Abstract: An alignment device includes an image pickup optical system for picking up an image of a first reference mark disposed on a mask and an image of a second reference mark disposed on a photosensitive substrate through an image pickup optical system, a memory for storing information associated with the imaging characteristics of the image pickup optical system, and a correction system for correcting the positions of the first and second reference marks, detected using image information from the image pickup system, on the basis of the information associated with the imaging characteristics of the image pickup optical system.

Abstract: To improve the focus accuracy during alignment and to improve the alignment accuracy even if a substrate has warpage, during alignment, an approximate focus plane is obtained by using only the detection results at focus points of focus sensors located near the ends of a substrate, close to alignment points, and without using the detection results at focus points of two central focus sensors. The auto-focus operation is performed by using the above operation results. As a result, a substrate is driven so as to be adjusted to the approximate focus plane during alignment.

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: In a scanning type exposure apparatus for exposing an entire surface of a pattern region on a mask to a substrate by scanning the mask and the substrate with respect to a projection optical system in a predetermined direction with a speed ratio in accordance with a magnification of the projection optical system, there are provided a plurality of illumination optical systems for illuminating respective areas of the pattern region on the mask with respective light fluxes from respective light source; a plurality of projection optical systems arranged so as to correspond to the respective illumination optical systems, the projection optical systems projecting respective images of the areas illuminated by the respective illumination optical systems onto respective projection areas on the substrate; a memory device for obtaining and storing a change of shape of the substrate; a magnification changing device for changing a magnification of at least one of the projection optical systems in accordance with the change

Abstract: In the first step of an exposure method of the present invention, an alignment optical system is arranged to oppose one of a first mask mark on a photomask and a first substrate mark on a photosensitive substrate, thereby detecting a first deviation amount between the position of the first mask mark and that of the first substrate mark. In the second step, the alignment optical system is arranged to oppose one of a second mask mark on the photomask and a second substrate mark on the photosensitive substrate, thereby detecting a second deviation mark between the position of the second mask mark and that of the second substrate mark. In the third step, correction values for minimizing the first and second deviation amounts are calculated. In the fourth step, the relative positional relationship between the image of an original pattern on the photomask and a shot area on the photosensitive substrate is adjusted on the basis of a correction value.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and an exposure method for fabricating semiconductor devices or liquid crystal display boards. The scanning means synchronously moves the mask and the photosensitive substrate with respect to the plurality of projection optical systems, and patterns formed on the mask are projected onto the photosensitive substrate while images of mask formed by adjacent illumination optical systems are made overlapping with each other. On this occasion, the controlling means controls the light intensity changing means, and the light intensity changing means changes the intensity of a light beam of each illumination optical system, so that two intensities of overlapping parts in adjacent illumination areas become substantially equal to each other. The control by the controlling means is carried out based on the light intensities of the overlapping illumination areas as detected by the light intensity detecting means.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to scanning exposure apparatus and exposure method to achieve simultaneous projection of images of plural regions on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate with correcting an orthogonality error of a pattern on the mask or photosensitive substrate. If the pattern on the mask or photosensitive substrate has an orthogonality error causing a deviation of a certain angle in a first direction perpendicular to a scanning direction as it goes in the scanning direction, the mask and the photosensitive substrate are rotated relative to each other in the plane thereof to align one coordinate axis in a coordinate system of each pattern with the first direction.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprises a plurality of illumination optical systems for generating a plurality of light beams, a plurality of projection optical systems disposed corresponding to the plurality of illumination optical systems, respectively, a plurality of light intensity detectors, provided respectively for the plurality of illumination optical systems, for detecting individual intensities of the plurality of light beams, a light intensity changing device for changing the respective intensities of the plurality of light beams, and a control device for controlling the light intensity changing device and uniformizing the intensities of the plurality of light beams to a substantially fixed level.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate and a measuring unit for measuring distances between the mask and the projection optical system at a plurality of positions within a surface of the mask. The position of the photosensitive substrate with respect to the projection optical system is changed on the basis of a plurality of the distances measured by the measuring unit.

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 apparatus for forming the optical image of a photo-pattern placed on a first plane on a second plane comprises projection means having a projection optical system disposed between the first plane and the second plane to form the optical image, focus detecting means including means for detecting the position of the second plane relative to the projection optical system, the in-focus position corresponding to the position of the second plane when the imaging plane of the projection optical system and the second plane are coincident with each other being preset, the focus detecting means putting out a detection signal when the in-focus position is detected by the detecting means, fluctuation detecting means for determining the amount of fluctuation of the imaging plane of the projection optical system caused correspondingly to a variation in the refractive index of the atmosphere, and means responsive to the fluctuation detecting means to control the focus detecting means so that the in-focus position is re-s