HK1240326B - Exposure device, device manufacturing system and method for manufacturing device - Google Patents

Description

Exposure device, device manufacturing system and device manufacturing method

This invention application is a divisional application of an invention application with an international application date of November 29, 2013, an international application number of PCT/JP2013/082185, a national application number of 201380066736.2 entering the Chinese national phase, and an invention name of “Substrate processing apparatus, device manufacturing system and device manufacturing method”.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a substrate processing device, a device manufacturing system and a device manufacturing method.

Background Art

Conventionally, as a substrate processing device, an exposure device is known in which a projection optical system is arranged between a photomask and a plate (substrate) (for example, see Patent Document 1). The projection optical system includes a lens group, a plane mirror, two polarization beam splitters, two reflectors, a λ/4 wave plate, and a field stop. In this exposure device, S-polarized projection light irradiated onto the projection optical system via the photomask is reflected by one polarization beam splitter. The reflected S-polarized projection light passes through the λ/4 wave plate and is converted into circularly polarized light. The circularly polarized projection light passes through the lens group and is reflected onto the plane mirror. The reflected circularly polarized projection light passes through the λ/4 wave plate and is converted into P-polarized light. The P-polarized projection light passes through the other polarization beam splitter and is reflected by one reflector. The P-polarized projection light reflected by one reflector forms an intermediate image in the field stop. The P-polarized projection light that passes through the field stop is reflected by the other reflector and is incident on the one polarization beam splitter again. The P-polarized projection light passes through one polarization beam splitter. After passing through it, it passes through a λ/4 wave plate and is converted into circularly polarized light. The circularly polarized projection light passes through a lens assembly and is reflected by a plane mirror. The reflected circularly polarized projection light passes through a λ/4 wave plate and is converted into S-polarized light. The S-polarized projection light is reflected by the other polarization beam splitter and reaches the plate.

Prior art literature

Patent Literature

Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-64501

Summary of the Invention

Here, part of the projection light reflected by and transmitted through the polarizing beam splitter becomes leakage light. Specifically, part of the projection light reflected by the polarizing beam splitter is split, and part of the split projection light passes through the polarizing beam splitter as leakage light, or part of the projection light passing through the polarizing beam splitter is split, and part of the split projection light becomes leakage light, which is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter. In this case, there is a possibility that the leakage light forms an image on the substrate, resulting in an undesirable image. In this case, the projection light forms a projection image on the substrate, while the leakage light forms an undesirable image, potentially resulting in double exposure.

The solution of the present invention is completed in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to provide a substrate processing device, a device manufacturing system and a device manufacturing method that can reduce the influence of leakage light on the projection image formed on the substrate and appropriately project the projection image on the substrate.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, a substrate processing device is provided, comprising: a projection optical system, which forms an intermediate image of the pattern on a specified intermediate image plane by a first projection light of a pattern from a mask component, so that a second projection light traveling from the intermediate image plane to a specified substrate is returned by passing through the projection optical system again, thereby forming a projection image of the intermediate image re-imaged on the substrate; and a light reduction unit, which reduces the amount of light projected onto the substrate by a part of the first projection light as leakage light, the projection optical system comprising: a partial optical system on which the first projection light from the pattern is incident to form the intermediate image; and a light guiding optical system, which guides the first projection light emitted from the partial optical system to the intermediate image plane, and guides the second projection light from the intermediate image plane again to the partial optical system, the partial optical system re-images the second projection light from the intermediate image plane and forms the projection image on the substrate.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the partial optical system may also include: a lens component for the first projection light and the second projection light to be incident, and a reflecting optical component for reflecting the first projection light and the second projection light that have passed through the lens component, the first projection light from the pattern is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, is emitted from the lens component, and reaches the intermediate image plane, the second projection light from the intermediate image plane is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, is emitted from the lens component, and reaches the substrate, the light reduction unit is the light-guiding optical system, and the light reduction unit includes: The first projection light is incident on the first optical component of the lens component; the first projection light emitted from the lens component is incident on the second optical component of the intermediate image plane; the second projection light from the intermediate image plane is incident on the third optical component of the lens component; the second projection light emitted from the lens component is incident on the fourth optical component on the substrate, and the light reduction part separates the first incident field of view of the first projection light incident on the lens component, the first exit field of view of the first projection light emitted from the lens component, the second incident field of view of the second projection light incident on the lens component, and the second exit field of view of the second projection light emitted from the lens component from each other.

In the above aspect, the light amount reducing unit may make an image formation position of the projection image formed by the second projection light and an image formation position of a defective image formed by a part of the leaked light of the first projection light different from each other.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the partial optical system may also include: a lens component for the first projection light and the second projection light to be incident, and a reflecting optical component for reflecting the first projection light and the second projection light that have passed through the lens component, wherein the first projection light from the pattern is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, is emitted from the lens component, and reaches the intermediate image plane, and the second projection light from the intermediate image plane is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, and is emitted from the lens component. The light reducing unit is configured to be the light guide optical system, and the light reducing unit includes: a first polarization beam splitter that reflects the first projection light from the pattern and makes it incident on the lens component, and transmits the second projection light from the intermediate image plane and makes it incident on the lens component; a wave plate that polarizes the first projection light and the second projection light emitted from the first polarization beam splitter; and a second polarization beam splitter that polarizes the first projection light and the second projection light emitted from the lens component and makes it incident on the substrate. The first projection light having passed through the wave plate is transmitted and incident on the intermediate image plane, and the second projection light emitted from the lens component and passed through the wave plate is reflected and directed toward the substrate; a first optical component that allows the first projection light having passed through the second polarizing beam splitter to be incident on the intermediate image plane; a second optical component that allows the second projection light from the intermediate image plane to be incident on the first polarizing beam splitter; and a first light shielding plate provided between the second polarizing beam splitter and the The light reducing portion makes the imaging position of the projection image formed on the substrate by the second projection light reflected by the second polarization beam splitter different from the imaging position of the defective image in the scanning direction of scanning the substrate, and the defective image is an image formed on the substrate by leaking a part of the first projection light that is not transmitted through the second polarization beam splitter but reflected by the second polarization beam splitter, and the first light shielding plate is provided at a position for shielding the leakage light from the second polarization beam splitter toward the substrate.

In the above aspect, the light amount reducing unit may further include a second light blocking plate configured to block the leakage light from the first polarization beam splitter toward the second polarization beam splitter.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, it is also possible that the partial optical system includes: a lens component for the first projection light and the second projection light to be incident, and a reflecting optical component for reflecting the first projection light and the second projection light that have passed through the lens component, the first projection light from the pattern is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, is emitted from the lens component, and reaches the intermediate image plane, the second projection light from the intermediate image plane is incident on the lens component, is reflected by the reflecting optical component, is emitted from the lens component, and reaches the substrate, the light amount reducing unit is the light guiding optical system, and the light amount reducing unit includes: a first polarization beam splitter that reflects the first projection light from the pattern and makes it incident on the lens component, and transmits the second projection light from the intermediate image plane and makes it incident on the lens component; a wave plate that makes the first projection light emitted from the first polarization beam splitter the light and the second projection light polarization; a second polarization beam splitter that transmits the first projection light emitted from the lens component and passed through the wave plate and is incident on the intermediate image plane, and reflects the second projection light emitted from the lens component and passed through the wave plate and is directed toward the substrate; a first optical component that allows the first projection light that has passed through the second polarization beam splitter to be incident on the intermediate image plane; and a second optical component that allows the second projection light from the intermediate image plane to be incident on the first polarization beam splitter, the image formation position of the projection image formed on the substrate by the second projection light reflected by the second polarization beam splitter being different in the direction of focal depth from the image formation position of the defective image being an image formed by leakage light of a portion of the first projection light that is reflected by the second polarization beam splitter without passing through the second polarization beam splitter.

In the above aspect, an optical path of the first projection light from the pattern to the first polarization beam splitter may be longer than an optical path of the first projection light from the second polarization beam splitter to the intermediate image plane.

In the above method, the substrate may be scanned relative to the projection image, and the projection image may be limited to a narrow and elongated area such that the ratio of the length in the scanning direction of the substrate to the length in the width direction orthogonal to the scanning direction, that is, the length in the scanning direction/the length in the width direction is less than 1/4.

In the above aspect, the device may further include an illumination optical system that guides illumination light toward the mask member, and the illumination light may be laser light.

In the above-mentioned method, it is also possible that there is also a mask holding component for holding the mask component and a substrate supporting component for supporting the substrate through a supporting surface, the pattern surface of the mask component has a first circumferential surface with a first curvature radius centered on the first axis, the supporting surface of the substrate supporting component has a second circumferential surface with a second curvature radius centered on the second axis, the first axis is parallel to the second axis, and the projection optical system is provided in plurality corresponding to the plurality of illumination areas arranged on the pattern surface, the plurality of projection optical systems guide the plurality of first projection lights from the plurality of illumination areas of the pattern surface to the plurality of intermediate image planes, and guide the plurality of second projection lights from the plurality of intermediate image planes to the plurality of projection areas arranged on the substrate, and the plurality of projection optical systems are provided along the plurality of illumination areas. When the light shield parts are arranged in two rows in parallel in the circumferential direction and the projection area of the substrate in each of the projection optical systems is offset in the circumferential direction relative to the illumination area of the pattern surface, the position of the second axis relative to the first axis in the light shield holding part and the substrate supporting part becomes a position different according to the amount of circumferential offset of the projection area relative to the illumination area, and the circumference connecting the center of the illumination area corresponding to the projection optical system in the first row and the center of the illumination area corresponding to the projection optical system in the second row along the circumferential direction of the light shield part is the same length as the circumference connecting the center of the projection area corresponding to the projection optical system in the first row and the center of the projection area corresponding to the projection optical system in the second row along the circumferential direction of the substrate.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing system comprising: the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention; and a substrate supply apparatus for supplying the substrate to the substrate processing apparatus.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method, comprising: performing projection exposure on the substrate using the substrate processing apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention; and forming a pattern of the mask member by processing the projection-exposed substrate.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a substrate processing device is provided for projecting a light beam from a pattern within a slit-shaped field of view area on an object plane onto an object to be exposed, the substrate processing device comprising: a projection optical system comprising an imaging lens group for causing the light beam from the pattern within the field of view area to be incident, and a reflecting mirror arranged on a pupil plane or a position near the pupil plane of the imaging lens group, wherein the light beam from the field of view area is reflected toward the imaging lens group by the reflecting mirror to form an image plane conjugate with the field of view area on the object plane side; and a folding reflecting mirror which arranges the field of view area along a plane including the object plane or a position near the pupil plane. The image plane is positioned at a first position of a reference plane intersecting the optical axis of the projection optical system, so that a slit-shaped intermediate image of the field of view area initially formed by the projection optical system is arranged at a second position different from the first position with respect to a width direction intersecting the long side direction of the slit along the reference plane. The light beam generating the intermediate image is reflected so as to pass through a third position different from either the first position or the second position with respect to the width direction of the slit along the reference plane and return toward the projection optical system, thereby forming a projection image optically conjugate with the intermediate image through the projection optical system.

In the above-mentioned method, the projection optical system may also include: a first reflecting component, which reflects the first light beam from the slit-shaped pattern in the field of view area on the object plane and makes it incident on the imaging lens group; a second reflecting component, which reflects the second light beam emitted from the projection optical system toward the exposed object in order to generate the projection image, and the reflecting part of the first light beam of the first reflecting component and the reflecting part of the second light beam of the second reflecting component are arranged separately in the width direction of the slit along the reference plane.

In the above-mentioned method, the folding reflector may also include: a third reflecting portion, which reflects the light beam emitted from the projection optical system in the direction along the reference plane in order to generate the intermediate image; and a fourth reflecting portion, which reflects the light beam reflected by the third reflecting portion toward the projection optical system, and either the third reflecting portion or the fourth reflecting portion is arranged between the reflecting portion of the first reflecting component and the reflecting portion of the second reflecting component with respect to the direction along the reference plane.

In the above embodiment, the positions of the reflecting parts of the first reflecting member and the second reflecting member and the positions of the third reflecting part and the fourth reflecting part of the folding reflector may be different in direction with respect to the optical axis of the projection optical system.

In the above-mentioned method, the reflecting portion of the first reflecting component, the reflecting portion of the second reflecting component, and the third reflecting portion and the fourth reflecting portion of the folding reflector may all be formed into rectangles corresponding to the slit-shaped field of view area, and may be arranged separately from each other with respect to the width direction of the slit along the reference plane.

In the above aspect, the first reflecting member and the second reflecting member may be formed of polarization beam splitters.

Effects of the Invention

According to aspects of the present invention, a substrate processing apparatus, a device manufacturing system, and a device manufacturing method are provided, which can reduce the amount of leakage light projected onto a substrate and appropriately project a projection image onto the substrate.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a device manufacturing system according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the first embodiment.

FIG3 is a diagram showing the arrangement of the illumination area and the projection area of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG2 .

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 2 .

FIG5 is a diagram showing the circular full imaging field of view based on the projection optical component expanded on the YZ plane.

FIG6 is a flowchart showing the device manufacturing method according to the first embodiment.

FIG7 is a diagram showing the configuration of an illumination optical system and a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus according to a second embodiment.

FIG8 is a diagram showing the configuration of a projection optical system of an exposure apparatus according to a third embodiment.

