JPH11195587A - Projection aligner and method therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable continuous exposure without interruption of an exposure sequence, even when the illuminance is suddenly lowered. SOLUTION: This scanning projection exposure device transfers a mask pattern by the illumination of a slit light using an illumination optical systems Il to In, while a carriage 17 retaining a mask 6 and a photosensitive substrate 14 is being moved in a prescribed scanning direction (X-direction). In cases where there is a change in the intensity of the illumination light of the illumination optical systems Il to In, the intensity of illumination is adjusted by an illumination adjusting filter 7 so that the illumination becomes constant. In cases where the change of intensity of illumination of the light is deteriorated in excess of the range of the illumination adjustment by the explosion, etc., of one of a plurality of lamps, the substantial exposure of the photosensitive substrate 14 before a failure is made equal to that after the failure by decreasing the scanning speed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a scanning type projection exposure apparatus and method used for manufacturing micro devices such as liquid crystal display elements and semiconductor integrated circuits.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A scan type projection exposure apparatus is used to manufacture a relatively large liquid crystal panel or a semiconductor element having a large area at a high throughput. This scanning projection exposure apparatus illuminates a mask or a reticle (hereinafter, referred to as a mask) with a slit-shaped illumination area, scans the mask in the short side direction with respect to the illumination area, and exposes the exposure area conjugate with the illumination area. This is a device that synchronously scans a photosensitive substrate (glass plate or semiconductor wafer, etc.) coated with photoresist to project the pattern on the mask at the same size or reduced size, and sequentially exposes the photosensitive substrate. is there.

The conventional scanning type exposure apparatus will be briefly described. Exposure light emitted from a light source such as an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp is converted into a light beam having a uniform illuminance distribution by a fly-eye integrator, and a slit-shaped aperture is formed. It is shaped like a slit by a blind having The slit-shaped light beam that has passed through the blind is guided to a condenser lens, and the condenser lens forms an image of the light beam on the mask, thereby illuminating the mask with a slit-shaped illumination area. The pattern image formed on the mask is projected and exposed on a photosensitive substrate held on a substrate stage via a projection optical system.

At this time, what is projected on the photosensitive substrate is a slit-shaped pattern image, which is an image of a part of the mask pattern formed on the mask. Therefore, by synchronizing the mask with the photosensitive substrate and moving and scanning the illumination area on the mask and the projection optical system, all of the mask pattern formed on the mask is transferred onto the photosensitive substrate. ing.

The brightness of the light source fluctuates slightly during exposure due to fluctuations in the applied voltage and the like. Also,
Since the luminance changes due to the deterioration of the lamp over time, or the lamp has individual differences due to manufacturing errors and the like, the initial luminance differs for each lamp when the lamp is replaced. Therefore, it is necessary to set the illuminance to the target illuminance at the start of exposure and to adjust the illuminance to be constant during the exposure.

In order to deal with these points, conventionally, an illuminance adjustment mechanism having a detector and a filter capable of adjusting light transmittance is arranged in an optical path in an illumination optical system, and based on a signal obtained by the detector, The illuminance is controlled to be constant.

When actually performing an exposure sequence (a series of processes in which a plurality of photosensitive substrates are treated as one lot (lot) and exposure processing is performed on all of them), the illuminance is first set at the beginning of the lot. Measurement is performed, and a target illuminance is set based on the measured actual illuminance. Then, in relation to the target illuminance, the mask and the photosensitive substrate are scanned so that the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate becomes an appropriate exposure amount determined according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate (photoresist). )
Determine the speed. During the exposure operation, the illuminance adjustment mechanism controls the illuminance to be always constant. The scan speed is determined at the beginning of the lot and is not changed until the end of the lot.

