Exposure apparatus and an exposure method

• US 6,549,269 B1
• Filed: 11/17/2000
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Nishi, Kenji, Ota, Kazuya
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG
• Application Number:
  US09/714,620
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 355/53, 355/55, 355/67-71, 355/72-77, 356/399-401, 250/548
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70216 Mask projection systems
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70425 Imaging strategies, e.g. for increasing throughput or resolution, printing product fields larger than the image field or compensating lithography- or non-lithography errors, e.g. proximity correction, mix-and-match, stitching or double patterning
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70716 Stages
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70733 Handling masks and workpieces, e.g. exchange of workpiece or mask, transport of workpiece or mask
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/70 for microlithography measuring printed patterns for monitoring overlay G03F7/70633 or focus G03F7/70641; projection system adjustment G03F7/70258; position control G03F7/70775
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7003 Alignment type or strategy, e.g. leveling, global alignment
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7015 Reference, i.e. alignment of original or workpiece with respect to a reference not on the original or workpiece
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7026 Focusing
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 9/7088 Alignment mark detection, e.g. TTR, TTL, off-axis detection, array detector, video detection

Abstract

Two stages (WS1), (WS2) holding wafers can independently move between a positional information measuring section (PIS) under an alignment system (24a) and an exposing section (EPS) under a projection optical system (PL). The wafer exchange and alignment are performed on the stage (WS1), during which wafer (W2) is exposed on the stage (WS2). A position of each shot area of wafer (WS1) is obtained as a relative position with respect to a reference mark formed on the stage (WS1) in the section (PIS). Relative positional information can be used for the alignment with respect to an exposure pattern when the wafer (WS1) is moved to the section (EPS) to be exposed. Therefore, it is not necessary that a stage position is observed continuously in moving the stage. Exposure operations are performed in parallel by the two wafer stages (WS1) and (WS2) so as to improve the throughput.

Claims

1. A projection exposure apparatus in which sensitive substrates are exposed by projecting a pattern formed on a mask onto the sensitive substrates respectively, the apparatus comprising:

a projection system, disposed in a path of an exposure beam, which projects a pattern image onto a sensitive substrate;

a stage system, disposed on an image plane side of the projection system, which has a first substrate stage and a second substrate stage, each of which is movable independently in a plane while holding a sensitive substrate;

a first interferometer system, functionally associated with the stage system, which has five measuring axes and monitors the first substrate stage during a detecting operation of the first substrate stage;

a second interferometer system, functionally associated with the stage system, which has five measuring axes and monitors the second substrate stage during an exposure operation of the second substrate stage;

a first detection system, functionally associated with the stage system, which detects a plurality of marks on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage and a first reference on the first substrate stage during the detecting operation in order to determine a first positional relationship between a plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage and the first reference on the first substrate stage;

a second detection system, functionally associated with the stage system, which detects a second positional relationship between a second reference on the first substrate stage and a mask mark formed on the mask via the projection system in order to align the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage with the mask, after finishing the exposure operation and the detecting operation, the first and second references on the first substrate stage being arranged with a predetermined positional relationship; and

a control system, functionally associated with the stage system, the first interferometer system and the second interferometer system, which controls the stage system to perform the detecting operation by moving the first substrate stage, while executing the exposure operation for the sensitive substrate held on the second substrate stage by moving the second substrate stage, based on the measuring result of the first and second interferometer systems.

2. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, during the exposure operation, each of areas on the sensitive substrate is exposed while moving the second substrate stage in a scanning direction.

3. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of said first and second interferometer systems has measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction and measuring axes parallel to a non-scanning direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.

4. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said second interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the second substrate stage.

5. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the non-scanning direction and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

6. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the non-scanning direction, the rotation and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

7. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the scanning direction and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction.

8. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said first interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage.

9. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first interferometer system measures the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction and the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

10. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said first interferometer system measures the rotation and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

11. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said first interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage.

12. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said first interferometer system measures positions, the rotation and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

13. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein said first interferometer system measures positions and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction.

14. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first interferometer system monitors positions, rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage, and said second interferometer system monitors positions, rotation and tilts of the second substrate stage.

15. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first substrate stage and said second substrate stage are moved apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, during the exposure operation of the second substrate stage.

16. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising:

a mark detecting system, disposed apart from the projection system in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, which detects alignment information of sensitive substrate during the detecting operation.

17. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a moving region of the first substrate stage which performs the at least one of the substrate exchange operation and the detecting operation overlaps a moving region of the second substrate stage which executes the exposure operation.

18. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second references are arranged on a reference plate on the first substrate stage.

19. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the second reference has a plurality of reference elements.

20. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the first detection system and the projection system are apart from each other in a first direction, the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the second direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

21. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

22. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the first interferometer system monitors positions, rotation, and tilts of the first substrate stage in the detecting operation, and the second interferometer system monitors positions, rotation, and tilts of the second substrate stage in the exposure operation.

23. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the second reference has a plurality of reference elements.

24. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the first detection system and the projection system are apart from each other in a first direction, the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the second direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

25. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

26. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first detection system and the projection system are apart from each other in a first direction, the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the second direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

27. A projection exposure apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second detection system detects the second positional relationship.

28. A projection exposure method for exposing sensitive substrates by projecting a pattern formed on a mask through a projection system onto the sensitive substrates respectively, comprising:

preparing a first substrate stage and a second substrate stage, each of which is movable independently on a two-dimensional plane while holding a sensitive substrate;

performing, by using the first substrate stage, a detecting operation, while executing an exposure operation for the sensitive substrate held on the second substrate stage;

monitoring said first substrate stage by using a first interferometer system which has five measuring axes during the detecting operation;

detecting a plurality of marks on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage and a first reference on the first substrate stage during the detecting operation in order to determine a first positional relationship between a plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage and the first reference on the first substrate stage;

monitoring said second substrate stage by using a second interferometer system which has five measuring axes during the exposure operation; and

detecting, after finishing the exposure operation and the detecting operation, a second positional relationship between a second reference on the first substrate stage and a mask mark formed on the mask via the projection system in order to align the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage with the mask, the first and second references on the first substrate stage being arranged with a predetermined positional relationship.

29. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein, during the exposure operation, each of areas on the sensitive substrate held on the second substrate stage is exposed while moving the second substrate stage in a scanning direction.

30. A projection exposure method according to claim 29, wherein each of said first and second interferometer systems has measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction and measuring axes parallel to a non-scanning direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.

31. A projection exposure method according to claim 30, wherein said second interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the second substrate stage.

32. A projection exposure method according to claim 31, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the non-scanning direction and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

33. A projection exposure method according to claim 31, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the non-scanning direction, the rotation and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

34. A projection exposure method according to claim 31, wherein said second interferometer system measures positions in the scanning direction and the tilts of the second substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction.

35. A projection exposure method according to claim 31, wherein said first interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage.

36. A projection exposure method according to claim 35, wherein said first interferometer system measures the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction and the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

37. A projection exposure method according to claim 35, wherein said first interferometer system measures the rotation and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

38. A projection exposure method according to claim 30, wherein said first interferometer system measures rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage.

39. A projection exposure method according to claim 38, wherein said first interferometer system measures position, the rotation and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the non-scanning direction.

40. A projection exposure method according to claim 39, wherein said first interferometer system measures position and the tilts of the first substrate stage by using the measuring axes parallel to the scanning direction.

41. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein said first interferometer system measures positions, rotation and tilts of the first substrate stage, and said second interferometer system measures positions, rotation and tilts of the second substrate stage.

42. A projection exposure method according to claim 29, wherein said first substrate stage and said second substrate stage are moved apart from each other in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction, during the exposure operation of the second substrate stage.

43. A projection exposure method according to claim 29, wherein the detecting operation includes detecting alignment information of the sensitive substrate by using a mark detecting system, disposed apart from the projection system in a direction perpendicular to the scanning direction.

44. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein a moving region of the first substrate stage which performs the at least one of the substrate exchange operation and the detecting operation overlaps a moving region of the second substrate stage which executes the exposure operation.

45. A device manufacturing method including an exposure process utilizing the method defined in claim 28.

46. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein the first and second references are arranged on a reference plate on the first substrate stage.

47. A projection exposure method according to claim 46, wherein the second reference has a plurality of reference elements.

48. A projection exposure method according to claim 47, wherein the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a predetermined direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the predetermined direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

49. A projection exposure method according to claim 48, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

50. A projection exposure method according to claim 49, wherein the first interferometer system monitors positions, rotation, and tilts of the first substrate stage in the detecting operation, and the second interferometer system monitors positions, rotation, and tilts of the second substrate stage in the exposure operation.

51. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein the second reference has a plurality of reference elements.

52. A projection exposure method according to claim 51, wherein the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a predetermined direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the predetermined direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

53. A projection exposure method according to claim 52, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

54. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein the first interferometer system has first measuring axes parallel to a predetermined direction, the second interferometer system has second measuring axes parallel to the predetermined direction, and the first and second measuring axes monitor tilts of the first and second substrate stages respectively, and wherein the first substrate stage is controlled without the second measuring axes during the detecting operation, and the first substrate stage is monitored by the second measuring axes without the first measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

55. A projection exposure method according to claim 54, wherein said alignment of the plurality of shot areas on the sensitive substrate held by the first substrate stage is performed based on the first and second positional relationships and the measuring result of the second measuring axes when the second positional relationship is detected.

56. A projection exposure method according to claim 28, wherein moving regions of the first and second substrate stages are switched between one another after finishing the detecting operation and the exposure operation.