Abstract: A lithography system with a stray light feedback system is disclosed. The stray light feedback helps control critical dimension (CD) within a stray light specification limit. A stray light dose control factor is calculated as a function of the stray light measured in the exposure tool and the sensitivity of the resist. The stray light dose control factor is used to adjust the exposure dose to achieve the desired CD. The stray light may be monitored, and if a threshold level of stray light is reached or exceeded, the use of the exposure tool may be discontinued for a particular type of semiconductor product, resist, or mask level, until the lens system is cleaned.

Abstract: An exposure device for producing semiconductors and liquid crystals has an optical system capable of effectively using light generated without making a hole in a lamp discharge vessel when high energy laser light is supplied to it for emitting light, such as ultraviolet light. The exposure device has a light source for emitting ultraviolet light, a laser device for emitting laser light, an elliptical reflector for reflecting ultraviolet light emitted from the light source, and an optical system for directing light reflected by the elliptical reflector to an article to be treated via optical elements including a collimator lens and an integrator lens, and a beam splitter having a wavelength selecting ability provided in the optical path for light reflected by the elliptical reflector to allow laser light to be incident on the light source from and opening side of the elliptical reflector.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical apparatus including a light source that emits light in the form of light pulses having a pulse frequency, and including at least one optical element. The disclosure also relates to a projection exposure machine including a pulsed light source and a projection objective, and to a method for modifying the imaging behavior of such an apparatus, such as in a projection exposure machine.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a light dividing surface which reflects a certain component of the light beam bifurcated by an illumination optical system, and transmits the remaining component of the light beam, a first photoelectric conversion element which detects the light beam transmitted through the light dividing surface, a second photoelectric conversion element which detects the light beam reflected by the light dividing surface, and a controller which controls the light beam which becomes incident on the substrate, using the outputs from the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element while the light emitted by a light source is in a first polarization state, and the outputs from the first photoelectric conversion element and the second photoelectric conversion element while the light emitted by the light source is in a second polarization state.

Abstract: Provided is a reticle masking blade system, including a reticle-masking blade device. Also included is a detector array mounted on an edge of a blade of the blade device.

Abstract: A stereolithography apparatus and an exposure system for a stereolithography apparatus, wherein light emitting diodes are used as light sources. The invention relates to aligning light from the light emitting diode and to the exchange and control the light emitting diodes.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided that has a sensor at substrate level, the sensor including a radiation receiver, a transmissive plate supporting the radiation receiver, and a radiation detector, wherein the sensor is arranged to avoid loss of radiation between the radiation receiver and a final element of the radiation detector.

Abstract: In a lithographic apparatus, a feedforward transfer function of a control system is determined by: a) iteratively learning a feedforward output signal of the control system by iterative learning control for a given setpoint signal; b) determining a relation between the learned feedforward output signal and the setpoint signal; and c) applying the relation as the feedforward transfer function of the control system. A learned feedforward, which has been learned for one or more specific setpoint signals only, can be adapted to provide a setpoint signal dependent feedforward output signal. The learned feedforward can be made more robust against setpoint variations.

Abstract: An illumination source senses a level of ambient light and determines an illumination waveform to be used to illuminate at least a portion of a document. The rise and the fall time of the illumination waveform are independently controlled.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a method to facilitate using a synchrotron as a source in an extreme ultraviolet lithography (EUVL) system, wherein the synchrotron's energy decreases over time. The EUVL system can includes a stepper which uses a step-and-repeat process or a step-and-scan process to transfer patterns from a reticle onto a wafer. The wafer is desired to be exposed to a substantially constant dose. During operation, the system can measure a synchrotron current, and adjust the stepper's exposure duration or the stepper's scan speed based on the synchrotron current so that the wafer is exposed to the substantially constant dose. Note that using the synchrotron current to control the stepper can enable the EUVL system to expose the wafer to the substantially constant dose without using additional equipment to monitor the source's energy.

Abstract: Lithographic apparatus using an array of individually controllable elements in which a fraction of the intensity of the beam of radiation patterned by the array of individually controllable elements is diverted to an image sensor for verifying the quality of the image generated.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is provided that has a sensor at substrate level, the sensor including a radiation receiver, a transmissive plate supporting the radiation receiver, and a radiation detector, wherein the sensor is arranged to avoid loss of radiation between the radiation receiver and a final element of the radiation detector.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit arranged to be connected to an associated radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources configured to generate pulses of radiation for projection onto a substrate and each control circuit arranged to control the energy of radiation pulses generated by that associated radiation source.