[0008]

However, in the above-mentioned prior art, it is possible to keep the illuminance constant by the illuminance adjustment mechanism with respect to the minute illuminance fluctuation occurring during the exposure. It is intended to correct a small variation in illuminance, and it is not possible to perform correction for a very large range.Thus, during the exposure sequence, for example, one of a plurality of lamps constituting the illumination optical system explodes. If the illuminance adjustment mechanism suddenly changes (decreases) beyond the range that can be corrected by the illuminance adjustment mechanism for some reason, there is a lack of illuminance in order to expose with the proper exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate. Therefore, there is a problem that the exposure fails and the exposure sequence is interrupted even though the lot is in progress.

The present invention has been made in view of such a problem of the prior art, and even if a sudden change in illuminance occurs for some reason, without interrupting the exposure sequence, the lot number of the lot can be reduced. An object of the present invention is to ensure that an exposure process can be performed to the end.

[0010]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, a projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention comprises a moving means (17, 19) for moving a mask (6) on which a pattern is formed and a photosensitive substrate (14) to be exposed.
An illumination optical system (I1 to In) for illuminating the mask;
A projection optical system (L1 to Ln) for projecting a pattern image from the mask onto a photosensitive substrate, and sequentially moving the pattern image on the photosensitive substrate while moving the mask and the photosensitive substrate by the moving means. In a scanning projection exposure apparatus configured to perform projection, illuminance adjustment means (7, 12) for adjusting the illuminance of illumination light by the illumination optical system within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range, and the illuminance adjustment means adjusts the illuminance. Illuminance detection means (9) for detecting the illuminance of the illumination light; and illuminance control means (10, 10) for controlling the illuminance adjustment means so that the illuminance of the illumination light detected by the illuminance detection means is constant.
11) a speed for controlling the moving unit to change the moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate when the illuminance of the illumination light by the illumination optical system changes beyond the illuminance adjustment range of the illuminance adjustment unit. Control means (11, 1
8).

In this case, as set forth in claim 2, the speed control means determines that the exposure amount of the photosensitive substrate after the illuminance change of the illumination light is equal to the exposure amount of the photosensitive substrate before the illuminance change of the illumination light. It is preferable to control the moving means to be substantially equal to the amount. Further, as set forth in claim 3, the moving means comprises a carriage (17) for integrally holding the mask and the photosensitive substrate.
And means for moving the carriage in a predetermined scanning direction.

Further, as described in claim 4, the illumination optical system distributes the plurality of light sources (2) and the light from the plurality of light sources equally to a plurality of light emitting positions (4b) after gathering them. It can be configured to have light guide means (4), and in addition, as described in claim 5, the illuminance adjustment means, the illuminance detection means, and the projection optical system,
The light guide means may be provided corresponding to the light emission positions.

According to the projection exposure apparatus of the present invention, the change in the illuminance is detected by the illuminance detecting means, and the slight change in the illuminance due to the change in the luminance of the light source due to the change in the voltage applied to the light source during the exposure processing is as follows. The illuminance is adjusted by the illuminance adjusting means so as to cancel the fluctuation, and a constant illuminance is maintained.

On the other hand, during the exposure sequence, if the illuminance detecting means detects that the illuminance has changed beyond the illuminance adjusting range by the illuminance adjusting means for some reason, such as a failure in the illumination optical system. The speed control means controls the moving means to change and adjust the moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate. Since the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate is represented by the product of the illuminance and the illumination time, if the scanning time is changed by changing the scanning speed by an amount corresponding to the amount of change in the amount of light due to a failure in the illumination optical system, etc. Therefore, the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate can be made substantially the same as before exposure, so that even if the illuminance suddenly changes beyond the range adjustable by the illuminance adjusting means, Exposure can be performed with an appropriate exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the above, and the exposure processing can be reliably performed to the end of the lot without interrupting the exposure sequence.

For example, in the case where the illumination optical system having the above-mentioned light guide means is employed, if the light is turned off due to the rupture of one of the plurality of light sources, conventionally, the exposure amount is insufficient and the light amount is insufficient. Although the exposure sequence could not be continued, in the present invention, the scanning speed can be reduced so that the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate can be made equal to the exposure amount before the occurrence of the failure. Even in this case, the exposure can be performed with an appropriate exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate, and the exposure processing can be performed until the end of the lot.

2. In order to achieve the above object, a projection exposure method according to the present invention according to the present invention provides a pattern-formed mask (6) and a photosensitive substrate (14) as an exposure target.
In the projection exposure method in which the mask is illuminated and the pattern image from the mask is sequentially projected on the photosensitive substrate while moving the illumination light, the illuminance change of the illumination light occurs within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range. In this case, the illuminance of the illumination light is adjusted so that the illuminance becomes constant, and when the illuminance change of the illumination light exceeds the illuminance adjustment range, the moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate is changed. It is characterized by doing.

According to the projection exposure method of the present invention, when the illuminance change of the illumination light occurs within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range, the illuminance of the illumination light is adjusted so that the illuminance is constant. Therefore, with respect to the slight variation of the illuminance during the exposure processing, the illuminance is adjusted so as to cancel the variation by finely adjusting the illuminance, and a constant illuminance is maintained.

On the other hand, if the illuminance changes beyond the illuminance adjustment range for some reason such as a failure in the illumination optical system during the exposure sequence, the moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate is changed. Therefore, if the scanning time is changed and the illumination time is changed by an amount corresponding to the amount of change in the amount of light due to a failure in the illumination optical system, the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate is substantially the same as before the failure. Therefore, even if a failure or the like occurs in the light source, exposure can be continued at an appropriate exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate, and the exposure process can be reliably performed until the end of the lot. Can be implemented.

[0019]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a schematic configuration of a scan type projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a main configuration of an illumination optical system.

Exposure light emitted from a plurality of light sources 2 such as an ultra-high pressure mercury lamp which emits light when supplied with power from a power source 1 is condensed by an elliptical mirror 3 and corresponds to one end of a light guide 4 respectively. Light is incident from the light incident part 4a. The light guide 4 has a function of once gathering the light incident from the plurality of light incident portions 4a and then uniformly distributing the light to emit the light from the plurality of light emitting portions 4b. For example, the light guide 4 bundles a plurality of optical fibers. It consists of.

Light emitted from the light emitting portion 4b of the light guide 4 is converted into a light beam having a uniform illuminance distribution by a fly-eye integrator (not shown), and is converted into a slit shape by a blind having a slit-shaped opening (not shown). Be shaped. The slit-shaped light beam that has passed through the blind is incident on the condenser lens 5, and the condenser lens 5 forms an image of the light beam on the mask 6, thereby illuminating the mask 6 with a slit-shaped illumination area.

On an optical path between the light emitting portion 4b of the light guide 4 and the fly-eye integrator, an illuminance adjusting filter 7 for adjusting the illuminance of the transmitted light and a half mirror 8 for branching the monitor light are provided. It is interposed. Each of the light guide 4 includes a light emitting portion 4b, an illuminance adjusting filter 7, a half mirror 8, a condenser lens 5, and the like. Each of the n components is provided, and a plurality of illumination optical systems I1 to In are configured. Each illumination optical system I1
The monitor light reflected by the In half mirror 8 is incident on detectors 9 provided correspondingly, and a signal (illuminance signal) indicating the illuminance photoelectrically converted by each detector 9 is input to the signal processing unit 10. Further, it is input to the main controller 11.

FIG. 3A shows the configuration of the illuminance adjustment filter 7, and FIG. 3B shows its characteristics. This illuminance adjustment filter 7 is a transmittance variable filter formed so that the light transmittance continuously varies in the longitudinal direction of the filter. The illuminance adjustment filter 7 is moved in and out of the optical paths of the illumination optical systems I1 to In by the filter driving unit 12, whereby the luminous flux 13 illuminating the mask 6 is provided.
Can be arbitrarily changed within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range.

