Nikon Corporation

Toshihiko Ozawa

Yasuhiro Omura

Takashi Mori

Hideki Komatsuda

Naomasa Shiraishi

Soichi Owa

Takeshi Suzuki

Masato Shibuya

Hiroshi Ooki

Masaomi Kameyama

Hironori Ikezawa

Issey Tanaka

Masaya Komatsu

Yoshifumi Tokoyoda

Shunsuke Niisaka

Youhei Fujishima

The present invention accomplishes an evaluation of image formation performance in which the influence of a coat is accurately reflected. According to the present invention, for the evaluation of image formation performance of an optical system obtained is a pupil transmittance distribution (a distribution of light transmittance on an exit pupil surface) of a light beam that enters an image point to be evaluated of the optical system. At least one of a rotational symmetrical component, an odd symmetrical component, and an even symmetrical component is extracted from the obtained pupil transmittance distribution as an evaluation index.

Method for evaluating image formation performance

A projection optical system, which forms a reduced image of a first surface onto a second surface, has excellent optical performance without substantially being affected by birefringence despite the use of optical material having intrinsic birefringence. This is done by suitably arranging certain crystal axes of radiation transmissive members that make up the projection optical system relative to the optical axis of the projection optical system, and by suitably arranging the certain crystal axes of the radiation transmissive members relative to the crystal axes of other radiation transmissive members in the projection optical system.

Projection optical system and an exposure apparatus with the projection optical system

A projection optical system in which an image of a first surface is projected onto a second surface based on a light beam having a predetermined wavelength. The projection optical system having at least one isometric system refractive member made of an isometric system crystal material. The isometric system crystal material transmits a light beam having the predetermined wavelength. The projection optical system also has an amorphous refractive member made of an amorphous material for compensating deterioration of optical performance due to intrinsic birefringence of the isometric system refractive member.

Production method of projection optical system

A projection exposure apparatus ( ) for forming an image of a pattern present on a first object such as a reticle (R) onto a second object, such as a wafer (W). The apparatus comprises along three optical axes (AZ AX, AZ ), an illumination optical system capable of illuminating the reticle with partially polarized light, and a catadioptric projection optical system ( ) arranged adjacent the reticle and opposite the illumination optical system. The catadioptric projection optical system comprises one or more substantially spherical mirrors ( ), a plurality of refractive members ( ), and one or more plane mirrors ( ). The plane mirrors are designed and arranged so as to allow a substantially unpolarized image of the reticle pattern, which is illuminated with partially polarized light, to be formed on the wafer.

Projection exposure apparatus with a catadioptric projection optical system

A projection exposure apparatus ( ) for forming an image of a pattern present on a first object such as a reticle (R) onto a second object, such as a wafer (W). The apparatus comprises along three optical axes (AZ , AX, AZ ), an illumination optical system capable of illuminating the reticle with partially polarized light, and a catadioptric projection optical system ( ) arranged adjacent the reticle and opposite the illumination optical system. The catadioptric projection optical system comprises one or more substantially spherical mirrors ( ), a plurality of refractive members ( ), and one or more plane mirrors ( ). The plane mirrors are designed and arranged so as to allow a substantially unpolarized image of the reticle pattern, which is illuminated with partially polarized light, to be formed on the wafer.

The present invention relates to a projection exposure method and an exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a photo-mask through a projection optical system onto a predetermined photosensitive material. The photosensitive material is a nonlinear photosensitive material in which the effective light intensity distribution is nonlinear to the intensity of incident exposure light. Further, multiple exposure is made with plural patterns having a certain lateral shift therebetween, or multiple exposure is made with shifting the position of an identical pattern, whereby multiple exposure is effected with patterns different in intensity distribution on the photosensitive material. A high-resolution pattern can be formed over the resolution limit of projection optical system by the above arrangement.

Growing community of inventors

Fukaya, Japan

Toshihiko Ozawa