WO1999010917A1 - Dispositif d'alignement, procede d'exposition, procede de regulation de la pression d'un systeme optique de projection, et procede de montage du dispositif d'alignement - Google Patents
Dispositif d'alignement, procede d'exposition, procede de regulation de la pression d'un systeme optique de projection, et procede de montage du dispositif d'alignement Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- WO1999010917A1 WO1999010917A1 PCT/JP1998/003785 JP9803785W WO9910917A1 WO 1999010917 A1 WO1999010917 A1 WO 1999010917A1 JP 9803785 W JP9803785 W JP 9803785W WO 9910917 A1 WO9910917 A1 WO 9910917A1
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- WIPO (PCT)
- Prior art keywords
- pressure
- optical system
- space
- housing
- gas
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/027—Making masks on semiconductor bodies for further photolithographic processing not provided for in group H01L21/18 or H01L21/34
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70216—Mask projection systems
- G03F7/70241—Optical aspects of refractive lens systems, i.e. comprising only refractive elements
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70058—Mask illumination systems
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/70058—Mask illumination systems
- G03F7/70066—Size and form of the illuminated area in the mask plane, e.g. reticle masking blades or blinds
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03F—PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR
- G03F7/00—Photomechanical, e.g. photolithographic, production of textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. printing surfaces; Materials therefor, e.g. comprising photoresists; Apparatus specially adapted therefor
- G03F7/70—Microphotolithographic exposure; Apparatus therefor
- G03F7/708—Construction of apparatus, e.g. environment aspects, hygiene aspects or materials
- G03F7/70858—Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature
- G03F7/70883—Environment aspects, e.g. pressure of beam-path gas, temperature of optical system
Definitions
- Exposure apparatus Exposure apparatus, exposure method, pressure adjustment method for projection optical system
- the present invention relates to a lithographic process for manufacturing a semiconductor device, a liquid crystal display device, and the like, that is, an exposure technique used in a manufacturing process of a semiconductor integrated circuit.
- the present invention is suitable for an exposure apparatus using exposure light traveling in an atmosphere replaced with an inert gas.
- a lithographic process for manufacturing a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal substrate an exposure apparatus that exposes a pattern image of a reticle (photomask or the like) onto a photosensitive substrate via a projection optical system is used.
- semiconductor integrated circuits have been developed in the direction of miniaturization, and in the course of lithography, a method of shortening the exposure wavelength of a lithographic light source has been considered as a means for further miniaturization.
- harmonics of wavelength-tunable lasers such as Ti-sapphire lasers, fourth harmonics of 266 nm wavelength YAG lasers, fifth harmonics of 213 nm wavelength YAG lasers, mercury lasers near 220 nm or 184 nm wavelength
- Pumps and ArF excimer lasers with a wavelength of 193 nm have attracted attention as short-wavelength light source candidates.
- the emission spectrum line overlaps with the oxygen absorption spectrum region, so that the above-described decrease in light use efficiency due to oxygen absorption and ozone generation due to oxygen absorption are caused.
- the transmittance of ArF excimer laser light in a vacuum or in an inert gas such as nitrogen or helium is 100% / m, the free-run state (natural light emission) State) In other words, about 90% / m for the broadband A / F laser, about 98% / m even for the narrow-band A / F laser that narrows the spectrum width and avoids the oxygen absorption line. And the transmittance decreases.
- the decrease in transmittance is considered to be due to the absorption of light by oxygen and the effect of the generated ozone.
- the generation of ozone not only adversely affects the transmittance (light utilization efficiency), but also causes degradation of the equipment performance and environmental pollution due to the reaction with the optical material surface and other components.
- an exposure apparatus using an ArF excimer laser as an exposure light source air in an optical system such as an illumination optical system or a projection optical system that hits the optical path of the exposure light has a small attenuation rate with respect to the ArF excimer laser light.
- a gas that hardly attenuates for example, nitrogen or helium.
- an exposure apparatus having a light source such as an ArF excimer laser it is known that the entire optical path needs to be filled with an inert gas such as nitrogen in order to avoid a decrease in light transmittance and generation of ozone. (For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-260385).
- the conventional device disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-78454 does not assume that an inert gas such as a nitrogen gas is forcibly filled in a lens barrel of a projection optical system. For this reason, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-260385, a projection exposure apparatus in which a nitrogen gas or an inert gas is filled in a lens barrel of a projection optical system is required to prevent fluctuations in atmospheric pressure and optical elements. Even if the optical performance is adjusted based on the energy to be irradiated, magnification, yield, and focus fluctuations may occur due to pressure fluctuations in the lens barrel, and high-precision projection exposure may not be possible.
- the illumination optical system has a similar problem, and illumination fluctuation may occur due to pressure fluctuation of a housing in the illumination optical system.
- an optical system such as an illumination optical system or a projection optical system that is in the optical path of the exposure light
- an inert gas such as nitrogen
- a first object of the present invention is to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which optical performance is not affected by pressure fluctuations in a lens barrel of a projection optical system or a housing of an illumination optical system filled with a specific gas such as an inert gas. And an assembling method thereof.
- a second object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus that can reliably prevent an abnormal increase in the internal pressure of an optical system during supply of a specific gas.
- a third object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus capable of adjusting the pressure of the hermetic chamber after replacing the hermetic chamber in the projection optical system with a specific gas, and a method of adjusting the pressure of the projection optical system. is there.
- an exposure apparatus having an optical system for projecting an image of a pattern of an original illuminated by exposure light from an exposure light source onto an object to be exposed.
- a gas supply device that fills the formed space with a specific gas, a pressure detector that detects the pressure in the space, and an optical performance adjustment that adjusts the optical performance of the optical system according to the pressure detected by the pressure detector Device.
- the specific gas is a gas that has little absorption of the illumination beam (kr F excimer laser light, Ar F excimer laser light, F 2 excimer laser light, etc.), specifically, nitrogen (N2), helium (He ), Argon (Ar), neon (Ne), etc.
- the gas supply device is provided between optical elements in a lens barrel that houses the projection optical system.
- a column gas supply / discharge device that fills the formed space with an inert gas
- the pressure detector is a pressure sensor in the lens tube that detects the pressure in the column space
- the optical performance adjustment device is a mirror. This is a projection optical performance adjustment device that adjusts the optical performance of the projection optical system according to the pressure detected by the in-cylinder pressure detector.
- the exposure apparatus has, in addition to the projection optical system, an illumination optical system that illuminates an original on which a predetermined pattern is formed with exposure light emitted from an exposure light source.
- the gas supply device further includes a housing gas supply / discharge device that fills a space formed between the optical elements in the housing that houses the illumination optical system with an inert gas
- the pressure detector includes the housing.
- the optical performance adjusting device further includes an in-housing pressure detector that detects a pressure in the space, and the optical performance adjusting device adjusts the optical performance of the illumination optical system according to the pressure detected by the in-housing pressure detector. And a knot device.
- the illumination optical system, the light transmission system, and the projection optical system is provided with a casing such as a housing to which an inert gas is supplied and a lens barrel.
- a casing such as a housing to which an inert gas is supplied and a lens barrel.
- the atmosphere of the exposure light is replaced with an inert gas in this casing, and generation of ozone is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the environment and the light use efficiency from being deteriorated, and to prevent the surface of an optical element such as a lens from becoming cloudy, thereby stably exhibiting the performance of the projection exposure apparatus.
- the present invention detects the pressure in the space. , This Since the optical performance of the optical system is adjusted according to the pressure of the light, even if the pressure in the space fluctuates, illumination unevenness is prevented, and various fluctuations in the imaging performance are suppressed and the The pattern image can be exposed with high precision.
- the gas supply device is a housing gas supply / discharge device that fills the space formed between the optical elements in the housing that houses the illumination optical system with an inert gas
- the pressure detector is located in the housing space.
- the optical performance adjusting device is an illumination optical performance adjusting device that adjusts the optical performance of the illumination optical system according to the pressure detected by the internal pressure detector. .
- An atmospheric pressure detector for detecting atmospheric pressure may be further provided, and the optical performance of the projection optical system may be adjusted by the projection optical performance adjusting device based on the pressure in the lens barrel space and the atmospheric pressure.
- the optical performance of the illumination optical system may be adjusted by the illumination optical performance adjustment device based on the pressure in the housing space and the atmospheric pressure.
- the optical performance adjusting device may be a pressure adjusting device that adjusts the pressure in the space according to the pressure detected by the pressure detector so that the pressure in the space becomes a predetermined target value.
- Fluctuations in optical performance due to pressure fluctuations in the space are suppressed, and a pattern image can be accurately exposed on an object to be exposed.
- illumination unevenness can be prevented, and a decrease in exposure accuracy due to the illumination unevenness can be prevented.
- an atmospheric pressure detector for detecting the atmospheric pressure may be further provided.
- a projection optical performance adjusting device for adjusting the optical performance of the projection optical system based on the pressure in the lens barrel space and the atmospheric pressure It is preferable to separately provide an illumination optical performance adjusting device for adjusting the optical performance of the illumination optical system based on the body space pressure and the atmospheric pressure.
- the atmospheric pressure is detected, and the detected atmospheric pressure is used. Even if the optical performance of the illumination optical system is adjusted, even if the optical path from the exposure light source to the illumination optical system is exposed to the atmosphere, illumination unevenness due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure can be prevented.
- a plurality of optical elements forming a space in the housing member are provided, and the optical performance adjusting device includes a moving mechanism that relatively moves at least a first optical element of the plurality of optical elements in a predetermined direction with respect to a second optical element. Can be included.
- a plurality of optical elements forming a space in the housing member are provided, and at least a first optical element among the plurality of optical elements is relatively moved in a predetermined direction with respect to a second optical element by a moving mechanism.
- the first optical element is held by a first holding member
- the second optical element is held by a second holding member. It is preferable to provide a seal between the first holding member and the second holding member to prevent a specific gas from flowing out of a space formed between the optical elements.
