Abstract: A position detecting apparatus comprises a double-beam producing device for producing two beams different in frequency from each other, which are guided to irradiate a diffraction grating on an object to be inspected in two predetermined directions, and a detector photoelectrically detecting through an objective optical system diffracted light produced by the diffraction grating, in which the double-beam producing device comprises a light source for supplying a beam of a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths, a beam splitting device for splitting the beam from the light source into two predetermined beams, a relay optical system for converging the two split beams at a predetermined position, and a frequency difference producing device disposed at or near a converging position by the relay optical system, for producing a predetermined frequency difference between the two split beams.

Abstract: A position detecting apparatus comprises a double-beam producing device for producing two beams different in frequency from each other, which are guided to irradiate a diffraction grating on an object to be inspected in two predetermined directions, and a detector photoelectrically detecting through an objective optical system diffracted light produced by the diffraction grating, in which the double-beam producing device comprises a light source for supplying a beam of a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths, a beam splitting device for splitting the beam from the light source into two predetermined beams, a relay optical system for converging the two split beams at a predetermined position, and a frequency difference producing device disposed at or near a converging position by the relay optical system, for producing a predetermined frequency difference between the two split beams.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus has a mask (reticle) and a photosensitive substrate (a wafer) in an imaging relationship across a projection optical system. A mask stage and a wafer stage are moved simultaneously in first (X) direction with a speed ratio corresponding to the magnification of projection, so that a shot area of the photosensitive substrate is scan-exposed to an original pattern of the mask.The mask is provided, over the scanning range of the original pattern, with mask gratings, each composed of plural grating elements arranged at a predetermined pitch along the first (X) direction. The photosensitive substrate is provided with substrate gratings corresponding to said mask gratings. The positional aberration between said mask gratings and the substrate gratings is detected, through the projection optical system, by positional aberration detecting means.

Abstract: In a position detecting apparatus having an object optical system, two beams are generated for irradiating a diffraction grating formed on an object from two directions at a predetermined intersect angle for forming an interference fringe, the beams passing through a pupil plane of the object optical system spaced apart a predetermined distance from each other. An opto-electric detector receives diffracted light from the grating via the object optical system and outputs a detection signal, and the position of the object is determined on the basis of the detection signal. An adjustable optical member provided in a light path between an optical source and the object changes incident angles at which the two beams are incident on the grating while keeping the intersect angle between the two beams substantially constant.

Abstract: A position detecting apparatus comprises a double-beam producing device for producing two beams different in frequency from each other, which are guided to irradiate a diffraction grating on an object to be inspected in two predetermined directions, and a detector photoelectrically detecting through an objective optical system diffracted light produced by the diffraction grating, in which the double-beam producing device comprises a light source for supplying a beam of a single wavelength or multiple wavelengths, a beam splitting device for splitting the beam from the light source into two predetermined beams, a relay optical system for converging the two split beams at a predetermined position, and a frequency difference producing device disposed at or near a converging position by the relay optical system, for producing a predetermined frequency difference between the two split beams.

Abstract: In an alignment apparatus for irradiating detection laser beams LB1 and LB2 to an alignment mark and detecting a position of a wafer 1 by using a light produced from the alignment mark, a width d of a recess 2b of the alignment mark along an alignment direction is set to be smaller than a length (.lambda.+c) which is larger than a wavelength A of the laser beams LB1 and LB2 by a predetermined amount c, to thereby provide an alignment apparatus in which it is hard to create a detection error even if the alignment mark is asymmetric.

Abstract: A method of forming side surfaces of photosensitive material removed areas is performed so that the side surfaces are inclined to the surface of a substrate when transferring a pattern formed on a mask onto the substrate coated with a photosensitive material and effecting a developing process on the substrate. An image of the pattern to be transferred onto the substrate and the substrate are relatively shifted in a direction along the surface of the substrate during the transfer.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting the position, in a predetermined direction normal to a substrate, of at least one measurement point in a detection area on the substrate, includes:a projection device for projecting a light-dark pattern consisting of a repetitive pattern of light and dark portions in a predetermined detection direction onto substantially the entire detection area;a photoelectric detection device for detecting reflection light from the substrate, and outputting a photoelectric signal having a waveform representing the contrast of an image of the light-dark pattern in the detection direction;a device for detecting the position of a waveform representing a dark portion of the light-dark pattern corresponding to the measurement point in the waveform of the photoelectric signal; anda measurement device for measuring the position, in the predetermined direction, of the measurement point based on a deviation between the detected waveform position and a predetermined reference position.

