Abstract: A projection optical system of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present invention has a plurality of optical members made of glass materials at least one of which has a temperature characteristic of index of refraction different from that of the other glass material. Further, a temperature control device for controlling a temperature of at least one of the optical members is provided. An imaging characteristic of the projection optical system is controlled. The imaging characteristic to be controlled is a non-linear magnification or curvature of field. The temperature control device sets the temperature to be controlled to a variable target temperature determined in accordance with the imaging characteristic of the projection optical system. An exposing operation for transferring a mask pattern to a photosensitive substrate is started after the temperature of the optical member to be controlled reaches a predetermined allowable range of the target temperature.

Abstract: An inclination detecting apparatus has an irradiating optical system for illuminating a substrate to be measured with parallel light flux diagonally, a condensing optical system for condensing the parallel light flux reflected by the substrate, a photoelectric detecting device for generating detection signals corresponding to a position of the parallel light flux condensed by the condensing optical system, a relative scanning device for scanning the parallel light flux emitted from the irradiating optical system to the substrate and the substrate relatively and a calculating circuit for obtaining information corresponding to an inclination of an average plane of a surface of the substrate by performing a statistical processing for the detection signals taken from the photoelectric detecting device in accordance with a relative scanning position of the parallel light flux and the substrate.

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 b

Abstract: A plane positioning apparatus comprises a projector for projecting beams to a given portion on the surface of a substrate in a diagonal direction, a light receiving device to receive beams reflected from the substrate surface and output photoelectric signals in accordance with variation of the light receiving position, a calculating circuit to output deviation signals in accordance with the deviation amount of the substrate surface with respect to a predetermined fiducial plane based on the deviation signals, a substrate shifting device to shift and set the substrate at a given position in a direction perpendicular to the fiducial plane in accordance with the deviation signals, a level variation detecting device to detect level variation of the deviation signals generated when the substrate surface and the fiducial plane are displaced interrelatedly, an inclination calculating device to calculate, in accordance with the level variation characteristics, the value of the inclination of the level variation chara

Abstract: In an apparatus which positions an average plane thereof parallel to a best focus plane of a projection optical system even if there is unevenness on a wafer, a leveling stage is tilted on the basis of detection signal from an auto-leveling system and a surface of a shot area on a wafer is positioned in a predetermined tilt position relative to a focus plane of the projection optical system. While such a position being kept unchanged, a deviation between the focus plane of the projection optical system and the surface of the shot area is detected at each of multi-points. Within the shot area, by the use of auto-focus system, an amount of relative tilt between an average plane of the shot area obtained from plural deviations and the focus plane of the projection optical system is calculated, and by the use of thus calculated amount of tilt and the detection signal of auto-leveling system, the focus plane of the projection optical system is positioned in parallel with the average plane of the shot area.

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 b