KR20160021191A - Substrate processing apparatus, device manufacturing method, and exposure method - Google Patents

Abstract

A substrate processing apparatus and a device manufacturing method capable of producing a high quality substrate with high productivity are provided. A substrate processing apparatus and a device manufacturing method are provided with a first supporting member for supporting one of a mask and a substrate so as to follow a first surface curved in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined curvature in one of an illumination region and a projection region, A second support member for supporting the other of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other one of the region and the projection region; And a moving mechanism for moving any one of the substrates in the scanning exposure direction. The projection optical system projects, on the exposure surface of the substrate, a light flux whose best focus position is included in two places in the scanning exposure direction onto the projection area.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a device manufacturing method, and an exposure method,

The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus, a device manufacturing method, and an exposure method for projecting a pattern of a mask onto a substrate and exposing the pattern on the substrate.

A display device such as a liquid crystal display, and a device manufacturing system for manufacturing various devices such as a semiconductor. The device manufacturing system includes a substrate processing apparatus such as an exposure apparatus. The substrate processing apparatus projects an image of a pattern formed on a mask (or a reticle) disposed in an illumination region onto a substrate disposed in the projection region, and exposes the pattern on the substrate. The mask used in the substrate processing apparatus is generally planar. However, it is also known that a mask is used to scan and expose a plurality of device patterns on a substrate in succession (Patent Document 1).

As a substrate processing apparatus, there is a projection exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2. The projection exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2 is a projection exposure apparatus for projecting a photosensitive substrate onto a surface of a photosensitive substrate such that a best image forming surface of a pattern image projected by a projection optical system is inclined by a predetermined amount with respect to a one- And a holder driving means for moving the substrate holder in the direction of the optical axis of the projection optical system in conjunction with the movement of the substrate stage in the one-dimensional direction so that the photosensitive substrate moves along the inclined direction during the scanning exposure . With the above configuration, the projection exposure apparatus can change the focus state of the light beam projected on the exposure surface of the photosensitive substrate by the position of the scanning exposure in the one-dimensional direction.

Patent Document 1: International Publication No. 2008/029917 Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent No. 2830492

As described in Patent Document 2, a change in the relationship between the light beam projected by the projection optical system and the exposure surface due to a shift of the relative relationship between the mask and the substrate, a shift of the optical system, or the like, The exposure can be performed in the focus state including the best focus position. This makes it possible to suppress a change in the image contrast exposed on the photosensitive substrate (photoresist layer).

However, the projection exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2 uses a substrate holder to tilt the substrate with respect to the projection optical system (projection optical system). Therefore, the adjustment (control) of the relative position is complicated. Particularly, in the step-and-scan method in which the mask and the substrate are scanned relative to each other for a plurality of exposure areas (shot) on the substrate and the substrate is moved stepwise, the inclination of the substrate holder and the focus direction It is necessary to repeatedly control the movement to a high speed at a high speed, complicating the control and generating vibration.

When the width of the exposure region on the substrate in the scanning exposure direction is small, the amount of exposure given to the photosensitive substrate is reduced in the substrate processing apparatus of the scanning exposure system. For this reason, it is necessary to increase the illuminance per unit area of the exposure light projected onto the exposure area on the substrate, or slow down the scanning exposure speed. Conversely, if the width of the exposed region on the substrate in the scanning exposure direction is increased, the quality (transfer fidelity) of the formed pattern may be lowered.

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a substrate processing apparatus, a device manufacturing method, and an exposure method capable of producing a high quality substrate with high productivity.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate processing apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting a light flux (light beam) from a pattern of a mask disposed in an illumination region of an illumination light onto a projection region on which a substrate is arranged, A first support member for supporting one of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a first surface curved in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined curvature in one of the projection regions; A second support member for supporting the other of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other region of the region, and a second support member for supporting the mask, which is supported by the first support member, And a moving mechanism for moving either one of the substrate and the scanning exposure direction, wherein the projection optical system is configured such that, on the exposure surface of the substrate, A substrate processing device for projecting a light beam as the exposure direction contained in two places on the projection region.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: supplying the substrate to the substrate processing apparatus; and forming a pattern of the mask on the substrate using the substrate processing apparatus described in the first aspect do.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure method for projecting a light flux from a pattern of a mask disposed in an illumination region of an illumination light onto a projection region on which a substrate is arranged, Wherein the mask and the substrate are arranged to face one side of the mask and a first surface curved in the shape of a cylinder with a curvature so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other of the illumination area and the projection area, And the other of the substrate and the mask and the substrate supported on the first surface is rotated along the first surface so that the mask and the substrate One of which is moved in the scan exposure direction, and a best focus position is included in two places in the scanning exposure direction on the exposure surface of the substrate The exposure method, comprising: projecting a light beam to the projection region.

According to the aspect of the present invention, a high-quality substrate can be produced with high productivity by projecting a light flux including two portions of the best focus position onto the projection area in the scanning exposure direction of the exposure surface of the substrate.

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device manufacturing system according to the first embodiment.
2 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the first embodiment.
3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an illumination area and a projection area of the exposure apparatus shown in Fig.
4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of the exposure apparatus shown in Fig.
5 is a diagram showing exaggerated behaviors of illumination luminous flux and projected luminous flux in a mask.
FIG. 6A is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the projection image surface (projection image surface) of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate. FIG.
FIG. 6B is a graph showing a change in defocus amount in the exposure width. FIG.
Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the second embodiment.
8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the projection top surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate.
9 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between exposure coordinates and defocus.
10 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between defocus and point intensity (point image intensity).
11 is a graph showing an example of a relationship between a change in defocus amount and an intensity difference.
12 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the defocus amount and the contrast change of L / S.
13 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the defocus amount and the change in the contrast ratio of L / S.
14 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the defocus amount and the CD and slice level of L / S.
15 is a graph showing an example of a relationship between a defocus amount and a contrast change of an isolated line (isolated line).
16 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the defocus amount and the change in the contrast ratio of the isolated line.
17 is a graph showing an example of the relationship between the defocus amount and the CD and slice level of the isolated line.
18 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the third embodiment.
Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the fourth embodiment.
Fig. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the projection top surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate. Fig.
21 is a flowchart showing an exposure method.
22 is a flowchart showing a device manufacturing method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A mode (embodiment) for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. The constituent elements described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, and substantially the same ones. In addition, the constituent elements described below can be suitably combined. In addition, various omissions, substitutions or alterations of the constituent elements can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention. For example, the following embodiments are described as a case of manufacturing a flexible display as a device, but the invention is not limited thereto. As the device, a wiring board, a semiconductor substrate, or the like may be manufactured.

[First Embodiment]

In the first embodiment, a substrate processing apparatus for performing exposure processing on a substrate is an exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus is assembled in a device manufacturing system that manufactures devices by performing various processes on the exposed substrate. First, a device manufacturing system will be described.

<Device Manufacturing System>

1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a device manufacturing system according to the first embodiment. The device manufacturing system 1 shown in Fig. 1 is a line (flexible display manufacturing line) for manufacturing a flexible display as a device. The flexible display includes, for example, an organic EL display. This device manufacturing system 1 is a device manufacturing system 1 in which a substrate P is fed out from a feed roll FR1 in which a flexible substrate P is wound in a roll form, Called roll-to-roll system in which various processes are continuously performed and then the processed substrate P is wound on a rotation roll FR2 as a flexible device. In the device manufacturing system 1 of the first embodiment, the substrate P, which is a film-like sheet, is fed from the feed roll FR1 and the substrate P fed out from the feed roll FR1 is fed sequentially and wound up on the rotating roll FR2 via n processing devices U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, ... Un. First, the substrate P to be processed by the device manufacturing system 1 will be described.

As the substrate P, for example, a foil (foil) made of a metal or an alloy such as a resin film, stainless steel or the like is used. Examples of the material of the resin film include polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, And one or more of vinyl acetate resin.

It is preferable that the substrate P be selected so as not to have a significantly large thermal expansion coefficient so as to substantially neglect the deformation amount due to heat which is subjected to various treatments to be performed on the substrate P. For example, The thermal expansion coefficient may be set to be smaller than a threshold value according to the process temperature or the like, for example, by mixing the inorganic filler with a resin film. The inorganic filler may be, for example, titanium oxide, zinc oxide, alumina, silicon oxide, or the like. Further, the substrate P may be a very thin glass single layer having a thickness of about 100 mu m manufactured by a float method or the like, or a laminate obtained by bonding the above resin film, foil, or the like to the extremely thin glass .

The substrate P constituted in this way is wound in a roll to become a supply roll FR1 and this supply roll FR1 is mounted in the device manufacturing system 1. [ The device manufacturing system 1 equipped with the supply roll FR1 repeatedly executes various processes for manufacturing one device on the substrate P fed out from the supply roll FR1. Therefore, the substrate P after the processing becomes a state in which a plurality of devices are connected. That is, the substrate P fed out from the supply roll FR1 is a substrate for multi-surface mounting. The substrate P may be obtained by modifying the surface of the substrate P by a predetermined pretreatment and activating the substrate P or by imprinting a fine barrier rib structure (concavo-convex structure) A microstamper) or the like.

The processed substrate P is recovered as a recovery roll FR2 by being wound in a roll shape. The rotating roll FR2 is mounted on a dicing device (not shown). The dicing apparatus to which the rotation roll FR2 is mounted divides (dices) the processed substrate P for each device to obtain a plurality of devices. The dimension of the substrate P is, for example, about 10 cm to 2 m in the width direction (direction in which the substrate is short), and the dimension in the length direction (long direction) is 10 m or more . The dimensions of the substrate P are not limited to the above dimensions.

Next, the device manufacturing system 1 will be described with reference to Fig. In Fig. 1, the coordinate system is an orthogonal coordinate system in which the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are orthogonal. The X direction is a direction connecting the supply roll FR1 and the rotation roll FR2 in the horizontal plane, and is the left-right direction in Fig. The Y direction is a direction orthogonal to the X direction in the horizontal plane, and is the front-back direction in Fig. The Y direction is the axial direction of the supply roll FR1 and the recovery roll FR2. The Z direction is a vertical direction, and is a vertical direction in Fig.

The device manufacturing system 1 includes a substrate supply device 2 for supplying a substrate P and processing devices U1 to Un for performing various processes on the substrate P supplied by the substrate supply device 2, A substrate collecting device 4 for collecting a substrate P processed by the processing devices U1 to Un and an upper control device for controlling each device of the device manufacturing system 1 5).

In the substrate feeder 2, a feed roll FR1 is rotatably mounted. The substrate feeder 2 includes a drive roller R1 for feeding the substrate P from the mounted supply roll FR1 and a drive roller R1 for moving the substrate P in the width direction (Y direction) Controller EPC1. The driving roller R1 rotates while sandwiching the both sides of the front and back sides of the substrate P and sends out the substrate P in the carrying direction from the supplying roll FR1 to the rotating roll FR2, (P) to the processing units U1 to Un. At this time, the edge position controller EPC1 controls the substrate P so that the position of the edge of the substrate P in the width direction is within a range of about 占 퐉 to about several 占 퐉 relative to the target position. And the position in the width direction of the substrate P is corrected.

In the substrate collection apparatus 4, a rotation roll FR2 is rotatably mounted. The substrate recovery apparatus 4 includes a drive roller R2 for pulling the processed substrate P toward the recovery roller FR2 and an edge position Controller EPC2. The substrate recovery apparatus 4 rotates while sandwiching both the front and back surfaces of the substrate P by the drive roller R2 so as to pull the substrate P in the transport direction, The substrate P is wound up. At this time, the edge position controller EPC2 is constructed in the same manner as the edge position controller EPC1, and the edge position controller EPC2 is arranged in the width direction of the substrate P so as not to be disturbed in the width direction And corrects the position in the area.

The processing apparatus U1 is a coating apparatus for applying the photosensitive functional liquid to the surface of the substrate P supplied from the substrate supply apparatus 2. [ As the photosensitive functional liquid, for example, a photoresist, a photosensitive silane coupling material (lipophilic property modifier), a photosensitive plating reduction material, a UV curable resin liquid and the like are used. The processing apparatus U1 is provided with a dispensing mechanism Gp1 and a drying mechanism Gp2 in this order from the upstream side in the carrying direction of the substrate P. [ The application mechanism Gp1 has a cylinder roller DR1 on which the substrate P is wound and an application roller DR2 opposed to the cylinder roller DR1. The coating mechanism Gp1 holds the substrate P sandwiched by the cylinder roller DR1 and the application roller DR2 while the supplied substrate P is wound around the cylinder roller DR1. The application mechanism Gp1 applies the photosensitive functional liquid by the application roller DR2 while rotating the cylinder roller DR1 and the application roller DR2 while moving the substrate P in the transport direction. The drying mechanism Gp2 blows air for drying such as hot air or dry air to remove the solute (solvent or water) contained in the photosensitive functional liquid and to dry the substrate P coated with the photosensitive functional liquid, A photosensitive functional layer is formed on the photosensitive layer (P).

The processing device U2 is a device for transferring the substrate P conveyed from the processing device U1 to a predetermined temperature (for example, several tens to 120 degrees Celsius) so as to stably make the photosensitive functional layer formed on the surface of the substrate P, . The processing apparatus U2 is provided with a heating chamber HA1 and a cooling chamber HA2 in this order from the upstream side in the carrying direction of the substrate P. [ In the heating chamber HA1, a plurality of rollers and a plurality of air-turn bars are provided therein, and a plurality of rollers and a plurality of air-turn bars constitute a conveying path of the substrate P. The plurality of rollers are provided in a rolling contact with the back surface of the substrate P, and the plurality of air-turn bars are provided in a non-contact state on the surface side of the substrate P. The plurality of rollers and the plurality of air-turn bars are arranged to be a conveying path of a meandering (serpentine) shape so as to lengthen the conveying path of the substrate P. The substrate P passing through the heating chamber HA1 is heated to a predetermined temperature while being conveyed along a serpentine conveying path. The cooling chamber HA2 cools the substrate P to the ambient temperature so that the temperature of the substrate P heated in the heating chamber HA1 coincides with the environmental temperature of the subsequent process (processing device U3). Like the heating chamber HA1, the cooling chamber HA2 is provided with a plurality of rollers therein, and the plurality of rollers are arranged in the form of a serpentine conveying path so as to lengthen the conveying path of the substrate P . The substrate P passing through the inside of the cooling chamber HA2 is cooled while being conveyed along a serpentine conveyance path. A drive roller R3 is provided on the downstream side in the transport direction of the cooling chamber HA2 and the drive roller R3 rotates while sandwiching the substrate P passing through the cooling chamber HA2, And the substrate P is supplied toward the processing unit U3. The heating of the substrate P by the heating chamber HA1 is carried out when the substrate P is a resin film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or PEN (polyethylene naphthalate) It is better to set it not to.