The position of the illuminance adjustment filter 7 with respect to the optical paths of the illumination optical systems I1 to In is monitored by a linear encoder juxtaposed to the filter 7 and an encoder attached to the filter drive unit 12. The light flux 13 immediately after passing through the illuminance adjustment filter 7 has an intensity distribution because the light intensity varies depending on the filter passing position, but is subsequently diffused by passing through a fly-eye integrator to become exposure light of uniform intensity. The mask 6 is illuminated.

As the illuminance adjusting filter 7, for example, a filter formed by forming random points of chromium on a transparent glass plate so as to increase the density in the longitudinal direction of the filter sequentially, or a film of chromium having a thickness of A filter formed so as to be sequentially thicker in the longitudinal direction of the filter can be adopted. The illuminance adjustment filter 7 may be a filter other than the above as long as the transmittance distribution changes at a constant rate in the longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. Also, a filter whose transmittance can be electrically changed by a photochromic material or the like may be used.

The main controller 11 constantly monitors the illuminance signal from the detector 9 of each of the illumination optical systems I1 to In, and outputs a signal so that the illuminance of the exposure light from each of the illumination optical systems I1 to In becomes a predetermined target illuminance. A control signal is sent to the filter driving unit 12 via the processing unit 10 and the filter driving unit 12
Adjusts the light transmittance by adjusting the illuminance adjustment filter 7 in and out according to this.
Feedback control is performed so that the exposure light of n has a constant illuminance.

The pattern image on the mask 6 is formed by an illumination optical system I
The light is projected onto the photosensitive substrate 14 via the projection optical systems L1 to Ln provided corresponding to 1 to In. Illumination optical system I1
In and the projection optical systems L1 to Ln are arranged in the Y direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 1).

The mask 6 and the photosensitive substrate 14 are
Is held by a carriage (entire stage) 17 configured by integrating a mask stage 15 for holding the substrate and a substrate stage 16 for holding the photosensitive substrate 14, and the carriage 17 is controlled by a stage control unit 18. When driven by the stage driving unit 19, the stage can be reciprocated in the X direction (the direction orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 1) as the scanning direction.
The stage control unit 18 receives various command signals including a scan speed command signal from the main controller 11,
The stage drive unit 19 is controlled, and the stage drive unit 19 moves the carriage 17 at a speed equal to the speed given by the speed command signal.

When the carriage 17 is at rest, what is projected on the photosensitive substrate 14 is a slit-shaped pattern image, which is a partial image of the mask pattern formed on the mask 6. Stage 1 for holding
The carriage 17 in which the substrate 5 and the substrate stage 15 holding the photosensitive substrate 14 are integrated is driven and controlled by a stage control unit 18 and a stage drive unit 19 (carriage control unit), and the illumination area on the mask 6 and the projection optical systems L1 to L1 are controlled. Ln
, The entire mask pattern formed on the mask 6 is transferred onto the photosensitive substrate 14.

The projection optical systems L1 to Ln (in the following description,
L1 to L7), an erect real image system optical system is used. The exposure light is shaped by blind openings arranged in the illumination optical systems I1 to I7, and as shown in FIG. 4, the mask 6 has seven rectangular shapes respectively including the viewing regions 38a to 38g of the projection optical systems L1 to L7. It is illuminated by illumination regions 111a to 111g.

FIG. 5 shows the lens configuration of the projection optical system L1, and all the projection optical systems L1 to L7 have the configuration shown in FIG. The projection optical system L1 has a configuration in which two sets of Dyson optical systems are combined, and includes first partial optical systems 41 to 44.
, A field stop 45, and second partial optical systems 46 to 49. The first partial optical system has a right-angle prism 41 having a reflection surface arranged at an inclination of 45 ° facing the mask 6 and an optical axis along the in-plane direction of the mask 6. A plano-convex lens component 42 facing the opposite side to 41, a lens component 43 having a meniscus shape as a whole and having a concave surface facing the plano-convex lens component 42 side, and a reflecting surface of the right-angle prism 41 And a right-angle prism 44 having a reflecting surface arranged at an angle of 45 ° with respect to the surface of the mask 6.

