Nikon Corporation

Taichi Taniuchi

Masayuki Akagawa

Osamu Yamashita

Kyoji Nakamura

Hiromitsu Yoshimoto

Eizo Ohya

The optical apparatus of the present invention comprises; an optical member such as a lens; a casing containing the optical member; a gas supply device that supplies gas at a predetermined flow rate to inside the casing; and a gas introduction mechanism that reduces the flow rate of the gas supplied to inside the casing to below the predetermined flow rate. The casing has an inlet through which gas is supplied from the gas supply device to the inside. The gas introduction mechanism comprises an impingement member which is disposed between the inlet and a surface of the optical member, and the gas introduced from the inlet impinges against the impingement member. As a result, contamination of the optical member due to gas introduced to inside the casing can be reduced.

Optical apparatus, exposure apparatus using the same, and gas introduction method

The illuminating optical system is divided into a first portion including movable blades moving during exposure, and a second portion not containing a movable portion moving over the movable blade during exposure. The second portion is installed on the exposure main portion, and the first portion, separately from the exposure main portion. The frames configuring the first and the second optical units, the second optical unit having optical elements of a smaller movable amount than the movable amount of the movable blades, are relatively displaceably connected via the bellows-shaped member. The frames configuring the second optical units are fixed to each other via the O-ring suppressing relative displacement. As a result, the effect of vibration of the illuminating optical system during exposure on the main portion can be reduced. Upon purging nitrogen gas or the like in the space interior of the frame and the space between adjacent frames, the degree of air-tightness and chemical cleanliness is improved, consequently improving the exposure accuracy.

Illuminating optical apparatus and making method thereof, exposure apparatus and making method thereof, and device manufacturing method

A reticle (R) is irradiated with an ArF excimer laser beam to transfer a pattern on the reticle (R) onto a wafer (W) through a projection optical system (PL). Each of a plurality of illuminating lens units ( ) arranged in the illuminating optical passage has a barrel containing a plurality of lenses, and caps are so provided as to be spaced from the lenses at both ends. Lens chambers among the lenses are filled with an inert gas, and the spaces between the caps and the lenses are also filled with an inert gas. When the illuminating lens unit ( ) are housed in and illuminating optical path housing, the caps are removed while purging the spaces. Therefore, the lenses at both ends are prevented from being contaminated and the transmittance of the optical lens device for exposure with light having a wavelength of shorter than 300 nm is prevented from lowering.

Optical device, method of cleaning the same, projection aligner, and method of producing the same

An exposure method for irradiating a mask with an illuminating light and transferring a pattern on the mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system includes supplying a gas having a lower capability of absorbing illuminating light to each of plural chambers formed between optical elements disposed in a barrel, floating a contaminating substance on the plural elements in the gas by irradiation, exhausting the gas and contaminating substances from the barrel, supplying the plural chambers with further gas, after exhausting the gas containing the contaminating substance, and transferring the pattern onto the substrate.

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Tokyo, Japan

Taichi Taniuchi