Projecting exposure method
View Patent ↗A spatial light modulating method performs spatial light modulation of light produced by a light source. The method includes forming an image of a two-dimensional pattern of the light, which has been obtained from the spatial light modulation, on a photosensitive material, using an image-sided telecentric optical system. The method further includes altering an axial air separation, upstream of the photosensitive material, to thereby adjust a focusing point at the time of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light.
1. A projecting exposure method, comprising:
forming a two-dimensional pattern of light via spatial light modulation, and
forming an image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light, on a photosensitive material, the two-dimensional pattern of the light being projected onto the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material being thus exposed to the two-dimensional pattern of the light, and
adjusting an axial air separation in an area upstream of the photosensitive material to adjust a focusing point at the time of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light.
2. A projecting exposure method, comprising:
controlling a plurality of pixel sections arrayed in two-dimensional directions to modulate incident light in accordance with a predetermined control signal
forming an image of a two-dimensional pattern of the light, which has been obtained from controlling the plurality of pixel sections,
arraying a plurality of microlenses in two-dimensional directions, each of which microlenses transmits one of light beams corresponding respectively to the pixel sections and having been formed into an image formation of the two-dimensional pattern, and
forming an image of each of the light beams, which have passed through the micro lens array, on a photosensitive material,
the two-dimensional pattern of the light being projected onto the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material being thus exposed to the two-dimensional pattern of the light, and
adjusting an axial air separation in an area upstream of the photosensitive material to adjust a focusing point at the time of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light onto the photosensitive material.
3. A projecting exposure method, comprising:
controlling a plurality of pixel sections arrayed in two-dimensional directions to modulate incident light in accordance with a predetermined control signal;
forming an image of a two-dimensional pattern of the light, which has been obtained from controlling the plurality of pixel sections,
arraying a plurality of microlenses in two-dimensional directions, each of which microlenses transmits one of light beams corresponding respectively to the pixel sections having been formed into an image in the formation of the two-dimensional pattern,
forming a second image of each of the light beams, which have passed through the microlens array, on a photosensitive material,
the two-dimensional pattern of the light being projected onto the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material being thus exposed to the two-dimensional pattern of the light, and
adjusting an axial air separation in an area between the microlens array and forming the second image of each light beam to adjust a focusing point at the time of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light.
4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein adjusting the axial air separation comprises disposing a wedge-shaped prism pair upstream of the photosensitive material and moving a position of one of wedge-shaped prisms, which constitute the wedge-shaped prism pair, with respect to the position of the other wedge-shaped prism and in a direction, which is associated with a minimum width of each of regions of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern on the photosensitive material.
5. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein adjusting the axial air separation comprises disposing a wedge-shaped prism pair upstream of the photosensitive material and moving a position of one of wedge-shaped prisms, which constitute the wedge-shaped prism pair, with respect to the position of the other wedge-shaped prism and in a direction, which is associated with a minimum width of each of regions of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern on the photosensitive material.
6. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein adjusting the axial air separation comprises disposing a wedge-shaped prism pair upstream of the photosensitive material and moving a position of one of wedge-shaped prisms, which constitute the wedge-shaped prism pair, with respect to the position of the other wedge-shaped prism and in a direction, which is associated with a minimum width of each of regions of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern on the photosensitive material.
7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
8. A method as defined in claim 2 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
9. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
10. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
11. A method as defined in claim 5 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
12. A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the spatial light modulation is provided via a digital micromirror device.
13. A method as defined in claim 7 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
14. A method as defined in claim 8 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
15. A method as defined in claim 9 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
16. A method as defined in claim 10 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
17. A method as defined in claim 11 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
18. A method as defined in claim 12 wherein forming the two-dimensional pattern of light comprises using the only a part of the plurality of the pixel sections, which constitute the digital micromirror device and are arrayed in the two-dimensional directions.
19. A projecting exposure method, comprising:
forming a two-dimensional pattern of light via spatial light modulation, and
forming an image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light, on a photosensitive material, the two-dimensional pattern of the light being projected onto the photosensitive material, the photosensitive material being thus exposed to the two-dimensional pattern of the light, and
adjusting an axial air separation in an area downstream of an image forming optical system to adjust a focusing point at the time of the formation of the image of the two-dimensional pattern of the light.