Patent ID: 8208126
Filing Date: 2012-06-26
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. An exposure apparatus comprising: an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle with a light beam from a light source; and a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, said illumination optical system including a light amount adjusting unit configured to adjust an amount of the light beam, a polarization adjusting unit configured to adjust a polarization state of the light beam, and a beam splitter configured to split the incident light beam into a plurality of light beams, wherein said exposure apparatus further comprises: wherein said light amount adjusting unit, said polarization adjusting unit, and said beam splitter are set in an order from the light source side, wherein said light amount adjusting unit includes a plurality of neutral density filters with different transmittances, and a switching unit configured to switchably insert one or more of said plurality of neutral density filters in an optical path of said illumination optical system, wherein the light source emits a linearly polarized light beam, and