Abstract: A surface shape measuring apparatus includes an illumination system and a light receiving system. The illumination system splits wide-band light from a light source into measurement light and reference light, illuminates the measurement light to obliquely enter a surface of the film, and illuminates the reference light to obliquely enter a reference mirror. The light receiving system combines the measurement light reflected by the surface of the film and the reference light reflected by the reference mirror with each other and introduces the combined light to a photoelectric conversion element. An incident angle of the measurement light upon the surface of the film and an incident angle of the reference light upon the reference mirror are each larger than the Brewster's angle. S-polarized light and p-polarized light included in the measurement light entering a surface of the substrate have equal intensity on the photoelectric conversion element.

Abstract: A mold capable of a highly accurate alignment with a member to be processed in such a state that a photocurable resin material is disposed between the mold and the member to be processed, and is constituted by a substrate 2010 formed of a first material and an alignment mark 2102 formed of a second material different from the first material. The first material and the second material have transmissivities to light in a part of an ultraviolet wavelength range. The second material has a refractive index of not less than 1.7.

Abstract: A mold capable of a highly accurate alignment with a member to be processed in such a state that a photocurable resin material is disposed between the mold and the member to be processed, and is constituted by a substrate 2010 formed of a first material and an alignment mark 2102 formed of a second material different from the first material. The first material and the second material have transmissivities to light in a part of an ultraviolet wavelength range. The second material has a refractive index of not less than 1.7.

Abstract: An alignment method is provided in which a substrate including first and second layers is aligned in forming a second pattern in the second layer. The method includes storing first alignment measurement data to be used in alignment performed in forming a first pattern and a second alignment mark in the second layer, the first alignment measurement data obtained by measuring a first alignment mark provided in the first layer; obtaining second alignment measurement data by measuring the second alignment mark through a resist applied over the second layer; obtaining third alignment measurement data by measuring the first alignment mark through the resist; and performing alignment of the substrate in accordance with a first difference between the first and second alignment measurement data, or in accordance with the first difference and a second difference between the first and third alignment measurement data.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus, comprising a first holder for holding a mold having an imprint pattern; a second holder for holding a workpiece to which the imprint pattern is transferred; a first illumination system for irradiating a mark for determining a position of the mold and a mark for determining a position of the workpiece with light; a first and second optical systems for imaging the marks for the mold and workpiece at a first and second observation points respectively; an imaging optical system; a first and second image pick-up devices for observing the marks for the mold and workpiece respectively; and at least one of a first drive mechanism for moving the first image pick-up device while following movement of the first observation point and a second drive mechanism for moving the second image pick-up device while following movement of the second observation point.

Abstract: In an alignment method for effecting alignment between two plate-like objects, a first plate-like object provided with a first alignment mark and a second plate-like object provide with a second alignment mark are disposed opposite to each other. A first area and a second area are provided at mutually nonoverlapping positions in an image pickup area for being observed through an image pickup device. Images of the first and second alignment marks are picked up by the image pickup device from a direction substantially perpendicular to an in-plane direction of the first and second plate-like objects. Alignment control is effected by using first information about a deviation of the first alignment mark from a predetermined position in the first area and second information about a deviation of the second alignment mark from a predetermined position in the second area.

Abstract: A gap measuring method for measuring a gap between two members by irradiating the two members with light is constituted by preparing a first member and a second member which are disposed opposite to each other; irradiating the first member and the second member with light from one member side to obtain spectral data about intensity of reflected light or transmitted light from the other member side; and determining a gap between the first member and the second member by comparing the obtained spectral data with a database in which a gap length and an intensity spectrum are correlated with each other.

Abstract: A mold capable of effecting alignment of the mold and the member to be processed with high accuracy even in such a state that a photocurable resin material is disposed between the mold and the member to be processed is constituted by a substrate 2010 formed of a first material and an alignment mark 2102 formed of a second material different from the first material. The first material and the second material have transmittivities to light in a part of an ultraviolet wavelength range of the ultraviolet light. The second material has a refractive index of not less than 1.7.

Abstract: An apparatus measures a surface position of an object. The apparatus includes an array of members, each of which comprises a probe for an atomic force from the object and is configured to move in accordance with the atomic force, an optical system configured to project a measurement light onto each of the array of members and to receive the measurement light reflected off each of the array of members, and a detector configured to detect the measurement light directed through the optical system with respect to each of the array of members.

Abstract: A shape measuring apparatus for measuring the shape of a measurement target surface includes an interferometer and computer. The interferometer senses interference light formed by measurement light from the measurement target surface and reference light by a photoelectric converter, while changing the light path length of the measurement light or the reference light. The computer Fourier-transforms a first interference signal sensed by the photoelectric converter to obtain a phase distribution and an amplitude distribution, shapes the amplitude distribution, inversely Fourier-transforms the phase distribution and the shaped amplitude distribution to obtain a second interference signal, and determines the shape of the measurement target surface based on the second interference signal.

