Exposure apparatus and exposure method

• US 20020109824A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 08/15/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Yamaguchi, Atsushi, Honda, Yasuhiro, Sakamoto, Hideaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,710,850 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 27/42 for automatic sequential copying of the same original G03B27/34, G03B27/53 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70708 being electrostatic; Electrostatically deformable vacuum chucks
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control

Abstract

A reticle stage moves while holding the reticle. A stage controller detects the acceleration of the reticle stage based on the results of detection of an laser interference system. A main control system controls movement of the reticle stage so that the acceleration detected by the reticle stage becomes within a predetermined range of acceleration of the reticle stage where offset will not occur in the reticle. An image of the pattern formed on the reticle is transferred to a wafer through a projection optical system while synchronously moving the reticle and the wafer.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds and moves said mask,

an acceleration detection device which detects information relating to acceleration of the stage, and

a control device which controls movement of said stage so that the acceleration of said stage as based on the information detected by said acceleration detection device becomes within a range of acceleration of said stage found in advance where offset will not occur in the mask.

4. An exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, which derives the range of acceleration by a process of trial and error by repeatedly detecting offset of said mask while increasing or decreasing the acceleration of the stage in steps.

5. An exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the range of acceleration is derived at least at one of the time of startup of said exposure apparatus and the time of exchange of said mask.

6. An exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a storage device which stores the range of acceleration of said stage.

7. An exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein

said apparatus is further comprising a sensor which detects information relating to a capability of said stage to hold said mask and

said control device changes said range of acceleration accordance with said information.

2. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds and moves said mask,

an acceleration detection device which detects information relating to acceleration of said stage,

a posture detection device which detects a posture of said mask on said stage, and

a control device which initiates detection by said posture detection device when the acceleration of said stage as based on the information detected by said acceleration detection device becomes out of the range of acceleration of said stage found in advance where offset will not occur in the mask and performs processing for notifying an operator of the fact that it has judged and that offset has occurred in said mask when that is the case.

3. An exposure apparatus as set forth in claim 2, which is further comprising a posture adjustment device which adjusts the relative positional relationship between the mask on the stage and the substrate and

adjusts the relative positional relationship of the mask and substrate so as to cancel out offset by said posture adjustment device when said control device judges that offset has occurred in the mask.

8. An exposure method for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure method comprising:

finding in advance a range of acceleration of a stage holding and moving said mask or said substrate where offset will not be caused in said mask or said substrate due to acceleration or deceleration of the stage and

performing exposure while controlling the movement of said stage within the range of acceleration.

11. An exposure method as set forth in claim 8 or 9, further comprising

detecting information relating to the capability of the stage to hold the mask and

changing the range of acceleration in accordance with the information.

9. An exposure method for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure method comprising:

finding in advance a range of acceleration of a stage holding and moving said mask or said substrate where offset will not be caused in said mask or said substrate due to acceleration or deceleration of the stage,

detecting information relating to acceleration of said stage and detecting the presence of offset of said mask or said substrate when the acceleration of said stage as based on said information is outside of the range of acceleration, and

adjusting the relative positional relationship between said mask and said substrate so as to cancel out offset when judging that offset has occurred in said mask or said substrate.

10. An exposure method as set forth in claim 9, further comprising performing processing to notify an operator when judging that offset has occurred in the mask or substrate.

12. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds and moves said mask,

an acceleration detection device which detects information relating to acceleration of said stage,

a posture adjustment device which adjusts a relative positional relationship between said mask and said substrate,

a storage device in which offset information showing the relationship between the acceleration of the stage and the offset of the mask found in advance is stored, and

a control device which retrieves from said storage device the offset information corresponding to the acceleration of the stage based on the information detected by said acceleration detection device and adjusting the relative positional relationship of said mask and said substrate so as to cancel out the offset by said posture adjustment device.

13. An exposure method for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern,

said exposure method comprising performing exposure by

finding in advance information showing offset occurring in said mask or substrate due to acceleration or deceleration of a stage for holding and moving said mask or said substrate in relation with said acceleration and

detecting information relating to acceleration of said stage and adjusting a relative positional relationship between said mask and said substrate so as to cancel out the offset based on offset information corresponding to the acceleration of said stage as based on the information.

14. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds said mask,

a detection device which detects information relating to acceleration of said stage, and

an adjustment device which adjusts a relative positional relationship between said mask and said substrate at the time of exposure in accordance with said information.

15. An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a mask formed with a pattern, said exposure apparatus comprising:

a stage which holds said mask,

a detection device which detects information relating to acceleration of said stage, and

a control device which performs at least one of an operation for recovery from exposure error occurring due to said offset due to movement of said stage and notification of said exposure error.