Abstract: An aligning device for aligning a substrate with a predetermined point on the basis of a detection signal from a photoelectric detector uses interference light generated by light diffracted from a diffraction grating. A calculating device calculates at least one of a crossing angle of two coherent beams irradiating the grating and the rotational error of a crossing line between a plane containing principal rays of the beams and the surface of the substrate, with respect to the direction of arrangement of the grating, based on the phase difference between detection signals of the photoelectric detector corresponding to interference light generated from different portions of the crossing area. The output of the calculating device may be used to adjust the crossing angle and/or to correct the rotational error.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus has a substrate on which a diffraction grating is formed and an alignment optical system for illuminating the diffraction grating with a pair of coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other from different directions. The intensity of interference fringes formed due to the interference of diffracted beams generated in the diffraction grating is detected photo-electrically. The alignment optical system forms the pair of coherent light by using an optical modulator, and two luminous fluxes from the optical modulator pass through independent optical paths positioned symmetrically with the optical axis of the alignment optical system therebetween and reach the diffraction grating from different directions. The alignment optical system has a stop having an opening having an inclined edge with respect to the direction of the grating components of the diffraction grating, the opening being in conjugation with the substrate.

Abstract: A displacement detector comprises a beam irradiation device for irradiating beams almost equal in wavelength on a diffraction grating provided on an object to be measured from two directions different each other, a photoelectric detector for detecting an interference intensity of specific diffracted rays generated from the diffraction grating, and a measuring device for measuring a displacement of the object to be measured with reference to a grating pitch direction of the diffraction grating according to an outgoing signal of the photoelectric detector; the photoelectric detector is equipped with a first photoelectric detector for detecting an interference intensity of diffracted rays of an angle of diffraction running in the said direction from the diffraction grating, and a second photoelectric detector for detecting an interference intensity of diffracted rays different in angle of diffraction running in the same direction from the diffraction grating; the measuring device has a first measuring portion fo

Abstract: A method of determining regularity of a pattern array on a substrate to enable sequential positioning of patterns of the array relative to a reference position includes the step of calculating a reliability degree regarding a measured value of a pattern position, and the step of determining the regularity of the pattern array on the basis of the calculated reliability degree, and a design value and the measured value of the pattern position.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for transferring a reticle pattern onto a wafer, in which the reticle and the wafer are mutually aligned by irradiating an alignment mark of the wafer with light beams and detecting the optical information from the mark. Depending on the shape of the wafer mark, suitably selected is a first light beam passing through the center of entrance pupil of an objective optical system, or a pair of second light beams passing through the entrance pupil point-symmetrically with respect to its center. The wafer mark consists of a main mark and an auxiliary mark, and the main mark contains a diffraction grating pattern. The second paired light beams and the main mark are used for determining the positional error within an integral fraction of the pitch of the diffraction grating pattern, and the first light beam and the auxiliary mark are used for determining the positional error of an integral multiple of the pitch of the diffraction grating pattern.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus is provided with a first beam receiving device arranged to receive an interference beam which is produced at a diffraction grating of a substrate as a result of illumination with a pair of beams which intersect each other on the substrate, and a second beam receiving device arranged to receive a reference beam which is produced by the interference between regularly reflected beams of the pair of beams occurring on the substrate, wherein the positional offset of the substrate is obtained on the basis of a comparison between the output signal of the first beam receiving device and the output signal of the second beam receiving device. Since a beam transmitting path for transmitting a measurement beam is substantially common to a beam transmitting path for a reference beam, even if the fluctuations of air occur, both the measurement beam and the reference beam substantially equally reflect the influence of the fluctuations, whereby it is possible to cancel the same.

Abstract: A position detection apparatus has a substrate on which a diffraction grating is formed and an alignment optical system for illuminating the diffraction grating with a pair of coherent light beams having different frequencies from each other from different directions. The intensity of interference fringes formed due to the interference of diffracted beams generated in the diffraction grating is detected photo-electrically. The alignment optical system forms the pair of coherent light by using an optical modulator, and two luminous fluxes from the optical modulator pass through independent optical paths positioned symmetrically with the optical axis of the alignment optical system therebetween and reach the diffraction grating from different directions. The alignment optical system has a stop having an opening having an inclined edge with respect to the direction of the grating components of the diffraction grating, the opening being in conjugation with the substrate.

Abstract: A photomask having a pattern area having plurality of patterns to be transferred onto a transfer member generally regularly arranged thereon comprises a non-pattern area of a size no smaller than a size of at least one said pattern and provided at a predetermined position in said pattern area.