Patent · US Expired

Alignment method

US4811059A · kind A · utility

11Cited by
3References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 2, 1987
Grant dateMar 7, 1989
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 2, 2007

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F9/70
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An improved alignment method usable in a step-and-repeat type alignment and exposure apparatus for photolighographically transferring images of a pattern of a reticle onto different shot areas on a semiconductor wafer, for manufacture of semiconductor devices. According to this method, the alignment is executed with respect to an X direction, a Y direction and a rotational direction parallel to a plane containing the X and Y directions. With regard to the rotational direction, positional deviation of the wafer as a whole with respect to the reticle is measured and corrected prior to the initiation of the step-and-repeat photoprinting. With regard to the X and Y directions, detection and correction of any deviation are executed for each of the shot areas of the wafer. By this, high-accuracy and high-speed alignment is attainable for all the shot areas of the wafer.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.