JP2003045778A - Image signal input method, image signal input device, position detecting device and aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce effect of speckles, or the like down to a desired amount by a small imaging time or an addition count of images, and detect the positional deviation of a substrate with high precision. SOLUTION: There are provided imaging step of picking up images illuminated by pulse beams as an image signal by a CCD camera 9; an image addition step of addition inputting an image signal imaged in the imaging step to a memory by a signal process circuit 11; a light quantity measuring step of measuring the quantity of light in a partial area of the image signal added in the image addition step by a light quantity measuring step; a control step of controlling the repetition of the imaging step, the image addition step and the light quantity measuring step, until the quantity of light measured in the light quantity measuring step satisfies the predetermined conditions. Until the change in the quantity of light in the partial area during the light quantity measuring step becomes a predetermined quantity or smaller, the control step repeats the imaging step, the image addition step and the light quantity measuring step.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a video signal input method, a video signal input device, a position detection device, and an exposure device when aligning a substrate such as a wafer with pulsed light as illumination light in a semiconductor exposure device or the like. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the field of semiconductor wafer printing equipment,
Due to miniaturization of circuit patterns and enlargement of wafers, step-and-repeat type projection exposure apparatuses have become mainstream these days. Various methods have been devised and implemented for aligning a reticle and a substrate such as a wafer (hereinafter referred to as “alignment”) in this exposure apparatus.

In the past, TTL (through the le
ns) method, an alignment illumination light source (for example, a laser beam) is illuminated from above the reticle, reflected light from the reticle mark and the wafer mark is detected by a photoelectric detection unit, and the detection signal, for example, the video signal The relative displacement between the wafer and the reticle was detected by finding the center.

[0004]

However, according to the conventional method described above, when the alignment illumination light is pulsed light such as pulsed laser light, random light amount unevenness such as speckles occurs in the video signal. Accurate measurement is impossible because it occurs.

The details will be described below. In the above-mentioned TTL method, the illumination light for alignment is generally obtained from the same light source as the exposure light source. In the excimer laser projection exposure apparatus using an excimer laser as an exposure light source, a case will be described in which alignment illumination light is obtained from the excimer laser illumination system in this TTL alignment. Laser light has a high spatial coherence, and speckles or the like will occur if the wafer or the like is irradiated as it is. For this reason, the beam is oscillated or the phase of speckle or the like is changed for each pulse by a rotating diffusion plate, and by irradiating this pulse a plurality of times, the effect of speckle or the like is eliminated by the integration effect.

In the case of wafer exposure, several hundreds of pulses are required to remove speckles and the like. However, in the case of alignment, the detection timing and the capture time of the photoelectric detection unit of reflected light become a problem.

[0007] For example, the above photoelectric detector is provided with an NTSC-compliant C
Considering the case of using a CD camera, the imaging time on one screen is 1/60 second in the field storage and 1/30 second in the frame storage.

Now, the pulse rate of the excimer laser is 2k.
If the frequency is Hz, the number of pulses irradiated during this imaging time is about 30 pulses in the field accumulation and 60 to 70 pulses in the frame accumulation, which cannot sufficiently remove speckles and the like.

FIG. 8 shows an NTSC compliant frame storage CCD.
It is the figure which showed the time chart of the conventional detection when a camera is used. ST is a measurement start signal, and the acquisition of the measurement image is started from the next VD signal. VD is a vertical synchronizing signal, and LS is a laser output pulse and is illuminated so that a uniform light amount is obtained in each field.

IM indicates the contents of the memory that has captured the video signal output from the CCD camera through the control unit.

As can be seen from this figure, in the conventional method, a single image is obtained by illuminating with laser output pulses of several tens of pulses, which is caused by the high spatial coherency of laser light. I can't get an image without speckles.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent No. 2881062, a method is proposed in which the image pickup means for generating the image signal for alignment is operated for an image pickup time longer than the length required to eliminate speckles of the image signal. Has been done.

Further, in Japanese Patent No. 2908099, there is an electronic shutter for generating a video signal only when the image pickup means is opened, and the electronic shutter is opened / closed in synchronization with the emission of each pulsed light. A method has been proposed in which a typical video signal is generated, and the video signal is stored and added by a memory means.

By these methods, it is possible to obtain the alignment video signal without causing speckles and the like in the video signal.

However, in recent years, with the increasing demand for semiconductors represented by DRAM, there is a great demand for improvement in productivity, and improvement in throughput is also required in semiconductor manufacturing equipment.

