US4803524A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of and apparatus for detecting the accuracy of superposition exposure in an exposure apparatus
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1987-06-09
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Granted: 1989-02-07
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Expires: 2007-06-09
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus having stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask formed with at least one mark, and exposing means for exposing the image of said at least one mark on the exposure surface of the substrate which is coated with photoresist includes displacing means for imparting relative displacement between the stage means and the holding means, control means for controlling the exposing means and the displacing means and executing first exposure and second exposure successively, the control means executing the first and the second exposure of exposing the image of said at least one mark on a plurality of predetermined areas of the exposure surface of the substrate placed on the stage means, and controlling the exposing means and the displacing means so that the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of the predetermined areas during the first exposure and the position of said image during the second exposure assumes a predetermined value, developing means for developing the substrate in response to the termination of the second exposure, deviation amount detecting means for detecting the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of the predetermined areas of the developed substrate during the first exposure and the position of said image during the second exposure and making a detection signal, and determining means for determining the accuracy of the apparatus in accordance with the detection signal and the predetermined value.
Inventors
- 👤 Koichi Ohno
- 👤 Kenji Higashi
- 👤 Hiroki Tateno
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 17:54
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7073; G03F9/7076; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70358
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
An apparatus having stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask formed with at least one mark, and exposing means for exposing the image of said at least one mark on the exposure surface of said substrate which is coated with photoresist, said apparatus including: (a) displacing means for imparting relative displacement between said stage means and said holding means; (b) control means for controlling said exposing means and said displacing means and executing a first exposure and a second exposure successively, said control means executing said first and said second exposure by exposing the image of said at least one mark on a plurality of predetermined areas of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means, and controlling said exposing means and said displacing means so that the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of said plurality of predetermined areas during said first exposure and the position of said image during said second exposure assumes a predetermined value; (c) developing means for developing said substrate in response to the termination of said second exposure; (d) deviation amount detecting means for detecting the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of said plurality of predetermined areas of said developed substrate during said first exposure and the position of said image during said second exposure and producing a detection signal; and (e) determining means for determining the accuracy of said apparatus in accordance with said detection signal and said predetermined value.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
270 words
An apparatus having stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask formed with at least one mark, and exposing means for exposing the image of said at least one mark on the exposure surface of said substrate which is coated with photoresist, said apparatus including: (a) displacing means for imparting relative displacement between said stage means and said holding means; (b) control means for controlling said exposing means and said displacing means and executing a first exposure and a second exposure successively, said control means executing said first and said second exposure by exposing the image of said at least one mark on a plurality of predetermined areas of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means, and controlling said exposing means and said displacing means so that the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of said plurality of predetermined areas during said first exposure and the position of said image during said second exposure assumes a predetermined value; (c) developing means for developing said substrate in response to the termination of said second exposure; (d) deviation amount detecting means for detecting the amount of deviation between the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of said plurality of predetermined areas of said developed substrate during said first exposure and the position of said image during said second exposure and producing a detection signal; and (e) determining means for determining the accuracy of said apparatus in accordance with said detection signal and said predetermined value.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said deviation amount detecting means has position detecting means for detecting the position of the image of said at least one mark in each of said plurality of predetermined areas of said developed substrate during said first exposure and the position of said image during said second exposure and producing a position signal.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said developing means develops said substrate in response to the termination of said first exposure and coats said developed substrate with photoresist prior to said second exposure of said developed substrate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said control means controls said displacing means during said second exposure in accordance with said position signal.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determining means calculates the difference between each of the amounts of deviation detected relative to said plurality of predetermined areas by said detecting means and said predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said determining means calculates the average value of the calculated differences.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said deviation amount detecting means includes means for applying light to the substrate placed on said stage means, and means for detecting light information produced from the substrate placed on said stage means in response to the light applied thereto by said light applying means.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
221 words
An apparatus including stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask, and exposing means for exposing the exposure surface of the substrate placed on said stage means by light transmitted through the mask held by said holding means, said apparatus including: (a) displacing means for imparting relative displacement between said stage means and said holding means; (b) control means for controlling said exposing means and said displacing means and executing a first exposures and second exposure successively, said control means executing said first and said second exposure by exposing predetermined area of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means by a light transmitted through said mask, and controlling said exposing means and said displacing means so that the amount of deviation between the position of said light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure assumes a predetermined value; and (c) deviation amount detecting means for detecting, after the termination of said first and said second exposure, the amount of deviation between the position of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area of said substrate during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure and producing a detection signal.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
221 words
