure operation will be described later with reference to FIGS.

  Next, with reference to FIG. 3, the relationship between the inclination angle θ of the axis RLb of the roller RL with respect to the Y direction and the outer shape of the imaging region ER (and thus the outer shape of the illumination region IR) will be described. Referring to FIG. 3, the axis RLb of the roller RL is set to make an angle of θ with the + Y axis and make an angle of (90−θ) with the + Z axis. A conjugate plane (indicated by a one-dot chain line in FIG. 3) 31 optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask M extends along the XY plane so as to intersect the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. At this time, the line where the cylindrical surface RLa and the conjugate surface 31 intersect, that is, the intersection line forms a part of an ellipse.

  In the present embodiment, the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region is elongated so as to extend along a line segment (part indicated by a thick solid line in the figure) 32 that is a part of the elliptical arc-shaped intersection line and is symmetric with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction. ER is set. Therefore, the outer shape of the imaging region ER is an elliptical arc shape that is symmetrical with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction and is convex toward the −Y direction. Similarly to the imaging region ER, the outer shape of the illumination region IR is an elliptical arc that is symmetrical with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction and is convex toward the −Y direction.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region ER as an erect image of the elliptical arc-shaped illumination region IR extending in a plane along the XY plane has a cylindrical surface shape along the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. The sheet SH is formed so as to extend in a plane along the XY plane. As a result, although the sheet SH is held in a cylindrical surface, the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region ER on the sheet SH has a pattern in the illumination region IR in the Y direction (scanning direction of the mask M). An upright good image is formed.

  Hereinafter, the scanning exposure operation in the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 6, as an example of the scanning exposure operation, the pattern of the first pattern area PA1 on the mask M is scanned and exposed to the first partition area SR1 in the shot area SR on the sheet SH, and the second pattern area PA2 is exposed. In this example, the second pattern region SR2 and the third partition region SR3 are scanned and exposed, and the pattern of the third pattern region PA3 is scanned and exposed to the fourth partition region SR4.

  Referring to FIG. 4, on the mask M, there are provided three rectangular pattern areas PA1 to PA3 that are elongated along the Y direction. In the first pattern area PA1 and the third pattern area PA3, for example, a pattern corresponding to the peripheral portion (drive circuit or the like) of the display panel is formed. In the second pattern area PA2, for example, a pattern corresponding to the pixel of the display panel is formed.

  Referring to FIG. 5, one shot region SR on the sheet SH is virtually divided into four rectangular partition regions SR1 to SR4 that are elongated along the Y direction. Here, the first partition region SR1 and the fourth partition region SR4 are exposure regions in which a pattern corresponding to the peripheral portion is to be formed. Further, the second partition region SR2 and the third partition region SR3 are exposure regions in which a repetitive pattern corresponding to the pixel of the display unit is to be formed. In FIG. 5, in order to facilitate understanding of the description of the scanning exposure operation, the shot region SR on the sheet SH is along a plane tangent to the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL and parallel to the Y direction. Has been deployed.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, from the starting position where the elliptical arc-shaped illumination area IR is located at the end on the + Y direction side of the first pattern area PA <b> 1 to the end position where it reaches the end on the −Y direction side, The mask M (and thus the mask stage MS) is moved at a required speed in the + Y direction so that the first pattern area PA1 is scanned by the illumination area IR according to the arrow F11 in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in synchronization with the movement of the mask M in the + Y direction, the starting position where the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region ER is located at the end of the first partition region SR1 on the + Y direction side (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 6). 6 to the end position (see the lower diagram of FIG. 6) reaching the end portion on the −Y direction side, the first partitioned region SR1 is formed in the imaging region ER according to the arrow F21 in FIG. The roller RL (and thus the sheet SH) is moved at the required speed in the + Y direction along the direction of the axis RLb so as to be scanned by. Thus, the pattern of the first pattern area PA1 is transferred to the first partition area SR1.

  Next, the mask M (and thus the mask stage MS) is moved in the + X direction so that the illumination area IR moves from the −Y direction end of the first pattern area PA1 to the −Y direction end of the second pattern area PA2. Move to step. Further, the roller RL is rotated about the axis RLb so that the imaging region ER moves from the −Y direction end of the first partition region SR1 to the −Y direction end of the second partition region SR2. The sheet SH is moved stepwise in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL.

