JPH06232031A - Aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To transfer the pattern of a desired pattern area out of a plurality of pattern areas on a reticle to a photosensitive substrate with an aligner adopting a slit-scan exposing system without changing the width of a slit-like irradiated area. CONSTITUTION:A flare stop 6 is irradiated with irradiating light from a light source 1 through a fly-eye lens 4, collimator lens 5, etc., so that a slit-like irradiated area on a reticle R conjugate to the opening of the stop 6 and a relay lens 7 can be irradiated and a pattern in the slit-like irradiated area on the reticle R is transferred to a wafer W through a projecting optical system 13. The reticle R and wafer W are scanned relatively to the slit-like irradiated area while areas not to be exposed on the reticle R are covered with light shielding plates 8A and 8B.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention synchronously scans a mask and a photosensitive substrate with respect to a rectangular or arcuate illumination area, thereby forming a pattern on the mask having a wider area than the illumination area. The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus of a so-called slit scan exposure system which exposes light to the upper side.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a semiconductor element, a liquid crystal display element, a thin film magnetic head or the like is manufactured by using a photolithography technique, a photomask or a reticle (hereinafter, referred to as
A projection exposure apparatus is used to expose a pattern (collectively referred to as “reticle”) via a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate such as a wafer or a glass plate coated with a photoresist or the like. Recently, the size of one chip pattern of a semiconductor element tends to be large, and a projection exposure apparatus is required to have a large area for exposing a pattern having a larger area on a reticle onto a photosensitive substrate.

In order to respond to such an increase in area, for example, a reticle and a photosensitive substrate are synchronously scanned with respect to a rectangular, arcuate, or hexagonal illumination area (this is called a "slit-shaped illumination area"). Accordingly, a so-called slit scan exposure type projection exposure apparatus has been developed which exposes a pattern having a larger area than the slit-shaped illumination area on the reticle onto the photosensitive substrate. Conventionally, in order to set the slit-shaped illumination area on the reticle, a movable light-shielding unit that determines the slit-shaped illumination area is arranged at a position substantially conjugate with the reticle or in the vicinity of the reticle.

[0004]

The above-mentioned conventional techniques have the following two major inconveniences.
Generally, the illumination optical system of the projection exposure apparatus is designed to illuminate the reticle with illumination light (exposure light) having a uniform illuminance. Therefore, in the slit scan exposure type projection exposure apparatus, in order to obtain good illuminance uniformity on the photosensitive substrate when the exposure is completed by scanning the reticle and the photosensitive substrate with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area. The width of the slit-shaped illumination area in the scanning direction must be sufficiently uniform.

If the scanning direction for the slit-shaped illumination area is the X direction and the non-scanning direction perpendicular to this scanning direction is the Y direction, when the width of the slit-shaped illumination area in the scanning direction is not uniform, As shown in FIG. 5A, when the parallelism in the scanning direction of the slit-shaped illumination region 30 is poor,
As shown in FIG. 6A, there are cases where the edge portion in the scanning direction of the slit-shaped illumination area 31 has unevenness. Figure 5
In the case of (a), the distribution of the exposure amount E in the non-scanning direction (Y direction) obtained on the photosensitive substrate is such that it gradually increases or decreases in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 5B. on the other hand,
The distribution of the exposure amount E in the non-scanning direction (Y direction) obtained on the photosensitive substrate in the case of FIG. 6A is such that it irregularly fluctuates in the Y direction as shown in FIG. 6B. Become.

In this regard, the present projection exposure apparatus is also used in the sub-half micron region where the design rule is less than 0.5 μm. It is said that the uniformity of the exposure amount required for line width control in such an area reaches ± 1%. Therefore, in order to obtain sufficient illuminance uniformity in the slit scan exposure type projection exposure apparatus, the unevenness of the edge portion in the scanning direction is small with respect to the illumination area setting means for determining the slit-shaped illumination area. In addition to the above, it is required to control the movement while keeping the edge portions in the scanning direction sufficiently parallel when changing the width in the scanning direction. Therefore, if the illumination area setting means for determining the slit-shaped illumination area is variably controlled in synchronization with scanning for the reason described below, the operation of the illumination area setting means is controlled with the required accuracy. There was a first inconvenience that it was difficult to do.

Further, as shown in FIG.
When the reticle R is scanned with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area 33 having a width L2 in the scanning direction, assuming that two circuit pattern areas 32A and 32B are formed side by side in the scanning direction with a light-shielding portion having a width L1. think of. Also,
It is assumed that the width L2 of the slit-shaped illumination area 33 is larger than the width L1 of the light shielding portion that separates the circuit pattern areas 32A and 32B. In this case, for example, if only the pattern of the first circuit pattern area 32A of the reticle R is to be exposed on the photosensitive substrate by the slit scan exposure method, a part of the pattern of the second circuit pattern area 32B is also transferred onto the photosensitive substrate. There was a second inconvenience that it would be done.

In order to avoid this, the width L1 of the light shielding portion on the reticle R may be made sufficiently large, but this reduces the area of the transfer circuit pattern region. In addition, the width L2 of the slit-shaped illumination area 33 may be reduced by the operation of the illumination area setting means in synchronization with scanning immediately before the exposure of the circuit pattern area 32A is completed. The mechanism becomes complicated.

In view of the above, the present invention exposes a pattern having a larger area than the illuminated area on the reticle onto the photosensitive substrate by scanning the reticle and the photosensitive substrate in synchronization with the slit-shaped illuminated area. In the slit scan exposure type exposure apparatus, the illumination area setting means for determining the slit illumination area can be arranged at a position apart from the reticle, and the width of the slit illumination area can be changed during exposure. It is an object of the present invention to allow only a pattern of a desired pattern area among a plurality of pattern areas on a reticle to be transferred onto a photosensitive substrate.

[0010]

An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, an illumination optical system (1) for illuminating a slit-shaped illumination area on a mask (R) on which a transfer pattern is formed. 7 to 7), and relative scanning means (10, 12, 15) for synchronously scanning the mask (R) and the photosensitive substrate (W) on which the pattern of the mask is exposed with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area. By scanning the mask (R) and the photosensitive substrate (W) in synchronization with the slit-shaped illumination area, a larger area than the slit-shaped illumination area on the mask (R) can be obtained. In an exposure device that exposes a pattern onto a photosensitive substrate (W), a light blocking means (8A, 8A, for covering an area on the mask (R) where it is desired to avoid illumination by the slit-shaped illumination area set by the illumination optical system. 8B) is also provided It is.

In this case, the light shielding means (8A, 8A) is synchronized with the scanning of the mask (R) by the relative scanning means.
It is desirable to provide auxiliary scanning means for scanning B).
Further, it is desirable that the relative scanning means (10, 12, 15) also serves as the auxiliary scanning means, and the relative scanning means integrally scans the mask (R) and the light shielding means (8A, 8B).

The light shielding means may cover a predetermined fixed region on the mask (R).

[0013]

According to the present invention, the slit-shaped illumination area on the mask (R) is provided, for example, in the mask (R) in the illumination optical system (1 to 7) arranged at a position distant from the mask (R). It is determined by the illumination area setting means (6) which is conjugate with R). Since the illumination area setting means (6) is located at a position distant from the mask (R), the illumination area setting means (6) can be precisely manufactured or adjusted in advance, and the photosensitive substrate (W) after scanning is scanned. The illuminance uniformity above is favorably maintained.

If the illumination area setting means (6) is set at a position distant from the mask (R) and the illumination area setting means (6) is not moved during one scanning exposure, the mask ( When a pattern in a desired circuit pattern area of a plurality of circuit pattern areas adjacent to each other in the scanning direction in R) is exposed on the photosensitive substrate, a pattern in another circuit pattern area may be exposed on the photosensitive substrate. is there. Therefore,
For example, a light blocking means (8) arranged near the mask (R)
A, 8B) covers the other circuit pattern area to prevent the exposure of the pattern in the other circuit pattern area.

