Alignment method and apparatus

Claim 2

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first member and a second mark on a second member, said alignment method comprising steps of: irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies to said first and second marks, respectively; photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; comparing a phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 3

An alignment method according to claim 1, further including a pre-alignment sensor for detecting relative positional displacement between said first and second marks, wherein the relative position between said first and second marks is adjusted on the basis of detected results by said pre-alignment sensor so that the amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches said predetermined value.

Claim 4

An alignment method according to claim 1, said adjusting operation is initiated after an irradiation region of said two coherent light beams which are irradiated on said substrate overlaps with said substrate marks more than a predetermined degree.

Claim 5

An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said second mark differs in size from the irradiation region of said two coherent light beams irradiated to said substrate by 2ΔL 1 in a measuring direction in which gratings constituting said second mark are arranged, and by 2ΔL 2 in a non-measuring direction which is perpendicular to said measuring direction, so that said irradiation region and said second mark overlap each other more than said predetermined degree when an amount of displacement between a center of said second mark and a center of said irradiation region reaches a value within ±ΔL 1 in the measuring direction and a value within ±ΔL 2 in the non-measuring direction.

Claim 6

An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said first mark is a diffraction grating-shaped mark.

Claim 7

An alignment method according to claim 1, wherein said substrate mark is a diffraction grating-shaped mark.

Claim 8

An alignment method according to claim 4, wherein said substrate mark is a diffraction grating-shaped mark.

Claim 9

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first member and a second mark on a second member and a second mark on a second member, said alignment method comprising: a first step of pre-aligning the relative position of said first mark and said second mark; a second step of irradiating alignment lights to said first and second marks, respectively; a third step of photoelectrically converting light returned from said second mark to obtain photoelectric signal; a fourth step of adjusting the magnitude of said photoelectric signal; and a fifth step of bringing the amount of relative displacement between said first and second marks close to a predetermined target value on the basis of said photoelectric signal.

Claim 10

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first member and a second mark on a second member and a second mark on a second member, said alignment method comprising: a first step of pre-aligning the relative position of said first mark and said second mark; a second step of irradiating alignment lights to said first and second marks, respectively; a third step of photoelectrically converting light returned from said second mark to obtain photoelectric signal; a fourth step of adjusting the magnitude of said photoelectric signal; and a fifth step of bringing the amount of relative displacement between said first and second marks close to a predetermined target value on the basis of said photoelectric signal.

Claim 11

An alignment apparatus for adjusting a relative position between a first mark formed on a reticle and a second mark formed on a substrate, said alignment apparatus comprising: an alignment system for irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to said first and second marks and photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; an adjusting device for adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; a comparator for comparing the phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and a controller for initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 12

An alignment apparatus for adjusting a relative position between a first mark formed on a reticle and a second mark formed on a substrate, said alignment apparatus comprising: an alignment system for irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to said first and second marks and photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; an adjusting device for adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; a comparator for comparing the phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and a controller for initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 13

An exposure method for projecting a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure method comprising steps of: irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to a first mark formed on said mask and a second mark formed on said substrate, respectively; photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; comparing a phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 14

An exposure method for projecting a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure method comprising steps of: irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to a first mark formed on said mask and a second mark formed on said substrate, respectively; photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; comparing a phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 15

An exposure method according to claim 10, wherein said first mark is a mask mark formed on said mask.

Claim 16

An exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: an alignment system for irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to said first mark formed on said mask and second mark formed on said substrate and photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; an adjusting device for adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; a comparator for comparing the phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and a controller for initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 17

An exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern on a mask onto a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: an alignment system for irradiating two coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other to said first mark formed on said mask and second mark formed on said substrate and photoelectrically converting heterodyne beams produced by said first and second marks, respectively, to obtain first and second beat signals; an adjusting device for adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor; a comparator for comparing the phase difference between said first beat signal and said adjusted second beat signal; and a controller for initiating an adjusting operation of said second beat signal when the relative position between said first mark and said second mark is adjusted and before an amount of displacement between said first and second marks reaches a predetermined value.

Claim 18

An exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first mark is a mask mark formed on said mask.

Claim 19

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first object and a second mark on a second object, said alignment method comprising: roughly aligning said first and second objects; irradiating two coherent light beams to said first mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; irradiating two coherent light beams to said second mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said first mark to obtain a first beat signal; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said second mark to obtain a second beat signal; detecting a phase difference between said first beat signal and the adjusted second beat signal; adjusting relative positions between said first and second objects based on said phase difference; and adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor after initiation of rough alignment of said first and second objects and before detection of said phase difference.

Claim 20

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first object and a second mark on a second object, said alignment method comprising: roughly aligning said first and second objects; irradiating two coherent light beams to said first mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; irradiating two coherent light beams to said second mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said first mark to obtain a first beat signal; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said second mark to obtain a second beat signal; detecting a phase difference between said first beat signal and the adjusted second beat signal; adjusting relative positions between said first and second objects based on said phase difference; and adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor after initiation of rough alignment of said first and second objects and before detection of said phase difference.

Claim 21

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first object and a second mark on a second object, said alignment method comprising: irradiating two coherent light beams to said first mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; irradiating two coherent light beams to said second mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said second mark to obtain a second beat signal; detecting a phase difference between said first beat signal and the adjusted second beat signal; adjusting relative positions between said first and second objects based on said phase difference; and adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor by using said second beat signal from said second object before detection of said phase difference.

Claim 22

An alignment method for adjusting a relative position between a first mark on a first object and a second mark on a second object, said alignment method comprising: irradiating two coherent light beams to said first mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; irradiating two coherent light beams to said second mark in two different directions, said two light beams having different frequencies, respectively; photoelectrically converting a heterodyne beam produced by said second mark to obtain a second beat signal; detecting a phase difference between said first beat signal and the adjusted second beat signal; adjusting relative positions between said first and second objects based on said phase difference; and adjusting said second beat signal with a variable amplification factor by using said second beat signal from said second object before detection of said phase difference.