Patent ID: 7119882

Claim:
An apparatus for projection exposure which projects a pattern of a mask onto a work comprising: a base; a source of light for producing light rays carrying ultraviolet light of a predetermined wave length; an optical system which constitutes the light rays into projection light rays carrying image information of the mask and guides the projection light rays through a predetermined optical path so that the projection light rays can be projected onto an exposure surface of the work; a mask support mechanism for vertically supporting the mask relative to the base; a work support mechanism for vertically supporting the work relative to the base so that the exposure surface of the work can coincide with an image forming plane in the optical path; and an alignment mechanism for adjusting an alignment between the exposure surface of the work and the mask; the optical system comprising: a projection optical system which is disposed between the mask support mechanism and the work support mechanism substantially vertically relative to the base; and an illumination optical system which is disposed between the source of light and the mask support mechanism; wherein the projection optical system comprises: an input convex lens which the projection light rays penetrate so as to be refracted; an output convex lens through which the projection light rays travel out and the output convex lens being adapted to have an optical axis in common with the input convex lens; and a reflector having first and second reflection surfaces which form a predetermined angle, and the reflector being positioned between the input and output convex lenses.