The processing apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) U3 projects a pattern such as a circuit for display or wiring on a substrate (photosensitive substrate) P provided with a photosensitive functional layer on its surface supplied from the processing apparatus U2 And is an exposure device for exposing the wafer. The processing apparatus U3 illuminates an illumination luminous flux on the reflection type mask M and projects and exposes the projection luminous flux obtained by reflecting the illumination luminous flux by the mask M onto the substrate P, The processing apparatus U3 includes a driving roller R4 for feeding the substrate P supplied from the processing apparatus U2 to the downstream side in the carrying direction and a driving roller R4 for adjusting the position in the width direction And an edge position controller (EPC3). The driving roller R4 rotates while sandwiching the both sides of the front and back sides of the substrate P and feeds the substrate P to the downstream side in the carrying direction to form a substrate support drum Or &quot; rotary drum &quot;).

The edge position controller EPC3 is constructed in the same manner as the edge position controller EPC1 and is arranged in the width direction of the substrate P so that the width direction of the substrate P in the exposure position (substrate support drum) . The processing apparatus U3 has two sets of driving rollers R5 and R6 for feeding the substrate P to the downstream side in the carrying direction in a state in which the substrate P after sagging is given slack. The drive roller R5 cooperates with the preceding drive roller R4 to impart a predetermined tension to the substrate P in the transport direction. The two sets of driving rollers R5 and R6 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction of the substrate P. [ The drive roller R5 rotates while sandwiching the upstream side of the substrate P to be transported and the drive roller R6 rotates while sandwiching the downstream side of the substrate P to be transported, And supplies the substrate P toward the processing unit U4. At this time, since the substrate P is given slack, it is possible to absorb fluctuations in the conveying speed occurring on the downstream side in the conveying direction with respect to the driving roller R6, and the substrate P, It is possible to insulate the influence of the exposure process. In order to relatively align (align) the substrate P with a part of the mask pattern of the mask M, alignment marks or the like previously formed on the substrate P are formed in the processing apparatus U3 The alignment microscopes AM1 and AM2 are provided.

The processing apparatus U4 is a wet processing apparatus that performs development processing by wet processing, electroless plating processing, and the like on the post-exposure substrate P transported from the processing apparatus U3. The processing apparatus U4 has therein three processing tanks BT1, BT2, and BT3 layered in the vertical direction (Z direction) and a plurality of rollers for transporting the substrate P therein. The plurality of rollers are disposed so as to be the conveying paths through which the substrates P pass through the inside of the three treatment tanks BT1, BT2, and BT3 in order. A drive roller R7 is provided on the downstream side of the treatment tank BT3 in the transport direction and the drive roller R7 rotates while sandwiching the substrate P passing through the treatment tank BT3, And the substrate P is supplied toward the processing unit U5.

Although not shown, the processing apparatus U5 is a drying apparatus for drying the substrate P carried from the processing apparatus U4. The processing apparatus U5 removes droplets or mist adhering to the substrate P subjected to the wet processing in the processing apparatus U4 and adjusts the moisture content of the substrate P to a predetermined moisture content do. The substrate P dried by the processing unit U5 is conveyed to the processing unit Un via several processing units. Then, after being processed in the processing unit Un, the substrate P is wound up on the recovery roll FR2 of the substrate recovery apparatus 4. [

The upper control device 5 collectively controls the substrate feeding device 2, the substrate collecting device 4 and the plurality of processing devices U1 to Un. The upper control apparatus 5 controls the substrate supply apparatus 2 and the substrate collection apparatus 4 to transport the substrate P from the substrate supply apparatus 2 to the substrate collection apparatus 4. [ The upper level control device 5 controls the plurality of processing devices U1 to Un while executing various processes for the substrate P while synchronizing with the transfer of the substrate P. [

&Lt; Exposure Apparatus (Substrate Processing Apparatus) &gt;

Next, a configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) as the processing apparatus U3 of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 2 to 4. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the first embodiment. 3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an illumination area and a projection area of the exposure apparatus shown in Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of the exposure apparatus shown in Fig. Hereinafter, the processing apparatus U3 is referred to as an exposure apparatus U3.

The exposure apparatus U3 shown in Fig. 2 is a so-called scanning exposure apparatus that transfers an image of a mask pattern formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical mask M to a substrate P). In Fig. 2, the coordinate system is an orthogonal coordinate system in which the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are orthogonal to each other.

First, the mask M used in the exposure apparatus U3 will be described. The mask M is, for example, a reflection type mask using a metal cylindrical body. The mask M is formed in a cylindrical body having an outer circumferential surface (circumferential surface) having a radius of curvature Rm around the first axis AX1 extending in the Y direction and has a constant thickness in the radial direction. The circumferential surface of the mask M is a surface P1 on which a predetermined mask pattern is formed. The surface P1 of the mask M includes an antireflection portion that reflects the light flux in a predetermined direction with high efficiency and a reflection suppressing portion that does not reflect the light flux in a predetermined direction or reflects the light flux with low efficiency. The mask pattern is formed by the high-reflection portion and the reflection suppressing portion. Here, the reflection suppressing unit may reduce the amount of light reflected in a predetermined direction. Therefore, even if the light is absorbed or transmitted, the reflection suppressing portion may be reflected (for example, diffused reflection) in a direction other than the predetermined direction. Here, the mask M may comprise the light-absorbing material or the light-transmitting material. As the mask M having the above-described structure, the exposure apparatus U3 can use a mask made of a metal cylinder. For this reason, the exposure apparatus U3 can perform exposure using an inexpensive mask.

All or part of the panel pattern corresponding to one display device may be formed on the mask M, and a pattern for a panel corresponding to a plurality of display devices may be formed. The mask M may be repeatedly formed in a plurality of patterns repeatedly in the main direction (circumferential direction) around the first axis AX1 and the small pattern for the panel is parallel to the first axis AX1 It is also possible to form a plurality of repeating units in one direction. In addition, the mask M may be formed with a pattern for a panel of the first display device and a pattern for a panel of the second display device having a different size from the first display device. The mask M may have a circumferential surface having a radius of curvature Rm around the first axis AX1 and is not limited to the shape of the cylindrical body. For example, the mask M may be an arc-shaped plate having a circumferential surface. The mask M may be in the form of a thin plate, or may be attached to the cylindrical member so as to follow the circumferential surface by bending the thin plate-like mask M.

Next, the exposure apparatus U3 shown in Fig. 2 will be described. The exposure apparatus U3 is provided with a mask holding mechanism 11, a substrate holding mechanism 12, a light source (not shown), and the like, in addition to the driving rollers R4 to R6, the edge position controller EPC3 and the alignment microscopes AM1 and AM2. An optical system IL, a projection optical system PL, and a lower control device 16. The exposure apparatus U3 guides the illumination light emitted from the light source device 13 through the illumination optical system IL and the projection optical system PL to thereby adjust the light flux of the pattern of the mask M held by the mask holding mechanism 11 To the substrate P held by the substrate holding mechanism 12. [

The subordinate control device 16 controls each section of the exposure apparatus U3 and causes each section to execute processing. The lower control device 16 may be part or all of the upper control device 5 of the device manufacturing system 1. [ The lower control device 16 is controlled by the higher control device 5 and may be a different device from the higher control device 5. [ The subordinate control device 16 includes, for example, a computer.

The mask holding mechanism 11 has a mask holding drum 21 (mask holding member) for holding the mask M and a first driving section 22 for rotating the mask holding drum 21. The mask holding drum 21 holds the mask M such that the first axis AX1 of the mask M is the center of rotation. The first driving part 22 is connected to the lower control device 16 and rotates the mask holding drum 21 around the first axis AX1 as a rotation center.

In the mask holding mechanism 11, the mask M of the cylindrical body is held by the mask holding drum 21, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The mask holding mechanism 11 may hold and hold a thin mask M along the outer peripheral surface of the mask holding drum 21. [ The mask holding mechanism 11 may hold the mask M, which is an arc-shaped plate material, on the outer peripheral surface of the mask holding drum 21.

The substrate supporting mechanism 12 includes a substrate supporting drum 25 rotatably supporting the substrate P on the cylindrical outer circumferential surface thereof, a second driving unit 26 rotating the substrate supporting drum 25, Air-turn bars ATB1 and ATB2, and a pair of guide rollers 27 and 28, respectively. The substrate supporting drum 25 is formed in a cylindrical shape having an outer circumferential surface (circumferential surface) having a radius of curvature Rp about a second axis AX2 extending in the Y direction. Here, the first axis AX1 and the second axis AX2 are parallel to each other, and the plane passing through the first axis AX1 and the second axis AX2 is the center plane CL. A part of the circumferential surface of the substrate supporting drum 25 is a supporting surface P2 for supporting the substrate P. [ That is, the substrate supporting drum 25 supports the substrate P by winding the substrate P on the supporting surface P2. The second driving part 26 is connected to the lower control device 16 and rotates the substrate supporting drum 25 about the second axis AX2 as a rotation center.

The pair of air turn bars ATB1 and ATB2 are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the substrate P in the carrying direction with the substrate supporting drum 25 interposed therebetween. The pair of air-turn bars ATB1 and ATB2 are provided on the front surface side of the substrate P and disposed on the lower side of the support surface P2 of the substrate supporting drum 25 in the vertical direction (Z direction) have. The pair of guide rollers 27 and 28 are provided on the upstream side and the downstream side of the substrate P in the carrying direction with a pair of air-turn bars ATB1 and ATB2 interposed therebetween. The pair of guide rollers 27 and 28 guides the substrate P conveyed from the driving roller R4 by one of the guide rollers 27 to the air turn bar ATB1, The controller 28 guides the substrate P conveyed from the air / turn bar ATB2 to the drive roller R5.

The substrate support mechanism 12 guides the substrate P conveyed from the driving roller R4 to the air turn bar ATB1 by the guide roller 27 and rotates the air turn bar ATB1 The transferred substrate P is introduced into the substrate supporting drum 25. The substrate supporting mechanism 12 rotates the substrate supporting drum 25 by the second driving unit 26 to rotate the substrate P introduced into the substrate supporting drum 25 toward the supporting surface of the substrate supporting drum 25. [ Turn toward the air-turn bar ATB2 while being supported by the airbag P2. The substrate supporting mechanism 12 guides the substrate P conveyed by the air turn bar ATB2 to the guide roller 28 by the air turn bar ATB2 and passes through the guide roller 28 And guides the substrate P to the drive roller R5.

At this time, the lower control device 16 connected to the first driving part 22 and the second driving part 26 is configured to synchronously rotate the mask holding drum 21 and the substrate supporting drum 25 at a predetermined rotation speed ratio The image of the mask pattern formed on the face P1 of the mask M is transferred to the surface of the substrate P wound on the support surface P2 of the substrate support drum 25 (the surface curved along the circumferential surface) As shown in FIG.

The light source device 13 emits the illumination luminous flux EL1 illuminated to the mask M. [ The light source device 13 has a light source 31 and a light guiding member 32. The light source 31 is a light source that emits light having a predetermined wavelength. The light source 31 is, for example, a lamp light source such as a mercury lamp or a laser diode or a light emitting diode (LED). The illumination light emitted by the light source 31 may be, for example, a bright line (g line, h line or i line) emitted from a lamp light source, an infrared light (DUV light) such as KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248 nm), an ArF excimer laser (Wavelength: 193 nm). Here, it is preferable that the light source 31 emits an illumination luminous flux EL1 including a wavelength equal to or less than an i-line (wavelength of 365 nm). The light source 31 emits a laser beam (wavelength of 355 nm) emitted from a YAG laser (third harmonic laser) and a YAG laser (fourth harmonic laser) Laser light (wavelength of 266 nm), or laser light (wavelength of 248 nm) emitted from a KrF excimer laser.

The light guiding member 32 guides the illumination luminous flux EL1 emitted from the light source 31 to the illumination optical system IL. The light guiding member 32 is composed of an optical fiber or a relay module using a mirror or the like. The light guiding member 32 separates the illumination luminous flux EL1 from the light source 31 into a plurality of illumination luminous fluxes EL1 in a plurality of illumination optical systems IL). The light guiding member 32 causes the illumination luminous flux EL1 emitted from the light source 31 to enter the polarization beam splitter PBS as light in a predetermined polarization state. Here, the polarization beam splitter (PBS) of this embodiment reflects a light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of S polarized light and transmits the light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of P polarized light. Therefore, the light source device 13 emits the illumination luminous flux EL1 in which the illumination luminous flux EL1 incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS becomes a luminous flux of linearly polarized light (S polarized light).

The light source device 13 emits a polarized laser beam whose wavelength and phase coincide with the polarization beam splitter PBS. For example, when the light flux emitted from the light source 31 is polarized light, the light source device 13 uses the polarization plane holding fiber as the light guiding member 32, And guides the light while maintaining the polarization state of the output laser light. Further, for example, the light flux output from the light source 31 may be guided to the optical fiber, and the light output from the optical fiber may be polarized by the polarizer. That is, in the case where the light flux of the random polarized light is guided, the light source device 13 may be capable of polarizing the light flux of the random polarized light with the polarizing plate, branching it into the respective light fluxes of P deflection and S deflection using the polarization beam splitter (PBS) A light flux that makes the light transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter PBS enter the illumination optical system IL of one system and makes the light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter PBS enter the illumination optical system IL of another system You can use it. The light source device 13 may guide the light beam output from the light source 31 by a relay optical system using a lens or the like.