Abstract: This invention discloses a position detection method for detecting the focus position of an optical position detection apparatus including an image sensor and an optical system which forms an image of a target object on the image sensing surface of the image sensor. In this method, the relationship between the position of the target object in the optical-axis direction of the optical system and the evaluation value of the signal output from the image sensor is measured, and the position of a peak close to a reference focus position, which is selected if the evaluation value has a plurality of peaks in the measured relationship, is detected as the focus position.

Abstract: In a lithographic apparatus, a scanning mechanism is coarse compared with precise patterns to be exposed onto a substrate. In order to ensure that the image and the substrate are aligned at some point in time, an oscillation is imparted to either the substrate table, or to a device that aligns the image, such as a mask table. The oscillation frequency is chosen to compliment a maximum alignment error. The frequency of a radiation pulse is arranged to coincide with the image and the substrate being most accurately aligned. The radiation pulse of the image may be timed to coincide with the alignment without the use of the imparted oscillation.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus according to this invention has a light source which can change the central wavelength of exposure light to undergo pulsed oscillation, and scan-exposes a substrate with slit-like exposure light while periodically changing the central wavelength in synchronism with the pulsed oscillation of the exposure light. The scanning exposure apparatus includes a controller which controls the light source so that integrated values Sws and Swl obtained by integrating the intensity of the exposure light for each wavelength in the scanning direction in a short-wavelength range and long-wavelength range, respectively, assuming a target central wavelength as a reference satisfy: |(Sws?Swl)/(Sws +Swl)|?0.1.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus that exposes an object to be exposed with light from an EUV light source. The light has an exposure wavelength component and a non-exposure wavelength component. The exposure apparatus has a detector that independently detects the quantity of light of the exposure wavelength component and the quantity of light of the non-exposure wavelength component of the light. Therefore, for example, even if the quantity of light of the exposure wavelength component and the quantity of light of the non-exposure wavelength component individually fluctuate, it is possible to accurately ascertain fluctuations in the characteristics of the optical system resulting from irradiation heat. As a result, it is also possible to achieve a high performance mirror adjustment system.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a lithography apparatus with improved lithography throughput. The lithography apparatus includes a first lens system; a first substrate stage configured to receive a first radiation energy from the first lens system, and designed operable to move a substrate during an exposing process; a second lens system, having a higher resolution than that of the first lens system; and a second substrate stage approximate to the first substrate stage and configured to receive a second radiation energy from the second lens system, and designed operable to receive the substrate from the first substrate stage and move the substrate.

Abstract: The mask-less exposure apparatus includes: a stage which moves with the substrate having a photosensitive resin layer with sensitivity to ultraviolet radiation formed thereon; a first light source for emitting light containing a wavelength component in the wavelength range of 300 to 410 nm; a first light irradiation optical system for modulating a radiant flux emitted from the first light source based on data of a desired exposure pattern to image a pattern on the photosensitive resin layer; a second light source for emitting light containing a wavelength component in the wavelength range of 450 to 2500 nm; and a second light irradiation optical system for guiding a radiant flux emitted from the second light source to a second light irradiation area that is set so as to include at least a first light irradiation area.

Abstract: A light application apparatus includes an optical modulation element provided with a plurality of phase steps, a light beam which is entered into the optical modulation element being phase-modulated by the phase steps and exits from the optical modulation element as a light beam having a first light intensity distribution. An optical system is arranged between the optical modulation element and an predetermined plane. The optical system divides the phase-modulated light beam into at least two light fluxes having second and third light intensity distributions and different optical characteristics from each other, and projects a light beam including the divided two light fluxes, the light intensity distributions of the projected light fluxes being combined with each other, so that the projected light beam has a fourth light intensity distribution with an inverse peak shape on the predetermined plane and enters the predetermined plane.

Abstract: A pulse power source which can perform high repetition of pulse signals by enhancing the throughput of a pulse source is provided. The pulse power source includes: a charger; an initial-stage capacitor section which is provided with a capacitor charged by the charger; and a magnetic pulse compression circuit which performs magnetic pulse compression of a pulse current generated by discharging a charge from the capacitor at the initial-stage capacitor section and, thereafter, outputs the pulse current. An exposure device which includes the pulse power source is also provided. The pulse power source includes, between the initial-stage capacitor section and the magnetic pulse compression circuit, a transistor which controls timing of discharging a charge from the initial-stage capacitor section, an inductor which constitutes a resonance circuit together with the capacitor at the initial stage capacitor section, and a diode which rectifies the pulse current.