Abstract: A transfer characteristic calculation apparatus for calculating a transfer characteristic of an imaging optical system includes a light source, a generation unit which generates a second signal by converting a first signal obtained by stretching an impulse signal on a space axis into a positive value using a light from the light source, a sensor which obtains an image that is output from the imaging optical system as an output signal when a light intensity distribution is inputted as the second signal, and a calculation unit which calculates the transfer characteristic of the imaging optical system by convolution of a third signal with the forth signal that is obtained by canceling a bias component of the output signal obtained by the sensor, the third being an impulse signal upon convolution with the first signal.

Abstract: An imaging optical system for imaging a pattern of an object plane onto an image plane includes a first imaging optical system for imaging at a first imaging position, the first imaging optical system having a magnification ? in a vacuum atmosphere, and a second imaging optical system for imaging at a second imaging position, the second imaging optical system having a magnification ? in the vacuum atmosphere, wherein when an environment in which the imaging optical system is placed changes from the vacuum atmosphere to an air atmosphere or vise versa, a direction of the first imaging position that moves along an optical axis is opposite to a direction of the second imaging position that moves along the optical axis.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus performs AGA measurement by using a predetermined sample shot group formed on a wafer, and decides an alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus executes wafer alignment processing and exposure processing by using the alignment parameter. The exposure apparatus notifies a central processing unit of AGA measurement results and the alignment parameter. An overlay inspection apparatus measures an actual exposure position on the exposed wafer, and notifies the central processing unit of the measurement result. The central processing unit optimizes alignment processing on the basis of the AGA measurement results, alignment parameter, and actually measured exposure position.

Abstract: A management apparatus which manages a parameter for an industrial device acquires AGA measurement results obtained by operating the industrial device with an operation job parameter value and non-operation job parameter value. An inspection apparatus acquires an “inspection result” obtained by inspecting the result of operating the industrial device in the operation job. A change in inspection result upon a change in parameter value is estimated on the basis of the AGA measurement result and inspection result. A variable which minimizes (extreme) both or at least one of the sensitivity (slope) of the inspection result upon a change in parameter value and variations (3?) in inspection result between objects to be processed (e.g., wafers) is set as an optimal parameter.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus for imprinting a pattern provided to a mold onto a substrate or a member on the substrate includes a light source for irradiating a surface of the mold disposed opposite to the substrate and a surface of the substrate with light; an optical system for guiding the light from the light source to the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate and guiding reflected lights from these surfaces to a spectroscope; a spectroscope for dispersing the reflected lights guided by the optical system into a spectrum; and an analyzer for analyzing a distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate. The analyzer calculates the distance between the surface of the mold and the surface of the substrate by measuring a distance between the surface of the mold and a surface formed at a position away from the surface of the mold.

Abstract: An imprint apparatus, comprising a first holder for holding a mold having an imprint pattern; a second holder for holding a workpiece to which the imprint pattern is transferred; a first illumination system for irradiating a mark for determining a position of the mold and a mark for determining a position of the workpiece with light; a first and second optical systems for imaging the marks for the mold and workpiece at a first and second observation points respectively; an imaging optical system; a first and second image pick-up devices for observing the marks for the mold and workpiece respectively; and at least one of a first drive mechanism for moving the first image pick-up device while following movement of the first observation point and a second drive mechanism for moving the second image pick-up device while following movement of the second observation point.

Abstract: A surface position measuring method wherein measurement light is obliquely projected onto a substrate surface and on the basis of a position of the detected measurement light and a predetected offset, the position of the substrate surface with respect to a direction of an optical axis of the projection optical system is measured, memorizing a first position of a point on the substrate while using a reference mark provided on a substrate stage, measuring the position of the measurement light as a first measurement position; rotating the substrate by 180 deg. in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis; memorizing a second position of the measurement point on the rotated substrate with reference to the reference mark; measuring the position of the measurement light as a second measurement position; and detecting of the offset at the measurement point on the basis of the first and second measurement position.

Abstract: A pattern transfer method for transferring an imprinting pattern formed on a mold provided with an alignment mark onto a substrate provided with an alignment mark or a resin material interposed between the substrate and the mold includes a first step for obtaining a first image by disposing the alignment mark provided to the mold and an alignment mark provided to a reference substrate at a first object position and observing the alignment marks through a first image pickup portion, a second step for obtaining a second image by disposing the alignment mark provided to the reference substrate at a second object position spaced apart from the first object position and observing the alignment mark through a second image pickup portion, and a third step for obtaining information about a difference in image position between the alignment marks by using the first and second images.

Abstract: A transfer characteristic calculation apparatus for calculating a transfer characteristic of an imaging optical system includes a light source, a generation unit which generates a second signal by converting a first signal obtained by stretching an impulse signal on a space axis into a positive value using a light from the light source, a sensor which obtains an image that is output from the imaging optical system as an output signal when a light intensity distribution is inputted as the second signal, and a calculation unit which calculates the transfer characteristic of the imaging optical system by convolution of a third signal with a fourth signal that is obtained by canceling a bias component of the output signal obtained by the sensor, the third signal being an impulse signal upon convolution with the first signal.

Abstract: A shape measuring method for measuring a shape of a surface of an object. The method includes a first measuring step for measuring the surface of the object by detecting light from the object, and a second measuring step for measuring the surface of the object by relatively scanning a probe and the object. A scanning speed changes on the basis of the result of the first measurement step.