Exposure method, exposure apparatus, light converging pattern formation member, mask, and device manufacturing method

Abstract

An exposure method includes a first exposure step of irradiating a mask ( 10 ), which is arranged near a plate (P), with exposure light and exposing a predetermined pattern formed on the mask onto a plate; and a second exposure step of irradiating a light converging pattern formation member ( 20 ), which is arranged near the plate and includes a plurality of light converging portions ( 20 a, 20 b ), with exposure light and exposing a light converging pattern having a predetermined shape onto the plate. At least part of the predetermined pattern exposed onto the plate in the first exposure step and at least part of the light converging pattern formed on the plate in the second exposure step overlap each other.

1 - 65 . (canceled) 
     
     
         66 . An exposure apparatus which exposes an exposed body on a second plane with light from a pattern arranged on a first plane, the exposure apparatus comprising:
 a first illuminator which irradiates a first region of the first plane with illumination light;   a second illuminator which irradiates a second region of the first plane distanced from the first region in a first direction with illumination light;   a first set of light convergers each configured to converge the illumination light that is from the first illuminator via a first pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region;   a second set of light convergers each configured to converge the illumination light that is from the second illuminator via a second pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region; and   a position changer configured to change positional relationship between the exposed body and the first and second sets of the light convergers in a second direction that transverses the first direction,   wherein the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers are arranged at different positions in the first direction.   
     
     
         67 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein at least one of the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers include a phase diffraction pattern formed on a light transmissive plate. 
     
     
         68 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein at least one of the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers include a lens surface formed on a light transmissive plate. 
     
     
         69 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , further comprising:
 a first light transmissive plate including a first optical surface through which the illumination light enters and a second optical surface arranged closer to the exposed body than the first optical surface; and   a second light transmissive plate including a third optical surface through which the illumination light enters and a fourth optical surface arranged closer to the exposed body than the third optical surface,   wherein the first set of light convergers is formed on the second optical surface, and the second set of light convergers is formed on the fourth optical surface.   
     
     
         70 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein at least one of the first and second illuminators includes a telecentricity controller that controls telecentricity of the illumination light. 
     
     
         71 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein the apparatus is configured to adjust relative angle between a main light beam of the illumination light and an optical axis of at least one of the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers. 
     
     
         72 . The exposure apparatus according to claim  6 , further comprising a deformed state detector which detects a deformed state of the exposed body, wherein the apparatus is configured to adjust the relative angle with an output from the deformed state detector. 
     
     
         73 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein the apparatus is configured to irradiate the illumination light while changing positional relationship between the exposed body and the first and second sets of the light convergers in the second direction. 
     
     
         74 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein
 the first set of light convergers is arranged on a first light transmissive plate, and   the second set of light convergers is arranged on a second light transmissive plate.   
     
     
         75 . The exposure apparatus according to  claim 66 , further comprising:
 a third illuminator which irradiates a third region of the first plane distanced from the first region in a second direction side with illumination light; and   a third set of light convergers each configured to converge the illumination light that is from the third illuminator via a third pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region, wherein the first set of light convergers and the third set of light convergers are arranged at different positions in the second direction.   
     
     
         76 . An exposure method of exposing an exposed body on a second plane with light from a pattern arranged on a first plane, the method comprising:
 irradiating, with a first illuminator, a first region of the first plane with illumination light;   irradiating, with a second illuminator, a second region of the first plane distanced from the first region in a first direction with illumination light;   converging, with each of a first set of light convergers, the illumination light that is from the first illuminator via a first pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region, on the exposed body;   converging, with each of a second set of light convergers, the illumination light that is from the second illuminator via a second pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region, on the exposed body, wherein the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers are arranged at different positions in the first direction; and   changing positional relationship between the exposed body and the first and second sets of the light convergers in a second direction that transverses the first direction.   
     
     
         77 . The method according to  claim 76 , wherein:
 the converging with the first set of light convergers includes converging the illumination light with a first light transmissive plate that includes a first optical surface through which the illumination light enters and a second optical surface on which the first set of light convergers is formed and which is arranged closer to the exposed body than the first optical surface, and   the converging with the second set of light convergers includes converging the illumination light with a second light transmissive plate that includes a third optical surface through which the illumination light enters and a fourth optical surface on which the second set of light convergers is formed and which is arranged closer to the exposed body than the third optical surface.   
     
     
         78 . The method according to  claim 76 , further comprising:
 adjusting relative angle between a main light beam of the illumination light and an optical axis of at least one of the first set of light convergers and the second set of light convergers.   
     
     
         79 . The method according to  claim 76 , further comprising detecting a deformed state of the exposed body, wherein the adjusting the relative angle includes adjusting the relative angle with information of the detected deformed state. 
     
     
         80 . The method according to  claim 76 , further comprising irradiating the illumination light while changing positional relationship between the exposed body and the first and second sets of the light convergers in the second direction. 
     
     
         81 . The method according to  claim 76 , further comprising:
 irradiating, which a third illuminator, a third region of the first plane distanced from the first region in a second direction side with illumination light; and   converging, with each of a third set of light convergers, the illumination light that is from the third illuminator via a third pattern which includes a light shield portion and a light transmission region, wherein the first set of light convergers and the third set of light convergers are arranged at different positions in the second direction.   
     
     
         82 . A device manufacturing method comprising:
 exposing, with the exposure method according to  claim 76 , a light pattern onto a photosensitive plate;   developing the exposed photosensitive plate;   forming on a surface of the photosensitive plate a mask layer including a shape corresponding to the exposed light pattern; and   processing the surface of the photosensitive plate via the mask layer.