초록 ▼

A method of transferring a pattern of a mask onto shot areas on a substrate determines two sets of parameters in a single model equation. The parameters in one of the two sets relate to arrangement of a plurality of shot areas on the substrate, and the parameters in the other set relate to the shot

A method of transferring a pattern of a mask onto shot areas on a substrate determines two sets of parameters in a single model equation. The parameters in one of the two sets relate to arrangement of a plurality of shot areas on the substrate, and the parameters in the other set relate to the shot areas per se. The mask and the substrate are moved relatively in accordance with the determined parameters.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of aligning each of a plurality of processing areas arranged on a substrate with a predetermined transfer position in a static coordinate system XY for defining a moving position of said substrate, a pattern of a mask being transferred to each of said plurality of processing areas, where

1. A method of aligning each of a plurality of processing areas arranged on a substrate with a predetermined transfer position in a static coordinate system XY for defining a moving position of said substrate, a pattern of a mask being transferred to each of said plurality of processing areas, wherein each of said plurality of processing areas has a plurality of positioning marks arranged by a predetermined positional relationship with respect to a specific point set in each of said plurality of processing areas, said method comprising:(1) with respect to at least one substrate among a first to (K-1)th substrates (integer: 2?K?N): measuring a coordinate position of a positioning mark in said static coordinate system XY in each of several processing areas out of said plurality of processing areas on said substrate by first and second alignment sensors; calculating parameters of a first model equation expressing the regularity of arrangement of said plurality of processing areas by performing a statistical computation using first coordinate positions measured by said first alignment sensor and second coordinate positions measured by said second alignment sensor, and arrangement coordinates upon a design of said specific point and relative arrangement coordinates upon a design of said positioning mark for said specific point in said several processing areas; and moving said substrate relative to said mask based on coordinate positions of said plurality of processing areas in said static coordinate system XY, determined in accordance with said calculated parameters; and (2) with respect to a K-th substrate and subsequent substrates: measuring coordinate positions of a plurality of positioning marks on said substrate in said static coordinate system XY by one of said first and second alignment sensors; calculating parameters of a second model equation expressing the regularity of arrangement of said plurality of processing areas based on the coordinate positions measured by said one alignment sensor; and moving said substrate relative to said mask based on coordinate positions of said plurality of processing areas in said static coordinate system XY, determined in accordance with the parameters of said first model equation and the parameters of said second model equation. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein(1) with respect to said at least one substrate: calculating and storing differences between said parameters of said first model calculated by a first statistical computation using said first coordinate positions and said parameters of said first model calculated by a second statistical computation using said second coordinate positions, (2) with respect to said K-th substrate and subsequent substrates: at least one of said parameters of said second model equation is determined in accordance with said stored differences and said coordinate positions measured by said one alignment sensor, and the others of said parameters of said second model equation are determined in accordance with said coordinate positions measured by said one alignment sensor. 3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:correcting at least on of a relative rotation error between said mask pattern and each of said processing areas and a relative configuration error between said mask pattern and each of said processing areas based on said stored parameters. 4. A method according to claim 1, further comprising:measuring some of said plurality of positioning marks by the use of only one of said two alignment sensors with respect to the K-th and subsequent substrates, while measuring another some of said plurality of positioning marks by the use of any alignment sensor; and determining parameters based on results of these measurements. 5. A method in which each of a plurality of shot areas two-dimensionally arranged on each of N (integer: N?2) substrates in accordance with an arrangement coordinate upon the design on said substrate is to be aligned with a predetermined reference position in a static coordinate system for defining a moving position of said substrate, a coordinate position of each of said plurality of shot areas in said static coordinate system is calculated by measuring a coordinate position of a shot area selected in advance out of said plurality of shot areas in said static coordinate system and by performing a statistical computation of said plurality of coordinate positions measured, and each of said plurality of shot areas is aligned with said reference position by controlling said moving position of said substrate in accordance with said calculated coordinate positions, wherein:prior to the alignment of each of the plurality of shot areas on a k-th (integer: 2?k?N) and subsequent substrates with said reference position in accordance with the coordinate positions calculated by said statistical computation, one-dimensional or two-dimensional position measurement is performed at a plurality of points in each of the shot areas by the use of two alignment sensors with respect to at least one of the first to the (k-1)th substrates, and a difference between results of the statistical computations of the coordinate positions measured by the respective alignment sensors and a result of the statistical computation in a shot area of the coordinate positions measured by said respective alignment sensors is obtained and stored; and one-dimensional or two-dimensional position measurement is performed at one point in each of the shot areas by the use of only one of said two alignment sensors when the k-th substrate or any substrate subsequent thereto is aligned, and the already-stored difference between results of the statistical computations of the coordinate positions measured by said two alignment sensors and the already-stored result of the statistical computation in said shot area of the coordinate positions measured by said respective alignment sensors is corrected, whereby alignment can be effected based on said corrected results. 6. A method according to claim 5, comprising:performing one-dimensional or two-dimensional position measurement at one point in a shot area by the use of one of said two alignment sensors when the k-th substrate or any substrate subsequent thereto is aligned, and measuring a one-dimensional coordinate position to a predetermined direction at a different point in said shot area by the use of either of the alignment sensors; and correcting a result obtained by performing statistical computation of a measurement result at said one point in said shot area and a measurement result at said different point by the use of the already-stored difference between results of the statistical computations of the coordinate positions measured by said two alignment sensors and the already-stored result of the statistical computation of the coordinate positions in said shot area measured by said two alignment sensors, respectively, thereby effecting alignment based on said corrected results. 7. A method of transferring a pattern of a mask onto each of a plurality of shot areas on a substrate, comprising:measuring coordinate positions, on a static coordinate system in which said substrate is moved, of first marks on said substrate; determining two sets of parameters in a single model equation, any one of the parameters in said two sets of parameters to be used commonly upon calculating coordinate positions of said plurality of shot areas on said substrate, the parameters in one of the two sets of parameters relating to arrangement of said plurality of shot areas on said substrate and the parameters in the other set of parameters relating to said shot areas per se, said parameters relating to said shot areas per se including at least one of shot area rotation, size and shape; and relatively moving said mask and said substrate in accordance with said determined parameters to transfer said pattern onto said each shot area. 8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:forming an image of said pattern on said substrate through a projection optical system; and relatively rotating said mask and said substrate based on a rotation error, of said areas relative to said formed image, determined in accordance with a part of said parameters. 9. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:forming an image of said pattern on said substrate through a projection optical system; and adjusting an optical property of said projection optical system based on a configuration error, of said areas relative to said formed image, determined in accordance with a part of said parameters. 10. A method according to claim 7, further comprising:measuring coordinate positions on said static coordinate system, of a plurality of second marks on said mask; and determining a parameter in an equation to define arrangement of said plurality of second marks in accordance with the measured coordinate positions, wherein said mask and said substrate are relatively moved in accordance with the determined parameter and said parameters. 11. A method according to claim 7, whereinsaid parameters being calculated so that each of deviations between said measured coordinate positions and coordinate positions determined by said equation for each of said first marks is minimized. 12. A method according to claim 11, whereincoordinate positions on said static coordinate system, of said plurality of areas are determined in accordance with said equation of which said parameters are calculated to relatively move said mask and said substrate based on the determined coordinate positions. 13. A method according to claim 9, wherein said configuration error includes a magnification error of said areas relative to said formed image.14. A method according to claim 2, wherein the others of said parameters of said second model equation includes an offset, a rotation and a rectangular degree of said substrate and a rotation of said processing areas.15. A method of illuminating a mask on which a pattern for exposure is formed, and projection-exposing said pattern of the mask onto a substrate through a projection optical system, comprising:(a) using as said mask a mask formed with a plurality of marks to be used for position detection, as well as said pattern for exposure, and detecting position information on images of said plurality of marks which are projected through said projection optical system; (b) obtaining a plurality of error parameters by performing statistical computation using the position information detected in (a); and (c) controlling an image-forming characteristic of said projection optical system based upon said error parameters obtained by (b). 16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said error parameters include a magnification error on a coordinate system on said mask.17. A method according to claim 16, wherein in (c), a projection magnification of said projection optical system is controlled based upon said magnification error.18. A method according to claim 17, wherein said projection optical system comprises a plurality of lens groups, and in (c), a space between predetermined lens groups of said projection optical system is adjusted, or a gas pressure in a lens space between predetermined lens groups, is adjusted.19. A method according to claim 16, wherein, in exposing an image of the pattern of said mask onto a first layer on said substrate, a projection magnification of said projection optical system is adjusted so that said magnification error becomes one.20. A method according to claim 16, wherein, in exposing an image of the pattern of said mask onto one of layers subsequent to a second layer on said substrate, a projection magnification of said projection optical system is adjusted so that said magnification error coincides with a magnification error of a pattern which has already been formed on said one layer.21. A method according to claim 15, wherein said plurality of error parameters include information on an error of a second coordinate system on said mask with respect to a first coordinate system which defines the position of said substrate.22. A method according to claim 21, wherein said plurality of error parameters include at least one of a rotation error of said mask, a rectangular degree error of said second coordinate system, a magnification error of said mask on said second coordinate system, and an offset error of said second coordinate system with respect to said first coordinate system.23. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:(d) rotating said mask or said substrate based upon a rotation error of said mask. 24. A method according to claim 15, wherein, in projecting an image of the pattern on said mask onto said substrate, said image of the pattern is moved relative to said substrate.25. A method of manufacturing a device, comprising:projecting, onto a substrate, a circuit pattern for forming a semiconductor device or a liquid crystal display device, using a method according to claim 24.