FIG9 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to a fourth embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The modes (embodiments) for implementing the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. In addition, the constituent elements described below include elements that can be easily thought of by those skilled in the art, and substantially the same elements. Moreover, the constituent elements described below can be appropriately combined. In addition, various constituent elements can be omitted, replaced or changed within the scope of the present invention.

[First embodiment]

The substrate processing apparatus of the first embodiment is an exposure apparatus that performs exposure processing on a substrate, and is incorporated into a device manufacturing system that performs various processes on the exposed substrate to manufacture devices.

＜Device Manufacturing System＞

FIG1 is a diagram showing the structure of a device manufacturing system according to a first embodiment. The device manufacturing system 1 shown in FIG1 is a production line (flexible display production line) for manufacturing flexible displays as devices. As flexible displays, there are organic EL displays, etc., for example. The device manufacturing system 1 is a so-called roll-to-roll method in which a substrate P is fed from a supply roller FR1 that winds a flexible substrate P into a roll shape, and after continuously performing various processes on the fed substrate P, the processed substrate P is wound on a recovery roller FR2 as a flexible device. In the device manufacturing system 1 according to the first embodiment, an example is shown in which a substrate P as a thin film sheet is fed from a supply roller FR1, and the substrate P fed from the supply roller FR1 passes through n processing devices U1, U2, U3, U4, U5, ... Un in sequence until it is wound on a recovery roller FR2. First, the substrate P that is the processing object of the device manufacturing system 1 is described.

The substrate P may be made of, for example, a resin film or a foil formed of a metal such as stainless steel or an alloy. The resin film may be made of, for example, one or more of polyethylene resin, polypropylene resin, polyester resin, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, cellulose resin, polyamide resin, polyimide resin, polycarbonate resin, polystyrene resin, and vinyl acetate resin.

Preferably, the substrate P is selected from a material having a notably low thermal expansion coefficient, for example, so that the amount of deformation caused by heat during the various treatments applied to the substrate P can be practically ignored. The thermal expansion coefficient can be set to be smaller than a threshold value corresponding to the process temperature, etc., by, for example, mixing an inorganic filler into the resin film. Examples of inorganic fillers include titanium oxide, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide, silicon oxide, and the like. In addition, the substrate P can be a single layer of ultra-thin glass having a thickness of approximately 100 μm, manufactured by, for example, a float process, or a laminated body formed by attaching the above-mentioned resin film, foil, etc. to the ultra-thin glass.

The substrate P constructed in this way is wound into a roll shape to become a supply roller FR1, and the supply roller FR1 is installed in the device manufacturing system 1. The device manufacturing system 1 equipped with the supply roller FR1 repeatedly performs various processes for manufacturing devices on the substrate P sent out from the supply roller FR1. Therefore, the substrate P after the processing is in a state where multiple devices are connected. In other words, the substrate P sent out from the supply roller FR1 becomes a substrate for simultaneous processing of multiple pieces. In addition, the substrate P can be a component whose surface is modified in advance through a predetermined pre-treatment to make it active, or it can be a component on which a fine partition structure (concave-convex structure) for precise patterning is formed on the surface.

The processed substrate P is wound into a roll and recovered as a recycling roller FR2. The recycling roller FR2 is installed on a cutting device not shown in the figure. The cutting device equipped with the recycling roller FR2 divides (cuts) the processed substrate P into multiple devices according to each device. The size of the substrate P is, for example, about 10 cm to 2 m in the width direction (the direction of the short side) and more than 10 m in the length direction (the direction of the long side). In addition, the size of the substrate P is not limited to the above-mentioned size.

Next, the device manufacturing system will be described with reference to Figure 1. In Figure 1, the X-direction, Y-direction, and Z-direction form an orthogonal rectangular coordinate system. The X-direction is the direction connecting the supply roller FR1 and the recovery roller FR2 in the horizontal plane. The Y-direction is the direction orthogonal to the X-direction in the horizontal plane. The Y-direction is the axial direction of the supply roller FR1 and the recovery roller FR2. The Z-direction is the direction orthogonal to the X-direction and the Y-direction (the vertical direction).

The device manufacturing system 1 includes a substrate supply device 2 for supplying a substrate P, processing devices U1 to Un for performing various processes on the substrate P supplied by the substrate supply device 2, a substrate recovery device 4 for recovering the substrate P processed by the processing devices U1 to Un, and a higher-level control device 5 for controlling each device of the device manufacturing system 1.

A supply roller FR1 is rotatably mounted on the substrate supply device 2. The substrate supply device 2 includes a driving roller R1 that delivers the substrate P from the mounted supply roller FR1, and an edge position controller EPC1 that adjusts the position of the substrate P in the width direction (Y direction). The driving roller R1 rotates while clamping the front and back surfaces of the substrate P, and delivers the substrate P from the supply roller FR1 toward the conveying direction of the recovery roller FR2, thereby supplying the substrate P to the processing devices U1 to Un. At this time, the edge position controller EPC1 moves the substrate P in the width direction so that the position of the end (edge) of the substrate P in the width direction is within a range of approximately ±10 μm to several tens of μm relative to the target position, thereby correcting the position of the substrate P in the width direction.

A recovery roller FR2 is rotatably mounted on the substrate recovery device 4. The substrate recovery device 4 includes a drive roller R2 that pulls the processed substrate P toward the recovery roller FR2, and an edge position controller EPC2 that adjusts the position of the substrate P in the width direction (Y direction). The substrate recovery device 4 rotates while clamping the front and back surfaces of the substrate P with the drive roller R2, pulling the substrate P in the conveying direction and rotating the recovery roller FR2, thereby winding the substrate P. At this time, the edge position controller EPC2 is configured similarly to the edge position controller EPC1, and corrects the position of the substrate P in the width direction to prevent the width end (edge) of the substrate P from becoming uneven in the width direction.

The processing device U1 is a coating device that applies a photosensitive functional liquid to the surface of the substrate P supplied from the substrate supply device 2. As the photosensitive functional liquid, for example, a resist, a photosensitive silane coupling agent, a UV curing resin liquid, and other photosensitive plating catalyst solutions can be used. The processing device U1 is provided with a coating mechanism Gp1 and a drying mechanism Gp2 in sequence from the upstream side in the conveying direction of the substrate P. The coating mechanism Gp1 has a platen roller DR1 around which the substrate P is wound, and a coating roller DR2 opposite to the platen roller DR1. The coating mechanism Gp1 clamps the substrate P by the platen roller DR1 and the coating roller DR2 while the supplied substrate P is wound around the platen roller DR1. Moreover, the coating mechanism Gp1 rotates the platen roller DR1 and the coating roller DR2, thereby moving the substrate P in the conveying direction and coating the substrate P with the photosensitive functional liquid by the coating roller DR2. The drying mechanism Gp2 blows out drying air such as hot air or dry air to remove the solute (solvent or water) contained in the photosensitive functional liquid and dry the substrate P coated with the photosensitive functional liquid, thereby forming a photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P.

The processing unit U2 is a heating device that heats the substrate P conveyed from the processing unit U1 to a predetermined temperature (e.g., several tens of degrees Celsius to approximately 120°C) in order to stabilize the photosensitive functional layer formed on the surface of the substrate P. The processing unit U2 is provided with a heating chamber HA1 and a cooling chamber HA2, arranged in sequence upstream of the substrate P's conveyance direction. The heating chamber HA1 is internally provided with a plurality of rollers and a plurality of air turn bars, which form the conveyance path for the substrate P. The plurality of rollers are arranged so as to rotate in contact with the back surface of the substrate P, while the plurality of air turn bars are arranged on the surface side of the substrate P in a non-contact state. The plurality of rollers and the plurality of air turn bars are arranged to form a serpentine conveyance path in order to lengthen the conveyance path for the substrate P. The substrate P passing through the heating chamber HA1 is heated to a predetermined temperature while being conveyed along the serpentine conveyance path. The cooling chamber HA2 cools the substrate P to the ambient temperature so that the temperature of the substrate P heated in the heating chamber HA1 is consistent with the ambient temperature of the subsequent process (processing unit U3). The cooling chamber HA2 is equipped with multiple rollers. Similar to the heating chamber HA1, these rollers are configured to extend the conveyance path for the substrate P, forming a serpentine transport path. Substrates P passing through the cooling chamber HA2 are cooled while being transported along the serpentine transport path. Drive rollers R3 are located downstream of the cooling chamber HA2 in the transport direction. Drive rollers R3 rotate while gripping the substrate P after it passes through the cooling chamber HA2, thereby feeding the substrate P toward the processing device U3.

The processing device (substrate processing device) U3 is an exposure device that projects and exposes a pattern of a circuit or wiring for a display onto a substrate (photosensitive substrate) P having a photosensitive functional layer formed on its surface, which is supplied from the processing device U2. The details will be described later. The processing device U3 irradiates an illumination beam onto a reflective mask M, and projects and exposes the projection beam obtained by reflecting the illumination beam off the mask M onto the substrate P. The processing device U3 includes a drive roller R4 that delivers the substrate P supplied from the processing device U2 to the downstream side in the conveying direction, and an edge position controller EPC3 that adjusts the position of the substrate P in the width direction (Y direction). The drive roller R4 rotates while clamping the front and back surfaces of the substrate P, and delivers the substrate P to the downstream side in the conveying direction, thereby supplying the substrate P toward the exposure position. The edge position controller EPC3 is constructed in the same manner as the edge position controller EPC1, and corrects the position of the substrate P in the width direction so that the width direction of the substrate P at the exposure position becomes the target position. In addition, the processing device U3 has two sets of drive rollers R5 and R6 that convey the substrate P to the downstream side of the conveying direction while giving it a degree of slack after exposure. The two sets of drive rollers R5 and R6 are arranged at a predetermined interval in the conveying direction of the substrate P. The drive roller R5 rotates while holding the upstream side of the conveyed substrate P, and the drive roller R6 rotates while holding the downstream side of the conveyed substrate P, thereby supplying the substrate P toward the processing device U4. At this time, since the substrate P is given a degree of slack, it is possible to absorb the fluctuation of the conveying speed generated on the downstream side of the conveying direction relative to the drive roller R6, thereby blocking the influence of the fluctuation of the conveying speed on the exposure processing of the substrate P. In addition, in order to relatively align the image of a part of the mask pattern of the mask M and the substrate P, alignment microscopes AM1 and AM2 are provided in the processing device U3 for detecting alignment marks and the like pre-formed on the substrate P.

The processing device U4 is a wet processing device that performs wet development processing, electroless plating processing, etc. on the exposed substrate P transported from the processing device U3. The processing device U4 has three processing tanks BT1, BT2, and BT3 layered in the vertical direction (Z direction) and a plurality of rollers for transporting the substrate P. The plurality of rollers are arranged in a manner that forms a transport path for the substrate P to pass through the inside of the three processing tanks BT1, BT2, and BT3 in sequence. On the downstream side of the transport direction of the processing tank BT3, a driving roller R7 is provided. The driving roller R7 rotates while clamping the substrate P after passing through the processing tank BT3, thereby supplying the substrate P toward the processing device U5.

Although not shown, the processing unit U5 is a drying unit that dries the substrate P transferred from the processing unit U4. The processing unit U5 adjusts the moisture content of the substrate P, which has undergone wet processing in the processing unit U4, to a predetermined moisture content. The substrate P dried by the processing unit U5 passes through several processing units before being transferred to the processing unit Un. After being processed by the processing unit Un, the substrate P is taken up by the recovery roller FR2 of the substrate recovery unit 4.

The upper control device 5 comprehensively controls the substrate supply device 2, the substrate recovery device 4, and the plurality of processing devices U1 to Un. The upper control device 5 controls the substrate supply device 2 and the substrate recovery device 4 to transport the substrate P from the substrate supply device 2 to the substrate recovery device 4. The upper control device 5 also synchronizes the transport of the substrate P while controlling the plurality of processing devices U1 to Un to perform various processes on the substrate P.

Exposure equipment (substrate processing equipment)

Next, the configuration of the exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) serving as the processing apparatus U3 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 4. Figure 2 illustrates the overall configuration of the exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus) according to the first embodiment. Figure 3 illustrates the arrangement of the illumination area and projection area of the exposure apparatus shown in Figure 2. Figure 4 illustrates the configuration of the illumination optical system and projection optical system of the exposure apparatus shown in Figure 2.

The exposure device U3 shown in FIG2 is a so-called scanning exposure device, which projects and exposes an image of a mask pattern formed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylindrical mask M onto the surface of the substrate P while transporting the substrate P in a transport direction (scanning direction). In addition, in FIG2 and FIG3, a rectangular coordinate system in which the X direction, the Y direction, and the Z direction are orthogonal is shown, which is the same rectangular coordinate system as FIG1.

First, the photomask (photomask component) M used in the exposure device U3 is described. The photomask M is a reflective photomask using, for example, a metal cylindrical body. The photomask M is formed on a cylindrical body having an outer circumferential surface (circumferential surface) with a curvature radius Rm centered on the first axis AX1 extending in the Y direction, and has a certain wall thickness in the radial direction. The circumferential surface of the photomask M becomes a photomask surface (pattern surface) P1 on which a predetermined photomask pattern (pattern) is formed. The photomask surface P1 includes a high-reflection portion that reflects a light beam in a predetermined direction with high efficiency and a reflection suppression portion that does not reflect a light beam in a predetermined direction or reflects it with low efficiency. The photomask pattern is formed by the high-reflection portion and the reflection suppression portion. Since such a photomask M is a metal cylindrical body, it can be manufactured at a low price. By using a high-precision laser beam drawing device, the photomask pattern (in addition to various patterns for the panel, it also includes reference marks for alignment, scales for encoder measurement, etc.) can be precisely formed on the cylindrical outer circumferential surface.