Abstract: A system for controlling the radiation dose in a pulse of radiation having a relatively large dose, in which a pulsed beam of radiation is divided into a plurality of pulsed sub-beams of radiation and the radiation dose of the pulses is adjusted after the radiation beam has been divided.

Abstract: A light source device having a large cooling action on the base member of a discharge lamp. A connector on the sides of the power supply and the air blower and the base-side connector of a discharge lamp are connected to each other through a connection cable having a power cable in which an air blow pipe is contained. An electric power is supplied from the power supply to a base part through the power cable of the connection cable, the base-side connector and a flow passage bending member. The cool air from the air blower is supplied to the groove part of the base part through the air blow pipe of the connection cable, the base-side connector and an air blow passage in the flow passage-bending member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is equipped with a laser unit that emits a laser beam, a memory that stores a first information which shows a first relation indicating a relation between a linewidth error of a pattern formed on a wafer and a spectral characteristic of the laser beam emitted from the laser unit, and a main controller that controls the spectral width of the laser beam via a laser controller, based on the first information and on information related to a reticle that is to be used. Main controller performs spectral width control of the laser beam so as to suppress linewidth error, based on the first information and on the information related to the reticle that is to be used.

Abstract: A photolithographic method and associated apparatus are provided that permit three-dimensional structures to be defined in a photoresist coating in such a manner that multi-level structures can be formed which have constant width at different depths within the photoresist coating. The photolithographic method and apparatus may permit such three-dimensional structures to be defined within a photoresist coating with the use of a single polychromatic mask and, optionally, a micro-lens array. By designing the polychromatic mask to have a plurality of regions that selectively pass and block respective wavelengths of light, the photoresist coating can be selectively illuminated with light have different wavelengths. As a result of the optical absorption characteristics of the photoresist coating, the different wavelengths of light propagate to different depths within the photoresist coating, thereby defining multi-level microstructures therein.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a first board on which a light-emitting element is mounted and a second board on which is mounted a driving IC for causing the light-emitting element to emit light. A second current path is extended from the driving IC, which is mounted on the second board, to the first board. The second current path is arranged so as to be adjacent to a first current path.

Abstract: A method of illuminating at least two illumination points by means of at least one spatial light modulator, said at least one spatial light modulator comprising a plurality of light modulators, whereby a predefined amount of energy transmitted to said points is at least partly controlled by varying the number of said light modulators illuminating said point.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a phase adjuster to adjust a phase of an optical wave traversing an optical element of the phase adjuster during exposure of a pattern on a substrate. In an embodiment, the optical element is a heat controllable optical element in a projection system of the lithographic apparatus. In use, the pattern is illuminated with an illumination mode including an off-axis radiation beam. This beam is diffracted into a number of first-order diffracted beams, one associated with a first pitch in the pattern, along a first direction, another associated with a second pitch along a different, second direction in the pattern. An area is identified where the first-order diffracted beam associated with the first pitch traverses the optical element. An image characteristic of an image of the pattern is optimized by calculating a desired optical phase of this first-order diffracted beam in relation to the optical phase of the other first-order diffracted beam.

Abstract: An apparatus for changing an intensity distribution of a light within an illumination field includes a structure configured to be positioned within the illumination field so that a first portion of the light within the illumination field impinges upon the structure, where the structure is translucent or opaque to a wavelength of the light. The apparatus also includes an actuator configured to cause a movement of a first portion of the structure so that a second portion of the light within the illumination field impinges upon the structure. The light within the illumination field is produced by a source configured so that a pupil fill of a beam of the light is uncontrolled, but the beam of the light downstream of the structure is substantially telecentric before and after the movement of the first portion of the structure. Related methods are also presented.

Abstract: A lithography system with a stray light feedback system is disclosed. The stray light feedback helps control critical dimension (CD) within a stray light specification limit. A stray light dose control factor is calculated as a function of the stray light measured in the exposure tool and the sensitivity of the resist. The stray light dose control factor is used to adjust the exposure dose to achieve the desired CD. The stray light may be monitored, and if a threshold level of stray light is reached or exceeded, the use of the exposure tool may be discontinued for a particular type of semiconductor product, resist, or mask level, until the lens system is cleaned.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate to pulsed light supplied from a light source, includes an input device, and a controller configured to periodically change a wavelength of the pulsed light emitted by the light source, wherein the controller is configured to calculate number of pulsed light required to expose each point on the substrate based on a parameter input from the input device, and configured to determine a changing period of the wavelength based on the calculated number.

