Device for detecting positional relationship between two objects

A mark arrangement usable for detecting positional relationship between a first and second objects, comprising:

• a first mark provided on the first object, having a function for diffracting in a first direction a first light incident thereupon;
• a second mark provided on the second object, having a function for diffracting in a second direction the first light having been diffracted in the first direction by said first mark, wherein the position of incidence upon a predetermined plane of the first light having been diffracted by the second mark is changeable with a change in the relative position of said first and second marks;
• and
• a third mark provided on the first object, having a function for diffracting in a third direction a second light incident thereupon, wherein the second light diffracted by said third mark is directed by way of the second object in a fourth direction and wherein the state of the position of incidence upon a predetermined plane of the second light, diffracted by said third mark, resulting from a change in the relative position of said first and second marks, differs from that in the first light;
• wherein the positional relationship between the first and second objects can be detected without being affected by any inclination therebetween, by detecting the position of incidence of the first and second lights.

A device for measuring an interval between a first object and a second object, said device comprising:

• light source means for projecting a light to the first object;
• a light receiving optical system for receiving the light projected by said light source means and deflected by the first and second objects, said light receiving optical system having means for separating the received light;
• first light detecting means for receiving a first one of lights as separated by said separating means, said first light detecting means receiving the first light at a site at which the position of the first light incident thereat is changeable with a change in the interval between the first and second objects, and said first light detecting means being operable to detect the position of incidence of the received light;
• and
• second light detecting means for receiving a second one of the lights separated by said separating means, said second light detecting means receiving the second light at a site at which the position of the second light incident thereat is not changeable with a change in the interval between the first and second objects, and said second light detecting means being operable to detect the position of incidence of the received light;
• wherein the interval between the first and second object is measured on the basis of the detection by said first and second light detecting means.

A pattern transfer system comprising:

• an alignment system for aligning a mask and a wafer;
• and
• an exposure system for transferring a mask pattern to the wafer by exposure;
• wherein said alignment system comprises:
• light source means for emitting light to illuminate the mask or the wafer;
• first detecting means having a first light receiving surface, for detecting the position of incidence of the first light beam upon said first light receiving surface, having been emitted from said light source means and having been deflected by the mask and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer toward said first light receiving surface, wherein the position of the incidence of the first light beam upon said first light receiving surface is changeable with a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in a predetermined direction;
• second detecting means having a second light receiving surface, for detecting the position of incidence of a second light beam, upon said second light receiving surface, having been emitted from said light source means and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer to said second light receiving surface, wherein the state of the position of incidence of the second light beam resulting from a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer, in said predetermined direction differs from that of the first light beam;
• and
• means for detecting the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in said predetermined direction, on the basis of the detection by said first and second detecting means, whereby the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer is detected without being affected by a change in an inclination component between the mask and the wafer.

A semiconductor device manufacturing method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a mask and a wafer;
• emitting light to illuminate the mask or the wafer from light source means;
• detecting the position of incidence of a first light beam, upon a first light receiving surface, having been emitted from the light source means and having been deflected by the mask and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer toward the first light receiving surface, wherein the position of the incidence of the first light beam upon the first light receiving surface is changeable with a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in a predetermined direction;
• detecting the position of incidence of a second light beam, upon a second light receiving surface, having been emitted from the light source means and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer to the second light receiving surface, wherein the state of the position of incidence of the second light beam resulting from a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer, in said predetermined direction differs from that of the first light beam;
• detecting the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in the predetermined direction, on the basis of the detection in said detecting steps, whereby the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer is detected without being affected by a change in an inclination component between the mask and the wafer;
• and
• transferring a mask pattern of the mask to the wafer.

A semiconductor device manufactured by a method which comprises the steps of:

• preparing a mask and a wafer;
• emitting light to illuminate the mask or the wafer from light source means;
• detecting the position of incidence of a first light beam, upon a first light receiving surface, having been emitted from the light source means and having been deflected by the mask and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer toward the first light receiving surface, wherein the position of the incidence of the first light beam upon the first light receiving surface is changeable with a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in a predetermined direction;
• detecting the position of incidence of a second light beam, upon a second light receiving surface, having been emitted from the light source means and having been reflectively deflected by the wafer to the second light receiving surface, wherein the state of the position of incidence of the second light beam resulting from a change in the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer, in the predetermined direction differs from that of the first light beam;
• detecting the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer in the predetermined direction, on the basis of the detection in said detecting steps, whereby the positional relationship between the mask and the wafer is detected without being affected by a change in an inclination component between the mask and the wafer;
• and
• transferring a mask pattern of the mask to the wafer.