Projection exposure apparatus and method in which mask stage is moved to provide alignment with a moving wafer stage

Claim 2

An exposure apparatus for positioning, for each shot provided on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said wafer and also for exposing said pattern on said wafer, comprising: a wafer stage carrying said wafer and movable stepwise for said each shot; a mask stage carrying said mask and movable; a stage control unit, connected to said wafer stage and said mask stage, which makes relative positioning between said wafer and said pattern of said mask and maintains said relative positioning, said stage control unit moving said mask stage to make said relative positioning before said wafer stage is positioned within a predetermined allowable range; and an exposure control unit, connected to said stage control unit, which performs exposure while said relative positioning is maintained.

Claim 3

The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said exposure control unit is for performing said exposure when said wafer stage is set at a position in a range corresponding to moving characteristics of said mask stage.

Claim 4

An exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said mask stage and said wafer stage is mechanically connected to said stage control unit.

Claim 5

A projection exposure apparatus for positioning, for each shot provided on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said wafer and also for exposing said pattern on said wafer, comprising: a wafer stage carrying said wafer and movable stepwise two-dimensionally; wafer stage position detecting means for detecting a position of said wafer stage; a mask stage carrying said mask and movable two-dimensionally; mask stage position detecting means for detecting a position of said mask stage; a projection optical system for projecting an image of said pattern of said mask on said wafer; first control means for moving stepwise said wafer stage to a predetermined position defined by said each shot; memory means for memorizing moving characteristics of said wafer stage according to which said mask stage is moved for said each shot; second control means for starting moving of said mask stage at a position of said wafer stage separated by a predetermined length from a predetermined position at which said wafer stage is to be positioned before said wafer stage stops at said predetermined position and also for initiating servo control of said mask stage and said wafer stage when said wafer stage substantially coincides with said mask stage; and exposure control means for initiating exposure substantially in synchronism with said servo control before said wafer stage completely stops at said predetermined position of said wafer stage.

Claim 6

A projection exposure apparatus for positioning, for each shot provided on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said wafer and also for exposing said pattern on said wafer, comprising: a wafer stage carrying said wafer and movable stepwise two-dimensionally; wafer stage position detecting means for detecting a position of said wafer stage; a mask stage carrying said mask and movable two-dimensionally; mask stage position detecting means for detecting a position of said mask stage; a projection optical system for projecting an image of said pattern of said mask on said wafer; first control means for moving stepwise said wafer stage to a predetermined position defined by said each shot; memory means for memorizing moving characteristics of said wafer stage according to which said mask stage is moved for said each shot; second control means for starting moving of said mask stage at a position of said wafer stage separated by a predetermined length from a predetermined position at which said wafer stage is to be positioned before said wafer stage stops at said predetermined position and also for initiating servo control of said mask stage and said wafer stage when said wafer stage substantially coincides with said mask stage; and exposure control means for initiating exposure substantially in synchronism with said servo control before said wafer stage completely stops at said predetermined position of said wafer stage.

Claim 7

The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein: said memory means is for memorizing drive parameters of said mask stage which are determined by a moving characteristic of said wafer stage per shot and deviation tolerance of said wafer stage from said predetermined position which deviation tolerance correspond to said moving characteristics of said mask stage; and said exposure control means is for performing said exposure when said wafer stage comes to a position deviated by less than deviation tolerance from said predetermined position before said wafer stage arrives at said predetermined position.

Claim 8

The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said drive parameters are changeable.

Claim 9

The apparatus according to claim 6, said drive parameters allow said deviation tolerance to be changeable.

Claim 10

An exposure method of positioning, for each shot on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said wafer and exposing said pattern on said wafer, comprising: moving said masks, before said wafer stops at a predetermined exposure position when moving said wafer to said predetermined exposure position, in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of said wafer; and making relative positioning between said wafer and said pattern of said mask before said wafer stops and performing an exposure.

Claim 11

An exposure method of positioning, for each shot on a wafer, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said wafer and exposing said pattern on said wafer, comprising: moving said masks, before said wafer stops at a predetermined exposure position when moving said wafer to said predetermined exposure position, in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of said wafer; and making relative positioning between said wafer and said pattern of said mask before said wafer stops and performing an exposure.

