Abstract: A diffractive optical element capable of further reducing zero-order diffraction light includes a diffraction layer including: a high refractive index part in which a plurality of projections are arranged side by side in a cross-sectional shape; and a low refractive index part that has a lower refractive index than the high refractive index part and that includes a recess formed at least between the projections. The projections have a sawtooth shape or a shape that imitates a sawtooth shape by a multi-stage outline shape. An inclined plane that is inclined with respect to a sheet surface of the diffractive optical element, which has a sawtooth shape or a sawtooth shape imitated by a multi-stage outline shape, has a concave curved plane that is concave toward the projections.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, in which a diffraction grating having a large pitch and a multitude of diffraction gratings can be arranged, includes a plurality of cells arranged side by side, wherein, for each cell, the pitch at which projections are lined up and/or the orientation of an in-plane rotation direction are/is different, and, within a single cell, the projections' pitch and the in-plane rotation direction orientation are the same, the diffractive optical element shaping light by this configuration which is an assembly of these cells. The plurality of cells include: a plurality of basic cells having the same outer shape; and a composite cell having a different outer shape from the basic cells, formed such that the length thereof in a specific direction is longer than the length of the basic cell, the composite cell having a diffraction grating including at least a single pitch's worth of the projection(s).

Abstract: A diffractive optical element and a light irradiation device which have high optical utilization efficiency, in which, even if the incidence angle of light deviates, the influence on diffracted light is small and desired diffracted light can be stably obtained, and which have little unevenness in diffracted light. A diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having in a sectional shape a high refractive index part in which a plurality of protruding portions are arranged side by side, and a low refractive index part and including a recessed section formed at least between the protruding portions. The protruding portion has a multistep shape provided with a plurality of step areas having different heights on at least one side of a cross-section thereof, and the cross-section of the protruding portion is at least partially provided with an inclined portion.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is configured to provide desired diffracted light and is excellent in durability. The diffractive optical element shapes light from a light source, wherein the diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having a periodic structure having low refractive index portions and high refractive index portions, and the high refractive index portions of the periodic structure include one having an aspect ratio of 2 or more.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element capable of further reducing zero-order diffraction light includes a diffraction layer including: a high refractive index part in which a plurality of projections are arranged side by side in a cross-sectional shape; and a low refractive index part that has a lower refractive index than the high refractive index part and that includes a recess formed at least between the projections. The projections have a sawtooth shape or a shape that imitates a sawtooth shape by a multi-stage outline shape. An inclined plane that is inclined with respect to a sheet surface of the diffractive optical element, which has a sawtooth shape or a sawtooth shape imitated by a multi-stage outline shape, has a concave curved plane that is concave toward the projections.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is configured to provide desired diffracted light and is excellent in durability. The diffractive optical element shapes light from a light source, wherein the diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having a periodic structure having low refractive index portions and high refractive index portions, and the high refractive index portions of the periodic structure include one having an aspect ratio of 2 or more.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element, in which a diffraction grating having a large pitch and a multitude of diffraction gratings can be arranged, includes a plurality of cells arranged side by side, wherein, for each cell, the pitch at which projections are lined up and/or the orientation of an in-plane rotation direction are/is different, and, within a single cell, the projections' pitch and the in-plane rotation direction orientation are the same, the diffractive optical element shaping light by this configuration which is an assembly of these cells. The plurality of cells include: a plurality of basic cells having the same outer shape; and a composite cell having a different outer shape from the basic cells, formed such that the length thereof in a specific direction is longer than the length of the basic cell, the composite cell having a diffraction grating including at least a single pitch's worth of the projection(s).

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is configured to provide desired diffracted light and is excellent in durability. The diffractive optical element shapes light from a light source, wherein the diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having a periodic structure having low refractive index portions and high refractive index portions, and the high refractive index portions of the periodic structure include one having an aspect ratio of 2 or more.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element and a light irradiation device which have high optical utilization efficiency, in which, even if the incidence angle of light deviates, the influence on diffracted light is small and desired diffracted light can be stably obtained, and which have little unevenness in diffracted light. A diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having in a sectional shape a high refractive index part in which a plurality of protruding portions are arranged side by side, and a low refractive index part and including a recessed section formed at least between the protruding portions. The protruding portion has a multistep shape provided with a plurality of step areas having different heights on at least one side of a cross-section thereof, and the cross-section of the protruding portion is at least partially provided with an inclined portion.

Abstract: A diffractive optical element is configured to provide desired diffracted light and is excellent in durability. The diffractive optical element shapes light from a light source, wherein the diffractive optical element is provided with a diffractive layer having a periodic structure having low refractive index portions and high refractive index portions, and the high refractive index portions of the periodic structure include one having an aspect ratio of 2 or more.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pupil filter used for the illumination optical system of a semiconductor aligner or the like that can prevent a decrease in the quantity of light having transmitted through it, enhance the efficiency of semiconductor exposure, reduce loads of correction by the optical proximity effect and yield a stable yet high-resolution optical image without engendering size fluctuations of a pattern imaged on a wafer depending on a mask pattern pitch. Specifically, the invention provides a diffractive optical device for the formation of a pupil filter used for the illumination optical system of an aligner adapted to direct light emanating from a light source to a mask via an illumination optical system and project a pattern on the mask onto an alignment substrate and exposing it to light via a projection optical system. The pupil filter formed by the diffractive optical device is a dipole pupil comprising two light transmissive areas (11).

