Exposure apparatus and fabrication method of semiconductor device using the same

An exposure method for transferring an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto a workpiece through a projection optical system, comprising:

• a detection step of detecting a fluctuation amount of a member of said projection optical system from a reference position;
• an arithmetic step of computing a correction amount for at least one of the mask and the workpiece, which is necessary for substantial alignment between the pattern image formed in a moved state from a reference image-forming position and the workpiece, based on the fluctuation amount detected in said detection step;
• an alignment step of moving at least one of the mask and the workpiece based on the correction amount computed in said arithmetic step, and carrying out alignment between the mask and the workpiece with respect to said projection optical system;
• and
• an exposure step of illuminating the mask by an illumination optical system in the state of alignment between the mask and the workpiece realized in the alignment step, and exposing the pattern of the mask through said projection optical system onto the workpiece.

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate, comprising:

• an illumination optical system;
• a projection optical system, disposed in an optical path between the mask and the photosensitive substrate, having a plurality of optical axes crossing to each other, and projecting an image of said pattern on the mask illuminated by said illumination optical system onto the photosensitive substrate;
• a detection system, optically connected to a reflecting member attached to said projection optical system, detecting a fluctuation amount from a reference position of the reflecting member;
• an arithmetic system, connected to said detection system, computing a correction amount regarding at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the fluctuation amount detected by said detection system, said correction amount being necessary for substantial alignment between the pattern image formed in a moved state from a reference image-forming position of said projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate;
• and
• a driving system, connected to said arithmetic system, which moves at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the correction amount computed by said arithmetic system.

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate, comprising:

• an illumination optical system;
• a projection optical system which is arranged in an optical path between the mask and the photosensitive substrate and which projects an image of the pattern on the mask illuminated by the illumination optical system onto the photosensitive substrate;
• a detection system which is optically connected to a member attached to the projection optical system and which detects a fluctuation amount from a reference position of the member;
• an arithmetic system which is connected to the detection system and which computes a correction amount regarding at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the fluctuation amount being necessary for substantial alignment between the pattern image formed in a moved state from a reference image-forming position of the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate;
• and
• a driving system which is connected to the arithmetic system and which moves at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the correction amount computed by the arithmetic system.

An exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate, comprising:

• an illumination optical system;
• a projection optical system which is arranged in an optical path between the mask and the photosensitive substrate and which projects an image of the pattern on the mask illuminated by the illumination optical system onto the photosensitive substrate;
• a detection system which is optically connected to a member attached to the projection optical system and which detects a fluctuation amount of the member;
• an arithmetic system which is connected to the detection system and which computes a correction amount regarding at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the fluctuation amount being necessary for substantial alignment between the pattern image formed in a moved state from a predetermined image-forming position of the projection optical system and the photosensitive substrate:
• and
• a driving system which is connected to the arithmetic system and which moves at least one of the mask and the photosensitive substrate based on the correction amount computed by the arithmetic system.