Abstract: A substrate holder is provided with two kinds of grooves (clearances) in the absorbing surface thereof. One kind of groove is made of a suitable depth so as to be able to quickly exhaust air and reduce pressure to thereby vacuum mount a substrate, and the other kind of groove is formed with a very small depth within such a range that there is no influence of dust being interposed between the holder and the substrate, in order to better the heat conduction between the substrate and the substrate holder. In addition, the area of the latter is made large as compared with the area of the former.

Abstract: An optical measuring apparatus includes an environmental chamber which has a blowing opening to which a temperature-controlled gas is supplied from an external device and an exhaust opening for exhausting the air outside the environmental chamber, a light-emitting unit for irradiating a light beam onto an object to be measured arranged in the environmental chamber, a light-receiving unit for receiving the light beam reflected by the object to be measured, and outputting a signal corresponding to a position of the object to be measured. A heat source is provided in the environmental chamber and forms an air layer having a temperature higher than the gas immediately after the gas is supplied from the blowing opening. There is provided a partitioning wall which is arranged between an optical path of the light beam and the heat source to divide a flow of the gas.

Abstract: A laser interferometer apparatus is designed such that the path of the laser beam of an interference refractometer to the path of the laser beam of a measuring interferometer is covered with a blast duct temperature-controlled atmospheric gas blown by a blower fan is directed through the interior of the blast duct toward the corner cube of a moving stage along the laser beam.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus having an irradiation optical system for irradiating a pattern formed on a mask with first irradiation light, a projection optical system for imaging and projecting the image of the pattern of the mask onto a photosensitive substrate, and a mark detection device for irradiating a predetermined mark formed on the photosensitive substrate with second irradiation light in a wavelength region which is different from that of the first irradiation light by the projection optical system and detecting light generated from the mark, the projection exposure apparatus including: a deflection member disposed on a pupil surface of the projection optical system or in a periphery in an adjacent plane of the same, shielding a beam, which is a portion of the first irradiation light generated from the mask and incident on the projection optical system, and which passes through the peripheral portion of the pupil surface of the projection optical system, deflecting the second irradiation light by

Abstract: A method and apparatus for measuring the coordinate position of a stage on which a semiconductor wafer or the like is placed. Two .theta. interferometers are provided as measuring means for detecting local curving deviations of reflecting surfaces of two plane mirrors perpendicular to each other which mirrors are provided on the stage for detection of the coordinate position of the stage based on the use of light wave interferometers. The curving deviations of the reflecting surfaces of the plane mirrors are measured with the .theta. interferometers to calculate the difference thereby measured and, hence, the true curving deviations of the reflecting surfaces while cancelling out errors in linear movement of the stage. The position of the stage measured with the coordinate position measuring light wave interferometers is corrected by values corresponding to the true curving deviations.

Abstract: An apparatus for transmitting a laser beam supplied from a laser source to a working apparatus comprises a plurality of reflecting mirrors disposed in series between the laser source and the working apparatus to change the direction of the laser beam, a condensing optical system provided to condense the laser beam on the reflecting surface of the first one of the reflecting mirrors, and a relay optical system including first and second imaging devices disposed between the first reflecting mirror and the second reflecting mirror subsequent thereto in the direction of travel of the laser beam.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus used for the purpose of forming extremely fine patterns, e.g., semiconductor integrated circuits on a wafer. The apparatus includes an illuminating optical system for irradiating a reticle with light emitted from a light source, a projection optical system for projecting an image of the reticle onto a wafer which is to be exposed, a first chamber for enclosing the projection exposure apparatus on the whole, a second chamber arranged inside the first chamber to enclose a space containing an optical path of an exposure light between the projection optical system and the wafer, and means for separately adjusting internal air temperatures of the first and second chambers.

Abstract: A device for detecting the levelling of an object disposed on a plane substantially perpendicular to the optic axis of main objective optical means and worked by a radiation beam from the main objective optical means comprises levelling detecting optical means including an irradiating optical system for supplying a collimated light beam to a particular area of the surface of the object from an oblique direction, and a condensing optical system having light receiving means and for condensing the light beam reflected by the particular area on the light receiving means, and field stop means providing a plurality of stop openings differing in shape from one another, the field stop means being disposed in the levelling detecting optical means, one stop opening corresponding to the shape of the particular area being selected from among the plurality of stop openings.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing to a substrate the image of the desired pattern of a mask having a mark and a desired pattern formed thereon. Light source for illuminating the mask by at least part of the laser light from the light source, a projection optical system, movable stage, position detecting for detecting the relative position of the stage and the mask and outputting a position signal, a fiducial member formed integrally with the stage, the fiducial member having a fiducial pattern disposed thereon. A second illuminating optical system for illuminating the fiducial pattern from the opposite side of the projection optical system with respect to the fiducial member. The second illuminating optical system having a plurality of reflecting members for directing at least part of the laser light from the light source to the fiducial pattern.

Abstract: A laser working system comprises supplying means for supplying a laser beam, a working unit which includes a stage for supporting a workpiece and means for exposing the workpiece to the laser beam, and a room unit which includes wall means for surrounding the working unit and accomodates the working unit to spatially isolate it from outside of the wall means. The supplying means is arranged outside the room unit and includes first and second laser units each for generating the laser beam.The laser working system further comprises beam guiding means which creates first light path for optically communicating the first laser unit with the working unit through the wall means, and second light path for optically communicating the second laser unit with the working unit through the wall means, respectively.