Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a pattern of an original onto a substrate. The apparatus includes an optical system, including a reflective optical element, configured to conduct exposure light, a cooling mechanism configured to cool the reflective optical element included in the optical system, a detection unit configured to detect cooling information of the cooling mechanism and to produce a detection result, and a determination unit configured to determine optical characteristics of the reflective optical element, based on the detection result of the detection unit and a previously stored correlation between optical characteristics of the reflective optical element and the cooling information of the cooling mechanism.

Abstract: A system and method are used to feed a flexible substrate through a patterned beam to be exposed at target portions by the pattered beam. In one example, the flexible substrate is passed over a chuck (e.g., a vacuum chuck). In one example, the chuck can bias the flexible substrate against a chuck surface during alignment, focus, and exposure operations. By biasing the flexible substrate, the flexible substrate can continuously move while being held against the chuck. In one example, the flexible substrate is fed onto the vacuum chuck from a supply roller and fed off the chuck and wrapped on to a take-up roller. The supply and take-up rollers are rotated to follow the scanning motion, which minimizes or substantially eliminates tension on the flexible substrate during the exposure period.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table and a motion control system for controlling a movement of the substrate table. The motion control system includes at least 3 position detectors constructed for detecting a position of the substrate table. For measuring a position and orientation of the substrate table, each position detector comprises an optical encoder of a single dimensional or multi dimensional type, the optical encoders being arranged for providing together at least 6 position values, at least one position value being provided for each of the 3 dimensions. Some of the optical encoders may be connected to the substrate table at different locations in the 3 dimensional coordinate system.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods that employ a structural framework of cell gratings placed on a wafer surface during an immersion lithography process to restrict motion of the immersion fluid. Thus, when the stepper lens comes in contact with the immersion fluid, a typically stable immersion fluid dynamics can be maintained with the cells during the immersion lithography process. In addition, various monitoring and control systems are employed to regulate stability of the immersion fluid.

Abstract: A semiconductor wafer is exposed with a pattern from a mask or reticle in an exposure tool. The exposure tool has an adjustable lens system and a light source, which is tunable in wavelength. A first exposure is performed with a tuned first wavelength and a first setting of the lenses. Prior to performing a second exposure onto the same wafer and into the same resist layer, the wavelength of the light source is varied to a second wavelength in order to mimic a focus offset. A resulting image shift at the slit edges of the scanning system due to chromatic aberration is then corrected for by setting the lens system in dependence of the difference between the tuned first and second wavelength. Having tuned second wavelength of the light source and having set the lens system, the second exposure is performed. A continuous adjustment of the lens system based upon a continuously varying light source wavelength can be accomplished.

Abstract: A closing disk for an immersion head of an immersion lithography system is disclosed. The closing disk makes contact with the immersion head at the edges of the closing disk, but not the center, preventing damage to the bottom surface of the immersion head and also to the closing disk. The closing disk may be transparent or opaque, and may be aligned to the immersion head using optical or mechanical alignment.

Abstract: A method and structure for optimizing an optical lithography illumination source may include a shaped diffractive optical element (DOE) interposed between the illuminator and a lens during the exposure of a photoresist layer over a semiconductor wafer. The DOE may, in some instances, increase depth of focus, improve the normalized image log-slope, and improve pattern fidelity. The DOE is customized for the particular pattern to be exposed. Description and depiction of a specific DOE for a specific pattern is provided. Additionally, a pupilgram having a particular pattern, and methods for providing a light output which forms the pupilgram, are disclosed.

Abstract: A reflecting Offner-like optical system is described which is suitable for use in a photolithographic system in which the magnification is approximately 1 to 1, and where the format is flexible. The primary mirror is split into two halves, which are movable with respect to each other. Magnification is slightly changeable by moving the two halves of the split primary mirror forward and backward by slight amounts. The reflecting optical system is moved in a reciprocating manner across a nominally stationary photomask and an intermittently stationary flexible format, which includes a segment of a roll-to-roll web. The arctuate object and image are rotated 90 degrees by flat mirrors to enable efficient scan coverage as the entire mirror system shuttles back and forth across the mask and the web. Center to center distance between the object and the image fields is increased by the use of an aspheric secondary mirror.

