Abstract: An exposure apparatus able to maintain reflectances of mirrors and transmittances of lenses and to maintain initial performance over a long period by using exposure light of a wavelength of the vacuum ultraviolet region to illuminate a mask and transfer images of patterns on the mask to a substrate, provided with a gas feed unit for supplying a light path space through which the exposure light passes with a gas mainly comprised of an inert gas or rare gas and introducing a predetermined concentration of hydrogen into the gas fed to at least part of the light path space.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method to expose an object with an illumination beam irradiated on a mask from a light source disposes an optical unit between the light source and an optical integrator of an illumination optical system to illuminate the mask with an illumination beam, of which an intensity distribution on a Fourier transform plane with respect to a pattern on the mask has an increased intensity portion apart from the optical axis relative to a portion of the intensity distribution on the optical axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method to expose an object with an illumination beam irradiated on a mask from a light source disposes an optical unit between the light source and an optical integrator of an illumination optical system to illuminate the mask with an illumination beam, of which an intensity distribution on a Fourier transform plane with respect to a pattern on the mask has an increased intensity portion apart from the optical axis relative to a portion of the intensity distribution on the optical axis.

Abstract: In a barrel of an optical unit a ring shaped support member is integrally arranged, and three projected portions are arranged on the upper surface of the support member. The projected portions support a lower surface of a parallel flat plate supported in direct contact. In this supported state, the parallel flat plate opposes a surface of the support member with a clearance of several ?m in between. With this arrangement, the space in one side of the parallel flat plate is substantially isolated from the space in the other side. Accordingly, for example, even if gas environment in the space on one side of the parallel flat plate is different from the other side, gases can be effectively kept from mixing. In addition, since the parallel flat plate is supported at three coplanar points, deformation of the parallel flat plate can be suppressed due to the force supporting the parallel flat plate, thereby suppressing the index of refraction from varying.

Abstract: In a method of detecting a position of a position detection grating mark formed with a small step structure on a surface of a flat object, an illumination light beam is irradiated on the grating mark at a predetermined incident angle. The illumination light beam includes a plurality of coherent beams having n (n?3) different wavelengths ?1, ?2, ?3, . . . ?n. The n wavelengths are set to approximately satisfy the following relation within a range of about ±10%: (1/?1?1/?2)=(1/?2?1/?3)= . . . (1/?n-1?/?n) where the wavelengths have a condition ?1<?2<?3 . . . <?n. Photoelectric detection of a change in light amount of a diffracted light component generated from the grating mark in a specific direction is performed upon irradiation of the illumination light beam having the n wavelength components. The position of the grating mark is determined based on a signal obtained in the photoelectric detection.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus including an irradiation optical system including a light source and irradiating a mask with irradiation light beams, a projection optical system for projecting an image of a pattern of the mask on a substrate, a plurality of first fly-eye type optical integrators each having an emission side focal plane disposed on a Fourier transformed surface with respect to the pattern of the mask in the irradiation optical system or on a plane adjacent to the same and having a center located at a plurality of positions which are eccentric from the optical axis of the irradiation optical system, a plurality of second fly-eye type optical integrators each having an emission side focal plane disposed on a Fourier transformed plane with respect to the incidental end of each of a plurality of the first fly-eye type optical integrators or on a plane adjacent to the same and being disposed to correspond to a plurality of the first fly-eye type optical integrators, and a light divider for dividing

Abstract: The energy amount of the energy beam passing through the illumination optical system is detected with the first photosensor, whereas the energy amount of the energy beam EL passing through at least a portion of the projection optical system PL is detected. And in accordance with the detection results, the main controller controls the exposure amount provided on the substrate during exposure. In the case the transmittance of the energy beam in the optical path from the first photosensor to the substrate surface (image plane) changes, this change is substantially precisely reflected to a value obtained by dividing the detection value of the second photosensor by the detection value of the first photosensor and normalizing the result. Accordingly, the transmittance change of the optical system in the optical path can be substantially cancelled out, allowing an exposure amount control with high precision.

Abstract: An optical system attains good optical performance without substantially receiving the effects of birefringence even when using an optical material having intrinsic birefringence. An optical system that includes at least one radiation transmissive member that transmits light having a wavelength of 200 nm or less has an optical axis that substantially coincides with a crystal axis [100] or a crystal axis optically equivalent to the crystal axis [100].