Here, as shown in Fig. 3, the exposure apparatus U3 of the first embodiment is an exposure apparatus on the assumption of a so-called multi-lens system. 3 shows a plan view (left side view in Fig. 3) of the illumination area IR on the mask M held on the mask holding drum 21 as viewed from the -Z side, A plan view (right side view in Fig. 3) of the projection area PA on the substrate P viewed from the + Z side is shown. Symbol Xs in Fig. 3 represents the moving direction (rotational direction) of the mask holding drum 21 and the substrate supporting drum 25. [ The multi-lens-system exposure apparatus U3 illuminates an illumination luminous flux EL1 to a plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 (for example, six in the first embodiment) on the mask M, A plurality of projected luminous fluxes EL2 obtained by reflecting the luminous flux EL1 to the respective illumination regions IR1 to IR6 can be divided into a plurality of projection regions PA1 to PA6 (for example, six in the first embodiment) PA6.

First, a plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 illuminated by the illumination optical system IL will be described. As shown in Fig. 3, the plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 include a first illumination region IR1 on the mask M on the upstream side in the rotational direction with the center plane CL therebetween, The second illumination region IR2, the fourth illumination region IR4 and the sixth illumination region IR4 are arranged on the mask M on the downstream side in the rotation direction, IR6 are arranged. Each of the illumination regions IR1 to IR6 is an elongated trapezoidal region having a parallel short side extending in the axial direction (Y direction) of the mask M and a long side. At this time, each of the trapezoidal illumination regions IR1 to IR6 has its short side located on the center plane CL side and its long side located on the outer side. The first illumination region IR1, the third illumination region IR3, and the fifth illumination region IR5 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. The second illumination area IR2, the fourth illumination area IR4 and the sixth illumination area IR6 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. At this time, the second illumination region IR2 is disposed between the first illumination region IR1 and the third illumination region IR3 in the axial direction. Likewise, the third illumination region IR3 is disposed between the second illumination region IR2 and the fourth illumination region IR4 in the axial direction. The fourth illumination region IR4 is disposed between the third illumination region IR3 and the fifth illumination region IR5 in the axial direction. The fifth illumination region IR5 is arranged between the fourth illumination region IR4 and the sixth illumination region IR6 in the axial direction. Each of the illumination regions IR1 to IR6 is formed so that the triangular portions of the oblique side portions of the trapezoidal illumination regions adjacent to each other overlap with each other when viewed from the main direction of the mask M, Respectively. In the first embodiment, each of the illumination areas IR1 to IR6 is a trapezoidal area, but may be a rectangular area.

The mask M has a pattern formation area A3 in which a mask pattern is formed and a pattern non-formation area A4 in which no mask pattern is formed. The pattern non-formation area A4 is an area which is difficult to be reflected, which absorbs the illumination light flux EL1, and is arranged so as to surround the pattern formation area A3 in a frame shape. The first to sixth illumination regions IR1 to IR6 are arranged so as to cover the entire width of the pattern formation region A3 in the Y direction.

The illumination optical system IL is provided with a plurality of (six in the first embodiment, for example) according to the plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6. The illumination luminous flux EL1 from the light source device 13 enters into each of a plurality of illumination optical systems (divisional illumination optical systems) IL1 to IL6. Each of the illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 guides each illumination luminous flux EL1 incident from the light source device 13 to each of the illumination areas IR1 to IR6. That is, the first illumination optical system IL1 guides the illumination luminous flux EL1 to the first illumination area IR1, and similarly, the second to sixth illumination optical systems IL2 to IL6 guide the illumination luminous flux EL1 To the second to sixth illumination regions IR2 to IR6. The plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 are arranged on the side where the first, third and fifth illumination regions IR1, IR3 and IR5 are disposed (left side in Fig. 2) with the center plane CL therebetween, The first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged. The first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Y direction. The plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 are arranged on the side where the second, fourth and sixth illumination regions IR2, IR4 and IR6 are disposed (the right side in Fig. 2) with the center plane CL therebetween, The second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the sixth illumination optical system IL6 are arranged. The second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the sixth illumination optical system IL6 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Y direction. At this time, the second illumination optical system IL2 is disposed between the first illumination optical system IL1 and the third illumination optical system IL3 in the axial direction. Similarly, the third illumination optical system IL3, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged in the axial direction, between the second illumination optical system IL2 and the fourth illumination optical system IL4, 3 illumination optical system IL3 and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 and between the fourth illumination optical system IL4 and the sixth illumination optical system IL6. The first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3 and the fifth illumination optical system IL5, the second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4 and the sixth illumination optical system IL6, Are arranged symmetrically with respect to the Y direction.

Next, with reference to Fig. 4, a detailed configuration of each of the illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 will be described. Since each of the illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 has the same configuration, the first illumination optical system IL1 (hereinafter simply referred to as 'illumination optical system IL') will be described as an example.

The illumination optical system IL illuminates the illumination luminous flux EL1 from the light source device 13 with a plurality of point light sources so as to illuminate the illumination area IR (the first illumination area IR1) (KOHLER) illumination method which converts the light into a plane light source image (plane light source image) gathered in the shape of a circle. The illumination optical system IL is a fall illumination system using a polarization beam splitter (PBS). The illumination optical system IL includes an illumination optical module ILM, a polarization beam splitter PBS and a quarter wave plate 41 in this order from the incident side of the illumination luminous flux EL1 from the light source device 13. [ .

As shown in Fig. 4, the illumination optical module ILM includes a collimator lens 51, a flyeye lens 52, and a plurality of condenser lenses (in this order) from the incident side of the illumination luminous flux EL1 53, a cylindrical lens 54, an illumination field stop 55, and a plurality of relay lenses 56, which are provided on the first optical axis BX1. The collimator lens 51 is provided on the emission side of the light guide member 32 of the light source device 13. [ The optical axis of the collimator lens 51 is arranged on the first optical axis BX1. The collimator lens 51 irradiates the entire surface on the incidence side of the fly-eye lens 52. The fly-eye lens 52 is provided on the emission side of the collimator lens 51. The center of the exit-side surface of the fly-eye lens 52 is disposed on the first optical axis BX1. The fly-eye lens 52 divides the illumination luminous flux EL1 from the collimator lens 51 into a plurality of point light sources, and superimposes the light from each point light source to enter the condenser lens 53, which will be described later.

The plane of the exit side of the fly's eye lens 52 from which the point light source image is generated is transmitted from the fly's eye lens 52 via the illumination field stop 55 to the first concave surface 52 of the projection optical system PL And is arranged so as to be optically conjugate with the pupil plane where the reflection surface of the first concave mirror 72 is located by various lenses reaching the mirror 72. [ The condenser lens 53 is provided on the emission side of the fly-eye lens 52, and its optical axis is disposed on the first optical axis BX1. The condenser lens 53 irradiates the light (illumination light flux EL1) from each point light source of the fly-eye lens 52 onto the illumination field stop 55 via the cylindrical lens 54 do. In the absence of the cylindrical lens 54, all of the principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 reaching each point on the illumination field stop 55 becomes parallel to the first optical axis BX1. However, due to the action of the cylindrical lens 54, the principal rays of the illumination luminous flux EL1 irradiating the illumination field stop 55 are parallel to each other in the Y direction in Fig. 4 (parallel to the first optical axis BX1) And in the XZ plane, the slope with respect to the first optical axis BX1 gradually changes to a non-telecentric state according to the image height position.

The cylindrical lens 54 is a flat convex cylindrical dichroic lens whose incident side is a flat surface and an emergent side is a convex cylindrical surface and is provided adjacent to the incidence side of the illumination field stop 55. The optical axis of the cylindrical lens 54 is disposed on the first optical axis BX1 and the generatrix of the convex cylindrical surface on the emission side of the cylindrical lens 54 is parallel to the Y axis in Fig. . As a result, each principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 immediately after passing through the cylindrical lens 54 becomes parallel to the first optical axis BX1 with respect to the Y direction, and becomes parallel to the first optical axis (More precisely, a line extending in the Y direction orthogonal to the first optical axis BX1) on the first optical axis BX1.

The opening of the illumination field stop 55 is formed in a trapezoidal shape (rectangle) having the same shape as the illumination area IR and the center of the opening of the illumination field stop 55 is formed on the first optical axis BX1 . At this time, the illumination field stop 55 includes a relay lens (imaging system) 56, a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), a polarizing beam splitter (PBS), and the like between the illumination field stop 55 and the cylindrical surface P1 of the mask M. [ Is arranged on the surface optically conjugate with the illumination area IR on the mask M by the 1/4 wave plate 41 or the like. The relay lens 56 is provided on the emission side of the illumination field stop 55. The optical axis of the relay lens 56 is disposed on the first optical axis BX1. The relay lens 56 focuses the illumination luminous flux EL1 that has passed through the opening of the illumination field stop 55 through the polarizing beam splitter PBS and the 1/4 wave plate 41, Shaped surface P1 (illumination region IR).

The polarizing beam splitter PBS is disposed between the illumination optical module ILM and the center plane CL. The polarization beam splitter PBS reflects a light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of S polarized light on the wavefront divided surface and transmits the light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of P polarized light. The illumination light flux EL1 incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS is a light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of S polarized light and is reflected light (projection light flux EL2) from the mask M incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS. Is a light flux that becomes linearly polarized light of P polarized light by the 1/4 wave plate 41.

Thereby, the polarization beam splitter PBS reflects the illumination luminous flux EL1 incident on the wave-front divided surface from the illumination optical module ILM while reflecting the illumination light flux EL1 reflected on the mask M and incident on the wave- And transmits the light flux EL2. The polarizing beam splitter PBS preferably reflects all of the illumination luminous flux EL1 incident on the wave-front divided surface, but it reflects most of the illumination luminous flux EL1 incident on the wave-front divided surface, It may be permeated or absorbed. Similarly, the polarizing beam splitter PBS preferably transmits all of the projected luminous flux EL2 incident on the wave-front divided surface, but transmits most of the projected luminous flux EL2 incident on the wave-front divided surface, It may be absorbed.

The 1/4 wave plate 41 is disposed between the polarizing beam splitter PBS and the mask M and reflects the illumination luminous flux EL1 reflected by the polarizing beam splitter PBS from the linearly polarized light Into polarized light. The circularly polarized illumination luminous flux EL1 is irradiated to the mask M. [ The 1/4 wave plate 41 converts the projected luminous flux EL2 of the circularly polarized light reflected by the mask M into linearly polarized light (P polarized light).

Here, the illumination optical system IL is a system in which the principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected on the illumination area IR on the plane P1 of the mask M is telecentric in both the Y direction and the XZ plane Illumination light flux EL1 is illuminated in the illumination area IR of the mask M. This state will be described with reference to Fig.

5 shows the behavior of the illumination luminous flux EL1 irradiated on the illumination area IR on the mask M and the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected on the illumination area IR on the XZ plane (the first axis AX1) And a plane orthogonal to the plane of FIG. 5, the above-described illumination optical system IL is configured so that the main light ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected by the illumination area IR of the mask M becomes telecentric (parallel system) The principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 irradiated to the illumination area IR of the illumination area IR is intentionally non-telecentric on the XZ plane and telecentric on the Y direction.

Such a characteristic of the illumination luminous flux EL1 is given by the cylindrical lens 54 shown in Fig. Specifically, a line passing through a point Q1 at the center in the main direction of the illumination area IR on the plane P1 of the mask M and passing through the point P1 toward the first axis AX1, Each principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 passing through the illumination region IR is directed to the intersection Q2 on the XZ plane when the intersection Q2 between the intersection Q2 with the circle Rm / The curvature of the convex cylindrical surface of the cylindrical lens 54 is set. In this way, each principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected in the illumination area IR is parallel (telecentric) to a straight line passing through the first axis AX1, the point Q1, and the intersection Q2 in the XZ plane, It becomes a state. Of course, since the curvature of the surface P1 of the mask M in the Y direction can be considered to be infinite, each principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 is telecentric with respect to the Y direction as well.

Next, a plurality of projection regions (exposure regions) PA1 to PA6 projected and exposed by the projection optical system PL will be described. 3, a plurality of projection areas PA1 to PA6 on the substrate P are arranged so as to correspond to a plurality of illumination areas IR1 to IR6 on the mask M. In other words, the plurality of projection areas PA1 to PA6 on the substrate P are divided into a first projection area PA1 on the upstream side of the substrate P in the carrying direction, The projection area PA3 and the fifth projection area PA5 are arranged and the second projection area PA2, the fourth projection area PA4 and the sixth projection area PA4 are arranged on the substrate P on the downstream side in the carrying direction PA6 are arranged. Each projection area PA1 to PA6 is an elongated trapezoidal area having a short side extending in the width direction (Y direction) of the substrate P and a long side. At this time, each of the projection areas PA1 to PA6 in the trapezoidal shape is located on the side of the center plane CL with its short side being located on the outer side. The first projection area PA1, the third projection area PA3 and the fifth projection area PA5 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction. The second projection area PA2, the fourth projection area PA4 and the sixth projection area PA6 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction. At this time, the second projection area PA2 is disposed between the first projection area PA1 and the third projection area PA3 in the axial direction. Similarly, the third projection area PA3 is disposed between the second projection area PA2 and the fourth projection area PA4 in the axial direction. The fourth projection area PA4 is disposed between the third projection area PA3 and the fifth projection area PA5 in the axial direction. The fifth projection area PA5 is disposed between the fourth projection area PA4 and the sixth projection area PA6 in the axial direction. The projection areas PA1 to PA6 are arranged such that the triangular portions of the oblique projection portions of the trapezoidal projection area PA adjacent to each other are overlapped with each other as viewed from the conveying direction of the substrate P as in each of the illumination areas IR1 to IR6 Overlap). At this time, the projection area PA has such a shape that the exposure amount in the overlapping areas of the adjacent projection areas PA is substantially equal to the exposure amount in the non-overlapping areas. The first to sixth projection areas PA1 to PA6 are arranged so as to cover the entire width of the exposure area A7 exposed on the substrate P in the Y direction.