  Then, the second pattern area PA2 is scanned by the illumination area IR according to the arrow F12 in FIG. 4 from the starting position at the −Y direction side end of the second pattern area PA2 to the end position at the + Y direction side end. Then, the mask M is moved at a required speed in the -Y direction. In synchronization with the movement of the mask M in the −Y direction, the second partitioned region from the start position at the −Y direction side end of the partitioned region SR2 to the end position at the + Y direction side end in accordance with the arrow F22 in FIG. The roller RL is moved in the −Y direction at a required speed along the direction of the axis RLb so that SR2 is scanned by the imaging region ER. Thus, the pattern of the second pattern area PA2 is transferred to the second partition area SR2.

  Next, the roller RL is rotated about the axis RLb so that the imaging region ER moves from the + Y direction side end of the second partition region SR2 to the + Y direction side end of the third partition region SR3. SH is moved stepwise in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. However, when the scanning of the second partition region SR2 is completed, the illumination region IR is located at the end of the second pattern region PA2 on the + Y direction side, and thus it is not necessary to move the mask M stepwise. Therefore, in the state at the end of scanning to the second partition region SR2, from the starting position of the + Y direction side end of the second pattern region PA2 to the end position of the −Y direction side end, according to the arrow F13 in FIG. The mask M is moved at a required speed in the + Y direction so that the second pattern area PA2 is scanned by the illumination area IR.

  Synchronously with the movement of the mask M in the + Y direction, the third partitioned region SR3 from the start position at the + Y direction side end of the partitioned region SR3 to the end position at the −Y direction side end in accordance with the arrow F23 in FIG. Is moved by the required speed in the direction of the + Y direction along the direction of the axis RLb so that the image is scanned by the imaging region ER. Thus, the pattern of the second pattern area PA2 is transferred to the third partition area SR3.

  Finally, the mask M is moved stepwise in the + X direction so that the illumination area IR moves from the −Y direction end of the second pattern area PA2 to the −Y direction end of the third pattern area PA3. Further, the roller RL is rotated about the axis RLb so that the imaging region ER moves from the −Y direction side end of the third partition region SR3 to the −Y direction side end of the fourth partition region SR4. The sheet SH is moved stepwise in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL.

  Then, the third pattern area PA3 is scanned by the illumination area IR along the arrow F14 in FIG. 4 from the starting position at the −Y direction side end of the third pattern area PA3 to the end position at the + Y direction side end. Thus, the mask M is moved at a required speed in the −Y direction. In synchronization with the movement of the mask M in the −Y direction, the fourth partition region SR4 is moved from the starting position at the −Y direction side end to the end position at the + Y direction side end according to the arrow F24 in FIG. The roller RL is moved at a required speed in the −Y direction along the direction of the axis RLb so that the partition region SR4 is scanned by the imaging region ER.

  Thus, the pattern of the third pattern area PA3 is transferred to the fourth partition area SR4, and the scanning exposure sequence for the shot area SR of the sheet SH is completed. Although not shown, by repeating the above-described scanning exposure sequence and the step movement of the sheet SH in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa, a plurality of shot regions SR to which the pattern of the mask M has been transferred, It is formed at intervals along the longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped sheet SH.

  In the present embodiment, the roller RL has a cylindrical surface RLa, and constitutes a moving mechanism that moves along the direction of the axis RLb while holding the sheet SH that is a photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface RLa. . The mask stage MS holds a planar mask M having a pattern, and moves along the scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis RLb, that is, the Y direction in synchronization with the movement of the sheet SH in the direction of the axis RLb. A stage mechanism is configured. The projection optical system PL forms a pattern image erecting in the Y direction, which is the scanning direction, as a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area IR extending in an elliptical arc shape on the mask M, and an image forming area extending in the elliptical arc shape on the sheet SH. Form in ER.