The light path of the exposure light from the illumination optical system I 1 through the mask 6 is deflected by 90 ° by the right-angle prism 41, and the plano-convex lens component 42 joined to the right-angle prism 41
Incident on. A lens component 43 made of a glass material different from the plano-convex lens component 42 is joined to the lens component 42, and light from the right-angle prism 41 is refracted at a joint surface 42 a of the lens components 42 and 43. The light reaches the reflection surface 43a on which the reflection film is deposited. The light reflected by the reflection surface 43a is refracted by the joint surface 42a and reaches the right-angle prism 44 joined to the lens component 42. The light from the lens component 42 is deflected by 90 ° in the optical path by the right-angle prism 44 to form a primary image of the mask 6 on the exit surface side of the right-angle prism 44. Here, the primary image of the mask 6 formed by the first partial optical systems 41 to 44 is an equal-magnification image in which the lateral magnification in the X direction is positive and the lateral magnification in the Y direction is negative.

The light from the primary image is transmitted to the second partial optical system 46.
The secondary image of the mask 6 is formed on the surface of the photosensitive substrate 14 through the steps 49 to 49. Since the configuration of the second partial optical system is the same as that of the first partial optical system, a detailed description is omitted.
The second partial optical systems 46 to 49 form the same magnification image in which the X direction is positive and the Y direction is negative, as in the first partial optical system. Therefore, the secondary image formed on the surface of the photosensitive substrate 14 is an erect image of the same magnification of the mask 6 (an image having a positive horizontal magnification in the vertical and horizontal directions). The projection optical system L1 (first and second partial optical systems) is a double-sided telecentric optical system.
A field stop 45 is arranged at the position of the primary image formed by the first partial optical system.

The field stop 45 has a trapezoidal opening, and the field stop 45 defines an exposure area on the photosensitive substrate 14 in a trapezoidal shape. That is, the projection optical systems L1 to L7
The projection optical system has field regions 38a to 38g defined by a field stop 45 in the projection optical system. These viewing areas 38
The images a to 38 g are formed as the same-size erect image on the exposure area on the photosensitive substrate 14. Here, the projection optical systems L1 to L1
L4 is provided so that the viewing areas 38a to 38d are arranged along the Y direction in the drawing. Further, the projection optical system L
5 to L7 are provided at positions different from the viewing regions 38a to 38d in the X direction in the figure so that the viewing regions 38e to 38g are arranged along the Y direction. Projection optical system L1
L4 and the projection optical systems L5 to L7 are arranged such that the right-angle prisms are located very close to each other.

On the photosensitive substrate 14, projection optical systems L1 to L
4 form a first exposure area arranged along the Y direction, and the projection optical systems L5 to L7 form a second exposure area arranged along the Y direction at a position different from the first exposure area.
Is formed. These first and second exposure areas are erect images at the same magnification as the viewing areas 38a to 38g.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a planar positional relationship between the field of view 38a to 38g and the mask 6 by the projection optical systems L1 to L7. A pattern PA is formed on the mask 6, and a light-shielding portion LSA is provided so as to surround a region of the pattern PA. The illumination optical system uniformly illuminates the illumination regions 111a to 111g surrounded by broken lines in the drawing. Within the illumination regions 111a to 111g, the trapezoidal field regions 38a to 38d described above by the field stop 45 in the projection optical system.
38 g are arranged. The upper sides (short sides of the pair of parallel sides) of the viewing areas 38a to 38d and the viewing areas 38e to 38d
It is arranged so that the upper side of 38g faces. At this time, trapezoidal viewing areas 38a to 38g are arranged such that the sum of the widths of the viewing areas 38a to 38g in the X direction, that is, the moving direction of the carriage 17, is always constant at any position in the Y direction. I have. This is because when exposing a large exposure area of the photosensitive substrate 14 while moving the carriage 17 in the X direction, a uniform exposure amount distribution is obtained over the entire exposure area on the photosensitive substrate 14.

