# US 10,372,046 B2 · Measurement device and measurement method, exposure apparatus and exposure method, and device manufacturing method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,372,046 B2 - Document ID: US10372046B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/627,707 - Filed: 2017-06-20 - Published: 2018-05-10 - Granted: 2019-08-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-12-24 - Assignees: Nikon Corporation - Applicants: Nikon Corporation - Inventors: Akihiro Ueda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10372046B2 ## CPC - G03F 9/7003: {Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment} - G01B 11/00: Measuring arrangements characterised by the use of optical techniques - G01B 11/14: for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures (G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00) - G01D 5/38: by diffraction gratings - G03F 7/20: Exposure; Apparatus therefor (photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) - G03F 9/00: Registration or positioning of originals, masks, frames, photographic sheets or textured or patterned surfaces, e.g. automatically (G03F7/22 takes precedence; preparation of photographic masks G03F1/00; within photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00) - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - G01B: MEASURING LENGTH, THICKNESS OR SIMILAR LINEAR DIMENSIONS; MEASURING ANGLES; MEASURING AREAS; MEASURING IRREGULARITIES OF SURFACES OR CONTOURS - G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An alignment system is equipped with: an alignment system having an objective optical system, an irradiation system and a beam receiving system; and a calculation system, the objective optical system including an objective transparent plate that faces a wafer movable in a Y-axis direction, the irradiation system irradiating a grating mark provided at the wafer with measurement beams via the objective transparent plate while scanning the measurement beams in the Y-axis direction, the beam receiving system receiving diffraction beams from the grating mark of the measurement beams via the objective optical system, and the calculation system obtaining positional information of the grating mark on the basis of the output of the beam receiving system, wherein the objective transparent plate deflects or diffracts the diffraction beams diffracted at the grating mark toward the beam receiving system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A measurement device, comprising: a mark detection system that has an irradiation system, an objective optical system and a beam receiving system, the irradiation system irradiating a grating mark provided at an object that is moved in a first direction, with a measurement beam, while scanning the measurement beam in the first direction with respect to the grating mark, the objective optical system including an objective optical element capable of facing the object that is moved in the first direction, and the beam receiving system receiving a diffraction beam from the grating mark of the measurement beam via the objective optical system; and a calculation system that obtains positional information of the grating mark on the basis of a detection result of the mark detection system, wherein the objective optical element has a first area in which an optical path of the measurement beam from the irradiation system is provided, and a second area in which an optical component is provided, the optical component deflecting or diffracting the diffraction beam generated at the grating mark toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the objective optical element deflects or diffracts the diffraction beam in parallel to an optical axis of the objective optical system, toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the objective optical element attenuates a zero-order beam of the diffraction beam from the grating mark in the first area, and deflects or diffracts a beam other than the zero-order beam toward the beam receiving system in the second area. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein in the objective optical element, a surface state of the first area and a surface state of the second area are optically different from each other. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein in the objective optical element, the second area is disposed around the first area. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein in the objective optical element, a first optical component is provided on one side of the first area in a direction parallel to a period direction of the grating mark, and a second optical component is provided on the other side of the first area. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the optical component provided in the second area includes a plurality of grating lines that are disposed at a predetermined pitch in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The measurement device according to claim 7, wherein the pitch of the grating line is 1/n (n is a natural number) of a grating pitch of the grating mark. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the optical component provided in the second area includes a plurality of prism components that are disposed at a predetermined interval in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark, the plurality of prism components refracting diffraction beams with wavelengths that respectively correspond to the plurality of prism components, and deflecting the diffraction beams toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the optical component provided in the second area includes a plurality of mirror components that are disposed at a predetermined interval in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark, the plurality of mirror components refracting diffraction beams with wavelengths that respectively correspond to the plurality of mirror components, and reflecting the diffraction beams toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the mark detection system further comprises a rotation device that rotates the objective optical element around an optical axis of the objective optical system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The measurement device according to claim 11, wherein a position of the objective optical element in a direction around the optical axis is controlled in accordance with a period direction of a grating of the grating mark subject to measurement. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The measurement device according to claim 1, wherein the grating mark includes a first grating mark and a second grating mark that have respective period directions in directions that are different from the first direction and also different from each other, and the irradiation system irradiates the first grating mark and the second grating mark with the measurement beam while scanning the measurement beam in the first direction with respect to the first grating mark and the second grating mark, and the beam receiving system receives a diffraction beam from each of the first grating mark and the second grating mark, and the calculation system obtains positional information of each of the first grating mark and the second grating mark on the basis of a detection result of the mark detection system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the first grating mark and the second grating mark are disposed adjacently to each other in a direction intersecting the first direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the irradiation system irradiates the first grating mark with a first measurement beam and irradiates the second grating mark with a second measurement beam that is different from the first measurement beam. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The measurement device according to claim 15, wherein the irradiation system scans the first measurement beam and the second measurement beam in synchronization in the first direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein the irradiation system irradiates the first grating mark and the second grating mark with a measurement beam having an irradiation area that includes at least a part of the first grating mark and at least a part of the second grating mark. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The measurement device according to claim 13, wherein respective period directions of the first grating mark and the second grating mark are orthogonal to each other, and the first direction is a direction that is at a 45 degree angle with respect to the respective period directions of the first grating mark and the second grating mark. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) An exposure apparatus, comprising: the measurement device according to claim 1; a position control device that controls a position of the object on the basis of an output of the measurement device; and a pattern formation device that forms a predetermined pattern on the object by irradiating the object with an energy beam. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A device manufacturing method, comprising: exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 19; and developing the substrate that has been exposed. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) An exposure apparatus, comprising: the measurement device according to claim 1, wherein a predetermined pattern is formed on the object by irradiating the object with an energy beam, while controlling a position of the object on the basis of an output of the measurement device. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A device manufacturing method, comprising: exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 21; and developing the substrate that has been exposed. ### Claim 23 An exposure apparatus that forms a predetermined pattern on an object by irradiating the object with an energy beam, the apparatus comprising: a mark detection system that has an irradiation system, an objective optical system and a beam receiving system, the irradiation system irradiating a grating mark provided at the object that is moved in a first direction, with a measurement beam, while scanning the measurement beam in the first direction with respect to the grating mark, the objective optical system including an objective optical element capable of facing the object that is moved in the first direction, and the beam receiving system receiving a diffraction beam from the grating mark of the measurement beam via the objective optical system, wherein the objective optical element has a first area in which an optical path of the measurement beam from the irradiation system is provided, and a second area in which an optical component is provided, the diffraction beam generated at the grating mark is deflected or diffracted, by the optical component, toward the beam receiving system, and a position of the object is controlled on the basis of a detection result of the mark detection system. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A device manufacturing method, comprising: exposing a substrate using the exposure apparatus according to claim 23; and developing the substrate that has been exposed. ### Claim 25 A measurement method of measuring positional information of a grating mark provided at an object, the method comprising: moving the object in a first direction, below an objective optical system including an objective optical element capable of facing the object; irradiating the grating mark of the object that is moved, with a measurement beam, while scanning the measurement beam in the first direction with respect to the grating mark; receiving a diffraction beam from the grating mark of the measurement beam with a beam receiving system via the objective optical system; and obtaining positional information of the grating mark on the basis of an output of the beam receiving system, wherein the objective optical system deflects or diffracts the diffraction beam generated at the grating mark, toward the beam receiving system, using an optical component provided in a second area that is different from a first area in which an optical path of the measurement beam is provided. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the objective optical element deflects or diffracts the diffraction beam in parallel to an optical axis of the objective optical system, toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 27 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the objective optical element attenuates a zero-order beam of the diffraction beam from the grating mark in the first area, and deflects or diffracts a beam other than the zero-order beam toward the beam receiving system in the second area. ### Claim 28 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein in the objective optical element, a surface state of the first area and a surface state of the second area are optically different from each other. ### Claim 29 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein in the objective optical element, the second area is disposed around the first area. ### Claim 30 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein in the objective optical element, a first optical component is provided on one side of the first area in a direction parallel to a period direction of the grating mark, and a second optical component is provided on the other side of the first area. ### Claim 31 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the optical component is provided in the second area, the optical component including a plurality of grating lines that are disposed at a predetermined pitch in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The measurement method according to claim 31, wherein a pitch of the plurality of grating lines is 1/n (n is a natural number) of a grating pitch of the grating mark. ### Claim 33 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the optical component is provided in the second area, the optical component including a plurality of prism components that are disposed at a predetermined interval in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark, the plurality of prism components refracting diffraction beams with wavelengths that respectively correspond to the plurality of prism components, and deflecting the diffraction beams toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 34 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the optical component is provided in the second area, the optical component including a plurality of mirror components that are disposed at a predetermined interval in a direction according to a period direction of the grating mark, the plurality of mirror components refracting diffraction beams with wavelengths that respectively correspond to the plurality of mirror components, and reflecting the diffraction beams toward the beam receiving system. ### Claim 35 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, further comprising: rotating the objective optical element around an optical axis of the objective optical system. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The measurement method according to claim 35, wherein in the rotating, a position of the objective optical element in a direction around the optical axis is controlled in accordance with a period direction of a grating of the grating mark subject to measurement. ### Claim 37 (depends on 25) The measurement method according to claim 25, wherein the grating mark includes a first grating mark and a second grating mark that have respective period directions in directions that are different from the first direction and also different from each other, and in the irradiating, the first grating mark and the second grating mark are irradiated with the measurement beam while scanning the measurement beam in the first direction with respect to the first grating mark and the second grating mark, in the receiving the diffraction beam, a diffraction beam from each of the first grating mark and the second grating mark is received, and in the obtaining, positional information of each of the first grating mark and the second grating mark is obtained on the basis of an output of the beam receiving system. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The measurement method according to claim 37, wherein the first grating mark and the second grating mark are disposed adjacently to each other in a direction intersecting the first direction. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) The measurement method according to claim 37, wherein in the irradiating, the first grating mark is irradiated with a first measurement beam and the second grating mark is irradiated with a second measurement beam that is different from the first measurement beam. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) The measurement method according to claim 39, wherein in the irradiating, the first measurement beam and the second measurement beam are scanned in synchronization in the first direction. ### Claim 41 (depends on 37) The measurement method according to claim 37, wherein in the irradiating, the first grating mark and the second grating mark are irradiated with a measurement beam having an irradiation area that includes at least a part of the first grating mark and at least a part of the second grating mark. ### Claim 42 (depends on 37) The measurement method according to claim 37, wherein respective period directions of the first grating mark and the second grating mark are orthogonal to each other, and the first direction is a direction that is at a 45 degree angle with respect to the respective period directions of the first grating mark and the second grating mark. ### Claim 43 (depends on 25) An exposure method, comprising: measuring positional information of a grating mark provided at an object using the measurement method according to claim 25; and exposing the object with an energy beam, while controlling a position of the object on the basis of the positional information of the grating mark that has been measured. ### Claim 44 (depends on 43) A device manufacturing method, comprising: exposing a substrate using the exposure method according to claim 43; and developing the substrate that has been exposed.