JPH11212267A - Ablation aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the productivity of processed goods by forming a partial ultraviolet light pulse in a slit state and enhancing ablation rate with respect to a material to be processed. SOLUTION: This aligner includes a pulse laser 1 generating an ultraviolet light pulse, integrator lenses 3X and 3Y, and field lenses 5X and 5Y, and is provided with an illumination optical system of processing the ultraviolet light pulse and projecting it to a mask 6, an image formation lens 7 image-forming the ultraviolet light pulse transmitted through the mask 6 and projecting it on a base plate to be processed 8, and moving stages 9a and 9b moving the mask 6 and the base plate 8 in the longitudinal and lateral directions; and the illumination optical system has an ultraviolet light pulse dividing means dividing the incident ultraviolet light pulse into plural slit state partial ultraviolet light pulses having uniform light intensity, desirably a microprism 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ablation exposure apparatus, and more particularly to an ablation exposure apparatus capable of performing ablation exposure at a high ablation rate using an excimer laser that generates an ultraviolet light pulse.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, ablation is a technique in which a pulsed laser such as an excimer laser or the like is irradiated with a high-energy-density ultraviolet light pulse onto a processing material.
This refers to a phenomenon in which a portion of a processing substance to which an ultraviolet light pulse is projected undergoes photolysis and is scattered.

[0003] When a laser beam having a wavelength longer than visible light is projected onto a processing material, the decomposition that occurs in the processing material is mainly due to the thermal process of the processing material. Decomposition of a processing material when a pulse is projected on the processing material is a decomposition accompanying a non-thermal process that directly cuts a chemical bond of a molecular structure of the processing material, particularly when the processing material is an organic substance.

[0004] The ablation exposure is to form a predetermined processing pattern on a processing material by utilizing the decomposition of the processing material due to such a non-thermal process, and two processes of exposure and development in a known photolithography method are used. This is a method in which the process can be completed only by the exposure process. An ablation exposure apparatus in which ablation exposure is performed is essentially an exposure apparatus, in which a mask having a predetermined mask pattern is arranged on a processing material, and an ultraviolet light pulse is irradiated from above the mask to pass through the mask. The ultraviolet light pulse is projected onto the processing material to process and form the processing material into a pattern according to the mask pattern.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing an example of a schematic configuration of a known ablation exposure apparatus.

As shown in FIG. 4, an ablation exposure apparatus comprises an ultraviolet pulse laser 41 and a condenser lens 4.
2, an integrator lens 43, a condenser lens 44, a field lens 45, a mask 46,
An imaging lens 47, an entrance pupil 47a, a processing substrate 48,
It comprises an upper moving stage 49a and a lower moving stage 49b. In this case, the condenser lens 42, the integrator lens 43, the condenser lens 44, and the field lens 45 constitute an illumination optical system.

The ultraviolet pulse laser 41 generates an ultraviolet pulse, and the mask 46 has a predetermined mask pattern. Upper stage 49a
Is movable in the vertical (Y) direction and the horizontal (X) direction with the mask 46 mounted thereon, and a portion corresponding to the mask pattern forming portion of the mask 46 forms an optically transparent light transmitting surface 49f. doing. The lower moving stage 49b is
The vertical (Y) direction and the horizontal (X) direction with the processing substrate 48 placed thereon
It can move in any direction, and can move regardless of the movement of the upper moving stage 49a. The imaging lens 47 has an entrance pupil 47a inside.

The ultraviolet light pulse emission surface of the ultraviolet light pulse laser 41 faces the light incidence surface of the condenser lens 42, and the light emission surface of the condenser lens 42 faces the light incidence surface of the integrator lens 43. The light exit surface of the integrator lens 43 faces the light entrance surface of the condenser lens 44, and the light exit surface of the condenser lens 44 is
The mask 46 is opposed to the mask 46 placed on a. The light transmitting surface 49f of the upper moving stage 49a faces the light incident surface of the imaging lens 47, and the light emitting surface of the imaging lens 47 faces the processing substrate 48 placed on the lower moving stage 49b.