Abstract: After a mask is carried into a reserve room for temporarily storing before carrying into a mask room filled with specific gas that has an impurity concentration lower than a first concentration (e.g. 1 ppb) and that has a characteristic of absorbing little exposure light, gas-replacement mechanisms replace gas in the reserve room with specific gas having an oxygen concentration not lower than the first concentration. Therefore, when subsequently carrying the mask into the mask room, impurities from the outside (including absorbent gas) can be substantially prevented from getting into the optical path inside the mask room. When replacing a wafer, gas in a reserve room is also replaced in the same way as the above.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus illuminates a pattern of a mask with illumination light to transfer an image of the pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system. At least a part of the pattern on the mask has a longitudinal direction extending in a first direction. The method and apparatus set a first incident angle range in the first direction of the illumination light illuminated onto the mask to be wider than a second incident angle range in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction of the illumination light illuminated onto the mask.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method to expose an object with an illumination beam irradiated on a mask from a light source disposes an optical unit between the light source and an optical integrator of an illumination optical system to illuminate the mask with an illumination beam, of which an intensity distribution on a Fourier transform plane with respect to a pattern on the mask has an increased intensity portion apart from the optical axis relative to a portion of the intensity distribution on the optical axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method to expose an object with an illumination beam irradiated on a mask from a light source disposes an optical unit between the light source and an optical integrator of an illumination optical system to illuminate the mask with an illumination beam, of which an intensity distribution on a Fourier transform plane with respect to a pattern on the mask has an increased intensity portion apart from the optical axis relative to a portion of the intensity distribution on the optical axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method to expose an object with an illumination beam irradiated on a mask from a light source disposes an optical unit between the light source and an optical integrator of an illumination optical system to illuminate the mask with an illumination beam, of which an intensity distribution on a Fourier transform plane with respect to a pattern on the mask has an increased intensity portion apart from the optical axis relative to a portion of the intensity distribution on the optical axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprising a light source which emits a light including a main light having a wavelength to expose a substrate and sub light having a different wavelength from that of the main light collaterally generated in accordance with an oscillation of the main light, a main optical system which introduces a light from the light source to the substrate via the mask, a light sensor having sensitivity to a wavelength including the main light, and a separation device disposed an a light path from the light source to the light sensor, the separation device separating the main light and the sub light.

Abstract: An optical system assures excellent optical performance with substantially no effect of birefringence, even when a birefringent crystal material such as fluorite is used. An optical system includes a plurality of crystal optical elements which are formed with crystals belonging to a cubic system. The optical system includes crystal optical elements with a first crystal axis coinciding with the optical axis and crystal optical elements with a second crystal axis, differing from the first crystal axis, coinciding with the optical axis.

Abstract: The image of a pattern of reticle 12 is, being illuminated with exposure light IL of vacuum ultraviolet range, projected, via projection optical system PL, onto wafer 17a on wafer stage 18a in wafer chamber 24. By providing gas blowing plate 15 in which aperture portion 15a for the exposure light optical path is provided between projection optical system PL and wafer 17a, exhausting a gas in the first space S1 over gas blowing plate 15 via exhaust port G1e, purifying the exhausted gas, and then by blowing the purified gas again into space S1 via gas supply port G1i, outgases from wafer 17a are efficiently exhausted. Into the second space S2 under gas blowing plate 15 is supplied a gas of which contamination degree of impurities is controlled to be more relaxed compared with the gas in the first space S1. By this, even when using vacuum ultraviolet light as exposure light, with the decrease of transmittance on the optical path being controlled, a high exposure light intensity can be obtained.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus consists of: an illumination optical system, including a light source, for irradiating a mask; a projection optical system for projecting a hyperfine pattern image on a substrate; an optical integrator for illuminating the mask in a homogeneous illuminance distribution; and a luminous flux distributing member for distributing the luminous fluxes from the integrator into two luminous fluxes in two different directions for focusing intensity distributions over the Fourier transform surface or the surface in the vicinity thereof on two portions part from the optical axis of the illumination optical system.

Abstract: A photomask illuminated with an exposure illuminating light having a short wavelength of, e.g., about 200 nm or less and having an improved uniformity of transmittance distribution. On one surface (B) of a flat substrate (1) made of quartz, a quartz glass, or a quartz glass to which a predetermined impurity is added, a thin film (3) made of a material semitrasparent to the exposure illuminating light. The transmittance distribution for the illuminating light of the substrate (1) is measured prior to the formation of the thin film (3), and the distribution of the thickness of the thin film (3) is determined so as to compensate the unevenness of the transmittance distribution. An original pattern (2) is formed on the opposed surface (A) of the substrate (1) to the surface (B).