US5121160A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Exposure method and apparatus
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-06-18
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Granted: 1992-06-09
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Expires: 2011-06-18
Abstract
Abstract An exposure method, includes the steps of directing a radiation beam to a substrate to be exposed; and substantially correcting any change in the size of the radiation beam. Also, there is disclosed an exposure apparatus, which includes a laser for emitting a laser beam; a detector for detecting any change in the size of the laser beam; and a device for directing the laser beam to a substrate to be exposed, the directing device including a compensator responsive to an output signal from the detector for substantially correcting the change in the beam size.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoto Sano
- 👤 Masato Aketagawa
- 👤 Hitoshi Nakano
- 👤 Takahisa Shiozawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 21:59
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 38
Claim 1
Independent Claim
89 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; a detector for detecting any change in size of the laser beam; and means for directing the laser beam to a substrate, said directing means including an optical integrator, for receiving the laser beam and producing a plurality of secondary light sources, and a compensator disposed between said laser and said optical integrator and being responsive to an output signal from said detector, for substantially correcting a change in size of the laser beam upon the optical integrator.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
89 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a laser for emitting a laser beam; a detector for detecting any change in size of the laser beam; and means for directing the laser beam to a substrate, said directing means including an optical integrator, for receiving the laser beam and producing a plurality of secondary light sources, and a compensator disposed between said laser and said optical integrator and being responsive to an output signal from said detector, for substantially correcting a change in size of the laser beam upon the optical integrator.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said laser comprises a pulsed laser.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said laser comprises an excimer laser.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said compensator includes a movable lens which is displaceable along an optical axis of said directing means, and wherein through displacement of said movable lens the change in size of the laser beam can be corrected.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said directing means includes an afocal optical system arranged to expand the size of the laser beam and having a movable lens which is said movable lens, and wherein said afocal optical system is arranged so that, independently of the displacement of said movable lens, a substantially parallel laser beam is emitted therefrom.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said detector is adapted to detect any change in the size of the laser beam emitted from said afocal optical system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
63 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a radiation source for providing a radiation beam; and means for directing the radiation beam from said source to a substrate, said directing means including (a) a generator for receiving the radiation beam and producing a plurality of secondary radiation sources and (b) means for substantially correcting a change in size of the radiation beam received by the generator.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
63 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a radiation source for providing a radiation beam; and means for directing the radiation beam from said source to a substrate, said directing means including (a) a generator for receiving the radiation beam and producing a plurality of secondary radiation sources and (b) means for substantially correcting a change in size of the radiation beam received by the generator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said directing means includes an optical system having a predetermined lens element and wherein said correcting means is operable to displace said predetermined lens element along an optical axis of said optical system, to thereby substantially correct the change in the size of the beam.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said radiation source includes a laser, wherein said generator includes an optical integrator, wherein said directing means further includes a lens system for directing laser beams from said secondary radiation sources to the substrate, and wherein said optical system is provided between said laser and said optical integrator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said correcting means includes a photoelectric converter for receiving a portion of the laser beam and for producing a signal corresponding the beam size of the laser beam, and driving means responsive to the output signal of said converter to displace said lens element.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said optical system comprises an afocal system and wherein said optical system is arranged so that, independently of the displacement of said lens element, a substantially parallel laser beam is emitted therefrom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said optical system includes a cylindrical lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said optical system includes an image rotator.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said laser comprises an excimer laser.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
172 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a first stage for supporting a mask; a second stage for supporting a wafer; an excimer laser for emitting a laser beam; a detector for detecting a change in size of the laser beam; an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask supported by said first stage with the laser beam, said illumination optical system including (a) an optical integrator for receiving the laser beam to produce a plurality of secondary light sources, (b) a lens system for directing laser beams from said secondary light sources to the mask, and (c) a transmission optical system for transmitting the laser beam from said excimer laser to said optical integrator, said transmission optical system having a compensator responsive to an output signal from said detector to substantially correct a change in size of the laser beam received by said optical integrator; and a projection optical system for projecting an image of a pattern of the mask, illuminated by said illumination optical system, to a wafer supported by a second stage.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
