US5493402A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
EGA alignment method using a plurality of weighting coefficients
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1995-04-17
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Granted: 1996-02-20
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Expires: 2015-04-17
Abstract
Abstract An alignment method for aligning each of plural process areas arranged on a substrate to a specified point in a fixed coordinate system defining a position of movement of the substrate, comprises measuring the positions of a number of specified areas, selected in advance from the plural process areas on the substrate; determining plural amounts of deformation between the specified areas and one of the process areas; determining plural weighting coefficients corresponding to the plural amounts of distortion, for each of the specified areas; and calculating the coordinate position of the one of the process areas on the fixed coordinate system, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of the specified areas, utilizing the plural weighting coefficients.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeru Hirukawa
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 10:03
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F9/00; G03F9/70; G03F9/7003
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
An alignment method for aligning each of plural process areas arranged on a substrate to a specified position in a fixed coordinate system defining the position of movement of said substrate, comprising steps of: measuring coordinate positions of specified areas selected in advance from the plural process areas on said substrate; determining plural amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said process areas; determining plural weighting coefficients, corresponding to said plural amounts of distortion, for each of said specified areas; and calculating the coordinate position of said one process area on said fixed coordinate system, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
115 words
An alignment method for aligning each of plural process areas arranged on a substrate to a specified position in a fixed coordinate system defining the position of movement of said substrate, comprising steps of: measuring coordinate positions of specified areas selected in advance from the plural process areas on said substrate; determining plural amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said process areas; determining plural weighting coefficients, corresponding to said plural amounts of distortion, for each of said specified areas; and calculating the coordinate position of said one process area on said fixed coordinate system, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
55 words
An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said step for calculating the coordinate position is adapted to calculate the coordinate position of each of said plural process areas arranged on the substrate on the fixed coordinate system by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
88 words
An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said step for determining the distortion amounts includes: a step for determining other weighting coefficients according to the distances between specified areas on said substrate and said one process area; and a step for determining the coordinate position of said one process area by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of the last-mentioned specified areas, utilizing said other weighting coefficients; and is adapted to calculate the amounts of distortion based on the coordinate position of said one process area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
An alignment method according to claim 3, wherein the specified areas in the step for calculating the coordinate position on said fixed coordinate system are the same as those in the step for determining the coordinate position of said one process area.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said step for determining the amounts of distortion includes a step for determining internal distortion of said one process area by processing of a predetermined coordinate position of said one process area and predetermined coordinate positions of process areas adjacent to said one process area; and is adapted to determine said amounts of distortion by processing internal distortions of a predetermined area of said specified areas, said one process area and another process area positioned between said one of said specified areas and said predetermined process area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
105 words
An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said step of determining the amounts of distortion includes: a step for determining other weighting coefficients corresponding to the distances between a central point of deformation of said substrate and said one process area and between a central point of deformation of said substrate and specified areas; and a step for determining the coordinate position of said one process area by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of the last-mentioned specified areas, utilizing said other weighting coefficients; and is adapted to determine the amounts of distortion based on the coordinate position of said one process area.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
An alignment method according to claim 6, wherein, in said step for determining other weighting coefficients, said central point of deformation of the substrate is an arbitrary point of the substrate, including the actual center thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
113 words
An alignment method for aligning each of plural process areas arranged on a substrate to a specified position in a fixed coordinate system defining the position of movement of said substrate, comprising steps of: measuring coordinate positions of specified areas selected in advance from the plural process areas on said substrate; determining, for each of said specified areas, a weighting coefficient corresponding to an amount of distortion between said specified areas on said substrate and one of said process areas; and calculating the coordinate position of said one of said process areas on said fixed coordinate system, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said weighting coefficients.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
113 words
An alignment method for aligning each of plural process areas arranged on a substrate to a specified position in a fixed coordinate system defining the position of movement of said substrate, comprising steps of: measuring coordinate positions of specified areas selected in advance from the plural process areas on said substrate; determining, for each of said specified areas, a weighting coefficient corresponding to an amount of distortion between said specified areas on said substrate and one of said process areas; and calculating the coordinate position of said one of said process areas on said fixed coordinate system, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said weighting coefficients.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
119 words
