Exposure method and apparatus, and method for fabricating device with light amount distribution having light larger in four areas

Abstract

An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An illumination system for illuminating an object with illumination light, the illumination system comprising:
 a distribution setting member arranged to deflect the illumination light, thereby to generate a plurality of light beams corresponding to a light amount distribution on a pupil plane of the illumination system; and   a polarization setting member for changing polarization of at least part of the plurality of light beams generated by the distribution setting member,   wherein said light amount distribution comprises a plurality of areas being away from an optical axis of the illumination system and an area which substantially includes the optical axis, the area which substantially includes the optical axis is connected to the plurality of areas which are away from the optical axis,   and wherein the polarization setting member is adapted to change polarization of the illumination light so that polarization direction in the plurality of areas away from the optical axis are tangential to a circumference about the optical axis.   
     
     
         3 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis is circular. 
     
     
         4 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis is polygonal. 
     
     
         5 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis has an amount of light of a center part thereof which is smaller than an amount of light of a part other than the center part. 
     
     
         6 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis is annular. 
     
     
         7 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis is frame-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the area which substantially includes the optical axis comprises a plurality of areas separated from each other. 
     
     
         9 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of areas away from the optical axis are each at approximately an identical distance from the optical axis. 
     
     
         10 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of areas away from the optical axis comprises two areas arranged symmetrically on a first straight line passing through the optical axis 
     
     
         11 . The illumination system according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of areas away from the optical axis further comprises two areas arranged symmetrically on a second straight line passing through the optical axis, the first and second straight lines intersecting at an angle. 
     
     
         12 . The illumination system according to  claim 11 , wherein the first and second straight lines intersect at right angles. 
     
     
         13 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of areas away from the optical axis have substantially the same amount of light. 
     
     
         14 . The illumination system according to  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of areas away from the optical axis have substantially the same shape. 
     
     
         15 . An exposure apparatus comprising:
 an illumination system according to any preceding claim, arranged for illuminating a pattern with illumination light; and a projection system arranged for exposing a substrate with an exposure beam from the pattern.   
     
     
         16 . A method of fabricating a device comprising transferring a pattern onto an area of a substrate using the exposure apparatus of  claim 15 .