In addition, the mask M may be formed with the entirety or a portion of a panel pattern corresponding to one display device, or may be formed with panel patterns corresponding to a plurality of display devices. In addition, on the mask M, a plurality of panel patterns may be repeatedly formed along the circumferential direction around the first axis AX1, or a plurality of small panel patterns may be repeatedly formed along a direction parallel to the first axis AX1. Moreover, the mask M may also be formed with a panel pattern for the first display device and a panel pattern for the second display device having a size different from that of the first display device. In addition, the mask M only needs to have a circular surface with a curvature radius Rm with the first axis AX1 as the center, and is not limited to the shape of a cylinder. For example, the mask M may also be an arc-shaped plate having a circular surface. In addition, the mask M may be in the form of a thin plate, or may be formed by bending a thin plate-shaped mask M to have a circular surface.

Next, the exposure apparatus U3 shown in FIG2 will be described. In addition to the aforementioned drive rollers R4 to R6, edge position controller EPC3, and alignment microscopes AM1 and AM2, the exposure apparatus U3 further includes a mask holding mechanism 11, a substrate support mechanism 12, an illumination optical system IL, a projection optical system PL, and a lower-level control device 16. The exposure apparatus U3 guides the illumination light beam EL1 emitted from the light source device 13 via the illumination optical system IL and the projection optical system PL, thereby projecting an image of the mask pattern of the mask M held by the mask holding mechanism 11 onto the substrate P supported by the substrate support mechanism 12.

The lower-level control device 16 controls each component of the exposure unit U3, causing each component to execute processing. The lower-level control device 16 may be part of or all of the upper-level control device 5 of the device manufacturing system 1. Alternatively, the lower-level control device 16 may be a device controlled by the upper-level control device 5 and separate from the upper-level control device 5. The lower-level control device 16 may include, for example, a computer.

The mask holding mechanism 11 includes a mask holding cylinder (mask holding member) 21 that holds the mask M and a first drive unit 22 that rotates the mask holding cylinder 21. The mask holding cylinder 21 holds the mask M so that the first axis AX1 of the mask M serves as the rotation center. The first drive unit 22 is connected to the lower control device 16 and rotates the mask holding cylinder 21 with the first axis AX1 as the rotation center.

The mask holding mechanism 11 holds the cylindrical mask M via the mask holding tube 21, but is not limited to this configuration. The mask holding mechanism 11 may also wind a thin plate-shaped mask M along the outer circumference of the mask holding tube 21 and hold it. Furthermore, the mask holding mechanism 11 may also hold a mask M having a pattern formed on the surface of a plate material curved into an arc shape on the outer circumference of the mask holding tube 21.

The substrate support mechanism 12 includes a substrate support cylinder 25 that supports the substrate P, a second drive unit 26 that rotates the substrate support cylinder 25, a pair of air steering rods ATB1 and ATB2, and a pair of guide rollers 27 and 28. The substrate support cylinder 25 is formed into a cylindrical shape having an outer peripheral surface (circumferential surface) with a curvature radius Rfa with the second axis AX2 extending along the Y direction as the center. Here, the first axis AX1 and the second axis AX2 are parallel to each other, and the surface passing through the first axis AX1 and the second axis AX2 is used as the center plane CL. A part of the circumferential surface of the substrate support cylinder 25 becomes the supporting surface P2 that supports the substrate P. That is, the substrate support cylinder 25 winds the substrate P on its supporting surface P2, thereby supporting the substrate P. The second drive unit 26 is connected to the lower control device 16 to rotate the substrate support cylinder 25 with the second axis AX2 as the rotation center. A pair of air steering rods ATB1 and ATB2 clamp the substrate support cylinder 25 and are respectively arranged on the upstream and downstream sides of the conveying direction of the substrate P. The pair of air turning bars ATB1 and ATB2 are provided on the surface side of the substrate P and are arranged vertically (in the Z direction) below the support surface P2 of the substrate support cylinder 25. A pair of guide rollers 27 and 28 sandwich the pair of air turning bars ATB1 and ATB2 and are provided on the upstream and downstream sides, respectively, in the conveyance direction of the substrate P. One guide roller 27 of the pair of guide rollers 27 and 28 guides the substrate P conveyed from the drive roller R4 to the air turning bar ATB1, while the other guide roller 28 guides the substrate P conveyed from the air turning bar ATB2 to the drive roller R5.

Therefore, the substrate supporting mechanism 12 guides the substrate P conveyed from the driving roller R4 to the air turning bar ATB1 via the guide roller 27, and then guides the substrate P after passing through the air turning bar ATB1 to the substrate supporting cylinder 25. The substrate supporting mechanism 12 rotates the substrate supporting cylinder 25 via the second driving unit 26, thereby supporting the substrate P introduced into the substrate supporting cylinder 25 on the supporting surface P2 of the substrate supporting cylinder 25 while conveying the substrate P to the air turning bar ATB2. The substrate supporting mechanism 12 guides the substrate P conveyed to the air turning bar ATB2 via the air turning bar ATB2 to the guide roller 28, and then guides the substrate P after passing through the guide roller 28 to the driving roller R5.

At this time, the lower control device 16 connected to the first drive unit 22 and the second drive unit 26 causes the mask holding cylinder 21 and the substrate support cylinder 25 to rotate synchronously at a specified rotation speed ratio, so that the image of the mask pattern formed on the mask surface P1 of the mask M is continuously and repeatedly projected and exposed to the surface (the surface curved along the circumferential surface) of the substrate P wound on the support surface P2 of the substrate support cylinder 25.

The light source device 13 emits an illumination beam EL1 for illuminating the mask M. The light source device 13 includes a light source unit 31 and a light guide member 32. The light source unit 31 is a light source that emits light in a predetermined wavelength range suitable for the exposure of the photosensitive functional layer on the substrate P, and is a light source that emits light in the ultraviolet region with a strong photoactive effect. As the light source unit 31, for example, a lamp light source such as a mercury lamp having a bright line (g line, h line, i line, etc.) in the ultraviolet region, a solid light source such as a laser diode or a light emitting diode (LED) having an oscillation peak in the ultraviolet region below a wavelength of 450nm, or a gas laser source such as a KrF excimer laser (wavelength 248nm), an ArF excimer laser (wavelength 193nm), or a XeCl excimer laser (wavelength 308nm) that oscillates far ultraviolet light (DUV light) can be used.

Here, the illumination light beam EL1 emitted from the light source device 13 is incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS described later. In order to suppress the energy loss caused by the separation of the illumination light beam EL1 by the polarization beam splitter PBS, it is preferred that the illumination light beam EL1 is a light beam that reflects almost all of the incident illumination light beam EL1 in the polarization beam splitter PBS. The polarization beam splitter PBS reflects a light beam of linearly polarized light that becomes S-polarized light, and transmits a light beam of linearly polarized light that becomes P-polarized light. Therefore, the light source unit 31 of the light source device 13 preferably emits a laser that causes the illumination light beam EL1 incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS to become a light beam of linearly polarized light (S-polarized light). In addition, since the laser energy density is high, the illumination intensity of the light beam projected onto the substrate P can be appropriately ensured.

The light guide member 32 guides the illumination light beam EL1 emitted from the light source unit 31 to the illumination optical system IL. The light guide member 32 is composed of an optical fiber, a relay module using a mirror, or the like. Furthermore, when multiple illumination optical systems IL are provided, the light guide member 32 separates the illumination light beam EL1 emitted from the light source unit 31 into multiple beams and guides the multiple illumination light beams EL1 to the multiple illumination optical systems IL. Furthermore, when the light beam emitted from the light source unit 31 is a laser beam, for example, the light guide member 32 may use a polarization-maintaining fiber (polarization-preserving fiber) as the optical fiber, guiding the light while maintaining the polarization state of the laser beam unchanged.

Here, as shown in FIG3 , the exposure device U3 of the first embodiment is an exposure device assumed to be a so-called multi-lens type. In addition, FIG3 illustrates a top view (left figure of FIG3 ) of the illumination area IR on the mask M held by the mask holding cylinder 21 as viewed from the -Z side and a top view (right figure of FIG3 ) of the projection area PA on the substrate P supported by the substrate support cylinder 25 as viewed from the +Z side. The reference symbol Xs in FIG3 represents the moving direction (rotation direction) of the mask holding cylinder 21 and the substrate support cylinder 25. The multi-lens type exposure device U3 irradiates the illumination light beam EL1 to the multiple (for example, 6 in the first embodiment) illumination areas IR1 to IR6 on the mask M, respectively, and the multiple projection light beams EL2 obtained by reflecting each illumination light beam EL1 in each illumination area IR1 to IR6 are projected onto the multiple (for example, 6 in the first embodiment) projection areas PA1 to PA6 on the substrate P for exposure.

First, the multiple illumination regions IR1 to IR6 illuminated by the illumination optical system IL will be described. As shown in the left diagram of FIG3 , the multiple illumination regions IR1 to IR6 are arranged in two rows along the rotational direction with the center plane CL sandwiched between them. The odd-numbered first illumination region IR1, third illumination region IR3, and fifth illumination region IR5 are arranged on the upstream side of the mask M in the rotational direction, while the even-numbered second illumination region IR2, fourth illumination region IR4, and sixth illumination region IR6 are arranged on the downstream side of the mask M in the rotational direction.

Each illumination region IR1 to IR6 is an elongated trapezoidal (rectangular) region having parallel short and long sides extending in the axial direction (Y direction) of the mask M. In this case, each trapezoidal illumination region IR1 to IR6 is a region whose short sides are located on the central plane CL side and whose long sides are located on the outside. The odd-numbered 1st illumination region IR1, the 3rd illumination region IR3, and the 5th illumination region IR5 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. In addition, the even-numbered 2nd illumination region IR2, the 4th illumination region IR4, and the 6th illumination region IR6 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the axial direction. In this case, the 2nd illumination region IR2 is arranged between the 1st illumination region IR1 and the 3rd illumination region IR3 in the axial direction. Similarly, the 3rd illumination region IR3 is arranged between the 2nd illumination region IR2 and the 4th illumination region IR4 in the axial direction. The 4th illumination region IR4 is arranged between the 3rd illumination region IR3 and the 5th illumination region IR5 in the axial direction. The fifth illumination region IR5 is arranged between the fourth illumination region IR4 and the sixth illumination region IR6 in the axial direction. The illumination regions IR1 to IR6 are arranged so that the triangular portions of the hypotenuse portions of adjacent trapezoidal illumination regions overlap (overlap) when viewed from the circumferential direction of the mask M. In the first embodiment, the illumination regions IR1 to IR6 are trapezoidal, but they may be rectangular.

The mask M includes a pattern-forming region A3 where a mask pattern is formed, and a non-pattern-forming region A4 where no mask pattern is formed. The non-pattern-forming region A4 is an area that absorbs the illumination light beam EL1 and is difficult to reflect, and is arranged to surround the pattern-forming region A3 in a frame-like manner. The first to sixth illumination regions IR1 to IR6 are arranged to cover the entire width of the pattern-forming region A3 in the Y direction.

A plurality of illumination optical systems IL are provided corresponding to the plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 (for example, six in the first embodiment). The illumination light beam EL1 from the light source device 13 is incident on the plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6. Each illumination optical system IL1 to IL6 guides each illumination light beam EL1 incident from the light source device 13 to each illumination region IR1 to IR6. That is, the first illumination optical system IL1 guides the illumination light beam EL1 to the first illumination region IR1, and similarly, the second to sixth illumination optical systems IL2 to IL6 guide the illumination light beam EL to the second to sixth illumination regions IR2 to IR6. The plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6 are arranged in two rows along the circumferential direction of the mask M with the center plane CL sandwiched therebetween. The first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged on the side (left side of FIG. 2 ) where the first, third, and fifth illumination regions IR1, IR3, and IR5 are arranged with the center plane CL sandwiched therebetween. The first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. Furthermore, the second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the sixth illumination optical system IL6 are arranged on the side (right side in FIG2 ) where the second, fourth, and sixth illumination regions IR2, IR4, and IR6 are arranged, with the center plane CL sandwiched between the plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6. The second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the sixth illumination optical system IL6 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. In this case, the second illumination optical system IL2 is arranged axially between the first illumination optical system IL1 and the third illumination optical system IL3. Similarly, the third illumination optical system IL3 is arranged axially between the second illumination optical system IL2 and the fourth illumination optical system IL4. The fourth illumination optical system IL4 is arranged axially between the third illumination optical system IL3 and the fifth illumination optical system IL5. The fifth illumination optical system IL5 is arranged between the fourth illumination optical system IL4 and the sixth illumination optical system IL6 in the axial direction. Furthermore, the first illumination optical system IL1, the third illumination optical system IL3, and the fifth illumination optical system IL5 are arranged symmetrically with the second illumination optical system IL2, the fourth illumination optical system IL4, and the sixth illumination optical system IL6, as viewed in the Y direction, about the center plane CL.

Next, each illumination optical system IL1 to IL6 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Since each illumination optical system IL1 to IL6 has the same configuration, the first illumination optical system IL1 (hereinafter simply referred to as illumination optical system IL) will be described as an example.

To illuminate the illumination region IR (first illumination region IR1) with uniform illumination, the illumination optical system IL employs Köhler illumination, which forms a light source image (real or virtual) generated by the light source device 13 at the pupil position (equivalent to the Fourier transform plane) of the illumination optical system IL. Furthermore, the illumination optical system IL is an epi-illumination system using a polarizing beam splitter PBS. The illumination optical system IL includes, in this order, an illumination optical module ILM, a polarizing beam splitter PBS, and a quarter-wave plate 41, from the incident side of the illumination light beam EL1 from the light source device 13.

As shown in Figure 4, the illumination optical assembly ILM includes, in order from the incident side of the illumination light beam EL1, a collimating lens 51, a fly-eye lens 52, multiple condensing lenses 53, a cylindrical lens 54, an illumination field stop 55, and multiple relay lenses 56, and is arranged on the first optical axis BX1. The collimating lens 51 is arranged on the exit side of the light guide component 32 of the light source device 13. The optical axis of the collimating lens 51 is arranged on the first optical axis BX. The collimating lens 51 illuminates the entire incident side surface of the fly-eye lens 52. The fly-eye lens 52 is arranged on the exit side of the collimating lens 51. The center of the exit side surface of the fly-eye lens 52 is arranged on the first optical axis BX1. The fly-eye lens 52, composed of multiple rod lenses and other components, subdivides the illumination beam EL1 from the collimator lens 51 for each rod lens, generating multiple point light source images (convergent points) on the exit-side surface of the fly-eye lens 52. The illumination beam EL1, subdivided by the rod lenses, is incident on the condenser lens 53. The exit-side surface of the fly-eye lens 52, which generates the point light source images, is arranged so as to be optically conjugate with the pupil plane of the projection optical system PL (PLM), where the reflection surface of the first concave mirror 72 is located, via the various lenses of the fly-eye lens 52, which travels from the fly-eye lens 52 through the illumination field stop 55 to the first concave mirror 72 of the projection optical system PL (described later). The condenser lens 53 is provided on the exit-side of the fly-eye lens 52. The optical axis of the condenser lens 53 is aligned with the first optical axis BX1. The condenser lens 53 converges the illumination beam EL1 from the fly-eye lens 52 onto the cylindrical lens 54. The cylindrical lens 54 is a plano-convex cylindrical lens with a flat entrance side and a convex exit side. The cylindrical lens 54 is located on the exit side of the condenser lens 53. The optical axis of the cylindrical lens 54 is aligned with the first optical axis BX1. The cylindrical lens 54 diverges the illumination light beam EL1 in the XZ plane in a direction perpendicular to the first optical axis BX1. The illumination field stop 55 is located adjacent to the exit side of the cylindrical lens 54. The opening of the illumination field stop 55 is formed into a trapezoidal or rectangular shape identical to the illumination area IR, with the center of the opening of the illumination field stop 55 aligned with the first optical axis BX1. The illumination field stop 55 is arranged on a surface optically conjugate with the illumination area IR on the mask M through various lenses extending from the illumination field stop 55 to the mask M. The relay lens 56 is located on the exit side of the illumination field stop 55. The optical axis of the relay lens 56 is aligned with the first optical axis BX1. The relay lens 56 allows the illumination light beam EL1 from the illumination field stop 55 to be incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS.

After the illumination beam EL1 enters the illumination optical unit ILM, it passes through the collimator lens 51 and illuminates the entire incident surface of the fly-eye lens 52. After entering the fly-eye lens 52, the illumination beam EL1 becomes an illumination beam EL1 from each of the multiple point light source images, and then enters the cylindrical lens 54 via the condenser lens 53. The illumination beam EL1 entering the cylindrical lens 54 diverges in the XZ plane in a direction perpendicular to the first optical axis BX1. The illumination beam EL1 diverged by the cylindrical lens 54 enters the illumination field stop 55. After entering the illumination field stop 55, the illumination beam EL1 passes through the opening of the illumination field stop 55, becoming a beam with an intensity distribution identical to that of the illumination region IR. After passing through the illumination field stop 55, the illumination beam EL1 enters the polarization beam splitter PBS via the relay lens 56.

The polarizing beam splitter PBS is positioned between the illumination optical module ILM and the center plane CL with respect to the X-axis. The polarizing beam splitter PBS, in conjunction with the quarter-wave plate 41, reflects the illumination beam EL1 from the illumination optical module ILM while transmitting the projection beam EL2 reflected by the mask M. In other words, the illumination beam EL1 from the illumination optical module ILM enters the polarizing beam splitter PBS as a reflected beam, while the projection beam (reflected light) EL2 from the mask M enters the polarizing beam splitter PBS as a transmitted beam. Specifically, the illumination beam EL1 entering the polarizing beam splitter PBS is a reflected beam that is linearly polarized (S-polarized), while the projection beam EL2 entering the polarizing beam splitter PBS is a transmitted beam that is linearly polarized (P-polarized).

As shown in FIG4 , the polarization beam splitter PBS includes a first prism 91, a second prism 92, and a polarization separation plane 93 disposed between the first prism 91 and the second prism 92. The first prism 91 and the second prism 92 are triangular prisms formed of quartz glass and have a triangular shape in the XZ plane. Furthermore, the polarization beam splitter PBS has a quadrilateral shape in the XZ plane by joining the triangular first prism 91 and the second prism 92 with the polarization separation plane 93 interposed therebetween.

The first prism 91 is a prism on the side on which the illumination beam EL1 and the projection beam EL2 are incident. The second prism 92 is a prism on the side from which the projection beam EL2, which has passed through the polarization separation surface 93, is emitted. The illumination beam EL1 and the projection beam EL2 traveling from the first prism 91 toward the second prism 92 are incident on the polarization separation surface 93. The polarization separation surface 93 reflects the S-polarized (linearly polarized) illumination beam EL1 and transmits the P-polarized (linearly polarized) projection beam EL2.

The quarter-wave plate 41 is disposed between the polarization beam splitter PBS and the mask M. The quarter-wave plate 41 converts the illumination light beam EL1 reflected by the polarization beam splitter PBS from linearly polarized light (S-polarized light) into circularly polarized light. The circularly polarized illumination light beam EL1 is then irradiated onto the mask M. The quarter-wave plate 41 converts the circularly polarized projection light beam EL2 reflected by the mask M into linearly polarized light (P-polarized light).

Next, the multiple projection areas PA1 to PA6 projected and exposed by the projection optical system PL are described. As shown in the right figure of Figure 3, the multiple projection areas PA1 to PA6 on the substrate P are arranged corresponding to the multiple illumination areas IR1 to IR6 on the mask M. That is, the multiple projection areas PA1 to PA6 on the substrate P are arranged in two rows along the conveying direction with the center plane CL sandwiched therebetween. The odd-numbered first projection area PA1, third projection area PA3, and fifth projection area PA5 are arranged on the substrate P on the upstream side of the conveying direction, and the even-numbered second projection area PA2, fourth projection area PA4, and sixth projection area PA6 are arranged on the substrate P on the downstream side of the conveying direction.

Each projection area PA1 to PA6 is an elongated trapezoidal area having short sides and long sides extending in the width direction (Y direction) of the substrate P. In this case, each projection area PA1 to PA6 of the trapezoid is an area whose short sides are located on the side of the center plane CL and whose long sides are located on the outside. The odd-numbered 1st projection area PA1, 3rd projection area PA3 and 5th projection area PA5 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction. In addition, the even-numbered 2nd projection area PA2, 4th projection area PA4 and 6th projection area PA6 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the width direction. In this case, the 2nd projection area PA2 is arranged between the 1st projection area PA1 and the 3rd projection area PA3 in the axial direction. Similarly, the 3rd projection area PA3 is arranged between the 2nd projection area PA2 and the 4th projection area PA4 in the axial direction. The 4th projection area PA4 is arranged between the 3rd projection area PA3 and the 5th projection area PA5. The 5th projection area PA5 is arranged between the 4th projection area PA4 and the 6th projection area PA6. Similar to the illumination areas IR1 to IR6, each projection area PA1 to PA6 is arranged so that the triangular portions of the hypotenuse of adjacent trapezoidal projection areas PA overlap (overlap) when viewed in the conveyance direction of the substrate P. In this case, the projection area PA is shaped so that the exposure amount in the overlapping areas of adjacent projection areas PA is substantially the same as the exposure amount in the non-overlapping areas. Furthermore, the first to sixth projection areas PA1 to PA6 are arranged so as to cover the entire width of the exposure area A7 to be exposed on the substrate P in the Y direction.

Here, in Figure 2, when observed in the XZ plane, the circumference from the center point of the illumination area IR1 (and IR3, IR5) to the center point of the illumination area IR2 (and IR4, IR6) on the mask M and the circumference from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) to the center point of the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6) on the substrate P along the support surface P2 are set to be substantially equal.

In the first embodiment described above, there are six projection optical systems PL corresponding to the six projection areas PA1 to PA6. Multiple projection light beams EL2 reflected by the mask patterns located in the corresponding illumination areas IR1 to IR6 are incident on the projection optical systems PL1 to PL6, respectively. Each projection optical system PL1 to PL6 guides the projection light beams EL2 reflected by the mask M to the respective projection areas PA1 to PA6. That is, the first projection optical system PL1 guides the projection light beam EL2 from the first illumination area IR1 to the first projection area PA1. Similarly, the second to sixth projection optical systems PL2 to PL6 guide the projection light beams EL2 from the second to sixth illumination areas IR2 to IR6 to the second to sixth projection areas PA2 to PA6.

The plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 are arranged in two rows along the circumferential direction of the mask M, with the center plane CL sandwiched between the plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6. The first projection optical system PL1, the third projection optical system PL3, and the fifth projection optical system PL5 are arranged on the side (left side of FIG. 2 ) where the first, third, and fifth projection areas PA1, PA3, and PA5 are arranged, with the center plane CL sandwiched between the plurality of projection optical systems PL1 to PL6. The first projection optical system PL1, the third projection optical system PL3, and the fifth projection optical system PL5 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. Furthermore, the second projection optical system PL2, the fourth projection optical system PL4, and the sixth projection optical system PL6 are arranged on the side (right side of FIG. 2 ) where the second, fourth, and sixth projection areas PA2, PA4, and PA6 are arranged, with the center plane CL sandwiched between the plurality of illumination optical systems IL1 to IL6. The second projection optical system PL2, the fourth projection optical system PL4, and the sixth projection optical system PL6 are arranged at predetermined intervals along the Y direction. In this case, the second projection optical system PL2 is arranged axially between the first projection optical system PL1 and the third projection optical system PL3. Similarly, the third projection optical system PL3 is arranged axially between the second projection optical system PL2 and the fourth projection optical system PL4. The fourth projection optical system PL4 is arranged between the third projection optical system PL3 and the fifth projection optical system PL5. The fifth projection optical system PL5 is arranged between the fourth projection optical system PL4 and the sixth projection optical system PL6. Furthermore, the first projection optical system PL1, the third projection optical system PL3, and the fifth projection optical system PL5 are arranged symmetrically with the second projection optical system PL2, the fourth projection optical system PL4, and the sixth projection optical system PL6, with the center plane CL as the center, as viewed in the Y direction.

The projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Since the projection optical systems PL1 to PL6 have the same configuration, the first projection optical system PL1 (hereinafter simply referred to as projection optical system PL) will be described as an example.

The projection optical system PL allows the projection light beam EL2 reflected from the illumination region IR (first illumination region IR1) of the mask surface P1 of the mask M to be incident, and forms an intermediate image of the pattern displayed on the mask surface P1 on the intermediate image plane P7. In addition, the projection light beam EL2 that reaches the intermediate image plane P7 from the mask surface P1 is referred to as the first projection light beam EL2a. The intermediate image formed on the intermediate image plane P7 is an inverted image of the mask pattern with respect to the illumination region IR and is 180° point-symmetrical.

Furthermore, the projection optical system PL reimages the projection beam EL2 emitted from the intermediate image plane P7 into the projection area PA of the projection image plane of the substrate P, thereby forming a projection image. Furthermore, the projection beam EL2 that reaches the projection image plane of the substrate P from the intermediate image plane P7 is referred to as the second projection beam EL2b. The projection image is an inverted image that is 180° point-symmetrical with respect to the intermediate image of the intermediate image plane P7. In other words, it is an upright image that is identical to the image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR. The projection optical system PL includes, in this order from the incident side of the projection beam EL2 from the mask M, the aforementioned quarter-wave plate 41, the aforementioned polarization beam splitter PBS, and the projection optical assembly PLM.

The quarter-wave plate 41 and the polarization beam splitter PBS are shared by the illumination optical system IL. In other words, the illumination optical system IL and the projection optical system PL share the quarter-wave plate 41 and the polarization beam splitter PBS.

The first projection light beam EL2a reflected in the illumination region IR is a telecentric light beam directed radially outward of the first axis AX1 of the mask holding cylinder 21 and enters the projection optical system PL. When the circularly polarized first projection light beam EL2a reflected in the illumination region IR enters the projection optical system PL, it is converted from circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light (P-polarized light) by the quarter-wave plate 41 and then enters the polarization beam splitter PBS. The first projection light beam EL2a incident on the polarization beam splitter PBS passes through the polarization beam splitter PBS and then enters the projection optical assembly PLM.

