US4880308A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Aligning apparatus
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1988-04-01
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Granted: 1989-11-14
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Expires: 2008-04-01
Abstract
Abstract An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of first and second substrates, first alignment mark means an first substrate, second alignment mark means an second substrate to be optically superposed with first alignment mark means, illumination means for instantaneously illuminating first and second alignment mark means, means for measuring the relative position of the first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by the illumination means, alignment optical system for forming images of first and second alignment mark means, determination means for determining positional deviation between first and second substrates from the charge distribution accumulated in images sensor means corresponding to the images of first and second alignment mark means and from the relative position measured by position measuring means, and means for driving the relative movement means according to the positional deviation.
Inventors
- 👤 Hiroshi Shirasu
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:21
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7049
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
257 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
112 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said pair of grating marks of said first alignment mark means comprises mutually different first and second marks and said second alignment mark means comprises a pair of mutually different grating marks, and, when said first alignment mark means is optically superposed with said second alignment mark means, a grating mark of said second alignment mark means corresponding to said first grating mark has a larger grating pitch than that of said first grating mark and the other grating mark of said second alignment mark means corresponding to said second grating mark has a smaller grating pitch than that of said second grating mark.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said grating marks of said first alignment mark means is composed of a repeating pattern composed of mutually parallel plural linear reflecting portions and translucent portions, and each of said grating marks of said second alignment mark means comprises plural rectangular projections arranged in a matrix.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
72 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of first and second alignment mark means comprises a pair of grating marks which are of a same grating pitch and mutually slightly different inclinations, and said paired grating marks of said first alignment mark means are so arranged, when said first and second alignment mark means are optically mutually superposed, to respectively cross the alignment marks of said second alignment mark means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging optical system positioned between said first and second substrates, wherein said first alignment mark means and said second alignment mark means are positioned mutually conjugate with respect to said imaging optical system.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
76 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising synchronization means for causing light emission from said pulse light source and storing the relative position measured by said measuring means in synchronization with said light emission, wherein said determination means is adapted to read the distribution of charges accumulated in said image sensor means and to generate a signal corresponding to the difference between a target position and said relative position stored in said synchronization means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
71 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said synchronization means comprises a hold circuit for storing the relative position measured as mentioned above, and a timing circuit for sending a trigger signal to said pulse light source and to said hold circuit, and said driving means drives said relative movement means by adding said stored value of said hold circuit and said difference in position determined by said determination means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
45 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said image sensor means comprises a frame memory circuit for transferring said charge distribution to said determination means, and said timing circuit scans said image sensor means for releasing the charges accumulated in said image sensor means.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
222 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment marks means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; means for detecting the distribution of charges generated in said image sensor means corresponding to the image of said moire fringe patterns; determination means for detecting the relative positional relationship of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution detected by said detecting means and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates based on thus detected relative positional relationship; and means for driving said relative movement means according to the positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
222 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment marks means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; means for detecting the distribution of charges generated in said image sensor means corresponding to the image of said moire fringe patterns; determination means for detecting the relative positional relationship of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution detected by said detecting means and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates based on thus detected relative positional relationship; and means for driving said relative movement means according to the positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
289 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate which are arranged mutually conjugate with respect to an imaging optical system having a pupil, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks positioned in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system comprising a spatial filter positioned conjugate with the pupil of said imaging optical system, and adapted to form said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from thus detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
289 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate which are arranged mutually conjugate with respect to an imaging optical system having a pupil, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks positioned in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are formed in such a manner that two moire fringe patterns formed by said optical superposition move in mutually opposite directions during a relative movement of said first and second substrates by said relative movement means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system comprising a spatial filter positioned conjugate with the pupil of said imaging optical system, and adapted to form said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from thus detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
246 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are so formed to generate two moire fringe patterns in cooperation with said pair of grating marks when optically superposed as mentioned above; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; -5 determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from thus detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
246 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means composed of a pair of mutually different grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said first substrate; second alignment mark means composed of grating marks formed in predetermined positions of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said pair of grating marks, wherein said grating marks of said second alignment mark means are so formed to generate two moire fringe patterns in cooperation with said pair of grating marks when optically superposed as mentioned above; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming said two moire fringe patterns on said image sensor means; -5 determination means for detecting the phase difference of said two moire fringe patterns from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said moire fringe patterns and determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from thus detected phase difference in the moire fringe patterns and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means formed in predetermined position of said first substrate; second alignment mark means formed in predetermined position of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said first alignment mark means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming respective images of said first and second alignment mark means on said image sensor means; determination means for determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said respective images of said first and second alignment mark means and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
190 words
An apparatus for aligning a first substrate with a second substrate, comprising: means for relative movement of said first and second substrates for said alignment; first alignment mark means formed in predetermined position of said first substrate; second alignment mark means formed in predetermined position of said second substrate to be optically superposed with said first alignment mark means; illumination means containing a pulse light source for instantaneously illuminating said first and second alignment mark means; means for measuring the relative position of said first and second substrates in synchronization with instantaneous illumination by said illumination means; image sensor means of charge accumulation type; an alignment optical system for forming respective images of said first and second alignment mark means on said image sensor means; determination means for determining a positional deviation between said first and second substrates from the charge distribution accumulated in said image sensor means corresponding to said respective images of said first and second alignment mark means and from the relative position measured by said position measuring means; and means for driving said relative movement means according to said positional deviation determined by said determination means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
43 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising an imaging optical system positioned between said first and second substrates, wherein said first alignment mark means and said second alignment mark means are positioned mutually conjugate with respect to said imaging optical system.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising synchronization means for causing light emission from said pulse light source and storing the relative position measured by said measuring means in synchronization with said light emission
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
47 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said determination means is adapted to read the distribution of charges accumulated in said image sensor means and to generate a signal corresponding to the difference between a target position and said relative position stored in said synchronization means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
71 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said synchronization means comprises a hold circuit for storing the relative position measured as mentioned above, and a timing circuit for sending a trigger signal to said pulse light source and to said hold circuit, and said driving means drives said relative movement means by adding said stored value of said hold circuit and said difference in position determined by said determination means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
44 words
An aligning apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said sensor means comprises a frame memory circuit for transferring said charge distribution to said determination means, and said timing circuit scans said image sensor means for releasing the charges accumulated in said image sensor means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4251160A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-11-13 | 1993-05-15 | 1993-11-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-11-13 | 1997-05-15 | 1997-11-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-11-13 | 2001-05-15 | 2001-11-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |