Position detecting method and apparatus

Claim 2

In a method of detecting a position of a substrate having a alignment mark with an optical power, wherein a radiation beam is projected from an optical head to the alignment mark such that the alignment mark produces a signal beam on the basis of which the position of the substrate is detected, the improvements residing in: forming a reference mark on the substrate at a position different form that of the alignment mark; projecting a radiation beam from the optical head to the reference mark, such that the reference mark produces a reference beam; detecting the relative positional deviation of the optical head relative to the reference mark on the basis of the produced reference beam; and adjusting the relative position of the optical head and the alignment mark on the basis of the detected relative positional deviation and, after the adjustment, detecting the position of the substrate on the basis of the produced signal beam.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein the alignment mark comprises a first zone plate pattern, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern so as to produce a signal beam with which a light pattern is formed on a plane, and detecting the position of the substrate on the basis of the position of the light pattern upon said plane.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate having a second zone plate pattern, projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern to produce a diffraction beam which is diffracted again by the second zone plate pattern, whereby the signal beam is produced with which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate, with respect to a direction substantially parallel to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light pattern on said plane.

Claim 5

A method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate, projecting the radiation beam to the second substrate to produce a reflection beam which is diffracted by the first zone plate pattern to produce the signal beam, by which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light pattern upon said plane.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of, after the detection of the positional deviation of the optical head in said detecting step, moving the optical head without affecting the alignment between the optical head and the reference mark, so as to align the optical head and the alignment mark with each other.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 5, wherein the reference mark comprises a diffraction grating pattern, wherein said method further comprises the steps of projecting the radiation beam to the diffraction grating pattern to produce the reference beam and detecting the position of the optical head by detecting an intensity distribution of the reference beam.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 6, wherein the diffraction grating pattern has a size larger than a beam pattern as formed by the radiation beam on the substrate, and comprises an array of grating marks having grating lines extending in different directions, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of projecting portions of the radiation beam to corresponding ones of the grating marks, whereby plural diffraction beams are produced by the marks, and detecting and comparing the intensities of the diffraction beams and, on the basis of the comparison, detecting the position of the optical head.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 6, wherein the alignment mark comprises a first zone plate pattern, and wherein, said method further comprises the steps of detecting the position of the substrate, by projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern so as to produce a signal beam with which a light pattern is formed on a plane, and detecting the position of the substrate on the basis of the position of the light pattern upon said plane.

Claim 10

A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprises the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate having a second zone plate pattern, projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern to produce a diffraction beam which is diffracted again by the second zone plate pattern, whereby the signal beam is produced with which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate, with respect to a direction substantially parallel to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light pattern on said plane.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 8, wherein further comprising the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate, projecting the radiation beam to the second substrate to produce a reflection beam which is diffracted by the first zone plate pattern to produce the signal beam, by which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light image upon said plane.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 5, wherein the reference mark comprises a diffraction grating pattern, wherein said method further comprises the step of scanning the diffraction grating pattern with the radiation beam to produce the reference beam and detecting the position of the optical head by detecting an intensity of the reference beams, wherein the diffraction grating pattern comprises a pattern extending in a first direction and having a size in a second direction, substantially perpendicular to the first direction, which size is not greater than the size of a beam spot in the second direction as formed by the radiation beam on the substrate, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of scanning the grating pattern with the radiation beam along the second direction.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 5, wherein the alignment mark comprises a first zone plate pattern, and wherein said method further comprises the steps of detecting, the position of the substrate, by projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern so as to produce a signal beam with which a light pattern is formed on a plane, and detecting the position of the substrate on the basis of the position of the light pattern upon said plane.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate having a second zone plate pattern, projecting the radiation beam to the first zone plate pattern to produce a diffraction beam which is diffracted again by the second zone plate pattern, whereby the signal beam is produced with which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate, with respect to a direction substantially parallel to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light pattern on said plane.

Claim 15

A method according to claim 12, further comprising the steps of disposing a first substrate which is said substrate opposed to a second substrate projecting the radiation beam to the second substrate to produce a reflection beam which is diffracted by the first zone plate pattern to produce the signal beam, by which the light pattern is formed on said plane, and detecting the position of the first substrate relative to the second substrate with respect to a direction substantially perpendicular to the first and second substrates, on the basis of the position of the light pattern upon said plane.

Claim 18

A method according to claim 15, wherein, after the detection of the positional deviation of said optical head, said optical head is moved without affecting the alignment between said optical head and the reference mark, so as to align said optical head and the alignment mark with each other.

Claim 19

An alignment and exposure apparatus usable with a mask having a circuit pattern and having a first alignment mark with an optical power and a reference mark formed at different positions thereon as well as a wafer having a second alignment mark with an optical power, for exposing the wafer to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a first stage for holding the mask; a second, movable stage for holding the wafer; illumination means for illuminating the mask so that the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask as illuminated; an optical head movable along the mask, for projecting a radiation beam to the mask and for receiving the radiation beam from the mask; and control means for controlling said optical head and second movable stage and for detecting the position of the wafer on the basis of a signal from said optical head; wherein said control means is operable to cause said optical head to project a radiation beam to the reference mark of the mask and also to cause said optical head to photoelectrically detect a reflection beam from the reference mark, whereby said optical head produces a first signal; wherein said control means is further operable to determine the relative positional deviation of said optical head relative to the reference mark of the mask on the basis of the first signal from said optical head and also to move said optical head relative to the mask in accordance with the determination so as to align said optical head with the first alignment mark of the marks; wherein said control means is further operable to cause said optical head to project a radiation beam to the first and second alignment marks of the mask and the wafer and also to cause said optical head to photoelectrically detect a signal beam from the first and second alignment marks, whereby said optical head produces a second signal; wherein said control means is further operable to determine the relative position of the wafer relative to the mask on the basis of the second signal from said optical head; and wherein said control means is further operable to move said second movable stage in accordance with the determination of the relative position of the wafer, so as to align the wafer with respect to the mask.

Claim 20

An alignment and exposure apparatus usable with a mask having a circuit pattern and having a first alignment mark with an optical power and a reference mark formed at different positions thereon as well as a wafer having a second alignment mark with an optical power, for exposing the wafer to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, said apparatus comprising: a first stage for holding the mask; a second, movable stage for holding the wafer; illumination means for illuminating the mask so that the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask as illuminated; an optical head movable along the mask, for projecting a radiation beam to the mask and for receiving the radiation beam from the mask; and control means for controlling said optical head and second movable stage and for detecting the position of the wafer on the basis of a signal from said optical head; wherein said control means is operable to cause said optical head to project a radiation beam to the reference mark of the mask and also to cause said optical head to photoelectrically detect a reflection beam from the reference mark, whereby said optical head produces a first signal; wherein said control means is further operable to determine the relative positional deviation of said optical head relative to the reference mark of the mask on the basis of the first signal from said optical head and also to move said optical head relative to the mask in accordance with the determination so as to align said optical head with the first alignment mark of the marks; wherein said control means is further operable to cause said optical head to project a radiation beam to the first and second alignment marks of the mask and the wafer and also to cause said optical head to photoelectrically detect a signal beam from the first and second alignment marks, whereby said optical head produces a second signal; wherein said control means is further operable to determine the relative position of the wafer relative to the mask on the basis of the second signal from said optical head; and wherein said control means is further operable to move said second movable stage in accordance with the determination of the relative position of the wafer, so as to align the wafer with respect to the mask.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 17, wherein, after the detection of the positional deviation of said optical head, said optical head is moved without affecting the alignment between said optical head and the reference mark, so as to align said optical head and the alignment mark with each other.

Claim 24

A method according to claim 19, further comprising the step of after the detection of the positional deviation of the optical head, moving the optical head without affecting the alignment between the optical head and the reference mark, so as to align the optical head and the alignment mark with each other.

Claim 25

In a method of detecting a mark of a substrate which mark has an optical power, wherein a radiation beam is projected from an optical head to the substrate such that the substrate produces a signal beam indicative of the mark, the improvements residing in: providing a reference mark on the substrate; projecting a radiation beam from the optical head to the reference mark, such that the reference mark produces a reference beam; detecting a relative positional deviation of the optical head relative to the reference mark on the basis of the produced reference beam; and adjusting the relative position of the optical head and the substrate on the basis of the detected relative positional deviation and, after the adjustment, detecting the mark to be detected, with the produced signal beam.

Claim 26

In a method of detecting a mark of a substrate which mark has an optical power, wherein a radiation beam is projected from an optical head to the substrate such that the substrate produces a signal beam indicative of the mark, the improvements residing in: providing a reference mark on the substrate; projecting a radiation beam from the optical head to the reference mark, such that the reference mark produces a reference beam; detecting a relative positional deviation of the optical head relative to the reference mark on the basis of the produced reference beam; and adjusting the relative position of the optical head and the substrate on the basis of the detected relative positional deviation and, after the adjustment, detecting the mark to be detected, with the produced signal beam.