FIG. 5 shows an integrator lens 43 used in the ablation exposure apparatus shown in FIG.
6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transmission state of an ultraviolet light pulse in the ablation exposure apparatus shown in FIG.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 43a denotes a light incident side rod lens, 43b denotes a light emission side rod lens, and
The same components as those shown in FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals. 6 and FIGS. 4 and 5
The same reference numerals are given to the same components as those shown in FIG.

The operation of the known ablation exposure apparatus having the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIGS.

First, a processing substrate 48 to be processed is mounted on the lower moving stage 49b, and a mask 46 having a mask pattern suitable for processing is mounted on the upper moving stage 49a.

Next, a stage moving mechanism (not shown) for moving the upper moving stage 49a and the lower moving stage 49b is driven, and the upper moving stage 49a and the lower moving stage 49b are individually moved to positions suitable for processing. Move up to

Next, the ultraviolet light pulse laser 41 is driven to generate an ultraviolet light pulse for a short time from the ultraviolet light pulse laser 41. The ultraviolet light pulse generated at this time is irradiated on the mask 46 through the condenser lens 42, the integrator lens 43, the condenser lens 44, and the field lens 45.

Subsequently, a part of the ultraviolet light pulse that has passed through the mask pattern of the mask 46, that is, the partial ultraviolet light pulse, is radiated while being imaged on the processing substrate 48 through the imaging lens 47, and The imaged portion of the partial ultraviolet light pulse on 48 is processed by ablation exposure.

Here, the stage moving mechanism is driven again to move the upper moving stage 49a and / or the lower moving stage 49b individually to a position suitable for the next processing.

Next, when the ultraviolet light pulse laser 41 is driven to generate a short time ultraviolet light pulse from the ultraviolet light pulse laser 41, the partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processing substrate 48 is operated in the same operation as the above-mentioned operation. Is processed by ablation exposure.

Thereafter, if further processing is necessary, the upper moving stage 49a and / or the lower moving stage 49b are individually moved to a position suitable for the next processing. , A processing substrate 48 is sequentially processed by ablation exposure by generating an ultraviolet light pulse for a short time.

At the time of such an operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the integrator lens 43 divides the incident ultraviolet light pulse into a plurality of partial ultraviolet light pulses at the light incident side rod lens 43a and divides it. The plurality of partial ultraviolet light pulses are respectively diffused and emitted by the light emitting side rod lens 43b.

As shown in FIG. 6, in the components after the integrator lens 43, the partial ultraviolet light pulses emitted from the integrator lens 43 are further diffused in the condenser lens 44, and the diffused partial ultraviolet light is diffused. The pulse is incident on the field lens 45 in a superimposed state. At this time, the field lens 45 adjusts the incident partial ultraviolet light pulse so that each part has a constant light intensity, and emits the light. The ultraviolet light pulse emitted from the field lens 45 irradiates the mask 46, and the partial ultraviolet light pulse that has passed through the mask pattern is incident on the imaging lens 47 and is imaged at the entrance pupil 47a.

Incidentally, the known ablation exposure apparatus shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 has a component for processing an ultraviolet light pulse in a horizontal direction (X direction) (hereinafter, this component is referred to as a component). There is no distinction between a component that assigns X to a code) and a component that processes an ultraviolet light pulse in the vertical direction (Y direction) (hereinafter, this component is given a symbol Y), but the component is actually Integrator lens 43 and condenser lens 44 inside
And the field lens 45, the integrator lenses 43X and 43Y and the condenser lens 4 are provided in both the horizontal and vertical directions of the ultraviolet light pulse.
4X, 44Y and field lenses 45X, 45Y are provided. And the integrator lens 43X,
In the condenser lens 44X and the field lens 45X, the ultraviolet light pulse performs the above-described operation in the horizontal direction (X direction), and in the integrator lens 43Y, the condenser lens 44Y, and the field lens 45Y, the ultraviolet light pulse Perform the above-described operation in the vertical direction (Y direction).

FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the configuration of an integrator lens in a known ablation exposure apparatus, wherein FIG. 7A shows an integrator lens which operates in a horizontal direction, and FIG. This is an integrator lens that performs the operation described above.

In FIGS. 7A and 7B, 43X is a horizontal integrator lens, 43Xa is an incident light side rod lens, 43Xb is an outgoing light side rod lens, 43Y.
Denotes a vertical integrator lens, 43Xa denotes an incident light side rod lens, and 43Xb denotes an outgoing light side rod lens.

In this case, the horizontal direction integrator lens 43X includes an incident light side rod lens 43Xa and an output light side rod lens 43Xb, and the vertical direction integrator lens 43Y includes an incident light side rod lens 43Xa.
And the exit light side rod lens 43Xb.

The operation of the horizontal integrator lens 43X and the operation of the vertical integrator lens 43Y are to process the incident ultraviolet light pulse exclusively in the horizontal or vertical direction, except that the integrator lens described above is used. 43 is the same as the processing of the incident ultraviolet light pulse.

[0026]

In the known ablation exposure apparatus, when processing a substrate to be processed, the two processing steps of exposure and development performed by a known photolithography method need only be performed by an exposure step. Therefore, there is an advantage that the processing steps are simplified.

However, the known ablation exposure apparatus has a low ablation rate with respect to a polymer material constituting a resist, and therefore, when processing a processed substrate coated with a resist, compared with processing by a known photolithography method, There is a problem that productivity is low.

Further, the known ablation exposure apparatus is used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device which needs to process and form many fine patterns over a large area in order to obtain a high-precision TFT-LCD (thin film transistor-liquid crystal display). High-precision TFT-LC
When applied to the processing of the thin film pattern of D, not only can the required processing accuracy not be obtained, but also it is difficult to process a material having such a large processing area, and the processing time is considerably long. It has problems such as becoming.

The present invention solves these problems. It is an object of the present invention to increase the ablation rate with respect to a processing material by forming a partial ultraviolet light pulse into a slit shape, thereby improving productivity during processing. An exposure apparatus is provided.

[0030]

In order to achieve the above object, an ablation exposure apparatus according to the present invention includes an ultraviolet pulse laser, an illumination optical system including an integrator lens and a field lens, and a mask having a predetermined mask pattern. And an imaging lens, a processing substrate, and a moving stage, and divides an incident ultraviolet light pulse into a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses having uniform light intensity in an illumination optical system. It has means having light pulse splitting means.

According to the above means, when forming an image of the partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processing substrate, the incident ultraviolet light pulse is divided into a plurality of slit-like partial ultraviolet light pulses of uniform light intensity in the illumination optical system, Since the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is focused on the processing substrate, the ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processing substrate is increased, and the ablation rate is increased.
The processing time of the processing substrate is shortened, and the productivity can be improved.

[0032]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In an embodiment of the present invention, an ablation exposure apparatus includes a pulse laser for generating an ultraviolet light pulse, an integrator lens and a field lens, and an illumination for processing the ultraviolet light pulse and projecting the same onto a mask. An optical system, an imaging lens for imaging an ultraviolet light pulse transmitted through the mask and projecting it on a processing substrate, and a moving stage for moving the mask and the processing substrate in the vertical and horizontal directions, the illumination optical system includes: And an ultraviolet light pulse dividing means for dividing an incident ultraviolet light pulse into a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses having a uniform light intensity.

In a preferred example of the embodiment of the present invention, the ablation exposure apparatus has an ultraviolet light pulse splitting means of 10 units.
It comprises a light splitting prism for forming a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses having a slit width of 0 μm or less.

In a specific example of the embodiment of the present invention, the ablation exposure apparatus forms a thin film transistor substrate, a black matrix layer, and a filter layer of each color in which a processing substrate forms a resist pattern of each layer used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device. It consists of a color filter substrate.

The present inventors have found that when a partial ultraviolet light pulse imaged on a processing substrate is formed into a slit shape, the ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the processing substrate changes depending on the slit width as described below. I found something to do.