Since the first exposure area and the second exposure area on the photosensitive substrate 14 are set apart from each other in the X direction, the pattern extending in the Y direction firstly has a spatially separated first step. After being exposed by the exposure region, the exposure is performed in a temporally and spatially divided manner such that the exposure is performed in the exposure region of the hemorrhoid 2 that fills the space at a certain time interval.

Next, the actual exposure sequence will be specifically described. Note that the exposure sequence refers to a series of processes in which a plurality of photosensitive substrates are taken as one lot and all of them are exposed. The main controller 11 first sets the illuminance adjustment filter 7 at a position where the light transmittance is substantially at the center of the illuminance adjustment range before performing the first exposure processing for the lot. The light sources 2 of the illumination optical systems I1 to In are actually turned on, and an illuminance signal is obtained by the detector 9. Next, a target illuminance is determined based on an illuminance signal from each detector 9. Then, in relation to the target illuminance, the scanning speed is adjusted so that the exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate 14 becomes an appropriate exposure amount determined according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate (photoresist) 14. decide.

During the exposure operation, for each of the illumination optical systems I1 to In, the filter driving unit 12 is controlled so that the illuminance corresponding to the illuminance signal from the detector 9 matches the target illuminance. By adjusting the light transmittance of the light source 2, small fluctuations in the illuminance of the light source 2 generated during the exposure processing are canceled out, and the illuminance is controlled to be constant. When the illuminance variation is within the illuminance adjustment range of the illuminance adjustment filter 7, the scanning speed is controlled to be the speed determined at the beginning of the lot. As a result, exposure can be performed with an appropriate exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate 14 without being affected by minute illuminance fluctuations during exposure or deterioration of the luminance of the lamp over time.

On the other hand, during the exposure sequence, for some reason, for example, a voltage applied to the lamp 2 as a light source suddenly drops due to a failure of the power supply 1, or one of the plurality of lamps 2 ruptures. When the illuminance suddenly decreases beyond the illuminance adjustment range by the illuminance adjustment filter 7 (when the target illuminance cannot be obtained even when the light transmittance of the illuminance adjustment filter 7 is set to the maximum), the main controller 11 transmits Is processed as follows.

That is, the target illuminance and the scan speed used in the processing before the occurrence of the failure are discarded, the target illuminance is reset to a low value, and the reduction in the target illuminance corresponds to a decrease in the exposure amount. The scanning speed is reduced by the amount, and control is performed so that the substantial exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate 14 becomes the same before and after the occurrence of the failure.

The sensitivity (exposure amount) of the photosensitive substrate 14 is set to E (J /
cm ² ), the illuminance is I (mW / cm ² ), the width (slit width) of the slit light in the scanning direction on the photosensitive substrate 14 in the scanning direction is d (mm), and the scanning speed is v, as shown in FIG.
(Mm / sec), E = I × [time] = I × d
/ V.

Here, assuming that the slit width d is a constant K,
E = K × I / v, and it can be seen that the exposure amount depends on the illuminance and the scanning speed. Accordingly, when the target illuminance is reduced by the illuminance ΔI with respect to the target illuminance before the occurrence of the fault and the target illuminance is set as the target illuminance after the occurrence of the fault, the substantial exposure amount on the photosensitive substrate is kept constant before and after the occurrence of the fault. Has E = K ×
(I−ΔI) / (v × (1−ΔI / I)), and Δv
= V × (ΔI / I), the scan speed may be reduced.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the scanning speed is reduced by Δv as compared with before the occurrence of the trouble, so that the illuminance sharply decreases due to the rupture of the lamp 2 as the light source of the illumination optical system. Even if the error occurs, the exposure process can be continued to the end of the lot without interrupting the exposure sequence.

The embodiments described above are described for facilitating the understanding of the present invention, and are not described for limiting the present invention. Therefore, each element disclosed in the above embodiment is intended to include all design changes and equivalents belonging to the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in the above-described embodiment, a plurality of lamps are used as the light source, and the illumination light from each lamp is gathered by the light guide and then equally distributed.
The present invention is not limited to this, and a single lamp may be used, and the light source is not limited to a mercury lamp, and may be applied to a light source such as a laser light source. .

In the above-described embodiment, the mask and the photosensitive substrate are integrally moved by the carriage.
Although the exposure is performed by the same-magnification projection, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is also applicable to a configuration in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are independently moved while being synchronized with each other, or a case of performing a reduced projection.

[0048]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, when a sudden change in illuminance occurs for some reason, the scanning speed is changed, so that an appropriate exposure amount according to the sensitivity characteristics of the photosensitive substrate is obtained. And the exposure process can be continued to the end of the lot without interrupting the exposure sequence. Therefore, the occurrence of defects is reduced, and the manufacturing efficiency and the yield of the microdevice can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of an illumination optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams of an illuminance adjustment filter according to the embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 3A is a configuration diagram and FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating characteristics thereof.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a planar positional relationship between a field of view and a mask by a projection optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of a projection optical system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between an exposure amount and a scan speed according to the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 light source (lamp) 4 light guide 6 mask 7 illuminance adjustment filter 8 half mirror 9 detector 11 main controller 12 filter driving unit 14 photosensitive substrate 17 carriage I1 to In illumination optical system L1 Ln: Projection optical system

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A moving means for moving a mask on which a pattern is formed and a photosensitive substrate as an exposure target, an illumination optical system for illuminating the mask, and a projection optical system for projecting a pattern image from the mask onto the photosensitive substrate. System, while moving the mask and the photosensitive substrate by the moving means,
In a scanning projection exposure apparatus configured to sequentially project the pattern image onto the photosensitive substrate, illuminance adjustment means for adjusting the illuminance of illumination light by the illumination optical system within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range; Illuminance detection means for detecting the illuminance of the illumination light adjusted by the means; illuminance control means for controlling the illuminance adjustment means so that the illuminance of the illumination light detected by the illuminance detection means is constant; Speed control means for controlling the moving means to change the moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate when the illuminance of the illumination light by the illumination optical system changes beyond the illuminance adjustment range by the means. A projection exposure apparatus. 2. The moving device according to claim 1, wherein the speed control unit controls the movement of the photosensitive substrate such that an exposure amount of the photosensitive substrate after the illuminance change of the illumination light is substantially equal to an exposure amount of the photosensitive substrate before the illuminance change of the illumination light. 2. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the means. 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving means includes a carriage for integrally holding said mask and said photosensitive substrate, and is means for moving said carriage in a predetermined scanning direction. Projection exposure equipment. 4. The illumination optical system according to claim 1, wherein the illumination optical system includes a plurality of light sources and a light guide unit that collects light from the plurality of light sources and then equally distributes the light to a plurality of light emission positions. 3. The projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1. 5. The illuminance adjusting means, the illuminance detecting means, and the projection optical system are provided corresponding to the light emitting positions of the light guide means, respectively. Projection exposure equipment. 6. A projection exposure method in which a mask on which a pattern is formed and a photosensitive substrate as an exposure target are moved, and the mask is illuminated to sequentially project a pattern image from the mask onto the photosensitive substrate. If the illuminance change of the illumination light occurs within a predetermined illuminance adjustment range, the illuminance of the illumination light is adjusted so that the illuminance is constant; and the illuminance change of the illumination light is the illuminance adjustment range. And a moving speed of the mask and the photosensitive substrate is changed when the distance exceeds the range.