- the seal portion includes a concave portion formed on the first holding member side, a convex portion formed on the second holding member side and inserted into the concave portion, and a sealing portion filled between the concave portion and the convex portion to provide a sealing property.
- a filler having the same.
- inert grease that is photochemically inert is suitable.
- the seal portion has a configuration in which a filler is filled between the concave portion and the convex portion, the filler is provided between the inner surface of the concave portion and the outer surface of the convex portion inserted into the concave portion. It will intervene. Therefore, for example, when the adjustment is performed in the adjustment section of the lens of the projection optical system, the filler remains in a state sandwiched between the inner side surface of the concave portion and the outer side surface of the convex portion, and furthermore, in the above displacement direction. Since deformation in the direction orthogonal to the direction is unlikely to occur, it is possible to prevent the two members from shifting with respect to a predetermined positional relationship.
- the present invention relates to an exposure apparatus that exposes an object to be exposed with an illumination beam via a mask, comprising: a gas supply apparatus that supplies a specific gas to an optical system arranged in an optical path of the illumination beam; and an exposure apparatus connected to the optical system.
- the gas supply device and the optical system are connected separately, and a branch path is provided in the middle of the supply path, and a branch path is opened when the pressure of the specific gas exceeds a predetermined value.
- Pipeline opening and closing device is provided separately, and a branch path is provided in the middle of the supply path, and a branch path is opened when the pressure of the specific gas exceeds a predetermined value.
- the specific gas is supplied to the optical system arranged in the optical path of the illumination beam by the gas supply device via the supply path.
- a branch passage provided in the middle of the supply passage is opened by the pipeline opening / closing device.
- the present invention relates to an exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto an object to be exposed via a projection optical system, comprising: a projection optical system having an airtight chamber at least in part; and a gas for supplying a specific gas to the airtight chamber.
- a supply device an exhaust path switch that opens and closes an exhaust path connected to the airtight chamber, a gas filling degree detection system that detects whether a specific gas is filled in the airtight chamber, and an airtight chamber and a gas supply device.
- a pressure adjustment mechanism that is provided in the middle of the supply path to be connected and that increases and decreases the pressure in the airtight chamber, a pressure setter that sets the gas supply pressure in the supply path, and exhausts gas before the specific gas is supplied by the gas supply device
- the gas supply pressure is set to the first value via the pressure setting device
- the gas supply pressure is set to the first value
- the exhaust gas Close the vessel
- a first control device for setting the gas supply pressure to a second value lower than the first value via the pressure setter, and a pressure regulating mechanism after the gas supply pressure is set to the second value.
- a second control device that starts pressure control in the airtight chamber through the second control device.
- the exhaust path switch is opened by the first control device, and the gas supply pressure in the supply path is set to the first value via the pressure setting device.
- the supply of the specific gas to the airtight chamber via the supply path is started by the gas supply device.
- the first control device closes the exhaust passage switch and at the same time through the pressure setting device.
- the second control device controls the pressure in the airtight chamber via the pressure adjusting mechanism. Start pressure control.
- the gas supply pressure is set to a sufficiently high first value suitable for the specific gas and the above replacement is quickly performed.
- the gas supply pressure is set to a second value suitable for the operation of the pressure adjusting mechanism, and, for example, the projection optical system is used. The pressure in the airtight chamber for adjusting the imaging characteristics of the system can be adjusted without any trouble.
- the present invention is a pressure adjusting method for adjusting the internal pressure of an airtight chamber inside a projection optical system using a pressure adjustment mechanism in order to adjust the imaging characteristics of the projection optical system, and starts pressure control in the airtight chamber.
- the exhaust gas path connected to the hermetic chamber is closed, and the specific gas for the hermetic chamber is set in a state where the gas supply pressure is set to the first value.
- Supply is started.
- the specific gas is filled in the airtight chamber
- the exhaust path is closed and the gas supply pressure is set to a second value lower than the first value and in which the pressure adjusting mechanism can operate.
- pressure control in the airtight chamber for adjusting the imaging characteristics of the projection optical system is started.
- the gas supply pressure is set to a sufficiently high first value suitable for that, and the above replacement is performed.
- the gas supply pressure is set to the second value at which the pressure adjustment mechanism can operate, and the imaging is performed. Pressure adjustment in the airtight chamber for characteristic adjustment can be performed without hindrance.
- FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a third embodiment of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a fourth embodiment of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a fifth embodiment of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a projection optical system of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another example of the projection optical system of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a diagram schematically showing a configuration of an exposure apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a system diagram showing a configuration of a nitrogen gas supply system for the projection optical system of the apparatus of FIG. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
- FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention.
- the main body of the projection exposure apparatus is housed in a chamber (not shown), and is controlled so that the temperature is kept constant.
- an ArF excimer laser light source 100 that oscillates pulse light having an output wavelength of 193 nm emits a laser beam as a substantially parallel light beam, and passes through a shirt (not shown). Incident on the projection exposure apparatus.
- the shirt closes the illumination light path, for example, during wafer or reticle replacement, which causes the light source 100 to self-oscillate and stabilize the beam characteristics including at least one of the center wavelength, wavelength width and intensity of the pulsed light ( Adjustment).
- Laser light from the light source 100 is incident on the illumination optical system 200 housed in the casing CA via a light transmission system (not shown).
- the laser beam is reflected by the mirror 201 and enters the beam shaping optical lens unit 202.
- the incident beam is shaped into a laser beam having a predetermined cross-sectional shape by a shaping optical lens unit 202, and a plurality of ND filters having different transmittances (darkening rates) provided on an evening plate (not shown) are provided. After passing through one, it is reflected by a reflection mirror 203 and guided to a fly-eye lens 204 as an optical integrator.
- the fly-eye lens 204 is formed by bundling a large number of lens elements, and on the exit surface side of this lens element, a large number of light source images (200) corresponding to the number of the lens elements constituting the lens element are arranged. (Second light source) is formed.
- the light beams from a number of secondary light sources formed by the fly-eye lens 204 pass through a relay lens unit 205, a variable field stop 206 that defines a rectangular aperture, and a relay lens unit 206.
- a condenser optical lens unit 209 composed of a plurality of refractive optical elements such as lenses.
- a gas that does not absorb ArF light for example, nitrogen gas (or helium gas) is supplied from the gas supply device 150 through the conduit IN into the casing CA of the illumination optical system 200, and the conduit The nitrogen gas is discharged from OUT through the gas discharge device 160.
- the pressure in the housing C A is detected by the pressure sensor P S 1.
- the light transmitted through the reticle R reaches the surface of the wafer W mounted on the wafer stage WS via various optical members (lens elements and / or mirrors) constituting the projection optical system 300.
- the wafer stage WS relatively moves the wafer W with respect to light generated from the reticle R irradiated with the illumination light and passing through the projection optical system 300.
- the reticle R and the wafer W are scanned in opposite directions at a speed ratio corresponding to the magnification of the projection optical system.
- the projection optical system 300 is provided with, for example, two projection lens units 301 and 302 and one optical performance adjusting lens unit 303, and the optical performance adjusting lens unit 303 is The optical performance is adjusted by the lens driving device 304.
- a lens driving device 304 is known as, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-78445, and it is possible to adjust the magnification by changing the distance between lenses. A new configuration for changing the configuration will be described in a seventh embodiment described later.
- the lens unit 301 to 303 is surrounded by a lens barrel LB like the illumination optical system 300, and nitrogen gas is supplied to the lens barrel LB from a gas supply device 150 via a pipe IN. Then, nitrogen gas is discharged from the pipe OUT through the gas discharging device 160.
- the pressure of the space 310 between the lens units 310 and 301 in the lens barrel LB is the pressure of the space 311 between the lens units 301 and 302 by the pressure sensor PS2. Is measured on PS 3 respectively.
- the atmospheric pressure in the chamber in which the projection exposure apparatus is housed is measured by an atmospheric pressure sensor PS4.
- the pressure signals measured by the pressure sensors PS2 to PS4 are converted into digital signals by a pressure signal acquisition circuit 401 and input to a control circuit 402 including a CPU or the like.
- the lens drive circuit 403 supplies a drive signal to the lens drive device 304 based on a command signal from the control circuit 402, whereby the lens unit 303 changes its optical performance as appropriate.
- the control circuit 402 has a memory, and how to change the optical performance of the projection optical system according to the pressure detected by each of the pressure sensors PS2 to PS4 is stored in the memory in advance.
- the refractive index of the gas depends on the pressure, and the fluctuation of the optical performance due to the fluctuation of the pressure in the space 310 inside the lens barrel and the fluctuation of the optical performance due to the fluctuation of the atmospheric pressure in the chamber are superimposed.
- the optical performance of the entire projection optical system 300 fluctuates. Therefore, the optical performance, such as the focus position, projection magnification, and Seidel's five aberrations, due to the combination of the pressure in the space 310 and the atmospheric pressure and the atmospheric pressure are measured by experiments in advance.
- the driving amount of the lens driving device 304 corresponding to the driving amount of the adjusting lens unit 303 is stored in the memory in association with each pressure. It is also possible to store the rate of change of each optical property due to a pressure change, and calculate the drive amount by sequentially calculating the change amount of the optical property.
- the inside of the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the inside of the lens barrel LB of the projection optical system 300 are evacuated by the gas exhaust device 160, and the pressure sensors PS1 to PS3 are evacuated.
- the outlet side on-off valve of the gas exhaust device 160 is closed.
- nitrogen gas is supplied from the gas supply device 150 into the housing CA and the lens barrel LB.
- the pressure measurement values of the pressure sensors P S1 to P S3 reach a predetermined value
- the supply of nitrogen gas from the gas supply device 150 is stopped, and the inlet side on-off valve is closed.
- the inside of the housing C A and the inside of the lens barrel LB are filled with nitrogen gas and sealed.
- Illumination optics 2 Contaminants adhering to the surface of the optical element of the projection optical system 300 or the projection optical system 300 or the casing CA and the lens barrel LB are separated and float in the nitrogen gas. Opening the on-off valves on the inlet and outlet sides while performing such irradiation and discharging the nitrogen gas in the casing CA and the lens barrel LB, the contaminants floating in the gas together with the nitrogen gas are removed from the casing CA. And discharged outside the lens barrel LB.
- the outlet on-off valve is closed, the inside of the housing CA and the lens barrel LB is set to a predetermined pressure, the inlet-side on-off valve is closed, and the housing CA and the lens barrel LB are sealed.
- the cause of the pressure change may be a pressure change on the supply side, a blockage in the piping, or the like.
- the exposure area of the wafer W is positioned at the initial exposure position (scanning exposure start position) by the wafer stage WS, and the reticle R is also set to the initial exposure position by the reticle stage (not shown).
- illumination light having a uniform cross-sectional shape defined by the reticle blind illuminates a predetermined region of the reticle R.
- the image of the pattern on the reticle R is projected and exposed on the wafer W while the reticle R and the wafer W are relatively moved.
- the pressure sensors PS 2 and PS 3 measure the pressures in the spaces 310 and 31 1 in the lens barrel
- the atmospheric pressure sensor PS 4 measures the atmospheric pressure in the chamber and controls the control circuit 40 2 To enter.
- the control circuit 402 reads out the driving amount of the lens driving device 304 stored in advance in accordance with the combination of the three inputted pressures, and outputs a lens driving command signal corresponding to the driving amount to the lens driving circuit 400. Output to Thus, the lens driving circuit 403 drives the lens driving device 304, and the optical performance adjusting lens unit 304 is adjusted so that the optical performance of the projection optical system becomes a predetermined performance. Therefore, even if each pressure fluctuates due to the exposure energy, the optical performance of the projection optical system does not fluctuate, and the pattern can be exposed with predetermined accuracy.
- the optical performance of the projection optical system 300 is corrected. Since illumination unevenness may occur due to pressure fluctuations in the housing CA of the scientific system 200, the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200 may be corrected according to the pressure in the housing CA.
- a lens unit 210 for adjusting the optical performance is provided between the fly-eye lens unit 204 and the reticle blind 206, and according to the pressure of the housing CA, The lens drive unit 211 drives the lens unit 210 for adjusting the optical performance.
- the illumination unevenness due to the fluctuation of the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200 is obtained by an experiment in accordance with the pressure in the housing CA, and the driving amount of the lens driving device 211 necessary to suppress the illumination unevenness is determined. It is obtained by experiment or by calculation, and this is stored in the memory of the control circuit 402 in association with the pressure.
- Other configurations are the same as those in FIG. 1, and the description thereof is omitted.
- the procedure of the exposure processing of the projection exposure apparatus of the second embodiment is similar to that of the first embodiment, and the description is omitted.
- the case CA Since the lens unit 210 for adjusting the optical performance is driven by the lens driving device 211 in accordance with the pressure, poor exposure of the pattern image due to uneven illumination is suppressed.
- the optical path between the laser light source 100 and the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 is exposed to the atmosphere, the atmospheric pressure in the chamber is detected, and a lens is formed according to the atmospheric pressure.
- the drive unit 211 may drive the optical performance adjusting lens unit 210. As a result, the illumination unevenness due to the atmospheric pressure fluctuation can be suppressed.
- the optical performance adjusting lens unit is designed so that the optical performance of the projection optical system does not fluctuate even if the pressure in the barrel LB of the projection optical system 300 fluctuates.
- G3 is driven, and the lens unit 210 for adjusting the optical performance is driven so that the optical performance of the illumination optical system does not fluctuate even if the pressure in the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 fluctuates. Therefore, even if the pressure in the housing CA and the lens barrel LB fluctuates due to the exposure energy, the optical performance of the projection optical system and the illumination optical system does not fluctuate, and the pattern can be exposed with predetermined accuracy. it can.
- the third projection exposure apparatus according to the embodiment of, c therefore is to control to a predetermined target value and the pressure in the barrel LB pressure and projecting projection optical system 300 of the casing CA of the illumination optical system 200
- the pressure control valve V 1 is provided between the casing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the gas discharge device 160
- the pressure control valve V is provided between the space 310 in the lens barrel LB of the projection optical system 300 and the gas discharge device 160. 2 and a pressure control valve V3 between the space 311 and the gas discharge device 160, respectively.
- the lens unit 305 similar to the lens units 301 and 302 is used instead of the optical performance adjusting lens unit 303 and the lens driving device 304 thereof.
- the control circuit 402 stores in advance the designed pressure target values in the casing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the designed pressure target values in the spaces 310 and 31 1 in the lens barrel LB of the projection optical system 300. It is remembered.
- the interior of the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the spaces 310 and 311 in the lens barrel of the projection optical system 300 are filled with nitrogen gas at a predetermined pressure.
- the inlet-side on-off valve of the gas supply device 150 and each of the pressure control valves V 1 to V 3 are closed.
- the openings of the pressure control valves V1 to V3 are adjusted so that the pressures detected by the pressure sensors PS1 to PS3 during the exposure processing match the target values stored in the control circuit 402.
- the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200 and the optical performance of the projection optical system 300 become predetermined design values, and the pattern can be accurately exposed.
- the nitrogen gas supply passage to the case CA and the lens barrel LB is in communication, if the pressure of the case CA and the pressure control of the lens chambers 310 and 311 affect each other, the nitrogen gas
- the supply passages are each independent.
- the projection exposure apparatus sets the pressure in the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the pressure in the lens barrel LB of the projection optical system 300 to a predetermined target value. And measure the atmospheric pressure with the pressure sensor PS4, and respond to the atmospheric pressure.
- the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200 and the projection optical system 300 is adjusted. Therefore, similarly to the first embodiment, the illumination optical system 200 is provided with a lens unit 210 for adjusting optical performance and its driving device 211, and the projection optical system 300 is provided with optical performance adjustment.
- a lens unit 303 and a driving device 304 thereof are provided.
- the exposure accuracy is reduced due to the pressure of the inert gas charged into each of them.
- the optical performance adjusting lens units 210 and 303 are used to compensate, so that the exposure accuracy can be improved.
- FIG. 5 a fifth embodiment of the projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described.
- the projection exposure apparatus has a configuration in which the optical performance adjusting lens unit 303 is drive-controlled to adjust the optical performance of the projection optical system 300.
- the optical performance of the projection optical system is adjusted by changing the pressure of the nitrogen gas in the space 311 between the lens units 301 and 302.
- the space 311 The room is to be controlled. That is, a pressure control valve V1 is provided between the space 311 and the gas supply device 150, and a pressure control valve V2 is provided between the space 311 and the gas discharge device 160. Further, the control circuit 402 has an optical performance (combination of the atmospheric pressure and the atmospheric pressure) of the spaces 310 and 311 in the lens barrel LB, which is obtained in advance by experiment or by calculation (simulation). Focus position, projection magnification, etc.) and pressure control data of the space 311 for correcting the fluctuation of the optical performance are stored in correspondence. The pressure control data may be calculated by storing the rate of change of each optical property due to the pressure change, sequentially obtaining the amount of change in the optical properties, and the like.
- the gas exhaust device 160 When the inside of the housing CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the inside of the lens barrel LB of the projection optical system 300 are evacuated, and when the pressure measurement values of the pressure sensors PS 1 to PS 3 reach a predetermined value, a gas exhaust device is provided. Close the 160-side outlet valve. Thereafter, nitrogen gas is supplied from the gas supply device 150 into the housing CA and the lens barrel LB, respectively, and when the pressure measurement values of the pressure sensors PS1 to PS3 reach the predetermined values, the nitrogen gas is supplied from the gas supply device 150. Stop supplying nitrogen gas and close the inlet on-off valve and close the pressure control valves VI and V2.
- the inside of the casing CA and the inside of the lens barrel LB are filled with nitrogen gas.
- the space 311 is an airtight chamber filled with nitrogen gas, and the space CA of the housing CA and the lens barrel LB is not sealed and nitrogen gas is always flowed. Is also good.
- the exposure processing is started.
- the pressure of each of the pressure sensors PS2 to PS4 is measured and input to the control circuit 402.
- the control circuit 402 reads out the pressure control data of the space 311 stored in advance according to the combination of the input measurement values of each pressure sensor.
- the control circuit 402 controls the pressure of the nitrogen gas by adjusting the opening of the pressure control valves VI and V2 based on the read pressure control data, and controls the pressure in the space 311.
- the pressure control valve V2 is closed and the pressure control valve VI is opened.
- the nitrogen gas from the gas supply device 150 flows into the space 311 and the pressure in the space 311 rises.
- the pressure control valve V 2 should be opened and the pressure control valve V 1 should be closed. Even if a pressure change in the lens barrel LB (a pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure in the lens barrel LB and the atmospheric pressure) occurs due to such pressure control, the optical performance of the projection optical system (for example, projection magnification, etc.) Is adjusted to have a predetermined performance. Therefore, even if the pressure in the lens barrel LB changes, the optical performance of the projection optical system does not change, and the pattern can be exposed with a predetermined accuracy.
- a pressure control valve is provided between the space 310 and the gas supply device 150, and a pressure control valve is provided between the space 310 and the gas discharge device 160. It may be used for evacuation and creation of a nitrogen gas atmosphere at a predetermined pressure. When a pressure fluctuation occurs in the space 310, which is an airtight chamber, the optical performance of the projection optical system is adjusted by controlling the pressure in the space 311.
- the space that should be the controlled room for pressure control is used for simulations and experiments. A more optimal location is selected. For example, the atmospheric pressure at the lens interval of the optical system designed according to the wavelength used for the exposure light is changed, and the change in the relative refractive index at the lens interval at that time is obtained. It is preferable that the interval at which the change is the smallest is set as the control target room. Further, a plurality of spaces to be controlled rooms may be provided.