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a change in the ablation rate per one shot of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the slit width of the partial ultraviolet light pulse.

In FIG. 3, the vertical axis represents the partial ultraviolet light pulse 1
The ablation rate per shot is shown, and the horizontal axis is the slit width of the partial ultraviolet light pulse.

As shown in FIG. 3, when a partial ultraviolet light pulse imaged on the processing substrate is formed into a slit shape, and the slit width is gradually changed from a relatively wide state to a narrow state, The ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to is gradually improved. For example, the slit width of the partial ultraviolet light pulse is 500 μm and 2 μm, respectively.
At 00 μm, 100 μm, and 50 μm, the ablation rate is as follows:
0.05 μm, 0.06 μm, 0.075 μm, 0.0
The ablation rate is improved as the slit width becomes 95 μm and the slit width becomes narrower.

The embodiment of the present invention is constructed based on such knowledge, and it is possible to convert an ultraviolet light pulse emitted from an ultraviolet light pulse laser into a plurality of light beams having a uniform light intensity in an illumination optical system. , And irradiates each slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse to a processing substrate through a mask to form an image of each slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processed substrate.
By using the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse, the ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the processing substrate can be increased, and the time required for processing the processing substrate can be shortened by increasing the ablation rate. And productivity can be improved.

In this case, if the slit width of the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is selected to be 100 μm or less, compared to the case where the width of the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is selected to be 100 μm or more, the portion with respect to the processing substrate is selected. The ablation rate of the UV light pulse is higher. As a result, the time required for processing the processed substrate is further reduced, and the productivity can be further improved.

[0041]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of an embodiment of an ablation exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a prism showing an example of a configuration of a light splitting prism used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, 1 is an ultraviolet pulse laser, 2 is a condenser lens, 3X is a horizontal direction integrator lens, 3Xa is a light incidence side rod lens, 3Xb is a light emission side rod lens, 3Y is a vertical direction integrator lens, 3Ya. Is a light incident side rod lens, 3Yb is a light exit side rod lens, 4X is a horizontal condenser lens,
4Y is a vertical condenser lens, 5X is a horizontal field lens, 5Y is a vertical field lens, 6
Is a mask, 7 is an imaging lens, 8 is a processing substrate, 9 is a stage moving mechanism, 9a is an upper moving stage, 9b is a lower moving stage, 9f is a light transmitting surface, 10 is a reflector, and 11 is a micro prism (light Split prism).

The ultraviolet pulse laser 1 is made of, for example, an excimer laser, and generates an ultraviolet pulse for a short time during driving. Horizontal integrator lens 3X
Is a light-incident side rod lens 3X that is spaced apart and opposed to each other.
a and the light-exiting-side rod lens 3Xb, and the vertical integrator lens 3Y is composed of the light-incident-side rod lens 3Ya and the light-exiting-side rod lens 3Yb that are spaced apart and opposed to each other. Light incident side rod lens 3Xa, 3Y
a and the light-exit-side rod lenses 3Xb, 3Yb are each configured by arranging a large number of rod lenses in parallel.
The light incident side rod lens 3Xa and the light exit side rod lens 3Xb are arranged such that the rods are arranged in a horizontal direction, and the light incident side rod lens 3Ya and the light exit side rod lens 3Yb.
The rods are arranged vertically in a row. The mask 6 has a mask pattern suitable for a processing position of a processing substrate, and is disposed on the upper moving stage 9a. The upper moving stage 9 a is coupled to the stage moving mechanism 9, and moves in the vertical (Y) direction and the horizontal (X) direction while driving the stage moving mechanism 9 with the mask 6 mounted thereon. The part where the formation part is placed is an optically transparent light transmitting surface 9f. The lower moving stage 9b is also coupled to the stage moving mechanism 9, and moves in the vertical (Y) direction and the horizontal (X) direction with the processing substrate 8 placed thereon by driving of the stage moving mechanism 9. The microprism 11 includes a large number of prisms as described later. In this case, the condenser lens 2, the vertical direction integrator lens 3Y, the vertical direction condenser lens 4Y, the horizontal direction integrator lens 3X, the reflector 10, the microprism 11, the horizontal direction condenser lens 4X, and the horizontal field lens 5
The X, vertical field lens 5Y constitutes an illumination optical system.

