Projection exposure apparatus

A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• first illuminating means for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without use of the projection optical system;
• second illumination means for illuminating a plate-like member having a reference mark formed therein;
• detection means operable to detect the mark of the second object by use of an illuminating light supplied from said first illumination means and by use of the projection optical system, said detection means being also operable to detect the reference mark by use of an illuminating light supplied from said second illumination means and passing through said plate-like member, wherein said detection means has an numerical aperture of sin A with respect to the second object, wherein said first illumination means supplies an illuminating light to the second object at an angle B with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and wherein A and B satisfy the following relation:
• B.gtoreq.A+10.degree.;
• and
• control means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• illumination means for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without use of the projection optical system;
• imaging means for imaging, upon the second object, a reference mark formed on a plate-like member, by use of an illuminating light supplied from said illumination means and passing through the projection optical system;
• detection means for detecting an image of the mark of the second object, which image is partially shaded by means of said reference mark, wherein said detection means has a numerical aperture of sin A with respect to the second object, wherein said illumination means supplies an illuminating light to the second object at an angle B with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and wherein A and B satisfy the followimg relation:
• B.gtoreq.A+10.degree.;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detection means.

An appartus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of projection optical system, said apparatus comprising illumination means for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system;

• means for scanning an image of the mark of the second object formed with the aid of the projection optical system and an image of reference mark provided on a plate-like member;
• means for receiving the scanned images and converting the scanned images into electrical signals;
• means for detecting the positional deviation of the second object from the reference mark, on the basis of the electrical signals;
• and
• control means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.

An apparatus for proejcting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system;
• a detector for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, an image of the mark of the second object as illuminated by said illumination optical system;
• means for monitoring a change in the sensitivity of said detector;
• by irradiating said detector with a light from a standard light source;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with an output of said detector when the image of the mark is detected thereby.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system, said illumination optical system including a single-mode fiber for directing an illuminating light to the second object;
• means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, the mark of the second object by use of the illuminating light from said illumination optical system, wherein said detection means has an numerical aperture of sin A with respect to the second object, wherein said illumination optical system supplies an illuminating light to the second object at an angle B with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and wherein A and B satisfy the following relation:
• B.gtoreq.A+10.degree.;
• and
• control means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object and without using the projection optical system, said illumination optical system illuminating the scond object by use of lights projected in sequence and in a plurality of directions;
• detection means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, the mark of the second object by use of the lights projected in sequence from said illumination optical system, wherein said detection means has an numerical aperture of sin A with respect to the second object, wherein said illumination optical system supplies an illuminating light to the second object at an angle B with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and wherein A and B satisfy the following relation:
• B.gtoreq.A+10.degree.;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detection means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object and without using the projection optical system, said illumination optical system illuminating the second object by use of lights projected in sequence and in a plurality of directions;
• detection means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, the mark of the second object by use of the lights projected in sequence from said illumination optical system;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means, wherein said illumination optical system is adapted to project the lights toward the second object, in sequence and in four directions congruent with axes of an X-Y coordinate system defined on the second object.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system arranged to illuminate the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system, said illumination optical system illuminating the second object by use of lights projected in sequence and in a plurality of directions;
• detection means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, the mark of the second object by use of the lights produced in sequence from said illumination optical system;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means, wherein said illumination optical system is adapted to sequentially project lights in two of four directions in an alternate fashion with the remaining two of the four directions.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark by use of projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system;
• image detecting means for receiving an image of the mark of the second object as illuminated by said illumination optical system, the image being formed with the aid of the projection optical system, wherein said image detecting means generates image data in response to the reception of the image by said image detecting means, wherein said image detecting means has an numerical aperture of sin A with respect to the second object, wherein said illumination optical system supplies an illuminating light to the second object at an angle B with respect to an optical axis of the projection optical system, and wherein A and B satisfy the following relation:
• B.gtoreq.A+10.degree.;
• and
• control means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the image data.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object having a mark, by use of a projection optical system and with use of light of a first wavelength, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the second object by use of a light of a second wavelength different from the first wavelength;
• a detection optical system having a plurality of rear-surface reflection type mirrors each having parallel surfaces, said mirrors being disposed so as to be inclined with respect to an optical axis of said detection optical system;
• detecting means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system and said detection optical system, the mark of the second object by use of the light from said illuminatiom optical system;
• and
• means for controlling the positional relation between the first and second objects in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern, formed on a first object having an alignment mark upon a second object by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• illumination means for illuminating with incoherent illuminating light, in a direction opposite to the directon of pattern projection, a reference mark formed on a plate-like member and the alignment mark of the first object, wherein said illumination means transmits the incoherent illuminating light through the reference mark of the plate-like member, and wherein the plate-like member is disposed between the projection optical system and the first object, wherein said illumination means illuminates the reference mark on the plate-like member and the alignment mark on the first oject from between the projection optical system and the plate-like member;
• and
• means for receiving the light from said illumination means to obtain image data;
• means for calculating the relative positional deviation between the reference mark and the alignment mark on the basis of the image data;
• and
• means for aligning the first object on the basis of the positional deviation calculated by said calculating means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern, formed on a first object having a mark, upon a second object having a mark by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• first mark supporting means for supporting a first reference mark operable as an index for the alignment of the first object;
• second mark supporting means for supporting a second reference mark operable as an index for the alignment of the second object;
• means for continuously monitoring the position of the mark of the first object with respect to the first reference mark;
• detecting means for detecting, by use of the projection optical system, the positional relation between the mark provided on the second object and the second reference mark;
• and
• control means for controlling the position of the second object in accordance with the detection by said detecting means.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern, formed on a first object having a mark, upon a second object by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• mark supporting means for supporting a reference mark operable as an index for the alignment of the first object;
• image pickup means for observing the reference mark and the mark provided on the first object;
• means operable to cause said image pickup means to observe a grid-like distortion measuring reference mark, and for preparing correction data on the basis of the positions of intersections of the distortion measuring reference mark and the positions of the intersections as detected as a result of the observation by said image pickup menas;
• and
• means for aligning the mark of the first object with the reference mark supported by said supporting means, on the basis of the observation of the reference mark and the mark of the first object by said image pickup means and in accordance with the correction data.

An apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a first object upon a second object by use of a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

• an illumination optical system for illuminating the second object from between the projection optical system and the second object without using the projection optical system;
• a detector for receiving an image, formed through the projection optical system, of the second object as illuminated by said illumination optical system, said detector also receiving an image, formed through the projection optical system, of a second object, which is a standard, placed on a predetermined position and illuminated by said illumination optical system;
• means for comparing a signal produced from said detector in response to the reception of the image of the standard, with a preparatorily stored reference value;
• and
• means for correcting the intensity of the light from said illumination optical system in accordance with the comparison by said comparing means.