Abstract: In an interferometer for detecting interference light between light flux passed through an object to be inspected and reference light to be generated from a portion of the light flux passed therethrough, a phase of the interference light is detected with high precision. The light flux passed through the optical system to be inspected forms a spot image on a pinhole formed in a plate. Measuring light from the spot image and the reference-light diffracted out of the light flux from the spot image at the pinhole create interference light which in turn is received by an observation system. An image of interference fringes formed by the interference light is taken with an image pickup element. Further, heterodyne interference light is created by vibrating the plate in the direction intersecting the light flux or in the direction along the light path of the light flux, thereby detecting a phase of each portion of the interference fringes with high precision.

Abstract: A photo mask for lithography process form a high contrast image. The photo mask includes a light transparent portion and a light shielding portion, at least a part of which has a multilayer construction, wherein an the edge portion of the shielding portion has a different light transmissivity than a central portion surrounded by the edge portion.

Abstract: A method of aligning each of a plurality of processing areas arranged on a substrate with a predetermined transfer position in a static coordinate system XY for defining a moving position of said substrate, a pattern of a mask being transferred to each of the plurality of processing areas, the method comprising the steps of: wherein each of the plurality of processing areas has a specific point and a plurality of marks for alignment arranged by a predetermined positional relationship with respect to said specific point; measuring coordinate positions of a predetermined number of marks selected from several processing areas of the plurality of processing areas on the static coordinate system XY; calculating a plurality of parameters in a model equation expressing the regularity of arrangement of the plurality of processing areas by performing a statistic calculation by use with the measured plurality of coordinate positions, arrangement coordinate values upon the design of the specific points of the several pr

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing semiconductor devices by using a lithography technique. Process control marks, which are necessary for overlay exposure and so on, are formed, prior to formation of bonding pads, in a photolithography step on bonding pad areas intended to be finally used as continuity areas for deriving external wiring or on areas in the vicinity thereof. The process control marks are formed on the bonding pad areas having a much broader superficial content than scribe line areas. Therefore, even if the number of process control marks to be used increases, or if the marks themselves become large, all of the marks can be formed without using the scribe line areas.

Abstract: A mask pattern is transferred onto a wafer by exposure with a mask stage and a wafer stage being moved synchronously. In global alignment of the mask and the wafer, the scanning direction in the present (second layer) scanning exposure is made coincident with the scanning direction in the preceding (first layer) scanning exposure. When alignment is made by calculating shot array coordinates in advance, shot array coordinates are calculated for each scanning direction.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a mark detection system adapted to accommodate a photomask having a phase shift type fiducial mark. The mark detection system may include, for example, a photoelectric detector, a light receiving optical system for guiding light from the fiducial mark to the photoelectric detector, and an adjustable stop member for variably setting at least one of an aperture diameter and an aperture position of the stop member.

Abstract: The projection exposure apparatus is provided with a moving mirror (24X, 24Y) having a length Lm set so as to satisfy a relationship as represented by Lm<Dw+2BL, in which Dw is a diameter of a substrate stage (18) and BL is the distance between a projection center of an optical projection system (PL) and a detection center of a mark detection system (AS). The projection exposure apparatus having the moving mirror so set for its length Lm as to satisfy the above relationship can make the substrate stage (18) more compact in size and lighter in weight, thereby achieving improvements in performance of controlling the position of the substrate stage (18), as compared with a conventional exposure apparatus having a moving mirror set so as for its length to meet a relationship as represented by Lm>Dw+2BL.

Abstract: The relative positions of an alignment mark on a wafer and index marks on an index plate within an optical system are detected by image processing. The index marks are illuminated by an illuminating light which is independent of an illuminating light for the wafer mark. An image of the wafer mark by a return light from the wafer and images of the index marks by the independent illuminating light are simultaneously picked up by a CCD image pickup device and the position of the first mark is detected from a combined image of these images by image processing.

Abstract: A photo mask for a lithography process enables the formation of high contrast image and facilitates manufacturing. The photo mask includes a transparent portion for an illumination light and a half-transparent part having a predetermined transmittance for the illumination light. These transparent and half-transparent portions are so constructed that a phase of a transmitted light beam from the half-transparent portion has a phase difference of 2 n.pi. or (2 n+1).pi. radian relative to a light beam passed through a transparent portion. Another type of photo mask includes transparent portion for the illumination light and a light shielding portion against the illumination light. At least a part of the shielding portion has a multilayer construction. An edge at least portion of the shielding portion has a different transmittance for the illumination light then a central portion surrounded by the edge portion.

Abstract: In an exposure apparatus and method utilizing a projection system, a surface state relating to an exposure area of the projection system is determined by illuminating the exposure area with light, receiving light from the exposure area, designating positions of a plurality of detection points in the exposure area in accordance with a size of the exposure area, and detecting, based on information of received light corresponding to the plurality of detection points, positions related to the plurality of detection points.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus which can perform superior observation or projection of a selected mark when the mark is observed or projected through a projection optical system in which a pupil filter is set. The projection exposure apparatus which projects a pattern on a mask through a projection optical system onto a photosensitive substrate held on a substrate stage movable in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system and which has a pupil filter (optical correction plate) placed on or near the pupil plane of the projection optical system, a reference mark formed on the substrate stage in a scale factor according to the shape of the pupil filter, illuminating means for illuminating the reference mark with illumination light, and light-receiving means for receiving the illumination light having emerged from the reference mark and thereafter having passed the projection optical system.

