Abstract: A stage apparatus has: a stage capable of moving an object; first and second measurement units to measure a displacement of the stage in a predetermined direction based on a variation of an optical path length of measurement light, arranged so as to have an overlap area to simultaneously measure a stage position while the stage is being moved; a switching unit to switch measurement by the first measurement unit to measurement by the second measurement unit by delivering a measurement value from the first measurement unit to the second measurement unit in the overlap area; and a correction unit to, in the stage position upon switching by the switching unit, correct a wavelength variation of the measurement light based on the measurement value delivered from the first measurement unit to the second measurement unit.

Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern onto a substrate through a projection lens unit while a space between the substrate and the projection lens unit is filled with a liquid, the apparatus including a stage which carries the substrate, and a controller which controls the driving of the stage, wherein the controller changes at least one of the control parameter of the stage and the driving profile of the stage according to liquid immersion conditions.

Abstract: A stage apparatus has a stage movable in a first direction and first and second measurement systems measuring a position of the stage in a predetermined direction. The first and second measurement systems each has a laser interferometer and a mirror system including a first reflecting mirror elongated in the first direction. A measurement value is transferred from one measurement system in use to the other measurement system and the measurement system in use is switched between the first and second measurement systems within a overlapping zone where said first and second measurement system can simultaneously measure the position of the stage. In the switch, the measurement value to be transferred is corrected based on a difference in the lengths of the light paths due to a shape of a surface of the first reflecting mirror of the first and second measurement systems.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system; a stage to move while holding a substrate; a measurement system to measure a position of the substrate in an optical axis direction of the projection optical system; a generation system to generate a driving signal, in which a change amount being controlled to be equal to or less than an upper limit value, to the stage based on the result of measurement by the measurement system; and a setting system to set the upper limit value based on a running status of the stage.

Abstract: A multi-layer circuit wiring board comprising a laminate of films, each film having a wiring pattern formed on at least one surface thereof, wherein the wiring pattern formed on each film is electrically connected with the wiring pattern formed on another film which is disposed neighboring thereto through a via-contact layer provided on any one of the neighboring films.

Abstract: In a step & scan projection exposure apparatus having a controller for setting for each step driving a step driving profile on the basis of a scan synchronization error, the step driving profile can be set by the exposure region layout, step direction, scan driving profile, and the like. Also, the step driving profile is determined by parameters such as the accelerations and speeds of reticle and wafer stages, the time taken until synchronous scan driving starts after step driving, and the time taken until exposure starts after the start of synchronous scan driving. A method of maintaining the apparatus by using a network, a semiconductor device manufacturing method, and a semiconductor manufacturing factory are also provided.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes projection optics for projecting a pattern, which has been formed on a mask or reticle, onto a wafer placed on a stage; an XYZ stage on which the substrate is placed and which is movable along the direction of the optic axis of the projection optics and in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the optic axis; a surface position measurement unit capable of measuring a predetermined position along the optic axis of the projection optics and the relative position of the surface of the substrate on the state; and a vibration measurement unit capable of measuring vibration of the projection optics. The XYZ stage is driven and controlled based upon results of measurement from the surface position measurement unit and vibration measurement unit, thereby reducing deviation between the wafer surface and imaging plane and improving contrast and resolving power.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes projection optics for projecting a pattern, which has been formed on a mask or reticle, onto a wafer placed on a stage; an XYZ stage on which the substrate is placed and which is movable along the direction of the optic axis of the projection optics and in a direction orthogonal to the direction of the optic axis; a surface position measurement unit capable of measuring a predetermined position along the optic axis of the projection optics and the relative position of the surface of the substrate on the state; and a vibration measurement unit capable of measuring vibration of the projection optics. The XYZ stage is driven and controlled based upon results of measurement from the surface position measurement unit and vibration measurement unit, thereby reducing deviation between the wafer surface and imaging plane and improving contrast and resolving power.

Abstract: In a step & scan projection exposure apparatus having a controller for setting for each step driving a step driving profile on the basis of a scan synchronization error, the step driving profile can be set by the exposure region layout, step direction, scan driving profile, and the like. Also, the step driving profile is determined by parameters such as the accelerations and speeds of reticle and wafer stages, the time taken until synchronous scan driving starts after step driving, and the time taken until exposure starts after the start of synchronous scan driving. A method of maintaining the apparatus by using a network, a semiconductor device manufacturing method, and a semiconductor manufacturing factory are also provided.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus, which has a projection optical system, a Z-stage movable in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system, an X-Y stage movable in a planar direction perpendicular to the optical axis direction, and a sensor for measuring the positional relationship between a substrate placed on the Z-stage and a predetermined position in the optical axis direction and/or any tilt of the substrate, sequentially moves and aligns the X-Y stage to change the area to be exposed on the substrate, executes a measurement using the sensor, and exposes while correcting the positional relationship between the substrate and the predetermined position in the optical axis direction and/or any tilt of the substrate in accordance with the measurement result, has a control unit for adjusting the measurement start timing of the sensor in correspondence with a change in area to be exposed on the substrate.

Abstract: the present invention, a counter value is increased by a predetermined increment when it is judged that front wheel speed is being decelerated and speed difference between front and rear wheels is higher than a setting value, and the counter value is decreased by a predetermined decrement when it is judged that speed difference between front and rear wheels is not higher than the setting value. Next, if it is judged that the counter value is higher than the setting value, a high .mu. flag is set. If it is judged that the counter value is not higher than the setting value, the high .mu. flag is cleared. Thus, it is judged whether road surface has a high .mu. value or not by speed difference between front and rear wheels and by duration, during which the speed difference is maintained. When a high .mu. flag is set, a control value for high .mu. value is set as a control value relating to anti-skid brake control, and if the high .mu. flag is cleared, a control value for low .mu. value is set.

Abstract: In the present invention, an estimated car body speed is obtained on the basis of the highest wheel speed selected from three wheel speeds including the lowest of the wheel speeds of left and right rear wheels and the wheel speeds of left and right front wheels. Because the car body speed is obtained on the basis of wheel speed selected by Select-High of three channels of wheel speeds of the two front wheels and wheel speed by Rear Select-Low, wheel speed of outer rear wheel, which is much higher than the speed of the gravity center of the car body when a car is turning, is excluded, and the estimated car body speed thus obtained is closer to the speed of the gravity center of the car body.