An exposure method for exposing each of plural exposure areas on a substrate to an image of a pattern of a mask, comprising steps of: measuring the positions of specified areas selected in advance from said plural exposure areas on said substrate; determining plural amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said exposure areas; determining weighting coefficients, corresponding to said plural amounts of distortion, for each of said specified areas; calculating the coordinate position of said one of said exposure areas by statistical processing of the measured positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients; and moving said substrate based on said one coordinate position and exposing said one exposure area on said substrate.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
119 words
An exposure method for exposing each of plural exposure areas on a substrate to an image of a pattern of a mask, comprising steps of: measuring the positions of specified areas selected in advance from said plural exposure areas on said substrate; determining plural amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said exposure areas; determining weighting coefficients, corresponding to said plural amounts of distortion, for each of said specified areas; calculating the coordinate position of said one of said exposure areas by statistical processing of the measured positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients; and moving said substrate based on said one coordinate position and exposing said one exposure area on said substrate.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
An exposure method according to claim 9, wherein said step for calculating the coordinate position is adapted to calculate the coordinate position of each of said plural exposure areas arranged on the substrate, by statistical processing of the measured positions of said specified areas, utilizing said plural weighting coefficients.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
90 words
An exposure method according to claim 9, wherein said step for determining the amounts of distortion includes: a step for determining other weighting coefficients according to the distances between said specified areas on the substrate and said one exposure area; and a step for determining another coordinate position of said one exposure area by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said other weighting coefficients, and is adapted to calculate the amounts of distortion, based on said another coordinate position of said one exposure area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
An exposure method according to claim 11, wherein the specified areas in the step for calculating the coordinate position of said one exposure area are the same as those in the step for determining another coordinate position of said one exposure area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
101 words
An exposure method according to claim 11, wherein said step for determining the amounts of distortion includes a step for determining internal distortion of said one exposure area by processing of another coordinate position determined in advance of said one exposure area and other coordinate positions, determined in advance, of exposure areas adjacent to said one exposure area; and is adapted to determine said amounts of distortion by processing of the internal distortions of a first of said specified areas, said one exposure area and another exposure area positioned between said first of said specified areas and said one exposure area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
97 words
An exposure method according to claim 11, further comprising: a step for determining other weighting coefficients according to the distances between a central point of deformation of said substrate and said one exposure area and between a central point of deformation of said substrate and said specified areas; and a step for determining another coordinate position of said one exposure area, by statistical processing of the measured coordinate positions of said specified areas, utilizing said other weighting coefficients; and adapted to calculate the amounts of distortion based on said another coordinate position of said one exposure area.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
An exposure method according to claim 14, wherein, in said step for determining said other weighting coefficients, said central point of deformation of said substrate is an arbitray point of the substrate, including the actual center thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
100 words
An alignment method of aligning each of plural process areas on a substrate to a specific position in a static coordinate system defining a position of movement of said substrate, comprising the steps of: statistically calculating coordinate positions, on said static coordinate system, of at least three specified areas among said plural process areas, utilizing weighting coefficients corresponding to amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said plural process areas, so that a coordinate position of said one process area, on said static coordinate system, is determined; and moving said substrate based on said determined coordinate position.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
100 words
An alignment method of aligning each of plural process areas on a substrate to a specific position in a static coordinate system defining a position of movement of said substrate, comprising the steps of: statistically calculating coordinate positions, on said static coordinate system, of at least three specified areas among said plural process areas, utilizing weighting coefficients corresponding to amounts of distortion between said specified areas and one of said plural process areas, so that a coordinate position of said one process area, on said static coordinate system, is determined; and moving said substrate based on said determined coordinate position.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 16, including the step of determining weighting coefficients corresponding to amounts of distortion between said specified areas and each process area and statistically calculating with the determined weighting coefficients, whereby a coordinate position of each of said plural process areas on said static coordinate system is determined.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
80 words
A method according to claim 16, further comprising the step, prior to the statistical calculation, of measuring positions of said specified areas on said static coordinate system, and statistically calculating said measured coordinate positions with weighting coefficients other than the first-mentioned weighting coefficients, so that coordinate positions of said process areas are determined; and calculating said amounts of distortion based on the determined coordinate positions, whereby the first-mentioned weighting coefficients are determined in accordance with the calculated amounts of distortion.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1999-02-19 | 1999-08-21 | 2000-02-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2003-02-19 | 2003-08-21 | 2004-02-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2007-02-19 | 2007-08-21 | 2008-02-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |