Stage unit and exposure apparatus
AssigneeNikon Corporation
InventorJiro Inoue
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plurality of fiducial mark plates, on which a plurality of fiducial marks are dispersedly arranged by each measurement sequence which uses the fiducial mark, are arranged on the periphery of a substrate holder on the substrate stage so as to make the positional relationship between the substrate holder constant. This allows the fiducial mark plates to be arranged on the substrate stage at a place where there is little space. In addition, the main controller performs various measurement sequences that include the detection operation to detect the positional information on each fiducial mark using the mark detection system. Accordingly, it becomes possible to downsize the substrate stage, which leads to a reduction in footprint, while maintaining the measurement functions.
Claims11
A stage unit comprising:
- a first stage which moves two dimensionally with a substrate holding member holding a substrate mounted, and a second stage which is provided separately from said first stage;
- at least a first fiducial mark and a second fiducial mark provided on each of said first stage and said second stage for use in a predetermined measurement sequence, said first fiducial mark and said second fiducial mark both used in said predetermined measurement sequence;
- and
- first and second fiducial mark plates, wherein said first fiducial mark is provided on said first fiducial mark plate on both of said first and said second stages, and said second fiducial mark is provided on said second fiducial mark plate on both of said first and second stages, a position of said second fiducial mark plate being different from a position of said first fiducial mark plate on the respective stages.
An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an energy beam and forms a predetermined pattern on said substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising:
- a first stage which moves two-dimensionally with a substrate holding member holding said substrate mounted, and a second stage which is provided separately from said first stage;
- a first fiducial mark and a second fiducial mark which are arranged on each of said first stage and said second stage, and are both used in a predetermined measurement sequence;
- a mark detection system which detects marks located on at least one of said first and second stages;
- a control unit which performs said predetermined measurement sequence including detection of said first and second fiducial marks using said mark detection system;
- and
- first and second fiducial mark plates, wherein said first fiducial mark and said second fiducial mark are both used in said predetermined measurement sequence, said first fiducial mark is arranged on said first fiducial mark plate on both of said first and said second stages, and said second fiducial mark is arranged on said second fiducial mark plate on both of said first and said second stages, a position of said second fiducial mark plate being different from a position of said first fiducial mark plate on the respective stages.
An exposure apparatus which exposes a substrate with an energy beam and forms a predetermined pattern on said substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising:
- a substrate stage that moves two-dimensionally;
- a position measurement unit that measures a position of said substrate stage;
- a substrate holding member mounted on said substrate stage that holds said substrate;
- at least three fiducial marks that are respectively arranged in the vicinity of each vertex position of a polygon that contains a center of said substrate holding member, and are arranged on said substrate stage with a positional relationship between each of said fiducial marks and said substrate holding member constant;
- a mark detection system which detects marks located on said substrate stage including said fiducial marks;
- and
- a control unit that performs various types of measurement sequences respectively including a detection operation to detect either of one and a plurality of said at least three fiducial marks using said mark detection system and said position measurement unit.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.