When the above method is used, the imaging time longer than the length required to eliminate speckles of the video signal or the number of times the video signal is added is preset, but the speckle amount of the laser varies. Therefore, even when there are many speckles, it is necessary to set the imaging time or the number of times of addition that can sufficiently eliminate those speckles, which is not optimal from the viewpoint of throughput.

From the above, according to the present invention, the image signal input method and the image which can detect the positional deviation of the substrate with high accuracy can reduce the influence of speckles to a desired amount by reducing the image pickup time or the number of times of adding the image as much as possible. It is intended to provide a signal input device and the like.

[0018]

In order to achieve the above object, a video signal input method according to the present invention includes an image pickup step of picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, and an image pickup step. An image adding step of adding and inputting the image signals to the memory, a light amount measuring step of measuring a light amount in a partial area of the image signals added in the image adding step, and until the light amount measured in the light amount measuring step satisfies a predetermined condition. It is characterized in that it has a control step for performing control for repeating the image pickup step, the image addition step, and the light amount measurement step. The control step preferably repeats the imaging step, the image addition step, and the light quantity measurement step until the light quantity change in the partial region between the light quantity measurement steps becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount.
It is preferable to repeat the imaging step, the image addition step, and the light amount measuring step until the light amount difference between the partial regions in each light amount measuring step becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. The number of the partial regions may be one or plural.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the video signal input method according to the present invention includes an image pickup step of picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, and an image picked up in the image pickup step. It may be characterized by including a continuous light amount measuring step of continuously measuring the light amount in the partial region, and an image capturing control step of terminating the image capturing step when the light amount measured in the continuous light amount measuring step satisfies a predetermined condition. . It is desirable that the image pickup control step should end the image pickup step when the average value of the light amount measured in the continuous light amount measurement step in each partial region changes by a predetermined amount or less between the continuous light amount measurement steps. It is preferable that the imaging control step ends the imaging step when the average value of the light amounts measured in the continuous light amount measurement step has a difference of a predetermined amount or less between the partial regions. The number of the partial regions may be one or plural.

In order to achieve the above object, the video signal input device according to the present invention comprises an image pickup means for picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, a memory means for storing the video signal, and A video adding means for adding and inputting the video signal picked up by the imaging means to the memory means, a light amount measuring means for measuring the light amount in a partial area of the video signal added by the video adding means, and a light amount measured by the light amount measuring means Is provided with a control means for performing control for repeating the image pickup by the image pickup means, the image addition by the image addition means, and the light amount measurement means until a predetermined condition is satisfied. The image pickup means may be either an area sensor or a line sensor that picks up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal. The number of the partial regions may be one or plural.

In order to achieve the above object, the video signal input device according to the present invention comprises an image pickup means for picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, and an image picked up by the image pickup means. A continuous light amount measuring means for continuously measuring the light amount in the partial region; and an image pickup control means for ending the image pickup by the image pickup means when the light amount measured by the continuous light amount measuring means satisfies a predetermined condition. May be The continuous light amount measuring means may measure a light amount in a partial area of an image being picked up by the image pickup means through a field stop with a photosensor, and the continuous light amount measuring means may be used by the image pickup means. The image being taken is taken as an image signal by either an area sensor or a line sensor,
It is also possible to measure the amount of light in a partial area of the video signal. The partial region may be one or plural.

Further, the present invention is provided with any one of the video signal input devices described above, and based on the video signals obtained for the first object and the second object, the first object and the second object are detected. It is also applicable to a position detection device that detects a relative position, and an exposure device that aligns an original plate and a substrate using the position detection device and projects and exposes a pattern on the original plate surface onto the substrate surface. .

Further, the present invention comprises the steps of installing a manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and a step of manufacturing a semiconductor device by a plurality of processes using the manufacturing apparatus group. It can also be applied to a semiconductor device manufacturing method of the present invention. The method further includes the steps of connecting the manufacturing apparatus group with a local area network, and performing data communication between the local area network and an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory for information regarding at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group. It is desirable to have. A database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus is accessed through the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing apparatus by data communication, or between the semiconductor manufacturing factory and a semiconductor manufacturing factory different from the semiconductor manufacturing factory. It is preferable to perform production management by data communication via an external network.

Further, according to the present invention, a group of manufacturing apparatuses for various processes including the exposure apparatus, a local area network for connecting the group of manufacturing apparatuses, and an external network outside the factory can be accessed from the local area network. It may be a semiconductor manufacturing factory having a gateway and capable of performing data communication of information regarding at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group.

