Illumination system for microlithography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9280060-B2
Application number	US-201414496689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 25, 2014
Priority date	Jan 29, 2009
Publication date	Mar 8, 2016
Grant date	Mar 8, 2016

Abstract

A raster arrangement includes first and second types of raster elements which have different bundle-influencing effects. There is a distance step between a first raster area and a second raster area. The first raster area comprises a raster element of the first raster element type. The second raster area includes a raster element of the second raster element type. The raster arrangement is configured to be used in a microlithography illumination system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A raster arrangement, comprising:
first and second types of raster elements which have different bundle-influencing effects,
wherein:
the raster arrangement comprises a first surface and a second surface which is opposite the first surface;
the raster arrangement is configured so that, during use of the raster arrangement, light passes through the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement;
the raster arrangement comprises a first raster area and a second raster area;
the first raster area comprises a raster element of the first raster element type;
the second raster area comprises a raster element of the second raster element type;
in the first raster area, there is a minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement;
in the second raster area, there is a minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement;
the minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the first raster arrangement in the first raster area is different from the minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement in the second raster area; and
the raster arrangement is configured to be used in a microlithography illumination system.

2. The raster arrangement of claim 1 , further comprising a displacement device to displace at least one displaceable segment of the raster arrangement.

3. An illumination system configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light, the illumination system comprising:
a raster arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein:
the raster arrangement further comprises a displacement device to displace at least one displaceable segment of the raster arrangement;
the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements, a group of several raster elements, a raster column, a raster area, or several groups of raster elements; and
the illumination system is a microlithography illumination system.

4. The illumination system of claim 3 , further comprising a transmission optics configured to superimpose transmission of illumination light of secondary light sources generated by the raster arrangement into the object field, wherein the transmission optics comprises a further raster arrangement comprising a plurality of bundle-forming raster elements, and the displacement device is configured to displace the at least one displaceable segment of the raster arrangement relative to the further raster arrangement.

5. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is displaceable relative to the second raster arrangement in a direction transverse to a beam direction of the illumination light.

6. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is pivotable relative to the second raster arrangement.

7. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the displacement device is configured so that a periodic displacement of at least one segment of the first raster arrangement relative to the second raster arrangement takes place at a period which is small compared to an exposure time of the illumination field during lithographic projection exposure.

8. The illumination system of claim 4 , further comprising:
a measuring device configure detect an illumination intensity distribution of the illumination light; and
a control device connected with the measuring device and the displacement device.

9. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements.

10. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises a group of several raster elements.

11. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises several groups of raster elements.

12. The illumination system of claim 4 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is displaceable relative to the second raster arrangement in a direction transverse to a beam direction of the illumination light.

13. The illumination system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is pivotable relative to the second raster arrangement.

14. The illumination system of claim 3 , wherein the displacement device is configured so that a periodic displacement of at least one segment of the first raster arrangement relative to the second raster arrangement takes place at a period which is small compared to an exposure time of the illumination field during lithographic projection exposure.

15. The illumination system of claim 3 , further comprising:
a measuring device configure detect an illumination intensity distribution of the illumination light; and
a control device connected with the measuring device and the displacement device.

16. The illumination system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements.

17. The illumination system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises a group of several raster elements.

18. The illumination system of claim 3 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises several groups of raster elements.

19. A projection exposure apparatus, comprising:
an illumination system comprising a raster arrangement according to claim 1 ,
wherein:
the raster arrangement further comprises a displacement device to displace at least one displaceable segment of the raster arrangement;
the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements, a group of several raster elements, a raster column, a raster area, or several groups of raster elements; and
the projection exposure apparatus is a microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

20. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a projection objective.

21. A method, comprising:
providing a projection exposure apparatus comprising a projection objective, a reticle and an illumination system comprising a raster arrangement according to claim 1 ; and
using the projection exposure apparatus to project at least a part of the reticle onto a region of a photosensitive layer.

22. The raster arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement in the first raster area is less than the minimum distance between the first and second surfaces of the raster arrangement in the second raster area.

23. The raster arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the first raster area comprises a plurality of raster elements of the first type.

24. The raster arrangement of claim 23 , wherein the second raster area comprises a plurality of raster elements of the second type.

25. The raster arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the second raster area comprises a plurality of raster elements of the second type.

26. The raster arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the first raster area comprises exactly one raster element of the first type.

27. The raster arrangement of claim 26 , wherein the second raster area comprises exactly one raster element of the second type.

28. The raster arrangement of claim 22 , wherein the second raster area comprises exactly one raster element of the second type.

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Scholz Axel
• Schlesener Frank
• Haverkamp Nils
• Davydenko Vladimir
• Gerhard Michael
• Ziegler Gerhard-Wilhelm
• Kern Mirco
• Bischoff Thomas
• Stammler Thomas
• Kellner Stephan
• Maul Manfred
• Walldorf Daniel
• Hurevich Igor
• Deguenther Markus

Classifications

• G02B3/0043

  Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height · CPC title

• G03F7/70058

  Mask illumination systems · CPC title

• G03F7/70083

  Non-homogeneous intensity distribution in the mask plane · CPC title

• G03F7/70075 Primary

  Homogenization of illumination intensity in the mask plane by using an integrator, e.g. fly's eye lens, facet mirror or glass rod, by using a diffusing optical element or by beam deflection · CPC title

• G03F7/70191 Primary

  Optical correction elements, filters or phase plates for controlling intensity, wavelength, polarisation, phase or the like · CPC title