Abstract: In an alignment apparatus for aligning a mask and a photosensitive substrate (a semiconductor wafer or glass plate applied with a photoresist), and which is suitably used in a projection exposure apparatus (a stepper or aligner), a proximity exposure apparatus, or the like used in a lithography process in the manufacture of a semiconductor element or a liquid crystal display element, two first beams and two second beams differing from the first beams may be radiated on a diffraction grating-like mask mark and a diffraction grating-like substrate mark, respectively, with the two second beams passing through a transparent region adjacent to the mask mark. By detecting diffracted light components of the two first beams and detecting diffracted light components of the two second beams, a relative position shift between the mask and the substrate can be determined.

Abstract: A surface position detection apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting pattern light having a predetermined pattern on a detection surface from an oblique direction to the detection surface, an imaging optical system for forming an image of the pattern light reflected by the detection surface, a light-receiving-side light-shield arranged at a position substantially conjugate with the detection surface in the imaging optical system, and having an opening portion with a predetermined shape, a scanner for scanning the pattern image formed by the imaging optical system relative to the light-receiving-side light-shield, and a detection device for the pattern light into a plurality of portions, and selectively detecting at least one such portion of the pattern light.

Abstract: A system for inspecting a phase-shifted photolithographic mask. This inspection system includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, an imaging optical system for focusing an image of a pattern to be inspected on the mask, and detecting means for detecting the image of the inspection pattern whereby in accordance with one form, the amount of phase shift (.pi.+.delta.) is determined in accordance with the light quantity ratio between the images of phase-shifter deposited portions and phase-shifter non-deposited portions of the inspection pattern in a defocus condition. In accordance with another form, the direction of incidnece of an illuminating light on the mask is changed in such a manner that of the light transmitted through the inspection pattern the other beams than the 0-order diffracted beam and either one of the .+-.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for reproducing a mask pattern onto a photo-sensitive surface of a substrate using holographic techniques.

Abstract: A positioning method involving the following steps is disclosed. Measured are coordinates positions of at least three preselected exposure areas on a static coordinate system among a plurality of exposure areas two-dimensionally formed in accordance with predetermined array coordinates on a photosensitive substrate. Calculative array coordinates of the plurality of exposure areas on the static coordinate system are calculated by using a plurality of first parameters calculated by statistically calculating the plurality of measured coordinate positions. Then, the photosensitive substrate is positioned in an exposure position while being moved in accordance with the calculative array coordinates thus calculated. Specific marks formed on a mask are thus exposed on each of a plurality of predetermined positions on the photosensitive substrate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is used for reproducing a mask pattern of a semiconductor device or the like onto a photosensitive substrate using a holography. The holography is utilized also in a process for alignment between a mask pattern hologram and an exposure region of the substrate. The pattern hologram is recorded to a recording medium by interference between an object wave from the pattern and a reference wave, and a second hologram is formed to the medium by diffraction light from an alignment mark formed on the mask. Prior to reconstruction of the pattern image, reconstruction light from the second hologram, illuminated with a reconstruction wave, is irradiated onto the substrate arranged in place of the mask. A reproduction image of the alignment mark on the substrate surface illuminated with the reconstruction light is measured, and relative displacement between the medium and the substrate is detected from a result of the measurement.

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: In a projection exposure apparatus wherein a stage is moved in the direction of optic axis when a mask formed with a predetermined pattern is projected by a shutter onto a photosensitive substrate placed on the stage through a projection optical system, the operations of control means for the shutter and control means for the stage are interlocked with each other on the basis of the operational characteristic of the shutter and the operational characteristics (particularly the speed characteristic) of the stage so that the distribution of the existence probability with respect to movement of the photosensitive substrate from the opening operation starting point of time till the closing operation completing point of time of the shutter, with respect to the direction of the optic axis, may assume substantially equal maximum values at at least two locations in the direction of the optic axis.

Abstract: A method for inspecting distortion characteristics of a projection optical system to be inspected by arranging a mask formed with measurement patterns at a plurality of predetermined positions on the object surface side of the projection optical system, transferring projected images of the plurality of measurement patterns onto a photosensitive substrate arranged on the image surface side of the projection optical system, and detecting transfer images of the measurement-patterns, includes:the step of exposing a mask, on which pairs of first and second measurement patterns are arranged adjacent to each other to be separated by a predetermined interval .DELTA.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a surface position of an object to be detected from the direction of a line of vision. Even if a thin film is formed on the surface of the object, the apparatus is applicable to the detection of a position of the surface to be detected and the detection of a position of a surface of the thin film and the apparatus is also applicable to the detection of only a thickness of the thin film. The apparatus is designed so that a light beam of a frequency varied continuously and steadily is divided into two parts which are respectively directed to the object and a reference reflecting mirror, and after reflected beams from the object and the reference reflecting mirror have been combined on the same optical path, frequencies of the reflected beams are measured, thereby calculating the position of the object in accordance with a result of the frequency measurement.

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: In a projection exposure apparatus wherein a stage is moved in the direction of optic axis when a mask formed with a predetermined pattern is projected by a shutter onto a photosensitive substrate placed on the stage through a projection optical system, the operations of control means for the shutter and control means for the stage are interlocked with each other on the basis of the operational characteristic of the shutter and the operational characteristics (particularly the speed characteristic) of the stage so that the distribution of the existence probability with respect to movement of the photosensitive substrate from the opening operation starting point of time till the closing operation completing point of time of the shutter, with respect to the direction of the optic axis, may assume substantially equal maximum values at at least two locations in the direction of the optic axis.

Abstract: This specification discloses a method of and an apparatus for manufacturing a disc medium which utilize the projection exposure technique of a stopper for lithography, rotate a circular photosensitive substrate which provides the disc medium at the same speed as a circular reticle having a pattern of information tracks while rotating the reticle, and irradiate the reticle with illuminating light of a slit-like shape or a sectoral shape extending in the diametrical direction of the circular reticle to thereby effect rotation scan exposure.

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: 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: An apparatus for aligning a mask and a substrate by detecting diffracted light from a first and second diffraction gratings. The apparatus comprises an illumination light source for irradiating light of a predetermined wavelength, a detection optical system, having an aberration along an optical axis corrected in a predetermined manner, and an orientation control device for controlling the light orientation of the predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a means for providing a predetermined frequency difference between two light beams and generating an optical beat with respect to interference between first and second diffracted light beams from a diffraction grating formed on a substrate, and a means for detecting a phase difference between the optical beat and a reference signal having a frequency corresponding to the frequency difference between the two light beams, and detects a position of the substrate based upon the phase difference in accordance with an optical heterodyne interference method.