Exposure apparatus and method which synchronously moves the mask and the substrate to measure displacement

An exposure method which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, comprising:

• a first step of providing a relative movement between a stage for holding said substrate and said mask to detect a detection mark provided on said stage and an alignment mark provided on said mask;
• a second step of detecting said detection mark with an alignment system without said mask;
• and
• a third step of obtaining a positional relationship between said mask and said alignment system based on detected results in said first and second steps.

An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, comprising:

• a first position measuring system which measures a position of said mask;
• a second position measuring system which measures a position of said substrate;
• a first detecting system which detects a mark on said mask;
• a substrate stage which carries said substrate thereon;
• a second detecting system which detects a reference mark provided on said substrate stage;
• and
• a control system which obtains a corresponding relationship between a coordinate system defined by said first position measuring system and a coordinate system defined by said second position measuring system, based on detected results of said first and second detecting systems which are obtained when said mask and substrate are moved at least in a direction of said synchronized movement.

An exposure method which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, comprising the steps of:

• measuring a position of said mask with a first position measuring system;
• measuring a position of said substrate with a second position measuring system;
• detecting a measuring mark on said mask;
• detecting a reference mark provided on a substrate stage which carries said substrate thereon;
• and
• obtaining a corresponding relationship between a coordinate system defined by said first position measuring system and a coordinate system defined by said second position measuring system, based on detected results of said measuring mark and said reference mark which are obtained when said mask and substrate are moved at least in a direction of said synchronized movement.

An exposure method which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, comprising:

• a first step of providing relative movement between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask and a reference mark provided, in correspondence with said plurality of measuring marks, on a substrate stage which carries said substrate thereon to detect a positional relationship between said measuring marks and said reference mark;
• a second step of detecting a positional relationship between a part of said plurality of measuring marks and said reference mark;
• and
• a third step of obtaining a relationship between a coordinate system of said mask and a coordinate system of said substrate stage based on a part of a detected result of said first step and a detected result of said second step.

An exposure method which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, comprising:

• a first step of providing relative movement between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask and a detection mark provided, in correspondence with said plurality of measuring marks, on a substrate stage which carries said substrate thereon to detect a positional relationship between said measuring marks and said detection mark;
• a second step of detecting a positional relationship between a part of said plurality of measuring marks and said detection mark;
• a third step of detecting said detection mark by an alignment sensor without said mask;
• and
• a step of obtaining a positional relationship between an exposing position of said mask and a detecting point of said alignment sensor based on a part of a detected result of said first step, a detected result of said second step and a detected result of said third step.

An exposure method of transferring a pattern of a mask within an illumination area formed in a predetermined shape onto a substrate on a stage by illuminating said illumination area formed in said predetermined shape with a predetermined energy beam, comprising the steps of:

• providing a relative movement between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask and a reference mark provided, in correspondence with a part of said measuring marks, on said stage, to obtain information with respect to positions of said measuring marks and said reference mark;
• obtaining a hypothetical coordinate system on said mask based on a coordinate system on said mask and said information with respect to said positions;
• and
• obtaining a writing error of said measuring marks based on said hypothetical coordinate system.

A scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage, said second mark being provided on a position different from said substrate;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage, said substrate stage and said detector, which moves said mask stage and said substrate stage relatively in the scanning direction to detect said positional relationship by said detector.

A scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• and
• a controller, connected to said detector, which obtains a relationship between a coordinate system on a side of said mask and a coordinate system on a side of said substrate based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a projection optical system, disposed between said mask and said substrate, which projects an image of a pattern on said mask onto said substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• an alignment system, associated with said substrate stage, which detects a mark on said substrate held by said substrate stage;
• and
• a controller, connected to said detector, which determines a positional relationship between a reference point within an exposing field of said projection optical system and a detection center of said alignment system based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• and
• a controller, connected to said detector, said mask stage and said substrate stage, which moves said mask stage and said substrate stage relatively in the scanning direction to detect said positional relationship by said detector, and which obtains a relationship between the scanning direction of said mask stage and the scanning direction of said substrate stage based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a projection optical system, disposed between said mask and said substrate, which projects an image of a pattern on said mask onto said substrate;
• and
• an alignment system, associated with said substrate stage, which detects an alignment mark on said substrate held by said substrate stage, and wherein a detection center of said alignment system is apart from a reference point in an exposure field of said projection optical system in the scanning direction of said substrate.

A method for making a scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a mask stage which holds said mask;
• providing a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• providing a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage, said second mark being provided on a position different from said substrate;
• and
• providing a controller, connected to said mask stage, said substrate stage and said detector, which moves said mask stage and said substrate stage relatively in the scanning direction to detect said positional relationship by said detector.

A method for making a scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a mask stage which holds said mask;
• providing a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• providing a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• and
• providing a controller, connected to said detector, which obtains a relationship between a coordinate system on a side of said mask and a coordinate system on a side of said substrate based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A method of making a scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a mask stage which holds said mask;
• providing a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• providing a projection optical system, disposed between said mask and said substrate, which projects an image of a pattern on said mask onto said substrate;
• providing a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• providing an alignment system, associated with said substrate stage, which detects a mark on said substrate held by said substrate stage;
• and
• providing a controller, connected to said detector, which determines a positional relationship between a reference point within an exposing field of said projection optical system and a detection center of said alignment system based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A method for making a scanning exposure apparatus which moves a mask and a substrate synchronously in a respective scanning direction for a scanning exposure, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a mask stage which holds said mask;
• providing a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• providing a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a positional relationship between a first mark on said mask stage and a second mark on said substrate stage;
• and
• providing a controller, connected to said detector, said mask stage and said substrate stage, which moves said mask stage and said substrate stage relatively in the scanning direction to detect said positional relationship by said detector, and which obtains a relationship between the scanning direction of said mask stage and the scanning direction of said substrate stage based on the positional relationship detected by said detector.

A scanning exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while moving said mask and said substrate synchronously in a scanning direction, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a controller, connected to said mask stage and said substrate stage, which provides relative movement between said substrate stage and said mask in said scanning direction to obtain a displacement amount between a reference mark provided on said stage and an alignment mark provided on said mask;
• and
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects, based on said displacement amount, an inclination between a movement direction of said mask and a movement direction of said reference mark.

An exposure apparatus, comprising:

• a mask stage which holds a mask;
• a substrate stage which holds a substrate;
• an alignment system, associated with said substrate stage, which detects a detection mark provided on said substrate stage;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage, said substrate stage and said alignment system, which provides relative movement between said substrate stage and said mask to detect said detection mark and an alignment mark provided on said mask, so as to provide a first detection result, and which detects said detection mark with said alignment system, so as to provide a second detection result, and which obtains a positional relationship between said mask and said alignment system based on said first and second detection results.

An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage and said substrate stage, which provides relative movement between said substrate stage and said mask to detect a reference mark arranged on a reference plate which is provided on said substrate stage and is different from said substrate, and an alignment mark provided on said mask, and which obtains a positional relationship between said reference mark and said alignment mark.

An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage and said substrate stage, which provides relative movement between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask and a reference mark provided, in correspondence with said plurality of measuring marks, on said substrate stage to detect a positional relationship between said measuring marks and said reference mark, so as to provide a first detection result, and which detects a positional relationship between a part of said plurality of measuring marks and said reference mark, so as to provide a second detection result, and which obtains a relationship between a coordinate system of said mask and a coordinate system of said substrate stage based on a part of said first detection result and said second detection result.

An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate while providing synchronized movement of said mask and said substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask, said mask being provided with a plurality of measuring marks;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate and which is provided with a detection mark in correspondence with said plurality of measuring marks;
• an alignment sensor, associated with said substrate stage, which detects said detection mark without said mask;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage, said substrate stage and said alignment sensor, which provides relative movement between said plurality of measuring marks and said detection mark to detect a positional relationship between said measuring marks and said detection mark, so as to provide a first detection result, and which detects a positional relationship between a part of said plurality of measuring marks and said detection mark, so as to provide a second detection result, and which causes said alignment sensor to detect said detection mark, so as to provide a third detection result, and which obtains a positional relationship between an exposing position of said mask and a detecting point of said alignment sensor based on a part said first detection result, said second detection result and said third detection result.

An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects a plurality of marks provided on said mask to obtain a writing error of said mask;
• and
• a controller, connected to said detector, which stores said writing error.

A scanning exposure apparatus, comprising:

• a mask stage which holds a mask;
• a substrate stage which holds a substrate;
• a detector, associated with said mask stage and said substrate stage, which detects information with respect to positions of a plurality of reference marks provided on said substrate stage;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage, said substrate stage and said detector, which compares said information with respect to said positions with a design value to calculate information with respect to at least one of rotation, magnification, offset, and rectangular degree.

A scanning exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern onto a substrate by illuminating a mask having said pattern to be transferred onto said substrate and by synchronously scanning said mask and said substrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage and said substrate stage, which provides relative movement, in a direction of said scanning, between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask along said direction of said scanning and a plurality of reference marks provided, in correspondence with said plurality of measuring marks, on said substrate stage, to obtain information with respect to positions of said measuring marks and said reference marks, and which obtains a corresponding relationship between a coordinate system on said mask and a coordinate system on said substrate stage based on said information with respect to said positions.

A scanning exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern of a mask within an illumination area formed in a predetermined shape onto a substrate by illuminating said illumination area formed in said predetermined shape with a predetermined energy beam, the apparatus comprising:

• a mask stage which holds said mask;
• a substrate stage which holds said substrate;
• and
• a controller, connected to said mask stage and said substrate stage, which provides relative movement between a plurality of measuring marks provided on said mask and a reference mark provided, in correspondence with a part of said measuring marks, on said stage, to obtain information with respect to positions of said measuring marks and said reference mark, and which obtains a hypothetical coordinate system on said mask based on a coordinate system on said mask and said information with respect to said positions, and which obtains a writing error of said measuring marks based on said hypothetical coordinate system.