As shown in FIG4 , the projection optical module PLM includes a partial optical system 61 that forms an intermediate image on the intermediate image plane P7 and forms a projection image on the substrate P; a reflective optical system (light guiding optical system) 62 that causes the first projection light beam EL2a and the second projection light beam EL2b to be incident on the partial optical system 61; and a projection field stop 63 disposed at the intermediate image plane P7 where the intermediate image is formed. The projection optical module PLM also includes a focus correction optical component 64, an image shifting optical component 65, a magnification correction optical component 66, a rotation correction mechanism 67, and a polarization adjustment mechanism 68.

The partial optical system 61 and the reflective optical system 62 are, for example, telecentric reflective-refractive optical systems obtained by deforming a Dyson system. The optical axis of the partial optical system 61 (hereinafter referred to as the second optical axis BX2) is substantially orthogonal to the center plane CL. The partial optical system 61 includes a first lens group 71 and a first concave mirror (reflective optical component) 72. The first lens group 71 includes a plurality of lens components including a refractive lens (lens component) 71a disposed on the center plane CL side, and the optical axes of the plurality of lens components are arranged on the second optical axis BX2. The first concave mirror 72 is arranged on the pupil plane formed by the various lenses of the first concave mirror 72, which are imaged by the plurality of point light sources generated by the fly-eye lens 52, which travel from the fly-eye lens 52 via the illumination field stop 55.

The reflective optical system 62 includes a first deflecting member (first optical member and first reflective member) 76, a second deflecting member (second optical member and third reflective portion) 77, a third deflecting member (third optical member and fourth reflective portion) 78, and a fourth deflecting member (fourth optical member and second reflective member) 79. The first deflecting member 76 is a reflector having a first reflective surface P3. The first reflective surface P3 reflects the first projection light beam EL2a from the polarizing beam splitter PBS, causing the reflected first projection light beam EL2a to enter the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71. The second deflecting member 77 is a reflector having a second reflective surface P4. The second reflective surface P4 reflects the first projection light beam EL2a emitted from the refractive lens 71a, causing the reflected first projection light beam EL2a to enter the projection field stop 63 provided on the intermediate image plane P7. The third deflecting member 78 is a reflector having a third reflective surface P5. The third reflecting surface P5 reflects the second projection beam EL2b from the projection field aperture 63, causing the reflected second projection beam EL2b to enter the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71. The fourth deflecting member 79 is a reflector having a fourth reflecting surface P6. The fourth reflecting surface P6 reflects the second projection beam EL2b emitted from the refractive lens 71a, causing the reflected second projection beam EL2b to enter the substrate P. In this way, the second deflecting member 77 and the third deflecting member 78 function as a folding reflector that reflects the first projection beam EL2a from the partial optical system 61 back toward the partial optical system 61. The reflecting surfaces P3 to P6 of the first to fourth deflecting members 76, 77, 78, and 79 are all planes parallel to the Y axis in Figure 4 and are arranged to be inclined at a predetermined angle in the XZ plane.

The projection field stop 63 has an opening that defines the shape of the projection area PA. That is, the shape of the opening of the projection field stop 63 defines the shape of the projection area PA.

The first projection beam EL2a from the polarization beam splitter PBS passes through the image-shifting optical component 65 and is reflected by the first reflection surface P3 of the first deflecting component 76. After being reflected by the first reflection surface P3, the first projection beam EL2a enters the first lens group 71, passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and then enters the first concave mirror 72. At this time, the first projection beam EL2a passes through the field of view area of the refractive lens 71a located above the second optical axis BX2 in the +Z direction in the first lens group 71. The first projection beam EL2a that enters the first concave mirror 72 is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. After being reflected by the first concave mirror 72, the first projection beam EL2a enters the first lens group 71, passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and then exits the first lens group 71. At this time, the first projection light beam EL2a passes through the field of view area of the refractive lens 71a located below the second optical axis BX2 in the -Z direction in the first lens group 71. The first projection light beam EL2a emitted from the first lens group 71 is reflected by the second reflection surface P4 of the second deflecting member 77. The first projection light beam EL2a reflected by the second reflection surface P4 enters the projection field aperture 63. The first projection light beam EL2a entering the projection field aperture 63 forms an intermediate image that is an inverted image of the mask pattern in the illumination region IR.

The second projection beam EL2b from the projection field aperture 63 is reflected by the third reflection surface P5 of the third deflecting member 78. After being reflected by the third reflection surface P5, the second projection beam EL2b again enters the first lens group 71, passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and then enters the first concave mirror 72. At this time, the second projection beam EL2b passes through the field of view area of the first lens group 71, which is located above the second optical axis BX2 in the +Z direction and between the incident and exit sides of the first projection beam EL2a. The second projection beam EL2b that enters the first concave mirror 72 is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. After being reflected by the first concave mirror 72, the second projection beam EL2b enters the first lens group 71, passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and then exits the first lens group 71. At this time, the second projection light beam EL2b passes through the field of view area between the incident side and the exit side of the first projection light beam EL2a, located below the second optical axis BX2 in the -Z direction of the refractive lens 71a in the first lens group 71. The second projection light beam EL2b emitted from the first lens group 71 is reflected by the fourth reflection surface P6 of the fourth deflection component 79. After being reflected by the fourth reflection surface P6, the second projection light beam EL2b passes through the focus correction optical component 64 and the magnification correction optical component 66 and is projected onto the projection area PA on the substrate P. The second projection light beam EL2b projected onto the projection area PA forms a projection image that becomes an erect image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR. At this time, the image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR is projected onto the projection area PA at the same magnification (×1).

Here, the field of view of the projection optical module PLM, which is composed of the first lens group 71 including the refractive lens 71a and the first concave mirror 72, is briefly described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 shows the circular full imaging field of view (reference plane) CIF of the projection optical module PLM unfolded along the YZ plane in Figure 5. The rectangular illumination area IR on the mask M, the intermediate image Img1 formed on the projection field stop 63 on the intermediate image plane P7, the intermediate image Img2 adjusted to a trapezoidal shape by the projection field stop 63 on the intermediate image plane P7, and the trapezoidal projection area PA on the substrate P are each slenderly arranged along the Y-axis direction and separated along the Z-axis direction.

First, the center of the rectangular illumination region IR on the mask M is set to a position (first position) offset in the +Z direction by an image height value k1 from the center point of the total imaging field of view CIF (through which the optical axis BX2 passes). Therefore, when viewed in the YZ plane, the intermediate image Img1 formed on the projection field aperture 63 (intermediate image plane P7) by the initial imaging optical path (first projection light beam EL2a) passing through the projection optical module PLM is formed at a position (second position) offset in the -Z direction by an image height value k1 from the center point of the total imaging field of view CIF, with the illumination region IR reversed vertically (in the Z direction) and horizontally (in the Y direction).

The intermediate image Img2 is the result of limiting the intermediate image Img1 by the trapezoidal aperture of the projection field stop 63. Since the intermediate image Img2's optical path is bent by the two deflection members 77 and 78 disposed before and after the projection field stop 63, it forms an image at a position (the third position) with an image height value k2 (k2 < k1) in the +Z direction from the center point of the total imaging field CIF. Furthermore, the intermediate image Img2, limited by the projection field stop 63, passes through the secondary imaging optical path (second projection light beam EL2b) passing through the projection optical module PLM and is further formed within the projection area PA formed on the substrate P.

The center point of the image re-imaged within the projection area PA is located at an image height value k2 (k2 < k1) in the -Z direction from the center point of the total imaging field of view CIF when observed in the YZ plane. Furthermore, the image re-imaged within the projection area PA is not inverted in the left-right direction (Y direction) relative to the mask pattern within the illumination area IR and is formed at the same magnification (×1).

As described above, in this embodiment, the illumination area IR is limited to a narrow rectangular or trapezoidal area to facilitate spatial separation of the imaging light beam from the mask pattern within the circular imaging field of view CIF. Furthermore, a double-pass imaging light path is formed within the projection optical module PLM using four deflection elements 76, 77, 78, and 79, which are conventional total reflection mirrors. Consequently, the pattern on the mask M can be projected onto the substrate P as an erect image at equal magnification, at least in the Y-axis direction (the direction in which the projection images from the projection optical modules PL1 to PL6 are connected).

In this manner, the first deflecting member 76, the second deflecting member 77, the third deflecting member 78, and the fourth deflecting member 79 separate the field of view on the incident side of the first projection beam EL2a (first incident field of view), the field of view on the exit side of the first projection beam EL2a (first exit field of view), the field of view on the incident side of the second projection beam EL2b (second incident field of view), and the field of view on the exit side of the second projection beam EL2b (second exit field of view) in the reflective optical system 62. Therefore, the reflective optical system 62 is configured to reduce the generation of leakage light when the first projection beam EL2a is guided, thereby functioning as a light reducing unit that reduces the amount of leakage light projected onto the substrate P. Leakage light includes, for example, scattered light generated by scattering of the first projection beam EL2a, separated light generated by splitting the first projection beam EL2a, and reflected light generated by partial reflection of the first projection beam EL2a.

Here, the reflective optical system 62 is provided with a first deflecting element 76, a third deflecting element 78, a fourth deflecting element 79, and a second deflecting element 77, arranged in order from the top in the Z direction. Therefore, the first projection light beam EL2a incident on the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71 is incident on the side closer to the illumination region IR (above the refractive lens 71a). Furthermore, the second projection light beam EL2b emitted from the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71 is emitted on the side closer to the projection area PA (below the refractive lens 71a). Therefore, the distance between the illumination region IR and the first deflecting element 76 can be shortened, and the distance between the projection area PA and the fourth deflecting element 79 can be shortened, thereby enabling a reduction in the size of the projection optical system PL. Furthermore, as shown in FIG4 , the third deflecting element 78 is positioned between the first deflecting element 76 and the fourth deflecting element 79 with respect to the direction along the full imaging field of view CIF (the Z direction). Furthermore, the positions of the first deflecting member 76 and the fourth deflecting member 79 and the positions of the second deflecting member 77 and the third deflecting member 78 are different from each other in the direction of the second optical axis BX2.

Furthermore, since the reflective optical system 62 has four fields of view: a first incident field of view, a first exit field of view, a second incident field of view, and a second exit field of view (equivalent to IR, Img1, Img2, and PA shown in FIG5 ), the size of the projection area PA is preferably set to a predetermined size to prevent overlap of the projection beam EL2 in the four fields of view. Specifically, the length of the projection area PA along the scanning direction of the substrate P and along the width direction of the substrate P, which is perpendicular to the scanning direction, is such that: length in the scanning direction / length in the width direction ≤ 1/4. Therefore, the reflective optical system 62 can separate the projection beam EL2 in the four fields of view without overlap, and guide the separation to the partial optical system 61.

Moreover, the first deflection unit 76, the second deflection unit 77, the third deflection unit 78, and the fourth deflection unit 79 are formed into rectangles corresponding to any one of the four slit-shaped fields of view, namely the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view, and the second exit field of view (equivalent to IR, Img1, Img2, PA shown in Figure 5), and are arranged to be separated from each other in the width direction (Z direction) of the slit along the full imaging field of view CIF.

The focus correction optical component 64 is disposed between the fourth deflection component 79 and the substrate P. The focus correction optical component 64 adjusts the focus of the image of the mask pattern projected onto the substrate P. For example, the focus correction optical component 64 comprises two wedge-shaped prisms facing each other in opposite directions (in FIG. 4 , facing each other in opposite directions with respect to the X direction), which are superimposed as a transparent parallel flat plate. The pair of prisms is slid along the inclined surface without changing the distance between the opposing surfaces, thereby changing the thickness of the parallel flat plate. This allows for fine adjustment of the effective optical path length of the partial optical system 61, thereby fine-tuning the focus of the image of the mask pattern formed on the intermediate image plane P7 and the projection area PA.

The image shifting optical component 65 is positioned between the polarizing beam splitter PBS and the first deflecting element 76. The image shifting optical component 65 allows the image of the mask pattern projected onto the substrate P to be adjusted so that it can be moved within the image plane. The image shifting optical component 65 is composed of transparent parallel plate glass that can be tilted within the XZ plane of FIG. 4 and transparent parallel plate glass that can be tilted within the YZ plane of FIG. 4 . By adjusting the tilt of each of these two parallel plate glass sheets, the image of the mask pattern formed on the intermediate image plane P7 and the projection area PA can be slightly shifted in the X or Y direction.

The magnification correction optical component 66 is positioned between the fourth deflection member 79 and the substrate P. The magnification correction optical component 66 is constructed, for example, by coaxially arranging three lenses: a concave lens, a convex lens, and a concave lens, at a predetermined interval. The front and rear concave lenses are fixed, while the convex lens between them moves along the optical axis (principal ray). Consequently, the image of the mask pattern formed in the projection area PA maintains a telecentric imaging state and isotropically magnified or reduced only slightly. Furthermore, the optical axes of the three lens groups comprising the magnification correction optical component 66 are tilted in the XZ plane so as to be parallel to the principal ray of projection beam EL2 (second projection beam EL2b).

The rotation correction mechanism 67 slightly rotates the second deflection member 77 about an axis parallel to (or perpendicular to) the second optical axis BX2, for example, using an actuator (not shown). The rotation correction mechanism 67 rotates the second deflection member 77, thereby slightly rotating the image of the mask pattern formed on the intermediate image plane P7 within the plane P7.

The polarization adjustment mechanism 68 adjusts the polarization direction by, for example, rotating the quarter-wave plate 41 about an axis perpendicular to the plate surface using an actuator (not shown). The polarization adjustment mechanism 68 can adjust the illumination of the projection light beam EL2 (second projection light beam EL2b) projected onto the projection area PA by rotating the quarter-wave plate 41.

In the projection optical system PL configured as described above, the first projection light beam EL2a from the mask M is emitted from the illumination region IR along the normal direction of the mask surface P1 (the radial direction with the first axis AX1 as the center), passes through the quarter-wave plate 41, the polarization beam splitter PBS, and the image shifting optical component 65, and is incident on the reflective optical system 62. The first projection light beam EL2a incident on the reflective optical system 62 is reflected by the first reflection surface P3 of the first deflecting component 76 of the reflective optical system 62, and is incident on the partial optical system 61. The first projection light beam EL2a incident on the partial optical system 61 passes through the first lens group 71 of the partial optical system 61, and is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. The first projection light beam EL2a reflected by the first concave mirror 72 passes through the first lens group 71 again, and is emitted from the partial optical system 61. The first projection light beam EL2a emitted from the partial optical system 61 is reflected by the second reflection surface P4 of the second deflecting member 77 of the reflective optical system 62 and enters the projection field stop 63. The second projection light beam EL2b, which has passed through the projection field stop 63, is reflected by the third reflection surface P5 of the third deflecting member 78 of the reflective optical system 62 and enters the partial optical system 61 again. The second projection light beam EL2b incident on the partial optical system 61 passes through the first lens group 71 of the partial optical system 61 and is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. The second projection light beam EL2b reflected by the first concave mirror 72 passes through the first lens group 71 again and exits the partial optical system 61. The second projection light beam EL2b emitted from the partial optical system 61 is reflected by the fourth reflection surface P6 of the fourth deflecting member 79 of the reflective optical system 62 and enters the focus correction optical component 64 and the magnification correction optical component 66. The second projection light beam EL2b emitted from the magnification correction optical member 66 is incident on the projection area PA on the substrate P, and the image of the mask pattern developed in the illumination area IR is projected onto the projection area PA at the same magnification (×1).

<Device Manufacturing Method>

Next, a device manufacturing method will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the device manufacturing method according to the first embodiment.

In the device manufacturing method shown in Figure 6, first, the function and performance design of the display panel formed by self-luminous elements such as organic EL are carried out, and the required circuit pattern and/or wiring pattern are designed by CAD or the like (step S201). Then, based on the pattern of each of the various layers designed by CAD or the like, a mask M of the required number of layers is produced (step S202). In addition, a supply roller FR1 is prepared on which a flexible substrate P (resin film, metal foil film, plastic, etc.) serving as the base material of the display panel is wound (step S203). In addition, the roll-shaped substrate P prepared in this step S203 may be a substrate whose surface has been modified, a substrate on which a base layer (for example, micro-convexities based on an imprinting method) has been formed in advance, or a substrate on which a photosensitive functional film and/or a transparent film (insulating material) has been pre-laminated, as required.

Then, electrodes constituting the display panel device and a bottom plane layer composed of wiring, an insulating film, TFT (thin film semiconductor), etc. are formed on the substrate P, and a light-emitting layer (display pixel portion) based on a self-luminous element such as an organic EL is formed in a manner stacked on the bottom plane (step S204). This step S204 also includes a conventional photolithography process of exposing the photoresist layer using the exposure device U3 described in the previous embodiments, but also includes processing based on the following processes, such as: an exposure process of pattern-exposing the substrate P coated with a photosensitive silane coupling material instead of the photoresist to form a hydrophilic pattern on the surface; a wet process of pattern-exposing the photosensitive catalyst layer and forming a metal film pattern (wiring, electrode, etc.) by electroless plating; or a printing process of drawing a pattern using a conductive ink containing silver nanoparticles, etc.

Next, the substrate P is cut for each display panel device continuously manufactured on the long substrate P using a roller method, or a protective film (environmentally resistant barrier layer) and color filter sheet are attached to the surface of each display panel device, thereby assembling the device (step S205). An inspection process is then performed to check whether the display panel device functions normally and meets the expected performance and characteristics (step S206). Through the above, a display panel (flexible display) can be manufactured.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view, and the second exit field of view can be separated from each other by the reflective optical system 62 that cooperates with the projection optical system PL (projection optical module PLM). This can suppress the generation of leakage light from the first projection beam EL2a. Therefore, the reflective optical system 62 is configured to prevent leakage light from being projected onto the substrate P, thereby preventing degradation in the quality of the image projected onto the substrate P.

In addition, in the first embodiment, since the projection area PA can be set to the length in the scanning direction/the length in the width direction ≤ 1/4, the fields of view of the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b in the reflecting optical system 62, that is, the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view and the second exit field of view can be separated without duplication.

Moreover, in 1st Embodiment, since the illumination light beam EL1 can be made into a laser beam, the illuminance of the 2nd projection light beam EL2b projected on the projection area PA can be ensured suitably.

In the first embodiment, the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b incident on the refractive lens 71a are positioned above the refractive lens 71a, and the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b emitted from the refractive lens 71a are positioned below the refractive lens 71a. However, as long as the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view, and the second exit field of view can be separated from each other, the incident position and the exit position of the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b relative to the refractive lens 71a are not particularly limited.

[Second embodiment]

Next, referring to FIG7 , the exposure device U3 of the second embodiment will be described. In addition, in the second embodiment, in order to avoid repeated descriptions with the first embodiment, only the parts that are different from the first embodiment will be described, and the same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. FIG7 is a diagram showing the structure of the illumination optical system and the projection optical system of the exposure device of the second embodiment. The exposure device U3 of the first embodiment performs field separation in the reflective optical system 62 of the projection optical system PL, thereby making it difficult to generate leakage light. The exposure device U3 of the second embodiment makes the imaging position of the projection image formed by the projection light beam EL2 and the imaging position of the defective image formed by the leakage light different in the scanning direction of the substrate P in the reflective optical system 100 of the projection optical system PL.

In the exposure apparatus U3 of the second embodiment, the projection optical system PL includes, in order from the incident side of the projection light beam EL2 from the mask M, a quarter-wave plate 41, a polarizing beam splitter PBS, and a projection optical unit PLM. The projection optical unit PLM includes a partial optical system 61, a reflective optical system (light guide optical system) 100, and a projection field stop 63. Furthermore, the projection optical unit PLM includes, similarly to the first embodiment, a focus correction optical component 64, an image shift optical component 65, a magnification correction optical component 66, a rotation correction mechanism 67, and a polarization adjustment mechanism 68. The quarter-wave plate 41, the polarizing beam splitter PBS, the partial optical system 61, the projection field stop 63, the focus correction optical component 64, the image shift optical component 65, the magnification correction optical component 66, the rotation correction mechanism 67, and the polarization adjustment mechanism 68 have the same configuration, and therefore their description will be omitted.

The reflective optical system 100 includes a first polarization beam splitter (first reflecting member) PBS1, a second polarization beam splitter (second reflecting member) PBS2, a half-wave plate 104, a first deflecting member (first optical member and third reflecting portion) 105, a second deflecting member (second optical member and fourth reflecting portion) 106, a first light shielding plate 111, and a second light shielding plate 112. The first polarization beam splitter PBS1 includes a first polarization separation surface P10. The first polarization separation surface P10 reflects the first projection light beam EL2a from the polarization beam splitter PBS1 and causes the reflected first projection light beam EL2a to enter the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71. Furthermore, the first polarization separation surface P10 transmits the second projection light beam EL2b from the intermediate image plane P7 and causes the transmitted second projection light beam EL2b to enter the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71. The second polarization beam splitter PBS2 has a second polarization separation surface P11. The second polarization separation surface P11 transmits the first projection beam EL2a from the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71, causing the transmitted first projection beam EL2a to enter the first deflection element 105. Furthermore, the second polarization separation surface P11 reflects the second projection beam EL2b from the refractive lens 71a of the first lens group 71, causing the reflected second projection beam EL2b to enter the substrate P. The half-wave plate 104 converts the S-polarized first projection beam EL2a reflected by the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 into the P-polarized first projection beam EL2a. Furthermore, the half-wave plate 104 converts the P-polarized second projection beam EL2b transmitted by the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 into the S-polarized second projection beam EL2b. The first deflection element 105 is a reflector having a first reflection surface P12. The first reflecting surface P12 reflects the first projection light beam EL2a transmitted through the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, causing the reflected first projection light beam EL2a to enter the projection field stop 63 provided on the intermediate image plane P7. The second deflecting member 106 is a reflector having a second reflecting surface P13. The second reflecting surface P13 reflects the second projection light beam EL2b from the projection field stop 63, causing the reflected second projection light beam EL2b to enter the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1. Thus, the first deflecting member 105 and the second deflecting member 106 function as a reflecting mirror that reflects the first projection light beam EL2a from the partial optical system 61 back toward the partial optical system 61.

In addition, since the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 is provided in the reflective optical system 100, a 1/2 wave plate 107 is provided between the polarization beam splitter PBS and the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 so that the projection light beam of P polarized light after passing through the polarization beam splitter PBS is reflected by the first polarization beam splitter PBS1.

The first light shielding plate 111 is provided between the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 and the substrate P. The first light shielding plate 111 is provided at a position capable of shielding a portion of the first projection light beam EL2a incident on the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 from reflected light (leakage light) that is not transmitted through the second polarization separation surface P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2.

The second light shielding plate 112 is provided between the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 . The second light shielding plate 112 blocks leakage light from the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 to the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 .

The P-polarized first projection beam EL2a from the polarization beam splitter PBS passes through the image-shifting optical component 65 and is transmitted through the half-wave plate 107. The first projection beam EL2a, having passed through the half-wave plate 107, is converted into S-polarized light and then enters the first polarization beam splitter PBS1. The S-polarized first projection beam EL2a entering the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 is reflected by the first polarization separation surface P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1. The S-polarized first projection beam EL2a reflected by the first polarization separation surface P10 is transmitted through the half-wave plate 104. The first projection beam EL2a, having passed through the half-wave plate 104, is converted into P-polarized light and then enters the first lens group 71. The first projection beam EL2a entering the first lens group 71 passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a and then enters the first concave mirror 72. At this time, the first projection beam EL2a passes through the field of view area (first incident field of view) on the upper side of the refractive lens 71a in the first lens group 71. The first projection beam EL2a incident on the first concave mirror 72 is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. The first projection beam EL2a reflected by the first concave mirror 72 is incident on the first lens group 71, passes through the multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and is emitted from the first lens group 71. At this time, the first projection beam EL2a passes through the field of view area (first exit field of view) on the lower side of the refractive lens 71a in the first lens group 71. The first projection beam EL2a emitted from the first lens group 71 is incident on the second polarization beam splitter PBS2. The first projection beam EL2a of P-polarized light incident on the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 is transmitted through the second polarization separation surface P11. The first projection light beam EL2 transmitted through the second polarization separation surface P11 enters the first deflection member 105 and is reflected by the first reflection surface P12 of the first deflection member 105. The first projection light beam EL2a reflected by the first reflection surface P12 enters the projection field stop 63. The first projection light beam EL2a incident on the projection field stop 63 forms an intermediate image that is an inverted image of the mask pattern in the illumination region IR.

The second projection beam EL2b from the projection field aperture 63 is reflected by the second reflection surface P13 of the second deflecting member 106. The second projection beam EL2b reflected by the second reflection surface P13 enters the first polarization beam splitter PBS1. The P-polarized second projection beam EL2b entering the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 passes through the first polarization separation surface P10. The P-polarized second projection beam EL2b passing through the first polarization separation surface P10 passes through the half-wave plate 104. The second projection beam EL2b passing through the half-wave plate 104 is converted into S-polarized light and then enters the first lens group 71. The second projection beam EL2b entering the first lens group 71 passes through multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a and then enters the first concave mirror 72. At this time, the second projection light beam EL2b passes through the field of view area (second incident field of view) on the upper side of the refractive lens 71a in the first lens group 71. The second projection light beam EL2b incident on the first concave mirror 72 is reflected by the first concave mirror 72. The second projection light beam EL2b reflected by the first concave mirror 72 is incident on the first lens group 71, passes through the multiple lens components including the refractive lens 71a, and is emitted from the first lens group 71. At this time, the second projection light beam EL2b passes through the field of view area (second exit field of view) on the lower side of the refractive lens 71a in the first lens group 71. The second projection light beam EL2b emitted from the first lens group 71 is incident on the second polarization beam splitter PBS2. The S-polarized second projection light beam EL2b incident on the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 is reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11. The second projection light beam EL2b reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11 passes through the focus correction optical component 64 and the magnification correction optical component 66 and is projected onto the projection area PA on the substrate P. The second projection light beam EL2b projected onto the projection area PA forms a projection image that is an erect image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR. At this time, the image of the mask pattern in the illumination area IR is projected onto the projection area PA at the same magnification (×1).

Here, the first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting element 105, and the second deflecting element 106 are arranged so that the image formation position of the projected image formed by the second projection beam EL2b reflected by the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 and the image formation position of the defective image formed by the leakage light, which is a portion of the first projection beam EL2a reflected by the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, are different in the scanning direction of the substrate P. Specifically, the first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting element 105, and the second deflecting element 106 are arranged so that the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a and the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b with respect to the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 are different. With this arrangement, the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b and the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a with respect to the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 can be different. Therefore, the imaging position of the projection image of the second projection beam EL2b reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11 and the imaging position of the defective image of the leakage light that becomes a part of the first projection beam EL2a reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11 can be made different in the scanning direction of the substrate P.