The present invention also provides a maintenance method of the exposure apparatus installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, wherein a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus provides a maintenance database connected to an external network of the semiconductor manufacturing factory. A step of permitting access to the maintenance database from the semiconductor manufacturing factory via the external network, and transmitting maintenance information accumulated in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory side via the external network. It may be characterized by having a process.

The present invention also provides the above-mentioned exposure apparatus,
It may be characterized in that it further has a display, a network interface, and a computer that executes software for the network, and enables data communication of maintenance information of the exposure apparatus via a computer network. The network software is connected to an external network of a factory in which the exposure apparatus is installed and provides a user interface on the display for accessing a maintenance database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus. It is preferable to be able to obtain information from the database via.

[0027]

(First Embodiment) First Embodiment of the Present Invention
Will be described. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an exposure apparatus using the video signal input device according to the first embodiment. In the figure, illumination light emitted from an illumination system 1 which is an illumination means using a pulsed laser as a light source passes through a reticle 2 which is an original plate and a projection lens system 3 to expose a wafer 5 which is a substrate on a wafer stage 4. To do.

The wafer stage 4 can be reciprocated in a direction along each of two axes (X axis and Y axis) orthogonal to each other in a plane perpendicular to the paper surface by a stage drive system 6 which is a drive means. And is rotatable about one axis (Z axis) that intersects perpendicularly to the plane.

Reticle stage 2 for holding reticle 2
Also, a is reciprocally movable in the directions along the X axis and the Y axis by the stage drive system 6, and is also rotatable around the Z axis. That is, the stage drive system 6 adjusts the relative positions of the reticle stage 2 a and the wafer stage 4 by the main controller 12 described later.

An alignment detection system 7 for detecting the positional relationship between alignment marks, which are alignment marks provided on the reticle 2 and the wafer 5, respectively, changes the wavefront of the illumination light with time to suppress speckles and the like. A part of the illumination light from the illumination system 1 having a function is used as alignment illumination light, and the alignment mark of the reticle 2 and the alignment mark of the wafer 5 are detected from the reflected light of the mirror 8 by the CCD camera 9 which is an image pickup means. To do.

In the actual reduction projection exposure apparatus, a detection system similar to the alignment detection system 7 is provided at a symmetrical position with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens system 3, but it is not shown in FIG. did. A video signal from the CCD camera 9 of the alignment detection system 7 is input to the signal processing circuit 11 via the control unit 10.

The signal processing circuit 11 stores the obtained video signal in the memory circuit 11a, and the memory circuit 11a, which is a memory means, adds a plurality of video signals to obtain the video signal of the alignment mark.

Here, the number of times the video signals are added is determined by a method described later. The signal processing circuit 11 detects the image formation state on the light receiving surface of the CCD camera 9 of the image in which the alignment mark of the wafer 5 and the alignment mark of the reticle 2 are superposed on the basis of this video signal, and the image formation state is set. A signal indicating the amount of deviation between the wafer 5 and the reticle 2 is output to the main controller 12.

The sync signal generator 13 generates a sync signal for the detection system and a sync signal for the laser, and supplies the sync signal to the control unit 10, the signal processing circuit 11, the main controller 12, the laser controller 14 and the drive system 6. give. The synchronization signal generator 13 may be included in the signal processing circuit 11 or the main controller 12.

Next, an example of a process of adding a plurality of video signals to obtain a video signal of an alignment mark will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a flow in the example.

In this step, one or a plurality of partial areas are set in the video signal, the change in the light amount is monitored every time the video signal is added in each partial area, and when the change amount becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. The addition of video signals is completed.

This is for confirming that the speckles and the like have been sufficiently averaged by the addition of the video signals, and as a quantity representing random uneven light quantity such as speckles remaining in the added video signals, A change in the light amount for each addition of regions is used.

For example, as a partial area, the video signal is divided into a plurality of rectangular areas as shown in FIG. 3, and the average value of each area is monitored. However, the area in the video signal for calculating the light amount is not limited to the rectangular area. Regions may be set inside and outside the alignment mark in order to eliminate the influence of the edge portion of the alignment mark to be detected.

