Exposure method, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

• US 8,514,395 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Chowdhury, Tarifur
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKANBI, ISIAKA O
• Application Number:
  US12/860,097
• Publication Number:
  US 20110053062A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 356399-401
• US Class Current: 356/401
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/27 for testing the alignment of axes means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/20 Exposure; Apparatus therefor photographic printing apparatus for making copies G03B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70133 Measurement of illumination distribution, in pupil plane or field plane
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70358 Scanning exposure, i.e. relative movement of patterned beam and workpiece during imaging
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70483 Information management; Active and passive control; Testing; Wafer monitoring, e.g. pattern monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70516 Calibration of components of the microlithographic apparatus, e.g. light sources, addressable masks or detectors
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70725 control
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70775 Position control, e.g. interferometers or encoders for determining the stage position
• 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: H01L 21/681 using optical controlling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

Within area where of four heads installed on a wafer stage, heads included in the first head group and the second head group to which three heads each belong that include one head different from each other face the corresponding areas on a scale plate, the wafer stage is driven based on positional information which is obtained using the first head group, as well as obtain the displacement (displacement of position, rotation, and scaling) between the first and second reference coordinate systems corresponding to the first and second head groups using the positional information obtained using the first and second head groups. By using the results and correcting measurement results obtained using the second head group, the displacement between the first and second reference coordinate systems is calibrated, which allows the measurement errors that come with the displacement between areas on scale plates where each of the four heads face.

Claims

1. An exposure apparatus which exposes an object, the apparatus comprising:

a movable body which holds an object and moves along a predetermined plane;

a position measurement system which obtains positional information of the movable body based on an output of a head which irradiates a measurement beam on a measurement plane placed roughly parallel to the predetermined plane external to the movable body in the vicinity of an exposure position to the object, and receives a return beam from the measurement plane, a plurality of heads being provided on the movable body and the head being one of the plurality of heads; and

a control system which drives the movable body based on the positional information obtained by the position measurement system, and switches a head which the position measurement system uses to obtain the positional information out of the plurality of heads according to the position of the movable body, wherein

the control system corrects a reciprocal displacement between a plurality of reference coordinate systems corresponding to the plurality of heads, within a first movement area of the movable body where the plurality of heads face the measurement plane.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

within the first movement area of the movable body, the plurality of heads comprise a plurality of head groups, each of the plurality of head groups comprising a plurality of heads including at least one head different from each other, each of the plurality of head groups facing a corresponding area on a measurement plane, and the control system corrects a displacement between a plurality of different coordinate systems respectively corresponding to the plurality of head groups.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2 wherein

the control system drives the movable body in a movement area of the movable body where all heads included in the plurality of head groups respectively corresponding to the plurality of reference coordinate systems each face a corresponding area on the measurement plane, and obtains correction information of a reciprocal displacement between the plurality of reference coordinate systems.

4. The exposure method according to claim 3 wherein

the correction information includes at least one of translation, rotation, and scaling for each of a plurality of reference coordinate systems corresponding to head groups of the plurality of heads, with the first reference coordinate system serving as a reference.

5. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2 wherein

the measurement plane is configured of a plurality of sections where the plurality of head groups respectively face.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

on the measurement plane, a two-dimensional grating whose periodic direction is in two axial directions that are perpendicular to each other within the predetermined plane is formed.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

at least one of the two axial directions serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 wherein

at least a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, the apparatus further comprising:

a mark detection system which detects a mark on the object held by the movable body; and

another position measurement system which obtains positional information of the movable body based on an output of a head, of the plurality of heads, which irradiates a measurement beam on another measurement plane placed roughly parallel to the predetermined plane external to the movable body in the vicinity of the mark detection system, and receives a return beam from the another measurement plane, wherein

the control system further drives the movable body, based on the positional information obtained by the another position measurement system.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 9 wherein

the another measurement plane is configured of a plurality of sections where the plurality of heads respectively face.

11. A device manufacturing method, including

exposing an object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 1, and forming a pattern on the object;

and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

12. An exposure apparatus which exposes an object, the apparatus comprising:

a movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

a position measurement system which obtains positional information of the movable body based on an output of a head which irradiates a measurement beam on a measurement plane made up of a plurality of scale plates that is placed roughly parallel to the predetermined plane external to the movable body in the vicinity of an exposure position to the object, and receives a return beam from the measurement plane, a plurality of heads being provided on the movable body and the head being one of the plurality of heads; and

a control system which drives the movable body based on the positional information obtained by the position measurement system, and switches a head which the position measurement system uses to obtain the positional information out of the plurality of heads according to the position of the movable body, wherein

