Light exposure method, and light exposure apparatus

Abstract

There is provided an EUV exposure apparatus which restrains its optical systems or a mask used therein from being polluted by contaminations generated in its chamber. An energy beam generating source is arranged near a wafer stage set in the chamber of the EUV exposure apparatus to decompose an emission gas generated from a resist painted on the front surface of a wafer by an energy beam. In this manner, lightening mirrors configuring a lightening optical system as one of the optical systems, projection mirrors configuring a projection optical system as another of the optical systems, the mask, and others are protected from being polluted by contaminations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A light exposure method, the method comprising:
 scanning an exposure-receiving object with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light projected from a mask on which a predetermined pattern is formed, the exposure-receiving object having a surface on which a resist is painted;   shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object; and   radiating an energy beam into an optical path space thereby decomposing an emission gas from the resist,   wherein the optical path space is located between the exposure-receiving object and an aperture through which the EUV ray passes from the mask,   wherein, during the shifting or stepping, the exposure-receiving object is not scanned by the EUV light,   wherein the energy beam is radiated into the optical space only during the shifting or stepping of the exposure-receiving object.   
     
     
         2 . The light exposure method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the energy beam comprises at least one of an infrared ray, a visible ray, an ultraviolet ray, a deep ultraviolet ray, an extreme ultraviolet ray, a vacuum ultraviolet ray, a soft X ray, a charged particle beam comprising electrons, a charged particle beam comprising ions, and a beam comprising neutral molecules.   
     
     
         3 . The light exposure method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the energy beam decomposes the emission gas that is a carbon compound having a molecular weight of 100 to 300.   
     
     
         4 . The light exposure method according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the energy beam is radiated onto the exposure-receiving object or a space near the exposure-receiving object.   
     
     
         5 . A light exposure apparatus, comprising:
 a chamber that holds:   an exposure light source that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light;   a mask stage on which a mask having a predetermined pattern is formed is to be disposed;   an illuminating optical system that illuminates the mask with the EUV light;   an exposure-receiving object stage on which an exposure-receiving object having a surface on which a resist is painted is to be disposed;   a projection optical system, including a plurality of mirrors, that projects the pattern formed in the mask to the exposure-receiving object;   an energy beam generating source that generates an energy beam for decomposing an emission gas from the resist;   a system controlling the light source generating the EUV light and the energy beam generator generating the energy beam;   an aperture having an opening through which the EUV light passes,   wherein the system controls the exposure light source to scan the exposure-receiving object with the EUV light, and the system controls the exposure light source to not scan the exposure-receiving object when shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object,   wherein the system controls the energy beam generator to generate the energy beam only when shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object.   
     
     
         6 . The light exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the energy beam comprises at least one of an infrared ray, a visible ray, an ultraviolet ray, a deep ultraviolet ray, an extreme ultraviolet ray, a vacuum ultraviolet ray, a soft X ray, a charged particle beam comprising electrons, a charged particle beam comprising ions, and a beam comprising neutral molecules.   
     
     
         7 . The light exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the energy beam decomposes the emission gas that is a carbon compound having a molecular weight of 100 to 300.   
     
     
         8 . The light exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein
 the energy beam generating source comprises at least one of a mercury lamp, a xenon lamp, an excimer lamp, an excimer laser source, a semiconductor laser source, a laser-excited plasma light source, a discharge-excited plasma light source, an electron beam source, an ion beam source, and a proton beam source.   
     
     
         9 . The light exposure apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the energy beam generating source is arranged near the exposure-receiving object stage. 
     
     
         10 . A light exposure apparatus comprising:
 an exposure light source that emits extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light;   a mask stage on which a mask in which a predetermined pattern is formed is to be disposed;   an illuminating optical system that illuminates the mask with the EUV light;   an exposure-receiving object stage on which an exposure-receiving object having a surface on which a resist is painted is to be disposed;   a projection optical system, including a plurality of mirrors, that projects the pattern formed in the mask to the exposure-receiving object;   an energy beam generating source that generates an energy beam for decomposing an emission gas from the resist;   a system controlling the light source generating the EUV light and the energy beam generator generating the energy beam;   a gas discharging system that discharges any gas inside the chamber;   an aperture having an opening through which the EUV light passes; and   a shutter disposed in an optical path space between the aperture and the exposure-receiving object,   wherein the system controls the shutter to open to scan the exposure-receiving object with the EUV light, and the system controls the shutter to close when shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object, and   wherein the system controls the energy beam generator to generate the energy beam only when shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object.