KR20020032295A - Sequential exposure apparatus for substrate - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a successive aligner for a rectangular substrate capable of switching an irradiated area on the substrate in accordance with the arrangement of an exposed zone on the substrate. CONSTITUTION: Light from a lamp 1 is made incident on an integrator lens 4 housed in an integrator lens housing part 12 and radiated toward a mask 7 through a reflection mirror 5 and a collimator lens 6, so that the rectangular mask pattern is cast on the surface to be exposed of the substrate (not illustrated). The substrate is moved in XY direction, and respective exposed areas on the substrate are successively exposed. The lens 4 constituted by arranging a plurality of lenses having rectangular cross-sectional shape in parallel is housed in the housing part 12, so that the incident light is shaped to be rectangular. The housing part 12 is equipped with a mechanism to hold the lens 4 turnably by 90° centering the optical axis of the lens 4, and the lens 4 is turned in accordance with the arrangement of the exposed zone on the substrate so as to switch the irradiated area on the substrate.

Description

Sequential exposure apparatus for substrate

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus used for manufacturing a substrate such as a printed circuit board or a liquid crystal substrate, and more particularly, to an exposure apparatus for dividing a substrate into a plurality of rectangular exposure zones and sequentially exposing each exposure zone.

In the production process of the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, when exposing the mask pattern formed on the mask to a wafer, which is a processing substrate, the exposure area on the wafer is divided into a plurality of parts, and the mask pattern is projected onto the divided areas so that the wafer is formed. By moving the mounted work stage by a predetermined amount, a method of sequentially exposing the divided exposure area to the exposure position is sequentially performed. This is generally called sequential exposure and step and repeat exposure.

Conventionally, when performing exposure processing in fields other than the semiconductor manufacturing apparatus, for example, a printed circuit board or a liquid crystal substrate, a mask having a size substantially the same as that of the substrate is prepared, and the entire exposure area of the substrate is subjected to exposure processing in a batch. Package exposure has been performed. However, in recent years, in order to prevent the enlargement of the mask which accompanies the enlargement of a board | substrate, sequential exposure was also employ | adopted in the said field.

If the mask is enlarged, there are problems such as an increase in cost of mask production and a decrease in exposure accuracy due to the mask weight. In the case of sequential exposure, since the size of the mask can be made smaller than the size of the substrate, the above problem can be solved.

As for the exposure apparatus which sequentially exposes the above-mentioned printed board or liquid crystal substrate, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-62850 (Patent No. 2904709: Proximity Exposure Method) or Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-82615 (Patent No. 2994991: Projection exposure method).

In exposure of the said printed board, a liquid crystal board, etc., although it changes also with the component to produce, the area | region which transfers and exposes a mask pattern is often rectangular (a rectangle with a vertical length and a horizontal length different). If the shape of the exposure area is rectangular, the shape of the area where the mask pattern is produced is also rectangular.

In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-260705 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-98619, in order to efficiently irradiate a rectangular exposure area, a compound lens having a plurality of lenses arranged in parallel in the longitudinal and horizontal directions (hereinafter referred to as inter It describes that the shape of each lens constituting the greater lens) is rectangular.

The integrator lens is an optical element generally used in an exposure apparatus or the like, and is provided to make the illuminance distribution of light irradiated onto the exposed surface uniform. That is, the integrator lens is formed by arranging a plurality of lenses in parallel in the longitudinal and horizontal directions, and is placed at or near the position where the light emitted from the lamp is collected by the condensing mirror, thereby uniformizing the illuminance distribution of the light irradiated onto the exposed surface. Let's do it.

In the above publications (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-260705 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-98619), in order to irradiate a rectangular irradiation area without lowering the utilization rate of light, in the optical axis direction of each lens constituting the integrator lens. It is described to make this shape into a rectangular shape.

When light from a lamp enters into an integrator lens including a plurality of hexagonal or cylindrical lenses, the cross-sectional shape of the light emitted from the integrator is substantially circular. When this circular irradiation shape is irradiated to a mask as it is and cut out to rectangular by a mask pattern, the unused light increases and the utilization efficiency of light is low.