  The axis RLb of the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL is inclined with respect to the pattern surface so that the imaging region ER is formed along a surface substantially parallel to the pattern surface of the mask M on the sheet SH. More generally, the axis RLb of the roller RL is connected to a part of the intersection line between the conjugate surface 31 of the pattern surface by the projection optical system PL (or the image surface of the projection optical system PL with respect to the pattern surface) and the cylindrical surface RLa. It is tilted with respect to the pattern surface so as to have an elliptical arc shape substantially equal to the image region ER.

  Accordingly, the pattern of the mask M is formed in the elliptical arc-shaped imaging region ER on the sheet SH even though the belt-shaped sheet SH having flexibility is held in the cylindrical surface shape by the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. A good upright image is formed. As a result, in the exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the throughput of the pattern SH on the sheet SH while utilizing the flexibility of the strip-shaped sheet SH conveyed by roll-to-roll. .

  In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to an exposure apparatus equipped with a projection optical system PL having an enlargement magnification. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be similarly applied to an exposure apparatus including, for example, an equal magnification projection optical system or a projection optical system having a reduction magnification. In the above-described embodiment, a twice-imaging catadioptric optical system is used as the projection optical system PL. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various forms are possible for the specific configuration of the projection optical system.

  For example, a one-time imaging type reflection optical system as shown in FIG. 7 may be used as the projection optical system PL. In the projection optical system PL according to the modification of FIG. 7, the light from the pattern in the illumination region IR extending in an elliptical arc shape on the mask M passes through the first flat reflecting mirror 71 and the concave reflecting mirror 72, and the convex reflecting mirror 73. Is incident on. The light reflected by the convex reflecting mirror 73 passes through the concave reflecting mirror 72 and the second flat reflecting mirror 74, and enters the imaging region ER extending in an elliptical arc shape on the sheet SH (not shown in FIG. 7) in the scanning direction. A pattern image erecting in a certain Y direction is formed.

  In the above-described embodiment, the outer shape of the elliptical arc-shaped illumination region IR formed on the mask M is defined by the action of the mask blind 23 in the illumination optical system IL, and consequently the elliptical arc shape formed on the sheet SH. The outer shape of the imaging region ER is defined. However, the field stop that defines the outer shape of the imaging region ER is not necessarily arranged in the optical path of the illumination optical system IL, and may be arranged in the optical path of the projection optical system PL. It may be arranged both in the optical path of the optical system IL and in the optical path of the projection optical system PL.

  Instead of the mask blind 23, a variable field stop may be arranged at or near the position where the intermediate image is formed in the twice-imaging type projection optical system PL. In this case, the shape of the mask-side projection field of the projection optical system PL is defined by the variable field stop in the projection optical system PL, and the mask-side projection field corresponds to the illumination region IR formed on the mask M. Does not necessarily match. For example, the illumination area IR is set to a shape that secures a required margin area and includes the mask side projection visual field. The imaging field ER that is the projection field on the sheet side of the projection optical system PL is defined as an area optically conjugate with the mask side projection field by the variable field stop in the projection optical system PL.

  In the above-described embodiment, the direction of the pattern in the illumination area IR on the mask M and the direction of the pattern image formed in the imaging area ER on the sheet SH are the same. Therefore, the scanning direction of the mask M (Y direction) and the scanning direction of the sheet SH (direction of the axis RLb of the roller RL) are defined along the same plane (YZ plane). However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which the pattern orientation and the pattern image orientation are different is also possible. In this case, the scanning direction of the mask corresponds to the pattern direction, and the scanning direction of the photosensitive substrate corresponds to the direction of the pattern image. That is, generally, the scanning direction of the mask is defined optically in correspondence with the axial direction of the cylindrical surface, which is the scanning direction of the photosensitive substrate.

  In the above-described embodiment, the sheet SH is held along the cylindrical surface RLa in a state of being in contact with the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sheet SH can be held along the cylindrical surface RLa with an air gap interposed between the cylindrical surface RLa and the sheet SH.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the sheet SH is rotated around the axis RLb in a state where the sheet SH is held so as not to slide along the cylindrical surface RLa of the roller RL, thereby causing the sheet SH to move in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical surface RLa. Stepping to. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the substrate may be moved stepwise by sliding the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface of the columnar member while the columnar member is fixed around the axis. In this case, the substrate and the cylindrical surface may be in contact with each other, or an air gap may be interposed between the substrate and the cylindrical surface.