An apparatus including stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask, and exposing means for exposing the exposure surface of the substrate placed on said stage means by light transmitted through the mask held by said holding means, said apparatus including: (a) displacing means for imparting relative displacement between said stage means and said holding means; (b) control means for controlling said exposing means and said displacing means and executing a first exposures and second exposure successively, said control means executing said first and said second exposure by exposing predetermined area of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means by a light transmitted through said mask, and controlling said exposing means and said displacing means so that the amount of deviation between the position of said light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure assumes a predetermined value; and (c) deviation amount detecting means for detecting, after the termination of said first and said second exposure, the amount of deviation between the position of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area of said substrate during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure and producing a detection signal.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 8, further including determining means for determining the accuracy of said apparatus in accordance with said detection signal and said predetermined value.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said substrate is coated with photoresist, said apparatus further has developing means for developing said substrate, and said developing means develops said substrate after the termination of said second exposure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said developing means develops said substrate prior to said second exposure and after the termination of said first exposure.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said deviation amount detecting means has means for detecting the position, during said first exposure, of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area of said substrate developed prior to said second exposure and producing a position signal, and said control means controls said displacing means in accordance with said position signal.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of controlling an apparatus having stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask, and exposing means for exposing the exposure surface of the substrate placed on said stage means by light transmitted through the mask held by said holding means, said method inclduing the steps of: (a) causing said exposing means to execute a first exposure in which a predetermined area of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means is exposed by the light transmitted through said mask; b. imparting relative dispalcement between said stage means and said holding means by a predetermined value; (c) causing said exposing means to execute, in response to the termination of said relative displacement, a second exposure in which said predetermined area of said substrate placed on said stage means is exposed by the light transmitted through said mask; and (d) detecting the amount of deviation between the position of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area of said substrate during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
185 words
A method of controlling an apparatus having stage means on which a substrate is placed, holding means for holding a mask, and exposing means for exposing the exposure surface of the substrate placed on said stage means by light transmitted through the mask held by said holding means, said method inclduing the steps of: (a) causing said exposing means to execute a first exposure in which a predetermined area of the exposure surface of said substrate placed on said stage means is exposed by the light transmitted through said mask; b. imparting relative dispalcement between said stage means and said holding means by a predetermined value; (c) causing said exposing means to execute, in response to the termination of said relative displacement, a second exposure in which said predetermined area of said substrate placed on said stage means is exposed by the light transmitted through said mask; and (d) detecting the amount of deviation between the position of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area of said substrate during said first exposure and the position of said light during said second exposure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method accoridng to claim 13, further including the step of determining the accuracy of said apparatus in accordance with said predetermined value and said detected amount of deviation.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method according to claim 13, wherein said step of controlling said second exposure includes the steps of: detecting, after the termination of said first exposure, the position of the light transmitted through said mask in said predetermined area during said first exposure; and controlling said second exposure in accordance with said detected position and said predetermined value.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus in which a first mark and a circuit pattern on a mask are projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, the substrate having a second mark thereon an a surface formed with a photoresist layer, said apparatus including: (a) means for emitting a predetermined radiation for irradiating an area of said mask that includes said first mark, for passing said predetermined radiation through said mask and onto said substrate via said projection opticasl system, and for evaporating a part of said photoresist layer of said substrate, so that a mark corresponding to said first mark is formed on said photoresist layer; (b) detection means for detecting a positional relation, in a predetemrined direction, of said mark formed on the photoresist layer and said second mark; and (c) displacement means imparting relative displacement between said mask ansd said substrate based upon said detected positional relation.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
148 words
An apparatus in which a first mark and a circuit pattern on a mask are projected onto a substrate through a projection optical system, the substrate having a second mark thereon an a surface formed with a photoresist layer, said apparatus including: (a) means for emitting a predetermined radiation for irradiating an area of said mask that includes said first mark, for passing said predetermined radiation through said mask and onto said substrate via said projection opticasl system, and for evaporating a part of said photoresist layer of said substrate, so that a mark corresponding to said first mark is formed on said photoresist layer; (b) detection means for detecting a positional relation, in a predetemrined direction, of said mark formed on the photoresist layer and said second mark; and (c) displacement means imparting relative displacement between said mask ansd said substrate based upon said detected positional relation.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus in which a circuit pattern of a mask formed with a first mark is projected through a projection optical system onto a substrate provided with a second mark and having a surface formed with a photoresist layer, said apparatus including: (a) means for emitting a predetermined radiation onto said photoresist layer of said substrate and for forming on said photoresist layer a mark corresponding to said first mark; and (b) detection means for detecting a positional relation of said mark formed on said photoresist layer and said second mark.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
91 words
An apparatus in which a circuit pattern of a mask formed with a first mark is projected through a projection optical system onto a substrate provided with a second mark and having a surface formed with a photoresist layer, said apparatus including: (a) means for emitting a predetermined radiation onto said photoresist layer of said substrate and for forming on said photoresist layer a mark corresponding to said first mark; and (b) detection means for detecting a positional relation of said mark formed on said photoresist layer and said second mark.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said first mark is formed on said mask by a member that transmits said predetermined radiation and by a member that does not transmit said predetermined radiation, wherein said radiation emitting means irrasdiates said members and said predetermined radiation passes through said mask and is applied to said substrate through said projection optical system.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said detection means detects an amount of a postional deviation of said mark formed on said second mark.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim I9, further including means providing relative displacement between said mask and said substrate in response to said detected amount of deviation.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 17, further including means providing relative displacement between said mask and said substrate in response to said detected positional relation.
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) | 1992-02-07 | 1992-08-08 | 1993-02-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-02-07 | 1996-08-08 | 1997-02-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-02-07 | 2000-08-08 | 2001-02-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |