catadioptric projection systems are disclosed for projecting an illuminated region of a reticle onto a corresponding region on a substrate. The systems are preferably used with ultraviolet light sources (e.g., 193 nm). The systems comprise a first imaging system, a concave mirror, and a second imaging system. The first imaging system comprises a single-pass lens group and a double-pass lens group. The single-pass lens group comprises a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup. Light from the illuminated region of the reticle passes through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group, and reflects from the concave mirror to pass back through the double-pass lens group to form an intermediate image of the illuminated region of the reticle. The light is then directed to the second imaging system that re-images the illuminated region of the reticle on the substrate. Alternatively, light from the single-pass lens group is reflected by a turning mirror to the double-pass lens group, wherein the light returning through the double-pass lens group continues directly to the second imaging system.

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Dossier Espace Google
Patent
   RE39296
Priority
Mar 12 1993
Filed
Sep 08 2000
Issued
Sep 19 2006
Expiry
Mar 10 2014
Inventors
Takahashi,…
Assg.orig
Nikon Corp…
Assg.curr
Nikon Corp…
Entity
Large
Referenced by
50
References
70
Maint.:
all paid
0. 43. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
passing a light from the reticle through a first optical group comprising a lens with a first optical axis;
forming an intermediate image by a light passing through the first optical group and a second optical group, the second optical group comprising a concave mirror with a second optical axis; and
guiding a light having passes through the second optical group to the substrate by passing the light through a dioptric imaging optical sub-system with a third optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect,
the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect, and
the first and third optical axes form a straight optical axis.
0. 54. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
passing a light from the reticle through a first optical group comprising a lens with a first optical axis;
forming an intermediate image by a light passing through the first optical group and a second optical group, the second optical group comprising a concave mirror with a second optical axis; and
guiding a light having passes through the second optical group to the substrate by passing the light through a dioptric imaging optical sub-system with a third optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect, and
the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect,
the first and third optical axes are parallel to each other, and
the first and third optical axes form a straight optical axis.
0. 39. A catadioptric imaging optical system used in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system in an optical path between the first plane and the second plane, the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising
a first optical group with a lens with a first optical axis, and
a second optical group with a concave mirror with a second optical axis; and
a dioptric imaging sub-system with a third optical axis arranged in an optical path between said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and said substrate,
wherein
the first optical axis and second optical axis intersect,
the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect, and
the first and third optical axes form a straight optical axis.
0. 58. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
forming an intermediate image of the pattern on the reticle using a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group comprising a concave mirror and a first optical axis; and
re-imaging the intermediate image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system onto the substrate using a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel with each other, and
the dioptric imaging sub-system comprises an aperture stop.
0. 56. A catadioptric imaging optical system in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, the system comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group to form an image of the pattern, the optical group comprising a concave mirror with a first optical axis; and
a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane to re-image the image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis are not parallel to each other,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel to each other, and
the dioptric imaging optical sub-system further comprises an aperture stop.
0. 46. A catadioptric imaging optical system used in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
a first turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the first plane and the second plane;
a concave mirror arranged in an optical path between the first turning mirror and the second plane;
a second turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the concave mirror and the second plane; and
a dioptric imaging optical sub-system arranged in an optical path between the second turning mirror and the second plane and comprising an optical axis,
wherein
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel to each other, and
a first reflection surface of the first turning mirror and a second reflection surface of the second turning mirror are arranged to be non-parallel with each other.
0. 53. A catadioptric imaging optical system used in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system in an optical path between the first plane and the second plane, the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising
a first optical group with a lens with a first optical axis, and
a second optical group with a concave mirror with a second optical axis; and
a dioptric imaging sub-system with a third optical axis arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane,
wherein
the first optical axis and second optical axis intersect, and
the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect
the first and third optical axes are parallel to each other, and
the first and third optical axes form a straight optical axis.
0. 50. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
reflecting a light from the reticle with a first reflection surface of a first turning mirror;
reflecting the light from the first turning mirror with a concave mirror;
reflecting the light from the concave mirror using a second reflection surface of a second turning mirror;
passing the light from the second turning mirror to the substrate through a dioptric imaging optical sub-system having an optical axis;
forming an intermediate image of the pattern in an optical path between the concave mirror and the dioptric imaging optical sub-system; and
forming an image of the intermediate image on the substrate by the dioptric imaging optical sub-system,
wherein