Abstract: In an exposure device having tiny light emitting elements aligned, a space required for drive circuits and wires is secured without affecting the size or alignment of the light emitting elements for arrangement and wiring of the drive circuits. In this exposure device, the drive circuits are separately arranged outside the column formed by the multiple organic EL elements, and, the length of the region occupied by the circuit exceeds one pitch in the alignment of the organic EL elements, and, the multiple drive circuits are arranged along the column.

Abstract: A CD-pitch dependency for a lithographic pattern printing process is related to the spectral intensity distribution of radiation used for projecting the pattern. A CD-pitch dependency can vary from one system to another. This can result in an iso-dense bias mismatch between systems. The invention addresses this problem by providing a lithographic apparatus including an illumination system for providing a projection beam of radiation, a projection system for projecting a patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate, and a substrate table for holding the substrate, with a controller to provide an adjustment of the spectral distribution of radiant intensity of the projection beam. The adjustment of the spectral intensity distribution is based on data relating to an iso dense bias, and includes a broadening of the spectral bandwidth or a change of shape of the spectral intensity distribution.

Abstract: A stray light feedback system and method for a lithography exposure tool. The stray light feedback helps control critical dimension (CD) within a stray light specification limit. A stray light dose control factor is calculated as a function of the stray light measured in the exposure tool and the sensitivity of the resist. The stray light dose control factor is used to adjust the exposure dose to achieve the desired CD. The stray light may be monitored, and if a threshold level of stray light is reached or exceeded, the use of the exposure tool may be discontinued for a particular type of semiconductor product, resist, or mask level, until the lens system is cleaned.

Abstract: A lithographic scanning apparatus includes a light projection device for seamlessly and uniformly projecting a scanning light onto a light exposing area. The light projecting device further includes an array of micromirrors having a predefined distribution pattern of reflectance variations for reflecting an incident light onto the light exposing area to seamlessly and uniformly scanning a reflecting light over the light exposing area. In one of a lithographic scanning apparatus, the micromirrors of the micromirror array are coated with a reflective coating of different reflectance to provide the predefined distribution pattern of reflectance variations. In another lithographic scanning apparatus, the micromirrors of the micromirror array are coated with stripes of reduced reflectance whereby each micromirror may have predefined total reflectance to provide the predefined distribution pattern of reflectance variations.

Abstract: In a method for multiply exposing at least one substrate coated with a photosensitive layer, a first exposure is carried out in accordance with a first set of exposure parameters on a first projection system (17), and a second exposure is carried out in accordance with a second set of exposure parameters on a second projection system (18) spatially separated from the first projection system (17). The projection systems are integrated in a common projection exposure installation (1). The first exposure can be carried out, for example, with an amplitude mask (6), the second exposure with a phase mask (9). The use of a number of projection systems enables multiple exposure that is performed in parallel and is therefore timesaving.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for writing patterns onto substrates. First and second beams are directed to converge and substantially overlap in a common region on a substrate. This can be done so that the first and second beams are mutually temporally coherent and spatially coherent in the region of overlap to form interference fringes to define a writing image. A beam width of the first and second beams is adjusted. This can be done so that respective path lengths of the beams are matched when they reach the common region to ensure the first and second beams are mutually spatially coherent and temporally coherent across an entire width of the common region. In one example, the substrate is moved with respect to the writing image, while writing patterns onto the substrate. In another example, the substrate remains stationary.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical apparatus including a light source that emits light in the form of light pulses having a pulse frequency, and including at least one optical element. The disclosure also relates to a projection exposure machine including a pulsed light source and a projection objective, and to a method for modifying the imaging behavior of such an apparatus, such as in a projection exposure machine.

Abstract: A method of transferring an image of a pattern layout onto a surface of a substrate including selecting a first illumination profile for a first area of the pattern layout and a second illumination profile for a second area of the pattern layout; switching illumination profile during transfer of the image of the pattern layout such that the first area of the pattern layout is illuminated with the first illumination profile and the second area is illuminated with the second illumination profile; and projecting an image of the illuminated first and second areas onto the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An ion beam irradiating apparatus has: a beam profile monitor 14 which measures a beam current density distribution in y direction of an ion beam 4 in the vicinity of a target 8; movable shielding plate groups 18a, 18b respectively having plural movable shielding plates 16 which are arranged in the y direction so as to be opposed to each other across an ion beam path on an upstream side of the position of the target, the movable shielding plates being mutually independently movable in x direction; shielding-plate driving devices 22a, 22b which reciprocally drive the movable shielding plates 16 constituting the groups, in the x direction in a mutually independent manner; and a shielding-plate controlling device 24 which, on the basis of measurement information obtained by the monitor 14, controls the shielding-plate driving devices 22a, 22b to relatively increase an amount of blocking the ion beam 4 by the opposed movable shielding plates 16 which correspond to a position where a measured y-direction beam curr

Abstract: In known lithographic apparatus the projection beam is symmetrical, while the process window can be asymmetrical. The invention addresses this problem by providing a lithographic apparatus comprising an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate, wherein there is further provided a system for providing an asymmetric projection beam bandwidth distribution.