Then, in synchronization with the scanning of the mask (R) by the relative scanning means, the light shielding means (8A, 8A)
When the auxiliary scanning means for scanning B) is provided, it is not necessary to change the shape of the opening of the light shielding means (8A, 8B) during one exposure, and the light shielding means (8A, 8B) can be controlled. Is easy. Furthermore, relative scanning means (10, 12, 1
5) also serves as the auxiliary scanning means, and when the relative scanning means integrally scans the mask (R) and the light shielding means (8A, 8B), the scanning for the light shielding means (8A, 8B) is newly performed. No mechanism need be provided and the mechanism is simplified.

Further, when the light shielding means covers a predetermined fixed area on the mask (R), the light shielding means itself does not require a mechanism for changing the shape of the opening. Therefore, the structure of the light shielding means is simple.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a slit scan exposure type projection exposure apparatus. FIG. 1 shows a projection exposure apparatus of the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, the reticle R is illuminated by a illumination optical system composed of a point light source 1 to a relay lens 7 in a rectangular slit-shaped illumination area with uniform illuminance. The circuit pattern of the reticle R illuminated in the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area is transferred onto the wafer W by the projection optical system 13.

That is, the illumination light from the point light source 1 such as a mercury lamp is condensed by the elliptical mirror 2 and then becomes a parallel light flux by the collimator lens 3 and reaches the fly-eye lens 4. However, when the light source is a coherent light source such as an excimer laser light source, the illumination light emitted from the coherent light source passes through a beam shaping optical system such as a cylindrical lens or a beam expander instead of the elliptic mirror 2 and the collimator lens 3. And reaches the fly-eye lens 4. A large number of secondary light sources are formed on the exit surface of the fly-eye lens 4, and the illumination light from the exit surface is condensed by the condenser lens 5 and reaches the field stop 6.

A rectangular slit-shaped opening is formed in the field stop 6, and the light flux that has passed through this field stop 6 becomes a light flux having a rectangular slit-shaped cross section and enters the relay lens system 7. The relay lens system 7 is a lens system that makes the field stop 6 and the circuit pattern forming surface of the reticle R conjugate with each other, and is a region on the reticle R that is conjugate with the rectangular slit-shaped opening of the field stop 6, that is, on the reticle R. Illumination light is applied to the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area. The relay lens system 7 is a telecentric optical system on both sides, and the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area on the reticle R maintains telecentricity.

On the reticle R of this example, two light shield plates 8A and 8B are arranged close to the reticle R in the scanning direction with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area, and the reticle R and the light shield plates 8A and 8B are arranged. Are placed on the reticle stage 9. A reticle blind is formed by the light-shielding plates 8A and 8B, and an image of a circuit pattern on the reticle R sandwiched by the light-shielding plates 8A and 8B in the slit-shaped illumination area is transferred via the projection optical system 13 to the wafer. Projection exposure is performed on W. In the two-dimensional plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system 13, the scanning direction of the reticle R with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area is the X direction, and the direction parallel to the optical axis of the projection optical system 13 is the Z direction.

In this case, the reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A, 8
B is integrally driven in the X direction which is the scanning direction by the reticle stage drive unit 10, and the light shield plates 8A and 8B are supported on the reticle stage 9 by the light shield plate drive unit 11 so as to be independently movable in the X direction. ing. It is the main control system 12 that controls the operation of the entire apparatus that controls the operations of the reticle stage drive unit 10 and the light shielding plate drive unit 11. The wafer W is placed on the wafer stage 14,
The wafer stage 14 is composed of an XY stage for positioning the wafer W in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system 13, a Z stage for positioning the wafer W in the Z direction, and the like. The main control system 12 controls the positioning operation and the scanning operation of the wafer stage 14 via the wafer stage drive unit 15.

When the pattern on the reticle R is exposed on the wafer W through the projection optical system 13, the reticle is illuminated in the X direction with respect to the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area set by the field stop 6. The reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A and 8B are integrally scanned via the stage 9. Further, in synchronization with this scanning, the wafer W is scanned through the wafer stage 14 in the −X direction with respect to the image of the rectangular slit-shaped illumination region by the projection optical system 13. That is, the −X direction is the scanning direction of the wafer W. By synchronously scanning the reticle R and the wafer W in this manner, the circuit pattern of the reticle R is successively transferred onto the wafer W.