- a pressure control target room may be provided in the illumination optical system 200 to correct the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200.
- a space formed by the lens 205 and a lens (not shown) between the fly-eye lens unit 204 and the reticle blind 206 may be set as the pressure control target chamber. Then, the illumination unevenness due to the fluctuation of the optical performance of the illumination optical system 200 is experimentally determined according to the pressure in the housing CA, and pressure control data necessary to suppress the illumination unevenness is calculated. May be stored in the control circuit 402 corresponding to the pressure.
- the optical performance adjustment lens unit 303 is provided separately.
- the provided lens unit may compensate for fluctuations in the optical performance of the projection optical system due to fluctuations in atmospheric pressure.
- a change in the optical performance of the illumination optical system due to a change in atmospheric pressure may be compensated for by a lens unit provided separately from the lens unit 210 for adjusting the optical performance.
- a projection optical system 300 including the optical performance adjusting lens unit 303 described in the first, second, and fourth embodiments will be described. This is like moving another lens 303 with respect to lens 301.
- the packing or a gasket made of a rubber-based material or the like is interposed between the holding member for holding one lens and the holding member for holding the other lens, thereby absorbing a change in the relative distance between the two.
- the packing gasket made of an elastic material such as a rubber-based material has a certain thickness or more, when it is tightened with two holding members, it is orthogonal to the thickness direction as well as the thickness direction. It may also be deformed in the direction in which it does. Then, the positional relationship between the two lenses is shifted from the originally intended positional relationship in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis, and as a result, the adjustment by the adjusting unit may not be performed with high accuracy.
- the volume of the space between these two lenses fluctuates and the air pressure in this space changes. Fluctuates. For example, moving the two lenses closer together will increase the air pressure in the space, while moving the two lenses farther away will lower the air pressure in the space. Due to such pressure fluctuations, the refractive index of the atmosphere changes, and the image formation position may fluctuate or image distortion may occur.
- the projection accuracy in the projection exposure apparatus is reduced, and as a result, it is difficult to realize high-precision overlay of the panel. Has become.
- the projection optical system 300 includes a plurality of lenses, that is, an optical element 21, a holding member 22 that holds each lens 21, and a cylinder that holds these holding members 22. Lens barrel 23.
- the projection optical system 300 condenses the exposure light transmitted through the reticle R (see FIG. 1) on the wafer W (see FIG. 1) via a plurality of lenses 21.
- An opening 24 communicating with both sides of the holding member 22 is formed at the center of each holding member 22.
- the opening 24 has a small-diameter portion 24 a having a smaller diameter on one surface side (lower surface side) of the holding member 22 than the lens 21, and a larger diameter portion on the other surface side (upper surface side) than the lens 21.
- the large diameter portion is 24b.
- Lens 2 in the middle between small diameter section 24a and large diameter section 24b A step 24 c having substantially the same diameter as 1 is formed.
- Each holding member 22 holds the lens 21 by fitting the outer periphery of the lens 21 into the step 24 c of the opening 24.
- the holding member 22 communicates between one surface of the holding member 22 and the other surface on which the large diameter portion 24 b is formed on the outer peripheral side of the small diameter portion 24 a of the opening 24.
- a plurality of communication holes 25 are formed.
- the lens barrel 23 is composed of three members, for example, a lower lens barrel 23A, an upper lens barrel 23B, and an upper lid 23C.
- the inner peripheral surface 26 of each of the lower lens barrel 23 A and the upper lens barrel 23 B has an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the holding member 22.
- Openings 27 having a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the holding member 22 are formed at the lower ends of the lower lens barrel 23 A and the upper lens barrel 23 B. With this opening 27, a holding portion 28 for holding the stored holding member 22 is formed at the lower end of the lower lens barrel 23A and the upper lens barrel 23B.
- an adjusting part 30 for adjusting the relative positions thereof.
- the adjusting portion 30 is a biasing member interposed between the flange 31 formed at the upper end of the lower lens barrel 23A and the flange 32 formed at the lower end of the upper lens barrel 23B. It includes a member 34 and a plurality of adjusting screws 33 for changing the distance between the lower lens barrel 23A and the upper lens barrel 23B.
- the adjusting screw 33 is rotatably supported by the flange 32, and a screw portion formed at the tip thereof is screwed to the flange 31.
- the biasing member 34 includes, for example, a coil panel of approximately the same diameter as the lens barrel 23 interposed in a compressed state between the flange 31 and the flange 32, whereby the lower lens barrel 23 A And the upper lens barrel 23B are urged away from each other.
- three adjusting screws 33 are provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the flange.
- the relative position between the flange 31 and the flange 32 that is, the relative position between the lower lens barrel 23A and the upper lens barrel 23B is displaced. I do.
- tightening the adjustment screw 33 moves the lower lens barrel 23 A and the upper lens barrel 23 B relatively to each other in the approaching direction, and loosening the screw reversely adjusts the lower lens barrel 23 A and the upper lens barrel 23 A. Relative movement in the direction in which 23 B separates. Thereby, the positional relationship between the uppermost lens 21D of the lower lens barrel 23A and the lowermost lens 21C of the upper lens barrel 23B is adjusted.
- a plurality of lenses 21 constituting the projection optical system 300 are provided with lenses 21 A, 21 B, 21 C... From the top to the bottom. ing.
- the adjusting portion 30 between the lower lens barrel 23 A and the upper lens barrel 23 B is provided with a seal part 35.
- the seal portion 35 is provided on the lower ring 36 provided on the upper surface of the holding member 22 accommodated in the uppermost portion of the lower lens barrel 23A and the opening 27 on the lower end of the upper lens barrel 23B. It is composed of an attached upper ring, that is, a convex portion 37, and a sealing material, that is, a filler 38, interposed between the lower ring 36 and the upper ring 37.
- the lower ring 36 has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and a groove, that is, a concave portion 39 is formed on the upper surface thereof.
- the groove 39 has substantially the same diameter as the upper ring 37, and its width is set to be larger by a predetermined dimension than the thickness of the upper ring 37.
- the seal material 38 is made of a viscous material, such as a fluorine-based grease or a fluororesin gel-like material, and is made of an inert grease having an inactive property to a photochemical reaction.
- the sealing material 38 is filled in the groove 39 of the lower ring 36. By inserting the lower end of the upper ring 37 into the sealing material 38, the sealing material 38 is interposed between the inner surface of the groove 39 and the outer surface of the upper ring 37, and the lens The communication between the inside and outside of the room (space) is cut off, and the adjusting section 30 exhibits the sealing performance.
- An adjusting section 40 having the same structure as the adjusting section 30 is also provided between the upper end of the upper lens barrel 23B and the upper lid 23C disposed above the upper section.
- the adjusting portion 40 includes a plurality of adjusting screws 33 provided between the flange 41 formed on the upper end of the upper lens barrel 23B and the outer peripheral portion of the upper lid 23C, and a plurality of biasing members. It consists of 3 and 4. By turning the adjustment screw 33, the relative position between the upper lens barrel 23B and the upper lid 23C is displaced, and the upper lens barrel 23B and the upper lid 23C are mutually moved by the urging member 34. It is urged away.
- the adjustment unit 40 By displacing the relative position of the upper lens barrel 23 B and the upper lid 23 C by the adjustment unit 40, the upper lens 23 B of the upper lens barrel 23 B and the uppermost lens 21 B are attached to the upper lid 23 C. The positional relationship with the set lens 21A is adjusted.
- the upper lid 23C has an opening 42 having a step portion 42a for holding the lens 21A at a central portion thereof, and a communication hole 43 formed on an outer peripheral side thereof.
- the upper lid 23C is a member equivalent to the holding member 22.
- the adjusting section 40 includes a seal section 45 similar to the seal section 35.
- the lower part 45 is provided with a lower ring 36 provided on the upper surface of the holding member 22 housed in the uppermost part of the upper lens barrel 23 B, and a substantially L-shaped section attached to the lower surface of the upper lid 23 C.
- An upper ring that is, a convex portion 47, and a seal member 38 interposed between the lower ring 36 and the upper ring 47.
- the communication holes 25 are formed in the plurality of holding members 22 housed in the lens barrel 23, for example, two lenses 2
- the space S1 between 1A and 21B and the space S3 between the lenses 21C and 21D communicate with each other.
- one of the communication holes 43 formed in the upper lid 23C of the lens barrel 23 is inactive against photochemical reactions such as nitrogen gas and helium gas.
- a gas supply device (not shown) is connected via a supply pipe 50 for supplying a suitable gas, and a sealing plug 51 for closing the other communication hole 43 is mounted.
- a gas discharge device (not shown) is connected to one communication hole 25 via a discharge pipe 52.
- the other communication hole 25 is provided with a sealing plug 51.
- An inert gas is fed into the lens barrel 23 from a supply pipe 50, and the inert gas is supplied to each space S through the communication hole 25 of each holding member 22, and is discharged from the discharge pipe 52. Is done.
- the optical path atmosphere of the exposure light in the lens barrel 23 is replaced with the inert gas, and the inert gas is circulated.
- the sealing material 38 interposed between them is inert grease, It is not elastically deformed like a packing or a gasket, and remains while being interposed between the side surfaces of the groove 39 of the lower ring 36 and the side surfaces of the upper rings 37, 47. Therefore, the sealing performance between the lower ring 36 and the upper ring 37 or 47, that is, the adjusting portions 30 and 40 is maintained.