Abstract: A system and method for uniformity correction is provided. The system includes a plurality of winged correction elements inserted into the illumination field in a defined configuration. Adjacent winged correction elements are overlapped to minimize induced uniformity ripple. Each winged correction element has a first protrusion on a longitudinal edge of the correction element and a second protrusion on the opposite longitudinal edge. The slope of a sloped edge of the first protrusion and the slope of a sloped edge of the second protrusion are tied to the slope of a gradient in the non-uniformity profile of the illumination field. In addition, the angles defined by the flat tip of the correction element and the sloped edge of the first and second protrusions are tied to the angle of a gradient of the illumination field.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus, which has a projection optical system and exposes a substrate through the projection optical system and a liquid, while a gap between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the liquid. The apparatus includes a light-receiving element configured to detect light incident thereon through the projection optical system and the liquid, a vessel in which the light-receiving element is arranged, and a fluoroplastic filling a space within the vessel to cover the light-receiving element.

Abstract: An optical aligner includes a light source for generating an exposure light, an irradiation optical system for irradiating the exposure light onto a reticle, a projection optical system for transmitting the exposure light passed by the reticle to project the image of the reticle onto a photoresist mask, and a compensation optical system for generating a compensation light incident onto the reticle. The reticle reflects the compensation light in the light-shield area of the reticle to be incident onto the photoresist film. The compensation light compensates a flare light generated by the reticle from the exposure light to form a uniform pattern on the wafer.

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: A surface light source control apparatus for a direct exposure apparatus comprises a light-emission level determining means for determining the light-emission level of each point light source for each of a plurality of groups so that a uniform illuminance distribution is achieved at a position corresponding to an exposure surface of an exposure target when a projection device is set so as to reflect all light rays incident thereon toward the exposure surface, the plurality of groups being formed in advance by grouping the point light sources based on similarity in tendency in terms of illuminance distribution characteristics that the point light sources have at the position corresponding to the exposure surface, wherein the light-emission level determining means determines the light-emission level so that all the point light sources belonging to the same group have the same light-emission level.

Abstract: A generation method of a light intensity distribution uses a first light modulation element and a second light modulation element which are arranged to be apart from each other by a distance D and face each other in parallel to optically modulate a light beam which enters the light modulation elements, thereby generating a light intensity distribution on a target surface. The first light modulation element has a pattern formed by repeating a basic unit having a pitch P. The distance D is set to a distance with which the light intensity distribution generated on the predetermined surface is not changed even if a relative position of the first light modulation element and the second light modulation element is shifted in a plane direction.

Abstract: In the case of a projection exposure method for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate, arranged in the region of an image surface of a projection objective, with at least one image of a pattern of a mask arranged in the region of an object surface of the projection objective, a mask is arranged in the region of the object surface of the projection objective, the mask having a first pattern area with a first subpattern, and at least one second pattern area, arranged laterally offset from the first pattern area, with a second subpattern. The mask is scanned by relative movement between the mask and the illumination field of the illumination system in such a way that initially the first subpattern and thereafter the second subpattern is irradiated with the illumination radiation of the illumination field. The first subpattern is irradiated during a first illumination time interval with a first angular distribution, adapted to the first subpattern, of the illumination radiation.

Abstract: A direct exposure apparatus having a light source for projecting light onto an exposure target or, more specifically, an exposure target substrate, comprises: measuring means for measuring the illuminance distribution of light on an area corresponding to the exposure surface of the exposure target substrate; and control means for controlling, based on the measurement result supplied from the measuring means, the light source so that the intended illuminance distribution can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle including a pellicle with light from a light source, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, an obtaining unit configured to obtain information on a thickness of the pellicle, an adjusting unit configured to adjust an illuminance on the substrate, and a control unit configured to control the adjusting unit based on the information on the thickness of the pellicle obtained by the obtaining unit.