the first plane and the second plane are arranged in parallel to each other, and
the first and second reflection surfaces are arranged to be non-parallel with each other.
0. 55. A method for projecting a pattern from a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
transmitting light from the reticle through a first imaging system, where the transmitted light pass through a single-pass lens group and a double-pass lens group to a concave mirror, and the light is reflected from the concave mirror back through the double-pass lens group toward the single-pass lens group;
separating the light propagating through the double-pass lens group to the concave mirror from the light propagating through the double-pass lens group from the concave mirror;
with the first imaging system, forming an intermediate image of the pattern between the first imaging system and a second imaging system;
directing the light propagating from the concave mirror through the second imaging system; and
forming an image of the reticle on the substrate with the second imaging system, wherein
the single-pass lens group includes from objectwise to imagewise, a first negative lens subgroup, a positive lens subgroup, and a second negative lens subgroup, and
the double-pass lens group includes the concave mirror.
0. 59. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
forming an intermediate image of the pattern of the reticle using a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group comprising a concave mirror and a first optical axis; and
re-imaging the intermediate image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system onto the substrate using a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel with each other, and
the optical group of the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises a first subgroup comprising a third optical axis, and a second subgroup comprising the concave mirror and the first optical axis, and
the third optical axis and the second optical axis intersect.
18. A method for projecting a pattern from a reticle onto a substrate, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a first imaging system comprising a single-pass lens group including from objectwise to imagewise, a first negative lens subgroup, a positive lens subgroup, and a second negative lens subgroup; and a double-pass lens group comprising a concave mirror;
(b) transmitting light from the reticle through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group to the concave mirror, and returning the light reflected from the concave mirror back through the double-pass lens group toward the single-pass lens group;
(c) separating the light propagating through the double-pass lens group to the concave mirror from the light propagating through the double-pass lens group from the concave mirror;
(d) with the first imaging system, forming an intermediate image of the pattern between the first imaging system and the second imaging system;
(e) directing the light propagating from the concave mirror through the second imaging system; and
(f) forming an image of the reticle on the substrate with the second imaging system.
0. 57. A catadioptric imaging optical system in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, the system comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group to form an image of the pattern, the optical group comprising a concave mirror with a first optical axis; and
a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane to re-image the image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis;
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis are not parallel to each other,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel to each other,
the optical group of said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises:
a first subgroup comprising a third optical axis, and
a second subgroup comprising the concave mirror and the first optical axis, and
the third optical axis and the second optical axis intersect.
0. 27. A catadioptric imaging optical system in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, the system comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group to form an image of the pattern, the optical group comprising a concave mirror with a first optical axis; and
a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane to re-image the image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis are not parallel to each other,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel to each other,
the optical group of said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises a first optical subgroup comprising a third optical axis, and a second optical subgroup comprising the concave mirror and the first optical axis, and
the second and third axes form a straight optical axis.
0. 38. A method of imaging a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, comprising:
forming an intermediate image of the pattern on the reticle using a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, wherein the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises an optical group comprising a concave mirror with a first optical axis; and
re-imaging the intermediate image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system onto the substrate using a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane, wherein the dioptric imaging sub-system comprises a second optical axis,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis intersect,
the first plane and the second plane are arranged to be parallel to each other,
the optical group of said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises a first optical subgroup comprising a third optical axis, and a second optical subgroup comprising the concave mirror and the first optical axis, and
the second and third optical axes form a straight optical axis.
1. A catadioptric projection system for receiving light from a reticle and projecting a pattern from the reticle onto a substrate, the catadioptric projection system comprising:
a first imaging system that forms an intermediate image of an illuminated region of the reticle, the first imaging system comprising in order from the reticle and along an optical axis of the first imaging system, (a) a single-pass lens group comprising a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup, and (b) a double-pass lens group comprising a concave mirror, wherein light from the illuminated region of the reticle passes through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group, reflects from the concave mirror, and returns through the double-pass optical group;
a first turning mirror placed near the intermediate image that receives the light reflected by the concave mirror to and returned through the double-pass optical group; and
a second imaging system that receives the light reflected by the first turning mirror and that re-images the intermediate image to form a final image of the illuminated region of the reticle on the substrate.
