Abstract: A method for detecting a period of a periodically varying signal and/or an inclination of a specimen utilizing an exposure apparatus wherein a coherent light is divided into first and second lights and the first light is irradiated onto the specimen at a predetermined angle, and a reflected light thereof and a reference light as the second light interfere with each other so as to form interference fringes, the interference fringes are detected, and the inclination of the specimen is detected from a pitch representing a period of the interference fringes. The method includes detecting a spectrum of a signal intensity obtained from the detected interference fringes or the periodically varying signal, subjecting the detected spectrum data to a fast complex Fourier transformation, calculating a true spectrum peak position j.sub.R in accordance with a relationship j.sub.R =j.sub.0 +.DELTA., where j.sub.0 is a detected spectrum peak position and .DELTA.

Abstract: A projection type exposure apparatus and method comprising an exposure illumination light source, an exposure illumination system, a mask or reticle on which an original pattern to be projected on the exposed matter is drawn, an optical projection system, a stage for retaining the exposed matter and a mechanism for finely moving the stage along the exposure optical axis.

Abstract: A method of and an apparatus for detecting a defect on a phase-shifting mask for use in a projection aligner in which either or both of respective intensities of transmitted and reflected light beams from the mask illuminated with light are used for detecting a defect on the mask.

Abstract: A plane grating, particularly for a monochronomator, is provided with varied-spaced straight and parallel grooves in a light beam path to compensate for other light affecting components, for example a spherical mirror used for collimating or focusing the light beam. The angle of incidence with respect to the light for each of the grooves may vary and the angle of diffraction with respect to the light for each groove may be required to vary with the imperfection of collimation and focusing of the beam. The grooves are varied in their spacing to compensate for the variation of both incidence and diffraction direction.

Abstract: An area on a photoresist film which is formed on a substrate surface having a topography, is exposed a plurality of times in such a manner that the image plane of a mask pattern is formed at a plurality of positions which are spaced apart from a reference plane in the substrate in the direction of an optical axis, and then the photoresist film is developed to form a resist pattern. According to the above method, the effective focal depth of the projection aligner used is enhanced, and moreover the reduction of the image contrast at the photoresist film is very small by the plural exposure operations. Accordingly, a fine pattern can be formed accurately on the substrate surface having the topography.

Abstract: A spectrometer is disclosed, in which plural entrance slits are mounted, and a reference light passing through one entrance slit and the light to be measured passing through the other entrance slit are simultaneously focused on a photo-sensitive surface of a detector through a diffraction grating and a focusing optical system, to measure the wavelength of the light to be measured precisely by using the reference light as a standard.

Abstract: An area on a photoresist film which is formed on a substrate surface having a topography, is exposed a plurality of times in such a manner that the image plane of a mask pattern is formed at a plurality of positions which are spaced apart from a reference plane in the substrate in the direction of an optical axis, and then the photoresist film is developed to form a resist pattern. According to the above method, the effective focal depth of the projection aligner used is enhanced, and moreover the reduction of the image contrast at the photoresist film is made very small by the plural exposure operations. Accordingly, a fine pattern can be formed accurately on the substrate surface having the topography.

Abstract: An area on a photoresist film which is formed on a substrate surface having a topography, is exposed a plurality of times in such a manner that the image plane of a mask pattern is formed at a plurality of positions which are spaced apart from a reference plane in the substrate in the direction of an optical axis, and then the photoresist film is developed to form a resist pattern. According to the above method, the effective focal depth of the projection aligner used is enhanced, and moreover the reduction of the image contrast at the photoresist film is very small by the plural exposure operations. Accordingly, a fine pattern can be formed accurately on the substrate surface having the topography.

Abstract: An optical projection printing apparatus which can irradiate a mask with light from a first light source to focus the mask pattern on a resist of a semiconductor wafer in a highly accurate alignment by a first optical system including a projection lens. A wafer mark formed on the wafer to have a grating pattern shape is arranged to have its grating pitch direction located in the sagittal plane of the first optical system. The wafer mark is irradiated with the light coming from a second light source having a wavelength different from that of the first light source. Of the reflected light from the wafer mark, only the .+-. 1st order diffraction light is extracted by a filter and partially superposed on the mask in a transversely misaligned state so that the reflected light from the wafer mark may be focused by a second optical system. The aforementioned filter is disposed in the Fourier plane of the second optical system.

Abstract: A pattern printing method includes a step of printing a pattern on a wafer on the basis of a target mark provided on the surface of the wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which the pattern is to be printed. Also disclosed is a pattern printing apparatus which comprises detecting means for detecting a target mark provided on the surface of a wafer which is opposite to the surface thereof on which a pattern is to be printed, and pattern printing means for printing the pattern on the pattern printing surface of the wafer on the basis of mark position data obtained by the detecting means.

