Exposure apparatus and exposure method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11079688-B2
Application number	US-202015930443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 13, 2020
Priority date	May 21, 2019
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

An exposure apparatus 10 includes an optical pickup 12 configured to emit laser light and being capable of adjusting the focus of the laser light, a control computing unit 16 configured to adjust the focus of the laser light, an auxiliary stage 21 having the light source unit 12 set thereon, the position of the auxiliary stage 21 being adjustable in the direction toward the master 1, an auxiliary stage control unit 25 configured to control the position of the auxiliary stage 21, wherein the optical pickup 12 includes an object lens 124 configured to direct the laser light to the master 1, a VCM actuator 125 configured to displace the object lens 124 in accordance with a drive current, and the auxiliary stage control unit 25 controls the position of the auxiliary stage 21 in accordance with the drive current for the VCM actuator 125.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern by exposure by irradiating a set master with laser light, comprising:
a light source unit configured to emit the laser light and being capable of adjusting a focus of the laser light;
a control computing unit configured to control the focus of the laser light emitted from light source unit;
an auxiliary stage having the light source unit set thereon, a position of the auxiliary stage being adjustable in a direction toward the master;
an auxiliary stage control unit configured to control the position of the auxiliary stage;
an error computing unit configured to perform an output corresponding to a focus error of the laser light; and
an adder configured to add an offset value based on a correction signal generated based on integrated surface profile data, to a target value corresponding to the output from the error computing unit when the laser light focuses on a surface of the master, the integrated surface profile data being indicative of a relative positional relationship between the surface of the master and the light source unit, and being associated with at least one of a roughness of the surface of the master, an inclination of the master, and decentering of the master,
wherein the light source unit comprises:
an object lens configured to direct the laser light to the master; and
an actuator configured to displace the object lens in accordance with a drive current,

the control computing unit controls the drive current for the actuator based on a difference between a sum by the adder and the output from the error computing unit, and
the auxiliary stage control unit controls the position of the auxiliary stage in accordance with the drive current for the actuator.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the master is one of a cylindrical master and a columnar master.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the master is a plate-like master.

4. An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern by exposure by irradiating a set master with laser light, comprising:
a light source unit configured to emit the laser light and being capable of adjusting a focus of the laser light;
a control computing unit configured to adjust the focus of the laser light emitted from light source unit;
an auxiliary stage having the light source unit set thereon, a position of the auxiliary stage being adjustable in a direction toward the master;
an auxiliary stage control unit configured to control the position of the auxiliary stage,
an error computing unit configured to perform an output corresponding to a focus error of the laser light; and
an adder configured to add an offset value based on a correction signal generated based on integrated surface profile data, to a target value corresponding to the output from the error computing unit when the laser light focuses on a surface of the master, the integrated surface profile data being indicative of a relative positional relationship between a surface of the master and the light source unit, and being associated with at least one of a roughness of the surface of the master, an inclination of the master, and decentering of the master,
wherein the auxiliary stage control unit controls the position of the auxiliary stage based on integrated surface profile data, and
the control computing unit controls the focus of the laser light based on a difference between a sum by the adder and the output from the error computing unit.

5. An exposure method of forming a pattern by exposure on a set master by irradiating the master with laser light using an exposure apparatus which comprises a light source unit configured to emit the laser light and being capable of adjusting a focus of the laser light,
wherein the exposure apparatus comprises an auxiliary stage having the light source unit set thereon, a position of the auxiliary stage being adjustable in a direction toward the master,
the light source unit comprises:
an object lens configured to direct the laser light to the master; and
an actuator configured to displace the object lens in accordance with a drive current, and

the method comprises:
performing an output corresponding to a focus error of the laser light;
adding an offset value based on a correction signal generated based on integrated surface profile data, to a target value corresponding to the output when the laser light focuses on a surface of the master, the integrated surface profile data being indicative of a relative positional relationship between the surface of the master and the light source unit, and being associated with at least one of a roughness of the surface of the master, an inclination of the master, and decentering of the master;
controlling the drive current for the actuator based on a difference between a sum of the offset value and the target value and the output; and
controlling the position of the auxiliary stage in accordance with the drive current for the actuator.

6. An exposure method of forming a pattern by exposure on a set master by irradiating the master with laser light using an exposure apparatus which comprises a light source unit configured to emit the laser light and being capable of adjusting a focus of the laser light,
wherein the exposure apparatus comprises an auxiliary stage having the light source unit set thereon, a position of the auxiliary stage being adjustable in a direction toward the master,
the method comprises:
controlling the position of the auxiliary stage based on integrated surface profile data, the integrated surface profile data being indicative of a relative positional relationship between a surface of the master and the light source unit, and being associated with at least one of a roughness of the surface of the master, an inclination of the master, and decentering of the master, which have been measured in advance;
performing an output corresponding to a focus error of the laser light;
adding an offset value based on a correction signal generated based on the integrated surface profile data to a target value corresponding to the output when the laser light focuses on a surface of the master; and
controlling the focus of the laser light based on a difference between a sum of the offset value and the target value and the output.

Assignees

• Dexerials Corp

Inventors

• Nogami Asahiko

Classifications

• G03F7/70641 Primary

  Focus · CPC title

• G03F7/0025

  characterised by means for coating the developer · CPC title

• G03F7/2053

  using a laser (ablative removal B41C) · CPC title

• G03F7/70383

  Direct write, i.e. pattern is written directly without the use of a mask by one or multiple beams (maskless lithography using a programmable mask G03F7/70291) · CPC title

• G03F7/70141

  Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system · CPC title