Patent · US Expired

Exposure method and apparatus

US5448332A · kind A · utility

419Cited by
32References
38Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateNov 21, 1994
Grant dateSep 5, 1995
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 21, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG03F9/7026
  • WIPO fieldOptics
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

An apparatus for exposing a pattern, formed on a mask, on each of a plurality of partitioned areas on a photosensitive substrate by a step-and-repeat scheme includes a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the mask on the photosensitive substrate, a substrate stage for holding the photosensitive substrate and two-dimensionally moving the photosensitive substrate within a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system, a detection unit for projecting a pattern image having a predetermined shape on the photosensitive substrate and photoelectrically detecting light reflected by the photosensitive substrate to detect a position at each of a plurality of points on the photosensitive substrate along the optical axis of the projection optical system, and a measurement unit for, when each of a plurality of measurement points in a partitioned area on which a pattern of the mask is to be exposed next coincides with or approaches the pattern image, detecting an offset amount between an imaging plane of the projection optical system and the next partitioned area along the optical axis during a stepping operation of the substrate stage, wherein the im…

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