Exposure apparatus and an exposure method
First Claim
1. A lithographic device comprising:
- a base surface extending parallel to an X-direction and parallel to a Y-direction;
first and second object holders each of which is moved over said base surface and is displaceable parallel to the X-direction and parallel to the Y-direction between a first position and a third position, the first position being included in an exposure section; and
a displacement system that displaces the first object holder and the second object holder over the base surface, wherein the displacement system includes a first displacement unit and a second displacement unit to which the first object holder and the second object holder can be coupled alternately, the first displacement unit displacing the object holders between the third position and a second position which is located between the first position and the third position, and displacing the object holders from the second position to the third position, and the second displacement unit displacing the object holders between the second position and the first position, and displacing the object holders from the first position to the second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An exposure apparatus and method displace first and second object holders over a base surface that extends in X- and Y-directions. The first object holder can be displaced from a third area to a second area by using a first displacement unit. The second object holder can be displaced from a first area to the second area by using a second displacement unit. The second area is located between the first and third areas. The first and second object holders are alternately coupled to the second displacement unit, such that the first object holder can be displaced from the second area to the first area using the second displacement unit. The first and second object holders also are alternately coupled to the first displacement unit, such that the second object holder can be displaced from the second area to the third area using the first displacement unit. After completion of an exposure operation for a second object on the second object holder in the first area, the second object is moved from the first area to the third area via the second area, and then a first object to be exposed on the first object holder is transferred from the third area to the first area via the second area.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A lithographic device comprising:
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a base surface extending parallel to an X-direction and parallel to a Y-direction;
first and second object holders each of which is moved over said base surface and is displaceable parallel to the X-direction and parallel to the Y-direction between a first position and a third position, the first position being included in an exposure section; and
a displacement system that displaces the first object holder and the second object holder over the base surface, wherein the displacement system includes a first displacement unit and a second displacement unit to which the first object holder and the second object holder can be coupled alternately, the first displacement unit displacing the object holders between the third position and a second position which is located between the first position and the third position, and displacing the object holders from the second position to the third position, and the second displacement unit displacing the object holders between the second position and the first position, and displacing the object holders from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 21, 22, 23)
a first interferometer system which monitors the first object holder in the exposure section, the first and second object holders being alternately monitored by the first interferometer in the exposure section.
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4. A lithographic device according to claim 3, wherein said first interferometer system monitors a position of the first object holder in the X-direction and in the Y-direction.
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5. A lithographic device according to claim 4, wherein said first interferometer system monitors a yaw of the first object holder.
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6. A lithographic device according to claim 4, wherein said first interferometer system monitors a pitch of the first object holder.
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7. A lithographic device according to claim 3, further comprising:
a second interferometer system which monitors the second object holder outside the exposure section.
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8. A lithographic device according to claim 7, wherein said second interferometer monitors the second object holder during a measuring operation for an object held by the second object holder.
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9. A lithographic device according to claim 8, wherein in said measuring operation, alignment marks of the object on the second object holder are detected.
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10. A lithographic device according to claim 4, wherein each of the object holders has a reflecting surface for the interferometer system.
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11. A lithographic device according to claim 10, further comprising:
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a reference mark provided on each of the object holders; and
a detecting system which detects the reference mark on the first object holder displaced in the exposure section, a plurality of shot areas on an object held by the first object holder being respectively positioned in place to be exposed, on the basis of information obtained by detecting the reference mark.
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21. A lithographic device according to claim 1, wherein positional relationship between the plurality of shot areas and the reference mark is determined before detecting the reference mark.
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22. A lithographic device according to claim 21, further comprising:
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an alignment system constructed and arranged to detect marks on the object held by the first object holder outside the exposure section to determine the positional relationship; and
wherein the detecting system detects the reference mark via a projection system, each of the plurality of shot areas being exposed by projecting a pattern image via the projection system.
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23. A lithographic device according to claim 22, further comprising a second interferometer system constructed and arranged to monitor the first object holder while the alignment system detects the marks.
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12. An exposure method comprising:
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displacing a first object holder from a third area to a second area by using a first displacement unit, the first object holder being displaceable parallel to an X-direction and parallel to a Y-direction;
displacing a second object holder from a first area to the second area by using a second displacement unit, the second object holder being displaceable parallel to the X-direction and parallel to the Y-direction, and the second area being between the first area and the third area;
displacing the first object holder from the second area to the first area by using the second displacement unit, the first object holder and the second object holder being alternately coupled to the second displacement unit;
displacing the second object holder from the second area to the third area by using the first displacement unit, the first object holder and the second object holder being alternately coupled to the first displacement unit; and
wherein after completion of an exposure operation for a second object on the second object holder in the first area, the second object is moved from the first area to the third area and then a first object to be exposed on the first object holder is transferred from the third area to the first area via the second area. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26)
during said exposure operation, performing a measuring operation for the first object on the first object holder.
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14. An exposure method according to claim 13, wherein in the measuring operation, alignment marks formed on the first object are detected.
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15. An exposure method according to claim 12, further comprising, during said exposure operation, performing an object exchange operation in the third area in which the first object is exchanged on the first object holder with a third object.
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16. An exposure method according to claim 12, further comprising, during said exposure operation, monitoring the second object holder by using an interferometer system, the first and second object holders being alternately monitored by the interferometer system in the first area.
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17. An exposure method according to claim 16, wherein said interferometer system can monitor a yaw, a pitch and positions in the X-direction and the Y-direction of the second object holder.
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18. An exposure method according to claim 16, further comprising, before an exposure operation for the first object on the first object holder, beginning to monitor the first object holder which has been displaced into the first area by using said interferometer system.
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19. An exposure method according to claim 16, further comprising:
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detecting a reference mark provided on the first object holder displaced into the first area after completion of the exposure operation for the second object on the second object holder, each of the first and second object holders having a reference; and
after the detection of the reference mark, performing the exposure operation for the first object on the first object holder, wherein a plurality of shot areas of the first object on the first object holder are respectively positioned in place to be exposed, on the basis of information obtained by the detection of the reference mark.
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20. A microdevice manufacturing method using the exposure method as defined in claim 12.
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24. An exposure method according to claim 19, wherein positional relationship between the plurality of shot areas and the reference mark is determined before detecting the reference mark.
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25. An exposure method according to claim 24, further comprising:
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detecting marks on the first object held by the first object holder outside the first area to determine the positional relationship; and
wherein the reference mark is detected via a projection system, each of the plurality of shot areas being exposed by projecting a pattern image via the projection system.
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26. An exposure method according to claim 25, further comprising:
monitoring the second object holder while detecting the marks on the first object held by the first object holder.
Specification