Abstract: A pattern detector for precise position measurement of a wafer, used in a mask aligner used in manufacturing a semiconductor device is disclosed. A positioning pattern on the wafer is magnified and projected by a magnifying optical system and the magnified projected image is precisely detected to determine a position of the positioning pattern. As a light to form the magnified projected image, plurality of monochromatic lights of different wavelengths are available through optical filters and the magnifying optical systems are arranged one for each of the monochromatic lights. By selecting one of the optical filters, the magnified projected image of the positioning pattern is formed by the monochromatic light having an optimum wavelength to the wafer and the precise position of the positioning pattern on the wafer can be detected.

Abstract: A pattern detector according to the present invention adopts a processing method wherein means is provided anew with which the intensity distribution of light reflected from or transmitted through an illuminated specimen is photoelectrically converted, and a pattern position is detected at high speed from the ratio between the primary moment and integral value of a detection signal thus derived, whereupon a symmetry calculation is executed within a narrow range around the detected value, whereby the pattern position is found fast and precisely.

Abstract: A pattern generator in which a workpiece to be machined into a desired pattern shape is held in vacuum and is irradiated with a laser beam condensed to be fine, while scanning the laser beam so as to depict the desired pattern shape, whereby the workpiece is directly machined in conformity with the desired pattern shape. As the workpiece, one in which a shading film (for example, chromium film) is deposited on a transparent glass substrate is employed, and it is irradiated with the laser beam in the vacuum, whereby the irradiated parts of the shading film are vaporized to fabricate a shading mask pattern of good quality.

Abstract: There is disclosed a pattern forming apparatus for projecting a pattern which is formed on a reticle upon a photoresist layer on a substrate which comprises an illumination system for illuminating the pattern for forming an optical image, a reduction lenses for reducing the optical pattern image at a certain reduction ratio and projecting the reduced optical pattern image upon the photoresist layer formed on the substrate for exposing the photoresist layer, and liquid sustaining means for filling a gap between at least a portion of the reduction lenses and the photoresist layer with an optically transparent liquid having a refractive index of more than 1 (one).

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus according to the present invention is constructed of a base on which a substrate is placed, detection means for detecting a pressure of air which is caused to flow out of an interspace between the substrate and an orifice by spurting the air from the orifice toward the substrate, reference pressure generation means for generating a reference pressure which is necessary for setting a standard distance between the substrate and the orifice, a pressure transducer which receives pressure signals from said detection means and said reference pressure generation means and which converts a pressure difference between these pressure signals into an electric signal, base drive means for moving the substrate in parallel with the orifice on the basis of the output signal from said pressure transducer, and offset signal generation means for generating a signal which, when superposed on the output signal from said pressure transducer, serves to shift the substrate from the standard distance.

Abstract: A pattern detecting apparatus is disclosed which comprises, in order to detect the center of a positioning pattern on a sample with high accuracy in a wide range, means for illuminating the positioning pattern, means for defining an illumination range in which the positioning pattern is illuminated, means for focusing reflected light from the positioning pattern on a predetermined image plane, means for electrically detecting a bright and dark image on the image plane in accordance with positions on the image plane, means for removing a signal corresponding to the outside of the illumination range from the output signal of the detecting means and for holding, in place of the removed signal, a level of the output signal produced within the illumination range, and means for detecting a position of the center of the positioning pattern from the output signal of the holding means.

Abstract: In a reduction projection aligner system wherein a pattern on a reticle is formed directly on a wafer by reducing, projecting and printing it, a positioning pattern on the wafer is optically magnified and projected and then focused onto a focal plane where a slit scans the projected image. The distance from a mechanical origin provided on the supporting body of the system to the positioning pattern on the wafer is then measured on the basis of the movement of the slit, and the reticle is then relatively moved and positioned so as to coincide with the position of the wafer relative to the body of the system, thereby bringing the wafer and the reticle into coincidence.

Abstract: A proportional linear output system in which a second link mechanism consisting of a link and a slider is coupled to a portion of a link of a first link mechanism consisting of a link and a slider, so that the individual link mechanisms describe geometrically similar figures, and in which an input displacement fed to one slider is converted into an output displacement and is produced by another slider, the quantity of output displacement being reduced according to a ratio of similar figures of the first link mechanism to the second link mechanism.

Abstract: An improved optical exposure apparatus for use in exposing a workpiece to a desired light pattern with a high alignment accuracy and a high operational speed is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a moving table on which a workpiece to be exposed is disposed, a movable holder on which a mask having an original pattern is disposed, a light source for irradiating said mask, a reduction lens for projecting a reduced pattern of said original pattern onto said workpiece, means for positioning said moving table to a predetermined position, means for detecting the error of said table positioning, means for calculating a value of the error of positioning the workpiece divided by the reduction rate of the reduction lens, and means for automatically shifting said movable holder by the calculated value so as to cancel said error.