Abstract: A method includes steps of exposing each of first shot regions on a substrate to a plurality of first marks aligned at a predetermined interval via a master and a projection optical system, and exposing each of second shot regions on the substrate to a plurality of second marks aligned at the predetermined interval via the master and the projection optical system. The first and second shot regions are arranged so as to make positions of a plurality of transferred first and second marks on the substrate correspond to each other, and the number of the transferred first marks in the first shot region being larger than the number of the transferred second marks in the second shot region. In addition, a distortion amount of the projection optical system is calculated based on a positional difference measured for the transferred first and second marks which correspond to each other.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus projects a pattern on an original onto a substrate via a projection optical system while scanning the original and the substrate. The apparatus includes a stage which holds and moves the substrate; a projection system which projects a slit shot pattern formed on the original onto plural areas of the substrate and an area partially overlapping four of the plural areas adjacent to each other, by having the original stand still and moving the stage; a measurement system which measures a positional deviation between partial patterns included in the shot patterns in the overlapping area; and a control system which controls movement of the stage based on a result of measurement by the measurement system.

Abstract: A method for determining a chip arrangement on a wafer. The method includes steps of generating a grid array in which rectangles are arranged in a grid pattern, the rectangle corresponding to a chip in size, an apex of the rectangle being a grid point, extracting a plurality of the grid points, having respective distances, from an origin, not greater than a constant defined by an available area on the wafer, from the grid array, forming a region, of which a form corresponds to the available area and which has the original and one of the extracted grid points on its circumference, on the grid array, with respect to each of the plurality of the grid points extracted in the extracting step, and determining a chip arrangement on the wafer based on a region, which includes a maximum number of the rectangles, formed in the forming step.

Abstract: Shot exposure of arranging first marks on a photosensitive substrate via a reticle in M rows and N columns (e.g., three rows and three columns) at a predetermined column interval and row interval is repeated m×n times (e.g., 2×2), thereby forming first marks in M×m rows and N×n columns (six rows and six columns) on the photosensitive substrate. M and m are natural numbers which are relatively prime, N and n are natural numbers which are relatively prime, and M>m and N>n hold. Shot exposure of arranging second marks on the photosensitive substrate via the reticle in m rows and n columns at the predetermined column interval and row interval is repeated M×N times, thereby forming second marks in M×m rows and N×n columns. Accordingly, M×m×N×n overlay marks are formed from the first and second marks. The misalignment amounts of the first and second marks are measured for each of the M×m×N×n formed overlay marks.

Abstract: The invention provides a chip arrangement determining method for acquiring a group of chips as non-defective products from a substantially circular wafer. Plural pairs of grid points, having a space smaller than a diameter of a regional circle which is indicative of the size of a valid exposure area, are extracted from chip arrays arranged in a grid pattern. With respect to each of the plural pairs of grid points extracted, a regional circle having the pair of grid points on its circumference is formed on the chip arrays. Then, the number of chips entirely included within the regional circle is counted. A regional circle, having the maximum number of chips entirely included within the circle, is specified from all the regional circles formed, and this chip arrangement is determined as the optimum chip arrangement. In this manner, a strictly optimum semiconductor chip arrangement on a wafer can be obtained in a short time.

Abstract: A stage system includes a movable stage, a gas blowing port for blowing a gas in a predetermined direction, a mirror disposed on the stage, a laser interferometer for projecting measurement light to the mirror, to measure a position of the stage, and a member disposed between the gas blowing port and a measurement light path of the laser interferometer, to block a portion of a gas flow from the gas blowing port. This arrangement enables reduction of an interferometer error caused by any fluctuation of an air, without disturbing the stage motion.

Abstract: An illumination system includes a light source for providing pulse light, and a scanning system for relatively and scanningly moving an article, to be illuminated, relative to an illumination region to be defined by the pulse light, wherein, in a light intensity distribution defined in the illumination region with respect to a scan direction, the light intensity changes non-linearly from an least one end portion to a highest light intensity point in the distribution, wherein the light intensity distribution includes a first point at the one end portion, a second point whereat light intensity increase changes, a third point whereat light intensity increase changes, and a fourth point whereat the light intensity is highest, and wherein at least one of a width Wa between the first and second points and a width Wb between the third and fourth points substantially corresponds to or is greater than the relative movement amount between the illumination region and the article per pulse.

Abstract: An energy quantity control method usable with a pulse energy producing source for successively emitting energy pulses of an energy quantity variable with time, wherein a control parameter for the pulse energy producing source is adjustable to control an energy quantity of an energy pulse, the method including determining, on the basis of a difference between a desired value for integrated energy quantity of energy pulses and an actually measured value for the integrated energy quantity, a desired value for a subsequent energy quantity to be provided subsequently by a subsequent energy pulse, and adjusting the control parameter on the basis of a difference between the desired value for the subsequent energy quantity to be provided subsequently by the subsequent energy pulse and an actually measured energy quantity provided by a last-emitted energy pulse.

Abstract: A stage device includes a first, fine-motion driving system for moving a movable stage through a first range; and a second, relatively rough-motion driving system for moving the movable stage through a second range which is substantially of the same extent as the first range.