172 words
An exposure apparatus, comprising: a first stage for supporting a mask; a second stage for supporting a wafer; an excimer laser for emitting a laser beam; a detector for detecting a change in size of the laser beam; an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask supported by said first stage with the laser beam, said illumination optical system including (a) an optical integrator for receiving the laser beam to produce a plurality of secondary light sources, (b) a lens system for directing laser beams from said secondary light sources to the mask, and (c) a transmission optical system for transmitting the laser beam from said excimer laser to said optical integrator, said transmission optical system having a compensator responsive to an output signal from said detector to substantially correct a change in size of the laser beam received by said optical integrator; and a projection optical system for projecting an image of a pattern of the mask, illuminated by said illumination optical system, to a wafer supported by a second stage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising a movable third stage on which said laser is mounted.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said transmission optical system includes an afocal optical system and wherein said compensator is provided in said afocal optical system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said compensator comprises a lens element which is displaceable along an optical axis of said afocal optical system.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
41 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said laser is adapted to supply a substantially collimated laser beam and wherein said afocal optical system includes a beam expander for receiving a substantially collimated laser beam and for expanding the size thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said afocal optical system includes first and second beam expanders and wherein said first beam expander is effective to expand the size of a received laser beam with respect to a first direction.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said second beam expander is effective to expand the size of a received laser beam with respect to a second direction perpendicular to said first direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said afocal optical system includes an image rotator.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said afocal optical system includes an anamorphic optical system and wherein said compensator is provided in said anamorphic optical system.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said detector includes a photoelectric converter adapted to receive a portion of the laser beam to produce a signal corresponding to a change in the size of the laser beam.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
81 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said transmission optical system includes a member having a predetermined opening, for controlling the cross-sectional shape of the laser beam, wherein through said opening the laser beam is directed to said optical integrator, wherein said member has a light extracting portion formed at a site other than that of said opening, and wherein said detector is provided so that a laser beam obtainable through said light extracting portion is received by said photoelectric converter.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said detector is provided so that the laser beam emitted from said afocal optical system is received by said photoelectric converter.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, further comprising control means for receiving an output signal from said detector, for controlling said compensator in accordance with the received output signal, wherein said control means is operable to stop illumination of the mask with the laser beam, on the basis of an output signal from said detector.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
90 words
In an exposure method, for manufacture of semiconductor devices, for projecting a radiation beam to an optical integrator to produce a plurality of secondary radiating sources and for exposing a wafer to a circuit pattern with radiation beams from said secondary radiation sources, the improvement comprising the steps of: detecting a change in size of the radiation beam impinging on the optical integrator; and compensating for the change in size of the radiation beam on the basis of the detection; wherein, after the compensation, exposure of the wafer is effected.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
90 words
In an exposure method, for manufacture of semiconductor devices, for projecting a radiation beam to an optical integrator to produce a plurality of secondary radiating sources and for exposing a wafer to a circuit pattern with radiation beams from said secondary radiation sources, the improvement comprising the steps of: detecting a change in size of the radiation beam impinging on the optical integrator; and compensating for the change in size of the radiation beam on the basis of the detection; wherein, after the compensation, exposure of the wafer is effected.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 28, wherein the radiation beam is supplied by an excimer laser.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 28, wherein, for the exposure of the wafer, an image of the circuit pattern is projected on the wafer with radiation beams from the secondary radiation sources.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 28, wherein a lens system is provided in a path of the radiation beam and wherein, for compensation of the change in size of the radiation beam, the lens system is adjusted.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
14 words
A method according to claim 31, wherein the lens system comprises a zoom lens.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
16 words
A method according to claim 32, wherein the radiation beam is supplied by an excimer laser.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 32, wherein, for the exposure of the wafer, an image of the circuit pattern is projected on the wafer with radiation beams from the secondary radiation sources.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-06-09 | 1995-12-09 | 1996-06-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-06-09 | 1999-12-09 | 2000-06-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-06-09 | 2003-12-09 | 2004-06-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |