US4590382A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of aligning two members utilizing marks provided thereon
Assignee: Toshiba Corp
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Filing: 1984-05-24
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Granted: 1986-05-20
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Expires: 2004-05-24
Abstract
Abstract Alignment marks are formed on the opposite surfaces of a photoelectric mask and a wafer. Each mark has a plurality of lines provided at a predetermined pitch. Widths of the lines of the photoelectric mask are progressively increased. On the while, widths of the lines of the wafer are progressively decreased. The marks of the wafer and the mask are opposite to each other such that lines of the maximum and minimum widths are opposite to each other. The overlapping area of the marks changes quadratically as a function of positional deviation between the mask and the wafer. When the mask is irradiated with ultraviolet light, X-rays are emitted from the mark on the wafer at an intensity corresponding to the overlapping area and are detected by an X-ray detector. The intensity of X-rays emitted changes quadratically as a function of deviation. The electron beam is scanned, and a detection signal is synchronously detected. The obtained PSD signal does not have a nonsensitive region and changes linearly as a function of deviation even if the beam scan width is narrow.
Inventors
- 👤 Mitsuo Tabata
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:25
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7073; G03F9/7076; G03F9/7049; H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/30; H01J37/304; H01J37/3045; H10; H10P; H10P95/00; H10W; H10W46/00; H10W46/501; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S505/00; Y10S505/825; Y10S505/88
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
279 words
A method of aligning first and second members utilizing first and second marks respectively provided on the first and second members, comprising the steps of: irradiating the first member with an energy beam so as to allow the first mark to emit an electron beam; reciprocally deflecting the electron beam to scan the second mark; detecting a second different energy beam emitted from the second mark upon irradiation of the second member with the electron beam; synchronously detecting a detection signal of the second energy beam so as to obtain a phase sensitive detection signal; and obtaining a relative positional deviation between the first and second members in accordance with at least one of the detection signals and the phase sensitive detection signals and aligning the first and second members in accordance with the deviation, the first mark having a first alignment pattern consisting of lines, which emit the electron beam upon irradiation with the energy beam, and spaces between said lines, the second mark having a second alignment pattern consisting of lines which emit the second different energy beam upon irradiation with the electron beam, and spaces between the lines of said second alignment pattern, the second energy beam emitted from the lines being stronger than that emitted from the spaces, the lines of the first and second alignment patterns becoming larger in width from one end to the other end of each alignment pattern, and an overlapping area between the lines at the first and second alignment patterns changing approximately in accordance with a quadratic curve or a curve given by an equation of higher degree, which represents the positional deviation between the first and second members.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
279 words
A method of aligning first and second members utilizing first and second marks respectively provided on the first and second members, comprising the steps of: irradiating the first member with an energy beam so as to allow the first mark to emit an electron beam; reciprocally deflecting the electron beam to scan the second mark; detecting a second different energy beam emitted from the second mark upon irradiation of the second member with the electron beam; synchronously detecting a detection signal of the second energy beam so as to obtain a phase sensitive detection signal; and obtaining a relative positional deviation between the first and second members in accordance with at least one of the detection signals and the phase sensitive detection signals and aligning the first and second members in accordance with the deviation, the first mark having a first alignment pattern consisting of lines, which emit the electron beam upon irradiation with the energy beam, and spaces between said lines, the second mark having a second alignment pattern consisting of lines which emit the second different energy beam upon irradiation with the electron beam, and spaces between the lines of said second alignment pattern, the second energy beam emitted from the lines being stronger than that emitted from the spaces, the lines of the first and second alignment patterns becoming larger in width from one end to the other end of each alignment pattern, and an overlapping area between the lines at the first and second alignment patterns changing approximately in accordance with a quadratic curve or a curve given by an equation of higher degree, which represents the positional deviation between the first and second members.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a photoelectric mask having a photoelectric film and a mask pattern, the second member is a wafer having a resist film onto which the mask pattern is to be transferred, and an X-ray is emitted as the second energy beam from the second mark of the wafer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
99 words
A method according to claim 2, wherein the first and second marks respectively further have third and fourth alignment patterns consisting of lines of the same width and arranged at a predetermined pitch, the electron beam is reciprocally deflected in accordance with a modulated signal of a rectangular wave so as to scan the second mark within a scan width which is an integer multiple of the pitch of the lines of the fourth alignment pattern, coarse alignment is performed in accordance with the phase sensitive detection signal, and fine alignment is performed in accordance with the detection signal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the wafer is a silicon wafer, and the lines of the second mark consist of a heavy metal selected from the group consisting of tantalum, tungsten and molybdenum or a heavy metal compound.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method according to claim 4, wherein the lines of the first and second coarse alignment patterns change in width in arithmetic series and are arranged at a predetermined pitch, and the first and second coarse alignment patterns are opposite to each other such that the line of the maximum width faces that of the minimum width.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 5, wherein the scan width of the electron beam is 20 to 60 μm.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-05-19 | 1989-11-18 | 1990-05-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-05-19 | 1993-11-18 | 1994-05-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-05-19 | 1997-11-18 | 1998-05-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |