Exposure method, exposure mask, and exposure apparatus

Abstract

An exposure method for exposing a workpiece on the basis of near-field light escaping from an opening of a mask. The method includes projecting non-polarized exposure light having a predetermined wavelength, emitted from a laser light source and passed through a depolarization device and a diffusion device, onto an exposure mask having a light blocking film formed with a plurality of rectangular openings therein, the openings having (i) a width in a widthwise direction not greater than one-third of the wavelength of the exposure light and (ii) two or more lengthwise directions extending along the mask surface, so that near-field light escaping from the openings performs exposure of a pattern on the basis of the openings.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . An exposure method for exposing a workpiece on the basis of near-field light escaping from an opening of a mask, the method comprising: 
 projecting non-polarized exposure light having a predetermined wavelength, emitted from a laser light source and passed through a depolarization device and a diffusion device, onto an exposure mask having a light blocking film formed with a plurality of rectangular openings therein, the openings having (i) a width in a widthwise direction not greater than one-third of the wavelength of the exposure light and (ii) two or more lengthwise directions extending along the mask surface, so that near-field light escaping from the openings performs exposure of a pattern on the basis of the openings.    
     
     
         14 . An exposure method according to  claim 13 , wherein the non-polarized light has an electrical-field strength along a plane parallel to a surface of the mask surface, which is substantially uniform in omni-direction in that plane.  
     
     
         15 . An exposure method according to  claim 14 , wherein only a polarization component having an electrical-field direction in the same direction as the widthwise direction of the rectangular openings is caused to escape from the opening as the near-field light.