US5699145A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Scanning type exposure apparatus
Assignee: Nikon Corp
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Filing: 1995-06-05
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Granted: 1997-12-16
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Expires: 2015-06-05
Abstract
Abstract A scanning type exposure apparatus includes a mask stage which can move a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage which can move a substrate, onto which a pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along the scanning direction; a fine movement stage which is arranged on one of the mask stage and the substrate stage, and is movable along the scanning direction relative to the one stage; a first measuring device for detecting the position, along the scanning direction, of the fine movement stage; a second measuring device for detecting the position, along the scanning direction, of the other one of the mask stage and the substrate stage; a speed controller for controlling the ratio between the speeds of the mask stage and the substrate stage to a predetermined value while the pattern on the mask is scanning-exposed on the substrate; and a control device for controlling the position of the fine movement stage in accordance with the difference between the position measured by the first measuring device and the position measured by the second measuring device during the scanning exposure.
Inventors
- 👤 Susumu Makinouchi
- 👤 Toshio Ueda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 18:29
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70358; G03F7/70691; G03F7/70716; G03F7/70725; G03F7/70775
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage for moving a substrate, onto which a pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; a fine movement stage arranged on one of said mask stage and said substrate stage, to be movable along said scanning direction relative to said one of said mask stage and said substrate stage; a detection device for detecting a speed difference between said mask stage and said substrate stage during a scanning exposure; and a control device for feedforward-controlling said fine movement stage based on said detected speed difference.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage for moving a substrate, onto which a pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; a fine movement stage arranged on one of said mask stage and said substrate stage, to be movable along said scanning direction relative to said one of said mask stage and said substrate stage; a detection device for detecting a speed difference between said mask stage and said substrate stage during a scanning exposure; and a control device for feedforward-controlling said fine movement stage based on said detected speed difference.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said fine movement stage holds said mask and is movable along said scanning direction relative to said mask stage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a projection optical system for projecting an image of the pattern on said mask onto said substrate; and a driving device for driving said mask stage and said substrate stage at a speed ratio corresponding to a projection magnification of said projection optical system during said scanning exposure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
56 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said detection device comprises two measuring devices for respectively measuring the positions of said mask stage and said substrate stage along said scanning direction, and a circuit for calculating a speed difference between said mask stage and said substrate stage based on output signals from said two measuring devices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
83 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage unit for moving a substrate, onto which a pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; and a speed controller for feedforward-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit based on a difference between speeds of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during a scanning exposure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
83 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage unit for moving a substrate, onto which a pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; and a speed controller for feedforward-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit based on a difference between speeds of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during a scanning exposure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
133 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage unit for moving a substrate, onto which pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; a first controller for feedback-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit using a signal corresponding to a positional displacement between said portion and the other of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during a scanning exposure; and a second controller for feedforward-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit using a signal corresponding to a speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during the scanning exposure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
133 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for moving a mask along a predetermined scanning direction; a substrate stage unit for moving a substrate, onto which pattern on the mask is to be transferred, along said scanning direction; a first controller for feedback-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit using a signal corresponding to a positional displacement between said portion and the other of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during a scanning exposure; and a second controller for feedforward-controlling at least a portion of one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit using a signal corresponding to a speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit during the scanning exposure.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said mask stage unit includes a mask stage and a fine movement stage, said fine movement stage being movable along said scanning direction relative to said mask stage, and wherein said controller feedforward-controls said fine movement stage.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a filter for eliminating mechanical resonance frequency components of said fine movement stage.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
95 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for holding and moving a mask on which a pattern is formed; a substrate stage unit for holding and moving a substrate onto which the pattern of said mask is to be transferred; and a controlling device for controlling said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit so as to perform synchronous movement of said mask and said substrate, said controlling device including a speed command producing device for producing a speed command to said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit in parallel.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
95 words
A scanning exposure apparatus comprising: a mask stage unit for holding and moving a mask on which a pattern is formed; a substrate stage unit for holding and moving a substrate onto which the pattern of said mask is to be transferred; and a controlling device for controlling said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit so as to perform synchronous movement of said mask and said substrate, said controlling device including a speed command producing device for producing a speed command to said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit in parallel.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said synchronous movement is synchronous relative movement of said mask and said substrate.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit includes a fine movement stage moveable along a direction of said relative movement.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
76 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a measuring device for measuring a positional displacement between said fine movement stage and the other of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit which does not include said fine movement stage; and an adjusting device for adjusting a position of said fine movement stage along said direction of said relative movement based on a positional displacement measured by said measuring device during said relative movement.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising: a detection device for detecting a speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit; and an adjusting device for adjusting position of said fine movement stage along said direction of said relative movement based on a speed difference detected by said detection device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
An apparatus according to claim 13, wherein said adjusting device includes: a speed command circuit for producing a speed command signal to said fine movement stage based on a detected speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit; and a filter for eliminating predetermined frequency components from said speed command signal.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said filter is a notch filter or a band elimination filter.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a filter for eliminating a mechanical resonance frequency of said fine movement stage.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said filter is a notch filter or a band elimination filter.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of scanning exposure which comprises the steps of: performing scanning movement, along a predetermined direction, of a mask stage unit holding a mask on which a pattern is formed and a substrate stage unit holding a substrate onto which the pattern is transferred; detecting a speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit; and controlling, based on the detected speed difference, a fine movement stage which is provided on one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of scanning exposure which comprises the steps of: performing scanning movement, along a predetermined direction, of a mask stage unit holding a mask on which a pattern is formed and a substrate stage unit holding a substrate onto which the pattern is transferred; detecting a speed difference between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit; and controlling, based on the detected speed difference, a fine movement stage which is provided on one of said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method according to claim 18, wherein said scanning movement is a relative movement between said mask stage unit and said substrate stage unit along said predetermined direction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 19, wherein said fine movement stage is moveable along said predetermined direction, and wherein said controlling is a feedforward-controlling.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 18, including a step of eliminating a mechanical resonance frequency of said fine movement stage.
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) | 2000-12-15 | 2001-06-16 | 2001-12-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-12-15 | 2005-06-16 | 2005-12-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-12-15 | 2009-06-16 | 2009-12-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |