Abstract: A flat panel display device, such as a liquid crystal panel display device, of large size and a method and apparatus of manufacture of the same. The display device may be provided by discrete or divided display sections. For the manufacture of the panel display device, a pattern for forming picture elements and a drive circuit therefor is photolithographically transferred onto the whole surface of a substrate or base plate in a step-and-repeat manner. In one aspect of the invention, different masks having patterns corresponding to portions of the first-mentioned pattern are used. After the pattern of one of the masks is transferred onto one portion of the substrate, the one mask is replaced by another which the substrate is moved stepwise so that the pattern of the other mask can be transferred onto another portion of the substrate.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern, formed on a reticle, upon a wafer by way of a projection lens system is disclosed. The apparatus includes an alignment system wherein light is projected upon an alignment mark of the wafer by use of the projection lens system, and the light diffracted by an edge of the wafer alignment mark is guidingly directed from between the projection lens system and the wafer to a photoelectric detector without intervention of the projection lens system. From the photodetector, an alignment signal corresponding to the position of the wafer alignment mark is obtained and, on the basis of the alignment mark signal, the wafer and the reticle are brought into a predetermined positional relation. With the disclosed alignment system, the wafer alignment mark can be detected without being affected by a photoresist layer applied to the wafer surface, with the result that the reticle and the wafer can be aligned more accurately.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for projecting a pattern of a reticle upon a wafer by use of a projection lens system, is disclosed. The apparatus is arranged so that a mark illuminating light is projected upon the wafer from between the projection lens system and the wafer and not by way of the projection lens system. The light diffracted by an edge of a wafer alignment mark is photoelectrically detected by way of the projection lens system, whereby an electrical signal corresponding to an image of the alignment mark is obtained. On the basis of the detected signal, the wafer is aligned with the reticle. This arrangement allows detection of the alignment mark without being affected by a photoresist applied to the wafer surface. Thus, the reticle-to-wafer alignment can be made accurately. Also, a novel and unique alignment method is disclosed. The disclosed method assures high-accuracy reticle-to-wafer alignment.

Abstract: A flat panel display device, such as a liquid crystal panel display device, of large size and a method and apparatus of manufacture of the same. The display device may be provided by discrete or divided display sections. For the manufacture of the panel display device, a pattern for forming picture elements and a drive circuit therefor is photolithographically transferred onto the whole surface of a substrate or base plate in a step-and-repeat manner. In one aspect of the invention, different masks having patterns corresponding to portions of the first-mentioned pattern are used. After the pattern of one of the masks is transferred onto one portion of the substrate, the one mask is replaced by another which the substrate is moved stepwise so that the pattern of the other mask can be transferred onto another portion of the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is an aligning apparatus in which two bodies such as a semiconductor mask and a wafer having elongate (or bar-like) alignment marks are scanned by a bar-like beam having an elongate irradiating area and further scanned by the bar-like beam with the direction of inclination thereof changed, and the positional relation between the two bodies is detected, whereby alignment of the two bodies is achieved. The bar-like beam is formed by an anamorphic optical system (for example, a cylindrical lens or the like). The bar-like beam scans the alignment marks through a beam scanning system, and the inclination of the beam is changed by beam inclination changing element at a desired time, for example, after the first cycle of scanning has been terminated, and then scanning is effected again.

Abstract: An apparatus wherein a first thin member and a second thin member, the first thin member bearing a pattern, and the second thin member is exposed to the pattern of the first thin member. It includes a vacuum line for discharging a gas existing between the first thin member and the second thin member without close-contact therebetween, and a device for bringing the first and second members into proximity close-contact with each other after said discharging means discharges the gas from between the first thin member and the second thin member.

Abstract: A signal detection apparatus comprises a device for forming with separable lights illumination areas extending in different plural directions, a scanner for causing the illumination areas to scan bar-like marks extending in different directions on an object, and a photoreceptor for separately receiving signal lights corresponding to the respective different directions from the rays reflected by the marks.

Abstract: A contacting method comprises the steps of holding a photomask and a wafer at a predetermined interval, curving at least one of the photomask and the wafer so as to form a convexity relative to the other, and moving the photomask and the wafer relative to each other to bring them into intimate contact with each other.

Abstract: An alignment apparatus for mask and wafer each having alignment marks provided in a narrow strip like area between circuit patterns is disclosed, which mask and wafer are used in manufacturing semiconductor circuit elements. In the apparatus, the mask and wafer are scanned to obtain scan signals by means of which the amount of relative deviation between the alignment marks on mask and wafer is detected. By means of the detected signal, an alignment is effected between the mask and wafer in the apparatus. For this type of alignment apparatus, there is a problem that since the alignment marks are provided in the narrow strip like area, no coincidence between the scanning position and the strip area is attainable with pre-alignment accuracy. Improvement in the alignment apparatus according to the invention lies in that a reading of alignment marks is initiated after the coincidence is photoelectrically detected.

Abstract: A device for observing an object such as, for example, a mask, wafer, and so forth to be used in a printer for IC and LSI, and including a flat reflection surface and an inclined reflection surface having a certain inclination with respect to the flat reflection surface, by which light beam reflected at the flat reflection surface is removed by filter means to make it possible to observe only the inclined reflection surface of the object.