Abstract: The invention provides a gradated photomask for reducing photolithography steps and its fabrication process, which make use of a generally available photomask blank, prevents the reflectance of a light shield film from growing high, makes alignment easy during the formation of a semitransparent film, and enables the semi-transparent film on a light shield pattern with good step coverage.

Abstract: A photomask which improves the imaging performance that the photomask has and forming a good micro image on a wafer in photolithography with a half pitch of 60 nm or less. Provided is a photomask used for photolithography using an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source for immersion exposure by quadrupole-polarized illumination with a high-NA lens. The photomask includes a mask pattern of a light shielding film or semi-transparent film on a transparent substrate, and further, given that a thickness of the light shielding film or semi-transparent film is “t” nm, a refractive index is “n”, an extinction factor is “k”, and a bias of a space part of the mask pattern is “d” nm, when “t”, “d”, “n” and “k” are adjusted and the photomask is used for the photolithography, optical image contrast takes a value exceeding 0.580.

Abstract: A photomask which improves the imaging performance that the photomask has and forming a good micro image on a wafer in photolithography with a half pitch of 60 nm or less. Provided is a photomask used for photolithography using an ArF excimer laser as an exposing source for immersion exposure by quadrupole-polarized illumination with a high-NA lens. The photomask includes a mask pattern of a light shielding film or semi-transparent film on a transparent substrate, and further, given that a thickness of the light shielding film or semi-transparent film is “t” nm, a refractive index is “n”, an extinction factor is “k”, and a bias of a space part of the mask pattern is “d” nm, when “t”, “d”, “n” and “k” are adjusted and the photomask is used for the photolithography, optical image contrast takes a value exceeding 0.580.

Abstract: The invention provides a gradated photomask for reducing photolithography steps and its fabrication process, which make use of a generally available photomask blank, prevents the reflectance of a light shield film from growing high, makes alignment easy during the formation of a semitransparent film, and enables the semitransparent film on a light shield pattern with good step coverage.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pupil filter used for the illumination optical system of a semiconductor aligner or the like that can prevent a decrease in the quantity of light having transmitted through it, enhance the efficiency of semiconductor exposure, reduce loads of correction by the optical proximity effect and yield a stable yet high-resolution optical image without engendering size fluctuations of a pattern imaged on a wafer depending on a mask pattern pitch. Specifically, the invention provides a diffractive optical device for the formation of a pupil filter used for the illumination optical system of an aligner adapted to direct light emanating from a light source to a mask via an illumination optical system and project a pattern on the mask onto an alignment substrate and exposing it to light via a projection optical system. The pupil filter formed by the diffractive optical device is a dipole pupil comprising two light transmissive areas (11).

Abstract: The work load spent on designing a trench-type, Levenson-type phase shift mask is lightened and the working time for the designing process is shortened. A pattern 11, having a plurality of apertures, is designed by means of a designing tool 10. In a database 30 are prepared optimal functions that indicate optimal combinations of undercut amounts Uc and bias correction amount ? according to each set of dimension conditions. An optimal function extraction tool 20 extracts optimal functions Fp and Fs that are matched with dimension conditions Mp and Ms on pattern 11, and determining tool 40 determines optimal values of the undercut amount Uc and the bias correction amount ? based on the extracted optimal function. A three-dimensional structure determining tool 50 determines a three-dimensional structural body 13, having a depth d and the undercut amount Uc, for an aperture by which the phase of transmitted light is shifted by 180 degrees.

Abstract: An antireflection structure (10) comprises a base (1), and a finely roughened antireflection part (2) formed in a surface of the base (1). The finely roughened antireflection part (2) includes a plurality of projections and depressions defined by the projections. The projections are distributed such that PMAX??MIN, where PMAX is the biggest one of distances between tips (2t) of the adjacent projections and ?MIN is the shortest one of wavelengths of visible light rays in a vacuum. The sectional area of each projection in a plane parallel to the surface of the base (1) increases continuously from the tip (2t) toward the bottom (2b) of the depression adjacent to the projection. The shape (2Mt) of a tip part (Mt) of each projection in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the base (1) is sharper than the shape (2Mb) of a bottom part (Mb) of each depression in the same plane vertical to the surface of the base (1).

Abstract: A planar pattern (11), having a plurality of apertures of the same size (Wx×Wy), is determined by a two-dimensional layout determination tool (10), and a three-dimensional structure, having a depth d and an undercut amount Uc for making the phase of the transmitted light be shifted by 180 degrees with every even-numbered aperture, is determined by a three-dimensional structure determination tool (20). Simulation of transmitted light is executed for a structural body having the planar pattern (11) and the three-dimensional structure (21) by a three-dimensional simulator (30) to determine the light intensity deviation D of transmitted light for an odd-numbered aperture without a trench and an even-numbered aperture with a trench. At a two-dimensional simulator (40), simulations using a two-dimensional model prepared based on this deviation D are performed to determine a correction amount ? for making the deviation D zero and obtain a new planar pattern (12).

Abstract: A method of evaluating the exposure property of data to a wafer in which errors in the production of a photomask and the formation of patterns caused by defocus in the transfer of data to the wafer are considered. Accordingly, errors in the production of the photomask and deformation of patterns caused by defocus can be evaluated in the stage of design data.