2, the center points of the even numbered illumination regions IR2 (and IR4 and IR6) from the center points of the odd-numbered illumination regions IR1 (and IR3 and IR5) on the mask M, Of the projection area PA2 (or PA3 and PA5) from the center of the odd-numbered projection area PA1 (and PA3 and PA5) on the substrate P along the supporting surface P2 of the substrate supporting drum 25, And PA4, PA6), which are the same as those in the first embodiment. This is because the projection magnifications of the respective projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 are set to be equal to (x1).

The projection optical system PL is provided with a plurality of (six in the first embodiment, for example) according to the plurality of projection areas PA1 to PA6. A plurality of projection luminous fluxes EL2 reflected from a plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 respectively enter a plurality of projection optical systems (division projection optical systems) PL1 to PL6. Each of the projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 guides each of the projected luminous fluxes EL2 reflected by the mask M to the respective projection areas PA1 to PA6. That is, the first projection optical system PL1 guides the projected luminous flux EL2 from the first illumination area IR1 to the first projection area PA1, and similarly, the second to sixth projection optical systems PL2 to PL6 ) Guides the respective projected luminous fluxes EL2 from the second to sixth illumination areas IR2 to IR6 to the second to sixth projection areas PA2 to PA6. The plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 are arranged on the side where the first, third and fifth projection areas PA1, PA3 and PA5 are disposed (left side in Fig. 2) with the center plane CL therebetween, A first projection optical system PL1, a third projection optical system PL3, and a fifth projection optical system PL5. The first projection optical system PL1, the third projection optical system PL3, and the fifth projection optical system PL5 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Y direction. The plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 are arranged on the side on which the second, fourth and sixth projection areas PA2, PA4 and PA6 are arranged (right side in Fig. 2) with the center plane CL therebetween, A second projection optical system PL2, a fourth projection optical system PL4, and a sixth projection optical system PL6 are arranged. The second projection optical system PL2, the fourth projection optical system PL4, and the sixth projection optical system PL6 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the Y direction. At this time, the second projection optical system PL2 is disposed between the first projection optical system PL1 and the third projection optical system PL3 in the axial direction. Similarly, the third projection optical system PL3, the fourth projection optical system PL4 and the fifth projection optical system PL5 are arranged in the axial direction between the second projection optical system PL2 and the fourth projection optical system PL4, 3 projection optical system PL3 and the fifth projection optical system PL5 and between the fourth projection optical system PL4 and the sixth projection optical system PL6. The second projection optical system PL2, the fourth projection optical system PL4 and the sixth projection optical system PL6 constitute a first projection optical system PL1, a third projection optical system PL3 and a fifth projection optical system PL5, Are arranged symmetrically with respect to the Y direction.

Next, with reference to Fig. 4, a detailed configuration of each of the projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 will be described. Since each of the projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 has the same configuration, the first projection optical system PL1 (hereinafter, simply referred to as a 'projection optical system PL') will be described as an example.

The projection optical system PL projects an image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR (first illumination area IR1) on the mask M onto the projection area PA on the substrate P. [ The projection optical system PL includes the quarter wave plate 41, the polarizing beam splitter PBS, the projection optical system PL2, and the projection optical system PL in that order from the incident side of the projected luminous flux EL2 from the mask M. [ (PLM).

The 1/4 wave plate 41 and the polarizing beam splitter PBS are also used as the illumination optical system IL. In other words, the illumination optical system IL and the projection optical system PL share a 1/4 wave plate 41 and a polarization beam splitter (PBS).

The projection luminous flux EL2 reflected by the illumination area IR is converted from circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light (P polarized light) by the quarter wave plate 41, then transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter PBS, And is incident on the projection optical system PL (projection optical module PLM).

The projection optical module PLM is provided corresponding to the illumination optical module ILM. That is, the projection optical module PLM of the first projection optical system PL1 projects the image of the mask pattern of the first illumination area IR1 illuminated by the illumination optical module ILM of the first illumination optical system IL1, And projected onto the first projection area PA1 on the substrate P. [ Likewise, the projection optical module PLM of the second to sixth projection optical systems PL2 to PL6 is provided with the second to sixth illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 which are illuminated by the illumination optical module ILM of the second to sixth illumination optical systems IL2 to IL6. 6 The image of the mask pattern of the illumination areas IR2 to IR6 is projected onto the second to sixth projection areas PA2 to PA6 on the substrate P. [

4, the projection optical module PLM includes a first optical system 61 that forms an image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR on the intermediate image plane P7, A second optical system 62 for re-coupling at least a part of the intermediate image formed by the projection optical system 62 to the projection area PA of the substrate P and a projection field stop 63 disposed at the intermediate top plane P7 where the intermediate image is formed . The projection optical module PLM includes a focus correction optical member 64, an image shift optical member 65, a magnification correction optical member 66, a rotation correction mechanism 67, And an adjusting mechanism (polarization adjusting means) 68.

The first optical system 61 and the second optical system 62 are, for example, a telecentric catadioptric optical system in which a Dyson system is modified. The optical axis of the first optical system 61 is substantially orthogonal to the center plane CL thereof (hereinafter referred to as the "second optical axis BX2"). The first optical system 61 includes a first deflecting member 70, a first lens group 71, and a first concave mirror 72. The first biasing member 70 is a triangular prism having a first reflecting surface P3 and a second reflecting surface P4. The first reflecting surface P3 reflects the projected luminous flux EL2 from the polarizing beam splitter PBS and passes the reflected projected luminous flux EL2 through the first lens group 71 to form a first concave mirror 72 as shown in FIG. The second reflective surface P4 is a surface on which the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected by the first concave mirror 72 passes through the first lens group 71 and is incident, (63). The first lens group 71 includes various lenses, and the optical axes of the various lenses are disposed on the second optical axis BX2. The first concave mirror 72 is configured so that a plurality of point light sources generated by the fly eye lens 52 are moved from the fly eye lens 52 through the illumination field stop 55 to the first concave mirror 72 In the image plane formed by various lenses.

The projected luminous flux EL2 from the polarizing beam splitter PBS is reflected by the first reflecting surface P3 of the first deflecting member 70 and is reflected by the view of the upper half of the first lens group 71 And is incident on the first concave mirror 72. The projection luminous flux EL2 incident on the first concave mirror 72 is reflected by the first concave mirror 72 and passes through the visual field in the lower half of the first lens group 71 Is incident on the second reflecting surface (P4) of the first biasing member (70). The projection luminous flux EL2 incident on the second reflection surface P4 is reflected by the second reflection surface P4 and passes through the focus correction optical member 64 and the phase shift optical member 65, Is incident on the diaphragm (63).

The projection field stop 63 has an opening that defines the shape of the projection area PA. That is, the shape of the projection area PA can be defined by the shape of the opening of the projection field stop 63. Therefore, when the shape of the opening of the illumination field stop 55 in the illumination optical system IL shown in Fig. 4 can be a shape (trapezoid) and a topology of the projection area PA, the projection field stop 63 can be omitted. When the opening shape of the illumination field stop 55 is formed into a rectangular shape including the projection area PA, the projection field stop 63 defining the projection area PA in a trapezoidal shape is required.

The second optical system 62 has the same structure as the first optical system 61 and is provided symmetrically with the first optical system 61 with the intermediate top face P7 interposed therebetween. The second optical system 62 has its optical axis (hereinafter referred to as "third optical axis BX3") substantially orthogonal to the center plane CL and parallel to the second optical axis BX2. The second optical system 62 includes a second deflecting member 80, a second lens group 81, and a second concave mirror 82. The second biasing member 80 has a third reflecting surface P5 and a fourth reflecting surface P6. The third reflecting surface P5 reflects the projected luminous flux EL2 from the projection visual field diaphragm 63 and passes the reflected projected luminous flux EL2 through the second lens group 81 to form a second concave mirror 82, respectively. The fourth reflecting surface P6 is a surface on which the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected by the second concave mirror 82 passes through the second lens group 81 and is incident, PA. The second lens group 81 includes various lenses, and the optical axes of the various lenses are disposed on the third optical axis BX3. The second concave mirror 82 has a plurality of point light source images formed on the first concave mirror 72 from the first concave mirror 72 through the projection field stop 63, And is arranged on the hibernating plane which forms an image by various lenses reaching the mirror 82.

The projected luminous flux EL2 from the projection field stop 63 is reflected by the third reflecting surface P5 of the second deflecting member 80 and passes through the view area of the upper half of the second lens group 81 Is incident on the second concave mirror (82). The projection luminous flux EL2 incident on the second concave mirror 82 is reflected by the second concave mirror 82 and passes through the field of view of the lower half of the second lens group 81, Is incident on the fourth reflecting surface (P6) of the reflecting mirror (80). The projection luminous flux EL2 incident on the fourth reflection surface P6 is reflected by the fourth reflection surface P6 and passes through the optical member 66 for magnification correction and is projected onto the projection area PA. As a result, the image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR is projected in the projection area PA at the magnification (x1).

The focus correcting optical member 64 is disposed between the first deflecting member 70 and the projection field stop 63. The focus correction optical member 64 adjusts the focus state of the image of the mask pattern projected on the substrate P. [ The focus correction optical member 64 is formed by, for example, two wedge-shaped prisms in the opposite direction (in the direction opposite to the X direction in Fig. 4) and overlapping each other to form a transparent parallel plate as a whole. The pair of prisms are slid in the inclined plane direction without changing the interval between the surfaces facing each other, whereby the thickness of the parallel plate is made variable. As a result, the effective optical path length of the first optical system 61 is finely adjusted to finely adjust the pint state on the mask pattern formed on the intermediate top plane P7 and the projection area PA.

The phase shift optical member 65 is disposed between the first deflecting member 70 and the projection field stop 63. The phase shift optical member 65 adjusts an image of a mask pattern projected on the substrate P so as to be able to move in the image plane in a microscopic manner. The phase shift optical member 65 is composed of a transparent parallel flat glass that can tilt in the XZ plane of Fig. 4 and a transparent parallel flat glass that is tiltable in the YZ plane of Fig. The phase of the mask pattern formed in the intermediate top plane P7 and the projection area PA can be slightly shifted in the X and Y directions by adjusting the angular amounts of the two parallel flat glass plates.

The magnification correction optical member 66 is disposed between the second deflecting member 80 and the substrate P. [ The optical element 66 for magnification correction is composed of, for example, a concave lens, a convex lens and a concave lens arranged coaxially at predetermined intervals, the front and rear concave lenses being fixed, Direction. Thereby, the image of the mask pattern formed in the projection area PA is enlarged or reduced by a small amount in an isotropic (isotropic) manner while maintaining the telecentric image formation state. The optical axis of the three lens groups constituting the magnification-correcting optical member 66 is inclined in the XZ plane so as to be parallel to the principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2.

The rotation correction mechanism 67 slightly rotates the first biasing member 70 about an axis parallel to the Z axis perpendicularly to the second optical axis BX2 by, for example, an actuator (not shown). The rotation correcting mechanism 67 can slightly rotate the image of the mask pattern formed on the intermediate top face P7 within the intermediate top face P7 by rotating the first deflecting member 70. [

The polarization adjusting mechanism 68 adjusts the polarization direction by rotating the quarter wave plate 41 around an axis orthogonal to the plate surface by, for example, an actuator (not shown). The polarization adjusting mechanism 68 can finely adjust the illuminance of the projected luminous flux EL2 projected onto the projection area PA by rotating the 1/4 wave plate 41. [

In the projection optical system PL constructed as above, the projected luminous flux EL2 from the mask M is projected in a telecentric state from the plane P1 of the mask M in the illumination area IR, And is incident on the first optical system 61 through the quarter-wave plate 41 and the polarizing beam splitter PBS. The projected luminous flux EL2 incident on the first optical system 61 is reflected by the first reflecting surface (flat mirror) P3 of the first deflecting member 70 of the first optical system 61, (71) and reflected by the first concave mirror (72). The projection luminous flux EL2 reflected by the first concave mirror 72 passes through the first lens group 71 again and is reflected by the second reflection surface (planar mirror) P4 of the first deflecting member 70 And passes through the focus correction optical member 64 and the phase shift optical member 65 to be incident on the projection field stop 63. The projection luminous flux EL2 that has passed through the projection field stop 63 is reflected by the third reflection surface (flat mirror) P5 of the second deflecting member 80 of the second optical system 62, (81) and reflected by the second concave mirror (82). The projection luminous flux EL2 reflected by the second concave mirror 82 again passes through the second lens group 81 and is reflected by the fourth reflection plane (planar mirror) P6 of the second deflecting member 80 And enters the optical element 66 for magnification correction. The projection luminous flux EL2 emitted from the magnification correction optical member 66 is incident on the projection area PA on the substrate P and the image of the mask pattern shown in the illumination area IR is projected onto the projection area PA (X1).

&Lt; Relation between the projection upper surface of the mask pattern and the exposure surface of the substrate &gt;

Next, the relationship between the projection upper surface of the mask pattern in the exposure apparatus U3 of the first embodiment and the exposure surface of the substrate will be described with reference to Figs. 6A and 6B. 6A is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the projection top surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate. 6B is an explanatory diagram schematically showing a change in focus position (defocus amount) on a pattern projected in the projection area.

In the exposure apparatus U3, the projected luminous flux EL2 is imaged by the projection optical system PL, so that the projected image plane Sm of the pattern of the mask M is formed. The projected image plane Sm is a position at which the pattern of the mask M is imaged and is the best focus position. Here, the mask M is arranged on a curved surface (curved line in the ZX plane) having a radius of curvature Rm as described above. As a result, the projected image plane Sm also becomes a curved surface having a radius of curvature Rm. In the exposure apparatus U3, the surface of the substrate P becomes the exposure surface Sp. Here, the exposure surface Sp is the surface of the substrate P. [ The substrate P is held in a cylindrical substrate supporting drum 25 as described above. Thus, the exposure surface Sp becomes a curved surface (curved line in the ZX plane) having a radius of curvature Rp. The projection top plane Sm and the exposure plane Sp form an axis of the curved surface in a direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction.