Claim 12

The method according to claim 8, wherein said exposure is performed when said wafer is positioned in a range corresponding to a moving characteristic of said mask.

Claim 13

An exposure method according to claim 8, wherein said pattern is projected onto said wafer by a projection optical system having a predetermined magnification.

Claim 14

An exposure method according to claim 10, wherein said mask is moved in accordance with the magnification of said projection optical system.

Claim 15

An exposure method according to claim 8, wherein said exposure is effected under a step-and-repeat operation scheme.

Claim 16

A wafer on which said pattern has been exposed by the method according to claim 8.

Claim 17

An exposure method of exposing a pattern of a mask on a substrate, comprising of: mounting said substrate on a substrate stage which is movable stepwise two-dimensionally; mounting said mask on a mask stage which is movable two-dimensionally; stepwise moving said substrate stage to a predetermined position for each shot; moving said mask stage based on a moving characteristic of said substrate stage; making servo control of said mask stage and said substrate stage; and initiating exposure substantially in synchronism with said servo control.

Claim 18

An exposure method of exposing a pattern of a mask on a substrate, comprising of: mounting said substrate on a substrate stage which is movable stepwise two-dimensionally; mounting said mask on a mask stage which is movable two-dimensionally; stepwise moving said substrate stage to a predetermined position for each shot; moving said mask stage based on a moving characteristic of said substrate stage; making servo control of said mask stage and said substrate stage; and initiating exposure substantially in synchronism with said servo control.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 14, further comprising the step of moving said mask stage in a direction of deviation of said substrate stage from said predetermined position based on a moving characteristic of said substrate stage per shot and deviation tolerance between said substrate stage and said predetermined position, said deviation tolerance being defined by a moving characteristic of said mask stage.

Claim 20

The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of interrupting said exposure when said deviation of said substrate stage exceeds said deviation tolerance.

Claim 21

An alignment method for conducting alignment between a mask and a substrate method, comprising: driving at least one of a mask stage and a substrate stage in such a manner that a quantity of a positional displacement between said mask and said substrate reaches a predetermined aimed value; and judging the end of a positioning process when an average value of a deviation of the quantity of the positional displacement between said mask and said substrate with respect to said predetermined aimed value falls within a first allowable range and a scatter of said deviation falls within a second allowable range.

Claim 22

An alignment method for conducting alignment between a mask and a substrate method, comprising: driving at least one of a mask stage and a substrate stage in such a manner that a quantity of a positional displacement between said mask and said substrate reaches a predetermined aimed value; and judging the end of a positioning process when an average value of a deviation of the quantity of the positional displacement between said mask and said substrate with respect to said predetermined aimed value falls within a first allowable range and a scatter of said deviation falls within a second allowable range.

Claim 23

An alignment method according to claim 17, wherein said first allowable range and said second allowable range are set in accordance with an exposure time for said substrate.

Claim 24

An alignment method according to claim 17, wherein the end of the positioning process is judged when the deviation of the quantity of the positional displacement between said mask and said substrate with respect to said predetermined aimed value has a tendency to be further converged.

Claim 25

In an exposure apparatus including a mask stage for holding a mask formed with a transfer pattern and a substrate stage movable in a two-dimensional plane, for holding a substrate on which said transfer pattern is exposed, said exposure apparatus being for exposing said transfer pattern on each exposure area on said substrate by driving said substrate stage and positioning said exposure area on said substrate to an exposure position of said transfer pattern, said exposure apparatus further comprising: moving system unit for moving said mask stage in directions in which said substrate stage is moved; substrate stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said substrate stage; mask stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said mask stage; first driving system unit for driving said substrate stage to an aimed position to set said exposure area on said substrate to an exposure position; calculating system unit for adding a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said position of said substrate stage measured by said substrate side position detecting system unit to a difference between an initial aimed position of said mask stage and said position of said mask stage measured by said mask stage side position detecting system unit to obtain an aimed position of said mask stage; second driving system unit for driving said mask stage to said aimed position of said mask stage; and exposing system unit for exposing said transfer pattern on said substrate when a difference between said aimed position of said mask stage and said position of said mask stage measured by said mask stage side position detecting system unit is smaller than a predetermined tolerance.

