WO2012160728A1

WO2012160728A1 - Illumination method, illumination optical device, and exposure device

Info

Publication number: WO2012160728A1
Application number: PCT/JP2011/077731
Authority: WO
Inventors: 古谷　俊輔
Original assignee: 株式会社ニコン
Priority date: 2011-05-23
Filing date: 2011-11-30
Publication date: 2012-11-29
Also published as: JPWO2012160728A1

Abstract

A method for illuminating a reticle surface using illumination light supplied from a light source includes: setting a drive signal for defining the tilt angle of a plurality of mirror elements of a spatial optical modulator, each of the mirror elements reflecting the illumination light, and illuminating the reticle surface with the illumination light via the plurality of mirror elements; monitoring the temperature of the plurality of mirror elements using a thermo camera; and correcting the drive signal for the mirror elements on the basis of the result of monitoring the temperature. Fluctuation in the light intensity distribution can be minimized when a surface to be illuminated is illuminated using a plurality of optical elements capable of controlling the state of incident light.

Description

Illumination method, illumination optical apparatus, and exposure apparatus

The present invention relates to an illumination technique for illuminating a surface to be irradiated, an exposure technique using the illumination technique, and a device manufacturing technique using the exposure technique.

For example, an exposure apparatus such as a stepper or a scanning stepper used in a lithography process for manufacturing an electronic device (microdevice) such as a semiconductor element illuminates a reticle (mask) with various illumination conditions and with a uniform illumination distribution. For this purpose, an illumination optical device is provided. In the conventional illumination optical device, the light intensity distribution on the pupil plane (surface conjugate with the exit pupil) of the illumination optical system is intensified in a circular area, an annular area, or a multipolar area, depending on the illumination conditions. In order to set the distribution to be larger, an intensity distribution setting optical system having a plurality of replaceable diffractive optical elements (Diffractive Optical Element) was provided.

Recently, in order to be able to optimize the shape of the light intensity distribution on the pupil plane of the illumination optical system (hereinafter referred to as the pupil shape) to various distributions according to the reticle pattern, An illumination optical apparatus including an intensity distribution setting optical system using a movable multi-mirror spatial light modulator having a mirror element has also been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0038225

It has been found that when exposure is continued using an illumination optical device having a conventional spatial light modulator, the pupil shape set via the multiple mirror elements of the spatial light modulator gradually changes. This is considered to be because the rigidity of the drive mechanism of each mirror element of the spatial light modulator is changed by irradiation of exposure illumination light (exposure light) to the mirror element.
In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to suppress fluctuations in light intensity distribution when an irradiated surface is illuminated using a plurality of optical elements capable of controlling the state of incident light.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an illumination method for illuminating an illuminated surface using supplied light. In this illumination method, a plurality of optical elements arranged in parallel and capable of controlling the state of light incident on each of the plurality of optical elements are set with a control amount for the state of incident light, and the plurality of optical elements are set by the supplied light. Illuminating the irradiated surface via the optical element; monitoring temperature information of the plurality of optical elements; and monitoring the temperature information of the plurality of optical elements based on the monitoring result of the temperature information of the plurality of optical elements. And correcting the control amount.

Moreover, according to the 2nd aspect, the illumination method which illuminates a to-be-irradiated surface using the supplied light is provided. In this illumination method, a plurality of optical elements each capable of controlling the state of light incident thereon are divided into a plurality of blocks each including a plurality of optical elements, an array of the plurality of blocks is stored, and the plurality of blocks For each, setting a control amount for the incident light state of the plurality of optical elements, illuminating the irradiated surface via the plurality of optical elements with the supplied light, and And correcting the control amount of the plurality of optical elements for each block.

Also, according to the third aspect, there is provided an illumination optical device that illuminates the irradiated surface using light from a light source. This illumination optical device is arranged in the optical path of the light from the light source, and has a spatial light modulator having a plurality of optical elements capable of controlling the state of light incident on each of the illumination optical devices, and temperature information of the plurality of optical elements. The temperature detection device to be monitored and the control amount for the incident light state of the plurality of optical elements are set, and the drive amount is set based on the temperature information of the plurality of optical elements monitored by the temperature detection device. And a control system for correction.

According to the fourth aspect, in the exposure apparatus that illuminates the pattern with the exposure light and exposes the substrate with the exposure light through the pattern and the projection optical system, the illumination optical apparatus of the present invention is provided, and the illumination An exposure apparatus that uses light from an optical device as the exposure light is provided.
According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on a substrate using the exposure apparatus of the present invention; and processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed. Is provided.

According to the present invention, when illuminating the irradiated surface through a plurality of optical elements, the control amount for the light incident on the plurality of optical elements is corrected for each optical element or for each of the divided blocks. Yes. At this time, for example, when illuminating the irradiated surface using a plurality of optical elements by correcting the control amount according to temperature information for each optical element or block, or the integrated energy of incident light, etc. Variations in the intensity distribution can be suppressed.

It is a figure which shows schematic structure of the exposure apparatus of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the mirror element array of the spatial light modulator in FIG. 1, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view showing a drive mechanism of one mirror element in FIG. It is the figure which notched a part which shows the pupil monitor in FIG. (A) is an enlarged view showing the mirror element when the temperature is low, (B) is an enlarged view showing the mirror element when the temperature is high, and (C) shows the relationship between the temperature of the mirror element, the drive signal, and the tilt angle. FIG. (A) is a figure which shows the pupil shape when the temperature of a mirror element is low, (B) is a figure which shows the pupil shape when the temperature of a mirror element is high. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the method of calculating | requiring the correction amount of the drive signal of the mirror element with respect to a temperature change. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the exposure method containing the illumination method. (A) is a diagram showing a state in which the temperature of a plurality of mirror elements is measured before the start of exposure, (B) is a diagram showing an image of a plurality of mirror elements including the mirror element of FIG. ) Is a diagram showing a state in which the temperatures of a plurality of mirror elements are measured after the start of exposure, and (D) is a diagram showing images of a plurality of mirror elements including the mirror elements of FIG. (A) is an enlarged view showing a part of a mirror element array divided into a plurality of blocks, and (B) is an enlarged view showing a part of a spatial light modulator of a modification. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the exposure method containing the illumination method of 2nd Embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the manufacturing process of an electronic device.

[First Embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of an exposure apparatus EX according to the present embodiment. The exposure apparatus EX is, for example, a scanning exposure type exposure apparatus (projection exposure apparatus) composed of a scanning stepper (scanner). In FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus EX includes an illumination apparatus 8 that illuminates a reticle surface Ra, which is a pattern surface of a reticle R (mask), with exposure illumination light (exposure light) IL. The illumination device 8 includes a light source 10 that generates illumination light IL, an illumination optical system ILS that illuminates the reticle surface Ra with the illumination light IL from the light source 10, and an illumination control that controls the operation of optical members in the illumination optical system ILS. And a storage device 33 connected to the illumination control unit 36. The exposure apparatus EX further includes a reticle stage RST that moves the reticle R, a projection optical system PL that projects an image of the pattern of the reticle R onto the surface of the wafer W (substrate), a wafer stage WST that moves the wafer W, A main control system 35 composed of a computer that comprehensively controls the operation of the entire apparatus and various control systems are provided.