On the other hand, when the cross-sectional shape of the light emitted from the integrator lens is adjusted in a rectangular shape in accordance with the mask pattern by using an integrator lens having a plurality of rectangular pillars having a cross section, the discarded light is reduced and the light utilization efficiency is increased. Therefore, the illuminance is increased and the throughput is improved.

When light is incident on the integrator lens configured as described above, even if the cross-sectional shape of the incident light is circular, the shape of the emitted light on the irradiation surface is similar to the shape of the shape seen from the optical axis direction of the respective lens.

FIG. 3 shows an example of an exposure apparatus that irradiates rectangular light using the integrator lens and sequentially exposes an exposure area on a printed board.

Light from the lamp 1 is collected by the condenser 2 and enters the integrator lens 4 through the reflection mirror 3.

The shape of the integrator lens 4 is the same as that shown in the above publication, and is constituted by arranging a plurality of parallel lenses in the longitudinal and transverse directions having a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the optical axis.

The light emitted from the integrator lens 4 is shaped into a rectangle as shown in the above publication, is reflected by the reflection mirror 5, is incident on the collimator lens 6, becomes parallel light, and is irradiated onto the mask 7. . On the mask 7, a mask pattern is recorded in a rectangular mask pattern formation area, the mask pattern being exposed on a substrate 10, such as a printed board, mounted on the work stage 9 through the projection lens 8. Is projected on.

The substrate W moves by moving the work stage 9 in the XY direction, and the mask pattern is sequentially exposed to each exposure region of the substrate W. As shown in FIG.

In addition, although the projection exposure apparatus was described above, the same applies to the proximity exposure apparatus in which the mask and the substrate are brought into proximity and the mask pattern is exposed on the substrate without using a projection lens.

When the mask formed by the integrator is irradiated to the mask with a rectangular shape, the utilization efficiency of the light is improved as described above. However, the versatility of changing the shape of the exposed area on the substrate is lost. This point is demonstrated below.

It is preferable that an exposure apparatus can expose various mask patterns. The size and shape of the area | region which exposes a pattern on a board | substrate changes with the difference of the kind of a product to expose, and a process.

First, in exposure of a printed circuit board, a liquid crystal substrate, etc., although the area | region (henceforth an exposure area | region) which transfers and exposes a mask pattern is said to be mostly rectangular shape (a rectangle different from a length and a horizontal length), exposure area As shown in FIG. 4 (a), it is possible to efficiently produce a long side on the substrate, or as shown in FIG. 4 (b). Even in the case of the substrate having the same shape, the exposure area is arranged as shown in FIG. 4 (a) or as shown in FIG. In other words, the arrangement of each exposure zone on the substrate is selected so that each exposure zone is most efficiently arranged on the substrate in accordance with the difference in the product or process to be produced.

Here, if it is assumed that the exposure device is equipped with a horizontally long pattern integrator lens and the exposure area as shown in Fig. 4 (a) is exposed, the device is vertically long as shown in Fig. 4 (b). Even if it is going to perform exposure by light, it cannot irradiate the whole mask pattern vertically long by the horizontally long light.

In this case, the integrator lens was replaced with one capable of irradiating vertically long light, or the substrate was rotated by 90 ° and placed on the work stage. However, this has the following problem.

(1) When replacing an integrator lens, it is necessary to prepare two integrator lenses. Since the integrator lens is a combination of plural quartz lenses processed with high precision, the manufacturing cost also increases, and the unused integrator lens must be stored so that the lens surface is not blurred or scratched, and the cost for storage Also increases.

(2) After replacing the integrator lens, confirmation adjustment is necessary so that the optical axis of the light incident on the integrator lens and the optical axis of the integrator lens itself coincide. If the two optical axes do not coincide, problems arise in optical performance, such as uneven illuminance distribution. This adjustment check takes time.

(3) Moreover, when conveying a printed circuit board with a robot for a conveyance, etc., when mounting a board | substrate to a work stage, devising, such as rotating by 90 degrees is needed, and a conveying apparatus becomes complicated. These increase the manufacturing cost of the whole exposure apparatus.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to form an irradiation region in a rectangle by means of an integrator lens, and an exposure apparatus of a rectangular substrate in which each exposure area on the rectangular substrate is sequentially exposed, wherein the integrator lens is used. It is to provide a sequential exposure apparatus for a rectangular substrate which can switch the irradiation area on the substrate in accordance with the arrangement of the exposure area on the substrate without changing the or placing the substrate placed on the work stage.

1 is a view showing the overall configuration of a lamp house of the exposure apparatus of the embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a view showing the configuration of the integrator lens housing of the embodiment of the present invention;

3 is a view showing an example of an exposure apparatus that irradiates rectangular light and sequentially exposes an exposure area on a printed board;

4 is a diagram illustrating an arrangement example of an exposure area.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

One … Lamp 2. Condenser

3…. Reflective mirror 4.. Integrator lens

41…. First holder 41a... Step

41b. Roll screw 41c... Instructions (指針)

42. Second holder 42a... Tip

42b... Through groove 42c... Display board

5... Reflective mirror 6. Collimator lens

11. Housing 12... Integrator lens compartment

13. Shutter 13a... Shutter drive mechanism

The present invention solves the above problems as follows.

In the exposure apparatus which sequentially exposes each exposure area of the rectangular shape (the rectangle from which a length and a horizontal length differ) on a board | substrate,

An integrator lens in which a plurality of lenses having a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the optical axis (rectangles having different lengths and horizontal lengths) in parallel in the vertical and horizontal directions are disposed so that the optical axis coincides with the optical axis of the incident light. The grater lens is maintained to be rotatable to the first position and to a second position rotated by 90 ° about the optical axis of the incident light incident on the integrator lens from the first position.

Then, in accordance with the arrangement of the exposure zone on the substrate, the position of the integrator lens is switched to the first position or the second position to switch the irradiation area on the substrate.

In other words, when the shape of the exposure zone is changed from being vertically long to being horizontally long and being horizontally long to vertically long as shown in FIG. 4, the integrator lens for shaping the incident light to the mask into rectangular light is formed. It rotates by ° and exposes.

Thereby, the irradiation area on a board | substrate can be switched by a simple operation, without changing an integrator lens or changing the orientation of the board | substrate which mounts a work stage, and exposure process can be performed according to the arrangement | positioning of an exposure area on a board | substrate. have.

In addition, since the integrator lens is rotated by 90 degrees around the optical axis, the optical axis adjustment after switching is unnecessary, so that the mechanical axis can be made extremely simple and the cost can be reduced.

Embodiment of the Invention

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a figure which shows the whole structure of the lamp house of the exposure apparatus of the Example of this invention, and the figure has shown sectional drawing.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a housing containing the lamp 1, the condenser 2, and the reflection mirror 3, and 12 denotes an integrator lens housing, and inside the integrator lens housing 12, a composite lens ( 4), the first lens 4a and the second lens 4b are attached. The integrator lens accommodating part 12 is equipped with the mechanism which hold | maintains the integrator lens 4 so that 90 degree rotational movement can be performed about an optical axis as mentioned later.

In addition, 13 is a shutter, 13a is a shutter drive mechanism, 5 is a reflection mirror, 6 is a collimator lens.

In the same figure, the light from the lamp 1 is condensed by the condenser 2, and the first lens 4a and the second lens accommodated in the integrator lens accommodating portion 12 via the reflection mirror 3. It enters into the integrator lens 4 through 4b. The integrator lens 4 is a composite lens in which a plurality of lenses having a rectangular cross-sectional shape in the vertical direction with respect to the optical axis are arranged in parallel in the longitudinal and horizontal directions as described above.

The rectangular shaped light exiting from the integrator 4 is reflected by the reflecting mirror 5 and is incident on the collimator lens 6 to become parallel light.

As shown in FIG. 3, the light emitted from the collimator lens 6 is irradiated onto the mask 7, and in the case of the projection exposure apparatus, the mask pattern on the mask 7 passes through the projection lens 8. 10) The exposed surface of the image is irradiated. In the case of the proximity exposure apparatus, the mask pattern on the mask 7 is irradiated to the exposed surface on the substrate arranged in proximity to the mask. Then, the substrate 10 is moved in the XY direction, and the mask pattern is sequentially exposed to each exposure area of the substrate 10.

2 shows the configuration of the integrator lens housing.

2 (a) is a partial sectional view of the integrator lens housing shown in FIG. 1, and a cross section of the integrator lens portion is shown. Fig. 2 (b) is a view of the same figure (a) seen from the A direction, and Fig. 2 (c) is a view seen from the direction B, and in Fig. 2 (a), the left side is light incident side and the right side is light exit. Side.

