Apparatus for detecting a focussing position

• US 5,241,188 A
• Filed: 12/15/1992
• Issued: 08/31/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Mizutani, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Application Number:
  US07/993,460
• Time in Patent Office: 259 Days
• Field of Search: 250/548, 250/557, 250/237 R, 250/216, 356/400, 356/401
• US Class Current: 250/548
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7026 Focusing

Abstract

An apparatus for detecting a focussing position in a projection exposure system. The apparatus constitutes a detection system for causing the so-called automatic focussing apparatus to operate more precisely with greater reliability and the focussing height at the respective portions of a mask pattern are separately determined, thereby making the accurate discrimination of the focussing position even in cases where any special mark is not used or the intentity of the exposure light is varied moment by moment. This apparatus includes a reference surface formed with a transparent pattern of a given configuration and provided on a stage, an illuminating system for directing an illuminating light to the transparent pattern, and a detection system whereby the reflected light from the mask pattern surface of the projected image of the transparent pattern formed by the projection optical system under the application of the illuminating light is detected through the projection optical system and the transparent pattern thereby detecting a variation in the light quantity of the reflected light. The position (height) where the light quantity variation of the reflected light attains the maximum or minimum represents the focussing position.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting a position of a conjugate plane at which a projected image of an object surface is formed by a projection optical system or a focussing position, said apparatus comprising:

projection object means including at least a first surface having reflecting properties and arranged on said object surface;

stage means for holding a photosensing substrate having a photosensing surface to be positioned at said conjugate plane in a manner that said photosensing substrate is movable in the direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system;

reference surface means provided on said stage means and adapted to be arranged on the basis of a position conjugate to said first surface arranged on said object surface with respect to said projection optical system;

a transparent pattern of a predetermined configuration formed on a surface of said reference surface means;

illuminating means for supplying an illuminating light through said transparent pattern in such a manner that said illuminating light reaches said first surface from said transparent pattern through said projection optical system;

means for receiving a reflected light of said illuminating light from said first surface through said projection optical system and said transparent pattern; and

detecting means for detecting a variation in the light quantity of said reflected light received by said means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

position detecting means responsive to an output of said detecting means to move said stage means along the optical axis direction of said projection optical system; and

first measuring means for measuring a position of said stage means relative to said projection optical system.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said stage means includes scanning means for moving a position of said transparent pattern relative to said first surface in a direction parallel to said reference surface, and second measuring means for measuring the position of said transparent pattern moved by said scanning means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said projection object means includes a mask pattern containing pattern elements having a directivity within said first surface, and wherein said transparent pattern has a different directivity such that said transparent pattern is in an inclined relation with an image of said pattern elements within a composite image of said transparent pattern and said mask pattern.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transparent pattern comprises a plurality of parallel line patterns.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said transparent pattern comprises a checkered pattern.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said illuminating means includes a plurality of first optical fiber strands for directing an illuminating light to said transparent pattern, wherein said means for receiving reflecting light includes a plurality of second optical fiber strands for directing said reflected light returning from said transparent pattern to a surface of said means for receiving reflected light, and wherein said first and second optical fiber strands are bundled to diverge randomly at a terminal end in said transparent pattern portion.

8. An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing a pattern formed on a pattern surface of a mask on a surface of a substrate by a projection optical system, said apparatus comprising:

first stage means for supporting said mask;

second stage means for supporting said photosensitive substrate;

first illuminating means for illuminating said mask with an exposure light;

first measuring means for detecting a position of said substrate in the direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system;

means responsive to a signal from said first measuring means to adjust a space between said projection optical system and said substrate and thereby to position said substrate at an image plane position of said projection optical system;

reference surface means provided on said second stage means and adapted to be arranged on the basis of a position conjugate to said master pattern surface arranged on an object surface with respect to said projection optical system;

a transparent pattern of a predetermined configuration formed on a surface of said reference surface means;

second illuminating means for supplying an illuminating light through said transparent pattern so as to reach said mask pattern surface from said transparent pattern through said projection optical system;

means for receiving a reflected light of said illuminating light from said mask pattern surface through said projection optical system and said transparent pattern; and

detecting means for detecting a variation in the light quantity of said reflected light received by said for receiving a reflected light means.

9. An exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second stage means includes scanning means for moving a position of said transparent pattern relative to said mask pattern surface in a direction parallel to said reference surface, and second measuring means for measuring the position of said transparent pattern moved by said scanning means.

10. An exposure apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said mask pattern means includes a mask pattern containing pattern elements having a directivity within said mask pattern surface, and wherein said transparent pattern has a different directivity such that said transparent pattern is in an oblique relation with an image of said pattern elements within a composite image of said transparent pattern and said mask pattern.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said second illuminating means includes a plurality of first optical fiber strands for directing an illuminating light to said transparent pattern, wherein said means for receiving a reflected light includes a plurality of second optical strands for directing said reflected light returning from said transparent pattern to a surface of said means for receiving a reflected light, and wherein said first and second optical fiber strands are fundled in a randomly divergent manner at a terminal end in said transparent pattern portion.

12. An apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising an optical fiber cable for directing an illuminating light from said second illuminating means to said transparent pattern, wherein a terminal end of said optical fiber cable is arranged in a position conjugate to an exit pupil of said projection optical system in said transparent pattern portion, and wherein said terminal end is formed to be substantially equal to the size of a light source image of said projection optical system.