Hereinafter, the Z axis is set in parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, the X axis is set in a direction parallel to the paper surface of FIG. 1 in a plane perpendicular to the Z axis, and the Y axis is set in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. An explanation will be given by setting an axis. In the present embodiment, the scanning direction of the reticle R and the wafer W during exposure is a direction parallel to the Y axis (Y direction). In addition, the rotational directions (inclination directions) around the axes parallel to the X axis, the Y axis, and the Z axis will be described as the θx direction, the θy direction, and the θz direction.

As the light source 10, for example, an ArF excimer laser light source that emits a pulsed laser beam of a linearly polarized light having a wavelength of 193 nm is used. As the light source 10, a KrF excimer laser light source that supplies laser light having a wavelength of 248 nm, or a harmonic generator that generates harmonics of laser light output from a solid-state laser light source (YAG laser, semiconductor laser, etc.) is also used. it can.

In FIG. 1, linearly polarized illumination light IL composed of laser light emitted from a light source 10 controlled by a power supply unit (not shown) is used to adjust a transmission optical system including a beam expander 11, a polarization direction, and a polarization state. Through a polarizing optical system 12 and a mirror 13 for bending an optical path, a plurality of minute mirror elements 16 having variable inclination angles around two orthogonal axes of a spatial light modulator (SLM) 14. Incidently incident on the reflecting surface at a predetermined small incident angle. The spatial light modulator 14 (hereinafter referred to as SLM 14) has an array of a large number of mirror elements 16 and a drive substrate portion 15 that supports and drives each mirror element 16. The tilt angle of each mirror element 16 is controlled by the SLM control system 17.

FIG. 2A is an enlarged perspective view showing a part of the SLM 14. In FIG. 2 (A), an array of a large number of mirror elements 16 arranged close to each other at a constant pitch in the Y direction and the Z direction is supported on the surface of the drive substrate portion 15 of the SLM 14.
As shown in FIG. 2B, the drive mechanism of one mirror element 16 includes, as an example, a hinge member 43 that supports the mirror element 16 via a column 41, a support substrate 44, and a hinge member on the support substrate 44. The four support members 42 supporting the support 43 and the four

electrodes

45A, 45B, 45C, 45D formed on the support substrate 44 are provided. In this configuration example, the electrostatic force acting between the electrodes is controlled by controlling the potential difference between the back surface of the mirror element 16 and the electrodes 45A to 45D, so that the mirror element 16 is flexibly supported via the hinge member 43. The support post 41 can be swung and inclined. Thereby, the inclination angle around two orthogonal axes of the reflecting surface of the mirror element 16 fixed to the support column 41 can be continuously controlled within a predetermined variable range.

As such a spatial light modulator, for example, those disclosed in European Patent Publication No. 779530, US Pat. No. 6,900,915 and the like can be used. Although the mirror element 16 is a substantially square plane mirror, the shape thereof may be an arbitrary shape such as a rectangle.

1, the SLM 14 forms a predetermined light intensity distribution on an incident surface 25I of a fly-eye lens 25 described later via a large number of mirror elements 16 according to illumination conditions. As an example, when performing annular illumination, the SLM 14 reflects the illumination light IL and forms a light intensity distribution that increases in intensity in the annular region on the incident surface 25I. Further, during normal illumination, a light intensity distribution having a large intensity is formed in a circular region, and during dipole or quadrupole illumination, a light intensity distribution having a large intensity is formed in two or four regions. The main control system 35 supplies information on the illumination conditions to the illumination control unit 36, and the illumination control unit 36 controls the operation of the SLM 14 via the SLM control system 17 in response thereto.

The illumination light IL reflected by the many mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 enters the incident optical system 18 that converts the illumination light IL into parallel light along the optical axis AXI of the illumination optical system ILS. The incident optical system 18 also has a function of forming a light intensity distribution formed on the incident surface 25I on a surface between the incident surface 25I and the incident optical system 18. A part of the illumination light IL that has passed through the incident optical system 18 is reflected by the beam splitter 21, and the reflected (separated) light beam enters the integrator sensor 23 formed of a photoelectric sensor via the condenser lens 22. The detection signal of the integrator sensor 23 is supplied to an integration unit 40 that is a part of the lighting device 8, and the integration unit 40 performs a predetermined calculation on the detection signal and integrates the irradiation energy of the illumination light IL (integration). Light intensity). The accumulated energy is supplied to the illumination control unit 36. The beam splitter 21 for supplying the integrator sensor 23 with the light beam separated from the illumination light IL can be arranged at an arbitrary position on the illumination optical path.

The illumination light IL transmitted through the beam splitter 21 is incident on the incident surface 25I of the fly-eye lens 25 through the relay optical system 24 including the first lens system 24a and the second lens system 24b. The fly-eye lens 25 has a large number of lens elements arranged in close contact with each other in the Z direction and the Y direction, and the exit surface of the fly-eye lens 25 is the pupil plane of the illumination optical system ILS (hereinafter referred to as the illumination pupil plane). ) IPP (surface conjugate with the exit pupil). A surface light source including a large number of secondary light sources (light source images) is formed on the exit surface (illumination pupil plane IPP) of the fly-eye lens 25 by wavefront division.

Since the fly-eye lens 25 has a large number of optical systems arranged in parallel, the global light intensity distribution on the entrance surface 25I is directly transmitted to the illumination pupil plane IPP which is the exit surface. In other words, there is a high correlation between the global light intensity distribution formed on the incident surface 25I and the global light intensity distribution of the entire secondary light source. Here, the incident surface 25I is a surface equivalent to the illumination pupil plane IPP, and is surrounded by an arbitrary light intensity distribution shape of the illumination light IL formed on the incident surface 25I (a contour line where the light intensity becomes a predetermined level). The shape of the region) becomes the pupil shape that is the shape of the light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP as it is. Further, the incident surface 25I is optically almost conjugate with the reticle surface. Note that a microlens array may be used instead of the fly-eye lens 25. Further, as the fly eye lens, for example, a cylindrical micro fly eye lens disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,913,373 may be used.

Illumination light IL from the surface light source formed on the illumination pupil plane IPP includes a first relay lens 28, a reticle blind (field stop) 29, a second relay lens 30, an optical path bending mirror 31, and a condenser optical system. The illumination area of the reticle surface Ra is illuminated with a uniform illuminance distribution via the reference numeral 32. The optical members from the beam expander 11 to the SLM 14, the incident optical system 18, the beam splitter 21, the condenser lens 22, the integrator sensor 23, the relay optical system 24, and the optical members from the fly-eye lens 25 to the condenser optical system 32 are included. Thus, the illumination optical system ILS is configured. Each optical member of the illumination optical system ILS is supported by a frame (not shown).

