Angle detecting device and optical apparatus, such as exposure apparatus, employing the same

A method of correcting a magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of an X-ray beam relative to a referential axis, said method comprising the steps of:

• restricting the X-ray beam incident on a detector by first and second X-ray restricting members disposed on the referential axis, such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis;
• detecting the magnitude and direction of the angle of the optical axis of the X-ray beam from an output of the detector corresponding to the intensity of the X-ray beam;
• and
• adjusting the angular relationship between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis such that the angle is reduced to zero,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

A method of detecting a magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of an X-ray beam relative to a referential axis, said method comprising the steps of:

• restricting the X-ray beam incident on a detector by first and second X-ray restricting members disposed along the referential axis, such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle of the optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to the referential axis;
• and
• detecting the magnitude and direction of the angle of the optical axis of the X-ray beam based on an output of the detector corresponding to the intensity of the X-ray beam,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

An optical device including angle detection means, said device comprising:

• X-ray generation means for generating an X-ray beam;
• angle detection means comprising (i) a detector for detecting a magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to a referential axis of said optical device in accordance with the intensity of the X-ray beam incident thereon, and for producing a detection output and (ii) first and second restricting members disposed along the referential axis for restricting the X-ray beam incident on said detector such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis;
• and
• correction means for receiving the detection output and for correcting the angle of the optical axis of the X-ray beam in accordance with the detected magnitude and direction of the angle,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

A semiconductor device manufactured by a manufacturing process, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate and an original on which a pattern for the semiconductor device is formed;
• generating an X-ray beam for illuminating the substrate for exposure;
• detecting the magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to a referential axis from an output of a detector which detects an intensity of an incident X-ray beam which is obtained when the incident X-ray beam is restricted by first and second restricting members such that the-intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis;
• and
• illuminating the X-ray beam for exposing the substrate to transfer a pattern of the original onto the substrate,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

An exposure apparatus including angle detection means, said apparatus comprising:

• holding means for holding an original and a substrate;
• X-ray generation means for generating an X-ray beam for exposing the substrate;
• and
• angle detection means for detecting a magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to a referential axis of the exposure apparatus, said angle detection means comprising a detector for detecting the intensity of the X-ray beam incident thereon, and first and second restricting members for restricting the X-ray beam incident on said detector such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

A method of manufacturing semiconductor devices by a manufacturing process, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing a substrate and an original on which a pattern for the semiconductor device is formed;
• generating an X-ray beam for illuminating the substrate for exposure;
• detecting the magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to a referential axis from an output of a detector which detects an intensity of an incident X-ray beam which is obtained when the incident X-ray beam is restricted by first and second restricting members such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis;
• and
• illuminating the X-ray beam for exposing the substrate to transfer a pattern of the original onto the substrate,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

An exposure method including an angle detection operation, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating an X-ray beam for illuminating a substrate for exposure;
• detecting the magnitude and direction of an angle of an optical axis of the X-ray beam relative to a referential axis from an output of a detector which detects an intensity of incident light which is obtained when the X-ray beam is restricted by first and second restricting members such that the intensity of the X-ray beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the optical axis of the X-ray beam and the referential axis;
• and
• illuminating the X-ray beam for exposing the substrate to transfer a pattern of the original onto the substrate,
• wherein said second X-ray restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

An angle detecting device for detecting a magnitude and direction of an angle of a beam axis of a radiation beam relative to a referential axis, said device comprising:

• first and second restricting members, disposed along the referential axis, for restricting the radiation beam such that the intensity of the radiation beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the beam axis of the radiation beam and the referential axis;
• and
• a detector for receiving the radiation beam restricted by said restricting members, and for detecting the magnitude and the direction of the angle between the beam axis and the referential axis in accordance with the intensity of the radiation beam,
• wherein said second restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.

An exposure method including an angle detection operation, said method comprising the steps of:

• generating a radiation beam for illuminating a substrate for exposure;
• detecting the magnitude and direction of an angle of a beam axis of the radiation beam relative to a referential axis from an output of a detector which detects an intensity of an incident beam which is obtained when the radiation beam is restricted by first and second restricting members such that the intensity of the radiation beam increases or decreases in accordance with the magnitude and direction of the angle between the beam axis of the radiation beam and the referential axis;
• and
• illuminating the radiation beam for exposing the substrate to transfer a pattern of the original onto the substrate,
• wherein said second restricting member comprises a wedge-shaped slit having an opening whose dimension increases or decreases along a predetermined direction.