17. In a method for projecting a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate in which a first imaging system receives light from the reticle and transmits the light through a single-pass lens group of the first imaging system and a double-pass lens group of the first imaging system, the double-pass lens group comprising a concave mirror, and reflecting the light from the concave mirror and returning the light through the double-pass optical group, and separating the light propagating from the double-pass lens group and the light propagating to the double-pass lens group, and directing the light propagating from the double-pass lens group to a second imaging system, an improvement comprising:
(a) providing within the single-pass lens group, from objectwise to imagewise, a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup;
(b) forming an intermediate image with the first imaging system between the first imaging system and the second imaging system; and
(c) locating the intermediate image in proximity to a turning mirror that separates the light propagating from the double-pass lens group from the light propagating to the double-pass lens group.
10. A catadioptric projection system for receiving light so from a reticle and projecting a pattern from the reticle onto a substrate, the catadioptric projection system comprising:
a first imaging system that forms an intermediate image of an illuminated region of the reticle, the first imaging system comprising from objectwise to imagewisc imagewise, (a) a single-pass lens group comprising a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup, and (b) a double-pass lens group comprising a concave mirror, wherein light from the illuminated region of the reticle passes through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group, reflects from the concave mirror, and returns through the double-pass lens group;
a first turning mirror placed near the intermediate image, the first turning mirror separating the light propagating from the double-pass lens group from the light propagating to the double-pass lens group; and
a second imaging system that receives the light reflected by the concave mirror and reflected back through the double-pass lens group and that re-images the intermediate image to form a final image of the illuminated region of the reticle on the substrate.
0. 60. A catadioptric imaging optical system in a projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle which is arranged in a first plane onto a substrate which is arranged in a second plane, the system comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprising an optical group to form an image of the pattern, the optical group comprising a concave mirror with a first optical axis;
a dioptric imaging sub-system arranged in an optical path between the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system and the second plane to re-image the image formed by the catadioptric imaging optical sub-system, the dioptric imaging sub-system comprising a second optical axis;
a first turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the concave mirror and the dioptric imaging optical sub-system; and
a second turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the concave mirror and the first plane,
wherein
the first optical axis and the second optical axis are not parallel to each other,
the reticle and the substrate are arranged to be parallel to each other,
the optical group of said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises:
a first subgroup comprising a third optical axis, and
a second subgroup comprising the concave mirror and the first optical axis; and
the third optical axis and the second optical axis intersect.
26. An exposure system for projecting patterns on a reticle onto a substrate, the system comprising:
(a) a catadioptric projection system that receives an illumination flux from an illuminated region on the reticle and forms an image of the illuminated region on the reticle on a corresponding region on the substrate;
(b) the catadioptric projection system comprising a first imaging system and a second imaging system, the first imaging system forming an intermediate image of the illuminated region of the reticle, and the second imaging system serving to re-image the intermediate image to form an image of the illuminated region of the reticle on the corresponding region of the substrate;
(c) the first imaging system comprising from objectwise to imagewise, (i) a single-pass lens group comprising a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup; and (ii) a double-pass lens group comprising a concave mirror, wherein light from the illuminated region of the reticle passes through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group, reflects from the concave mirror, and returns through the double-pass lens group;
(d) a first turning mirror situated near the intermediate image, the first turning mirror separating the light propagating from the double-pass lens group from the light propagating to the double-pass lens group; and
(e) a reticle scanner and a substrate scanner for respectively scanning the reticle and substrate synchronously to allow the caladioptric catadioptric projection system to project the patterns on the reticle onto the substrate.
2. The catadioptric projection system of claim 1, wherein the first negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens element with a concave surface facing the reticle.
3. The catadioptric projection system of claim 1, wherein the second negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens element with a concave surface facing the double-pass lens group.
4. The catadioptric projection system of claim 2, wherein the second negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens clement element with a concave surface facing the double-pass lens group.
5. The catadioptric projection system of claim 1, wherein either the first imaging system or the second imaging system produces a magnification of less than one.
6. The catadioptric projection system of claim 1, wherein the second imaging system comprises a first lens group and a second lens group, the system further comprising a second turning mirror placed between the first lens group and the second lens group and that receives light from the first lens group and directs the light to the second lens group.
7. The catadioptric projection system of claim 1, further comprising a third turning mirror placed between the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group and that receives light from the single-pass lens group and directs the light to the double-pass lens group.
8. The catadioptric projection system of claim 7, wherein the third turning mirror and the first turning mirror are arranged so that the light incident to the single-pass optical group and exiting the second lens group of the second imaging system propagate along substantially parallel axes.
9. The catadioptric projection system of claim 8, wherein the first axis and the second axis are colinear.
11. The catadioptric projection system of claim 10, wherein the first negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens element with a concave surface facing the reticle.
12. The catadioptric projection system of claim 10, wherein the second negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens element with a concave surface facing the first turning mirror.
13. The catadioptric projection system of claim 11, wherein the second negative subgroup of the single-pass lens group comprises a lens element with a concave surface facing the first turning mirror.
14. The catadioptric projection system of claim 10, wherein either the first imaging system or the second imaging system produces a magnification of less than one.
15. The catadioptric projection system of claim 10, wherein the second imaging system comprises a first lens group and a second lens group, the system further comprising a second turning mirror placed between the first lens group and the second lens group and that receives light from the first lens group and directs the light to the second lens group.
16. The catadioptric projection system of claim 14, wherein the first turning mirror and the second turning mirror are arranged so that light entering the single-pass lens group propagates along a first axis and light reflected by the second turning mirror propagates along a second axis substantially parallel to the first axis.
19. The method of claim 18, further comprising directing light from the single-pass lens group to the double-pass lens group using a first turning mirror.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising directing the light, reflected by the concave mirror and returning through the double-pass lens group, to the second imaging system using a second turning mirror.
21. The method of claim 20, further comprising orienting the first turning mirror and the second turning mirror so that the light incident to the first turning mirror and the light reflected by the second turning mirror propagate along substantially parallel axes.
22. The method of claim 21, further comprising orienting the first turning mirror and the second turning mirror so that the light incident to the first turning mirror and the light reflected by the second turning mirror propagate along substantially the same axis.
23. The method of claim 18, further comprising:
providing a first turning mirror placed between the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group; and
directing light, returning through the double-pass lens group from the concave mirror, to the second imaging system using the first turning mirror.
24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:
providing the second imaging system with a first lens group and a second lens group;
providing a second turning mirror between the first lens group and the second lens group; and
directing light from the first lens group to the second lens group using the second turning mirror.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising:
arranging the first turning mirror and the second turning mirror so that the light incident to the first turning mirror and the light reflected by the second turning mirror propagate along substantially parallel axes.
0. 28. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, wherein the third optical axis and the second optical axis are parallel to each other.
0. 29. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, wherein the second optical subgroup comprises a negative lens and a positive lens.
0. 30. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, wherein said dioptric imaging optical sub-system further comprises an aperture stop.
0. 31. A projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
an illumination optical system to illuminate the pattern on the reticle; and
a catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 30 to image the pattern onto the substrate,
wherein a σ can be varied, σ being a ratio of a numerical aperture of said catadioptric imaging optical system to a numerical aperture of said illumination optical system.
0. 32. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, wherein the image formed by said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system is a primary image of the pattern on the reticle.
0. 33. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, further comprising a first turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the concave mirror and said dioptric imaging optical sub-system.
0. 34. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 33, further comprising a second turning mirror arranged in an optical path between the concave mirror and the first plane.
0. 35. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 34, wherein the third optical axis and the second optical axis intersect.
0. 36. A projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 27, said catadioptric imaging optical system forms an exposure region on the substrate that is off of the second optical axis.
0. 37. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the reticle and the substrate are scanned at different speeds corresponding to the magnification of said catadioptric imaging optical system.
0. 40. A projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising:
a catadioptric imaging optical sub-system according to claim 39,
wherein said catadioptric imaging optical system forms the pattern on the reticle that is off of the first optical axis onto an exposure region on the substrate that is off of the third optical axis.
0. 41. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the reticle and the substrate are scanned at different speeds corresponding to the magnification of said catadioptric imaging optical sub-system.
0. 42. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 39, wherein the first and third optical axes are parallel to each other.
0. 44. A method according to claim 43, wherein in said forming comprises forming a primary image of the reticle.
0. 45. A method according to claim 43, wherein the first and third optical axes are parallel to each other.
0. 47. A projection exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto a substrate, comprising a catadioptric imaging optical system according to claim 46, wherein said catadioptric imaging optical system forms the pattern on the reticle off of the optical axis onto an exposure region on the substrate off of the optical axis.
0. 48. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the reticle and the substrate are scanned at different speeds corresponding to the magnification of said catadioptric imaging optical system.
0. 49. A catadioptric imaging optical system according to 46, wherein the optical axis of said dioptric imaging optical sub-system forms a straight line.
0. 51. A method according to claim 50, wherein said intermediate image is a primary image of the reticle.
0. 52. A method according to claim 50, wherein the dioptric imaging optical sub-system comprises an optical axis along a straight line.

so receives light reflected by the concave mirror M1 and directs the light to the second imaging system B. The invention also provides an alternative arrangement in which the turning mirror M2 receives light from the single-pass lens group and directs the light to the double-pass lens group and the concave mirror M1. Light reflected by the concave mirror M2 then propagates directly to the second imaging system without reflection by the turning mirror M1. In the first example embodiment and in such a modification of the first example embodiment, the turning mirror M1 thus separates light propagating from the double-pass optical group A2 and light propagating to the double-pass optical group A2.

A second example embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 5. The optical projection system of FIG. 5 is similar to that of the embodiment of FIG. 2. Light from an illuminated region 321 (FIG. 3(a)) of a reticle R is directed to, beginning nearest the reticle R and along an optical axis 310, a single-pass lens group A1 comprising a first negative subgroup A11, a positive subgroup A12 and a second negative subgroup A13. After the second negative subgroup A13, a turning mirror MO M0 reflects the light along an optical axis 311 of a double-pass lens group A2 including a concave mirror Ml M1. Light is transmitted by the double-pass lens group A2 and is reflected by the concave mirror M1 back through the double-pass lens group A2 to a turning mirror M2. An intermediate image of the illuminated region 321 is formed near the turning mirror M2.

The turning mirror M2 directs the light from the illumi-nated illuminated region of the reticle R along the optical axis 310 which is an optical axis of the second imaging system B as well as of the single-pass lens group A1. The second imaging system B receives light from the turning mirror M2 and re-images the intermediate image onto a corresponding region 331 on the wafer W. As will be apparent, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the turning mirror M0 is placed between the single-pass lens group A1 and the double-pass lens group A2. The turning mirror M0 permits the reticle R and the wafer W to be in parallel planes. As shown in FIG. 5, the reticle R and the wafer W are along the same optical axis 312.