The illumination device 8 includes a thermo camera 20 (infrared radiation thermometer) as a non-contact type thermometer supported by a frame (not shown) so as to face an array of a large number of mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14, and a thermometer. And a temperature map creation device 34 for processing a detection signal of the camera 20. As an example, the thermo camera 20 receives infrared rays emitted from all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 according to the temperature, and takes images of all the mirror elements 16 by infrared rays. The temperature map creation device 34 processes the detection signal from the thermo camera 20 to obtain the temperatures of all the mirror elements 16 individually, and creates a temperature map in which the positions and temperatures of the mirror elements 16 are associated with each other. The created temperature map is supplied to the illumination control unit 36. Instead of the thermo camera 20, an arbitrary radiation temperature sensor such as an optical thermometer that detects visible light emitted from the object to be detected according to the temperature may be used. Further, instead of the thermo camera 20, any non-contact type thermometer other than the radiation temperature sensor may be used.

Under the illumination light IL from the illumination optical system ILS, the pattern in the illumination area of the reticle R is transferred to one shot area of the wafer W via the telecentric projection optical system PL on both sides (or one side on the wafer side). The image is projected onto the exposure area at a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1/4, 1/5, etc.). The illumination pupil plane IPP is conjugate with the pupil plane (a plane conjugate with the exit pupil) of the projection optical system PL. The wafer W includes a wafer having a photoresist (photosensitive material) coated at a predetermined thickness on the surface of a base material such as silicon.

The reticle R is attracted and held on the upper surface of the reticle stage RST, and the reticle stage RST is movable on the upper surface of the reticle base (not shown) (surface parallel to the XY plane) at a constant speed in the Y direction, and at least X It is mounted so as to be movable in the direction, the Y direction, and the θz direction. The two-dimensional position of the reticle stage RST is measured by a laser interferometer (not shown). Based on this measurement information, the main control system 35 receives the position and speed of the reticle stage RST via a drive system 37 including a linear motor and the like. To control.

On the other hand, wafer W is sucked and held on the upper surface of wafer stage WST via a wafer holder (not shown), and wafer stage WST is moved in the X and Y directions on the upper surface of the wafer base (not shown) (a surface parallel to the XY plane). It can move and can move at a constant speed in the Y direction. The two-dimensional position of wafer stage WST is measured by a laser interferometer (not shown), and based on this measurement information, main control system 35 moves the position and speed of wafer stage WST via drive system 38 including a linear motor and the like. To control. An alignment system (not shown) for aligning the reticle R and the wafer W is also provided.

Further, the illumination device 8 includes a pupil monitor 60 provided on the upper part of the wafer stage WST, and a signal processing device 39 for processing an imaging signal supplied from the pupil monitor 60. As shown in FIG. 3, the pupil monitor 60 includes a case 60c fixed to the wafer stage WST, a condensing lens 60a supported in order from the projection optical system PL side in the case 60c, and a CCD or CMOS type two-dimensional. An image sensor 60b. The light receiving surface of the image sensor 60b is disposed on the focal plane of the condenser lens 60a.

By moving the pupil monitor 60 into the exposure area of the projection optical system PL, the light receiving surface of the image sensor 60b and the illumination pupil plane IPP in FIG. 1 become conjugate. In this state, for example, a plain glass substrate is loaded on the reticle stage RST instead of the reticle R, the illumination light IL is generated, and the imaging signal of the imaging device 60b is processed by the signal processing device 39 to obtain the pupil shape. be able to. The pupil shape information is supplied to the illumination control unit 36. Instead of the pupil monitor 60 fixed to the wafer stage WST, a detachable pupil monitor provided on the wafer stage WST or the reticle stage RST can be used.

In addition, instead of the pupil monitor 60 or in addition to the pupil monitor 60, for example, an imaging unit having a photoelectric conversion surface arranged at a position optically conjugate with the exit pupil position of the illumination optical system is provided, and the illumination optical system A pupil monitor system that monitors the pupil intensity distribution (pupil intensity distribution formed at the exit pupil position of the illumination optical system by the light incident on each point) for each point on the irradiated surface may be used. As for the detailed configuration and operation of such a pupil monitor system, reference can be made to, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2008/0030707 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0020302.

When the wafer W is exposed by the exposure apparatus EX, the main control system 35 selects an illumination condition (pupil shape) according to the pattern of the reticle R, and sets the selected illumination condition in the illumination control unit 36. The illumination control unit 36 individually controls the inclination angles around the two axes of the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 via the SLM control system 17 according to the illumination conditions. Subsequently, the wafer W is moved to the scanning start position by the movement (step movement) of the wafer stage WST. Thereafter, the light source 10 starts to emit light, and the wafer R is exposed with an image of the pattern of the reticle R by the projection optical system PL, and the projection magnification of the reticle R and the wafer W is increased through the reticle stage RST and the wafer stage WST. By moving synchronously as a ratio, the pattern image of the reticle R is scanned and exposed on one shot area of the wafer W. In this way, the image of the pattern of the reticle R is exposed on the entire shot area of the wafer W by the step-and-scan operation in which the step movement of the wafer W and the scanning exposure are repeated. Here, the X direction in FIG. 1 can be used as the scanning direction.

If such exposure is continued, the light intensity distribution formed on the entrance surface 25I of the fly-eye lens 25 via the many mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14, and thus the pupil shape formed on the illumination pupil plane IPP. It turns out that fluctuates gradually. The cause of this variation will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (A) and 4 (B) and FIGS. 5 (A) and 5 (B).
First, the target pupil shape on the illumination pupil plane IPP is an annular region 51 (region where the light intensity becomes a predetermined level or more) having an inner radius r1 and an outer radius r2, as shown in FIG. To do. At this time, the inclination angle around the first axis of the two orthogonal axes of the mirror element 16 with the SLM 14 immediately after the start of exposure is θty1, and the reflection angle of the illumination light IL reflected by the mirror element 16 is φ1. . Thereafter, when the exposure is continued, the temperature of the mirror element 16 and its drive mechanism gradually increases due to the irradiation energy of the illumination light IL, and the rigidity of the drive mechanism (particularly the hinge member 43 in FIG. 2B) decreases. . Therefore, if the drive signal (voltage) for driving the mirror element 16 is the same, the tilt angle θty2 of the mirror element 16 becomes larger than θty1 and the reflection of the illumination light IL as shown in FIG. 4B. The angle φ2 is also larger than φ1. Similarly, as the temperature of the mirror element 16 increases, the tilt angle around the second axis of the two orthogonal axes of the mirror element 16 gradually increases, and the reflection angle of the reflected light also increases.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 5B, the pupil shape becomes an annular region 51A in which the inner radius r1A and the outer radius r2A are larger than the previous radii r1 and r2, respectively. Therefore, when the exposure is continued, if the control signal for the mirror element 16 is set to the same value, the temperature of the mirror element 16 and its drive mechanism rises, and the pupil shape gradually increases.
Therefore, in the present embodiment, in order to suppress the variation of the pupil shape during the exposure, the temperature of each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 is measured by the thermo camera 20 during the exposure, and based on the measurement result, each mirror element 16 is measured. Correct the drive signal. First, an example of a method for obtaining the correction amount of the drive signal of each mirror element 16 with respect to a temperature change will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This operation is controlled by the main control system 35. Hereinafter, it is assumed that the drive signal is a signal that defines an inclination angle around the first axis of the two orthogonal axes of the mirror element 16. The correction amount of the drive signal that defines the tilt angle of the mirror element 16 around the second axis is also obtained in the same manner.

