Abstract: A measuring apparatus for measuring an optical performance of an optical system under test that has a numerical aperture of more than 0.6 at a light exit side, said measuring apparatus includes a numerical aperture decreasing part for decreasing the numerical aperture of a light exited from the optical system under test to 0.6 or less, and a detector for detecting an interference fringes formed by the light that passes through the numerical aperture decreasing part.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a polarization controller which controls polarization of light, a wavefront dividing unit which divides a wavefront of the light, a polarizing unit which polarizes the light, a detector which detects the light, a first driving unit which moves the wavefront dividing unit with respect to the detector, a second driving unit which moves the polarizing unit with respect to the detector, and a processor which calculates the optical characteristics of the detection target using a detection results obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned in the optical path and a detection result obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned outside the optical path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus including a first polarization control unit configured to control a polarization state of light which enters an optical system to be measured to at least two different polarization states, a wavefront splitting unit which is inserted between the first polarization control unit and the optical system, a second polarization control unit which is inserted between the optical system and an image sensor, includes a phase plate, and is configured to control the polarization state of the light, and a processing unit configured to calculate the optical characteristics of the optical system, based on a plurality of interference patterns sequentially sensed by the image sensor by rotating the phase plate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus including an illumination system which illuminates an original, and projection optics which project a pattern of the original illuminated by the illumination system onto a substrate. The apparatus includes an interferometer which forms an interference pattern including aberration information on the projection optics using a polarized light beam emitted from the illumination system, in which the interferometer is a common path interferometer in which two light beams forming interference pattern pass along a path in the projection optics, and a processor which calculates optical characteristics of the projection optics on the basis of the interference pattern formed by the interferometer. The illumination system including a polarization controller which sequentially generates at least three difference polarized light beams with respective polarization states different from each other.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for measuring an optical performance of an optical system under test that has a numerical aperture of more than 0.6 at a light exit side, said measuring apparatus includes a numerical aperture decreasing part for decreasing the numerical aperture of a light exited from the optical system under test to 0.6 or less, and a detector for detecting an interference fringes formed by the light that passes through the numerical aperture decreasing part.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for measuring an optical performance of an optical system under test that has a numerical aperture of more than 0.6 at a light exit side, said measuring apparatus includes a numerical aperture decreasing part for decreasing the numerical aperture of a light exited from the optical system under test to 0.6 or less, and a detector for detecting an interference fringes formed by the light that passes through the numerical aperture decreasing part.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, a polarization adjuster configured to independently adjust each polarization state of plural areas in an effective light source distribution used to illuminate the reticle, a polarization measurement unit configured to measure a polarization state of light that has passed the polarization adjuster, and a controller configured to independently control each polarization state of the plural areas via the polarization adjuster based on a measurement result of the polarization measurement unit.