Claim 26

In an exposure apparatus including a mask stage for holding a mask formed with a transfer pattern and a substrate stage movable in a two-dimensional plane, for holding a substrate on which said transfer pattern is exposed, said exposure apparatus being for exposing said transfer pattern on each exposure area on said substrate by driving said substrate stage and positioning said exposure area on said substrate to an exposure position of said transfer pattern, said exposure apparatus further comprising: moving system unit for moving said mask stage in directions in which said substrate stage is moved; substrate stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said substrate stage; mask stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said mask stage; first driving system unit for driving said substrate stage to an aimed position to set said exposure area on said substrate to an exposure position; calculating system unit for adding a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said position of said substrate stage measured by said substrate side position detecting system unit to a difference between an initial aimed position of said mask stage and said position of said mask stage measured by said mask stage side position detecting system unit to obtain an aimed position of said mask stage; second driving system unit for driving said mask stage to said aimed position of said mask stage; and exposing system unit for exposing said transfer pattern on said substrate when a difference between said aimed position of said mask stage and said position of said mask stage measured by said mask stage side position detecting system unit is smaller than a predetermined tolerance.

Claim 27

The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising starting system unit for causing said second driving system unit to start drive of said mask stage when a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said position of said substrate stage measured by said substrate stage side position detecting system unit is in said predetermined tolerance.

Claim 28

The apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising starting system unit for causing said second driving system unit to start drive of said mask stage when a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said position of said substrate stage measured by said substrate stage side position detecting system unit is first reduced to zero.

Claim 29

In an exposure apparatus including a mask stage for holding a mask formed with a transfer pattern and a substrate stage movable in a two-dimensional plane, for holding a substrate on which said transfer pattern is exposed, said exposure apparatus being for exposing said transfer pattern on each exposure area on said substrate by driving said substrate stage and positioning said exposure area on said substrate at an exposure position of said transfer pattern, said exposure apparatus further comprising: moving system unit for moving said mask stage in directions in which said substrate stage is moved; substrate stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said substrate stage; first driving system unit for driving said substrate stage to an aimed position to set said exposure area to an exposure position; alignment system unit for detecting a positional displacement between said transfer pattern and said exposure area on said substrate; second driving system unit for driving said mask stage to reduce said positional displacement detected by said alignment system unit; and exposing system unit for exposing said transfer pattern on said substrate when said positional displacement is smaller than a predetermined tolerance.

Claim 30

In an exposure apparatus including a mask stage for holding a mask formed with a transfer pattern and a substrate stage movable in a two-dimensional plane, for holding a substrate on which said transfer pattern is exposed, said exposure apparatus being for exposing said transfer pattern on each exposure area on said substrate by driving said substrate stage and positioning said exposure area on said substrate at an exposure position of said transfer pattern, said exposure apparatus further comprising: moving system unit for moving said mask stage in directions in which said substrate stage is moved; substrate stage side position detecting system unit for detecting a position of said substrate stage; first driving system unit for driving said substrate stage to an aimed position to set said exposure area to an exposure position; alignment system unit for detecting a positional displacement between said transfer pattern and said exposure area on said substrate; second driving system unit for driving said mask stage to reduce said positional displacement detected by said alignment system unit; and exposing system unit for exposing said transfer pattern on said substrate when said positional displacement is smaller than a predetermined tolerance.

Claim 33

The method according to claim 24, wherein said moving of said mask stage is initiated after a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said present position of said substrate stage is in a predetermined allowance.

Claim 34

The method according to claim 24, wherein said moving of said mask stage is initiated after a substrate stage error which is a difference between said aimed position of said substrate stage and said present position of said substrate stage first crosses zero.

Claim 37

An exposure apparatus for exposing an image of a pattern of a mask to a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: a first moving device which moves a mask stage which carries said mask; a first detecting system, optically connected to said mask stage, which detects a position of said mask stage; a second moving device which moves a substrate stage which carries said substrate; a second detecting system, optically connected to said substrate stage, which detects a position of said substrate stage; and a control unit, connected to said first and second detecting systems, which causes said mask stage and said substrate stage to move in directions opposite to each other before said mask stage and said substrate stage stop at their respective exposure positions, and performs an exposure when an alignment error which is a difference between said mask and said substrate falls within an allowance.

