Positioning detecting method and apparatus

A device for detecting a relative positional relationship between first and second objects with respect to a predetermined direction, comprising:

• illuminating means for irradiating the first object with light;
• wherein the first and second objects are provided with first and second physical optic elements, respectively, each having a light converging or diverging function in said predetermined direction and wherein said illumination means illuminates the first physical optic element;
• and
• photodetecting means for detecting light passing through the first object and emanating from the second object, wherein said photodetecting means is operable to detect light convergently or divergently influenced by both of the first and second physical optic elements, such that the relative positional relationship between the first and second objects can be detected on the basis of the detection by said photodetecting means;
• wherein one of the first and second physical optic elements has a light converging or diverging function also in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction and has different focal lengths in said perpendicular direction and in said predetermined direction, and wherein the other of the first and second physical optic elements has no light converging function and no light diverging function in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction.

A method of detecting a relative positional relationship between first and second objects with respect to a predetermined direction, comprising:

• a first step for providing the first object with a first physical optic element having a light converging or diverging function in said predetermined direction;
• a second step for providing the second object with a second physical optic element having a light converging or diverging function in said predetermined direction;
• a third step for irradiating the first physical optic element with light;
• a fourth step for detecting light having been convergently or divergently influenced by the first physical optic element, having been inputted into the second physical optic element and having been convergently or divergently influenced by the second physical optic element;
• and
• a fifth step for detecting the relative positional relationship between the first and second objects on the basis of the detection at said fourth step;
• wherein at least one of the first and second physical optic elements has a light converging or diverging function also in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction and has different focal lengths in said perpendicular direction and in said predetermined direction.

A method of detecting a relative positional relationship between first and second objects with respect to a predetermined direction, comprising:

• a first step for providing the first object with a first physical optic element having a light converging or diverging function in said predetermined direction;
• a second step for providing the second object with a second physical optic element having a light converging or diverging function in said predetermined direction;
• a third step for irradiating the first physical optic element with light;
• a fourth step for detecting light having been convergently or divergently influenced by the first physical optic element, having been incident upon the second physical optic element, and having been convergently or divergently influenced by the second physical optic element;
• and
• a fifth step for detecting the relative positional relationship between the first and second objects on the basis of the detection at said fourth step;
• wherein one of the first and second physical optic elements has a light converging or diverging function also in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction and has different focal lengths in said perpendicular direction and in said predetermined direction, and wherein the other of the first and second physical optic elements has no light converging function and no light diverging function in a direction perpendicular to said predetermined direction.

A method of detecting the position of a substrate, comprising the steps of:

• providing the substrate with a mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to each of a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the mark further having different focal lengths with respect to the first and second directions;
• supplying a radiation beam to the mark;
• and
• detecting any of the radiation beam from the mark to determine the position of the substrate with respect to the first direction.

A method of detecting the relative positional deviation between first and second objects, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the first object with a first alignment mark having different focal lengths with respect to a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to each of the first and second directions;
• providing the second object with a second alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to the first direction;
• supplying a radiation beam to each of the first and second alignment marks;
• and
• detecting any of the radiation beam from the first and second alignment marks to determine the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects with respect to the first direction.

A method of detecting the spacing between first and second objects, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the first object with a pattern having different focal lengths with respect to a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the first and second directions are substantially parallel to the surface of the first object, and wherein the pattern further has a non-zero optical power with respect to each of the first and second directions;
• supplying a radiation beam in a direction from the first object to the second object, the direction being inclined with respect to the surface of the second object, and directing a radiation beam reflected by the second object to a predetermined plane through the pattern of the first object;
• and
• determining the spacing between the first and second objects on the basis of the position of incidence of the reflected radiation beam on the predetermined plane with respect to the first direction;
• wherein the focal length of the pattern of the first object with respect to the second direction is such that, with respect to the second direction, the reflected radiation beam is substantially focused upon the predetermined plane.

A position detecting system for detecting the position of a substrate, wherein the substrate is provided with a mark having a non-zero optical power in first and second orthogonal directions and having different focal lengths in the first and second directions, said system comprising:

• illuminating means for illuminating the mark, whereby a light image is formed;
• signal producing means having a light receiving surface, for receiving the light image and for producing a signal corresponding to the position of the light image on said light receiving surface;
• and
• detecting means for detecting the position of the substrate in the first direction on the basis of the produced signal.

A position detecting system for detecting the position of a first substrate relative to a second substrate, wherein the first and second substrates are provided with first and second marks, respectively, each having a non-zero optical power in a first direction and wherein at least one of the first and second marks of the first and second substrate also has a non-zero optical power with a focal length in a second direction, perpendicular to the first direction, which focal length is different from that in the first direction, said system comprising:

• illuminating means for illuminating the first and second marks of the first and second substrates, whereby a light image is formed through the first and second marks;
• signal producing means having a light receiving surface, for receiving the light image and for producing a signal corresponding to the position of the light image on said light receiving surface;
• and
• detecting means for detecting the position of the first substrate in the first direction on the basis of the produced signal.

A method of manufacturing a microdevice by aligning first and second objects with each other and by transferring a pattern of one of the first and second objects to the other, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the first object with a first alignment mark having different focal lengths with respect to a first direction and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to each of the first and second directions;
• providing the second object with a second alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to the first direction;
• supplying a radiation beam to each of the first and second alignment marks;
• detecting any of the radiation beam from the first and second alignment marks to determine the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects with respect to the first direction;
• and
• aligning the first and second objects with each other on the basis of the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects.

A microdevice manufactured by a method wherein first and second objects are brought into alignment with each other and wherein a pattern of one of the first and second objects to then transferred to the other, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the first object with a first alignment mark having different focal lengths with respect to a first direction, and a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction, the first alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to each of the first and second directions;
• providing the second object with a second alignment mark having a non-zero optical power with respect to the first direction;
• supplying a radiation beam to each of the first and second alignment marks;
• detecting any of the radiation beam from the first and second alignment marks to determine the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects with respect to the first direction;
• and
• aligning the first and second objects with each other on the basis of the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects.

A method used in manufacturing a microdevice comprising the steps of:

• forming a pattern on a substrate;
• providing the substrate with a mark having a non-zero optical power in the first direction and also in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
• illuminating the mark whereby a light image is formed on a predetermined plane;
• and
• determining the position of the substrate in the first direction by detecting the position of the light image on the predetermined plane, wherein the mark has first and second focal lengths in the first and second directions, respectively, which lengths are difference from each other.

An exposure system for detecting the position of a substrate and for forming a pattern on the substrate through an exposure process, wherein the substrate is provided with a mark having a non-zero optical power in first and second orthogonal directions and having different focal lengths in the first and second directions, said system comprising:

• illuminating means for illuminating the mark, whereby a light image is formed;
• signal producing means having a light receiving surface, for receiving the light image and for producing a signal corresponding to the position of the light image on said light receiving surface;
• and
• detecting means for detecting the position of the substrate in the first direction on the basis of the produced signal.