With reference to FIG. 6, an optical system according to a third example embodiment of the invention differs from the first embodiment in that a turning mirror M3 is placed between the first lens group B1 and the second lens group B2 of the second imaging system B. As a result of the reflection by the turning mirror M3, the optical system of the third example embodiment transfers a pattern from an illuminated region 421 of the reticle R (FIG. 6(a)) to the wafer W wherein the reticle R and the wafer W are in parallel planes. Unlike the second example embodiment, the wafer W and the reticle R of the third example embodiment are on separate optical axes 401, 402 of the first imaging system A and the second lens group B2 of the second imaging system B, respectively.

In the third example embodiment, the turning mirror M2 receives light reflected by the concave mirror M1 and directs the light to the second imaging system B. The invention also provides an alternative arrangement in which the turning mirror M2 receives light from the single-pass lens group and directs the light to the double-pass lens group and the concave mirror M1. Light reflected by the concave mirror M2 then propagates directly to the second imaging system without reflection by the turning mirror M1.

The first, second, and third example embodiments are similar to each other, but differing in respect to the number and placement of turning mirrors. Therefore, these example embodiments provide the same image quality.

In each of the example embodiments described above, the single-pass lens group A1 comprises a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup. The catadioptric projection systems of this invention are readily miniaturized with no loss of image quality. While FIGS. 2, 5, and 6 show a scanning exposure of the wafer W, the catadioptric projection systems of this invention can also be used for full-field exposure.

The catadioptric projection systems of the present invention include several other favorable characteristics. First, a turning mirror (or a beamsplitter) can be placed near the intermediate image, thereby reducing the size of the turning mirror. Second, unlike conventional catadioptric projection systems that allow light reflected by a mirror to overlap with the incident light (which makes placement of the aperture S difficult), the catadioptric projection systems of the present invention allow the aperture S to be placed in the second imaging system B so that the ratio of the numerical apertures of an irradiation optical system to the catadioptric projection system σ can be easily varied. Third, by increasing the number of lens elements in the second imaging system B, the numerical aperture of the catadioptric projection system according to the invention can be increased. Fourth, re-imaging the intermediate image by the second imaging system B provides a long working distance. Fifth, the catadioptric projection systems of the invention are compact. Finally, because light reflected from the concave mirror M1 is returned near the focused image, off-axis lens aberrations are reduced.

With the additional turning mirrors of the second and third example embodiments, the relative orientations of the reticle R and the wafer W can be adjusted. I.e., the second example embodiment, the reticle R and wafer W are parallel to each other and on the same optical axis. In the third example embodiment, the reticle R and the wafer W are parallel to each other but are situated on offset but parallel optical axes. Thus, the present invention permits orienting the reticle R and the wafer W in a way allowing simplification of the scanning systems.

The catadioptric projection systems of the example embodiments also permit the turning mirrors to closely approach the respective optical axes. Therefore, light reflected by the concave mirror M1 back through the double-pass lens group A2 is easily separated from the light propagating from the single-pass lens group A1 to the double-pass lens group A2. Because the turning mirror or mirrors are situated close to the respective optical axes, light need not propagate at large angles with respect to the optical axes and off-axis aberrations are reduced. Prior-art systems often require angles of 20° or more while the catadioptric projection systems of this invention use angles no greater than about 10°.

Some prior-art scanning projection systems expose an annulus of the wafer from a corresponding annular illuminated region of the reticle. The reticle and wafer are scanned at different speeds corresponding to the magnification of the optical projection system. Because such scanning exposure systems expose only small areas of the wafer W at any give instant, complete exposure of the wafer W requires many incremental exposures. If the light from a radiation source is used inefficiently, exposure times will be long. Because the catadioptric projection systems of this invention do not require large angles for separating light incident to and exiting from the concave mirror, the catadioptric projection systems can have high numerical apertures, thereby reducing exposure times.

Because the first imaging system A and the second imaging system B are independent of each other, manufacture and alignment are simple.

Having illustrated and demonstrated the principles of the invention in a example embodiments, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the example embodiments can be modified in arrangement and detail without departing from such principles. I claim as the invention all that comes within the scope of these claims.

INVENTORS:

Takahashi, Tomowaki

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