6A, the projected image plane Sm and the exposure surface Sp are curved surfaces in the scan exposure direction (the main direction (circumferential direction) of the outer peripheral surface of the substrate support drum 25). Therefore, the projection image plane Sm is a surface position at a maximum DELTA Fm in the direction of the principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 at both end positions and center positions of the exposure width A in the scanning exposure direction of the projection area PA And the exposure surface Sp is curved along the difference between the both end positions and the center position of the exposure width A in the scan exposure direction of the projection area PA and the surface position difference DELTA Fp in the direction of the principal ray of the projected light flux EL2 . 6A, the exposure apparatus U3 is configured so that the exposure surface Sp (the surface of the substrate P) positioned at the actual exposure with respect to the projected image surface Sm is the actual exposure surface The first axis AX1 of the mask M and the second axis AX2 of the substrate supporting drum 25 are supported by the main body of the exposure apparatus.

The actual exposure surface Spa intersects at two different positions FC1 and FC2 from the projected image plane Sm in the scanning exposure direction. The exposure apparatus U3 adjusts the position of each optical member of the projection optical system PL or adjusts the position of each of the optical members of the projection optical system PL or the position of the mask M by the mask holding mechanism 11 or the substrate holding mechanism 12. [ (Focus adjustment direction) of the actual exposure surface Spa with respect to the projected image plane Sm can be changed by fine adjustment of the interval between the projection optical system 50 and the focus adjustment optical member 64 or by adjusting the focus correction optical member 64. [

The projected image surface Sm and the actual exposure surface Spa are set so as to intersect each other at two different positions FC1 and FC2 within the exposure width A in the scanning exposure direction of the projection area PA. Thus, in each of the positions FC1 and FC2 in the exposure width A, the pattern image of the mask M is projected and exposed to the surface of the substrate P in the best focus state. In the region between the positions FC1 and FC2 in the exposure width A, the post-focus state in which the best focus plane (projected image plane Sm) on the projected pattern is located behind the actual exposure plane Spa And the front focus state in which the best focus plane (projected image plane Sm) on the pattern to be projected is located forward of the actual exposure plane Spa in the area outside the positions between the positions FC1 and FC2 .

That is, when the surface of the substrate P is directed from the one end Ae of the exposure width A to the other end Ae along the actual exposure surface Spa, the pattern image on the substrate P is the image of the end As at the start of exposure Position, the defocus amount decreases with time, and at the position FC1, the best focus (defocus amount is zero) is exposed. When passing the best focus state at the position FC1, the defocus amount increases in the opposite direction and becomes the maximum defocus amount at the center position FC3 of the exposure width A. [ The central position FC3 of the exposure width A is regarded as an inflection point, the next defocus amount is decreased, and the pattern image is exposed on the substrate P again from the position FC2 to the best focus state. When passing the best focus state at the position FC2, the defocus amount again increases, and the pattern exposure on the other end Ae ends. As described above, the defocus direction, that is, the defocus coincidence, differs in the area between the positions FC1 and FC2 and the area outside the positions FC1 and FC2.

As described above, while the substrate P is moving at a constant peripheral speed from the end As to the end Ae of the exposure width A of the projection area PA, As shown in Fig. 6B, the exposure starts at the pre-focus state (position As), and the focus state (position FC1), the post-focus state (position FC3), the best focus state (position FC2) And the state (position Ae) in this order. The zero point of the focus position (or the defocus amount) on the vertical axis in Fig. 6B is zero when the difference (Sm-Spa) between the position of the projected image plane Sm and the position of the actual exposure surface Spa is zero State. 6B shows the linear position of the exposure width A, but it may be a position in the circumferential length direction of the outer circumferential surface of the substrate supporting drum 25.

The defocus amount in the full focus state (positive direction) at the ends As and Ae of the exposure width A and the defocus amount in the post-focus state (negative direction) at the center position FC3 are the same as the defocus amount The projection dimension PA of the projection area PA, the minimum dimension of the mask pattern to be projected, the radius of curvature of the surface P1 (projected image plane Sm) of the mask M, the image formation performance (resolution, focus depth) Rm and the radius of curvature Rp of the outer circumferential surface of the substrate supporting drum 25 (the exposure surface (Spa) on the substrate P). As described above, a specific example of the numerical value will be described later. However, by continuously changing the focus state during the scanning exposure over the exposure width A, particularly fine lines or discrete contact holes (via holes (via hole)) can be enlarged.

In the present embodiment, the surface P1 of the mask M and the surface of the substrate P are formed into a cylindrical shape so that the projection upper surface in the scanning exposure direction in which the mask pattern is projected to the substrate P side, A cylindrical shape can be formed on the exposed surface of the substrate. Therefore, the exposure apparatus U3 can continuously change the focus state according to the position in the scanning exposure direction in the projection area PA only by rotating the mask M and the substrate supporting drum 25, In addition, it is possible to suppress a change in image contrast with respect to a substantial focus. In the present embodiment, since the exposure width A is set to be the best focus at two positions in the scanning exposure direction within the projection area PA, the average defocus amount in the exposure width A is reduced and the exposure width A can be increased. Thus, even when the illuminance of the projected luminous flux EL2 is reduced, or the scanning speed of the mask M and the substrate P in the scanning exposure direction is made faster, an appropriate exposure amount can be ensured, The substrate can be processed with high production efficiency. In addition, since the average defocus amount can be reduced with respect to the exposure width, the quality can be maintained.

In this embodiment, the focus position is differently exposed according to the coordinate position (circumferential length position) of the exposure width A, and as a result, the accumulated image on the pattern projected onto the substrate P in the different focus state over the exposure width A And the final image strength distribution formed on the exposure surface of the substrate P. Here, the accumulated phases will be described, but for simplicity, the concept will first be described by a point-like intensity distribution. Generally, the point intensity distribution correlates with its contrast. The point intensity distribution I (z) at the position defocused by z in the optical axis direction (focus changing direction) is expressed by the following equation. Here, λ and the intensity distribution at the best focus position of the light beam (EL1) wavelength, the NA projection optical system (PL) over the substrate side (理想) the numerical aperture, I ₀ of a,

? Dz = (? / 2 /?) NA ² Z

, The pausing intensity distribution I (z)

I (z) = [sin (? Dz) / (? Dz)] ² x I ₀

.

Using this point intensity distribution I (z), the integrated value (or average value) of the exposure width A minutes is obtained, and the amount of defocus at the actual center position (center position FC3 in FIG. 6A) And the intensity distribution for each defocus amount can be obtained by simulation. On the basis of this, the exposure apparatus U3 adjusts the focus state (the positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm and the actual exposure surface Spa) so that the intensity distribution (phase contrast) .

In general, the resolving power R and the depth of focus DOF of the projection optical system PL are expressed by the following equations.

R = k1? / NA (0 &lt; k1? 1)

^{DOF = k2 · λ / NA 2} (0 <k2≤1)

Here, k1 and k2 are coefficients that can be changed even by exposure conditions, photosensitive materials (photoresist, etc.), or exposure (post-exposure) processing or film formation, but the k1 factor of the resolution R is generally 0.4? 0.8, and the k2 factor of the depth of focus DOF can generally be expressed as k2? 1.

Based on the definition of the depth of focus DOF of such a projection optical system PL, it is preferable in the present embodiment to adjust to approximately satisfy the following relational expression.

[Equation 1]

　　　　

　

Here,? Rm and? Rp are the curvature radii Rm of the projection top surface Sm (surface P1 of the mask M), the curvature radius Rp of the surface of the substrate P (actual exposure surface Spa) A are obtained from the following equations, respectively.

[Equation 2]

[Equation 3]

　　　

As is clear from this equation,? Rm and? Rp denote? Fm and? Fp shown in FIG. 6A, respectively. It is preferable that the above-mentioned relational expression 1 or DOF &lt; (DELTA Rm + DELTA Rp) be satisfied. In the exposure apparatus U3 of the present embodiment, the exposure width A, the radius of curvature Rm, and Rp are determined so as to satisfy the relational expression 1, but by satisfying the relational expression 1, Productivity can be improved while maintaining the quality of various patterns for the panel (line width precision, positional accuracy, overlapping accuracy, and the like). This point will be described in detail in the second embodiment.

In this embodiment, the defocus amount in the exposure width A, that is, the defocus amount in the positive direction at the ends As and Ae shown in Fig. 6 (b) and the defocus amount in the positive direction in the exposure width A, (DELTA DA / DOF) &amp;le; 3 from the relationship with the depth of focus DOF of the projection optical system PL when the difference from the defocus amount in the negative direction in the projection optical system PL is DELTA DA , And it is preferable that 1? (? DA / DOF) is satisfied. By setting the exposure apparatus U3 to satisfy this relationship, it is possible to increase the productivity while maintaining the quality (line width precision, position accuracy, overlapping accuracy, etc.) of various patterns for the display panel formed on the substrate P . This point will be described in detail in the second embodiment.

6B of the present embodiment, the exposure apparatus U3 is arranged so as to align the projection top surface Sm of the pattern of the mask M and the actual exposure surface Spa of the substrate P with respect to the scanning exposure direction It is preferable that the difference is set so as to change in line symmetry (left-right symmetry in Fig. 6B) around the center position FC3 of the exposure width A of the projection area PA as an axis.

6B, in the exposure width A of the projection area PA, the interval from the end portion As to the position FC1 and the position FC2 to the end portion Ae, where the defocus amount is positive, (Absolute value) obtained by integrating the defocus amount in the forward direction and a value obtained by integrating the defocus amount in the negative direction (absolute value) in the section from the position FC1 to the position FC2 where the defocus amount is negative Values may be compared with each other so that the positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm and the actual exposure surface Spa may be set so that they are almost the same.

The exposure apparatus U3 according to the present embodiment has a configuration in which a plurality of projection optical modules PLM are arranged in at least two rows in the scanning exposure direction and in the Y direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction, The end portions (triangular portions) of the area PA are overlapped with each other to expose the pattern of the mask M in the Y direction. This suppresses the contrast of the pattern in the joint portion (overlap region) between the two projection regions PA adjacent in the Y direction and the occurrence of unevenness of the band due to the different exposure amount. In this embodiment, in addition to this, in the scanning exposure direction in the projection area PA on the actual exposure surface Spa (the surface of the substrate P), two best focus positions (positions FC1 and FC2) Since the positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm and the actual exposure plane Spa is set so that the positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm and the actual exposure plane Spa is slightly fluctuated during the scanning exposure The change of the image contrast can be reduced. As a result, the difference in the contrast of the image that occurs in the overlap region between the adjacent projection regions PA can be reduced, and a flexible display panel of high quality in which the joints are not conspicuous can be manufactured.

When the respective projection areas PA of the plurality of projection optical modules PLM are arranged in the Y direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction X direction as in the present embodiment, It is preferable that the integrated value obtained by integrating the illuminance (the intensity of the exposure light) on the substrate P over the width of the exposure region is substantially constant at any position in the Y direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction. In addition, even when the end portions of the two projection areas PA adjacent to the Y direction partially overlap (the overlapping area of the triangle), the sum of the integrated value in one triangular area and the integrated value in the other triangular area is , And is set to be equal to the integrated value in the non-overlapping area. Thus, it is possible to suppress the change of the exposure amount in the direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction.

The exposure apparatus U3 has a configuration in which a plurality of projection optical modules PLM are scanned and exposed as in the present embodiment by making the projection top surface Sm and the exposure surface Sp (actual exposure surface Spa) The relationship between the projected image plane Sm and the exposure surface Sp (actual exposure surface Spa) in each projection optical module PLM is , All of them can be adjusted. When the projection upper surface and the exposure surface are planar, for example, in the projection area of the odd-numbered projection optical module, the exposure surface (the projection surface) The surface of the flat substrate) is inclined, a large defocus that is difficult to allow is generated in the projection area of the even-numbered projection optical module. On the other hand, as in the present embodiment, by forming the projection top surface Sm and the exposure surface Sp (actual exposure surface Spa) as cylindrical surfaces, the angle of the projection optical module PLM of two rows arranged in the scanning exposure direction The focus adjustment in the projection area PA is performed in the Z direction between the first axis AX1 of the rotation center of the cylindrical mask M and the first axis AX1 of the rotation center of the substrate support drum 25 Or the adjustment of the optical element 66 for magnification correction in the individual projection optical modules (PLM). This makes it possible to suppress the change in the contrast of the image with respect to the defocus with a simple apparatus configuration. Since the exposure width in the scan exposure area can be increased while suppressing the change of the image contrast, the production efficiency can also be improved.

[Second Embodiment]

Next, the exposure apparatus U3a of the second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. Only parts different from those of the first embodiment will be described so as to avoid overlapping description, and the same constituent elements as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment. Fig. 7 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the second embodiment. The exposure apparatus U3 according to the first embodiment has a structure in which the substrate P passing through the projection area PA is held by the cylindrical substrate supporting drum 25. However, the exposure apparatus U3a of the second embodiment Is configured such that the substrate P is held in a planar shape and held by a movable substrate supporting mechanism 12a.

In the exposure apparatus U3a according to the second embodiment, the substrate supporting mechanism 12a includes a substrate stage 102 for holding a substrate P in a planar shape, (Not shown) for performing scanning movement along the X direction within the plane. Therefore, the substrate P may be a sheet-like glass substrate which is hardly bent in addition to a flexible thin sheet (a resin film such as PET, PEN, a very thin bent glass sheet, a thin metal foil, or the like).

The supporting surface P2 of the substrate P in Fig. 7 is substantially parallel to the XY plane (the radius of curvature) and therefore is reflected from the mask M and passes through each of the projection optical modules PLM, The principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 projected on the projection optical system P becomes perpendicular to the XY plane.

In the second embodiment, similarly to FIG. 2, from the center point of the illumination area IR1 (and IR3, IR5) on the cylindrical mask M in the XZ plane, the illumination areas IR2 And IR6) are set so that the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6) from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) on the substrate P along the support surface P2, To the center point of the X-direction.