- a projection exposure apparatus having such a projection optical system 300, as shown in FIG. 1, exposure light emitted from a light source 100 is transmitted to a reticle R via a light transmission system and an illumination optical system 200. Then, the image of the circuit pattern formed on the reticle R is projected and exposed on a predetermined exposure area of the wafer W via the projection optical system 300. After the projection exposure of the pattern image onto the exposure area is completed, the wafer W is moved to a predetermined position and positioned by the stage device WS, and the pattern image is projected and exposed on the next exposure area. . In this way, the projection and exposure of the pattern image onto the entire wafer W is performed by the so-called step-and-repeat method, in which the movement and positioning of the wafer W and the projection and exposure of the pattern image are sequentially repeated. Will be
- the inside of the shower body CA of the illumination optical system 200 and the inside of the lens barrel 23 of the projection optical system 300 are replaced with an inert gas.
- the exposure light passes through the inert gas atmosphere from the light source 100 to the wafer W. Accordingly, it is possible to prevent the generation of ozone generated by the photochemical reaction of the exposure light with the air.
- the environment and the light use efficiency (transmittance) of the exposure light can be exhibited stably.
- this projection optical system 300 not only can the atmosphere in the optical path of the exposure light be replaced with an inert gas, but also the inert gas can be recovered and circulated from the lens barrel 23, and the inert gas can be removed. It can be used efficiently without waste. Further, for example, when an ArF excimer laser is used as the exposure light, an adhesive or filler for fixing the lens 21 to the holding member 22 even if the inside of the lens barrel 23 is replaced with an inert gas, Alternatively, foreign matter generated from the inner wall of the lens barrel 23, for example, water, hydroxycarbon, or any other substance that diffuses exposure light, adheres to the lens 21 or floats in the optical path, thereby causing projection optics. A problem arises that the transmittance of the system 300 fluctuates. However, as mentioned above, By recovering the inert gas from the lens barrel 23, it is possible to minimize the fluctuation of the transmittance of the projection optical system 300.
- the sealing material 38 is viscous. Since it is a material, the sealing material 38 stays interposed between the side surfaces of the groove 39 of the lower ring 36 and the side surfaces of the upper rings 37, 47, and the lens chambers S l, S 2 ... can be sealed. Moreover, even if the lower ring 36 and the upper rings 37, 47 are displaced relative to each other in the optical axis direction, the seal ring 38 can easily follow and deform, and the lower ring 36 and the upper ring 37 can be easily deformed.
- the positional relationship between the lenses 21A and 21B or the positional relationship between 21C and 21D of the adjusting sections 30 and 40 and the positional relationship between 21C and 21D of the adjusting sections 30 and 40 should be adjusted with high accuracy. Becomes possible. As a result, the accuracy of image formation in the projection exposure apparatus is reduced, that is, the focal position, magnification, and Seidel's five aberrations of the projection optical system 300 are not reduced, and the telecentricity and image contrast are not reduced. It is possible to realize the superposition of the patterns with high accuracy in.
- the space S 3 communicates with the space S 4 and the space S 1 communicates with the space S 2 respectively.
- the spaces S1 to S4 are all kept at the same pressure. Also with this, it is possible to prevent the projection accuracy of the projection exposure apparatus 11 from being lowered by the adjustment by the adjustment units 30 and 40, and to realize the pattern superposition with high accuracy.
- the lens 21 C and 21 E It is also possible to configure so that only the lens 21D moves relative to the lenses 21C and 21E without changing the interval. Similarly, instead of the adjusting unit 40, only the lens 21B is moved relative to the lenses 21A and 21C without changing the distance between the lenses 21A and 21C. You may comprise.
- the adjusting portions 30 and 40 are provided with the seal portions 35 and 45.
- the seal part 55 provided in the adjustment part 30 includes a flange 31 at the upper end of the lower lens barrel 23A and a flange 31 at the lower end of the upper lens barrel 23B. And a cylindrical member 56 made of, for example, rubber and provided on the outer peripheral surface side.
- the sealing portion 57 provided in the adjusting portion 40 is also provided on the outer peripheral surface side of the flange 41 at the upper end of the upper lens barrel portion 23B and the upper lid 23C, for example, a rubber material.
- the cylindrical member 58 is formed. In such a seal structure, the tubular members 56 and 58 expand and contract in the optical axis direction when adjusting the distance between the optical elements.
- the seal portions 35, 45, 55, and 57 may be omitted.
- the inside of the chamber becomes a gas chamber, and the gas chamber and the inside of the lens barrel 23 are communicated via the communication hole 43 of the upper lid 23C.
- the space S 3 communicates with the space S 4 located on the opposite side of the lens 21 D via the communication hole 25, and the space S 1 is on the opposite side of the lens 21 B.
- the space S2 located at the position through the communication hole 25.
- pressure fluctuation in the lens chamber when changing the lens interval may be prevented as follows. That is, the space S3 may be connected to the space S other than the space S4, and the space S1 may be connected to the space S other than the space S2 by a communication pipe instead of the communication hole.
- the space S3 or S1 may be communicated with a container, which is provided separately from the projection optical system 300 and is filled with an inert gas. In this case, spaces S 1 and S 2 or spaces S 3 and S 4 are communicated with the container.
- the supply tube 50 is provided in the lens barrel 23 of the projection optical system 300, and the inert gas is supplied from the supply tube 50.
- the reticle R is also an inert gas.
- the lens barrel 23 can be integrally connected to the case.
- the supply pipe 50 may be omitted, and the inert gas may be supplied from the reticle cylinder to the lens barrel 23 by connecting to the lens barrel 23 via the reticle housing and the communication hole 43.
- the present invention is configured to be applied to the projection optical system 300, but may be applied to other parts such as the illumination optical system 200 and the light transmission system. That is, as long as two optical elements such as a lens and a mirror move relatively, the present invention can be applied in the same manner as described above. For example, by moving the fly-eye lens 204 as an optical integrator shown in FIG. 1 in the direction of the optical axis of the illumination optical system, the optical intergret 204 and the optical lens in-between are arranged.
- the present invention is also effective for an illumination optical system that adjusts the illuminance distribution of exposure light on a reticle R by changing the distance between each of the two optical elements.
- the lens 21C when the lens 21C is moved by the adjustment unit 30, the lenses 21A and 21B stacked on the lens 21C also move. become.
- the mechanism for driving the lens 21 is not limited to this configuration.
- the holding members for the lenses 21A and 21B are not stacked on the holding member for the lens 21C, and the adjusting unit 3 Even if the holding member of the lens 21C is driven by 0, the lenses 21A and 21B may not move.
- the lens (or its holding member) may be supported and moved by three piezoelectric elements (such as piezo elements) provided at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction of the flange. Good.
- the number of lenses 21 configured to be movable is increased, and the focal position, magnification, distortion, astigmatism, field curvature, coma, and spherical surface of the projection optical system 300 are increased. At least three aberrations may be adjusted.
- the projection optical system 300 is provided with a tiltable parallel plane plate disposed on the wafer W side in order to correct eccentric coma aberration. Can be applied. (Seventh embodiment)
- FIG. 8 schematically shows a configuration of an exposure apparatus 410 according to the present embodiment.
- the exposure apparatus 410 transfers a pattern formed on a reticle R as a mask to a shot area on a wafer W as an object to be exposed through a projection optical system PL by a step-and-scan method. It is a scanning type projection exposure apparatus (so-called scanning stepper).
- the exposure apparatus 410 includes an illumination system 4122 that includes a light source and irradiates the reticle R with exposure light EL as an illumination beam, a reticle stage RST on which the reticle R is mounted, and a pattern formed on the reticle R.
- a wafer stage WST on which the wafer W is mounted and a control system for these.
- the illumination system 412 opens and closes a light source, that is, an ArF excimer laser, and an optical path of light.
- It includes an optical system including a fly-eye lens, an illumination system aperture stop (revolver), and a blind that limits the illumination field of the illumination light.
- an optical system including a fly-eye lens, an illumination system aperture stop (revolver), and a blind that limits the illumination field of the illumination light.
- the illumination optical system exposure light is made uniform and speckle is reduced.
- the exposure light from the illumination system 4 12, that is, the illumination beam EL irradiates the reticle R mounted on the reticle stage RST described below under uniform and predetermined illumination conditions. .
- a reticle R on which a predetermined pattern PA is formed is mounted on reticle stage RST, and reticle R is held by a reticle holder (not shown).
- the reticle stage RST is driven by a predetermined stroke in a predetermined scanning direction (here, in the Y direction) by a reticle stage drive system 414 comprising a linear camera and the like, and is capable of fine movement in an XY plane. ing.
- the position of the reticle stage RS in the XY plane is constantly detected by the reticle laser interferometer 416 at a predetermined resolution, for example, a resolution of about 0.5 to 1 nm, and the measured value controls the entire apparatus as a whole. It is supplied to the main control section 4 22.
- unsealed spaces 426, 428 including a plurality of lens elements and an airtight chamber 440 provided between the lens elements are provided.
- the airtight chamber 440 is for adjusting the gas pressure inside the chamber to adjust the imaging characteristics such as the projection magnification (or symmetric distortion).
- the space portions 426, 428 and the airtight chamber 440 are filled with a nitrogen gas (N 2 ) as described later, so that the exposure light ( Even when irradiated with ArF laser light, ozone is not generated in the projection optical system PL.
- the wafer stage WST is arranged below the projection optical system PL and can move two-dimensionally in a horizontal plane (XY plane).
- the XY stage 466 is mounted on the XY stage 466, and the optical axis direction (Z A Z stage 4 7 6 that can be finely moved in the axial direction).
- a substrate, that is, a wafer W is suction-held on the Z stage 476 via a wafer holder (not shown), and the Z stage 476 is minutely driven in the optical axis direction by a drive system.
- the XY stage 466 is driven in the XY two-dimensional direction by a plane motor or the like. That is, the wafer W is driven in a three-dimensional direction by a drive system of the Z stage 476 and a plane motor that drives the XY stage. In FIG. Shown as 7 4.
- the position of the XY stage 466 is determined by an external wafer laser interferometer 472 via a movable mirror 471 fixed on the XY stage 466 or the Z stage 476, with a predetermined resolution. For example, it is always detected with a resolution of about 0.5 to 1 nm.