A converging lens 2 is arranged facing the ultraviolet light pulse emission surface of the ultraviolet pulse laser 1, and a vertical integrator lens 3 is opposed to the converging lens 2.
The Y light incident side rod lens 3Ya is arranged. Light emitting side rod lens 3 of vertical integrator lens 3
A vertical condenser lens 4Y is arranged to face Yb, and a light incident side rod lens 3Xa of the horizontal integrator lens 3X is arranged to face the vertical condenser lens 4Y. A reflection plate 10 that is at an angle of about 45 ° with respect to the optical axis is disposed to face the light exit side rod lens 3Xb of the horizontal integrator lens 3X.
The light incident surface of the microprism 11 is arranged on the optical axis facing the reflector 10 and bent at an angle of about 90 ° by the reflector 10, and the light incident surface of the microprism 11 faces the light exit surface of the microprism 11 in the horizontal direction. The condenser lens 4X is arranged. A horizontal field lens 5X is arranged to face the horizontal condenser lens 4X, and a vertical field lens 5Y is arranged to face the horizontal field lens 5X. An upper moving stage 9a on which the mask 6 is mounted is arranged opposite to the light emitting surface of the vertical direction field lens 5Y, and a light incident surface of the imaging lens 7 is arranged opposite to the light transmitting surface 9f of the upper moving stage 9a. You. A lower moving stage 9b on which a processing substrate 8 is mounted is disposed to face the light exit surface of the imaging lens 7.

In FIG. 2, 12 ₁ is a first-stage prism, 13 ₁ and 13 ₂ are second-stage prisms, 14 ₁ and 14
₂ , 14 ₃ and 14 ₄ are third-stage prisms, 15 ₁ and 1
5 _2, 15 _3, 15 _4, 15 _5, 15 _6, 15 _7, 15
Reference numeral ₈ denotes a fourth-stage prism, and the same components as those shown in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.

The first-stage prism 12 ₁ is a set of 2
Second stage prisms 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ consisting of split prisms
Consists of two sets of optical axis changing prisms and two-segment prisms. The third-stage prisms 14 ₁ , 14 ₂ , 14 ₃ , and 14 ₄ include four sets of optical axis changing prisms and two-segment prisms,
Fourth stage prisms 15 ₁ , 15 ₂ , 15 ₃ , 15 ₄ , 15
_5, 15 _6, 15 _7, 15 ₈ consists of 8 pairs of optical axis changing prism.

[0048] Then, the first stage prism 12 ₁ is intended to receive incident light, the light emitting second stage on the side of the prism 1
3 ₁ and 13 ₂ are arranged. Second-stage prism 13 ₁ , 1
3 ₂ of the light emitting third stage toward the prism 14 ₁ to 14 ₄ are disposed, is disposed fourth-stage prism 15 ₁ to 15 ₈ is the light emitting side of the third stage the prism 14 ₁ to 14 _4. 4 stage prism 15 ₁ to 15 ₈ more from the light emitting side of, in this embodiment, it is output eight outgoing light.

The operation of the ablation exposure apparatus according to this embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIGS.

First, the processing substrate 8 to be processed is mounted on the lower moving stage 9b, and the mask 6 having a mask pattern suitable for processing is mounted on the upper moving stage 9a.

Next, the stage moving mechanism 9 is driven, and the upper and lower moving stages 9a and 9b are individually moved to positions suitable for processing by the driving output.

Next, the ultraviolet pulse laser 1 is driven to generate an ultraviolet pulse from the ultraviolet pulse laser 1 for a short time. The ultraviolet light pulse generated at this time passes through the condenser lens 2 and the vertical integrator lens 3Y.
Supplied to At this time, as shown in FIG. 5, the vertical integrator lens 3Y divides the ultraviolet light pulse in the vertical direction, emits it as a plurality of partial ultraviolet light pulses, and supplies the partial ultraviolet light pulse to the vertical condenser lens 4Y.

