Illumination system for microlithography

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9606441-B2
Application number	US-201615012087-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 1, 2016
Priority date	Jan 29, 2009
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A microlithography illumination system includes a first raster arrangement including a first plurality of bundle-forming raster elements arranged in or adjacent a first plane of the illumination system. The first plurality of bundle-forming raster elements is configured to generate a raster arrangement of secondary light sources. The illumination system also includes a transmission optics configured to superimpose transmission of the illumination light of the secondary light sources into the object field. The transmission optics includes a second raster arrangement comprising a second plurality of bundle-forming raster elements. The illumination system further includes a displacement device configured to displace a displaceable segment of the first raster arrangement relative to the second raster arrangement. The displaceable segment includes exactly one of the raster elements, a group of several raster elements, a raster column, a raster area, or several groups of raster elements.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An illumination system configured to illuminate an object field with illumination light, the illumination system comprising:
a first raster arrangement comprising a first plurality of bundle-forming raster elements arranged in or adjacent a first plane of the illumination system, the first plurality of bundle-forming raster elements configured to generate a raster arrangement of secondary light sources;
a transmission optics configured to superimpose transmission of the illumination light of the secondary light sources into the object field, the transmission optics comprising a second raster arrangement comprising a second plurality of bundle-forming raster elements;
a displacement device configured to displace at least one displaceable segment of the first raster arrangement relative to the second raster arrangement,
wherein:
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.

2. The illumination system of claim 1 , 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.

3. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is pivotable relative to the second raster arrangement.

4. The illumination system of claim 1 , 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.

5. The illumination system of claim 1 , 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.

6. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements.

7. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises a group of several raster elements.

8. The illumination system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises several groups of raster elements.

9. The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment is pivotable relative to the second raster arrangement.

10. The illumination system of claim 2 , 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.

11. The illumination system of claim 2 , 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.

12. The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises exactly one of the raster elements.

13. The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises a group of several raster elements.

14. The illumination system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one displaceable segment comprises several groups of raster elements.

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

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

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

18. A projection exposure apparatus, comprising:
an illumination system according to claim 1 ,
wherein the projection exposure apparatus is a microlithography projection exposure apparatus.

19. The projection exposure apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising a projection objective.

20. A method, comprising:
providing a projection exposure apparatus comprising a projection objective, a reticle and an illumination system 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.

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 Primary

  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