Exposure method

Claim 2

An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive substrate to first and second extended patterns of at least one original with mutual jointing of end portions thereof by means of a projection optical system, comprising: determining distortion characteristics of said projection optical system, representing the positions of projected images within a projection area of said projection optical system; determining, within said distortion characteristics, first distortion characteristics corresponding to an image at an end portion of said first pattern at the projection thereof, and second distortion characteristics corresponding to an image at an end portion of said second pattern at the projection thereof; determining the difference between said first and second distortion characteristics; projection the image of said first pattern onto said photosensitive substrate by said projection optical system; projecting the image of said second pattern onto said photosensitive substrate by said projection optical system in jointed relationship to the image of said first pattern; and adjusting said jointing by at least one of a relative movement between said at least one original and said photosensitive substrate and a change in the projection magnification of said projection optical system, according to said difference of the distortion characteristics, prior to the projection of the images of said first and second patterns, in such a manner as to minimize the aberration of the images of said first and second patterns in a direction substantially perpendicular to an extending direction of the first and second patterns at said end portions thereof.

Claim 3

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein said first and second patterns are a same pattern.

Claim 4

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting is by said change in the projection magnification of said projection optical system.

Claim 5

An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting is by said relative movement combined with said change in the projection magnification of said projection optical system.

Claim 6

An exposure method according to claim 1, further comprising: determining at least one of amounts of shift, rotation, elongation and contraction relating to said at least one original and said photosensitive substrate in order to minimize said differences; and causing a relative movement between said at least one original and said photosensitive substrate according to at least one of thus determined amounts of shift, rotation, elongation and contraction.

Claim 7

An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive substrate to extended patterns of first and second originals with mutual superposition in such a manner that extending directions of said patterns of said first and second originals mutually coincide, by means of first and second projection optical systems, comprising: determining first distortion characteristics of said first projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said first original, said first distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said first projection optical system; determining second distortion characteristics of said second projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said second original, said second distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said second projection optical system; projecting a first image of the pattern of said first original onto said photosensitive substrate by means of said first projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said first image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a second image of the pattern of said first original in jointing relationship to an end of said first projected image; projecting a third image of the pattern of said second original onto said photosensitive substrate in superposition with said first image of the pattern of said first original, by means of said second projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said third image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a fourth image of the pattern of said second original in jointing relationship to an end of said third projected image; determining, among said distortion characteristics, a first difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said first and said third images, and a second difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said second and said fourth images; and adjusting said jointing by at least relative movement between at least one of said first and second originals and said photosensitive substrate, prior to the projection of said first to fourth images of the patterns on said first and second originals, based on said first and second differences, in such a manner as to minimize a third difference between said first and second differences in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending directions of said patterns.

Claim 8

An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive substrate to extended patterns of first and second originals with mutual superposition in such a manner that extending directions of said patterns of said first and second originals mutually coincide, by means of first and second projection optical systems, comprising: determining first distortion characteristics of said first projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said first original, said first distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said first projection optical system; determining second distortion characteristics of said second projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said second original, said second distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said second projection optical system; projecting a first image of the pattern of said first original onto said photosensitive substrate by means of said first projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said first image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a second image of the pattern of said first original in jointing relationship to an end of said first projected image; projecting a third image of the pattern of said second original onto said photosensitive substrate in superposition with said first image of the pattern of said first original, by means of said second projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said third image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a fourth image of the pattern of said second original in jointing relationship to an end of said third projected image; determining, among said distortion characteristics, a first difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said first and said third images, and a second difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said second and said fourth images; and adjusting said jointing by at least relative movement between at least one of said first and second originals and said photosensitive substrate, prior to the projection of said first to fourth images of the patterns on said first and second originals, based on said first and second differences, in such a manner as to minimize a third difference between said first and second differences in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending directions of said patterns.

Claim 9

An exposure method according to claim 6, wherein said first projection optical system is the same as said second projection optical system.

Claim 10

An exposure method according to claim 6, wherein said adjusting is by said relative movement combined with a change in the projection magnification of at least one of said projection optical systems.

Claim 11

An exposure method according to claim 6, further comprising: determining at least one of amounts of shift, rotation, elongation and contraction relating to at least one of said originals and said photosensitive substrate in order to minimize said third difference; and causing a relative movement between at least one of said originals and said photosensitive substrate according to at least one of thus determined amounts of shift, rotation, elongation and contraction.

Claim 12

An exposure method according to claim 6, wherein said jointing of the pattern of the first original includes jointing of different patterns on said first original.

Claim 13

An exposure method according to claim 6, wherein said jointing of the pattern of the second original includes jointing of different patterns on said second original.

Claim 14

An exposure method according to claim 6, wherein an exposure is performed by means of said projection optical systems, and said first and second distortion characteristics are distortion characteristics of each of said plurality of projection optical systems.

Claim 15

An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive substrate to extended patterns of first and second originals with mutual superposition in such a manner that extending directions of said first and second patterns mutually coincide, by means of first and second projection optical systems, comprising: determining first distortion characteristics of said first projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said first original, said distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said first projection optical system; determining second distortion characteristics of said second projection optical system for projecting a pattern of said second original, said second distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said second projection optical system; projecting the first image of the pattern of said first original onto said photosensitive substrate by means of said first projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said first image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a second image of the pattern of said first original in jointing relationship to an end of said first projected image; projecting a third image of the pattern of said second original onto said photosensitive substrate in superposition with said first image of the pattern of said first original, by means of said second projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said third image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a fourth image of the pattern of said second original in jointing relationship to an end of said third projected image; determining, among said distortion characteristics, a first difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said first and said third images, and a second difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said second and said fourth images; and changing the projection magnification of at least one of said first and second projection optical systems, prior to the projection of said first to fourth images of the patterns on said first and second originals, based on said first and second differences, in such a manner as to minimize a third difference between said first and second differences in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of said patterns.

Claim 16

An exposure method for exposing a photosensitive substrate to extended patterns of first and second originals with mutual superposition in such a manner that extending directions of said first and second patterns mutually coincide, by means of first and second projection optical systems, comprising: determining first distortion characteristics of said first projection optical system for projecting the pattern of said first original, said distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said first projection optical system; determining second distortion characteristics of said second projection optical system for projecting a pattern of said second original, said second distortion characteristics representing a position of a projected image within a projection area of said second projection optical system; projecting the first image of the pattern of said first original onto said photosensitive substrate by means of said first projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said first image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a second image of the pattern of said first original in jointing relationship to an end of said first projected image; projecting a third image of the pattern of said second original onto said photosensitive substrate in superposition with said first image of the pattern of said first original, by means of said second projection optical system; projecting, adjacent to said third image projected onto said photosensitive substrate, a fourth image of the pattern of said second original in jointing relationship to an end of said third projected image; determining, among said distortion characteristics, a first difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said first and said third images, and a second difference between plural distortion characteristics corresponding to a jointing portion within said second and said fourth images; and changing the projection magnification of at least one of said first and second projection optical systems, prior to the projection of said first to fourth images of the patterns on said first and second originals, based on said first and second differences, in such a manner as to minimize a third difference between said first and second differences in a direction substantially perpendicular to the extending direction of said patterns.