- the measurement value of the wafer laser interferometer 472 is supplied to the main controller 422.
- a reference mark plate FM on which a so-called base line measurement reference mark and other reference marks are formed is fixed on the Z stage 476, and the surface of the reference mark plate FM is almost flush with the wafer W surface. It is said.
- the alignment mask on the wafer W is provided beside the projection optical system PL.
- an Opaxis Alignment Microscope ALG that detects the reference mark, ie, the alignment mark or reference mark on the reference mark plate FM.
- the alignment microscope ALG an image-forming imaging alignment sensor is used.
- the measured value of the alignment microscope ALG is also supplied to the main control unit 422.
- the exposure apparatus 410 detects the position of the surface of the wafer W in the optical axis direction (Z-axis direction) in order to align the exposure surface of the wafer W with the focal position of the projection optical system PL.
- a so-called oblique incident light type focus detection mechanism (not shown) is provided.
- FIG. 9 schematically shows the configuration of a gas supply system for supplying nitrogen gas (N 2 ) into projection optical system PL.
- This gas supply system is composed of a solenoid valve 418, a manual valve 420, a first regulator 424, and a flow rate, which are sequentially connected via a piping system to a nitrogen gas tank (not shown), which is a nitrogen gas supply source. It is equipped with a gas supply device 438 consisting of a total of 4300, a filter unit 432, a nozzle tank 4334, and a distributor 436.
- the solenoid valve 418 and the manual valve 420 are valves for permitting / cutting off the flow of gas from a nitrogen gas tank (not shown) into the gas supply device 438.
- the first regulator 4 2 4 is used to set the supply pressure of nitrogen gas supplied from the gas supply device 438 to first to third supply pipes described later.
- a pressure sensor for detecting the internal pressure (gas pressure) in the piping system in the vicinity of the first regulator 424 is provided near the first regulator 424. There is a pressure turret to display the detected value.
- the filter unit 432 includes an air filter such as a ULPA filter (ultra low penetration air-filter) or a HEPA filter (high efficiency particulate air-filter), and a chemical filter.
- an air filter such as a ULPA filter (ultra low penetration air-filter) or a HEPA filter (high efficiency particulate air-filter)
- a chemical filter is used. The reason why the chemical filter is used is mainly to remove impurities that are a source of fogging substances that fog the lens elements and the like that constitute the projection optical system PL.
- the buffer tank 4 3 4 uses the temperature of the nitrogen gas sent into the projection optical system PL. This is to temporarily store nitrogen gas in order to adjust the temperature to approximately the same as the temperature of the air inside the projection optical system PL before gas replacement. Therefore, the buffer tank 434 is provided with a temperature controller 435. The target temperature for this temperature adjustment is set to be substantially the same as the temperature in the chamber in which the exposure apparatus 410 is housed, that is, the temperature in the clean room in which the chamber is installed.
- the distributor 436 transfers the temperature-adjusted nitrogen gas to the three spaces in the projection optical system PL, that is, the central hermetic chamber 4400, the upper and lower unsealed spaces 426, 428. This is for distributing, and three flow regulating valves 437A, 437B, 437C are provided on the discharge side of the distributor 436.
- One end of the first supply pipe 458, the second supply pipe 460, and one end of the third supply pipe 462 as supply paths are connected to the flow control valves 437A, 437B and 437C, respectively. Is connected.
- the other end of the first supply pipe 458 is connected to the space 426 above the projection optical system PL.
- An exhaust pipe 464 is connected to the opposite side of the space 4246 from the first supply pipe 458. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 8, openings 426a and 426b are formed in the space 426 at different heights. This is because the air is efficiently discharged to the outside according to the specific gravity of the gas supplied into the space portion 426 so that the air does not stay above the space portion.
- the gas to be supplied is nitrogen gas, so that the specific gravity is almost the same as that of air. Therefore, it is not always necessary to do so.
- helium gas (H e) or the like This is particularly effective when supplying a service.
- the first supply pipe 458 is connected to one of the openings 4 26 a of the space section 4 26, and the other opening 4 26 b forms a part of the exhaust path and is connected to the exhaust main pipe.
- An exhaust pipe 4 6 4 communicating with 70 is connected.
- a pressure detection system that is, a differential pressure sensor 468 is provided near the opening 426a of the first supply pipe 458. .
- the differential pressure sensor 468 detects the atmospheric pressure, that is, the pressure difference between the pressure in the chamber and the pressure in the first supply pipe 458 (which is almost the same as the pressure in the space 426). The pressure in the space 426 is detected based on the atmospheric pressure.
- a branch line communicating with the exhaust main pipe 470 that is, a first branch pipe 478 is provided at a position slightly upstream of the portion where the differential pressure sensor 4688 of the first supply pipe 458 is provided.
- the first branch pipe 478 is provided with a solenoid valve 480 as a switch.
- a first oxygen sensor 482 is provided in the vicinity of the opening 426 b of the exhaust pipe 466 as shown in FIG.
- openings 428 a and 428 b are formed at different heights in the space 428 below the projection optical system PL, as shown in FIG.
- the other end of the third supply pipe 462 described above is connected to the opening 428a.
- the vicinity of the opening 428a of the third supply pipe 462 is close to the atmospheric pressure, that is, the pressure in the chamber and the pressure in the third supply pipe 462 (the space 4 A pressure detection system, that is, a differential pressure sensor 484 that detects the pressure in the space 428 on the basis of the atmospheric pressure by detecting the pressure difference between the pressure in the space 428 and the pressure in the space 284 is provided. .
- a branch path communicating with the exhaust main pipe 470, that is, the third branch pipe 468 The third branch pipe 4886 is provided with a solenoid valve 4888 as a switch.
- An exhaust pipe 490 which forms a part of an exhaust path and communicates with an exhaust main pipe 470 is connected to the other opening 428b of the space 428.
- a third oxygen sensor 492 is provided in the vicinity of the opening 4 028b of the zero.
- the other end of the second supply pipe 460 is connected to an airtight chamber 440 of the projection optical system PL via a pressure adjusting mechanism 494.
- a pressure setting device that is, a second regulator 496 is provided in a portion of the second supply pipe 460 upstream of the pressure adjusting mechanism 494.
- the pressure adjusting mechanism 498 includes an electromagnetic valve 498 provided on the downstream side of the second regulator 496, a pressure regulator LC provided on the downstream side of the electromagnetic valve 498, and an electromagnetic valve. It has a branch branched at a position between the valve 498 and the pressure regulator LC, that is, a switch provided on the second branch pipe 499, that is, a solenoid valve 497.
- the pressure regulator LC is connected to the other end of a pipe 4 4 2 (one end of which is connected to the airtight chamber 44) (this pipe 44 2 forms a part of the supply path).
- An electromagnetic valve 452 provided on a branch pipe 443 branched upstream of the solenoid valve 448 of the pipe 442 is provided. Nitrogen gas in the second supply pipe 60 is supplied through the solenoid valve 452.
- an exhaust pipe 444 communicating with the exhaust main pipe 470 and forming a part of the exhaust path is connected to the exhaust side of the airtight chamber 440.
- An exhaust path switch that is, a solenoid valve 450 is provided on the exhaust pipe 44, and a second oxygen sensor 45 54 is provided on the airtight chamber 44 side of the solenoid valve 450.
- a solenoid valve with a check valve 495 is located downstream of the position where the first, second and third branch pipes 478, 499 and 486 of the exhaust main pipe 470 are connected. Is provided.
- the measurement values of various sensors are supplied to the main control section 422 of FIG. 8 which is composed of a workstation (or a microcomputer).
- the main control unit 422 controls each of the solenoid valves, the bellows pump, and the like constituting the gas supply system based on these measured values as described later.
- the manual valve 420 is manually pre-opened.
- the main control section 4 2 2 opens the solenoid valve 4 18.
- Set pressure of the first Regiyure Isseki 4 2 4 in advance, for example, 3 is set in kg / cm 2, supplying 3 kg / cm 2 in nitrogen gas to Roh 'Uz off Atanku 4 3 4 nitrogen gas tank (not shown) I do.
- the flow control valves 437A to 437C are closed, and after a predetermined time has elapsed, the distributor 436 is filled with nitrogen gas whose temperature has been adjusted to a predetermined temperature.
- the main control section 422 opens the supply side solenoid valve 498, the solenoid valve 448, 452 in the pressure regulator LC, and the exhaust side solenoid valve 450. At the same time, the main controller 422 opens the flow control valves 437A to 437C.
- the second leg is set to 2.5 kg / cm2 beforehand, for example, and the gas supply pressure at the supply pipe 460 is the first value of 2.5 kg / cm2. Adjusted to 2 .
- the main control unit 4 2 2 measures the values measured by the first to third oxygen sensors 4 8 2, 4 5 4, 4 9 2, that is, the exhaust pipes 4 6 4, 4 4 4, 4 9. Monitor the oxygen gas concentration in 0.
- the main control unit 422 also monitors the measured values of the differential pressure sensors 468, 456, 484. While the air inside the space section 426, the airtight chamber 440, and the space section 428 is being replaced with nitrogen gas, the main control section 422 holds the first to third oxygen sensors 482. , 454, 492 wait for the detected oxygen concentration to fall below a predetermined threshold value, for example, 1%.
- the main control unit 422 ends the replacement of the nitrogen gas in the space 426, and the nitrogen gas in the space 426. Is determined to be filled, and the fact is displayed on a display device (not shown).
- the main control unit 422 opens the solenoid valve 480 that opens and closes the first branch pipe 478 until the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 468 becomes less than a predetermined value.
- the main control unit 422 ends the replacement of the nitrogen gas in the space 428, and It is determined that nitrogen gas has been filled, and the fact is displayed on a display device (not shown).
