Device for the projection printing of masks into a workpiece

Claim 1

A device for the projection printing of masks onto a workpiece, particularly onto a semiconductor substrate for the production of integrated circuits, the patterns of the masks being imaged on a photosensitive layer of the workpiece via a projection lens by exposure light, and mask and workpiece being aligned relative to each other by imaging alignment patterns of the mask by means of adjustment light through the projection lens for the formation of an adjustment signal, said device comprising an adjustment plate insertable below the projection lens instead of the workpiece, said adjustment plate having light-transmitting zones conjugated with recesses in said mask in respect of said projection lens in exposure light, photometer means arranged below said light-transmitting zones.

Claim 2

A device for the projection printing of masks onto a workpiece, particularly onto a semiconductor substrate for the production of integrated circuits, the patterns of the masks being imaged on a photosensitive layer of the workpiece via a projection lens by exposure light, and mask and workpiece being aligned relative to each other by imaging alignment patterns of the mask by means of adjustment light through the projection lens for the formation of an adjustment signal, said device comprising an adjustment plate insertable below the projection lens instead of the workpiece, said adjustment plate having light-transmitting zones conjugated with recesses in said mask in respect of said projection lens in exposure light, photometer means arranged below said light-transmitting zones.

Claim 8

A method for adjusting a device used for the projection printing of masks onto a workpiece, the patterns of the masks being imaged on a photosensitive layer of the workpiece via a projection lens by exposure light, the mask and workpiece being aligned relative to each other by imaging alignment patterns of the mask by means of adjustment light through the projection lens on adjustment marks of the workpiece and by using an inaccuracy of this imaging observed through the projection lens for the formation of an adjustment signal, said method comprising the steps of: inserting an adjustment plate below the projection lens instead of the workpiece, said adjustment plate having light-transmitting zones conjugated with recesses in said mask, changing the relative position of said mask and said adjustment plate with respect to at least one coordinate, registering signals associated with identical positions, said signals corresponding, on the one hand, to intensity of the exposure light transmitted by said adjustment plate and, on the other hand, to the accuracy observed through said projection lens of the imaging of said alignment patterns of said mask onto said adjustment marks of said adjustment plate in the adjustment light, adjusting the set values of the position of said workpiece through use of the obtained relation of adjustment light signals and expsoure light signals.

Claim 9

A method for adjusting a device used for the projection printing of masks onto a workpiece, the patterns of the masks being imaged on a photosensitive layer of the workpiece via a projection lens by exposure light, the mask and workpiece being aligned relative to each other by imaging alignment patterns of the mask by means of adjustment light through the projection lens on adjustment marks of the workpiece and by using an inaccuracy of this imaging observed through the projection lens for the formation of an adjustment signal, said method comprising the steps of: inserting an adjustment plate below the projection lens instead of the workpiece, said adjustment plate having light-transmitting zones conjugated with recesses in said mask, changing the relative position of said mask and said adjustment plate with respect to at least one coordinate, registering signals associated with identical positions, said signals corresponding, on the one hand, to intensity of the exposure light transmitted by said adjustment plate and, on the other hand, to the accuracy observed through said projection lens of the imaging of said alignment patterns of said mask onto said adjustment marks of said adjustment plate in the adjustment light, adjusting the set values of the position of said workpiece through use of the obtained relation of adjustment light signals and expsoure light signals.