Alignment condition determination method and apparatus of the same, and exposure method and apparatus of the same

An exposure method for exposing and transferring patterns of a mask on a plurality of shot areas arrayed on a substrate, said exposure method comprising:

• performing position measurement for sample points set in each shot area serving as a processing area by opto-electric detection using optimal alignment parameters determined by a method of determination of alignment parameters including:
• a first step of performing position measurement for any sample points set in each processing area under predetermined alignment parameters through opto-electric detection and statistical processing based on measured positions and design positions of the sample points to obtain reference computation results;
• a second step of positioning and processing each processing area at the predetermined processing position based on the reference computation results, then measuring a first processing error of the processing area to obtain reference processing results;
• a third step of changing at least part of the predetermined alignment parameters and performing position measurement of any sample points set in each processing areas and statistical processing based on the measured positions and design positions of the sample points to obtain comparative computation results;
• and
• a fourth step of calculating a second processing error for each processing area, estimated when assuming the positioning and processing the processing area at the predetermined processing position based on the comparative computation results, using the reference computation results, the comparative computation results, and the reference processing results;
• wherein said third step includes:
• a sixth step of using signal waveforms obtained by said opto-electric detection at said first step to change at least part of said predetermined alignment parameters and obtain a plurality of said comparative computation results and
• a seventh step of comparing the plurality of comparative computation results obtained at said sixth step and said reference computation results and selecting candidates of said comparative computation results to be used in said fourth step based only on said comparison results;
• and
• performing statistical processing based on measured positions and design positions of said sample points and successively positions said shot areas with respect to an exposure apparatus serving as said predetermined processing position and exposes each shot area based on the computation results.

An apparatus for determining alignment parameters for positioning a plurality of processing areas arrayed on an object with respect to a predetermined processing position,

• said apparatus for determining alignment parameters having
• a reference computation result fetching means for performing position measurement for any sample points set in each said processing area under predetermined alignment parameters via opto-electric detection and statistical processing based on measured positions and design positions of said sample points to obtain reference computation results,
• a reference processing result fetching means for measuring a first processing error for each processing area to obtain reference processing results after positioning and processing said processing area at said predetermined processing position based on said reference computation results,
• a comparative computation result fetching means for changing at least part of said predetermined alignment parameters and performing position measurement of any sample points set for each said processing area and statistical processing based on measured positions and design positions of said sample points to obtain comparative computation results;
• and
• a processing error calculating means for calculating a second processing error for said processing areas estimated when assuming positioning and processing said processing areas at said predetermined processing position based on said comparative computation results using said reference computation results, said comparative computation results, and said reference processing results;
• wherein said comparative computation result fetching means includes:
• a plurality of said comparative computation result fetching means for using signal waveforms obtained by said opto-electric detection performed by said reference computation result fetching means, changing at least part of said predetermined alignment parameters to obtain a plurality of said comparative computation results, and
• a comparative computation result comparing means for comparing the plurality of comparative computation results obtained by said plurality of said comparative computation result fetching means and selecting candidates of said comparative computation results based on residual error components of said comparative computation results to be used in a processing error calculating means based only on said comparison results.