- the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 484 becomes equal to or higher than the predetermined value during the replacement of the nitrogen gas (the difference between the gas pressure in the third supply pipe 462 and the atmospheric pressure becomes the predetermined value).
- the main controller 4222 opens the solenoid valve 488 that opens and closes the third branch pipe 486 until the differential pressure sensor 484 detects less than the predetermined value.
- both the flow control valves 437A and 437C remain open, and nitrogen gas is always supplied into the spaces 426 and 428. that c
- the main control unit 4 2 2 always monitors the detection value of the differential pressure sensor 4 6 8 4 8 4 It is desirable to control the opening and closing of the solenoid valves 480 and 488 as appropriate so that abnormally high pressure does not act on the lens elements in the spaces 426 and 428.
- the main control unit 422 ends the replacement of the nitrogen gas in the airtight chamber 440, and the nitrogen in the airtight chamber 440. It is determined that the gas is filled, and the fact is displayed on a display device (not shown). At the same time, the main control section 422 closes the exhaust side solenoid valve 450 and the supply side solenoid valve 498. Second Regiyure Isseki 4 9 6 settings as described above 2. 5. However a kg / cm 2, pressure regulator LC is a second value, for example 1. Capable of operating at 0 kg / cm 2 or less It has been.
- the solenoid valve 497 for opening and closing the second branch pipe 499 is opened to adjust the pressure of the airtight chamber 440 and the pressure regulator LC. That is, the main control unit 4 222 monitors the measured value of the differential pressure sensor 4 56 and sets the solenoid valve 4 97 until the gas pressure in the pipe 4 42 reaches the second value. When the excess pressure is released and the gas pressure in the pipe 442 reaches the second value, the solenoid valve 497 is closed and the solenoid valve 452 in the pressure regulator LC is closed at the same time. As a result, the airtight chamber 422 and the pressure regulator LC are filled with nitrogen gas of 1.0 kg / cm 2 or less.
- the pressure in the hermetic chamber can be adjusted by the pressure regulator LC under a supply pressure of 1 kg / cm 2 or less.
- the main control unit 422 opens and closes the electromagnetic circuit for opening and closing the second branch pipe 499. Open the valve 497 to prevent abnormally high pressure in the airtight chamber 440.
- a reticle R is transported by a reticle transport system (not shown), and is held by suction at a reticle stage RST at a mouthing position.
- the positions of the wafer stage WST and the reticle stage RST are controlled by the main control unit 422, and a reticle alignment mark (not shown) drawn on the reticle R and a reference mark plate for the reticle alignment on the FM.
- the displacement from the mark is measured using a reticle microscope (not shown). That is, reticle alignment is performed.
- the main control unit 422 moves the wafer stage WST so that the reference mark for the baseline measurement on the reference mark plate FM is located immediately below the alignment microscope ALG, and the detection signal of the alignment microscope ALG is moved.
- EGA Enhanced Global Alignment
- error parameters Rotation, XY scaling, XY
- the main control unit 422 scans the wafer stage WST for the first shot while monitoring the position information from the laser interferometer 472 according to the position information of each shot area on the wafer W obtained above.
- reticle stage RST is positioned at the scanning start position, and scanning exposure for the first shot is performed.
- the main controller 422 drives the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST in opposite directions, and adjusts the speed ratio of both to exactly match the projection magnification of the projection optical system PL. Exposure (transfer of the reticle pattern) is performed in a synchronized state at a constant speed while maintaining the speed ratio of both stages by controlling the speed of both stages.
- the main control unit 422 performs a stepping operation between shots for moving the wafer stage WST to the scanning start position of the second shot. Then, the scanning exposure of the second shot is performed in the same manner as described above. Thereafter, the same operation is performed in the third and subsequent shots.
- the stepping operation between shots and the scanning exposure operation of the shots are repeated, and the pattern of the reticle R is transferred to all the shot areas on the wafer W by the step-and-scan method.
- the above-described exposure processing operation is repeatedly performed while sequentially exchanging the wafers W.
- the fluctuation of the atmospheric pressure in the chamber and the projection optical Irradiation of the exposure light EL to the system PL changes the magnification of the projection optical system PL. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the main control unit 422 measures these fluctuations periodically, for example, for each predetermined port, or obtains them by calculation, and cancels them, that is, the projection magnification.
- the pressure in the hermetic chamber 440 is controlled via the pressure regulating mechanism 494, mainly the pressure regulator LC, so that the pressure is always controlled to a constant value (for example, 1/4 or 1/5).
- the pressure control in the hermetic chamber 440 is performed as follows.
- the main control unit 422 closes the solenoid valve 452 and drives the bellows pump 446 to expand and contract while the solenoid valve 448 is opened, thereby adjusting the pressure within the stroke range of the bellows pump 446.
- the main control unit 422 closes the solenoid valve 448 and opens the solenoid valve 452, and the second value from the solenoid valve 498 side (1. OkgZcm 2 or less) or more (even if when the control pressure in the airtight chamber 440 by stroke Ichiku control of the bellows pump 446 is controlled to a value exceeding the 1. 0 kg / cm 2 is in excess of 1. 0 kg / cm 2
- the solenoid valve 452 is closed and the solenoid valve 448 is opened to compress and drive the bellows pump 446. Such an operation is repeated.
- the above-described adjustment of the gas supply to the pressure regulator LC is performed by appropriately controlling the opening and closing of the solenoid valves 498 and 497.
- the control pressure in the hermetic chamber 440 is controlled to a value exceeding 1.0 kg / cm 2 by the stroke control of the bellows pump 446.
- a pressure sensor (not shown) for detecting the line pressure between the second regulator 496 and the solenoid valve 448 is provided, the solenoid valve 448 is closed, the solenoid valve 498 is opened, and the pressure is adjusted as follows. Perform the clause.
- the solenoid valve 497 is controlled to open and close while monitoring the pressure of the pipeline 443 with a pressure sensor (not shown).
- the solenoid valves 497 and 498 are controlled. Close. As a result, the pressure regulator LC is filled with a predetermined gas pressure exceeding 1. Okg / cm 2 . Therefore, after that, if the solenoid valve 448 is opened and the bellows pump 446 is driven, the airtight chamber 44 0 can be controlled to a desired pressure.
- the differential pressure sensor 468, the solenoid valve 480, and the main control unit 4222 cause When a line opening / closing device that configures the branch pipe 4 7 8 is configured, and the pressure of the nitrogen gas exceeds a predetermined value by the differential pressure sensor 4 56, the solenoid valve 4 97, and the main control unit 4 22 A line opening / closing device for opening the second branch pipe 499 is configured at the same time, and the pressure of the nitrogen gas exceeds a predetermined value by the differential pressure sensor 484, the solenoid valve 488, and the main control unit 422. A pipeline opening / closing device that sometimes opens the third branch pipe 486 is configured. Further, in the present embodiment, the oxygen sensor 4554 and the main control unit 4222 constitute a gas filling degree detection system that detects the filling degree of the gas in the hermetic chamber 4440.
- a control device for opening the solenoid valves 480, 497, and 488 corresponding to the above has been realized.
- the solenoid valve 450 as an exhaust path switch is opened by the function of the main controller 422, and the second regulator 496 set to the first value is connected to the second valve 496.
- the gas supply is started from the gas supply device 438 at the gas supply pressure (pressure on the supply side) in the second supply pipe 460 via the pressure setting device composed of the solenoid valve 497 that is closed.
- the solenoid valve 450 When it is detected by the above-mentioned gas filling degree detection system that nitrogen gas has been filled in the hermetic chamber 440, the solenoid valve 450 is closed and the solenoid valve 497 serving as a pressure setting device is closed.
- a first controller that sets the gas supply pressure of the pressure regulator LC to a second value lower than the first value, and a pressure adjustment mechanism 494 after the gas supply pressure is set to the second value.
- a second control device that starts pressure control in the hermetic chamber 40 via the second control device is realized.
- the present invention is not limited to this, and separate hardware It is a matter of course that the control device, the first control device, and the second control device may be configured by wear (such as a convenience store).
- the projection magnification is always adjusted to a constant value.
- the present invention is not limited to this, and the main control unit 422 can superimpose the pattern image of the reticle R more accurately on the shot area of the wafer W.
- the pressure in the hermetic chamber 440 may be controlled via the pressure regulator LC based on the XY scaling parameter of the EGA described above to fine-tune the projection magnification in the non-scanning direction. .
- the nitrogen gas is always supplied to the spaces 426 and 428 during the exposure processing, and the nitrogen gas in the space 426 is constantly refreshed.
- nitrogen gas is retained in the airtight chamber 440, impurities contained in the nitrogen gas in the airtight chamber 440 (impurities of a level that cannot be removed by chemical fill etc.) ) Towards cloudy substance and adheres to the lens element, which may temporarily reduce the transmittance of the projection optical system PL.
- the transmittance of the projection optical system is measured periodically (for each predetermined lot) to determine the change in magnification due to the irradiation of the exposure light EL of the projection optical system PL.
- the rate measurement each time the transmittance falls below a certain threshold value, the above-described nitrogen gas replacement in the hermetic chamber may be performed. From the viewpoint of suppressing the generation of cloudy substances, it is desirable to set up a chemical fill at points A, B, and C in Fig. 9, especially point B.
- a pump is provided downstream of the solenoid valve 495 with a check valve, and the pipe downstream of this pump is connected to the upstream of the first regulator 424 to circulate nitrogen gas.
- the exhaust gas from the first nitrogen gas replacement is Since it is necessary to exhaust to the outside, a branch is provided between the solenoid valve 495 with a check valve and the pump, and an oxygen sensor and a solenoid valve are arranged in this branch, and the concentration of the oxygen sensor is a predetermined value.
- the solenoid valve is opened and exhaust gas is exhausted from the branch path to the outside. After that, the solenoid valve is closed and the exhaust gas (nitrogen gas) is pumped to the upstream side of the first leg. And may be used for circulation.
