Position detecting method and system for use in exposure apparatus

A position detection method for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing, by use of coherent light, illumination light for illuminating the pattern surface of the object and reference light effective to provide an interference image on the basis of a pattern image to be taken by use of the illumination light;
• illuminating the pattern surface with the illumination light being incoherence-transformed, and combining the incoherence-transformed reference light and reflection light from the pattern surface to image them upon a photoelectric converting element;
• changing the quantity of the illumination light;
• and
• measuring the position of the pattern on the object on the basis of a signal from an interference image as formed on the photoelectric converting element.

A position detecting method for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing at least a pair of light sources for emitting mutually coherent light beams, wherein a light quantity of at least one of them is adjustable;
• transforming illumination light emitted from one of the light sources into incoherent light, and projecting the same to the pattern surface of the object;
• transforming reference light emitted from the other light source into coherent light, and projecting the same to a conjugate plane being optically conjugate with the pattern surface;
• and
• imaging reflection light from the pattern surface and the reference light from the conjugate plane, together, upon a photoelectric converting element, and measuring the position of the pattern on the object on the basis of a signal from an interference image obtainable by the imaging.

A position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, said portion detecting system comprising:

• a light source for emitting coherent light;
• means for incoherence-transforming the light from said light source;
• a beam splitter for bisecting the light from said light source;
• an optical system for illuminating the pattern surface of the object with illumination light corresponding to one of divided lights, and for forming an interference image upon a photoelectric converting element while combining reference light corresponding to the other light with reflection light from the pattern surface;
• means for adjusting a light quantity of the reference light;
• and
• a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal.

A position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, said position detecting system comprising:

• a light source for emitting a coherent light;
• a beam splitter for bisecting light from said light source into illumination light to be projected to the pattern surface of the object and reference light therefor;
• means for incoherence-transforming the illumination light and the reference light;
• an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface and for imaging an interference image by combining a reflection light from the pattern surface and the reference light;
• means for adjusting a light quantity of the illumination light;
• and
• a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal.

A position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, said position detecting system comprising:

• at least a pair of light sources for emitting mutually coherent light beams, wherein a light quantity of at least one of them is adjustable;
• incoherence-transforming means for transforming illumination light emitted from one of the light sources into coherent light;
• an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface of the object, and for imaging an interference image by combining reflection light from the pattern surface with the reference light;
• and
• a photoelectric converting element for converting the interference image into a signal.

A semiconductor manufacturing factory, comprising:

• a group of production machines for performing various processes, including an exposure apparatus for printing, by exposure, a pattern of an original on a substrate, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus has a position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, and wherein the position detecting system includes (i) a light source for emitting coherent light, (ii) means for incoherence-transforming the light from said light source, (iii) a beam splitter for bisecting the light from said light source, (iv) an optical system for illuminating the pattern surface of the object with illumination light corresponding to one of divided lights, and for forming an interference image upon a photoelectric converting element while combining reference light from the pattern surface, (v) means for adjusting a light quantity of the reference light, and (vi) a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal;
• a local area network for connecting the production machines of the production machine group with each other;
• and
• a gateway for enabling an access from the local area network to an external network outside the factory,
• wherein information related to at least one production machine in the group can be data communicated by use of the local area network and the gateway.

A method of executing maintenance for an exposure apparatus, provided in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing, by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus, a maintenance database connected to an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus includes (i) a light source for emitting coherent light, (ii) means for incoherence-transforming the light from the light source, (iii) a beam splitter for bisecting the light from the light source, (iv) an optical system for illuminating a pattern surface of an object to be observed, with illumination light corresponding to one of divided lights, and for forming an interference image upon a photoelectric converting element while combining reference light corresponding to the other light with reflection light from the pattern surface, (v) means for adjusting a light quantity of the reference light, and (vi) a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal;
• admitting an access from the semiconductor manufacturing factory to the maintenance database through the external network;
• and
• transmitting maintenance information stored in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory through the external network.

A semiconductor manufacturing factory, comprising:

• a group of production machines for performing various processes, including an exposure apparatus for printing, by exposure, a pattern of an original on a substrate, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus has a position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, and wherein the position detecting system includes (i) a light source for emitting coherent light, (ii) a beam splitter for bisecting light from the light source into illumination light to be projected to the pattern surface of the object and reference light therefor, (iii) means for incoherence-transforming the illumination light and the reference light, (iv) an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface and for imaging an interference image by combining reflection light from the pattern surface and the reference light, (v) means for adjusting a light quantity of the illumination light, and (vi) a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal;
• a local area network for connecting the production machines of the production machine group with each other;
• and
• a gateway for enabling an access from the local area network to an external network outside the factory,
• wherein information related to at least one production machine in the group can be data communicated by use of the local area network and the gateway.

A method of executing maintenance for an exposure apparatus, provided in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing, by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus, a maintenance database connected to an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus includes (i) a light source for emitting coherent light, (ii) a beam splitter for bisecting light from the light source into illumination light to be projected to the pattern surface of the object and reference light therefor, (iii) means for incoherence-transforming the illumination light and the reference light, (iv) an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface and for imaging an interference image by combining reflection light from the pattern surface and the reference light, (v) means for adjusting a light quantity of the illumination light, and (vi) a photoelectric converting device for converting the interference image into a signal;
• admitting an access from the semiconductor manufacturing factory to the maintenance database through the external network;
• and
• transmitting maintenance information stored in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory through the external network.

A semiconductor manufacturing factory, comprising:

• a group of production machines for performing various processes, including an exposure apparatus for printing, by exposure, a pattern of an original on a substrate, in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus has a position detecting system for measuring a position of a pattern formed on an object to be observed, and wherein the position detecting system includes (i) at least a pair of light sources for emitting mutually coherent light beams, wherein a light quantity of at least one of them is adjustable, (ii) incoherence-transforming means for transforming illumination light emitted from one of the light sources into incoherent light, (iii) an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface of the object, and for imaging an interference image by combining reflection light from the pattern surface with the reference light, and (iv) a photoelectric converting element for converting the interference image into a signal;
• a local area network for connecting the production machines of the production machine group with each other;
• and
• a gateway for enabling an access from the local area network to an external network outside the factory,
• wherein information related to at least one production machine in the group can be data communicated by use of the local area network and the gateway.

A method of executing maintenance for an exposure apparatus, provided in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing, by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus, a maintenance database connected to an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein the exposure apparatus includes (i) at least a pair of light sources for emitting mutually coherent light beams, wherein a light quantity of at least one of them is adjustable, (ii) incoherence-transforming means for transforming illumination light emitted from one of the light sources into incoherent light, (iii) an optical system for projecting the illumination light to the pattern surface of the object, and for imaging an interference image by combining reflection light from the pattern surface with the reference light, and (iv) a photoelectric converting element for converting the interference image into a signal;
• admitting an access from the semiconductor manufacturing factory to the maintenance database through the external network;
• and
• transmitting maintenance information stored in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory through the external network.