Abstract: The present invention provides a measurement apparatus comprising a first polarization control unit configured to control a polarization state of light which enters an optical system to be measured to at least two different polarization states, a wavefront splitting unit which is inserted between the first polarization control unit and the optical system, a second polarization control unit which is inserted between the optical system and an image sensor, includes a phase plate, and is configured to control the polarization state of the light, and a processing unit configured to calculate the optical characteristics of the optical system, based on a plurality of interference patterns sequentially sensed by the image sensor by rotating the phase plate.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus comprises a polarization controller (2) which controls polarization of light which is incident on a detection target; a wavefront dividing unit (5) which divides a wavefront of the light from the polarization controller (2); a polarizing unit (6, 7) which polarizes the light transmitted through the target; a detector (8) which detects the light transmitted through the wavefront dividing unit and/or the polarizing unit; a processor (13) which calculates the optical characteristics of the target based on a detection result; and a first driving unit which moves the wavefront dividing unit with respect to the detector to position the wavefront dividing unit in or outside an optical path running from the target to the detector. The processor (13) calculates the optical characteristics using detection results obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned in the optical path and obtained when the wavefront dividing unit is positioned outside the optical path.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which includes a projection optical system that projects a pattern image of a reticle onto an object to be exposed, and an interferometer configured to measure an optical characteristic of the projection optical system. The interferometer includes a mask placed on an object plane side of the projection optical system, the mask shaping a wavefront of light from a light source into an ideal wavefront, a detector configured to detect the light passing through the projection optical system; and an optical element placed between the mask and the projection optical system or between the projection optical system and the detector. The detector detects interference fringes (an interferogram) formed by interference between a reflected component of the light reflected by the optical element and a transmitted component of the light passing through the optical element.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an interferometer which forms interference fringes including aberration information on projection optics using polarized light beams emitted from an illumination system, and a processor which calculates the optical characteristics of the projection optics on the basis of interference patterns sequentially formed by the interferometer using at least three different polarized light beams sequentially generated by a polarization controller. The optical characteristics include unpolarization aberration which does not depend on the polarization state of light entering the projection optics, and polarization aberration which depends on the polarization state of the light entering the projection optics.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, a polarization adjuster configured to independently adjust each polarization state of plural areas in an effective light source distribution used to illuminate the reticle, a polarization measurement unit configured to measure a polarization state of light that has passed the polarization adjuster, and a controller configured to independently control each polarization state of the plural areas via the polarization adjuster based on a measurement result of the polarization measurement unit.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which includes a projection optical system that projects a pattern image of a reticle onto an object to be exposed, and an interferometer configured to measure an optical characteristic of the projection optical system. The interferometer includes a mask placed on an object plane side of the projection optical system, the mask shaping a wavefront of light from a light source into an ideal wavefront, a detector configured to detect the light passing through the projection optical system; and an optical element placed between the mask and the projection optical system or between the projection optical system and the detector. The detector detects interference fringes (an interferogram) formed by interference between a reflected component of the light reflected by the optical element and a transmitted component of the light passing through the optical element.

Abstract: An image processing method converts data dependent on a first illuminating light into data dependent on a second illuminating light by, storing conversion conditions for plural illuminating light sources of different color rendering properties, generating data indicating the proportion of synthesis of the stored conversion conditions of the plural light sources, corresponding to the second illuminating light, generating a first conversion condition from the stored conversion conditions for the plural illuminating light sources according to the data indicating the proportion of synthesis, generating a second conversion condition for color temperature conversion based on color temperature information from the second illuminating light, and converting data dependent on the first illuminating light into data dependent on the second illuminating light using the first and second conversion conditions.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus for measuring an optical performance of an optical system under test that has a numerical aperture of more than 0.6 at a light exit side, said measuring apparatus includes a numerical aperture decreasing part for decreasing the numerical aperture of a light exited from the optical system under test to 0.6 or less, and a detector for detecting an interference fringes formed by the light that passes through the numerical aperture decreasing part.

Abstract: A six-mirror catoptric projection optical system for projecting a reduced size of a pattern on an object onto an image plane includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth mirrors from the image plane along an optical path, wherein the third and fourth mirrors are located between the fifth mirror and sixth mirror and wherein the catoptric projection optical system forms an intermediate image along the optical path from the third mirror to the fifth mirror.

Abstract: There is provided an interferometer for measuring a surface shape of an optical element using interference, including a reference wave-front deformation system for deforming a wave front of reference light.

Abstract: A cataoptric projection optical system for projecting a reduced size of a pattern on an object plane onto an image plane includes first, second, third and fourth mirrors from the image plane along an optical path, wherein the third and fourth mirrors are located between the first mirror and second mirror.

Abstract: An exposure method for printing, upon a photosensitive material, a pattern having fine lines of an odd number extending about a certain point. The method includes a multiple exposure process using a phase shift mask having an even number of boundaries defined with a phase difference of 180 degrees between adjacent regions about the point, wherein the number of the boundaries is larger than the number of fine lines.

Abstract: An exposure method for printing, upon a photosensitive material, a pattern having fine lines of an odd number extending about a certain point, through a multiple exposure process, wherein a phase shift mask having an even number of boundaries defined with a phase difference of 180 deg. between adjacent regions about the point, is used, and wherein the number of the boundaries is larger than the number of fine lines.