  In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the axis RLb of the cylindrical roller RL forms an image of a part of the intersection line between the conjugate plane 31 of the pattern plane and the cylindrical plane RLa by the projection optical system PL. It is inclined with respect to the pattern surface so as to have an elliptical arc shape substantially equal to the region ER. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, by using an elliptical column member RL ′ instead of a cylindrical roller RL, the projection of the pattern in the illumination area extending in an arc shape on the mask is performed. It is also possible to form an image in an imaging region extending in an arc shape on the photosensitive substrate.

  In the modification of FIG. 8, an elliptic cylinder member RL ′ having an elliptic cylinder surface RLa ′ is fixed around its axis RLb ′. The elliptic cylinder member RL ′ has a long diameter along the x direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 8 in the cross section orthogonal to the axis RLb ′, and a short diameter along the z direction parallel to the paper surface of FIG. 8 in the cross section. Have The axis RLb 'of the elliptical column member RL' is set so as to make an angle of θ 'with the + Y axis and an angle of (90-θ') with the + Z axis. A conjugate surface 31 optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask extends along the XY plane so as to intersect with the elliptic cylindrical surface RLa 'of the elliptic cylinder member RL'.

  In this case, when the inclination angle θ ′ is appropriately set according to the cross-sectional shape of the elliptic cylinder member RL ′, the intersection line where the elliptic cylinder surface RLa ′ and the conjugate plane 31 intersect forms a part of a circle. In the modification of FIG. 8, the arcuate connection is formed so as to extend along a line segment (part indicated by a thick solid line in the figure) 33 that is a part of the arcuate intersection line and is symmetric with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction. The image area is set. Therefore, the outer shape of the imaging region ER is symmetric with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction and is a circular arc convex toward the −Y direction. As a result, the outer shape of the illumination region IR is also symmetric with respect to a straight line extending in the Y direction and has a convex arc shape toward the −Y direction, similarly to the imaging region ER.

  In the modification of FIG. 8, the elliptic cylinder member RL ′ moves in the direction of the axis RLb ′ while holding the substrate along the elliptic cylinder surface RLa ′ when the mask pattern is scanned and exposed on the substrate. However, during the step movement from the scanning exposure end position to the next scanning exposure start position, the substrate slides along the elliptical cylinder surface RLa 'in which the rotation about the axis RLb' is fixed. At this time, the substrate and the elliptical cylinder surface RLa 'may be in contact with each other, or an air gap may be interposed between the substrate and the elliptical cylinder surface RLa'. In the modification of FIG. 8, a relatively large imaging region (and thus an illumination region) can be secured within the circular field of view of the projection optical system.

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

  A semiconductor device, a liquid crystal device, or the like can be manufactured using the exposure apparatus according to the above-described embodiment. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a semiconductor device manufacturing process. As shown in FIG. 9, in the semiconductor device manufacturing process, a metal film is vapor-deposited on a wafer to be a substrate of a semiconductor device (step S40), and a photoresist, which is a photosensitive material, is applied on the vapor-deposited metal film ( Step S42). Subsequently, using the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, the pattern formed on the mask M is transferred to each shot area on the wafer (step S44: exposure process), and the development of the wafer after the transfer, that is, the pattern is transferred. The transferred photoresist is developed (step S46: development step).

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

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a manufacturing process of a liquid crystal device such as a liquid crystal display element. As shown in FIG. 10, in the manufacturing process of the liquid crystal device, a pattern formation process (step S50), a color filter formation process (step S52), a cell assembly process (step S54), and a module assembly process (step S56) are sequentially performed. In the pattern forming step in step S50, predetermined patterns such as a circuit pattern and an electrode pattern are formed on the glass substrate coated with a photoresist as the photosensitive substrate, using the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment. The pattern forming process includes an exposure process in which a pattern is transferred to a photoresist layer using the exposure apparatus of the above-described embodiment, and development of a photosensitive substrate to which the pattern is transferred, that is, development of a photoresist layer on a glass substrate. And a development step for generating a photoresist layer (transfer pattern layer) having a shape corresponding to the pattern, and a processing step for processing the surface of the glass substrate through the developed photoresist layer.