Claim 38

An exposure apparatus for exposing an image of a pattern of a mask to a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: a first moving device which moves a mask stage which carries said mask; a first detecting system, optically connected to said mask stage, which detects a position of said mask stage; a second moving device which moves a substrate stage which carries said substrate; a second detecting system, optically connected to said substrate stage, which detects a position of said substrate stage; and a control unit, connected to said first and second detecting systems, which causes said mask stage and said substrate stage to move in directions opposite to each other before said mask stage and said substrate stage stop at their respective exposure positions, and performs an exposure when an alignment error which is a difference between said mask and said substrate falls within an allowance.

Claim 39

An exposure apparatus according to claim 28, further comprising: a protection system which is disposed between said mask and said substrate, and which projects said pattern of said mask onto said substrate.

Claim 40

An exposure apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said control unit controls said mask stage based on a magnification of said projection system.

Claim 41

An exposure apparatus according to claim 29, wherein said projection system projects said pattern optically.

Claim 42

An exposure apparatus for exposing an image of a pattern of a mask to a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: a first moving device which moves a mask stage which carries said mask; a first detecting system, optically connected to said mask stage, which detects a position of said mask stage; a second moving device which moves a substrate stage which carries said substrate; a second detecting system, optically connected to said substrate stage, which detects a position of said substrate stage; a controller, connected to said first and second detecting systems, which controls said mask stage via said first moving device in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of said substrate stage so that an error of a relative position between sail mask and said substrate is reduced; and an exposure control unit which performs said exposure while moving said mask stage and said substrate stage, in response to a control of said controller.

Claim 43

An exposure apparatus for exposing an image of a pattern of a mask to a substrate, said exposure apparatus comprising: a first moving device which moves a mask stage which carries said mask; a first detecting system, optically connected to said mask stage, which detects a position of said mask stage; a second moving device which moves a substrate stage which carries said substrate; a second detecting system, optically connected to said substrate stage, which detects a position of said substrate stage; a controller, connected to said first and second detecting systems, which controls said mask stage via said first moving device in a direction opposite to a direction of movement of said substrate stage so that an error of a relative position between sail mask and said substrate is reduced; and an exposure control unit which performs said exposure while moving said mask stage and said substrate stage, in response to a control of said controller.

Claim 44

An exposure apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising: a projection system which is disposed between said mask and said substrate, and which projects said pattern of said mask onto said substrate.

Claim 45

An exposure apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said controller controls said mask stage based on a magnification of said projection system.

Claim 46

An exposure apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said projection system projects said pattern optically.

Claim 47

An exposure apparatus according to claim 32, wherein said exposure apparatus is a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus.

Claim 48

An exposure apparatus according to claim 28, wherein said exposure apparatus is a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus.

Claim 49

An alignment apparatus, mounted on a projection exposure apparatus for projecting an image through a projection optical system for an on-mask transfer pattern onto a photosensitive substrate placed on a two-dimensionally-movable substrate stage, for aligning the substrate with the mask, said apparatus comprising: a sensor for detecting a relative positional deviation quantity between the mask and the substrate; and a calculator for sequentially obtaining an average value, per predetermined time, of the relative positional deviation quantity detected by said sensor, wherein when the average value falls within a predetermined allowable range, it is determined that a positioning process is completed.

Claim 50

An alignment apparatus, mounted on a projection exposure apparatus for projecting an image through a projection optical system for an on-mask transfer pattern onto a photosensitive substrate placed on a two-dimensionally-movable substrate stage, for aligning the substrate with the mask, said apparatus comprising: a sensor for detecting a relative positional deviation quantity between the mask and the substrate; and a calculator for sequentially obtaining an average value, per predetermined time, of the relative positional deviation quantity detected by said sensor, wherein when the average value falls within a predetermined allowable range, it is determined that a positioning process is completed.

Claim 51

The alignment apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said sensor has: a mask-side laser interferometer for detecting a moving quantity of a mask stage mounted with the mask; a substrate-side laser interferometer for detecting a moving quantity of a substrate stage; and said sensor obtaining a difference between a measured value of said mask-side laser interferometer and a mask-side converted measured value of said substrate-side laser interferometer.

Claim 52

The alignment apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said sensor is an alignment system for detecting a positional deviation quantity between an alignment mark formed on the mask and an alignment mark formed on the substrate through the projection optical system.