In step 102 of FIG. 6, as an example of performing annular illumination, the illumination control unit 36 supplies the SLM control system 17 with information on the inclination angle (angle) of each mirror element 16 for annular illumination. In response to this, the SLM control system 17 sets a drive signal DS (voltage (V)) corresponding to the tilt angle to the drive mechanism of each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14.
The temperature T of each mirror element 16 before the start of exposure is set to Ta which is the same as the temperature of the atmosphere, for example. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4C, the relationship between the drive signal DS (V) of each mirror element 16 and the corresponding inclination angle θty is represented by a straight line C1. Information on the coefficient of the straight line C1 is stored in the storage device 33. For example, in order to set the tilt angle of a certain mirror element 16 to θty1, the drive signal is set to DS1.

In the next step 104, for example, a transparent glass substrate is loaded on the reticle stage RST, and the wafer stage WST is driven to move the light receiving surface of the pupil monitor 60 into the exposure area of the projection optical system PL. In the next step 106, emission of the illumination light IL from the light source 10 is started. In the next step 108, an image of the array of all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 is picked up by the thermo camera 20, and individual temperatures (temperature maps) of all the mirror elements 16 are obtained by the temperature map creation device 34, and the obtained temperature. The map is supplied to the lighting control unit 36. In the next step 110, the pupil monitor 60 captures an image of the light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP, the pupil shape is obtained by the signal processing device 39, and the obtained pupil shape information is supplied to the illumination control unit 36. Note that steps 108 and 110 are preferably executed substantially simultaneously.

In the next step 112, it is confirmed whether or not a predetermined time (for example, about the exposure time of one wafer) has elapsed. If the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step 114. When the measurement is continued in step 114, the process returns to step 108, the individual temperatures of all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 are obtained using the thermo camera 20, and the pupil shape is obtained using the pupil monitor 60 in the next step 110. Ask for. Then, Step 108 and Step 110 are repeated until the temperature of the mirror element 16 reaches about the saturation temperature.

Thereafter, when the measurement is completed in step 114, the operation proceeds to step 116, and the emission of the illumination light IL is stopped. In the next step 118, the illumination control unit 36 uses the temperature of each mirror element 16 obtained in step 108 and the pupil shape obtained in step 110 to correspond to the tilt angle θty of each mirror element 16. A correction amount for the temperature change of the drive signal DS is calculated. In this case, in FIG. 4C, the temperature T of a certain mirror element 16 gradually increases from the initial value Ta to Tb and Tc. When the temperature of the mirror element 16 rises, the tilt angle θty increases even with the same drive signal DS. Therefore, the straight line C1 representing the relationship between the drive signal DS and the tilt angle θty has temperatures Tb and Tc. And the inclination increases as shown by straight lines C2 and C3.

As an example, when the driving signal is DS1 from the measured pupil shape, the illumination control unit 36 can obtain the straight lines C2 and C3 by obtaining the inclination angles θty2 and θty3 corresponding to the temperatures Tb and Tc. . When the straight lines C2 and C3 are obtained, when the temperature T of the mirror element 16 gradually changes from Ta to Tb and Tc, the drive signal DS for maintaining the tilt angle θty of the mirror element 16 so as not to change is maintained. Correction amounts (−α) and (−β) can be obtained. Therefore, the correction amount ΔDS of the drive signal DS can be obtained corresponding to the drive signal DS and the temperature T of the mirror element 16. The correction amount ΔDS is stored in the storage device 33 in the form of a correction map (or table) for the driving signal DS that changes by a predetermined amount and the temperature T that changes by a predetermined amount, for example. Thereafter, when the correction amount ΔDS is obtained according to the drive signal DS and the temperature T of the mirror element 16, for example, interpolation of data in the map may be performed. Thereby, when the temperature of each mirror element 16 is an arbitrary temperature, the correction amount of the drive signal of each mirror element 16 can be obtained using the correction map.

Next, an example of an exposure method including an illumination method by the exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. This operation is controlled by the main control system 35.
First, in step 120 of FIG. 7, the reticle R is loaded onto the reticle stage RST of FIG. In the next step 122, the main control system 35 reads information on the illumination conditions of the reticle R from, for example, an exposure data file and outputs the information to the illumination control unit 36. The illumination control unit 36 sets the tilt angle (angle) of each mirror element 16 by setting a drive signal for each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 via the SLM control system 17 according to the illumination condition.

In the next step 124, the wafer W coated with, for example, the first photoresist of one lot is loaded onto the wafer stage WST. In the next step 126, an image of the array of all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 is taken by the thermo camera 20, and individual temperatures (temperature maps) of all the mirror elements 16 are obtained by the temperature map creation device 34. The map is supplied to the lighting control unit 36.

FIG. 8A shows a state in which an image of a part of the mirror elements 16 of the mirror element 16 is picked up using the thermo camera 20 before the exposure of the leading wafer W is started, and FIG. These show a part of image obtained using the image pick-up signal of thermo camera 20 of Drawing 8 (A). In FIG. 8B, the Y axis and the Z axis are set along two orthogonal arrangement directions of the image 16P of each mirror element 16 in the image 14P of the array of mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14. The position of the image 16P of the i-th mirror element 16P in the Y direction and the j-th (i, j is an integer of 1 or more) in the Z direction is represented by P (i, j), and the image at the position P (i, j). The temperature T (i, j) obtained from 16P is set as the actual temperature of the corresponding mirror element 16. Prior to the start of exposure, for example, all the temperatures T (i, j) are the initial values Ti, and the drive signal of the mirror element 16 corresponding to the position P (i, j) is DS (i, j). The drive signal actually includes two signals in order to set an inclination angle around two orthogonal axes.

In the next step 128, the illumination control unit 36 drives the drive signal from the correction map stored in the storage device 33 according to the tilt angle (drive signal corresponding thereto) of each mirror element 16 and the measured value of the temperature. And the calculated correction amount is supplied to the SLM control system 17. In the SLM control system 17, the drive signal of each mirror element 16 is corrected by the correction amount. At this stage, since the exposure is not started, the correction amount of the drive signal of each mirror element 16 is almost zero. Next, emission of the illumination light IL from the light source 10 is started (step 130), and the reticle R is illuminated with the illumination light IL from the surface light source formed by the reflected light from the array of the many mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14. (Step 132). Note that irradiation of the reticle R and the wafer W with the illumination light IL is controlled by opening and closing the variable blind in the reticle blind 29 of FIG. Then, the pattern image of the reticle R is scanned and exposed on each shot area of the wafer W by the step-and-scan method under the illumination light IL (step 134). Next, the emission of the illumination light IL is stopped (step 136), and the wafer W is unloaded (step 138).

If the unexposed wafer remains in the next step 140, the operation moves to step 124, the next wafer is loaded on the wafer stage WST, and the temperature of each mirror element 16 is measured in the next step 126. In the next step 128, the driving signal of each mirror element 16 is corrected based on the measured value of the temperature.
FIG. 8C shows a state in which an image of a part of the mirror elements 16 is picked up using the thermo camera 20 before the exposure of the next wafer is started, and FIG. 8D shows the state shown in FIG. A part of an image obtained by using the imaging signal of the thermo camera 20 of FIG. In FIG. 8D, the density of the mirror element image 16P indicates that the temperature is changing. That is, assuming that the temperature obtained from the mirror element image 16P at the position P (i, j) is T (i, j), the illumination controller 36 determines the temperature T (i, j) and the drive signal for the mirror element 16. In accordance with DS (i, j), a correction amount ΔDS (i, j) is obtained using a correction map stored in the storage device 33 and supplied to the SLM control system 17. In the SLM control system 17, the correction signal ΔDS (i, j) is used to correct the drive signal DS (i, j) of the corresponding mirror element 16 with reference to the initial value, for example. Thus, for example, when the pupil shape on the illumination pupil plane IPP is set in the annular zone region 51 of FIG. 5A, the exposure is continued and the drive signal and tilt angle of each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 are changed. Even if the characteristics change, the pupil shape is always maintained in the shape shown in FIG.

Thereafter, in steps 130 to 134, the next wafer is exposed (steps 130 to 134), the emission of the illumination light IL is stopped, and the wafer is unloaded (steps 136 and 138). The operations in steps 124 to 138 are repeated for all the wafers in one lot. When the exposure of one lot of wafers is completed in step 140, the exposure is completed.

Thus, according to the exposure method including this illumination method, the pupil shape on the illumination pupil plane IPP is always maintained at the target shape even if the temperature of each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 changes. Therefore, the pattern image of the reticle R can always be exposed to each shot area of one lot of wafers with high accuracy.
As described above, the illumination device 8 of the present embodiment includes the illumination optical system ILS, and the illumination device 8 illuminates the reticle surface Ra with the illumination light IL from the light source 10. In addition, the illumination device 8 includes a plurality of mirror elements 16 that are arranged in the optical path of the illumination light IL and that can control the inclination angles around two orthogonal axes in order to control the reflection angle of light incident on each of the illumination devices. The SLM 14, the thermo camera 20 that monitors the temperature of each mirror element 16, and a drive signal (control amount) for controlling the reflection angle of the incident light of the plurality of mirror elements 16 are set and monitored by the thermo camera 20. The illumination control unit 36 and the SLM control system 17 that correct the drive signal based on the temperature of the plurality of mirror elements 16 are provided.

The illumination method using the illumination device 8 includes step 122 for setting a drive signal (control amount) for controlling the reflection angle of incident light with respect to the plurality of mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14, and illumination light from the light source 10. Illuminating the reticle surface Ra through the plurality of mirror elements 16 with IL, step 126 for monitoring the temperatures of the plurality of mirror elements 16, and drive signals for the plurality of mirror elements 16 based on the monitoring results of the temperatures And step 128 for correcting.

According to the present embodiment, when the reticle surface Ra is illuminated through the plurality of mirror elements 16, the angle variation of the reflecting surface of the mirror element 16 due to the temperature change is based on the measured value of the temperature of each mirror element 16. The drive signal of each mirror element 16 is corrected so as to suppress this. Therefore, the light intensity distribution of the illumination light IL on the incident surface 25I of the fly-eye lens 25 of the illumination optical system ILS can be kept constant, and as a result, the pupil shape variation on the illumination pupil plane IPP can be suppressed.

The exposure apparatus EX of the present embodiment is an exposure apparatus that illuminates the pattern of the reticle R with the illumination light IL for exposure and exposes the wafer W with the illumination light IL through the pattern and the projection optical system PL. The apparatus 8 is provided, and the illumination light from the illumination apparatus 8 is used as the illumination light IL. According to this exposure apparatus EX, even if the exposure is continued, the pupil shape is maintained at the target shape, so that the pattern image of the reticle R can always be exposed onto the wafer W with high accuracy.

In this embodiment, the drive signal of each mirror element 16 is corrected using the measured value of the temperature of each mirror element 16 of the SLM 14, but for example, a history of temperature change of each mirror element 16 is obtained and the temperature The correction amount of the drive signal for the mirror element 16 may be changed based on the change history. That is, each mirror element 16 has a large inclination angle even with the same drive signal due to a temperature rise due to the irradiation heat of the illumination light IL. For this reason, among all the mirror elements 16, for example, in the mirror elements 16 in which the high temperature state continues for a long time due to irradiation heat, the tilt angle may change greatly even at the same temperature. In such a case, when measuring the temperature of each mirror element 16 using the thermo camera 20, the illumination control unit 36 integrates the time when the temperature of each mirror element 16 exceeds a predetermined set temperature. The time (temperature change history) at which each mirror element 16 is equal to or higher than the set temperature is stored in the storage device 33. And when correcting the drive signal of each mirror element 16 based on the measured value of the temperature of each mirror element 16, according to the time when the mirror element 16 read from the storage device 33 has exceeded its set temperature. The amount of correction of the drive signal may be gradually increased.

In addition, the illumination control unit 36 sets the main control system 35 for the mirror elements 16 in which the integrated value of the time when the temperature exceeds the set temperature among the all mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 exceeds a predetermined standard value. For example, the operator may be informed as a maintenance target. Alternatively, the maintenance priority may be set higher from the mirror element 16 having a large integrated value of the time when the temperature exceeds the set temperature. By maintenance, for example, the mirror element 16 is replaced with another mirror element 16.

In this embodiment, the temperature of all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 is measured using the thermo camera 20. However, as shown in FIG. 9A, all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 of FIG. 1 are divided into a plurality of blocks B (i1, j1) (i1, j1 are integers of 1 or more), and each block B (i1 , J1) The temperature may be measured in units. In FIG. 9A, the Y-axis and the Z-axis are set along two orthogonal arrangement directions of the many mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14, and the i-th in the Y-direction and the j-th in the Z-direction (i and j are 1). The position where the mirror element 16 of the above integer) is Q (i, j). Further, a plurality of blocks B (i1, j1) are arranged in N rows in the Y direction and M columns in the Z direction (N and M are integers of 1 or more, and at least one of N and M is an integer of 2 or more). The mirror element 16 is included.

In this case, the arrangement information of the block B (i1, j1) is stored in the storage device 33. In step 108 in FIG. 6 and step 126 in FIG. 7, the average temperature T (i1, j1) of the plurality of mirror elements 16 in each block B (i1, j1) is measured using the thermo camera 20. The In step 118 of FIG. 6, the correction amount for the temperature change of the drive signal of each mirror element 16 is obtained based on the measured value of the temperature T (i1, j1). Correspondingly, in step 126 of FIG. 7, the drive signal of each mirror element 16 is corrected based on the measured value of the temperature T (i1, j1).

In this embodiment, the temperature of the mirror element 16 is measured by a temperature sensor made up of a non-contact type thermometer (for example, the thermo camera 20), but the temperature of the mirror element 16 is made up of a contact type thermometer. You may measure with a temperature sensor.
For example, when the temperature of the plurality of mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 is measured for each block B (i1, j1), the drive of each block B (i1, j1) is performed using a temperature measuring element as a contact-type thermometer. You may measure the temperature of the board | substrate part 15 directly. FIG. 9B shows a configuration example of the spatial light modulator provided with the temperature measuring element in this way.

FIG. 9B shows a part of an array of a plurality of mirrors 16 of a modified spatial light modulator 14A (hereinafter referred to as SLM 14A). In FIG. 9B, the array of mirror elements 16 is divided into blocks B (i1, j1) including a plurality of mirror elements 16 in the Y direction and the Z direction. As an example, a temperature measuring element 52 such as a thermistor or a platinum resistor is fixed to the surface of the driving substrate unit 15 at the center of each block B (i1, j1). The SLM 14A can be installed in the illumination light path instead of the SLM 14 of FIG. As the temperature measuring element 52, any electric thermometer including a thermocouple thermometer other than a thermistor (thermistor thermometer) or a platinum resistor (resistance thermometer), a semiconductor thermometer, or the like can be used. Furthermore, as the temperature measuring element 52, any mechanical thermometer such as a bimetal, a thermal expansion thermometer, or a magnetic thermometer can be used instead of the electric thermometer.

When the SLM 14A is installed in the illumination optical path, the temperature information of each block B (i1, j1) measured by the temperature measurement element 52 of the SLM 14A is supplied to the illumination control unit 36 in FIG. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the thermo camera 20 and the temperature map creation device 34. The illumination control unit 36 can correct the drive signal of the mirror element 16 so that the pupil shape does not change using the measurement value of the temperature measurement element 52.

In addition, when there is room in the arrangement space of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14A, for example, a temperature measurement element is provided on the back surface of each mirror element 16, and the temperature of each mirror element 16 is directly measured by the temperature measurement element. May be used to correct the driving signal of each mirror element 16.
In the above embodiment, the drive signal is corrected for each mirror element 16 of the

SLMs

14 and 14A. However, instead, for example, when the pupil shape on the illumination pupil plane IPP is relatively simple as in the case of normal illumination or multipole illumination, for example, the plurality of blocks B (i1) of the SLM 14 of FIG. , J1) as a unit, the drive amount of all the mirror elements 16 in the block B (i1, j1) may be set to a common drive amount. In this case, the temperature is measured in the block B (i1, j1), and the drive signal of the mirror element 16 is corrected with a common correction amount in units of the block B (i1, j1) based on the temperature measurement result. May be. Accordingly, even when the number of mirror elements 16 is large, control of all the mirror elements 16 is facilitated.

[Second Embodiment]
A second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Although the exposure apparatus EX of FIG. 1 is also used in this embodiment, in this embodiment, illumination is measured using the integrator sensor 23 and the integrating unit 40 in order to indirectly monitor the temperature information of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14. The integrated energy of light IL is used. Accordingly, in the present embodiment, the thermo camera 20 is not always necessary. Further, in this embodiment, all the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 are arranged in a plurality of blocks B (i1, j1) (i1, j1 are integers of 1 or more) as shown in part of FIG. In other words, the drive amount of the mirror element 16 is set in units of block B (i1, j1).

An example of an exposure method including the illumination method of this embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. In FIG. 10, steps corresponding to those in FIG. 7 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted. This operation is controlled by the main control system 35. In the present embodiment, the integrated energy of the illumination light IL and the block B of the plurality of mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 for maintaining a constant pupil shape (light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil plane IPP) for each illumination condition in advance. A relationship with the correction amount of the drive signal for each (i1, j1) is obtained, and the relationship is stored in the storage device 33.

In step 150 subsequent to step 120 (loading of the reticle) in FIG. 10, the illumination control unit 36 relates to all the mirror elements 16 in the SLM 14 included in each block B (i1, j1) in FIG. The arrangement information of the block diagram including the information on the position Q (i, j) of the mirror element 16 is stored in the storage device 33. In the next step 152, the illumination control unit 36 performs SLM control on the tilt angles (angles) of the mirror element 16 about the two axes for each block B (i1, j1) of the SLM 14 in accordance with the illumination conditions for the reticle R. In the system 17, the SLM control system 17 drives each mirror element 16 with a drive signal corresponding to the tilt angle.

Further, in step 154 following the next step 124 (wafer loading), the illumination control unit 36 takes in the integrated energy ΣE of the illumination light IL from the integrating unit 40. In the next step 156, the illumination control unit 36 uses the relationship between the accumulated energy and the correction amount stored in the storage device 33 and the accumulated energy ΣE for each block B (i1, j1) of the SLM 14. Then, the correction amount of the drive signal of the mirror element 16 is obtained, and this correction amount is set in the SLM control system 17. In response to this, the SLM control system 17 corrects the drive signal of each mirror element 16 by the correction amount.

Thereafter, emission of illumination light (step 130), illumination of the reticle surface Ra with reflected light from the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 (step 132), and scanning exposure of the wafer W (step 134) are performed. Other operations are the same as those in the first embodiment.
Therefore, the illumination method of the present embodiment is an illumination method that illuminates the reticle surface Ra using the illumination light IL supplied from the light source 10 of FIG. 1, and each of the mirror elements 16 of the SLM 14 is a plurality of mirror elements. In step 150 for storing the arrangement of the plurality of blocks B (i1, j1), and for each of the plurality of blocks B (i1, j1), in the illumination pupil plane IPP The step 152 for setting the drive signals of the plurality of mirror elements 16 so as to set the pupil shape to the target shape, and the illumination light measured via the integrator sensor 23 for each of the plurality of blocks B (i1, j1) And a step 156 of correcting the drive signals of the plurality of mirror elements 16 so that the pupil shape does not fluctuate based on the integrated energy of IL.

In this embodiment, as the number of exposed wafers increases, the integrated energy of the illumination light IL increases as the temperature of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 increases. Accordingly, in step 156, by correcting the drive signal of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 based on the accumulated energy, fluctuations in the pupil shape can be suppressed, and the image of the pattern of the reticle R can always be exposed on the wafer W with high accuracy.

Furthermore, since the correction amount has only to be obtained for each of the plurality of blocks B (i1, j1), the control is easy.
In this embodiment, the temperature information of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 such as the thermo camera 20 (non-contact type thermometer) or the temperature measuring element 52 (contact type thermometer) of FIG. You may provide the temperature sensor measured for every i1, j1). In this case, in step 156, instead of the integrated energy ΣE measured via the integrator sensor 23, a plurality of blocks using the temperatures of the plurality of blocks B (i1, j1) measured by the temperature sensor. A correction amount for each B (i1, j1) may be obtained.