The lower control device 16 controls the moving device of the substrate supporting mechanism 12a such as a linear motor for scanning exposure or a fine moving actuator and the like in the exposure apparatus U3a of Fig. The substrate stage 102 is driven in synchronization with the rotation of the substrate stage 102. [

Next, the relationship between the projected image of the pattern of the mask in the exposure apparatus U3a of the second embodiment and the exposure surface of the substrate will be described with reference to FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the projection top surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate.

The exposure apparatus U3a forms the projected image plane Sm1 of the pattern of the mask M by forming the projected light flux EL2 by the projection optical system PL. The projected image plane Sm1 is a plane on which the cylindrical mask pattern surface of the mask M is imaged in the best focus state and becomes a cylindrical surface. Here, since the illumination area IR on the mask M is a part of the curved surface (the arc in the XZ plane) having the curvature radius Rm1 as described above, the projection upper surface Sm1 is also a curved surface with a radius of curvature Rm1 ). The plane surface of the substrate P on which the image of the mask pattern is projected becomes the exposure surface Sp1 (radius of curvature?). 8, both the projected image plane Sm1 (left side) of the odd-numbered projection area PA and the projected image plane Sm1 (right side) of the even-numbered projection area PA are subjected to scanning exposure 6A, in the exposure width A in the scanning exposure direction of the projection area PA, the focus position at both ends and the center of the exposure width A are shifted from each other (Focus change width) DELTA Fm which is a difference between the focus position of the light beam L1 and the focus position of the light beam L2. Here, at the time of scanning exposure, the surface of the substrate P is arranged on the actual exposure surface Spa1. Since the exposure surface Sp1 and the actual exposure surface Spa1 are flat surfaces, the amount of change in the surface position in the Z direction becomes zero within the exposure width A in the scan exposure direction of the projection area PA. The actual exposure surface Spa1 is set so as to intersect at two different positions FC1 and FC2 on the projection image surface Sm1 in the scanning exposure direction. That is, the exposure apparatus U3a adjusts the magnification-correcting optical member 66 or the like in the projection optical system PL or adjusts the magnification-correcting optical member 66 in any one of the mask holding mechanism 11 (first axis AX1) and the substrate stage 102 The relative positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm1 and the actual exposure plane Spa1 is set to a predetermined state by fine movement in the Z direction.

Each of the two positions FC1 and FC2 is a position for exposing the mask pattern image in the projected image plane Sm1 to the best focus state at that position.

Thus, in the present embodiment as well, the rotational motion of the cylindrical mask M enables scan exposure to continuously change the focus state within a predetermined range within the exposure width A in the scan exposure direction , And it is also possible to suppress the change in the contrast of the image with respect to the substantial focus variation. Thus, even if the exposure surface Sp1 (the actual exposure surface Spa1) is flat, the projection surface Sm1 is formed into a cylindrical surface shape curved in the scanning exposure direction, so that the substrate P P, the effect of enlarging the depth of focus on the mask pattern exposed on the mask pattern can be obtained, and the change of the image contrast can be suppressed. Such an action effect can be obtained in the same way when a pattern image from a conventional plane mask is subjected to projection exposure on the surface (exposure surface) of a substrate supported in a cylindrical surface shape.

Incidentally, in the case of the present embodiment, the surface position difference (focus variation width)? Fm shown in Fig. 8 is the same as?

[Equation 4]

. Here, when various simulations such as the projection state and the imaging characteristic in the exposure apparatus U3a in Fig. 7 are performed based on this formula 2, the results shown in Figs. 9 to 17 are obtained.

In the simulation, the radius Rm of the surface P1 (projected image plane Sm1) of the cylindrical mask M is set to 250 mm (diameter 500 mm), the wavelength lambda of the illumination light flux EL1 for exposure is set to the i-line (365 nm) and the projection optical system PL were set to an ideal projection system with a numerical aperture NA of 0.0875 and an exposure surface Sp1 (actual exposure surface Spa1) was a plane having a radius of curvature of infinity . When the focal depth DOF k2 factor of which depends on the process to be 1.0, and such a projection optical system (PL) the depth of focus DOF is, λ / NA ^2, the drug 48㎛ (range of nearly ± 24㎛ with respect to the best focus plane of the transverse ). In the following simulation, for convenience, the depth of focus DOF may be set to 40 占 퐉 in width (in a range of approximately 占 0 占 퐉 to the best focus plane).

9 shows the defocus characteristic Cm in the exposure width A by the projection optical system PL, and the horizontal axis represents coordinates in the X direction with the center position of the exposure width A as the origin, and the vertical axis represents the focus Represents the defocus amount of the projected image plane Sm1 whose position is the origin (zero point). The graph of FIG. 9 is obtained by plotting the surface position difference? Rm obtained by changing the coordinate position of the width A between -10 mm and +10 mm with the exposure width A of 20 mm in the above-mentioned equation (2) Do. 9, the defocus characteristic Cm in the exposure width A is calculated by the following equation (1), because the plane P1 (projected image plane Sm1) of the mask M curves in a cylindrical plane shape in the scanning exposure direction, It changes into an arc shape.

10 is a graph simulating how the point intensity of the defocus characteristic Cm shown in FIG. 9 changes with respect to the variation of the depth of focus DOF. The horizontal axis represents the surface of the substrate P The amount of blur in the focus direction (blur amount) (the amount of blur in the focus direction Cm, which can be generated by an error in the surface accuracy of the mask pattern surface, an aberration in the image plane direction of the projection optical system PL, P in the focus direction), and the horizontal axis represents the value of the point-like intensity. In Fig. 10, the point intensity at the center (origin) of the exposure width A among the point intensity distributions calculated when the depth of focus DOF is 0 x DOF under the defocus characteristic Cm in Fig. 9 is normalized to 1.0. 11 is a graph simulating an example of a relationship between a change amount of the defocus characteristic Cm and an intensity difference (intensity variation amount) of FIG. 9 which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A. FIG. 12 shows the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A and the line-and-space (L / S) characteristic when the defocus generated in the apparatus is set to 24 mu m, L &amp;thetas; pattern). 13 is a graph simulating another example of the relationship between the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A and the change of the contrast ratio of the L / S pattern. 14 is a graph simulating an example of a relationship between a defocus characteristic Cm changing in an arc shape within the exposure width A, a CD value (critical dimension) of an L / S pattern, and a slice level. Fig. 15 is a graph simulating an example of the relationship between the defocus characteristic Cm changing in an arc shape within the exposure width A and the contrast change of the isolated line (ISO pattern). 16 is a graph simulating another example of the relationship between the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A and the change of the contrast ratio of the isolated line. 17 is a graph simulating an example of the relationship between the defocus characteristic Cm changing from A in the exposure width to the circular arc shape, the CD value of the isolated line, and the slice level.

First, under the above conditions, the point intensity distribution I (z) with respect to the defocus amount which occurs when the defocus characteristic Cm changing in the circular arc shape within the exposure width A is shaken by the depth of focus DOF is obtained as shown in FIG. 10 . The pore intensity distribution can be expressed by the equation described above,

I (z) = [sin (? Dz) / (? Dz)] ² x I ₀ ,

? Dz = (? / 2 /?) NA ² Z

.

Next, if the defocus width, which changes into a circular arc shape within the exposure width A, of the point intensity distribution in the case where the substrate is adjusted so that the average of the defocus amount becomes the best focus can be set to various values, for example, 0 and 1 X DOF, 2 x DOF, 3 x DOF, and 4 x DOF. Further, with respect to various cases where the defocus width varies in an arc shape within the exposure width A, the point intensity distribution in the case of defocusing from the position is calculated based on the defocus amount and the slit width thereof . In this manner, the relationship between the point intensity distribution at the defocus width that changes into an arc shape within each exposure width A uniquely determined by the calculated exposure width A, and the defocus relationship are summarized. Specifically, the defocus width changing into an arc shape within the exposure width in the exposure apparatus U3a is set to 0, 0.5 x DOF, 1 x DOF, 1.5 x DOF, 2 x DOF, 2.5 x DOF, 3.5 × DOF, and 4 × DOF, the relationship between the point-like intensity distribution and the focus error and defocus assumed at the time of exposure were calculated.

Next, the point intensity distribution when the substrate P is adjusted so that the average of the defocus amount becomes the best focus can be obtained by dividing the defocus characteristic Cm changing into the arc shape within the exposure width A into various values, for example, , It is calculated for 0 × DOF, 1 × DOF, 2 × DOF, 3 × DOF, and 4 × DOF. Also, for various cases of the defocus characteristics Cm varying in the arc width in the exposure width A, the point intensity distribution in the case of defocusing from the position is calculated with reference to the defocus amount and the slit width thereof do. In this manner, the relationship between the point intensity distribution and the defocus when each defocus characteristic Cm is uniquely defined in the calculated exposure width A is summarized. Specifically, as the exposure apparatus U3a, the defocus characteristic Cm as shown in Fig. 9 set on the simulation is set to 0 x DOF, 0.5 x DOF, 1 x DOF, 1.5 x DOF, 2 x DOF, 2.5 x DOF, (A set positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm1 and the surface of the substrate P to be set, which is assumed at the time of exposure), for each of the case where the projection optical system is set to DOF, 3.5 x DOF, and 4 x DOF, (Deviation from the target position). This corresponds to the graph of Fig.

In Fig. 10, the horizontal axis represents the defocus amount [mu m], and the vertical axis represents the standardized point intensity value. Further, the exposure apparatus U3a rotates the cylindrical mask pattern surface, that is, the projected image plane Sm1, and projects the projected light flux EL2 onto the substrate P. Therefore, Makes a secondary change. Therefore, the dot behaviors on the plus side and the minus side of the defocus are slightly different. In the present embodiment, the best focus is the position where the image intensity at the position where the defocus becomes +40 m and the image intensity at the position where the defocus becomes -40 m become symmetrical strength. As shown in the graph of Fig. 10, as the amplitude caused by the rotation becomes larger, i.e., in the exposure area, the defocus width increases in accordance with the defocus characteristic Cm shown in Fig. 9, And the change in the point intensity at the time of defocusing is also small.

Next, the difference between the maximum value and the minimum value of the point intensity is calculated for each of the cases where the defocus characteristic Cm changing in the circular arc shape within the exposure width A is changed, The difference in the point intensity change at two points where the focus characteristic Cm was different by 0.5 DOF was calculated. The calculation result is shown in Fig. The vertical axis in FIG. 11 represents the difference in the two point intensity changes, and the horizontal axis represents the object for which the difference amount is obtained when the defocus characteristic Cm is changed every 0.5 DOF. That is, for example, the leftmost point intensity difference (about 0.02) on the horizontal axis in FIG. 11 is a difference when the defocus characteristic Cm is changed by 0 × DOF and by 0.5 × DOF. According to the simulation result of Fig. 11, the difference in the point intensity changes when the state changes from the state in which the defocus characteristic Cm is changed by 0.5 x DOF (min) by 1 x DOF and when the defocus characteristic Cm There is a large difference when the state is changed from the state of changing by 2.5 x DOF to the state of changing by 3 x DOF. That is, the range of 0.5 × DOF to 3 × DOF has a higher effect of moderating the change of the point intensity with respect to the change of the defocus amount. Therefore, it is understood that the effect of setting the defocus amount according to the defocus characteristic Cm to be the amplitude from 0.5 times to 3 times the depth of focus DOF is high.

10, when the photoresist is applied as a photosensitive layer to a predetermined thickness on the surface of the substrate P, the value of the pointwise intensity formed as an image on the photoresist is the value According to experiments, when the k1 factor of the resolving power is about 0.5, when the point intensity is about 0.6 or more, it can be formed as a phase.

Here, the focus error expected as an exposure apparatus, a defocus width to the depth of focus DOF of the definition formula λ / NA ² If the (in the present embodiment, ± 24㎛), the amplitude of the defocusing in the exposure area defocus When the width is set to 2.5 x DOF, a change in phase strength is small and an image of the mask pattern can be formed favorably.

Next, various calculations were carried out in the case where the mask pattern to be projected is an L / S (line and space) pattern. Hereinafter, the object of consideration of defocus is defined as a range of definition of the depth of focus, that is, +/- 24 占 퐉 in the present embodiment. The L / S (line and space) pattern was a pattern in which a plurality of line-shaped patterns having line widths of 2.5 占 퐉 were arranged in a lattice pattern at intervals of 2.5 占 퐉 in the line width direction. In addition, since the imaging state varies depending on the illumination condition, in this embodiment, the illumination numerical aperture? As the illumination condition by the illumination optical system IL is set to 0.7.

First, when the defocus characteristic Cm shown in FIG. 9 is changed in various ways, that is, in the same manner as described above, 0 × DOF, 0.5 × DOF, 1 × DOF, 1.5 × DOF, 2 × DOF, 2.5 × DOF, , 3.5 × DOF, and 4 × DOF, the light intensity distribution on the L / S pattern in the best focus state and the defocus state of DOF / 2, ie, +24 μm or -24 μm The light intensity distribution on the L / S pattern in the defocused state was calculated.

Based on the calculation results, the change in contrast is calculated in each of the best focus state and the defocus state of DOF / 2, and the result is plotted in FIG. 12 shows the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A, and the vertical axis represents the contrast. The contrast change in the best focus state is 0 占 퐉 (BestF) The contrast change was ± 24 μmDef. 12, the ratio of the contrast [0 占 퐉 (BestF)] in the best focus state to the contrast [占 24 占 퐉 def] in the DOF / 2 defocus state, that is, )] / [± 24 μm Def] are shown in FIG. 13, the horizontal axis represents the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm changing into an arc shape within the exposure width A, and the vertical axis represents the contrast.

In addition, CD (Critical Dimension) value [占 퐉] in the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm changing in the circular arc shape within each exposure width A and the slice level (light intensity on the assumption) of the photoresist were calculated. The CD value was calculated as the case of the defocus of +/- 24 mu m and the slice level as the case of the best focus. The calculation result is shown in Fig. The horizontal axis in Fig. 14 represents the defocus width on the defocus characteristic Cm which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A, the left side of the vertical axis shows the CD value, and the right side shows the relative light intensity at the slice level.

As shown in Fig. 14, when the image to be projected is an L / S pattern, the change in line width (change in CD value) is small with respect to the change in amplitude of defocus in the exposure area, As can be seen, the contrast varies greatly. However, as shown in Fig. 13, as the amplitude of the defocus increases, the ratio of the contrast in the best focus state and the contrast in the defocus state of +/- 24 mu m is close to 1. [ As described above, in the scanning exposure method in which the exposure width A is set along the main direction of the projected image plane Sm1 of the cylindrical surface shape, the defocus width due to the defocus characteristic Cm changing into the arc shape within the exposure width A is increased , The contrast ratio can be made close to 1, and the difference between the contrast in the best focus state and the contrast in the defocus state can be reduced. Thus, in the case of the cylindrical mask M (cylindrical projected image plane Sm1), it is possible to suppress the contrast at the time of the best focus and the contrast at the time of the defocus to be small, It is possible to perform scanning exposure with a large variation margin in the focus direction (radial direction of the cylindrical surface) between the projection image surface Sm1 and the surface of the substrate P while suppressing the change in the line width of the pattern.

Next, various calculations were performed in the case where the pattern of the mask was an isolated line pattern. Hereinafter, the object of consideration of defocus is defined as the range of the definition formula of the depth of focus DOF, that is, +/- 24 占 퐉 in the present embodiment. The pattern of the isolated line was a line pattern with a line width of 2.5 mu m. In addition, since the imaging state also varies depending on the illumination condition, the illumination numerical aperture σ as the illumination condition is set to 0.7.

As in the case of the simulated L / S pattern, first, when the defocus characteristic Cm shown in Fig. 9 is changed in various ways, that is, when the defocus characteristic Cm shown in Fig. 9 is changed to 0 x DOF, 0.5 x DOF, 1 x DOF, 1.5 x DOF , The light intensity distribution on the isolate line pattern in the best focus state and the light intensity distribution on the DOF / 2 DOF / 2 are compared with each other in the case where the light intensity distribution is changed in units of 0.5 DOF with 2 × DOF, 2.5 × DOF, 3 × DOF, 3.5 × DOF, The light intensity distribution on the isolated line pattern in the defocus state at the focus state, that is, +24 mu m or -24 mu m was calculated. Based on the calculation result, the change characteristics of the image contrast with respect to the change of the defocus width for every 0.5 DOF as shown in Fig. 15 are obtained.

The horizontal axis in Fig. 15 represents the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A, and the vertical axis represents the contrast on the isolated line pattern. 15, the ratio of the contrast [0 mu m (BestF)] in the best focus state to the contrast [+/- 24 mu mDef] in the DOF / 2 defocus state, that is, That is, [0 m (BestF)] / [+/- 24 m Def] is shown in Fig. In Fig. 16, the abscissa represents the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A, and the ordinate represents the contrast ratio.

In addition, CD (Critical Dimension) value [占 퐉] in the defocus width of the defocus characteristic Cm changing in the circular arc shape within each exposure width A and the slice level (light intensity on the assumption) of the photoresist were calculated. The CD value was calculated as the case of the defocus of +/- 24 mu m and the slice level as the case of the best focus. The calculation result is shown in Fig. The abscissa of FIG. 17 shows the defocus width on the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A, the left side of the vertical axis shows the CD value, and the right side shows the relative light intensity at the slice level. As shown in Fig. 17, when the pattern is an isolated line, the change in contrast with the change in amplitude of the defocus in the exposure area is smaller than in the case of the L / S pattern. On the other hand, when the pattern is an isolated line, it can be seen that the line width (CD value) changes greatly with respect to the change of the defocus amount.

Therefore, by increasing the defocus width by the defocus characteristic Cm that changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A to, for example, 2.5 x DOF or 3.0 x DOF, even if the set focus position fluctuates, It is possible to suppress the change in the line width of the pattern to be exposed. That is, even if the relative positional relationship between the projected image plane Sm1 and the surface of the substrate P in the focus direction varies beforehand due to various reasons during exposure, it is possible to suppress the change of the line width with respect to the focus variation And the quality of the display panel or the electronic device which is sequentially manufactured on the substrate P can be satisfactorily maintained. It should be noted that the slice level at which the line width of 2.5 占 퐉 in line width at the time of the best focus is 2.5 占 퐉 becomes larger as the defocus width due to the defocus characteristic Cm changing in the arc shape within the exposure width A is increased As a result, the change in line width with respect to the defocus is also small.

14 and 17, the defocus width due to the defocus characteristic Cm which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A is defined as 2.25 x DOF , The slice levels (light intensities) for both the L / S pattern and the isolated line pattern are almost the same. Therefore, by setting the defocus width by the defocus characteristic Cm to be within the range of 2.25 x DOF, it is possible to manufacture a high quality substrate even in the case of a mask pattern in which the L / S pattern and the isolated line pattern are mixed. This makes it possible to coexist without considering the line width modification (OPC, line width offset) of the mask pattern, which is necessary when the slice level does not coincide with the L / S pattern and the isolated line pattern . In addition, since it is not necessary to manufacture a plurality of masks for adjustment or to adjust the mask for line width modification (OPC, offset), it is possible to reduce labor and cost of manufacturing. In addition, by setting an offset in the line width and changing the line width of a part of the mask pattern, it is possible to suppress the problem that the depth of focus is reversely reduced at that portion.

[Third embodiment]

Next, the exposure apparatus U3b of the third embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. Only parts different from those of the second embodiment will be described so as to avoid overlapping description, and the same components as those of the second embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals as those of the second embodiment. 18 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the third embodiment. The exposure apparatus U3a of the second embodiment uses a reflection type mask in which the light reflected from the mask becomes a projected light flux. In the exposure apparatus U3b of the third embodiment, however, Is used as the mask.

In the exposure apparatus U3b of the third embodiment, the mask holding mechanism 11a includes a mask holding drum 21a for holding the mask MA, a guide roller 93 for holding the mask holding drum 21a, A driving roller 94 for driving the mask holding drum 21a, and a driving unit 96. [

The mask holding drum 21a forms a mask surface on which the illumination area IR on the mask MA is disposed. In the present embodiment, the mask surface includes a plane (hereinafter referred to as a "cylindrical surface") on which a line segment (bus line) is rotated around an axis (central axis in the shape of a cylinder) parallel to the line segment. The cylindrical surface is, for example, an outer peripheral surface of a cylinder, an outer peripheral surface of a cylinder, and the like. The mask holding drum 21a is made of, for example, glass or quartz, and has a cylindrical shape with a constant thickness, and its outer peripheral surface (cylindrical surface) forms a mask surface. That is, in the present embodiment, the illumination area IR on the mask MA curves into a cylindrical surface shape having a constant radius of curvature Rm from the center line. A portion of the mask holding drum 21a that overlaps the pattern of the mask MA as viewed from the radial direction of the mask holding drum 21a, for example, a central portion other than both ends of the mask holding drum 21a in the Y- , And has light transmittance to the illumination luminous flux EL1.

The mask MA is a transmissive planar sheet mask in which a pattern is formed on one side of a very thin flat glass plate (for example, 100 to 500 mu m in thickness) having good flatness as a light shielding layer such as chromium And is curved along the outer circumferential surface of the mask holding drum 21a, and is used in a wound state on the outer circumferential surface. The mask MA has a non-patterned area on which no pattern is formed and is mounted on the mask holding drum 21a in the non-patterned area. The mask MA is releasable with respect to the mask holding drum 21a. The mask MA is wound around the mask holding drum 21a by the transparent cylindrical mother material instead of winding the mask holding drum 21a by the transparent cylindrical mother material (base material) in the same manner as the mask M of the first embodiment. The mask pattern formed by the light-shielding layer such as chrome may be formed directly on the outer circumferential surface and integrated. Also in this case, the mask holding drum 21a functions as a support member of the mask.

The guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 extend in the Y axis direction parallel to the central axis of the mask holding drum 21a. The guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 are rotatable about an axis parallel to the central axis. Each of the guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 has an outer diameter at the end portion in the axial direction larger than the outer shape at the other portion and this end portion is in contact with the mask holding drum 21a. Thus, the guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 are provided so as not to contact the mask MA held by the mask holding drum 21a. The driving roller 94 is connected to the driving portion 96. The driving roller 94 rotates the mask holding drum 21a around the central axis by transmitting the torque supplied from the driving unit 96 to the mask holding drum 21a.

The mask holding mechanism 11a is provided with one guide roller 93, but the number is not limited and may be two or more. Similarly, although the mask holding mechanism 11a includes one driving roller 94, the number is not limited and may be two or more. At least one of the guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 is disposed inside the mask holding drum 21a and may be in contact with the mask holding drum 21a. The portion of the mask holding drum 21a which does not overlap with the pattern of the mask MA as viewed from the radial direction of the mask holding drum 21a (both ends in the Y-axis direction) is transparent to the illumination luminous flux EL1 It does not need to have transparency. One or both of the guide roller 93 and the drive roller 94 may be in the shape of, for example, a truncated cone, and the central axis (rotation axis) thereof may not be parallel to the central axis.

The light source device 13a of this embodiment includes a light source (not shown) and an illumination optical system ILa. The illumination optical system ILa includes a plurality of (for example, six) illumination optical systems ILa1 to ILa6 aligned in the Y-axis direction corresponding to each of the plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6. As with the various light source devices 13a described above, various light sources can be used as the light source. The illumination light emitted from the light source is divided into a plurality of illumination optical systems (ILa1 to ILa6) through the light guide member such as an optical fiber, for example, with uniform illumination distribution.

Each of the plurality of illumination optical systems ILa1 to ILa6 includes a plurality of optical members such as a lens. Each of the plurality of illumination optical systems ILa1 to ILa6 includes, for example, an integrator optical system, a rod lens, a fly's eye lens, and the like. The illuminating light beam EL1 having a uniform illumination distribution, (IR). In the present embodiment, the plurality of illumination optical systems ILa1 to ILa6 are disposed inside the mask holding drum 21a. Each of the plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 is disposed in each illumination area on the mask MA held on the outer peripheral surface of the mask holding drum 21a from the inside of the mask holding drum 21a through the mask holding drum 21a, Lt; / RTI &gt;

The light source device 13a guides the light emitted from the light source by the illumination optical systems ILa1 to ILa6 and irradiates the guided illumination luminous flux EL1 from the inside of the mask holding drum 21a to the mask MA. The light source device 13 illuminates a part of the mask MA (the illumination area IR) held by the mask holding mechanism 11a with uniform brightness by the illumination luminous flux EL1. The light source may be disposed inside the mask holding drum 21a and may be disposed outside the mask holding drum 21a. The light source may be an apparatus (external apparatus) other than the exposure apparatus U3b.

Even when a transmissive mask is used as the mask, the exposure apparatus U3b is configured so that the position where the relationship between the projection top surface and the exposure surface becomes the best focus state on the exposure surface is 2 The same effect as described above can be obtained.

[Fourth Embodiment]

Next, the exposure apparatus U3c of the fourth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. Only parts different from those of the first embodiment will be described so as to avoid overlapping description, and the same constituent elements as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals as those of the first embodiment. Fig. 19 is a diagram showing the entire configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the fourth embodiment. The exposure apparatus U3 according to the first embodiment has a structure in which the cylindrical reflection type mask M is held by the rotatable mask holding drum 21. In the exposure apparatus U3c according to the fourth embodiment, Like reflective mask (MB) is held by a movable mask holding mechanism (11b).

In the exposure apparatus U3c according to the fourth embodiment, the mask holding mechanism 11b includes a mask stage 110 for holding a planar mask MB, and a mask stage 110 for holding the mask stage 110 at right angles to the center plane CL (Not shown) for performing scanning movement along the X direction within the plane.

Since the plane P1 of the mask MB in Fig. 19 is substantially parallel to the XY plane, the principal ray of the projected flux of light EL2 reflected from the mask MB becomes perpendicular to the XY plane. Therefore, the principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 from the illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 for illuminating the illumination areas IR1 to IR6 on the mask MB is also arranged so as to be perpendicular to the XY plane.

When the principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 illuminated on the mask MB becomes perpendicular to the XY plane, the polarizing beam splitter PBS splits the principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 incident on the 1/4 wave plate 41 The incident angle? 1 is the Brewster angle (Brewster angle)? B and the principal ray of the illumination luminous flux EL1 reflected by the 1/4 wave plate 41 is perpendicular to the XY plane. In accordance with the change of the arrangement of the polarizing beam splitter (PBS), the arrangement of the illumination optical module ILM is appropriately changed.

When the principal ray of the projected luminous flux EL2 reflected from the mask MB is perpendicular to the XY plane, the first optical system 61 of the projection optical module PLM, One reflecting surface P3 reflects the projected luminous flux EL2 from the polarizing beam splitter PBS and transmits the reflected projected luminous flux EL2 through the first lens group 71 to the first concave mirror 72, As shown in Fig. Specifically, the first reflecting surface P3 of the first biasing member 70 is set at substantially 45 degrees with respect to the second optical axis BX2 (XY plane).

IR2 (and IR4 and IR6) from the center point of the illumination area IR1 (and IR3 and IR5) on the mask MB as seen in the XZ plane in the fourth embodiment, Of the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6)) from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) on the substrate P along the support surface P2 to the center point of the second projection area PA2 Is set to be substantially equal to the circumferential length.

19, the lower control device 16 controls the moving device of the mask holding mechanism 11b (such as a linear motor for scanning exposure or a fine moving actuator) to move the substrate supporting drum 25, The mask stage 110 is driven in synchronization with the rotation of the mask stage 110. [ In the exposure apparatus U3c in Fig. 19, after scanning exposure is performed by synchronous movement in the + X direction of the mask MB, it is necessary to perform an operation (rewind) to return the mask MB to the initial position in the -X direction do. Therefore, when the substrate P is continuously conveyed at a constant speed by continuously rotating the substrate supporting drum 25 at a constant speed, pattern exposure is not performed on the substrate P during the backward movement of the mask MB, (Separated) from each other with respect to the conveying direction of the panel P. In practice, however, since the velocity of the substrate P (peripheral velocity in this case) and the velocity of the mask MB at the time of scanning exposure are assumed to be 50 to 100 mm / s, When the stage 110 is driven at the maximum speed of, for example, 500 mm / s, margins in the transport direction between the panel patterns formed on the substrate P can be narrowed.

