Light exposure method, and light exposure apparatus

摘要

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

主权项

1. A light exposure method using an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) ray as exposure light to scan an exposure-receiving object in a scanning exposure manner, the method comprising:
scanning the exposure-receiving object by the EUV ray, which is generated by a light source, in a cycle of scanning the exposure-receiving object having a surface on which a resist is painted and a mask in which a predetermined pattern is formed, the EUV ray is reflected by a plurality of mirrors; shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object in a cycle of shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object, thereby projecting the pattern formed in the mask to the exposure-receiving object; and radiating an energy beam, generated by an energy beam generator, to an optical path space thereby decomposing an emission gas from the resist, wherein the optical path space includes the exposure-receiving object, the mask, and an aperture having an opening through which the EUV ray passes, wherein the energy beam generator is disposed closer to the exposure-receiving object than the aperture, and the aperture is disposed closer to the exposure-receiving object than the plurality of mirrors, wherein during the cycle of scanning, the exposure-receiving object is scanned by the EUV ray, and during the cycle of shifting or stepping, the exposure-receiving object is not scanned by the EUV ray, wherein the energy beam generator generates the energy beam only during the cycle of shifting or stepping the exposure-receiving object, and wherein the cycle of shifting or stepping and the cycle of scanning alternate and repeat.