In this case, the first light shielding plate 111 is provided at a position for shielding leakage light from the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 toward the substrate P. Therefore, the first light shielding plate 111 allows the second projection light beam EL2b from the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 toward the substrate P to be projected onto the substrate P, and shields leakage light from the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 toward the substrate P.

In this manner, the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting member 105, the second deflecting member 106, and the first light shielding plate 111 make the image formation position of the projected image and the image formation position of the defective image different in the scanning direction of the substrate P, and the leaked light is blocked by the first light shielding plate 111. Therefore, the reflective optical system 100 functions as a light reducing unit that reduces the amount of leaked light projected onto the substrate P.

Furthermore, the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 are symmetrical about the second optical axis BX2. Furthermore, the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b on the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b on the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 are symmetrical about the second optical axis BX2. In other words, the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b on the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 are asymmetrical about the second optical axis BX2.

When the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the first polarization separation plane P10 and the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b on the second polarization separation plane P11 are asymmetric with respect to the second optical axis BX2, the projection area PA is offset relative to the illumination area IR in the X direction (the direction of the second optical axis). In this case, in order to make the perimeter from the center point of the illumination area IR1 (and IR3, IR5) on the mask M to the center point of the illumination area IR2 (and IR4, IR6) and the perimeter from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) on the substrate P to the center point of the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6) the same length, the first projection optical system PL1 (and PL3, PL5) and the second projection optical system PL2 (and PL4, PL6) are configured to be partially different.

The odd-numbered (left side of FIG7 ) first projection optical system PL1 (and PL3, PL5) is configured such that the first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the first deflection element 105, and the second deflection element 106 are arranged so that the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 is located above the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b in the Z direction and to the center side in the X direction. Therefore, on the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b is located above the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a in the Z direction and to the outside in the X direction.

That is, in the Z direction, the first projection optical system PL1 comprises the reflecting portion of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the reflecting portion of the second deflecting element 106, the reflecting portion of the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, and the reflecting portion of the first deflecting element 105 in this order. Therefore, as shown in FIG7 , the second deflecting element 106 is positioned between the reflecting portion of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 and the reflecting portion of the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 in the direction along the total imaging field of view CIF (the Z direction). Furthermore, in the first projection optical system PL1, the positions of the reflecting portions of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 and the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 and the positions of the first deflecting element 105 and the second deflecting element 106 are different in the direction of the second optical axis BX2.

The even-numbered second projection optical system PL2 (and PL4 and PL6) (on the right side of FIG. 7 ) is configured such that the first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the first deflection element 105, and the second deflection element 106 are arranged so that the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a on the first polarization separation plane P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 is located below the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b in the Z direction and outside the X direction. Therefore, on the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the incident position of the second projection beam EL2b is located below the incident position of the first projection beam EL2a in the Z direction and to the center in the X direction.

That is, in the Z direction, the second projection optical system PL2 comprises the reflection portion of the second deflecting element 106, the reflection portion of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the reflection portion of the first deflecting element 105, and the reflection portion of the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 in this order. Therefore, as shown in FIG7 , the first deflecting element 105 is positioned between the reflection portion of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 and the reflection portion of the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 in the direction along the total imaging field of view CIF (the Z direction). Furthermore, in the second projection optical system PL2, similar to the first projection optical system PL1, the positions of the reflection portions of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 and the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 are different from the positions of the first deflecting element 105 and the second deflecting element 106 in the direction of the second optical axis BX2.

Furthermore, the reflecting portion of the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the reflecting portion of the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting element 105, and the second deflecting element 106 form rectangular shapes corresponding to any one of the four slit-shaped fields of view: the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view, and the second exit field of view (corresponding to IR, Img1, Img2, and PA shown in FIG5 ), and are spaced apart from each other in the width direction (Z direction) of the slit along the total imaging field of view CIF. In FIG5 , the odd-numbered first projection optical systems PL1 (and PL3 and PL5) have, in order from above in the Z direction, the illumination region IR, the intermediate image Img2, the projection region PA, and the intermediate image Img1. On the other hand, the even-numbered second projection optical systems PL2 (and PL4 and PL6) have, in order from above in the Z direction, the intermediate image Img2, the illumination region IR, the intermediate image Img1, and the projection region PA.

As described above, by configuring the first projection optical system PL1 (and PL3, PL5) and the second projection optical system PL2 (and PL4, PL6) to have partially different configurations, the circumference ΔDm from the center point of the illumination region IR1 (and IR3, IR5) on the mask M to the center point of the illumination region IR2 (and IR4, IR6) and the circumference ΔDs from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) to the center point of the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6) on the substrate P can be made the same length. At this time, since the projection area PA is offset in the X direction (in the direction of the second optical axis BX2) relative to the illumination region IR, the first axis AX1 of the mask holding cylinder 21 and the second axis AX2 of the substrate supporting cylinder 25 are offset in the direction of the second optical axis BX2 by the amount by which the projection area PA is offset in the circumferential direction relative to the illumination region IR.

As described above, in the second embodiment, in the reflective optical system 100, the image formation position of the projection image formed by the second projection light beam EL2b and the image formation position of the defective image formed by the leakage light from the first projection light beam EL2a are made different in the scanning direction of the substrate P, thereby enabling the leakage light to be blocked by the first light shielding plate 111. Therefore, the reflective optical system 100 can block the leakage light projected onto the substrate P, and thus the projection image can be appropriately projected onto the substrate P.

Furthermore, in the second embodiment, the fields of view of the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b can be separated in the reflective optical system 100, that is, the first incident field of view, the first exit field of view, the second incident field of view, and the second exit field of view, or they can be partially overlapped. That is, in the second embodiment, since the fields of view of the first projection beam EL2a and the second projection beam EL2b do not need to be separated as in the first embodiment, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the various optical components of the reflective optical system 100 can be increased.

In the second embodiment, a half-wave plate 104 is provided between the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the refractive lens 71a, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, a first quarter-wave plate may be provided between the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 and the refractive lens 71a, and a second quarter-wave plate may be provided between the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 and the refractive lens 71a. In this case, the first and second quarter-wave plates may be integrated.

[Third embodiment]

Next, the exposure device U3 of the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG8 . Furthermore, in the third embodiment, only the portions that differ from the second embodiment will be described to avoid duplication with the second embodiment, and the same components as those of the second embodiment will be labeled with the same reference numerals as those of the second embodiment for description. FIG8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the projection optical system of the exposure device of the third embodiment. In the exposure device U3 of the second embodiment, the imaging position of the projection image formed by the second projection light beam EL2b and the imaging position of the defective image formed by the leakage light are different in the scanning direction of the substrate P in the reflection optical system 100 of the projection optical system PL. In the exposure device U3 of the third embodiment, the imaging position of the projection image formed by the projection light beam EL2 and the imaging position of the defective image formed by the leakage light are different in the depth direction (focusing direction) in the reflection optical system 130 of the projection optical system PL. Furthermore, in FIG8 , to simplify the description of the third embodiment, only the partial optical system 131 and the reflection optical system 130 are shown. 8, the mask surface P1 and the substrate P are arranged parallel to the XY plane, so that the main light of the first projection beam EL2a from the mask surface P1 is perpendicular to the XY plane, and the main light of the second projection beam EL2b toward the substrate P is perpendicular to the XY plane.

In the projection optical system PL of the third embodiment, the partial optical system 131 includes a refractive lens 71a and a first concave mirror 72. Since the refractive lens 71a and the first concave mirror 72 have the same configuration as in the first and second embodiments, their description will be omitted. Furthermore, in the partial optical system 131, as in the second embodiment, a plurality of lens components may be disposed between the refractive lens 71a and the first concave mirror 72.

The reflective optical system 130 includes a first polarization beam splitter (first reflecting member) PBS1, a second polarization beam splitter (second reflecting member) PBS2, a half-wave plate 104, a first deflection member (first optical member and third reflecting portion) 105, and a second deflection member (second optical member and fourth reflecting portion) 106. The first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the half-wave plate 104, the first deflection member 105, and the second deflection member 106 differ from those in the second embodiment in some aspects such as angles, but the configuration is substantially the same, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

FIG8 illustrates a virtual first projection beam EL3, which is obtained by plane-symmetrically aligning the first projection beam EL2a incident on the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 from the mask surface P1 with the first polarization separation surface P10 of the first polarization beam splitter PBS1 as the center. In this case, the surface on which the virtual first projection beam EL3 is imaged becomes the virtual mask surface P15. Furthermore, FIG8 illustrates a virtual first projection beam EL4, which is obtained by plane-symmetrically aligning the first projection beam EL2a incident on the first deflection element 105 from the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 with the first reflection surface P12 of the first deflection element 105 as the center. In this case, the surface on which the virtual first projection beam EL4 is imaged becomes the virtual intermediate image surface P16.

The first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting element 105, and the second deflecting element 106 are arranged so that the image formation position of the projected image formed by the second projection light beam EL2b reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 and the image formation position of the defective image formed by the leakage light, which is a portion of the first projection light beam EL2a reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, differ in the depth direction of the focus (i.e., the direction along the principal ray of the image formation beam). Specifically, the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1, the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2, the first deflecting element 105, and the second deflecting element 106 are arranged so that the image formation position of the projected image on the virtual mask plane P15 of the virtual first projection light beam EL3 becomes deeper in the depth direction, while the image formation position of the defective image on the virtual intermediate image plane P16 of the virtual first projection light beam EL4 becomes shallower in the depth direction.

With this configuration, the second projection beam EL2b reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 forms a good projection image on the substrate P. Furthermore, leakage light, which is a portion of the first projection beam EL2a reflected by the second polarization separation surface P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, forms a poor image of the mask pattern near the front side of the substrate P. Specifically, the projection image formed by the second projection beam EL2b forms an image in the projection area PA on the substrate P, while the poor image formed by the leakage light forms an image between the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 and the substrate P. Therefore, since the poor image forms an image between the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 and the substrate P, the poor image generated by the leakage light projected onto the substrate P is extremely unclear.

In this way, since the first polarization beam splitter PBS1, the second polarization beam splitter PBS2, the first deflection component 105, and the second deflection component 106 make the imaging position of the projected image and the imaging position of the defective image different in the depth direction, the reflective optical system 130 acts as a light reduction unit that reduces the amount of leakage light projected onto the substrate P.

Furthermore, the image formation position of the projection image on the virtual mask surface P15 of the virtual first projection beam EL3 is made deeper in the depth direction, and the image formation position of the defective image on the virtual intermediate image plane P16 of the virtual first projection beam EL4 is made shallower in the depth direction, thereby lengthening the optical path from the mask surface P1 to the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 and shortening the optical path from the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 to the intermediate image plane P7. Therefore, the optical path from the second polarizing beam splitter PBS2 to the first polarizing beam splitter PBS1 via the intermediate image plane P7 can be shortened.

As described above, in the third embodiment, the reflective optical system 130 can make the image formation position of the projection image formed by the second projection light beam EL2b and the image formation position of the defective image formed by the leakage light from the first projection light beam EL2a different in the direction of the focal depth (along the direction of the principal ray of the imaging light beam). Therefore, since the reflective optical system 130 can make the leakage light projected onto the substrate P extremely unclear, the amount of leakage light projected onto the substrate P can be reduced, and the impact on the projected image projected onto the substrate P can be reduced.

Furthermore, since the third embodiment does not require separation of the field of view as in the first embodiment, or differentiating the incident position on the second polarization separation plane P11 as in the second embodiment, the degree of freedom in design of the reflective optical system 130 can be further increased.

[Fourth embodiment]

Next, referring to FIG9 , the exposure device U3 of the fourth embodiment will be described. In addition, in the fourth embodiment, in order to avoid repeated descriptions, only the parts that are different from the first embodiment will be described, and the same components as those in the first embodiment will be described with the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment. FIG9 is a diagram showing the overall structure of the exposure device (substrate processing device) of the fourth embodiment. The exposure device U3 of the first embodiment is a structure in which the substrate P is supported by the substrate support cylinder 25 having the support surface P2 that is a circular surface, but the exposure device U3 of the fourth embodiment is a structure in which the substrate P is supported in a planar shape.

In the exposure apparatus U3 of the fourth embodiment, the substrate supporting mechanism 150 includes a pair of driving rollers 151 on which the substrate P is laid. The pair of driving rollers 151 is rotated by the second driving section 26 to move the substrate P in the scanning direction.

Therefore, the substrate supporting mechanism 150 guides the substrate P conveyed from the driving roller R4 from one driving roller 151 to the other driving roller 151, thereby placing the substrate P on the pair of driving rollers 151. The substrate supporting mechanism 150 rotates the pair of driving rollers 151 via the second driving unit 26, thereby guiding the substrate P placed on the pair of driving rollers 151 to the driving roller R5.

At this time, since the substrate P in FIG9 is a plane substantially parallel to the XY plane, the principal ray of the second projection light beam EL2b projected onto the substrate P is perpendicular to the XY plane. When the principal ray of the second projection light beam EL2b projected onto the substrate P is perpendicular to the XY plane, the angle of the second polarization separation plane P11 of the second polarization beam splitter PBS2 of the projection optical system PL is appropriately changed according to the principal ray of the second projection light beam EL2b.

In addition, in the fourth embodiment, as in the previous Figure 2, when observed in the XZ plane, the circumference from the center point of the illumination area IR1 (and IR3, IR5) to the center point of the illumination area IR2 (and IR4, IR6) on the mask M is set to be substantially equal to the circumference from the center point of the projection area PA1 (and PA3, PA5) to the center point of the second projection area PA2 (and PA4, PA6) on the substrate P along the support surface P2.

In the exposure device U3 of Figure 9, the lower control device 16 is also used to rotate the mask holding cylinder 21 and a pair of driving rollers 151 synchronously at a specified rotation speed ratio, so that the image of the mask pattern formed on the mask surface P1 of the mask M is continuously and repeatedly projected and exposed on the surface of the substrate P mounted on the pair of driving rollers 151.

As described above, in the fourth embodiment, even when the substrate P is supported in a planar shape, the projection image can be appropriately projected onto the substrate P because the influence of the leakage light on the projection image formed on the substrate P can be reduced.

Furthermore, in the above embodiments, a reflective cylindrical mask M is used, but a transmissive cylindrical mask may also be used. In this case, a pattern based on a light-shielding film is formed on the outer circumference of a transmissive cylindrical body (such as a quartz tube) of a certain wall thickness, and the illumination optical system and light source unit that project illumination light from the interior of the transmissive cylindrical body toward the outer circumference, such as the plurality of illumination regions IR1 to IR6 shown on the left side of Figure 3, are located within the transmissive cylindrical body. When using such transmissive illumination, the deflecting polarization beam splitter PBS and quarter-wave plate 41 shown in Figures 2, 4, and 7 can be omitted.

Furthermore, although a cylindrical mask M is used in each embodiment, a typical flat mask may also be used. In this case, the radius Rm of the cylindrical mask M illustrated in FIG. 2 is assumed to be infinite, and the angle of the reflection surface P3 of the first deflecting member 76 in FIG. 2 can be set so that the principal ray of the imaging light beam from the mask pattern is perpendicular to the mask surface.

In addition, in each of the above embodiments, a photomask (hard mask) having a static pattern corresponding to the pattern to be projected onto the substrate P is used. However, a maskless exposure method may also be employed: a DMD (Micro Mirror Device) and/or an SLM (Spatial Light Modulator) composed of multiple movable micromirrors is arranged at the positions of the illumination regions IR1 to IR6 of the multiple projection optical components PL1 to PL6 (the object plane positions of the respective projection optical components), and a dynamic pattern light is generated by the DMD or SLM in synchronization with the transport movement of the substrate P, while the pattern is transferred to the substrate P. In this case, the DMD and SLM that generate the dynamic pattern correspond to the photomask component.

Description of Reference Numerals

1 Device Manufacturing System

2 Substrate supply device

4. Substrate recovery device

5 Upper control device

11 Mask holding mechanism

12. Substrate support mechanism

13 Light source device

16 Lower control device

21 Mask holding tube

25 Base plate support cylinder

31 Light source

32 Light guide components

41 1/4 wave plate

51 Collimating lens

52 Compound Eye Lens

53 Condenser lens

54 Cylindrical lens

55 Illumination field stop

56 Relay lens

61 Part of the optical system

62 Reflective Optical System

63 Projection field stop

64 Focus Correction Optics

65 Image shifting optical components

66 Magnification correction optical components

67 Rotation Correction Mechanism

68 Polarization adjustment mechanism

71 Lens Group 1

72 No. 1 Concave Mirror

76 1st deflection component

77 Second deflection unit

78 3rd deflection component

79 4th deflection component

91 First Prism

92 Second Prism

93 Polarization separation surface

100 Reflective Optical System (Second Embodiment)

104 1/2 Wave Plate (Second Embodiment)

105 First Deflecting Member (Second Embodiment)

106 Second Deflecting Member (Second Embodiment)

107 1/2 Wave Plate (Second Embodiment)

111 First light shielding plate (Second embodiment)

112 Second light shielding plate (Second embodiment)

130 Reflective Optical System (Third Embodiment)

131 Partial Optical System (Third Embodiment)

150 Substrate Support Mechanism (Fourth Embodiment)

151 Driving Roller (Fourth Embodiment)

P substrate

FR1 Supply Roller

FR2 recycling roller

U1～Un processing device

U3 Exposure Device (Substrate Processing Device)

M mask

AX1 1st axis

AX2 2nd axis

P1 mask surface

P2 bearing surface

P3 1st reflective surface

P4 Second reflective surface

P5 3rd reflective surface

P6 4th reflective surface

P7 intermediate image plane

P10 First polarization separation plane (second embodiment)

P11 Second polarization separation plane (second embodiment)

P12 First reflecting surface (second embodiment)

P13 Second reflecting surface (second embodiment)

P15 Virtual Mask Surface (Third Embodiment)

P16 Virtual Intermediate Image Surface (Third Embodiment)

EL1 lighting beam

EL2a 1st projection beam

EL2b 2nd projection beam

EL3 Virtual first projection beam (third embodiment)

EL4 Virtual 1st Projection Light Beam (Third Embodiment)

Rm radius of curvature

Rfa curvature radius

CL center plane

PBS Polarizing Beam Splitter

PBS1: First polarization beam splitter (second embodiment)

PBS2 Second polarization beam splitter (second embodiment)

IR1～IR6 lighting area

IL1～IL6 lighting optical system

ILM Illumination Optics

PA1～PA6 projection area

PL1～PL6 projection optical system

PLM projection optics

BX1 1st optical axis

BX2 2nd optical axis

Claims (19)

1. An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a photomask pattern onto a flexible, elongated substrate, comprising: A photomask holder is configured to rotate about a first axis and hold the photomask pattern along a cylindrical patterned surface with a certain radius of curvature relative to the first axis. A substrate support cylinder is configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the first axis. It supports the substrate via a portion of a cylindrical support surface with a certain radius of curvature relative to the second axis, and allows the substrate to move along a long strip. The exposure apparatus is characterized in that it further comprises: A projection optical system includes a partial optical system and a light-guiding optical system. The partial optical system receives a first projection light from a photomask pattern held on a photomask holding cylinder and forms an intermediate image of the photomask pattern on a predetermined intermediate image plane. The light-guiding optical system guides the first projection light emitted from the partial optical system to the intermediate image plane and guides the first projection light, after passing through the intermediate image plane, back to the partial optical system as a second projection light. The partial optical system, through which the second projection light is incident, re-images the intermediate image to obtain a projection image, which is then projected onto a substrate supported by the substrate support cylinder. The light reduction section reduces the amount of light projected onto the substrate as leakage light from a portion of the first projection light, so that the imaging position of the projected image formed by the second projection light is different from the imaging position of the defective image formed by leakage light from a portion of the first projection light. 2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, The optical system includes: a lens component for incident on the first projection light and the second projection light, and a reflective optical component for reflecting the first projection light and the second projection light that have passed through the lens component. The first projected light from the photomask pattern is incident on the lens component, reflected by the reflective optical component, exits from the lens component, and reaches the intermediate image plane. The second projection light from the intermediate image plane is incident on the lens component, reflected by the reflective optical component, emitted from the lens component, and reaches the substrate. 3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein, The light reduction section constitutes the light guiding optical system. The light reduction unit includes: A first polarizing beam splitter reflects the first projected light from the photomask pattern and incident it onto the lens component, and allows the second projected light from the intermediate image plane to pass through and incident it onto the lens component. A waveplate that polarizes the first projection light and the second projection light emitted from the first polarizing beam splitter; The second polarizing beam splitter allows the first projection light emitted from the lens component and passing through the waveplate to pass through and be incident on the intermediate image plane, and reflects the second projection light emitted from the lens component and passing through the waveplate toward the substrate. A first optical component that directs the first projection light, which has passed through the second polarizing beam splitter, onto the intermediate image plane; and A second optical component that directs the second projected light from the intermediate image plane onto the first polarizing beam splitter. 4. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The light reduction section includes a first light-shielding plate, which is disposed between the second polarizing beam splitter and the substrate. The light reduction section causes the imaging position of the projected image formed on the substrate by the second projection light reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter to differ from the imaging position of the defective image in a direction along the surface of the substrate. The defective image is an image formed on the substrate by a portion of the leaked light from the first projection light reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter that does not pass through the second polarizing beam splitter. The first light-shielding plate is positioned to block the leaked light from the second polarizing beam splitter toward the substrate. 5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein, The light reduction section further includes a second light-shielding plate that blocks the leaked light from the first polarizing beam splitter toward the second polarizing beam splitter. 6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein, The light reduction section causes the imaging position of the projected image formed on the substrate by the second projection light reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter to be different from the imaging position of the defective image in the direction of focal depth. The defective image is formed by a portion of the leaked light of the first projection light reflected by the second polarizing beam splitter that does not pass through the second polarizing beam splitter. 7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein, The optical path of the first projected light from the photomask pattern to the first polarizing beam splitter is longer than the optical path of the first projected light from the second polarizing beam splitter to the intermediate image plane. 8. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The substrate is scanned relative to the projected image by rotating the substrate support cylinder. The projected image is confined to a narrow region in which the ratio of the length of the scanning direction of the substrate to the length of the width direction orthogonal to the scanning direction is less than 1/4. 9. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, It also has an illumination optics system that guides the laser light from the laser source as illumination light toward the patterned surface of the photomask holding cylinder. 10. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein, The projection optical system is provided with multiple illumination areas corresponding to the patterned surface disposed on the photomask holding cylinder. The plurality of projection optical systems guide the plurality of first projection lights from the plurality of illumination areas of the patterned surface to the plurality of intermediate image surfaces, and guide the plurality of second projection lights from the plurality of intermediate image surfaces to the plurality of projection areas disposed on the substrate. 11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein, The photomask holding cylinder and the substrate support cylinder are configured such that, in the case where multiple projection optical systems are arranged side-by-side in two rows along the circumference of the patterned surface of the photomask holding cylinder, and the projection area of the substrate in each projection optical system is circumferentially offset relative to the illumination area of the patterned surface, the position of the second axis relative to the first axis in the photomask holding cylinder and the substrate support cylinder is a position correspondingly different from the circumferential offset of the projection area relative to the illumination area. The circumference of the center of the illumination area corresponding to the projection optical system in the first column and the center of the illumination area corresponding to the projection optical system in the second column, connected circumferentially on the patterned surface of the photomask holder, is set to be the same as the circumference of the center of the projection area corresponding to the projection optical system in the first column and the center of the projection area corresponding to the projection optical system in the second column, connected circumferentially on the substrate supported by the support surface of the substrate support cylinder. 12. An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a photomask pattern onto a flexible, elongated substrate, comprising: A photomask holder is configured to rotate about a first axis and hold the photomask pattern along a cylindrical patterned surface with a certain radius of curvature relative to the first axis. A substrate support cylinder is configured to rotate about a second axis parallel to the first axis. It supports the substrate via a portion of a cylindrical support surface with a certain radius of curvature relative to the second axis, and allows the substrate to move along a long strip. The exposure apparatus is characterized in that it further comprises: A projection optical system comprising: an imaging lens group that allows a light beam from a pattern within a field of view to be incident, the field of view being parallel to the first axis and slit-shaped on the pattern surface of the photomask holder; and a reflector disposed at or near the pupil surface of the imaging lens group, through which the light beam from the field of view is reflected toward the imaging lens group to form an image plane conjugate to the field of view on the pattern surface side; and A retroreflector positions the field of view at a first position along a reference plane that includes the pattern plane or the image plane and intersects the optical axis of the projection optical system. A slit-shaped intermediate image of the field of view initially imaged by the projection optical system is positioned at a second position different from the first position, with respect to the width direction intersecting the long side of the slit along the reference plane. The beam generating the intermediate image is reflected back towards the projection optical system from a third position different from both the first and second positions with respect to the width direction of the slit along the reference plane. The projection optical system forms a projection image that is optically conjugate to the intermediate image in a slit-shaped projection region on the substrate supported by the substrate support cylinder and set parallel to the second axis. 13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein, The projection optical system includes: a first reflecting component that reflects a first light beam from a pattern within the slit-shaped field of view on the patterned surface and incident on the imaging lens group; and a second reflecting component that reflects a second light beam emitted from the projection optical system toward the substrate in order to generate the projected image on the substrate. The reflecting portions of the first beam of the first reflecting component and the reflecting portions of the second beam of the second reflecting component are arranged separately along the width direction of the slit on the reference plane. 14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein, The catadioptric mirror includes: a third reflecting portion that reflects a light beam emitted from the projection optical system in a direction along the reference plane in order to generate the intermediate image; and a fourth reflecting portion that reflects the light beam reflected by the third reflecting portion toward the projection optical system. Either the third reflective portion or the fourth reflective portion is disposed between the reflective portion of the first reflective component and the reflective portion of the second reflective component in a direction along the reference plane. 15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 14, wherein, The positions of the first and second reflecting components and the positions of the third and fourth reflecting components of the catadioptric mirror are different about the optical axis of the projection optical system. 16. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein, The first and second reflective components are composed of polarized beam splitters. 17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 14 or 15, wherein, The reflecting portions of the first reflecting member, the second reflecting member, and the third and fourth reflecting portions of the catadioptric mirror are all formed into rectangles corresponding to the slit-shaped field of view, and are arranged separately from each other with respect to the width direction of the slit along the reference plane. 18. A device manufacturing system, comprising: The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17; and A substrate supply device that supplies the substrate to the exposure apparatus via rollers. 19. A method for manufacturing a device, comprising: The photomask pattern is projected onto the substrate using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 17; A device corresponding to the photomask pattern is formed by processing the substrate exposed by projection.