As shown in FIG. 2A, the integrator lens accommodating portion 12 includes a first holder 41 fixed to the housing 11 and a second holder 42, and a second holder 42. ) Is rotatably attached to the first holder 41.

The integrator lens 4 is fixed in the second holder 42. The integrator lens 4 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the optical axis as shown in Fig. 2C. In this case, the integrator lens 4 is arranged such that its optical axis coincides with the axis passing through the center of the second holder 42.

A step portion 41a is formed at one end of the first holder 41, and the tip portion 42a of the second holder 42 is fitted to the step portion 41a so as to cover the step portion 41a. The stepped portion 41a of the first holder and the tip portion 42a of the second holder 42 are both cylindrical in shape, and the second holder 42 is rotatably attached to the first holder 41.

Through-hole 42b is formed in the circumference | surroundings of the front-end | tip part 42a of the 2nd holder 42 over 90 degrees along the rotating direction as shown in FIG.2 (b).

On the other hand, the first screw 41 is attached to the roll screw 41b, the roll screw 41b is threaded to the first holder 41 through the through groove 42b. Therefore, by rotating and tightening the roll screw 41b, the second holder 42 is fixed so as not to rotate relative to the first holder.

As shown in Fig. 2B, a guide 41c is provided in the first holder 41, and a display plate 42c is attached to the end of the through groove 42b of the second holder 42. It is. For example, as shown in the figure, the display panel 42c displays the vertical and horizontal sizes of the exposure area. Although not shown, the same display panel is also attached to the other end of the through groove 42b.

FIG. 2 (b) shows a state in which the roll screw 41b is fixed to one end of the through groove 42b. In order to switch the exposure area, the loose screw 41b is loosened and the through groove 42b. Rotate the second holder by 90 °. Then, when the roll screw 41b reaches the other end of the through groove 42b, and the position of the display panel (not shown) and the guide 41c coincide with each other, tighten the roll screw 41b so that the second holder 42 does not rotate. Fix it.

If the center axis and the optical axis of the second holder 42 are adjusted to coincide with each other, the second holder 42 rotates with the optical axis as the rotation axis, and the integrator lens 4 also rotates by 90 ° about the optical axis. . Therefore, the integrator lens 4 can be rotated and fixed to the 2nd position rotated 90 degrees from the 1st position.

For example, as shown in Fig. 2 (c), when the integrator lens is for a horizontally long one, it is for a vertically long one by rotating it 90 degrees.

Therefore, when the shape of the area | region of the pattern exposed to a printed board changes, for example as shown in FIG.4 (a) from FIG.4 (b), an exposure area | region can be switched by rotating the 2nd holder 42. FIG. have.

As described above, in the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

(1) Since the integrator lens can be exposed and fixed at the first position and the second position, which is rotated by 90 ° about the optical axis, it can correspond to a mask pattern that is vertically long and horizontally long.

(2) The integrator lens is kept rotatable about the optical axis, and when the integrator lens is rotated, it is unnecessary to adjust and confirm the operation of matching the optical axis of the integrator lens with the optical axis of incident light.

(3) Since the rotation mechanism for rotating the integrator lens is provided, the number of parts increases somewhat, but the cost is lower than that of preparing two integrator lenses.

Moreover, the structure of the rotating mechanism is also much simpler and lower in cost than the addition / change of the conveying apparatus which conveys the said board | substrate, and can also enlarge the size of an apparatus.

Claims (1)

By moving the work stage on which the substrate having a plurality of exposure zones is placed by a predetermined amount, the exposure zone on the substrate is sequentially moved to the exposure position, The light emitted from the light source is irradiated onto a mask in which a mask pattern is formed in a rectangular shape through a compound lens configured by arranging a plurality of lenses having a rectangular cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the optical axis in the longitudinal and horizontal directions, An exposure apparatus for sequentially exposing the mask pattern to each rectangular exposure area on the substrate, The composite lens is held so as to be switchable to a first position and to a second position rotated by 90 ° about the optical axis of incident light incident on the composite lens from the first position, And the position of the compound lens is switched to the first position or the second position in accordance with the arrangement of the rectangular exposure area on the substrate.