In each of the above embodiments, the pupil monitor 60 is used to determine the amount of change in the pupil shape, and thus the relationship between the temperature of the mirror element 16 of the SLM 14 and the tilt angle. However, the relationship between the temperature of the mirror element 16 and the tilt angle may be obtained separately for the SLM 14 alone. In this case, the operation for obtaining the correction amount of the drive signal of the mirror element 16 in FIG. 6 may be omitted.

In the above-described embodiment, the SLM 14 that can control the inclination angles around two orthogonal axes of the plurality of mirror elements 16 in order to set the light intensity distribution (light quantity distribution) on the incident surface 25I or the illumination pupil plane IPP. 14A is used. However, the present invention can also be applied to a case where a spatial light modulator having an array of a plurality of mirror elements each capable of controlling the position of the reflecting surface in the normal direction is used instead of the

SLMs

14 and 14A. As such a spatial light modulator, for example, the spatial light modulator disclosed in FIG. 1d of US Pat. No. 5,312,513 and US Pat. No. 6,885,493 may be used. it can. In these spatial light modulators, by forming a two-dimensional height distribution, an action similar to that of the diffractive surface can be given to incident light. The above-mentioned spatial light modulator having a plurality of two-dimensionally arranged reflecting surfaces is disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,891,655 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2005/0095749. May be deformed according to Further, in place of the

SLMs

14 and 14A, for example, when an arbitrary optical modulator including a plurality of optical elements capable of controlling the state of incident light (reflection angle, refraction angle, transmittance, etc.) is used, The invention is applicable.

In the above embodiment, the fly-eye lens 25, which is the wavefront division type integrator shown in FIG. 1, is used as the optical integrator. However, as the optical integrator, a rod type integrator as an internal reflection type optical integrator can be used.

In the above-described embodiment, the projection optical system of the exposure apparatus may be not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification and an enlargement system. The projected image may be either an inverted image or an erect image.
Further, as disclosed in, for example, International Publication No. 2001/035168 pamphlet, an exposure apparatus (lithography system) that forms line and space patterns on the wafer W by forming interference fringes on the wafer W. Can be applied to.
Further, as disclosed in, for example, US Pat. No. 6,611,316, two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer via a projection optical system, and 1 on the wafer by one scan exposure. The present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus that performs double exposure of two shot areas almost simultaneously.

In the above embodiment, the object on which the pattern is to be formed (the object to be exposed to which the energy beam is irradiated) is not limited to the wafer, but may be another object such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a mask blank. good.
In the above-described embodiment, a so-called polarized illumination method disclosed in US Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0170901 and US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/0146676 can be applied.
In the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the illumination optical system that illuminates the mask (or wafer) in the exposure apparatus. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an object other than the mask (or wafer) is used. The present invention can also be applied to a general illumination optical system that illuminates the irradiation surface.

Further, when an electronic device (microdevice) such as a semiconductor device is manufactured using the exposure apparatus EX or the exposure method of the above embodiment, the electronic device has a function / performance design of the device as shown in FIG. Step 221 to be performed, Step 222 to manufacture a mask (reticle) based on this design step, Step 223 to manufacture a substrate (wafer) which is a base material of the device, Mask exposure by the exposure apparatus EX or the exposure method of the above-described embodiment Process of exposing pattern to substrate, process of developing exposed substrate, substrate processing step 224 including heating (curing) and etching process of developed substrate, device assembly step (dicing process, bonding process, packaging process, etc.) Including the process) 225, as well as the inspection step 226, etc. It is produced through.

In other words, the device manufacturing method includes the steps of exposing the substrate (wafer W) through the mask pattern using the exposure apparatus EX or the exposure method of the above embodiment, and processing the exposed substrate. (I.e., developing the resist on the substrate and forming a mask layer corresponding to the mask pattern on the surface of the substrate; and processing the surface of the substrate through the mask layer (heating, etching, etc.) ) Processing step).

According to this device manufacturing method, fluctuations in the pupil shape of the exposure apparatus EX can be prevented, and the image of the reticle pattern can always be exposed onto the wafer with high accuracy, so that an electronic device can be manufactured with high accuracy.
The present invention can also be applied to an immersion type exposure apparatus disclosed in, for example, US Patent Application Publication No. 2007/242247 or European Patent Application Publication No. 1420298. Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to an illumination optical apparatus that does not use a condenser optical system. Further, the present invention can also be applied to a proximity type exposure apparatus that does not use a projection optical system.

Further, the present invention is not limited to the application to the manufacturing process of a semiconductor device. For example, a manufacturing process such as a liquid crystal display element and a plasma display, an imaging element (CMOS type, CCD, etc.), a micromachine, a MEMS ( Microelectromechanical systems), thin film magnetic heads, and various devices (electronic devices) such as DNA chips can be widely applied.

As described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various configurations can be taken without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the disclosures in the above-mentioned publications, international publication pamphlets, US patents, or US patent application publication specifications described in the present application are incorporated into the description of this specification.
The entire disclosure of US Patent Application No. 61 / 489,002 filed May 23, 2010, including the description, claims, drawings, and abstract, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. It is.

Also, certain aspects of the “title” embodiment described and illustrated in this patent application in the details required to satisfy 35 USC 112 (35 USC 112) are: Any of the above-mentioned objects of the above-described embodiments, and the problems to be solved by or for any other reason of the above-mentioned embodiments, can be fully achieved. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that the described aspects of the above-described embodiments of the foregoing merely exemplify and represent what is broadly contemplated by the claimed content. The scope of the presently described and claimed aspects of the embodiments encompasses all other embodiments that are presently believed or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein. Is. The scope of the “title” of the present invention is limited solely and completely by the claims, and nothing in any way exceeds the detailed description of the claims. References to elements in such claims in the singular are intended to mean that such elements are "one and only one" unless explicitly stated in the interpretation. Not intended and meaningless, and intended and meant to mean "one or more". All structural and functional equivalents of any of the above-described aspects of embodiments known to those skilled in the art or later known are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are It is intended to be covered by a range. Any term used in the specification and / or claims of this application and expressly given meaning to this specification and / or claims of this application shall have any dictionary meaning for such terms. Or shall have its meaning regardless of other commonly used meanings. Each or all of the apparatus or methods described herein as any aspect of an embodiment is sought to be solved by the aspects of the embodiment disclosed in this application, as it is encompassed by the claims. It is not intended or necessary to deal with the problem. Any element, component, or method step in the disclosure of the present invention will be disclosed to the general public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly described in detail in the claims. It is not intended to be dedicated. Any claim element in a claim is either explicitly recited using the phrase “means for” or the element is “action” in the case of a method claim. Unless enumerated as “steps”, it shall not be construed in accordance with the provisions of Section 6 of 35 USC 112 (35 USC § 112).