In recent years, a plurality of circuit pattern areas are provided on the reticle R in order to shorten the time required for reticle exchange and improve the throughput. Then, the light shielding plates 8A and 8B are used to select the circuit pattern area to be transferred from the plurality of circuit pattern areas on the reticle R. Therefore, the projection exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment is provided with an input unit 16 for inputting information on the circuit pattern area on the reticle R and a memory unit 17 for storing the input information of the input unit 16, and the main control system is provided. Reference numeral 12 denotes the light shield plates 8A and 8B through the light shield plate drive unit 11 based on the input information of the memory unit 17.
The opening formed by is formed into a predetermined shape.

The drive mechanism for the light shields 8A and 8B will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 2 shows a detailed structure around the reticle R in FIG. 1, and in FIG.
The reticle stage 9 is slidably supported on the reticle stage base 19 in the scanning direction (X direction), and the reticle R is held inside the reticle stage 9 by a vacuum chuck or the like. The portion of the reticle stage 9 corresponding to the circuit pattern forming region of the reticle R is an opening, and the region on the reticle stage base 19 corresponding to the maximum area of the slit-shaped illumination region is also an opening. Further, light shielding plates 8A and 8B are attached to both ends of the reticle stage 9 in the scanning direction via feed portions 18A and 18B such as worm gears, respectively. Shading plate drive unit 11 of FIG.
By independently driving the feeding portions 18A and 18B, the light shielding plates 8A and 8B can be independently moved in the scanning direction.

Further, in FIG. 2, the scanning direction (X direction)
Although a light shield plate in a direction (non-scanning direction) perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2 orthogonal to FIG. 2 is not shown, this light shield plate in the non-scanning direction is arranged in the vicinity of the reticle R, like the light shield plates 8A and 8B. Alternatively, it may be arranged at a position substantially conjugate with the reticle R, like the field stop 6 in FIG. Hereinafter, an operation when performing exposure by the slit scan exposure method in this example will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3. At this time, two circuit pattern areas 20A and 20B are formed on the reticle R as shown in FIG. 3A, and a light-shielding light having a width L1 in the scanning direction is formed at the boundary between the circuit pattern areas 20A and 20B. It is assumed that the portion 20C is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the rectangular slit-shaped illumination area formed on the reticle R of this example is a slit-shaped illumination area 21 having a width L2 in the scanning direction, and its width L2. Is the light shield 2
It is assumed that the width is wider than the width L1 of 0C.

At this time, first, the operator inputs information regarding the circuit pattern areas 20A and 20B on the reticle R into the memory section 17 via the input section 16 of FIG.
Then, the first circuit pattern region 20A is projected onto the projection optical system 1
In the case of transfer onto the wafer W via the main control system 1, the main control system 1
Reference numeral 2 reads out information about the first circuit pattern area 20A from the input information stored in the memory unit 17, and based on this information, through the light shield control system 11, the light shield 8A,
Adjust the position of 8B in the scanning direction. As a result, FIG.
As shown in (b), the second circuit pattern region 20B on the reticle R is covered with the light shielding plate 8B so that only the first circuit pattern region 20A is irradiated with the illumination light of the slit-shaped illumination region 21. To do.

Next, at the time of exposure, the main control system 12 in FIG. 1 drives the reticle stage 9 via the reticle stage drive unit 10 to drive the circuit pattern area 20A on the reticle R.
After the slit-shaped illumination area 21 is positioned on the right side of the reticle, the reticle stage 9 is driven to drive the reticle R and the light shielding plate 8.
A and 8B are integrally moved in the scanning direction (X direction).
In synchronization with this, the main control system 12 drives the wafer stage 14 via the wafer stage drive unit 15 to drive the wafer W.
In the scanning direction (-X direction). In this case, since only the first circuit pattern area 20A on the reticle R is illuminated with the illumination light, only the pattern of the first circuit pattern area 20A is transferred onto the wafer W.

When the pattern of the second circuit pattern area 20B on the reticle R is transferred onto the wafer W, the main control system 12 uses the second circuit in the input information stored in the memory section 17. Information about the pattern area 20B is read out, and the positions of the light shielding plates 8A and 8B in the scanning direction are adjusted via the light shielding plate driving unit 11 based on this information. As a result, as shown in FIG. 3C, the first reticle R on the reticle R is
Of the circuit pattern area 20A is covered with the light shielding plate 8A, and only the second circuit pattern area 20B has the slit-shaped illumination area 2A.
The illumination light of No. 1 is irradiated.

Next, at the time of exposure, the main control system 12 of FIG. 1 drives the reticle stage 9 via the reticle stage drive unit 10 to slit the reticle R to the right of the second circuit pattern region 20B. After the circular illumination area 21 is positioned, the reticle stage 9 is driven to move the reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A and 8B integrally in the X direction. In synchronization with this, the main control system 12 drives the wafer stage 14 via the wafer stage drive unit 15 to move the wafer W in the −X direction. In this case, the second on the reticle R
Since the illumination light is applied only to the circuit pattern area 20B of the above, only the pattern of the second circuit pattern area 20B is transferred onto the wafer W.

As described above, according to this embodiment, since the regions other than the circuit pattern region to be exposed are shielded from light by the light shielding plates 8A and 8B as reticle blinds, a plurality of reticle R are arranged at narrow intervals in the scanning direction. Even when the circuit pattern area of 1 is formed, there is an advantage that only the pattern of the desired circuit pattern area among them can be exposed on the wafer W. Therefore, a plurality of circuit pattern regions can be formed on the reticle R at narrow intervals.

Although the light shields 8A, 8B are driven integrally with the reticle R in the above embodiment, the light shields 8A, 8B are
A drive unit for driving 8B in the scanning direction in synchronization with the reticle R may be separately provided. However, during slit scan exposure, the reticle stage 9 in FIG.
Since it may move at a high speed of more than sec, the light shield 8
High drive speeds are required for A and 8B. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2 of the present embodiment, when the reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A and 8B are placed on the reticle stage 9 and the reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A and 8B are moved integrally. Requires no separate drive means for the light shields 8A and 8B, and is excellent in synchronism of movement between the reticle R and the light shields 8A and 8B.

In the above embodiment, the reticle R
Although the case where two circuit pattern areas are formed is shown in FIG. 7, the projection exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment can also cope with the case where the reticle R is provided with three or more circuit pattern areas in the scanning direction. In this regard, as shown in FIG. 4A, in addition to the light shielding plates 8A and 8B in the scanning direction, two light shielding plates 8 movable in the non-scanning direction (Y direction) perpendicular to the scanning direction.
When C and 8D are provided, even if a plurality of circuit pattern areas are formed on the reticle R in the non-scanning direction, a pattern of only a desired circuit pattern area can be exposed on the wafer W. That is, for example, four circuit pattern regions 20C to 20F are formed on the reticle R in a form separated in the X direction and the Y direction.
In the case where the light shielding plate is formed, by independently adjusting the positions of the four light shielding plates 8A to 8D, only one arbitrary circuit pattern region of the four circuit pattern regions 20C to 20F is irradiated with the illumination light. You can And
By scanning the reticle R and the light shielding plates 8A to 8D integrally with the slit-shaped illumination area 21 in the X direction,
The pattern of the selected circuit pattern area on the reticle R is exposed on the wafer W.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4B, if only one circuit pattern area 20G is formed on the reticle R, a part of the illumination area on the reticle R is shielded in the scanning direction. The light-shielding plate as a reticle blind for performing the operation is a light-shielding plate 22 fixed on the reticle stage.
But it doesn't matter. In this configuration, a control system for changing the light blocking range of the light blocking plate 22 is unnecessary. When such a fixed type light-shielding plate 22 is provided, it is prevented that the illumination light leaks out from the peripheral portion of the reticle R and the wafer is exposed at the start or end of the slit scan exposure.

Further, in the above embodiment, the light shielding plates 8A and 8B are used.
Of the reticle R is moved along with the driving of the reticle R, but the point is that the opening of the light shielding plates 8A and 8B always moves so as to coincide with the circuit pattern area on the reticle R to be exposed. good. For example, when the reticle R and the wafer W are fixed and the exposure is performed while scanning the slit-shaped irradiation area with respect to the reticle R, it is not necessary to move the light shielding plates 8A and 8B during the exposure. Further, the shape of the slit-shaped illumination area, that is, the shape of the opening of the field stop 6 is not limited to the rectangular shape.
Hexagonal illumination region as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 057, a diamond illumination region as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-25790, or the applicant of the present application, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-2.
It goes without saying that an arc-shaped illumination area as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 42486 and Japanese Patent Application No. 4-316717 may be used.

Further, the projection optical system 13 in the above-mentioned embodiment is used.
Needless to say, may be a refraction system, a reflection system, or a catadioptric system. Further, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the projection exposure apparatus, but can be applied to a contact type or proximity type exposure apparatus. As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various configurations can be taken without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[0036]

According to the present invention, since the light shielding means for covering the area on the mask where the illumination is desired to be avoided is provided,
The illumination area setting means for setting the slit-shaped illumination area on the mask can be arranged at a position apart from the mask in the illumination optical system. Therefore, there is an advantage that the width of the illumination area setting unit in the scanning direction can be controlled with high accuracy, and the illuminance uniformity on the photosensitive substrate after slit scan exposure can be favorably maintained. Further, even when a plurality of pattern regions are formed on the mask at narrow intervals in the scanning direction, by covering the pattern regions which are not desired to be exposed with the light shielding means, the pattern of only the desired pattern region is formed on the photosensitive substrate. Can be exposed.

When an auxiliary scanning means for scanning the light shielding means is provided in synchronization with the scanning of the mask by the relative scanning means, the state of the opening of the light shielding means is controlled during one scanning. It is not necessary to do so, and it is easy to control the state of the opening of the light shielding means. Further, when the relative scanning means also serves as the auxiliary scanning means and the relative scanning means integrally scans the mask and the light shielding means, it is not necessary to additionally provide a driving means for scanning the light shielding means.

Further, when the light-shielding means covers a predetermined fixed area on the mask, a mechanism for controlling the state of the opening of the light-shielding means becomes unnecessary, and the structure is simple.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a drive mechanism for the reticle R and light-shielding plates 8A and 8B in FIG.

3A is a plan view showing a pattern on the reticle R in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3B is a plan view showing an arrangement of light shielding plates 8A and 8B when a pattern of a circuit pattern region 20A is exposed.
(C) is a plan view showing the arrangement of the light shielding plates 8A and 8B when the pattern of the circuit pattern region 20B is exposed.

FIG. 4A is a plan view showing a case where four light-shielding plates are provided,
(B) is a plan view showing a case where the light shielding plate is fixed.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a case where the shape accuracy of a slit-shaped illumination region in a scanning direction affects the illuminance uniformity after scanning.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of the case where the shape accuracy of the slit-shaped illumination region in the scanning direction affects the illuminance uniformity after scanning.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a relationship between a plurality of circuit pattern areas arranged on a reticle and a slit-shaped illumination area.

[Explanation of symbols]

 R Reticle W Wafer 7 Relay lens 6 Field stop 8A, 8B Light shield 9 Reticle stage 10 Reticle stage drive 11 Light shield drive 12 Main control system 13 Projection optical system 14 Wafer stage 15 Wafer stage drive 16 Input 17 Memory

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An illumination optical system for illuminating a slit-shaped illumination region on a mask on which a transfer pattern is formed, and a photosensitizer for exposing the mask and the pattern of the mask to the slit-shaped illumination region. A slit-shaped illumination on the mask by synchronously scanning the mask and the photosensitive substrate with respect to the slit-shaped illumination area. In an exposure device that exposes a pattern having a larger area than an area on the photosensitive substrate, a light blocking means for covering an area on the mask where it is desired to avoid illumination by the slit-shaped illumination area set by the illumination optical system is provided. An exposure device characterized by being provided. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising auxiliary scanning means for scanning the light shielding means in synchronization with the scanning of the mask by the relative scanning means. 3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the relative scanning unit also serves as the auxiliary scanning unit, and the relative scanning unit integrally scans the mask and the light shielding unit. 4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the light shielding means covers a predetermined fixed area on the mask.