JPH0513303A - Reduction projection aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To make it possible to electrically control arbitrary exposure patterns and implement at a high speed various kinds of exposures each in a small quantity by providing at least one of an illuminating system capable of arbitrarily setting an arbitrary two-dimensional illuminating pattern and a mask capable of arbitrarily setting a two-dimensional mask pattern. CONSTITUTION:A pattern for an illuminating system 1 and a pattern for a mask 3 are deposited when the two dimensional pattern of the illuminating system 1 is projected on the mask by an optical system 2. The two-dimensional pattern thus obtained is projected onto a wafer 5 by an optical system 4 for exposure. The wafer 5 is shifted by an XY stage 6 to the next shot position for exposure. The next exposure is performed. Hence, a highly contrasted image is obtained on the wafer 5 by performing the two kinds for the two-dimensional patterns both by the illuminating system 1 and the mask 3. Also, by a controller 7, electronic signals 8 are opened to make the two-dimensional pattern of the illuminating system 1 and the two-dimensional pattern of the mask 3 electrically variable and enable them to be defined arbitrarily.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a reduced projection exposure apparatus in an IC manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an ASIC (appli).
The present invention relates to a reduced projection exposure apparatus that is preferably used for manufacturing ICs for high-mix low-volume production called "cation specific ICs".

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an exposure apparatus for an ASIC, an optical exposure apparatus having a glass mask called a reticle, an electron beam drawing apparatus, and the like are used.

[0003]

However, in an optical exposure apparatus having a reticle, the reticle is an IC.
It is necessary to prepare several sheets or more for each product type, which requires a considerable number of production days and cost, so there is a problem that it is very wasteful in a small amount of production.

On the other hand, the electron beam drawing apparatus has a small area which can be drawn at a time, and thus has low productivity. Moreover, since it uses a means called electron beam which requires a special environment, a large-scale expensive apparatus is required. There is a problem that it is necessary.

The present invention has been made in view of the problems in the above-mentioned conventional apparatus, and it is possible to electrically control an arbitrary exposure pattern and to realize high-speed exposure of a small number of types, that is, a reduced projection exposure apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to provide a reduced projection exposure apparatus that does not require the production of a reticle and has relatively high productivity even in the case of small-scale production, and that it is relatively small-scale and inexpensive.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the reduced projection exposure apparatus of the present invention is an illumination system having a means for electrically setting a two-dimensional arbitrary illumination pattern and a two-dimensional arbitrary illumination system. At least one of the masks having means for electrically setting the mask pattern is provided so that an arbitrary exposure pattern can be electrically controlled.

A two-dimensional LED array in which a large number of LEDs are two-dimensionally arranged can be used as an illumination system capable of electrically setting an arbitrary two-dimensional illumination pattern.

As a mask that can electrically set an arbitrary two-dimensional mask pattern, a transmissive liquid crystal panel in which a large number of minute liquid crystal shutters are arranged two-dimensionally can be used.

[0009]

According to the present invention, at least one of a variable pattern illumination system capable of arbitrarily setting a two-dimensional illumination pattern and a variable pattern mask capable of arbitrarily setting a two-dimensional transmitted light pattern is used, and these patterns are electrically controlled. By controlling to 2, it is possible to expose an arbitrary two-dimensional pattern without manufacturing a reticle. In particular, by integrating the illumination pattern and the mask pattern, exposure at a high cost can be made possible.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the construction of a reduced projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a variable pattern illumination system composed of a large number of LEDs arranged two-dimensionally, 2 is a reduced projection optical system, and 3 is a variable pattern mask with a liquid crystal shutter. Reference numeral 4 is a reduced projection optical system, and 5 is a wafer.

In this exposure apparatus, the two-dimensional pattern of the illumination system 1 is projected onto the mask 3 by the optical system 2. As a result, the pattern of the illumination system 1 and the pattern of the mask 3 are integrated. The two-dimensional pattern obtained here is projected and exposed on the wafer by the optical system 4. Wafer 5 is XY
The next shot is moved by the stage 6 so as to come to the exposure position, and the next exposure is executed.

According to this embodiment, a high-contrast image is obtained on the wafer 5 by integrating the two-dimensional patterns of both the illumination system and the mask. Also the controller 7
The two-dimensional pattern of the illumination system 1 and the two of the mask 3
The dimensional pattern is electrically variable using the electronic signal 8 and can be set arbitrarily. This eliminates the days and expense of creating a reticle. Also, by changing the pattern of the illumination system and the mask on the same wafer,
High-speed exposure of various patterns is possible.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a variable pattern illumination system. L
A large number of EDs 11 are arranged, and an illumination pattern is obtained by turning ON / OFF each LED.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a variable pattern mask. A mask pattern is obtained by transmitting / non-transmitting one dot of the liquid crystal 12.

[0016]

Other Embodiments FIGS. 4 and 5 show another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a case without a variable pattern mask, which can realize simplification of the apparatus.

FIG. 5 shows a case in which the variable pattern illumination system is replaced with a fixed illumination system 9, which makes it possible to simplify the device.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since at least one of an illumination system that can arbitrarily set a two-dimensional illumination pattern and a mask that can arbitrarily set a two-dimensional mask pattern is provided and these patterns are electrically controlled, exposure of a wide variety of products can be performed at high speed. Can be realized.
Further, since it is not necessary to prepare a reticle, the number of manufacturing days and cost are not required, and in that sense, it is possible to produce a wide variety of small quantities at high speed and at low cost. Further, it is possible to provide an inexpensive ASIC exposure apparatus without requiring a special environment such as an electron beam drawing apparatus or a large and expensive apparatus.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a reduced projection exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a specific example of a variable pattern illumination system in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a specific example of the variable pattern mask in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic configuration diagram of a reduced projection exposure apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram of a reduced projection exposure apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: Variable pattern, 2: Reduced projection optical system, 3: Variable pattern mask, 4: Reduced projection optical system, 5: Wafer, 6: X
Y stage, 7: exposure pattern controller, 8: electric signal, 9: lamp, 10: optical system, 11: LED, 1
2: Liquid crystal.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An exposure system comprising an illumination system having a means for electrically setting a two-dimensional arbitrary illumination pattern and / or a mask having a means for electrically setting a two-dimensional arbitrary mask pattern. A reduced projection exposure apparatus characterized in that a pattern can be electrically controlled. 2. The reduced projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the illumination system comprises an LED array in which a large number of LEDs are two-dimensionally arranged. 3. The liquid crystal panel according to claim 1, wherein the mask is a transmissive liquid crystal panel in which a large number of minute liquid crystal shutters are two-dimensionally arranged.
The reduced projection exposure apparatus described.