In compliance with US patent law (35 USC), Applicant has described in each and every claim, and in some cases only one claim, attached to the specification of this application. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that at least one authoritative and working embodiment of each invention has been disclosed. Applicants define aspects / features / elements of disclosed embodiments, actions of disclosed embodiments, or functions of disclosed embodiments, and / or aspects / features / When describing any other definition of an element, at any time or throughout the application, a definitive verb (eg, “is”, “are”, “does”, “has”, “include”, etc.), and / or Or other definitive verbs (eg, “generate”, “cause”, “sample”, “read”, “notify”, etc.) and / or verbal nouns (eg, “generate,” “ Used "," taking "," keeping "," manufacturing "," determining "," measuring "or" calculating "). Any such defining word or phrase etc. is any aspect / feature / element of one or more embodiments disclosed herein, ie, any feature, element, system, subsystem, In order to interpret the scope of the invention with respect to what the applicant has invented and claimed, whenever used to describe processing, or algorithmic steps, specific materials, etc., the following limiting Preceded by one or more or all of the phrases, i.e. "exemplarily", "e.g.", "as an example", "exemplarily only", "exemplarily only", and / or Or read as including any one or more or all of the phrases "can do", "may be", "may be", and "will be" Should. All such features, elements, steps, materials, etc., are intended to be the embodiment of the subject matter claimed by the applicant in compliance with the requirements of the patent law or any such aspect / feature / Any disclosure of a single authoritative example of an element is only described as a possible aspect of one or more disclosed embodiments, and any one of any embodiments It should be considered that it is not described as the only possible implementation of one or more aspects / features / elements and / or the only possible embodiment of the claimed subject matter. In this application or in the performance of this application, any disclosed embodiment of a claim or any particular aspect / feature / element of any particular disclosed embodiment of the claim Unless otherwise expressly and specifically indicated that the applicant believes that the invention is considered to be one and only way to implement all the aspects / features / elements described in such claims Is any disclosed aspect / feature / element of any disclosed embodiment of the claimed content of this patent application, or any description of the entire embodiment, which is claimed in the claim or any aspect / feature / element of it. One and only way of performing the above, and thus encompassing all such disclosed embodiments together with other possible embodiments of the claimed subject matter. It is intended that all claims, which are sufficiently broad, be construed to limit such aspects / features / elements of such disclosed embodiments or such disclosed embodiments. Absent. The Applicant shall do so with any details such as any aspect / feature / element, step of the content of the claims as set forth in one or more of the parent claims or directly or indirectly dependent claims. Any claim that has a dependent claim that is dependent on a claim, the description of the parent claim, together with other embodiments, is sufficiently broad to encompass further details in the dependent claim; And any further details of such parental claims, including the implementation of the aspects / features / elements claimed in any such parental claims, and thus incorporating further details of the dependent claims into the parental claims. In a single way limited to further details of any such aspects / features / elements described in any dependent claims which in any way limit the scope of the broader aspects / features / elements Specifically, explicit, and in which unequivocally intended that it should be interpreted to mean that there is no.

EX ... exposure device, ILS ... illumination optical system, R ... reticle, PL ... projection optical system, W ... wafer, IPP ... illumination pupil plane, 8 ... illumination device, 10 ... light source, 14 ... spatial light modulator (SLM), 20 ... Thermo camera, 23 ... Integrator sensor, 25 ... Fly eye lens, 36 ... Illumination controller, 60 ... Pupil monitor

Claims

In the illumination method of illuminating the irradiated surface using the supplied light,
Setting a control amount for the state of incident light of a plurality of optical elements arranged in parallel and capable of controlling the state of light incident on each of the optical elements;
Illuminating the irradiated surface with the supplied light through the plurality of optical elements;
Monitoring temperature information of the plurality of optical elements;
Correcting the control amount of the plurality of optical elements based on a monitoring result of temperature information of the plurality of optical elements;
Including lighting method.
The lighting method according to claim 1, wherein correcting the control amounts of the plurality of optical elements includes switching the correction amount of the control amounts according to an integrated value of temperatures of the plurality of optical elements.
The plurality of optical elements are divided into a plurality of blocks;
In order to monitor the temperature information of the plurality of optical elements, the temperature information of the optical elements is monitored for each of the plurality of blocks,
The illumination method according to claim 1, wherein the control amount of the optical element is corrected for each of the plurality of blocks in order to correct the control amount of the plurality of optical elements.
In the illumination method of illuminating the irradiated surface using the supplied light,
Dividing a plurality of optical elements capable of controlling the state of light incident on each into a plurality of blocks each including a plurality of optical elements, and storing an array of the plurality of blocks;
Illuminating the irradiated surface through the plurality of optical elements with the supplied light by setting a control amount for the incident light state of the plurality of optical elements for each of the plurality of blocks; ,
Correcting the control amount of the plurality of optical elements for each of the plurality of blocks;
Including lighting method.
5. The illumination method according to claim 4, wherein temperature information of the plurality of optical elements is monitored for each of the plurality of blocks using a temperature sensor in order to correct the control amounts of the plurality of optical elements.
The illumination method according to claim 4, wherein an integrated energy of the supplied light is monitored in order to correct the control amount of the plurality of optical elements.
In an illumination optical device that illuminates an illuminated surface using light from a light source,
A spatial light modulator having a plurality of optical elements arranged in an optical path of light from the light source and capable of controlling a state of light incident on each of the light paths;
A temperature detection device for monitoring temperature information of the plurality of optical elements;
A control system for setting a control amount for the incident light state of the plurality of optical elements, and correcting the driving amount based on temperature information of the plurality of optical elements monitored by the temperature detection device;
An illumination optical device comprising:
The illumination optical device according to claim 7, wherein the temperature detection device is a temperature sensor.
The illumination optical device according to claim 8, wherein the temperature sensor is a radiation sensor disposed at a position where the plurality of optical elements can be optically observed.
The illumination optical device according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the temperature sensor is provided in the spatial light modulator.
A storage device for storing information of integrated values of temperatures of the plurality of optical elements;
The illumination optical device according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the control system switches the correction amount of the control amount based on information on the integrated value of the temperature stored in the storage device.
Comprising a photoelectric detector for monitoring the energy of light from the light source;
The illumination optical apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the control system switches the correction amount of the control amount based on information of an integrated value of detection signals of the photoelectric detector.
The illumination optical device according to claim 12, wherein the photoelectric detector monitors an energy distribution from the light source.
The illumination optical device according to any one of claims 7 to 13, wherein the control system controls the plurality of optical elements for each of a plurality of blocks.
The spatial light modulator is a part of an optical system that forms a light quantity distribution of light at a predetermined position in an illumination optical path of the illumination optical device,
The illumination optical device according to any one of claims 7 to 14, further comprising a surface light source forming optical system that forms a surface light source having a light amount distribution equivalent to the light amount distribution of the light from the light from the spatial light modulator.
In an exposure apparatus that illuminates a pattern with exposure light and exposes the substrate through the pattern and the projection optical system with the exposure light,
An illumination optical device according to any one of claims 7 to 15,
An exposure apparatus that uses light from the illumination optical apparatus as the exposure light.
Forming a pattern of a photosensitive layer on a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 16;
Processing the substrate on which the pattern is formed;
A device manufacturing method including: