Exposure apparatus, method of manufacturing semiconductor devices, semiconductor manufacturing plant, method of maintaining exposure apparatus, and position detector

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system for projecting a pattern, which has been formed on a reticle, onto a photosensitive substrate;
• a substrate stage capable of holding and moving the substrate;
• a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate to said substrate stage;
• and
• a position detection system for detecting an alignment mark on the substrate;
• wherein a projection region of the pattern, which region is formed on the substrate via said projection optical system, is formed at a position that is off-centered with respect to the projection center of said projection optical system;
• and
• said substrate transport system is disposed on the side of the projection region with respect to the projection center.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system for projecting a pattern, which has been formed on a reticle, onto a photosensitive substrate;
• said projection optical system forming a projection region of the pattern, which region is formed on the substrate, at a position off-centered with respect to the projection center of said projection optical system;
• and
• a plurality of position detection systems for detecting an alignment mark on the substrate;
• wherein said plurality of position detection systems are disposed on the side of said projection region with respect to the projection center.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system for projecting a mask pattern onto a photosensitive substrate;
• and
• a mask stage capable of holding and moving the mask;
• a mask transport system for transporting the mask to said mask stage:
• wherein a projection region of the pattern, which region is formed on the substrate via said projection optical system, is formed at a position that is off-centered with respect to the projection center of said projection optical system;
• an illumination region on the mask is formed at a position that is off-centered with respect to the projection center;
• and
• said mask transport system is disposed on the side of the illumination region with respect to the projection center.

An exposure apparatus comprising:

• a projection optical system for projecting a mask pattern onto a photosensitive substrate;
• a mask stage capable of holding and moving the mask;
• a mask transport system for transporting the mask to said mask stage;
• and
• a substrate stage capable of holding and moving the substrate;
• a substrate transport system for transporting the substrate to said substrate stage;
• and
• a position detection system for detecting an alignment mark on the substrate;
• wherein a projection region of the pattern, which region is formed on the substrate via said projection optical system, and an illumination region on the mask are formed at positions that off-centered to the same side with respect to the projection center of said projection optical system;
• and
• said mask transport system and said substrate transport system are disposed on the side of the projection region and illumination region with respect to the projection center.