- an exposure apparatus using an ArF excimer laser as a light source has been described.
- the present invention is not limited to this, and has an advantage of replacing air in a projection optical system with nitrogen gas or the like. Any device that uses a beam source that emits an illumination beam as an exposure light source can be suitably applied.
- the optical system to which the nitrogen gas is supplied is the projection optical system.
- the optical system may be a part or all of the illumination optical system that irradiates the mask with the illumination beam. This is because the illumination optical system also has advantages such as nitrogen gas replacement.
- the filling degree of the nitrogen gas into the spaces 426, 428 and the airtight chamber 440 is determined by the predetermined gas in the exhaust pipes 446, 444, and 490, that is, Detection was based on oxygen concentration. This makes it possible to reliably detect the timing of filling completion even if there is a fluctuation in the gas pressure during the supply.
- the concentration of nitrogen gas in the exhaust pipes 464, 4444, and 4990 may be directly detected.
- a component gas of air such as oxygen or nitrogen or the concentration of the supplied specific gas may be detected.
- the gas filling degree detection system for detecting the degree of filling of the specific gas into the projection optical system PL or the airtight chamber 440 is not limited to this. It is also possible to detect the lapse of a predetermined time required for replacement by using an image or the like.
- a differential pressure sensor was used as a pressure detection system, and this was arranged near the projection optical system PL.
- the present invention is not limited to this.
- a differential pressure sensor or a pressure sensor In the case of using such a sensor, these sensors may be arranged in any part of the piping system in which the ratio of the pressure to the inside of the projection optical system PL or the vicinity thereof is known.
- the degree of sealing is high, such as in an airtight chamber 4
- Boyle-Charles' law almost holds, and in this case, the volume V can be considered to be constant, and as a result, the pressure in the hermetic chamber is considered to be proportional to its temperature, so indirectly based on the output of the temperature sensor The pressure in the airtight chamber may be detected.
- the projection optical system including only a plurality of reflective optical elements, or a reflective optical element and a refractive optical element are used.
- the present invention can also be applied to a catadioptric optical system combining the above.
- an exposure apparatus that uses ultraviolet light having a wavelength of about 19 O nm or more (such as an ArF excimer laser) as exposure light, it is preferable to use nitrogen as the above-mentioned inert gas in consideration of cost, etc.
- the optical system is a catadioptric optical system, it is preferable to supply nitrogen to the illumination optical system and helium to the projection optical system.
- an exposure system that uses ultraviolet light with a wavelength of about 200 nm or more (FrF excimer laser, etc.) as exposure light, it illuminates chemically clean dry air instead of nitrogen or inert gas. You may make it supply to an optical system etc. Dry air removes ammonium ions and the like from the air in the clean room by a chemical fill made of activated carbon and the like, and adjusts its humidity to, for example, about 5% or less.
- an exposure apparatus that uses ultraviolet light (such as an F2 laser) having a wavelength of about 19 Onm or less, it is practical to use helium as the inert gas.
- the technique of the present invention can be similarly applied to a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-repeat type or a step-and-scan type.
- the type of the projection exposure apparatus is not limited to the one used for semiconductor manufacturing.
- a projection exposure apparatus for a liquid crystal that exposes a liquid crystal display element pattern to a square glass plate, and a thin film magnetic head are used.
- the technology of the present invention can be widely applied to an exposure apparatus and the like for manufacturing.
- the magnification of the projection optical system may be not only a reduction system but also any one of an equal magnification and an enlargement system.
- the light source used as the exposure light in the projection exposure apparatus is not limited to the ArF excimer laser (193 nm), but the KrF excimer laser (248 nm) and F2 laser (157 nm), or a harmonic of a YAG laser or metal vapor laser, or EUV (Extreme Ultra Violet) light with an oscillation spectrum in the range of 5 to 15 nm (soft X-ray region), for example. You can also. In such a case, when an excimer laser is used as the projection optical system, quartz or fluorite is used as the glass material. .
- an illumination area on a reflective mask is defined in an arc-slit shape, and a reduced projection optical system consisting of only a plurality (about four) of reflective optical elements (mirrors) is used.
- the reflective mask and the wafer are synchronously moved at a speed ratio according to the magnification of the reduction projection optical system to transfer the pattern of the reflective mask onto the wafer.
- the EUV light is applied to the reflection mask with its principal ray inclined with respect to the axis orthogonal to the reflection mask.
- a desired inert gas atmosphere may be formed between the final lens and the wafer of the projection optical system shown in FIG. 8 by an appropriate method. More specifically, the entire stage apparatus on which the wafer is mounted is surrounded by a container (not shown) from the lower end of the projection optical system, and the container is filled with an inert gas. There is a method in which an inert gas is continuously supplied to the open space to form an inert gas atmosphere.
- any configuration may be adopted as long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present invention, and it is needless to say that the above-described configurations may be appropriately selectively combined.
- the exposure apparatus in each embodiment incorporates an illumination optical system and a projection optical system composed of a plurality of lenses into the exposure apparatus main body and performs optical adjustment, and a reticle stage and a wafer stage composed of a number of mechanical parts are mounted on the exposure apparatus main body. It can be manufactured by mounting, connecting wiring and piping, and then performing comprehensive adjustments (electrical adjustment, operation check, etc.). It is desirable that the exposure apparatus be manufactured in a clean room in which the temperature and cleanliness are controlled.
- a step of designing the function and performance of the device a step of manufacturing a reticle based on this design step, a step of manufacturing a wafer from a silicon material, It is manufactured through a step of exposing a wafer to a wafer, a step of assembling a device (including a dicing process, a bonding process, and a package process), and an inspection step.
Description
Claims
Priority Applications (4)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
AU88851/98A AU8885198A (en) | 1997-08-26 | 1998-08-26 | Aligner, exposure method, method of pressure adjustment of projection optical system, and method of assembling aligner |
KR1020007001949A KR20010023314A (ko) | 1997-08-26 | 1998-08-26 | 노광 장치, 노광 방법, 투영 광학계의 압력 조정 방법 및노광 장치의 조립 방법 |
EP98940553A EP1020897A4 (en) | 1997-08-26 | 1998-08-26 | ALIGNMENT DEVICE, LIGHTING METHOD, METHOD FOR PRINTING AN OPTICAL PROJECTION SYSTEM, AND METHOD FOR COMPOSING THIS ALIGNMENT DEVICE |
US10/246,728 US20030020888A1 (en) | 1997-08-26 | 2002-09-19 | Exposure apparatus, exposure method, method of adjusting pressure of projection optical system and method of assembling exposure apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (6)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP22951997 | 1997-08-26 | ||
JP9/229519 | 1997-08-26 | ||
JP10/31868 | 1998-02-13 | ||
JP10031868A JPH11233412A (ja) | 1998-02-13 | 1998-02-13 | 投影露光装置 |
JP10/202482 | 1998-07-17 | ||
JP10202482A JP2000036447A (ja) | 1998-07-17 | 1998-07-17 | 露光装置及び投影光学系の圧力調整方法 |
Related Child Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
US51276700A Continuation | 1997-08-26 | 2000-02-25 |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
WO1999010917A1 true WO1999010917A1 (fr) | 1999-03-04 |
Family
ID=27287508
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/JP1998/003785 WO1999010917A1 (fr) | 1997-08-26 | 1998-08-26 | Dispositif d'alignement, procede d'exposition, procede de regulation de la pression d'un systeme optique de projection, et procede de montage du dispositif d'alignement |
Country Status (5)
Country | Link |
---|---|
US (1) | US20030020888A1 (ja) |
EP (1) | EP1020897A4 (ja) |
KR (1) | KR20010023314A (ja) |
AU (1) | AU8885198A (ja) |
WO (1) | WO1999010917A1 (ja) |
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US6606144B1 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2003-08-12 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
US6674513B2 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2004-01-06 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
US7301605B2 (en) | 2000-03-03 | 2007-11-27 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure apparatus and method, catadioptric optical system and manufacturing method of devices |
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JP4701030B2 (ja) * | 2005-07-22 | 2011-06-15 | キヤノン株式会社 | 露光装置、露光パラメータを設定する設定方法、露光方法、デバイス製造方法及びプログラム |
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NL2008186A (en) * | 2011-03-14 | 2012-09-17 | Asml Netherlands Bv | Projection system, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method. |
JP6133852B2 (ja) | 2011-06-23 | 2017-05-24 | ディーエムエス ダイナミック マイクロシステムズ セミコンダクター イクイップメント ゲーエムベーハーDMS Dynamic Micro Systems Semiconductor Equipment GmbH | 半導体クリーニングシステム及び半導体清浄方法 |
DE102012219806A1 (de) * | 2012-10-30 | 2014-04-30 | Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh | Projektionsbelichtungsanlage mit mindestens einem Mittel zur Reduktion des Einflusses von Druckschwankungen |
DE102015202844A1 (de) | 2015-02-17 | 2015-04-09 | Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh | Druckanpassungseinrichtung für eine Projektionsbelichtungsanlage |
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Cited By (7)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US6606144B1 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2003-08-12 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
US6674513B2 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2004-01-06 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
US6864961B2 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2005-03-08 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
EP1936420A2 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2008-06-25 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical system |
EP1936419A2 (en) | 1999-09-29 | 2008-06-25 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure methods and apparatus, and projection optical systems |
US7301605B2 (en) | 2000-03-03 | 2007-11-27 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure apparatus and method, catadioptric optical system and manufacturing method of devices |
US7319508B2 (en) | 2000-03-03 | 2008-01-15 | Nikon Corporation | Projection exposure apparatus and method, catadioptric optical system and manufacturing method of devices |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP1020897A4 (en) | 2004-10-27 |
AU8885198A (en) | 1999-03-16 |
US20030020888A1 (en) | 2003-01-30 |
KR20010023314A (ko) | 2001-03-26 |
EP1020897A1 (en) | 2000-07-19 |
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