Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Step and repeat
Reissue Patent
1999-02-11
2002-06-25
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Step and repeat
C355S054000, C355S077000, C355S060000, C356S400000, C356S401000
Reissue Patent
active
RE037762
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a scanning exposure apparatus and an exposure method, for example suitably applicable to exposure of large-area patterns on a photosensitive substrate used for fabricating liquid crystal display devices.
2. Related Background Art
Conventional exposure apparatus for exposure of large-area patterns of this kind include those of scanning types such as the step-and-repeat type for repetitively projecting small transfer images of mask through a single projection optical system onto the photosensitive substrate or the mirror projection type for projecting transfer images at magnification of unity to mask as obtained by an arc slit illumination beam through a single projection optical system onto the photosensitive substrate.
On the other hand, it is considered that a plurality of projection optical systems are arranged instead of the single projection optical system. Namely, exposure apparatus of this type are so arranged that light beams emitted from a plurality of illumination optical systems illuminate a plurality of small regions on the mask. Transfer images of these plural small regions are simultaneously projected through respective projection optical systems onto the photosensitive substrate.
As shown in
FIG. 6
, the transfer images P
1
-P
5
of plural small regions are transferred as separated into a first series of transfer images including the transfer images P
1
, P
3
, and P
5
and a second series of transfer images including the transfer images P
2
and P
4
. The direction of the first series of transfer images is approximately perpendicular to the scanning direction (hereinafter referred to as the X direction) of the mask and photosensitive substrate and parallel to the Y direction within the plane of photosensitive substrate. The transfer images P
1
, P
3
, and P
5
are arranged with separations 2Ly between the centers thereof. Also, the direction of the second series of transfer images is parallel to that of the first series of transfer images, and the transfer images P
2
and P
4
are arranged with a separation 2Ly between the centers thereof. Then, these transfer images P
1
-P
5
are transferred by scanning in the X direction while partly overlapping in the Y direction. By this, large-area patterns are projected onto the photosensitive substrate when the mask and the photosensitive substrate are synchronously scanned.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a scanning exposure apparatus which comprises a plurality of illumination optical systems each for illuminating a plurality of regions M
1
-M
5
on a mask with a pattern formed thereon, a first optical system having a plurality of projection optical systems optical axes of which are arranged in a line along a first direction Y, and a second optical system having a plurality of projection optical system which are arranged in parallel with the first optical system and optical axes of which are arranged in a line a predetermined distance D apart from that of the first optical system, in which some P
1
, P
3
, P
5
of images P
1
-P
5
of the plurality of regions M
1
-M
5
and the rest P
2
, P
4
of the images P
1
-P
5
are simultaneously projected through the first optical system and through the second optical system, respectively on the photosensitive substrate, in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are synchronously scanned in a direction X approximately perpendicular to the first direction Y and in the plane of photosensitive substrate, and which is further provided with rotating means for effecting relative rotation between the mask and the photosensitive substrate in the plane of mask or photosensitive substrate, position changing means for changing relative positions of the mask and the photosensitive substrate in the first direction Y in accordance with a position in the scanning direction X, of the mask or photosensitive substrate, and image position changing means for relatively changing positions of the images P
1
, P
3
, P
5
projected through the first optical system and positions of the images P
2
, P
4
projected through the second optical system in the first direction Y.
It is preferred that the image position changing means be arranged to effect the relative change, based on a deviation of angle of a first coordinate system concerning an arrangement of the pattern formed on the mask with respect to a second coordinate system determined by the scanning direction X and the direction Y perpendicular to the scanning direction X.
In the case where on the photosensitive substrate, first images of the pattern of mask are preliminarily formed and second images of the pattern of mask are then to be projected for exposure as overlapping with the first images, positions of the second images are relatively changed based on a deviation of angle of a first coordinate system concerning an arrangement of the first images with respect to a second coordinate system determined by the scanning direction X and the direction Y perpendicular to the scanning direction.
In the case where on the photosensitive substrate, first images of the pattern of mask are preliminarily formed and second images of the pattern of mask are then to be projected for exposure as overlapping with the first images, positions of the second images are relatively changed based on a deviation of angle of a first coordinate system concerning an arrangement of the pattern of mask with respect to a second coordinate system concerning an arrangement of the first images.
Also, the present invention relates to a scanning exposure apparatus which comprises a plurality of illumination optical systems each for illuminating a plurality of regions M
1
-M
5
on a mask with a pattern formed thereon, a first optical system having a plurality of projection optical systems optical axes of which are arranged in a line along a first direction Y, and a second optical system having a plurality of projection optical systems which are arranged in parallel with the first optical system and optical axes of which are arranged in a line a predetermined distance apart from that of the first optical system, in which some P
1
, P
3
, P
5
of images P
1
-P
5
of the plurality of regions M
1
-M
5
and the rest P
2
, P
4
of the images P
1
-P
5
of the plurality of regions M
1
-M
5
are projected through the first optical system and through the second optical system, respectively, onto the photosensitive substrate, and in which the mask and the photosensitive substrate are synchronously scanned in a direction X approximately perpendicular to the first direction Y and in the plane of photosensitive substrate. The apparatus is provided with image position changing means
9
A-
9
E for changing, by a predetermined angle, arrangement directions of the images P
1
-P
5
projected through the first optical system and the second optical system relative to the first direction Y, changing intervals 2Ly between the images P
1
, P
3
, P
5
projected through the first optical system and an interval 2Ly between the images P
2
, P
4
projected through the second optical system, and changing positions of the respective images P
1
-P
5
in a rotational direction with respect to the optical axis.
In the case where on the photosensitive substrate, first images of the pattern of mask are preliminarily formed and second images of the pattern of mask are then to be projected for exposure as overlapping with the first images, the image position changing means performs the changing of arrangement directions, the changing of image intervals, and the changing of positions in the rotational direction, based on a deviation of angle of a first coordinate system concerning an arrangement of the first images with respect to a second coordinate system determined by the scanning direction X and the direction Y perpendicular to the scanning direction X.
In the case where on the photosensitive substrate, first images of the pattern of mask are preliminarily formed and second images of the pattern of
Hamada Tomohide
Miyazaki Seiji
Nara Kei
Seki Masami
Yanagihara Masamitsu
Nguyen Henry Hung V.
Nikon Corporation
Oliff & Berridg,e PLC
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