Abstract: A measuring method comprises a first step to expose by the irradiation of a predetermined energy ray onto the resist layer of a photosensitive board a first mask pattern having at least two linear pattern portions arranged substantially in axial symmetry with respect to a straight line in a predetermined first direction and inclined at a predetermined angle to the straight line in the first direction, a second step to overlap with the first mask pattern image exposed on the resist layer a second mask pattern formed by the linear patterns which extend in a second direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction by relatively driving the second mask pattern in a predetermined amount in the first direction for exposure, and a third step to measure an interval in the second direction between at least two wedge-shaped resist images formed by the overlapped portions of the first mask pattern and the second mask pattern.

Abstract: A method of exposing images of measuring patterns formed on a mask on a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, measuring positional deviation quantities of the exposed images of the measuring patterns in a measuring direction and thus measuring imaging characteristics of the projection optical system on the basis of the measured positional deviation quantities. In this method, periodic patterns are used as the measuring patterns, wherein bright and dark portions are arranged at a predetermined pitch in a direction corresponding to the measuring direction. The positional deviation quantity is measured by assuming the image of the periodic pattern as an image of the pattern consisting of the single dark portion on the whole when measuring the positional deviation quantity of the periodic pattern image exposed on the photosensitive substrate in the measuring direction.

Abstract: In a method for measuring a condition for exposing, at a predetermined energy quantity, a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate on which a resist image is formed on the surface thereof by using an exposing device, first patterns formed at a plurality of positions on the mask are successively exposed onto a plurality of partial regions on the photosensitive substrate while changing said exposure condition. Second patterns are, with overlapping, exposed onto at least a portion of the latent image of said first patterns formed in said partial regions due to said process while changing the exposure condition. A predetermined state where the resist image is formed on the resist layer after the development is detected so that the exposure condition is measured in accordance with the state.

Abstract: A method for inspecting distortion characteristics of a projection optical system to be inspected by arranging a mask formed with measurement patterns at a plurality of predetermined positions on the object surface side of the projection optical system, transferring projected images of the plurality of measurement patterns onto a photosensitive substrate arranged on the image surface side of the projection optical system, and detecting transfer images of the measurement-patterns, includes:the step of exposing a mask, on which pairs of first and second measurement patterns are arranged adjacent to each other to be separated by a predetermined interval .DELTA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a projection exposure apparatus comprising: a reticle stage; an illumination optical system for illuminating a reticle on the reticle stage; a stage on which a substrate is supported; and a projection optical system having a predetermined numerical aperture to project a pattern formed on the reticle and illuminated by the illumination optical system onto the substrate, and in which a longitudinal spherial aberration thereof regarding the focusing of the pattern formed on the reticle onto the substrate are excessively corrected.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus is provided with an illuminating optical system for illuminating a reticle having a predetermined fine pattern, a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the reticle onto a wafer, and diaphragm means so constructed as to vary the aperture of a diaphragm of the projection optical system, wherein means for receiving information on the pattern present on the reticle, and means for determining a diaphgram aperture capable of eliminating the high-order diffracted light generated by the pattern of the reticle according to information as stated above and controlling the aperture of variable diaphragm means of the projection optical system, are provided.

Abstract: An exposure method for use in an apparatus for projecting a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate through a projection optical system, comprises the steps of providing a mask bearing a pattern of which width gradually varies in a reference direction on the mask transferring the pattern onto the photosensitive substrate through the projection optical system measuring the length of pattern transferred onto the photosensitive substrate, in a reference direction on the substrate corresponding to the reference direction of the mask determining optimum exposure conditions for the projection exposure, from thus measured length of the pattern and controlling the exposure according to the conditions.

Abstract: A projection-exposing apparatus comprises a projecting optical system for projecting an image of a reticle having a predetermined pattern onto a wafer, and a stage for causing a relative shifting movement between a position of the wafer and a position of the reticle. A first exposure is effected for projecting and exposing the reticle image pattern from the projection optical system in a first area on the wafer and then the stage is shifted by a predetermined amount to effect second exposure for projecting and exposing the reticle image pattern in a second area positioned adjacent to the first area on the wafer thereby the reticle image being projected and exposed onto different areas on the same wafer. The stage causes the relative shifting movement between the reticle and the wafer in such a manner that the reticle image pattern obtained by the first exposure and the reticle image pattern obtained by the second exposure are overlapped with each other on the wafer by a predetermined amount.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a position of a semiconductor wafer comprises a linear alignment mark formed on a surface of the wafer along a pair of parallel straight lines extending in a given direction intersecting a radial direction of the wafer. The alignment mark includes at least two projection sections projected from the surface and spaced from each other in the given direction. Each of the projection sections has a first stepped edge provided on or along one of the pairs of straight lines and a second stepped edge provided on and along the other of the pair of straight lines, the pair of straight lines being separated from each other by a distance d', and each of the projection sections being defined such that the following relationship is satisfied:l'>d'where l' is the length of one of the projection sections in the given direction.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus comprises a wafer stage for supporting a wafer thereon and two-dimensionally moving the wafer along an image plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of a projection optical system, first position detecting means for measuring a two-dimensional position of the wafer stage to detect its coordinates with respect to the optical axis of the wafer, a reticle stage for holding different original patterns such that the patterns do not overlap each other and that predetermined central exposure points of the original image patterns are located at predetermined intervals, and for two-dimensionally moving the reticles at a stroke given such that the optical axis of projection passes all central exposure points of the different original patterns, and second position detecting means for detecting a two-dimensional position of the reticle stage according to a coordinate system determined by the first detecting means and a coordinate system having its axes along the same direction

Abstract: A method of detecting a registration diversion between a mask and a wafer prior to a main exposure. This method detects relative diversions between marks on the wafer and latent images of marks on the mask formed on a photosensitive layer of the wafer. The latent images of the marks on the mask are preliminarily formed on the photosensitive layer of the wafer by an exposure energy beam prior to the main exposure.