Subsequently, the vertical condenser lens 4Y
As shown in FIG. 6, the supplied partial ultraviolet light pulse is further diffused in the vertical direction and supplied to the horizontal integrator lens 3X.

Next, the horizontal direction integrator lens 3
As shown in FIG. 5, X splits a plurality of partial ultraviolet light pulses supplied from the vertical condenser lens 4Y in the horizontal direction, emits them as a plurality of partial ultraviolet light pulses, and supplies them to the reflection plate 10. At this time, the reflection plate 10
The optical axis of the incident partial ultraviolet light pulse is bent about 90 °,
It is supplied to the micro prism 11.

[0055] Then, the micro prisms 11, as shown in FIG. 2, the incident portion ultraviolet light pulses, the first stage prism 12 ₁ 2 minutes and two partial ultraviolet light pulses P11 and partial UV slit by Forming an optical pulse P12;
The two slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses P11 and P12 are each divided into _two by the second-stage prisms 13 ₁ and 13 ₂ to form four slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses P21, P22 and P2.
3, P24 to form a three-stage prism 14 ₁ to 14
₄ , the slit-shaped four partial ultraviolet light pulses P21 to P21
24 are divided into two, and eight slit-like partial ultraviolet light pulses P31, P32, P33, P34, P35, P3
6, P37, P38 to form, 4 stage prisms 15 _1
8 to ₈ slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses P3
By slightly changing the optical axis directions of 1 to P38 to make their optical axes parallel, eight slit-like partial ultraviolet light pulses P4
1, P42, P43, P44, P45, P46, P4
7, is emitted as P48 and supplied to the horizontal condenser lens 4X.

Subsequently, the horizontal condenser lens 4X
As shown in FIG. 6, the supplied slit-shaped 8
The two partial ultraviolet light pulses P41 to P48 are further diffused in the horizontal direction and supplied to the horizontal field lens 5X.

Next, the horizontal field lens 5X is
Eight supplied slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses P41
The light intensity in the horizontal direction from P48 to P48 is adjusted to be constant and supplied to the vertical field lens 5Y.

Next, the vertical field lens 5Y
Is the supplied slit-shaped eight partial ultraviolet light pulses P
The light intensity in the vertical direction of 41 to P48 is adjusted to be constant, and the mask 6 is irradiated.

Then, a part of the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse that has passed through the mask pattern of the mask 6 is irradiated while being imaged on the processing substrate 8 through the imaging lens 7, The imaged portion of the upper partial ultraviolet light pulse is processed by ablation exposure.

Here, when it is necessary to perform the next processing by ablation exposure on the processing substrate 8, the stage moving mechanism 9 is driven to move the upper moving stage 9a and / or
Alternatively, the lower moving stage 9b is individually moved to a position suitable for the next processing. Next, when the ultraviolet light pulse laser 1 is driven to generate an ultraviolet light pulse for a short time from the ultraviolet light pulse laser 1, an image of the partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processing substrate 8 is formed by the same operation process as that described above. The part is processed by ablation exposure.

After that, when it is necessary to perform further processing by ablation exposure on the processing substrate 8, the stage moving mechanism 9 is driven to individually move the upper moving stage 9 a and / or the lower moving stage 9 b. Then, the laser beam is moved to a position suitable for the next processing, and subsequently the ultraviolet light pulse laser 1 generates an ultraviolet light pulse for a short time. The imaged portion of the ultraviolet light pulse is sequentially processed by ablation exposure.

In the ablation exposure apparatus of the present embodiment in which the above operation is performed, the microprism 11 has a slit width of eight slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses emitted from the microprism 11 being 500 μm or less, preferably 100 μm or less. With this configuration, the ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the processing substrate 8 is increased, and the processing time when processing the processing substrate 8 can be reduced.