the control system obtains a reciprocal positional relation between the plurality of scale plates corresponding to the plurality of heads, within a first movement area of the movable body where the plurality of heads face the measurement plane.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

the plurality of heads comprise a plurality of head groups, each of the plurality of head groups comprising a plurality of heads including at least one head different from each other, the plurality of head groups facing the plurality of scale plates, respectively.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13 wherein

the control system obtains the reciprocal positional relation between a plurality of scale plates, by driving the movable body in a movement area of the movable body in which all heads included in the plurality of head groups respectively corresponding to the plurality of scale plates each face the corresponding scale plates.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

on the measurement plane, a two-dimensional grating whose periodic direction is in two axial directions that are perpendicular to each other within the predetermined plane is formed.

16. The exposure apparatus according to claim 15 wherein

at least one of the two axial directions serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

at least a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

the reciprocal positional relation between the scale plates is used by the control system to correct the measurement results of the position measurement system.

19. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12 wherein

the reciprocal positional relation between the scale plates is used by the control system as an offset which is added to a current position or a target position of the movable body when the movable body is driven.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12, the apparatus further comprising:

a mask stage which holds a mask that is an original plate on which the pattern is formed, wherein

the reciprocal positional relation between the scale plates is used by the control system to correct a relative position of the mask stage with respect to the movable body.

21. A device manufacturing method, including

exposing an object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 12, and forming a pattern on the object;

and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

22. An exposure method in which an object is exposed, the method comprising:

obtaining a positional relation in a first movement area of a movable body which moves along a predetermined plane, a plurality of heads being provided on the movable body, the plurality of heads comprising a plurality of head groups, each of the plurality of head groups comprising a plurality of heads including at least one head different from each other, the plurality of head groups facing a measurement plane made up of a plurality of scale plates placed roughly in parallel with the predetermined plane outside of the movable body, the positional relation being a reciprocal positional relation between the plurality of scale plates respectively corresponding to the plurality of head groups; and

exposing an object held by the movable body by obtaining positional information of the movable body using a plurality of heads belonging to each of the plurality of head groups, and driving the movable body using the positional information and the reciprocal positional relation between the plurality of scale plates respectively corresponding to the plurality of head groups within the first movement area.

23. The exposure method according to claim 22 wherein

on the measurement plane, a two-dimensional grating whose periodic direction is in two axial directions that are perpendicular to each other within the predetermined plane is formed.

24. The exposure method according to claim 23 wherein

at least one of the two axial directions serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

25. The exposure method according to claim 22 wherein

at least a direction perpendicular to the predetermined plane serves as a measurement direction for each of the plurality of heads.

26. The exposure method according to claim 22 wherein

the correction information is used to correct the measurement results of the positional information of the movable body.

27. The exposure method according to claim 22 wherein

the correction information is used as an offset which is added to a current position or a target position of the movable body when the movable body is driven.

28. The exposure method according to claim 22 wherein

the correction information is used to correct a relative position at the time of pattern transfer with respect to the movable body of a mask stage which holds a mask that is an original plate of the pattern.

29. A device manufacturing method, including

exposing an object using the exposure method according to claim 22, and forming a pattern on the object;

and

developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

30. A making method of an exposure apparatus which exposes an object, the method comprising:

providing a movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

providing a position measurement system which obtains positional information of the movable body based on an output of a head which irradiates a measurement beam on a measurement plane placed roughly parallel to the predetermined plane external to the movable body in the vicinity of an exposure position to the object, and receives a return beam from the measurement plane, of a plurality of heads provided on the movable body; and

providing a control system which drives the movable body based on the positional information obtained by the position measurement system, as well as switches a head used by the position measurement system to obtain the positional information from the plurality of heads according to the position of the movable body, and corrects a reciprocal displacement between a plurality of reference coordinate systems corresponding to the plurality of heads, within a first movement area of the movable body where the plurality of heads face the measurement plane.

31. A making method of an exposure apparatus which exposes an object, the method comprising:

providing a movable body which holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane;

providing a position measurement system which obtains positional information of the movable body based on an output of a head which irradiates a measurement beam on a measurement plane made up of a plurality of scale plates that is placed roughly parallel to the predetermined plane external to the movable body in the vicinity of an exposure position to the object, and receives a return beam from the measurement plane, of a plurality of heads provided on the movable body; and

providing a control system which drives the movable body based on the positional information obtained by the position measurement system, as well as switches a head used by the position measurement system to obtain the positional information from the plurality of heads according to the position of the movable body, and obtains a reciprocal positional relation between a plurality of scale plates corresponding to the plurality of heads, within a first movement area of the movable body where the plurality of heads face the measurement plane.