US-12625433-B2 - Spatial light modulation unit and exposure apparatus

US12625433B2US 12625433 B2US12625433 B2US 12625433B2US-12625433-B2

Abstract

A spatial light modulation unit is used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction. The spatial light modulation unit includes: a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the plurality of elements in accordance with the exposure pattern; and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided. The controller is arranged side by side in the scan direction with respect to the spatial light modulator.

Inventors

Yasuhito KUBOTA
Yasushi Mizuno
Masaki Kato
Masaki Nishimura
Hitoshi Mizuno

Assignees

NIKON CORPORATION

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20231222
Priority Date: 20210705

Claims (20)

1 . An exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a first spatial light modulation unit including: a first spatial light modulator including a plurality of first elements controlled in accordance with the exposure pattern; and one of a first electric source circuit and a first controller that controls the plurality of first elements; a first projection optical system that irradiates the photosensitive substrate with light from the first spatial light modulator; a second spatial light modulation unit including: a second spatial light modulator including a plurality of second elements controlled in accordance with the exposure pattern; and one of a second electric source circuit and a second controller that controls the plurality of second elements; a second projection optical system that irradiates the photosensitive substrate with light from the second spatial light modulator; a first illumination optical system including: a first lens that guides incident light downward; and a first mirror that guides light passed through the first lens to the plurality of first elements; and a second illumination optical system including: a second lens that guides incident light downward; and a second mirror that guides light passed through the second lens to the plurality of second elements, wherein the first lens of the first illumination optical system is located at a position lower than the first spatial light modulator, the second lens of the second illumination optical system is located at a position lower than the second spatial light modulator, in a plan view, the first lens of the first illumination optical system and the first spatial light modulator are arranged in the scan direction without overlapping each other, the second lens of the second illumination optical system and the second spatial light modulator are arranged in the scan direction without overlapping each other, the first projection optical system and the second projection optical system are arranged in a first direction that crosses the scan direction, and the first spatial light modulator and the one of the first electric source circuit and the first controller are arranged in the scan direction or in a second direction closer to the scan direction than the first direction.
2 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first controller includes a one side controller arranged on one side in the second direction of the first spatial light modulator and an other side controller arranged on the other side in the second direction of the first spatial light modulator, or includes the one side controller and a controller arranged with the one side controller in a direction crossing with the second direction.
3 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first spatial light modulation unit includes a first substrate on which the first electric source circuit and a communication circuit are provided, the first electric source circuit is connected to an electric source cable connected to an outside portion of the first substrate, the communication circuit is connected to a data communication cable connected to an outside portion of the first substrate, and the first electric source circuit and the communication circuit are arranged in the second direction.
4 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first spatial light modulation unit includes a heat sink that cools the first controller, the first spatial light modulator is mounted on a front side of a first substrate, the front side of the first substrate is a side from which light from the first spatial light modulator is emitted, and the first controller is provided on a rear side of the first substrate.
5 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the first spatial light modulator is cooled through a Peltier element provided on the rear side of the first substrate, or through the Peltier element and an intermediate portion between the first spatial light modulator and the Peltier element.
6 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: a stage that moves the photosensitive substrate in the scan direction relative to the first projection optical system and the second projection optical system, wherein the first spatial light modulator is provided on a first substrate such that an array direction in which the plurality of first elements are arrayed crosses with the scan direction in a plan view.
7 . A spatial light modulation unit used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the spatial light modulation unit comprising: a spatial light modulator including a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the plurality of elements in accordance with the exposure pattern; a supply portion that supplies electric power to the spatial light modulator and the controller; and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided, wherein the SLM substrate includes: a first substrate on which the spatial light modulator is provided and to which a part of the supply portion is connected; and a second substrate on which the controller is provided and to which another part of the supply portion is connected, and wherein a second plane of the second substrate on which the controller is provided crosses a first plane of the first substrate on which the spatial light modulator is provided.
8 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 7 , wherein the SLM substrate includes a bend portion that connects the first substrate and the second substrate to each other, and the bend portion has a plate thickness that is thinner than a plate thickness of the first substrate and a plate thickness of the second substrate.
9 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 8 , wherein the SLM substrate includes a core layer and a surface layer that covers the core layer, and the core layer in the bend portion is exposed.
10 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 7 , wherein the second plane is perpendicular to the scan direction.
11 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 7 , wherein the SLM substrate includes a third substrate, and a plane including a front side surface in the third substrate crosses with at least one of the first plane and the second plane.
12 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 7 , further comprising: a heat sink that cools the controller, wherein a front side of the SLM substrate is a side from which light from the spatial light modulator is emitted, and the controller is provided on a rear side of the SLM substrate.
13 . The spatial light modulation unit according to claim 12 , wherein the spatial light modulator is cooled through a Peltier element provided on the rear side of the SLM substrate, or through the Peltier element and an intermediate portion between the spatial light modulator and the Peltier element.
14 . An exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the exposure apparatus comprising: a spatial light modulator including a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the plurality of elements in accordance with the exposure pattern; a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided; a heat sink that cools the controller, an illumination optical system including: a lens that guides incident light downward; and a mirror that guides light passed through the lens to the plurality of elements, wherein the lens of the illumination optical system is located at a position lower than the spatial light modulator, in a plan view, the lens of the illumination optical system and the spatial light modulator are arranged in the scan direction without overlapping each other, light from the spatial light modulator is emitted from a front side of the SLM substrate, and the controller is provided on a rear side of the SLM substrate.
15 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the spatial light modulator is cooled through a Peltier element provided on the rear side of the SLM substrate, or through the Peltier element and an intermediate portion between the spatial light modulator and the Peltier element.
16 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the heat sink is supported by a SLM stage that is rotatable around a reference axis orthogonal to a reflection surface of the spatial light modulator and is movable in the scan direction and a direction that crosses with the scan direction along a photosensitive surface of the photosensitive substrate.
17 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the heat sink is supported by a SLM stage that is movable at six degrees of freedom.
18 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 , wherein the heat sink includes a flow passage through which a refrigerant passes, and the spatial light modulator is arranged on a further upstream side of the flow passage than the controller.
19 . An exposure apparatus comprising: a first substrate on which are provided: a first spatial light modulator including a plurality of first elements, and; a controller that controls the plurality of first elements; a stage including a top surface configured to hold an object, the stage is located below the first spatial light modulator and is movable in a first direction and a second direction intersecting the first direction relative to the first spatial light modulator; and a first illumination optical system including: a first lens that guides incident light downward; and a first mirror that guides light passed through the first lens to the plurality of first elements, wherein the first lens of the first illumination optical system is located at a position lower than the first spatial light modulator, in a plan view, the first lens of the first illumination optical system and the first spatial light modulator are arranged in the first direction without overlapping each other, and in the plan view, the controller and the first spatial light modulator are arranged in the first direction or in a direction closer to the first direction than the second direction.
20 . The exposure apparatus according to claim 19 , further comprising: a second substrate on which a second spatial light modulator including a plurality of second elements and a second controller that controls the plurality of second elements are provided; a second illumination optical system including: a second lens that guides incident light downward; and a second mirror that guides light passed through the second lens to the plurality of second elements; a first projection optical system that demagnifies and projects light from the plurality of first elements onto the object; and a second projection optical system that demagnifies and projects light from the plurality of second elements onto the object, wherein the plurality of first elements is a plurality of first mirrors controlled to a plurality of states in accordance with an exposure pattern, the plurality of states includes: a first state in which light from the plurality of first mirrors enters the first projection optical system; and a second state in which light from the plurality of first mirrors enters other than the first projection optical system, the plurality of first mirrors is arranged in a first array direction and a second array direction intersecting the first array direction, and in a plan view, the first array direction intersects the first direction.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This is a Continuation Application of International Application No. PCT/JP2022/026503, filed on Jul. 1, 2022, which claims priority on Japanese Patent Application No. 2021-111623, filed on Jul. 5, 2021. The contents of the aforementioned applications are incorporated herein by reference. BACKGROUND Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a spatial light modulation unit and an exposure apparatus. BACKGROUND In the related art, as an exposure apparatus that illuminates a substrate with illumination light via an optical system, an exposure apparatus is known that performs an exposure by causing light which is modulated by using a spatial light modulator to pass through a projection optical system and forming an image by the light onto a resist applied to the substrate (for example, refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2005-266779). SUMMARY An aspect of the present invention is a spatial light modulation unit used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the spatial light modulation unit including: a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the plurality of elements in accordance with the exposure pattern; and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided, wherein the controller is arranged side by side in the scan direction with respect to the spatial light modulator. Another aspect of the present invention is a spatial light modulation unit used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the spatial light modulation unit including: a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the spatial light modulator in accordance with the exposure pattern; a supply portion that supplies electric power to the spatial light modulator and the controller; and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided, wherein the SLM substrate includes: a first substrate on which the spatial light modulator is provided and to which a section of the supply portion is connected; and a second substrate on which the controller is provided and to which another section of the supply portion is connected, and a second plane on which the controller is provided of the second substrate crosses with a first plane on which the spatial light modulator is provided of the first substrate. An still another aspect of the present invention is a spatial light modulation unit used in an exposure apparatus that exposes an exposure pattern onto a photosensitive substrate while moving the photosensitive substrate in a scan direction, the spatial light modulation unit including: a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements; a controller that controls the spatial light modulator in accordance with the exposure pattern; a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided; and a heat sink, wherein the spatial light modulator is provided on a front side surface of the SLM substrate, the controller is provided on a rear side surface of the SLM substrate, and the heat sink is in contact with the controller. A still another aspect of the present invention is an exposure apparatus including: a spatial light modulation unit that includes a spatial light modulator having a plurality of elements, a controller that controls the plurality of elements, and a SLM substrate on which the spatial light modulator and the controller are provided; a substrate stage that holds a photosensitive substrate and moves in a scan direction relative to the spatial light modulation unit; and a projection optical system that projects an image of a pattern formed by the plurality of elements controlled by the controller onto the photosensitive substrate, wherein the controller is provided on the SLM substrate side by side in the scan direction with respect to the spatial light modulator. A still another aspect of the present invention provides an exposure apparatus including: an illumination optical system; a spatial light modulator that is illuminated with light from the illumination optical system; a projection optical system that illuminates a substrate with light emitted from the spatial light modulator; and a stage that holds the substrate, wherein the illumination optical system and the spatial light modulator are arranged side by side in the scan direction. A still another aspect of the present invention provides an exposure apparatus including: a stage that moves a substrate in a scan direction; a spatial light modulator; an illumination optical system that illuminates the spatial light modulator from the scan direction; and a projection optical system that illuminates the substra