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

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

21 Fly eye lens 23 Mask blind LS Light source IL Illumination optical system IR Illumination area ER Image formation area M Mask MS Mask stage PL Projection optical system SH Strip sheet RL Roller RLa Roller cylindrical surface RLb Roller axis DR Drive system CR Main control system

Claims (13)

A moving mechanism that has a cylindrical surface and moves along the direction of the axis of the cylindrical surface while holding the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface;
A stage mechanism that holds a planar mask having a pattern and moves in a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
An illumination optical system that forms an illumination area on the mask held by the stage mechanism;
A projection optical system for forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an elliptical arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask ;
The conjugate plane of the pattern plane and the axis of the cylindrical plane are set to be predetermined so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the cylindrical plane substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the elliptical arc shape. An exposure apparatus characterized by being arranged at an angle .
A moving mechanism that has an elliptic cylinder surface and moves along the direction of the axis of the elliptic cylinder surface in a state where the photosensitive substrate is held along the elliptic cylinder surface;
A stage mechanism that holds a planar mask having a pattern and moves in a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
An illumination optical system that forms an illumination area on the mask held by the stage mechanism;
A projection optical system for forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an arc shape along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask;
The major axis direction of the elliptic cylinder surface is a conjugate of the pattern surface so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the elliptic cylinder surface substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the arc shape. An exposure apparatus characterized in that the elliptic cylinder surface is arranged so as to be parallel to the surface, and the conjugate plane of the pattern surface and the axis of the elliptic cylinder surface are inclined at a predetermined angle.
The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is a flexible sheet. 4. The exposure according to claim 1, wherein the projection optical system forms the projection image erecting in the scanning direction of the pattern in the illumination area in the imaging area. 5. apparatus. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical surface is configured to be rotatable about the axis. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the elliptic cylinder surface of the moving mechanism is fixed with respect to rotation around the axis. Moving along the direction of the axis of the cylindrical surface while holding the photosensitive substrate along the cylindrical surface;
Holding a planar mask having a pattern and moving the substrate along a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
Forming an illumination area on the mask;
Forming a projection image of the pattern in the illumination area in an imaging area extending in an elliptical arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask ;
The conjugate plane of the pattern plane and the axis of the cylindrical plane are set to be predetermined so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the cylindrical plane substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the elliptical arc shape. An exposure method comprising the steps of: inclining and arranging at an angle .
Moving along the direction of the axis of the elliptical cylinder surface in a state where the photosensitive substrate is held along the elliptical cylinder surface;
Holding a planar mask having a pattern and moving the substrate along a scanning direction corresponding to the direction of the axis in synchronization with the movement of the substrate in the direction of the axis;
Forming an illumination area on the mask;
Forming a projected image of the pattern in the illumination region in an imaging region extending in an arc along a conjugate plane optically conjugate with the pattern surface of the mask;
The major axis direction of the elliptic cylinder surface is a conjugate of the pattern surface so that a part of the intersection line between the plane obliquely intersecting the axis and the elliptic cylinder surface substantially coincides with the imaging region extending in the arc shape. And arranging the elliptic cylindrical surface so as to be parallel to the surface, and inclining the conjugate plane of the pattern surface and the axis of the elliptic cylindrical surface at a predetermined angle. .
9. The exposure method according to claim 7, wherein a flexible sheet is used as the substrate. The exposure method according to claim 7, wherein the projection image is an erect image erect in the scanning direction. 11. The exposure method according to claim 7, further comprising a step of step-moving the substrate by rotating the cylindrical surface about the axis while holding the substrate along the cylindrical surface. . 11. The exposure method according to claim 8, further comprising a step of step-moving the substrate along the elliptic cylinder surface in which rotation about the axis is fixed. Using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and transferring the pattern to the substrate;
Developing the substrate to which the pattern has been transferred, and forming a transfer pattern layer having a shape corresponding to the pattern;
Processing the substrate via the transfer pattern layer;
A device manufacturing method comprising:

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