| 摘要 |
An illumination optical apparatus and projection exposure apparatus capable of reducing a light quantity loss when a mask is illuminated with a polarized illumination light. An illumination optical system (ILS) for illuminating a reticle (R) with an illumination light (IL) and a projection optical system (PL) for projecting the pattern image of the reticle (R) onto a wafer (W) are provided. An illumination light (IL) emitted from an exposure light source (1) in a linearly polarized state in the illumination optical system (ILS) passes through first and second birefringent members (12, 13) having different fast axis directions and is converted into a polarized state that is substantially linearly polarized in a circumferential direction with the optical axis as the center in an almost specific annular area, and them illuminates the reticle (R) under an annular illuminating condition after passing through a fly-eye lens (14). |