Abstract: A projection optical system has at least eight reflecting mirrors and is relatively compact in the radial direction. The eight reflecting mirrors (M1˜M8) form a reduced image of a first surface on a second surface. A first reflecting image forming optical system (G1) forms a first intermediate image (IMI1) of the first surface based on light from the first surface, a second reflecting image forming optical system (G2) forms a second intermediate image (IMI2) of the first surface based on light from the first intermediate image, and a third reflecting image forming optical system (G3) forms a reduced image on the second surface based on light from the second intermediate image. The number of reflecting mirrors (M6˜M8) of the third reflecting image forming optical system is greater than the number of reflecting mirrors (M1, M2) of the first reflecting image forming optical system.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is provided with a sensor for detecting one of luminescence radiation, desorbed particles, or free charges produced by an interaction of the projection beam with a material at surface of a substrate. The luminescence radiation, desorbed particles, or free charges are indicative of the dose delivered to the substrate, and can be detected close to the substrate or at the substrate level to avoid errors due to transmission variations in the optical path from the radiation source to the substrate.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus for illuminating an illumination field (65) with the light from an assigned light source (11) comprises a pupil shaping unit (15, 30) for receiving light from the assigned light source (11) and for generating a predeterminable basic light distribution in a pupil plane (31) of the illumination system and a transmission filter (36) assigned to the pupil shaping unit (15, 30) and having at least one array of individually drivable individual elements for the spatially resolving transmission filtering of the light impinging on the transmission filter in or in proximity to a pupil plane (31, 35) of the illumination system, the transmission filter (36) being designed for generating a predeterminable correction of the basic light distribution. An illumination system of this type can generate a multiplicity of location-dependent intensity distributions in a pupil plane of the illumination system, a high transmittance being ensured.

Abstract: An adjusting method of an optical system composed plural optical elements each having a multilayer film, said adjusting method that includes a first measuring step that obtains, for each optical element, a difference between a phase distribution of which an EUV light (Extreme Ultraviolet light) is reflected from the optical element and a phase distribution of which a light with a wavelength that is longer than the EUV light is reflected from the optical element, a second measuring step that measures a phase distribution of which the light passes the optical system, a deciding step that decides a phase distribution of which the EUV light passes through the optical system based on the phase distribution difference obtained by the first measuring step and the phase distribution measured by the second measuring step, and an adjusting step that adjusts at least one of a position and a posture of the optical element based on the phase distribution decided by the deciding step.

Abstract: A catadioptric lens with optical elements, which are arranged along an optical axis and with at least one concave mirror located in the vicinity of a pupillar surface of the projection lens. The concave mirror is sub-divided into a number of annular or honeycomb mirror segments, which can be displaced independently in relation to one another with the aid of piezoelectric drive elements. The mirror can be used as a phase-shifting pupillar filter, whereby the filtration function can be adjusted by the relative displacement of the mirror elements in relation to one another.

Abstract: A production method of a semiconductor device which includes the steps of exposing a resist coated on a substrate of a semiconductor device by projecting a first light pattern on the substrate of the semiconductor device the first light pattern being formed by passing light through a first mask, and exposing the resist by projecting a second light pattern on the substrate, the second light pattern being formed by passing light through a second mask. In the step of exposing the resist by projecting the second light pattern, the second light pattern is formed by excimer laser light having an annular shape and passed through the second mask.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to provide a beam of radiation of radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device configured to impart a pattern to the beam of radiation; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, the projection system and/or illumination system including a focusing element; a plurality of stop discs each having an aperture therethrough different from the size and/or shape of the apertures of the other stop discs; and a mechanism configured to exchangeably place a selected one of the stop discs adjacent to the focusing element.

Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate support for supporting at least one substrate, a radiation system for providing at least one beam of radiation, and a vacuum chamber. The vacuum chamber includes a patterning device and/or a projection system. The patterning device is arranged for patterning the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern, and the projection system is arranged for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of the substrate. The apparatus also includes at least one thermal shield for thermally conditioning at least part of the apparatus. The thermal shield includes particle transmission channels for transmitting particles through the shield, from a first side of the shield to a second side of the shield.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes an illuminator for conditioning a beam of radiation, and a first support for supporting a patterning device that serves to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The apparatus also includes a second support for supporting a substrate, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate, and at least one gas generator for generating a conditioned gas flow. The gas generator includes a guiding element for guiding the gas flow to a lower volume generally located below a lower surface of the projection system and to a volume between the lower surface and the substrate. The guiding element directs the gas flow in a generally downward direction and then in a direction generally parallel to the lower surface.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus for aligning with each other a mask stage that supports a mask that has an exposure pattern and a wafer stage that supports an object by using a light with wavelength of 1 nm to 50 nm, said alignment apparatus including a substrate for forming a first reference pattern similar to a second reference pattern formed on the mask or the mask stage, and a detection part for detecting a light from the substrate, wherein said substrate and detection part form a hollow housing, in which a gas is filled.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus EX exposes a substrate P by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid 1 onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which performs the projection, and a liquid supply mechanism 10 which supplies the liquid onto the substrate to form a liquid immersion area AR2 on a part of the substrate. The liquid supply mechanism supplies the liquid 1 onto the substrate P simultaneously from a plurality of positions which are apart, in a plurality of different directions, from the projection area AR1. The exposure apparatus is capable of forming the liquid immersion area stably and recovering the liquid satisfactorily. It is possible to perform the exposure process accurately while avoiding, for example, the outflow of the liquid to the surroundings.

Abstract: A method of exposing a wafer to a light comprises transferring an image onto a plurality of shot areas by irradiating a projection light, each of the plurality of shot areas including at least one die area defined on the wafer on which a photoresist film is formed, and scanning the at least one die area adjacent to an edge portion of the wafer by irradiating a scanning light.