Method and apparatus which exposes a second object with a pattern formed on a first object and which performs statistical calculation based on position information of marks on the first object

Abstract

There is disclosed an exposure method for transferring, using an optical system for illuminating a mask having patterns to be transferred on a substrate and a projection optical system for projecting images of the patterns to the substrate, the patterns to the substrate through the projection optical system by means of scanning the mask and the substrate synchronously relative to the projection optical system. The method comprises the steps of providing a plurality of measuring marks on the mask formed along a relative scanning direction, and providing a plurality of reference marks formed on the stage corresponding to the measuring marks, respectively, moving the mask and the substrate synchronously in the relative scanning direction to measure successively a displacement amount between the measuring marks on the mask and the reference marks, and obtaining a correspondence relation between a coordinate system on the mask and a coordinate system on the stage according to the displacement amount.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.