Next, the relationship between the projection upper surface of the mask pattern in the exposure apparatus U3c of the fourth embodiment and the exposure surface of the substrate will be described with reference to Fig. Fig. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship between the projection top surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate. Fig.

In the exposure apparatus U3c, the projected luminous flux EL2 is imaged by the projection optical system PL, so that the projected image plane Sm2 of the pattern of the mask MB is formed. The projected image plane Sm2 is a position at which the pattern of the mask MB is formed and is the best focus position. Here, the mask MB is arranged in a plane as described above. As a result, the projected image plane Sm2 is also flat (straight line in the ZX plane). In the exposure apparatus U3c, the surface of the substrate P becomes the exposure surface Sp. Here, the exposure surface Sp is the surface of the substrate P. [ The substrate P is held in a cylindrical substrate supporting drum 25 as described above. Thus, the exposure surface Sp becomes a curved surface (curved line in the ZX plane) of the curvature radius Rp. The direction perpendicular to the scanning exposure direction is the axis of the curved surface of the exposure surface Sp. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 20, the exposure surface Sp becomes a curved line with respect to the scanning exposure direction. The exposure surface Sp has a change amount of the position in the exposure width A in the scanning exposure direction of the projection area PA by? P. The projected image plane Sm2 is plane. Therefore, the projected image plane Sm2 becomes 0 in the amount of change in position in the exposure width A in the scanning exposure direction of the projection area PA. Here, the exposure apparatus U3c uses the position of the exposure surface Sp with respect to the projected image surface Sm2 as the actual exposure surface Spa. The actual exposure surface Spa intersects at two different positions Pa2 and Pb2 from the projected image plane Sm2 in the scanning exposure direction. The exposure apparatus U3c adjusts the positions of the respective optical members of the projection optical system PL or adjusts the position of each of the optical members of the projection optical system PL by the mask holding mechanism 11b and the substrate supporting mechanism 12, , The position of the exposure surface with respect to the projected image plane Sm2 can be changed.

In the exposure apparatus U3c, the projected image plane Sm2 and the actual exposure plane Spa intersect at two different positions Pa2 and Pb2, Becomes the best focus, and the focus state becomes the best focus at the position Pb2 on the actual exposure surface Spa.

The exposure apparatus U3c has a structure in which the surface of the mask MB is planar and the surface of the substrate P is cylindrical, as in the exposure apparatuses U3, U3a, and U3b, It is possible to make a cylindrical difference on the projection top surface Sm2 of the projected scanning exposure direction and the exposure surface Sp of the substrate P to be exposed. In addition, in the exposure apparatus U3c, the projected image plane Sm2 and the actual exposure plane Spa intersect at the other two positions Pa2 and Pb2, and the focus state of the exposure surface becomes the best focus at the other two positions.

Thereby, the exposure apparatus U3c can also continuously change the focus state within the exposure width A in the scan exposure direction by the rotational motion of the mask holding drum 21, The contrast change can be suppressed. The exposure apparatus U3c can obtain various effects similar to those of the exposure apparatus U3. In this manner, even when only one of the projection top surface and the exposure surface (surface of the substrate P) is curved, the same effect as in the case where both the projection top surface and the exposure surface are curved surfaces can be obtained.

Here, the exposure apparatus (U3c) is the cylinder radius r ₁ of the exposure width projected onto the upper surface (Sm2) of the defocus width Δ changing into an arc shape in the A, scanning exposure direction of the substrate (P) of the equation 0 Can be obtained by the following formula.

? = R ₂ - ((r ₂ ² ) - (A / 2) ² ) ^1/2

Here, in the exposure apparatus U3c, since the radius of curvature of the projected image plane Sm2 of the mask pattern is infinite, the defocus characteristic Cm which changes into an arc shape within the exposure width A is obtained by only Equation 3 above . That is, the defocus characteristic Cm (=? Rp) in the case of the exposure apparatus U3c,

[Equation 5]

.

In the exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment, one of the mask holding mechanism and the substrate holding mechanism which is held by the curved surface is the first supporting member, and the one supporting the curved surface or the plane becomes the second supporting member.

<Exposure Method>

Next, the exposure method will be described with reference to Fig. 21 is a flowchart showing an exposure method.

In the exposure method shown in Fig. 21, first, the substrate P is supported on the supporting surface P2 by the substrate supporting mechanism (step S101), and the mask M is supported on the surface P1 by the mask holding mechanism S102). As a result, the mask M and the substrate P are in a state of facing each other. The order of steps S101 and S102 may be reversed. Either one of the surface P1 and the support surface P2 becomes the first surface and the other surface becomes the second surface. The first surface is a shape curved in a cylindrical surface shape with a predetermined curvature.

Next, the focus position with respect to the exposure surface is adjusted (step S103). Specifically, within the exposure width A of the projection area PA set on the surface of the substrate P, the focus position is set at a position where the best focus position is included in two positions in the scanning exposure direction.

When the adjustment of the focus position is completed, relative movement (rotation) of the substrate P and the mask M in the scanning exposure direction is started (step S104). That is, at least one of the substrate holding mechanism and the mask holding mechanism starts to move at least one of the substrate P and the mask M in the scanning exposure direction.

When the relative movement is started, projection of the projected luminous flux into the projection area PA is started (step S105). That is, the light flux from the pattern of the mask arranged in the illumination area IR of the illumination light is projected onto the projection area PA where the substrate P is arranged. Thus, in the exposure method shown in Fig. 21, on the exposure surface of the substrate P, the light flux including the two best focus positions in the scanning exposure direction is projected onto the projection area.

The exposure method can project the light flux including the two best focus positions in the scan exposure direction onto the projection area on the exposure surface of the substrate by projecting the light flux whose focus position is adjusted as described above. As a result, the above-described various effects can be obtained. In the present embodiment, the focus position is adjusted. However, depending on the setting of the apparatus, the position where the best focus position is included in the scan exposure direction may be the focus position.

<Device Manufacturing Method>

Next, a device manufacturing method will be described with reference to FIG. 22 is a flowchart showing a device manufacturing method by the device manufacturing system.

In the device manufacturing method shown in Fig. 22, the function and performance of the display panel is first performed by, for example, self-luminous elements such as organic EL elements, and necessary circuit patterns and wiring patterns are designed by CAD or the like (step S201). Next, on the basis of a pattern for each of various layers designed by CAD or the like, a mask M of necessary layers is produced (step S202). In addition, a supply roll FR1 on which a flexible substrate P (a resin film, a metal thin film, a plastic film or the like) to be a base of the display panel is wound is prepared (step S203). The roll-shaped substrate P prepared in this step S203 may be one obtained by modifying the surface of the substrate P if necessary, a base layer (for example, fine irregularities by the imprint method) in advance, Sensitive functional film or a transparent film (insulating material) may be laminated in advance.

Next, a backplane layer constituted of an electrode or wiring, an insulating film, a TFT (thin film semiconductor) or the like constituting the display panel device is formed on the substrate P, and a backplane layer Emitting layer (display pixel portion) by self-luminous elements such as EL is formed (step S204). In this step S204, exposure processing using any one of the exposure apparatuses U3, U3a, U3b, and U3c described in the foregoing embodiments is performed. The exposure process includes a conventional photolithography process for exposing a photoresist layer. However, it is also possible to form a pattern by hydrophilicity on the surface of the substrate (P) coated with a photosensitive silane coupling material in place of the photoresist, And a step of pattern-exposing the photo-sensitive catalyst layer for plating. In the conventional photolithography process, a photoresist development process is performed. In the electroless plating process, a wet process for forming a metal film pattern (wiring, electrodes, etc.) or a printing process for drawing a pattern by conductive ink containing silver nanoparticles And so on.

Next, for each of the display panel devices which are continuously produced on a long substrate P in a roll manner, the substrate P is diced or the protective film (not shown) is formed on the surface of each display panel device, ) Environmental barrier layer), a color filter sheet, and the like are bonded to each other to assemble the device (step S205). Next, an inspection process is performed to determine whether the display panel device functions normally or satisfies the desired performance or characteristics (step S206). In this way, a display panel (flexible display) can be manufactured.

1: Device manufacturing system 2: Substrate supply device
4: Substrate collection device 5: Higher control device
11: mask holding mechanism 12: substrate holding mechanism
13: light source device 16: lower control device
21: mask holding drum 25: substrate holding drum
31: light source 32: light guiding member
41: 1/4 wavelength plate 51: collimator lens
52: fly-eye lens 53: condenser lens
54: Cylindrical lens 55: Illumination field aperture
56: relay lens 61: first optical system
62: second optical system 63: projection field aperture
64: focus correction optical member 65: optical member for image shift
66: optical member for magnification correction 67: rotation correction mechanism
68: polarization adjusting mechanism 70: first biasing member
71: first lens group 72: first concave mirror
80: second deflecting member 81: second lens group
82: second concave mirror 110: mask stage
P: substrate FR1: supply roll
FR2: Recovery roll U1 to Un: Processing device
U3: exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) M: mask
MA: mask AX1: first axis
AX2: Second axis P1: mask face
P2: Support surface P7: Intermediate surface
EL1: illumination luminous flux EL2: projection luminous flux
Rm: Curvature radius Rp: Curvature radius
CL: center plane PBS: polarizing beam splitter
IR1 to IR6: illumination area IL1 to IL6: illumination optical system
ILM: illumination optical module PA1 to PA6: projection area
PLM: projection optics module

Claims (16)

1. A substrate processing apparatus having a projection optical system for projecting a light flux (light flux) from a pattern of a mask placed in an illumination region of an illumination light onto a projection region in which a substrate is arranged,
A first support member for supporting one of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a first surface curved in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined curvature in one of the illumination region and the projection region;
A second support member for supporting the other of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other one of the illumination region and the projection region;
And a moving mechanism that rotates the first supporting member and moves either the mask or the substrate supported by the first supporting member in the scanning exposure direction,
Wherein the projection optical system projects, on the exposure surface of the substrate, a light flux having two best focus positions in the scanning exposure direction onto the projection area. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the projection optical system is configured such that a difference in distance between the projected image surface of the pattern of the mask and the exposure surface of the substrate in the scanning exposure direction is substantially equal to the shape of the first supporting member, And projects the light flux proportional to the difference in shape of the member. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Wherein the projection optical system satisfies the relationship of 0.5 &lt; DELTA / DOF &amp;le; where DELTA is a defocus amount at a midpoint in the scanning exposure direction of the projection region, and DOF is a depth of focus, Lt; 3 &gt; The method of claim 3,
Wherein the projection optical system satisfies 1? DELTA / DOF. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
Wherein the projection optical system has a plurality of split projection optical systems,
Wherein the split projection optical system is arranged in a row in a direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction and projects the light flux to the corresponding projection area. The method of claim 5,
Wherein the projection optical system includes a plurality of divisional projection optical systems arranged in at least two rows in the scanning exposure direction and each of the projection areas of the adjacent projection optical systems overlapping each other in a direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction, Processing device. The method of claim 6,
Wherein the projection optical system is configured such that when the widths of the respective projection areas of the plurality of division projection optical systems are integrated in the scanning exposure direction, the integrated value is substantially constant in a direction orthogonal to the scanning exposure direction, . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Wherein the first support member supports the mask,
And the second support member supports the substrate. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
Wherein the first support member supports the substrate,
And the second support member supports the mask. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9,
And the second surface is curved in a cylindrical surface shape with a predetermined curvature. The method of claim 10,
The projection optical system, the cylindrical radius of the exposed surface of the scanning exposure direction of the substrate, r _2, the cylinder radius of the projected upper surface of the pattern of the mask r _1, the width of the projection area in the scanning exposure direction A, the When the numerical aperture of the projection optical system is NA, the exposure wavelength by λ, 0.5 × (λ / NA 2) <r 1 - ((r 1 2) - (a / 2) 2) 1/2 + r 2 - ((r ₂ ² ) - (A / 2) ² ) ^1/2 ? 3 ×? / NA ² . The method of claim 11,
The projection optical ^{system, (λ / NA 2) <} r 1 - ((r 1 2) - (A / 2) 2) 1/2 + r 2 - ((r 2 2) - (A / 2) 2) 1 ^{/ 2} . The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12,
Wherein the projection optical system is configured such that a difference between a projected image of the pattern of the mask in the scanning exposure direction and an exposure surface in the scanning exposure direction of the substrate is substantially the center of the width of the projection area in the scanning exposure direction A substrate processing apparatus which changes in line symmetry. Supplying the substrate to the substrate processing apparatus,
A device manufacturing method comprising forming a pattern of the mask on a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 13. An exposure method for projecting a light flux from a pattern of a mask disposed in an illumination area of an illumination light onto a projection area on which a substrate is arranged,
Supporting one of the mask and the substrate along a first surface curved in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined curvature in one of the illumination region and the projection region,
Supporting the other of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other one of the illumination region and the projection region,
Rotating either one of the mask and the substrate supported on the first surface along the first surface and moving either the mask or the substrate supporting the first surface in the scanning exposure direction,
And projecting, onto the projection area, a light flux including a best focus position at two positions in the scanning exposure direction on the exposure surface of the substrate. An exposure method for projecting a light flux from a pattern of a mask disposed in an illumination area onto a projection area on which a surface to be deflected by a substrate is disposed via a projection optical system,
Supporting one of the mask and the substrate along a first surface curved in a cylindrical shape with a predetermined curvature in one of the illumination region and the projection region,
Supporting the other of the mask and the substrate so as to follow a predetermined second surface in the other one of the illumination region and the projection region,
Moving one of the mask and the substrate supported along the first surface by turning along the first surface and moving the other of the mask and the substrate supported along the second surface in the scanning exposure direction,
Wherein during the scan exposure by the movement of the mask and the substrate, the first surface, the second surface, and the second surface are in the best focus state, The second surface, and the projection optical system.

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