Abstract: In a projection exposure apparatus and method, the intensity distribution of illumination light for detecting an imaging characteristic of a projection optical system is set substantially equal to the intensity distribution of exposure illumination light. The intensity distribution of a secondary light source in an exposure illumination optical system is changed in accordance with a pattern of a mask. Magnification and aberration of the projection optical system are adjusted in accordance with the changed intensity distribution of the secondary light source. A substrate stage is moved along an optical axis of the projection optical system to compensate movement of the image plane of the projection optical system caused by a change in the intensity distribution of the secondary light source. An exposure operation is interrupted when a light amount distribution is changed. Exposure control is also responsive to thermal accumulation in the projection optical system.

Abstract: A mask pattern is transferred onto a wafer by exposure with a mask stage and a wafer stage being moved synchronously. In global alignment of the mask and the wafer, the scanning direction in the present (second layer) scanning exposure is made coincident with the scanning direction in the preceding (first layer) scanning exposure. When alignment is made by calculating shot array coordinates in advance, shot array coordinates are calculated for each scanning direction.

Abstract: A mark for position detection formed on a substrate has a first pattern disposed near the center of the mark and having periodicity in a Y-axis direction, and second patterns respectively disposed near both sides of the first pattern in an X-axis direction and each having periodicity in the X-axis direction. The position of the first pattern is detected by aligning the detection center of a detecting optical system, that is, the minimal aberration point of the detecting optical system, with the center of the first pattern. The positions of the second patterns are detected at respective points symmetric with respect to the minimal aberration point, and the detected values for the positions of the second patterns are averaged. An apparatus for detecting the mark for position detection detects the first and second patterns by image processing when the mark is in a stationary state.

Abstract: Alignment is performed with a high degree of accuracy by detecting an offset in the Z position of a wafer mark. A focal position detecting system of a multipoint type is provided which irradiates spot beams on a plurality of measurement points substantially equally distributed on the exposure field of an projection optical system and detects the heights or levels of the irradiated positions. An alignment illumination beam for detecting the position of the wafer mark is irradiated as a slit beam from an alignment sensor, and the spot beams are set so as to be overlaid with the irradiated position of the slit beam. A sample shot where the measured value of a level at the irradiated position of the spot beam exceeds an allowable range of the measured value of a level at another measurement point is excluded from alignment data, and the coordinate positions of each shot area on a wafer are calculated by an EGA method.

Abstract: An alignment method for achieving accurate alignment by accurately eliminating an isolated area with a large nonlinear component of an alignment error from sample areas. A conversion parameter is calculated by statistical processing on the basis of a result obtained by measuring the position of each sample area on a substrate to be processed in advance, and each area on the substrate is aligned on the basis of arrangement coordinate values calculated using the conversion parameter. This method relates to a method of aligning each of a plurality of areas to be processed arranged on the substrate on the basis of arrangement coordinates on a first coordinate system (x, y) set on the substrate to a predetermined process position in a second coordinate system (X, Y) for defining the moving position of the substrate.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for surface position detection, a position of a detection surface is determined by illuminating the detection surface with detection light, receiving detection light from the detection surface, designating different parts of the detection surface in accordance with a structure within an illuminated area on the detection surface, and detecting, based on information of the received light and information of the designated parts of the detection surface, positions corresponding to the designated parts of the detection surface.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for reproducing a mask pattern onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate uses holographic techniques. The apparatus includes support for holding a hologram recording plate at a predetermined position during both a recording operation and a reconstructing operation. A first illuminating optical system introduces a light beam from a coherent light source to a mask and irradiates a subject beam produced from the mask into the recording plate. A second illuminating optical system irradiates the light beam from a coherent light source as a reference beam into the recording plate, a carrier apparatus disposes during the reconstructing operation, a substrate at the position of the mask, in place of the mask. A third illuminating optical system for irradiates a conjugate beam with the reference beam into the recording plate, in which a hologram has been formed by the recording operation, to form an image of the hologram on the photo-sensitive surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An error in alignment between both positions is obtained from reference position information incorporated in advance in an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a semiconductor and detection position information obtained by physically non-contact measuring a mark formed on an object to be measured such as a wafer, a mask or a wafer stage. This mark has a construction having a periodic pattern at a predetermined pitch in connection with a scanning direction. A periodic signal obtained by non-contact scanning the mark is subjected to Fourier integration processing and a phase angle including not only a fundamental wave component but a high-order component by calculation of a sine wave and a cosine component of Fourier conversion to thereby detect position information of an average center position of the mark with a correction of a mark deformation caused by wafer or process of mask added thereto. An error in alignment is corrected by relatively moving said object to a reference position.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus employs light in two different wavelength bands for exposure of a photosensitive substrate and for alignment of the substrate with a mask, respectively. The mask has a window through which alignment light is passed to an alignment mark on the substrate and has a shield for preventing illumination of the alignment mark by exposure light. In one embodiment the position of the shield relative to the window is determined by magnification chromatic aberration of a projection optical system with regard to the alignment light. In another embodiment the path of the alignment light through the window is inclined relative to a line perpendicular to the mask and passes through a pupil of the projection optical system at a point deviated from the center of the pupil.