Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of circuits for a large display device using stitch exposure. In the peripheral region of a circuit pattern on a mask, the method of stitch exposing provides for a joining of pairs of stitch regions in order to join in an interfitting state such that a smaller mask can be combined to form a larger display device. By causing the corresponding positional relationship of mask and plate to change in a direction in which a pair of stitch regions face each other, the arrangement of respectively formed pattern counterparts, after being placed in a mutually complementary interfitting relationship, are transferred so as to be joined to the respective stitch region of a circuit pattern region periphery already transferred onto the plate.

Abstract: A laser interferometer for detecting the position of a moving object in a Y-direction when the object moves in an X-direction has a separating optical system that moves in the X-direction at a speed different from that of the moving object. A laser beam is separated by the separating optical system into a reference beam and a measurement beam, which are individually directed toward a reference mirror and a moving mirror on the moving object. The light of the measurement beam reflected from the moving mirror, and the light of the reference beam reflected from the reference mirror are received by a photodetector via the separating optical system, and the photoelectric conversion signal of the interference light is output as information concerning the position of the moving object in the Y-direction. A fixed mirror that is shorter than the moving object can be used because the separating optical system also moves in the X-direction.

Abstract: An image in which a feature corresponding to a reference mark formed at a predetermined position in an exposure apparatus is formed at a predetermined position in an arbitrary area is stored as a reference image, and a reference image including an image corresponding to the reference mark is detected from an image to be processed obtained by picking up an image near the reference mark to detect the position of the reference mark in the image to be processed, thus enabling detection of the positional relationship between a reference in the exposure apparatus and substrate alignment means.

Abstract: A position detecting method detects each position of a photosensitive substrate when executing shots of circuit patterns so that the circuit patterns are further superposed on the photosensitive substrate already formed with the circuit patterns. The method comprises the steps of performing a shot of a circuit pattern of a reticle in superposition on liquid crystal pixel segments already formed on a glass plate, registering, in a memory, a circuit pattern as a reference image in the liquid crystal pixel segment and performing pattern matching with other fields of the liquid crystal pixel segments by use of this reference image. An alignment is conducted based on a position of circuit pattern extracted thereby.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus adapted for use in manufacture of semiconductor devices or substrates for liquid crystal display panels, comprises an illumination systems for irradiating a first object with a light beam from a light source; a projection optical system for projecting the image of a pattern on the first object, illuminated by the light beam, onto a second object; and a light attenuation device provided in the illumination system and adapted to gradually decrease the amount of light in the peripheral portion of the image of the pattern, projected onto the second object, as the distance from the center of the image increases.

Abstract: An exposure control apparatus for controlling exposure quantity of pulse energy to a resist, when pattern of a rectile is transcribed to the resist on a wafer, using pulse energy accompanied by energy variation within a predetermined range per each emission, i.e., coherent or non-coherent light energy, or pulse energy other than light, such as X-ray.

Abstract: A method whereby the circuit pattern on a photographic mask or a reticle used in the manufacture of semiconductor devices is inspected for defects by an image processing technique. In this inspection method, the pattern of the mask is printed on a photosensitive member prepared by forming an opaque or semitransparent photosensitive layer on a transparent substrate and an image of the printed pattern formed on the photosensitive member is inspected by the image processing technique.

Abstract: An apparatus for optically measuring the very small gap between a reference plane and a substrate parallel to the reference plane. A beam of energy converging on the reference plane is reflected by the substrate and a spot of reflected beam is formed on a detecting plane at a different position. An array of detecting elements for detecting the size of the spot on the detecting plane is adjusted in position in such a manner that the center of the spot coincides with the center of any one of the detecting elements, thereby preventing any error of the in-focus detecting position due to the deviation between the center of the spot and the center of the detecting element.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus for aligning a semiconductor wafer with an optical mask containing a circuit pattern to be exposed onto the wafer in the fabrication of semiconductor devices by a proximity exposure apparatus.

Abstract: An apparatus for inspecting a pattern consisting of light and dark areas formed on a planar test specimen according to design information, comprising: an imaging device for viewing the pattern to generate image information; a detector for generating a first signal upon detection that, in response to the image information, a boundary line between the light and dark areas of the pattern is bent in a determined stepping form in the direction of the plane; a memory for generating and storing a second signal, upon detection that the boundary line of the pattern has a bend of stepping form according to the design information, corresponding to the position in the imaging area of the bend in the design information; and an inspecting device for discriminating, upon generation of the first signal, the presence or absence of the second signal in the memory corresponding to the position of the first signal in the image area.

Abstract: An apparatus for the attitude control of a plate-form body such as mask or wafer comprises a supporting table, a first movable stage placed on the table and a second movable stage placed on the first stage. The second movable stage is provided means for holding the plate-form body on a reference plane containing the origin of the coordinates defined by two orthogonal coordinate axes. Between the supporting table and the first movable stage there is disposed first driving means. The first driving means is disposed for displacing the first movable stage at at least two positions opposed to each other relative to one of the coordinate axes. The displacement is produced in the direction substantially normal to a segment passing through the origin of the coordinates and forming a determined angle with the reference plane. The displacement of the first stage relative to the table in the direction substantially normal to the above direction is inhibited by first limiting means.

Abstract: Two-dimensional pattern detecting apparatus provided with register for serially receiving binary signals obtained from analog signals of a two-dimensional pattern and adapted to divide the pattern into pixels and to represent the density of bright and dark for pixels by the binary signals. The apparatus further includes a processing circuit adapted to compare with predetermined patterns a pattern composed of 8 peripheral pixels of a partial area of 3.times.3 pixels within the two-dimensional pattern, on the basis of the binary signals stored in the register. The processing circuit outputs a binary signal of a logic value stored in said register corresponding to a central pixel of the partial area when the pattern of the 8 pixels coincides with one of said predetermined patterns, and to outputs a binary signal of a logic value prevailing in 8 binary signals stored in the register corresponding to the 8 pixels when the pattern of the 8 pixels does not coincide with any of the predetermined patterns.

Abstract: A pattern examining in which a pattern on an examined object such as reticle or mask is scanned to produce image binary signals of picture elements; binary information corresponding to a local area on the examined object is serially extracted from the image binary signals; and shape detection is effected for detecting by means of the binary information whether or not the pattern in the local area possesses a determined geometric shape or characteristics. The result of the shape detection is compared with the information on design relating to the geometric shape or characteristics which the pattern on the examined object should possess.

Abstract: A pattern defect testing apparatus comprises a first detection circuit which defines a first detection area on a two-dimensional pattern and produces a first detection signal when all digital signals representative of densities of picture cells in the first detection area have the same logical value, a second detection circuit which defines a second detection area on the two-dimensional pattern and produces a second detection signal when at least one of digital signals representative of densities of picture cells in the second detection area has a logical value different from that of the digital signals to the first detection circuit, and a discriminating circuit for discriminating the presence of a defect in the second detection area when the first and second detection signals are produced.