As described above, according to the present embodiment, when a partial ultraviolet light pulse is imaged on the processing substrate 8, the incident ultraviolet light pulse is converted into a uniform light by the microprism 11 arranged in the illumination optical system. Since a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses of high intensity are divided and each slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is imaged on the processing substrate 8, ablation of the partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processing substrate 8 is performed. Since the rate can be increased and the ablation rate is increased, the processing time of the processing substrate 8 can be shortened, and the productivity can be improved.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the micro prism 11 is used as the ultraviolet light pulse dividing means has been described. However, the ultraviolet light pulse dividing means according to the present invention is limited to the case where the micro prism 11 is used. Instead, any other ultraviolet light pulse splitting means may be used as long as it performs the same function as the microprism 11.

In the above embodiment, the location of the microprism 11 is disposed between the reflector 10 and the horizontal condenser lens 4X. However, the location of the microprism 11 according to the present invention is as described above. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it may be arranged at another location, for example, between the vertical field lens 5Y and the mask 6.

[0066]

As described above, according to the present invention, an ultraviolet light pulse emitted from an ultraviolet light pulse laser is divided into a plurality of slit-like partial ultraviolet light pulses having a uniform light intensity in an illumination optical system. By irradiating each slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse to the processing substrate through a mask and forming an image of each slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse on the processed substrate, the processing is performed by using the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse. The ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the substrate can be increased, and the increased ablation rate can shorten the time required for processing the processed substrate, thereby improving the productivity. is there.

In the present invention, if the slit width of the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is selected to be 100 μm or less, the width of the slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulse is set to 100 μm.
The ablation rate of the partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to the processing substrate is higher than the case where it is selected as described above, and as a result, the time required for processing the processing substrate is further shortened, and the productivity is further improved. There is an effect that can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a prism showing an example of a configuration of a light splitting prism used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing a change state of an ablation rate per one shot of a partial ultraviolet light pulse with respect to a slit width of a partial ultraviolet light pulse.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a schematic configuration of a known ablation exposure apparatus.

5 is a configuration diagram showing an example of a configuration of an integrator lens used in the known ablation exposure apparatus shown in FIG.

6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a transmission state of an ultraviolet light pulse in the known ablation exposure apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of an integrator lens in a known ablation exposure apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Ultraviolet pulse laser 2 Focusing lens 3X Horizontal direction integrator lens 3Xa Light incidence side rod lens 3Xb Light emission side rod lens 3Y Vertical direction integrator lens 3Ya Light incidence side rod lens 3Yb Light emission side rod lens 4X Horizontal condenser lens 4Y Vertical direction Condenser lens 5X Horizontal field lens 5Y Vertical field lens 6 Mask 7 Imaging lens 8 Processing board 9 Stage moving mechanism 9a Upper moving stage 9b Lower moving stage 9f Light transmitting surface 10 Reflector 11 Micro prism (light splitting prism) 12 ₁ First-stage prism 13 ₁ , 13 ₂ Second-stage prism 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ Third-stage prism 15 _{1 to} 15 ₈ Fourth-stage prism

Claims (3)

[Claims] An illumination optical system including an integrator lens and a field lens for processing an ultraviolet light pulse and projecting the same on a mask; and connecting an ultraviolet light pulse transmitted through the mask. An imaging lens for imaging and projecting on the processing substrate, and a moving stage for moving the mask and the processing substrate in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction, the illumination optical system is configured to make the incident ultraviolet light pulse uniform. An ablation exposure apparatus comprising an ultraviolet light pulse splitting means for splitting into a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses having light intensity. 2. An ablation exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said ultraviolet light pulse splitting means is a light splitting prism for forming a plurality of slit-shaped partial ultraviolet light pulses having a slit width of 100 μm or less. 3. The processing substrate according to claim 1, wherein the processing substrate is a thin film transistor substrate for forming a resist pattern of each layer used in an active matrix liquid crystal display device, or a color filter substrate for forming a black matrix layer or a filter layer of each color. 3. The ablation exposure apparatus according to 1 or 2.