Alignment method and apparatus therefor

A method in which each of a plurality of shot areas two-dimensionally arranged on each of N (integer:

• N≧2) substrates in accordance with an arrangement coordinate upon the design on said substrate is to be aligned with a predetermined reference position in a static coordinate system for defining a moving position of said substrate, a coordinate position of each of said plurality of shot areas in said static coordinate system is calculated by measuring a coordinate position of a shot area selected in advance out of said plurality of shot areas in said static coordinate system and by performing a statistical computation of said plurality of coordinate positions measured, and each of said plurality of shot areas is aligned with said reference position by controlling said moving position of said substrate in accordance with said calculated coordinate positions, wherein:
• prior to the alignment of each of the plurality of shot areas on a k-th (integer:
• 2Ihoreq.k.Itoreq.N) and subsequent substrates with said reference position in accordance with the coordinate positions calculated by said statistical computation, one-dimensional or two-dimensional position measurement is performed at a plurality of points in each of the shot areas by the use of two alignment sensors with respect to at least one of the first to the (k-1)th substrates, and a difference between results of the statistical computations of the coordinate positions measured by the respective alignment sensors and a result of the statistical computation in a shot area of the coordinate positions measured by said respective alignment sensors is obtained and stored;
• and one-dimensional or two-dimensional position measurement is performed at one point in each of the shot areas by the use of only one of said two alignment sensors when the k-th substrate or any substrate subsequent thereto is aligned, and the already-stored difference between results of the statistical computations of the coordinate positions measured by said two alignment sensors and the already-stored result of the statistical computation in said shot area of the coordinate positions measured by said respective alignment sensors is corrected, whereby alignment can be effected based on said corrected results.

A method of transferring a pattern of a mask onto each of a plurality of areas on a substrate, comprising:

• measuring coordinate positions, on a static coordinate system in which said substrate is moved, of first marks on said substrate;
• determining parameters in an equation to define arrangement and a formal feature of said plurality of areas in accordance with said measured coordinate positions, said formal feature including at least one of rotation, size and shape of said plurality of areas;
• and
• relatively moving said mask and said substrate in accordance with said parameters to transfer said pattern onto said each area.