Abstract: An exposure method for photolithography comprises the steps of forming a pattern on a substrate by the use of a first exposure apparatus including a first imaging optical system having a reduction magnification 1/.beta.1 and an image circle of a diameter .phi.1, and forming a second pattern on the substrate on which the first pattern has been formed, by the use of a second exposure apparatus including a second imaging optical system having a reduction magnification 1/.beta.2 different from the reduction magnification 1/.beta.1 and an image circle of a diameter .phi.2, wherein when N is an integer, the conditions that .beta.1.times..phi.1=.beta.2.times..phi.2 and .phi.1=N.times..phi.2 are satisfied.

Abstract: A projection optical apparatus for projecting the pattern of a mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system includes a stage for supporting thereon a substrate having a plurality of marks for detection on the surface thereof, first detecting means for detecting the amount of inclination of the surface of the substrate relative to the surface on which the pattern is projected and imaged, through the projection optical system, second detecting means for detecting the amount of inclination of the surface of the substrate relative to a predetermined reference plane independently of the projection optical system, and calibrating means for calibrating the amount of inclination detected by the second detecting means on the basis of the amount of inclination detected by the first detecting means.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices, a pattern on a photomask is aligned with a plurality of patterns formed on a wafer in a manner that detects and corrects misalignment, including, inter alia, rotational errors, not only between a photomask and a wafer, but also between a photomask and individual chips formed on the wafer, so that pattern matching is attained with very high accuracy. Apparatus for achieving this result employs different arrangements of alignment marks together with optical systems and positional adjustment devices.

Abstract: This specification discloses an alignment method for aligning a photomask with a substrate covered with a photosensitive layer and printing the pattern of the photomask on the substrate. The method comprises the steps of providing a reference mark on the photomask, providing on the substrate a pair of alignment marks correlated to the reference mark, the pair of alignment marks being spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in a mark area, one of the pair of alignment marks being formed projectedly relative to the surroundings thereof and the other alignment mark being formed as a depression relative to the surroundings thereof, providing the photosensitive layer on the substrate so that the outermost surface of the layer is substantially flat, and imaging the reference mark and the pair of alignment marks superposedly on an imaging plane by a light having a single wavelength. The specification also discloses a photomask and an apparatus for executing such method.

Abstract: A position alignment apparatus aligns a photosensitive substrate and a mask (projection image) at high speed and with high precision. The apparatus has a projection optical system for projecting a pattern image on a mask or reticle onto a photosensitive substrate, a detector for detecting a two-dimensional misalignment of a projected pattern image and a wafer, and means for moving the wafer along orthogonal x- and y-axis directions and for rotating the wafer along a rotational direction within a plane defined by the x- and y-axis directions so as to eliminate the misalignment, wherein the detector has first detecting means with an optical system for detecting at least a misalignment of the wafer along the x-axis direction through the projection lens, and second detecting means with an optical system separate from the projection lens and for detecting at least a misalignment of the wafer along a rotational direction.

Abstract: An apparatus for projecting the image of an object onto a substrate comprises light source means for supplying light energy for illuminating the object, optical means for forming the image of the object on the substrate, the image magnification of the optical means being heated and varied by the light energy from the light source means, means for monitoring the manner in which the light energy is applied to the optical means, means for determining the variation in the image magnification of the optical means in response to the monitor means, and means for adjusting the size of the image formed on the substrate in response to the determining means.

Abstract: A photomask includes a pattern region including a predetermined original image pattern, a pair of mark regions which respectively include alignment marks located on a line crossing the pattern region and which are located at two sides of the pattern region, and a pair of light-shielding regions each of which has at least the same width as that of a corresponding one of the mark regions along a direction parallel to the line.An exposure apparatus for sequentially exposing a plurality of regions on a photosensitive substrate by using a projection image on the photomask includes means for moving the photosensitive substrate and the photomask relative to each other such that images of marks for a current projection image are projected on a portion of a nonexposed region of a previous projection image, the portion being located next to a previous mark latent image and the nonexposed region being located between the latent image of the previous original image pattern and the latent image of the previous mark.

Abstract: A focusing apparatus for projection optical system is provided with a projection optical system and an image-forming optical system. The projection optical system is disposed to project an image of an alignment mark formed on a photo mask or reticle onto a light-reflective substrate and also to reverse-project onto the photo mask the light image of the alignment mark projected on and reflected by the substrate. The image-forming optical system forms an overlap image from the reverse-projected reflected image and the alignment mark on the photo mask.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for production of ICs of the type that includes a stage on which is placed a semiconductor wafer to be exposed by illumination light projecting means, and means for two-dimensionally moving the stage within a plane intersecting the illumination light at substantially right angles. The improvement comprises illumination detection means provided with a photo reception surface, and means for mounting the illumination detection means on the stage in such a manner that the photo reception surface and the surface of the semiconductor wafer on the stage to be exposed are at substantially equal height relative to the stage.