Claim 53

The alignment apparatus according to claim 38, wherein said sensor is an alignment system based on a heterodyne interference method, said alignment system comprising: an irradiation optical system for irradiating a diffraction grating alignment mark formed on the mask and a diffraction grating alignment mark formed on the substrate with a couple of light beams having frequencies different from each other; photoelectric detector for generating mask-side beat signals and substrate-side beat signals by converting heterodyne beams respectively generated by the diffractions at the mask-side alignment mark and the substrate-side alignment mark; and phase comparing system for detecting a phase difference between the mask-side beat signal and the substrate-side beat signal.

Claim 54

An alignment apparatus, mounted on a projection exposure apparatus for projecting an image through a projection optical system for an on-mask transfer pattern onto a photosensitive substrate placed on a two-dimensionally-movable substrate stage, for aligning the substrate with the mask, said apparatus comprising: a sensor for detecting a relative positional deviation quantity between a mask and a substrate; and a calculator for sequentially obtaining a scatter and an average value, per predetermined time, of the relative positional deviation quantity detected by said sensor, wherein when the average value falls within a predetermined allowable range, and when the scatter comes to a predetermined allowable value or under, it is determined that the positioning process is completed.

Claim 55

An alignment apparatus, mounted on a projection exposure apparatus for projecting an image through a projection optical system for an on-mask transfer pattern onto a photosensitive substrate placed on a two-dimensionally-movable substrate stage, for aligning the substrate with the mask, said apparatus comprising: a sensor for detecting a relative positional deviation quantity between a mask and a substrate; and a calculator for sequentially obtaining a scatter and an average value, per predetermined time, of the relative positional deviation quantity detected by said sensor, wherein when the average value falls within a predetermined allowable range, and when the scatter comes to a predetermined allowable value or under, it is determined that the positioning process is completed.

Claim 56

The alignment apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said sensor has: a mask-side laser interferometer for detecting a moving quantity of a mask stage mounted with the mask; a substrate-side laser interferometer for detecting a moving quantity of a substrate stage; and said sensor obtaining a difference between a measured value of said mask-side laser interferometer and a mask-side converted measured value of said substrate-side laser interferometer.

Claim 57

The alignment apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said sensor is an alignment system for detecting a positional deviation quantity between an alignment mark formed on the mask and an alignment mark formed on the substrate through the projection optical system.

Claim 58

The alignment apparatus according to claim 42, wherein said sensor is an alignment system based on a heterodyne interference method, said alignment system comprising: an irradiation optical system for irradiating a diffraction grating alignment mark formed on the mask and a diffraction grating alignment mark formed on the substrate with a couple of light beams having frequencies different from each other; photoelectric detector for generating mask-side beat signals and substrate-side beat signals by converting heterodyne beams respectively generated by the diffractions at the mask-side alignment mark and the substrate-side alignment mark; and phase comparing system for detecting a phase difference between the mask-side beat signal and the substrate-side beat signal.

Claim 59

An exposure method of positioning, for each shot provided on a substrate, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said substrate and also of exposing said pattern on said substrate, comprising the steps of: moving said substrate to perform positioning of said substrate, when moving said mask before said substrate is positioned within a predetermined allowable range to make relative positioning between said pattern of said mask and said substrate; and initiating an exposure while moving said mask and said substrate.

Claim 60

An exposure method of positioning, for each shot provided on a substrate, a pattern formed on a mask with respect to said substrate and also of exposing said pattern on said substrate, comprising the steps of: moving said substrate to perform positioning of said substrate, when moving said mask before said substrate is positioned within a predetermined allowable range to make relative positioning between said pattern of said mask and said substrate; and initiating an exposure while moving said mask and said substrate.

Claim 61

An exposure method according to claim 46, wherein the movement of said mask is performed during a deceleration of said substrate.

Claim 64

A method according to claim 48, further comprising: providing a projection system which is disposed between said mask stage and said object stage, and which projects said pattern of said task onto said object.

Claim 65

A method according to claim 49, wherein said control unit controls said mask stage based on a magnification of said projection system via said first moving device.

Claim 66

A method according to claim 49, wherein said projection system projects said pattern optically.

Claim 67

A method according to claim 48, wherein said exposure apparatus is a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus.

Claim 68

An object on which said pattern has been transferred by an exposure apparatus manufactured by the method according to claim 48.