A process of adding a plurality of video signals to obtain a video signal of an alignment mark will be described below with reference to FIG. In step S1, the memory area for adding video signals in the memory circuit 11a is cleared. In step S2, the video signal from the CCD camera 9 is input,
Addition to the memory area for adding video signals and normalization of the added video signals are performed. In step S3, the light amount of each partial area is calculated for the video signal in the memory area for adding video signals. In step S4, in each partial area, the light amount calculated in step S3 is compared with the light amount calculated in the previous video signal addition. In step S5, if all the light amount differences calculated in step S4 are smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that speckles and the like have been averaged, and the image addition is terminated. If the difference in light amount is larger than the predetermined value, the process returns to step S2 and the addition of video signals is continued.

Further, another example of the process of adding a plurality of video signals to obtain the video signal of the alignment mark will be described. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a flow in the other example. In this process, one or more partial areas are set in the video signal, and the light amount difference between the partial areas is monitored every time the video signal is added. The signal addition is completed.

This is for confirming that the speckles and the like have been sufficiently averaged by the addition of the video signals. The light amount difference between areas is used.

For example, as a partial area, the video signal is divided into a plurality of rectangular areas as shown in FIG. 3, and the average value of each area is monitored as the light quantity. However, as the partial region, it is necessary to select and set only the region where the light amount can be expected to be the same, such as the alignment mark portion or the portion other than the alignment mark.

Another example of the step of adding a plurality of video signals to obtain the video signal of the alignment mark will be described below with reference to FIG. In step S1, the memory area for adding video signals in the memory circuit 11a is cleared. In step S2, the video signal from the CCD camera 9 is input, the video signal is added to the memory area for addition, and the added video signal is normalized. In step S3,
The light amount of each partial area is calculated for the video signal in the memory area for adding video signals. In step S4, the maximum light amount value and the minimum light amount value are obtained for the light amount of each partial region calculated in step S3, and the light amount difference between each partial region is calculated. In step S5, if all the light amount differences calculated in step S4 are smaller than a predetermined value, it is determined that speckles and the like have been averaged, and the image addition is terminated.
If the difference in light amount is larger than the predetermined value, the process returns to step S2 and the addition of video signals is continued. This allows
With a minimum number of video signal additions, an image without laser speckles can be obtained, and high throughput and good measurement accuracy can both be achieved.

The above is the case of measuring the alignment mark on the wafer, but the same can be done in the case of measuring the alignment mark on the stage reference mark.

In this embodiment, the image pickup means is set to NTSC.
Although the compliant CCD camera is used, an area sensor including a camera of another standard such as PAL or a camera compliant with the standard rather than a camera compliant with the standard may be used. Further, a scanning type position detecting element such as a one-dimensional line sensor may be used.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an exposure apparatus using the video signal input apparatus according to the second embodiment. Illumination light emitted from an illumination system 1 which is an illumination means using a pulse laser as a light source is a reticle 2. The wafer 5, which is a substrate on the wafer stage 4, is exposed through the projection lens system 3. The illumination system 1 has a function of temporally changing the wavefront of illumination light to suppress speckle. The wafer stage 4 can be reciprocated in a direction along each of two mutually orthogonal axes (X axis and Y axis) in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the drawing by a stage drive system 6 that is a drive unit. One axis (Z axis) intersecting perpendicularly to the plane
It is possible to rotate around.

Reticle stage 2 holding the reticle 2
Also, a is reciprocally movable in the directions along the X axis and the Y axis by the stage drive system 6, and is also rotatable around the Z axis. That is, the stage drive system 6 adjusts the relative positions of the reticle stage 2a and the wafer stage 4 by the main controller described later.

The alignment detection system 7 for detecting the positional relationship between the alignment marks, which are alignment marks provided on the reticle 2 and the wafer 5, uses a part of the illumination light from the illumination system 1 as alignment illumination light. Then, the alignment mark of the reticle 2 and the alignment mark of the wafer 5 are detected from the reflected light of the mirror 8 by the CCD camera 9 which is an image pickup means.

In an actual reduction projection exposure apparatus,
A detection system similar to the alignment detection system 7 is provided at a symmetrical position with respect to the optical axis of the projection lens system 3, but it is omitted in FIG.

CCD camera 9 in the alignment detection system 7
The video signal from is input to the signal processing circuit 11 via the control unit 10.

The signal processing circuit 11 detects the image formation state on the light receiving surface of the CCD camera 9 of the image in which the alignment mark of the wafer 5 and the alignment mark of the reticle 2 are superimposed on the basis of this video signal, and the result is obtained. A signal indicating the amount of deviation between the wafer 5 and the reticle 2 according to the image state is sent to the main controller 1
Output to 2.

The stage drive system 6 is controlled by the output signal of the main controller 12, and the reticle stage 2a and the wafer stage 4 are moved relative to each other, and the reticle 2 and the wafer 5 are moved.
Align the. The sync signal generator 13 generates a sync signal for the detection system and a sync signal for the laser, and supplies the sync signal to the control unit 10, the signal processing circuit 11, the main controller 12, the laser controller 14 and the stage drive system 6. The synchronization signal generator 13 may be included in the signal processing circuit 11 or the main controller 12.

The illumination system 1 is a dimming mechanism 1 for alignment.
Drive circuit 16 for driving the dimming mechanism 15
Is controlled by the control signal from the main controller 12
To drive.

The light amount detector 17 detects the partial light amount incident on the CCD camera 9, and the main controller 12
Controls the image pickup time by determining the accumulation time and / or the illumination time of the CCD camera 9 according to the signal from the light amount detector 17.

FIG. 6 is a time chart of this embodiment, and is a diagram when the CCD camera 9 is operated in the long-time accumulation mode in which the accumulation time is 1/30 seconds or more. The accumulation of the laser pulse output LS and the image signal is started from the VD signal next to the measurement start signal ST, and the accumulation of the laser pulse output LS and the image is ended by the laser output stop signal SP when the image pickup time described later is reached. The obtained image is taken into the measurement image memory IM with the next VD signal.

As a result, it is possible to obtain an image illuminated with several hundred laser output pulses without speckles.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a flow of a control process of the image pickup time. In this step, the light amount detector 17 repeatedly monitors the light amount for a predetermined period (each monitored light amount is referred to as "monitor light amount"), and when the change in the monitor light amount becomes equal to or less than the predetermined amount, the imaging is terminated.

This is for confirming that speckles and the like have been sufficiently averaged by adding the video signals.

Here, the change in the monitor light amount is used as an amount representing random light amount unevenness such as speckles remaining in the video signal. For example, when a photo sensor is used as the light quantity detector 17, a field diaphragm for narrowing the monitor area is attached to the light receiving surface.

Alternatively, when an area sensor such as the CCD camera 9 is used as the light quantity detector 17, the area is divided into a plurality of rectangular areas as in the case of the conventional example 1, and the average value of each area is used.

The control process of the image pickup time will be described below with reference to FIG. In step S11, laser pulse output and image storage are started by the measurement start signal. At the same time, the light amount detector 17 also starts monitoring the light amount. In step S12, the light amount detector 1
Reference numeral 7 monitors the amount of light for a predetermined period and stores it in the main controller 12 at any time. In step S13, the average value of the light amount monitored by the light amount detector 17 up to the previous time and the average value of the light amount monitored by the light amount detector 17 including this time are calculated. In step S14, the light amounts calculated in step S12 are compared. In step S15, if the difference between the average value of the light amount up to the previous time and the average value of the light amount including this time is less than or equal to a predetermined value, it is determined that the speckles are averaged, and the imaging is ended. If the difference is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, the process returns to step S12 and imaging is continued.

When an area sensor such as a CCD camera 9 is used as the light quantity detector 17, the light difference between the regions is monitored and the timing of ending the image pickup is controlled as in the first embodiment. It doesn't matter.

The above is the case of measuring the alignment mark on the wafer, but the same can be done in the case of measuring the alignment mark on the stage reference mark.

In this embodiment, the image pickup means is NTSC.
Although a compliant CCD camera is used, a camera of another standard such as PAL, or an area sensor including a camera that operates at its own timing instead of a camera compliant with the standard may be used. Further, the image pickup means may be a scanning type position detecting element such as a one-dimensional line sensor.

(Embodiment of Semiconductor Production System) Next,
An example of a production system of semiconductor devices (semiconductor chips such as IC and LSI, liquid crystal panels, CCDs, thin film magnetic heads, micromachines, etc.) using the exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described. This is to perform maintenance services such as troubleshooting of a manufacturing apparatus installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, periodic maintenance, or software provision using a computer network outside the manufacturing factory.

FIG. 9 shows the whole system cut out from a certain angle. In the figure, 101 is a business office of a vendor (apparatus supplier) that provides a semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus. As an example of the manufacturing apparatus, a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for various processes used in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, for example,
Pre-process equipment (lithography equipment such as exposure equipment, resist processing equipment, etching equipment, heat treatment equipment, film forming equipment,
Flattening equipment, etc.) and post-process equipment (assembling equipment, inspection equipment, etc.) are assumed. In the business office 101, a host management system 10 that provides a maintenance database for manufacturing equipment is provided.
8, a plurality of operation terminal computers 110, and a local area network (LAN) 109 that connects these to construct an intranet or the like. Host management system 1
08 is provided with a gateway for connecting the LAN 109 to the Internet 105, which is an external network of the office, and a security function for restricting access from the outside.

On the other hand, 102 to 104 are manufacturing plants of a semiconductor manufacturer as a user of the manufacturing apparatus. The manufacturing factories 102 to 104 may be factories belonging to different manufacturers or may be factories belonging to the same manufacturer (for example, a factory for pre-process, a factory for post-process, etc.). In each of the factories 102 to 104, a plurality of manufacturing apparatuses 106, a local area network (LAN) 111 that connects them to construct an intranet, and a host as a monitoring apparatus that monitors the operating status of each manufacturing apparatus 106 are provided. A management system 107 is provided. Each factory 1
02-104 host management system 107
Is provided with a gateway for connecting the LAN 111 in each factory to the Internet 105 which is an external network of the factory. As a result, it becomes possible to access the host management system 108 on the side of the business office 101 of the vendor from the LAN 111 of each factory via the Internet 105, and the security function of the host management system 108 allows access to only a limited number of users. . Specifically, each manufacturing apparatus 1 is connected via the Internet 105.
In addition to notifying status information indicating the operating status of 06 (for example, a symptom of a manufacturing apparatus in which a trouble has occurred) from the factory side to the vendor side, response information corresponding to the notification (for example, information instructing a troubleshooting method, You can receive maintenance information such as software (data and data for handling), the latest software, and help information from the vendor side. A communication protocol (TCP / IP) generally used on the Internet is used for data communication between each of the factories 102 to 104 and the vendor's office 101 and data communication via the LAN 111 in each factory. . In addition,
Instead of using the Internet as an external network outside the factory, it is possible to use a leased line network (ISDN or the like) having high security without being accessed by a third party. Further, the host management system is not limited to one provided by a vendor, and a user may construct a database and place it on an external network to permit access from a plurality of factories of the user to the database.

Now, FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing the entire system of this embodiment cut out from an angle different from that shown in FIG. In the above example, a plurality of user factories each equipped with a manufacturing apparatus and a management system of a vendor of the manufacturing apparatus are connected by an external network, and production management of each factory or at least one unit is performed via the external network. The information of the manufacturing apparatus was data-communicated. On the other hand, in this example, a factory equipped with manufacturing equipment of a plurality of vendors and a management system of each vendor of the plurality of manufacturing equipments are connected by an external network outside the factory, and maintenance information of each manufacturing equipment is displayed. It is for data communication. In the figure, reference numeral 201 denotes a manufacturing plant of a manufacturing apparatus user (semiconductor device manufacturing maker), and a manufacturing apparatus for performing various processes is installed on a manufacturing line of the factory.
The film forming processing device 204 is introduced. Although only one manufacturing factory 201 is shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of factories are actually networked in the same manner. The respective devices in the factory are connected by a LAN 206 to form an intranet, and the host management system 205 manages the operation of the manufacturing line.

On the other hand, the host management system 21 for performing remote maintenance of the supplied equipment is provided at each business office of the vendor (apparatus supply manufacturer) such as the exposure equipment manufacturer 210, the resist processing equipment manufacturer 220, and the film deposition equipment manufacturer 230.
1, 221, 231, which are provided with the maintenance database and the gateway of the external network as described above. A host management system 205 that manages each device in the user's manufacturing plant, and a vendor management system 2 for each device
11, 221, and 231 are connected to each other via the external network 200 such as the Internet or a dedicated line network. In this system, when trouble occurs in any of the series of production equipment on the production line,
Although the operation of the manufacturing line is suspended, it is possible to quickly respond by receiving remote maintenance via the Internet 200 from the vendor of the device in which the trouble has occurred, and the suspension of the manufacturing line can be minimized. .

Each manufacturing apparatus installed in the semiconductor manufacturing factory has a display, a network interface, and a computer for executing the network access software and the apparatus operating software stored in the storage device. The storage device is a built-in memory, a hard disk, or a network file server. The network access software includes a dedicated or general-purpose web browser, and provides, for example, a user interface with a screen as shown in FIG. 11 on the display. The operator who manages the manufacturing device in each factory refers to the screen and refers to the model 401 of the manufacturing device, the serial number 402, and the subject 4 of the trouble.
03, date of occurrence 404, urgency 405, symptom 406, coping method 407, progress 408, etc. are input to the input items on the screen. The input information is transmitted to the maintenance database via the Internet, and the appropriate maintenance information as a result is returned from the maintenance database and presented on the display. In addition, the user interface provided by the web browser further includes hyperlink functions 410 to 410 as illustrated.
412 is implemented, the operator can access more detailed information on each item, extract the latest version of software used for the manufacturing equipment from the software library provided by the vendor, and use the operation guide (help Information) can be withdrawn. Here, the maintenance information provided by the maintenance database includes the information about the present invention described above, and the software library also provides the latest software for implementing the present invention.

Next, a semiconductor device manufacturing process using the above-described production system will be described. FIG. 12 shows the flow of the whole manufacturing process of the semiconductor device.
In step 1 (circuit design), the circuit of the semiconductor device is designed. In step 2 (mask manufacturing), a mask having the designed circuit pattern is manufactured. On the other hand, step 3
In (wafer manufacture), a wafer is manufactured using a material such as silicon. Step 4 (wafer process) is called a pre-process, and an actual circuit is formed on the wafer by the lithography technique using the mask and the wafer prepared above. The next step 5 (assembly) is called a post-process, which is a process of forming a semiconductor chip using the wafer manufactured in step 4, and includes an assembly process (dicing, bonding), a packaging process (chip encapsulation), and the like. Including steps. In step 6 (inspection), the semiconductor device manufactured in step 5 undergoes inspections such as an operation confirmation test and a durability test. A semiconductor device is completed through these processes and shipped (step 7). The front-end process and the back-end process are performed in separate dedicated factories, and maintenance is performed for each of these factories by the remote maintenance system described above. Information for production management and device maintenance is also data-communicated between the front-end factory and the back-end factory via the Internet or the leased line network.

FIG. 13 shows the detailed flow of the wafer process. In step 11 (oxidation), the surface of the wafer is oxidized. In step 12 (CVD), an insulating film is formed on the wafer surface. In step 13 (electrode formation), electrodes are formed on the wafer by vapor deposition. In step 14 (ion implantation), ions are implanted in the wafer. Step 1
In 5 (resist processing), a photosensitive agent is applied to the wafer. In step 16 (exposure), the circuit pattern of the mask is printed and exposed on the wafer by the exposure apparatus described above. In step 17 (development), the exposed wafer is developed. In step 18 (etching), parts other than the developed resist image are removed. In step 19 (resist stripping), the resist that is no longer needed after etching is removed. By repeating these steps, multiple circuit patterns are formed on the wafer. Since the manufacturing equipment used in each process is maintained by the remote maintenance system described above, troubles can be prevented in advance, and even if troubles occur, quick recovery is possible, and semiconductor devices can be compared to conventional devices. Productivity can be improved.

[0073]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, it has the following effects. A video signal without speckles or the like can be obtained by the minimum number of video signal additions or imaging time, the positional deviation of the board can be detected with high accuracy, and the board can be aligned with high accuracy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a video signal input device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow for obtaining a video signal of an alignment mark of the video signal input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a region for measuring a partial light amount.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a flow for obtaining a video signal of an alignment mark of the video signal input device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram for explaining a video signal input device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow of a time chart according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a control process flow of an imaging time according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a time chart of a conventional example.

FIG. 9 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system using the apparatus according to the present invention viewed from an angle.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual view of a semiconductor device production system using the apparatus according to the present invention viewed from another angle.

FIG. 11 is a specific example of a user interface.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a flow of a device manufacturing process.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating a wafer process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1: illumination system, 2: reticle, 2a: reticle stage,
3: projection lens system, 4: wafer stage, 5: wafer,
6: stage drive system, 7: alignment detection system, 8: mirror, 9: CCD camera, 10: control unit, 11: signal processing circuit, 11a: memory circuit, 12:
Main controller, 13: synchronization signal generator, 14: laser controller, 15: dimming mechanism, 16: drive circuit, 17: light intensity detector, 101: vendor's office, 102, 103,
104: Manufacturing Factory, 105: Internet, 106:
Manufacturing equipment, 107: Factory host management system, 10
8: Vendor side host management system, 109: Vendor side local area network (LAN), 110: Operating terminal computer, 111: Factory local area network (LAN), 200: External network, 2
01: Manufacturing apparatus user manufacturing factory, 202: Exposure apparatus,
203: resist processing device, 204: film forming processing device, 2
05: factory host management system, 206: factory local area network (LAN), 210: exposure apparatus maker, 211: business unit host management system of exposure apparatus maker, 220: resist processing apparatus maker, 221:
Host management system at business office of resist processing equipment manufacturer, 230: Film-forming equipment manufacturer, 231: Host management system at business office of film-forming equipment manufacturer, 401: Manufacturing equipment model, 402: Serial number, 403: Trouble subject , 404: date of occurrence, 405: urgency, 406: symptom,
407: Remedy, 408: Progress, 410, 411, 41
2: Hyperlink function.

Continued front page    F term (reference) 2F065 AA03 AA14 BB02 BB27 CC17                       FF01 FF04 FF41 GG04 JJ03                       JJ26 MM03 MM04                 2H097 CA13 GB01 KA03 LA10                 5F046 AA28 BA04 EB03 FA05 FA09                       FA16 FB10 FC03

Claims (20)

[Claims] 1. An image pickup step of picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, a video addition step of adding and inputting a video signal picked up in the image pickup step to a memory, and a video signal of the video signal added in the video addition step. A light quantity measuring step of measuring the light quantity in the partial region, and a control step of performing control to repeat the imaging step, the image adding step, and the light quantity measuring step until the light quantity measured in the light quantity measuring step satisfies a predetermined condition. Video signal input method characterized by. 2. The control step is characterized in that the imaging step, the image addition step and the light amount measurement step are repeated until the light amount change in the partial region between the light amount measurement steps becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount. The video signal input method according to claim 1. 3. The control step repeats the imaging step, the image addition step, and the light quantity measuring step until the light quantity difference between the partial regions in each light quantity measuring step becomes a predetermined amount or less. The video signal input method according to claim 1. 4. An image pickup process for picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, a continuous light amount measurement process for continuously measuring the light amount in a partial area of the image picked up in the image pickup process, and the continuous light amount. A video signal input method comprising: an imaging control step of terminating the imaging step when the amount of light measured in the measurement step satisfies a predetermined condition. 5. The imaging control step, when the average value of the light amount measured in the continuous light amount measuring step in each partial region changes by a predetermined amount or less between the continuous light amount measuring steps, The video signal input method according to claim 4, wherein the video signal is input. 6. The image pickup control step is terminated when the average value of the light amounts measured in the continuous light amount measurement step has a difference of a predetermined amount or less between the partial regions. The video signal input method according to claim 4. 7. Image pickup means for picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, memory means for storing the video signal, and video addition means for adding and inputting the video signal picked up by the image pickup means to the memory means. A light quantity measuring means for measuring a light quantity in a partial area of the video signals added by the video adding means, and an image taken by the imaging means and an image made by the video adding means until the light quantity measured by the light quantity measuring means satisfies a predetermined condition An image signal input device comprising a control means for performing control for repeating addition and light quantity measurement by the light quantity measuring means. 8. The video signal input device according to claim 7, wherein the imaging means is one of an area sensor and a line sensor which captures an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal. 9. An image pickup means for picking up an image illuminated by pulsed light as a video signal, a continuous light quantity measuring means for continuously measuring the light quantity in a partial area of the image picked up by the image pickup means, and the continuous light quantity. An image signal input device comprising: an image pickup control unit that terminates image pickup by the image pickup unit when the amount of light measured by the measuring unit satisfies a predetermined condition. 10. The continuous light amount measuring means measures a light amount in a partial area of an image picked up by the image pick-up means via a field stop by a photo sensor.
The video signal input device described in. 11. The continuous light amount measuring means images the image picked up by the image pickup means as a video signal by either an area sensor or a line sensor, and measures the light amount in a partial area of the video signal. The video signal input device according to claim 9. 12. The video signal input device according to claim 7, comprising: the first object and the second object based on a video signal obtained with respect to the first object and the second object. Position detecting device for detecting the relative position of the object. 13. An exposure apparatus, comprising: aligning an original plate and a substrate using the position detecting device according to claim 12, and projecting and exposing a pattern on the original plate surface onto the substrate surface. 14. A step of installing a manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 13 in a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and a step of manufacturing a semiconductor device by a plurality of processes using the manufacturing apparatus group. A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising: 15. Data communication of information relating to at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group between a step of connecting the manufacturing apparatus group with a local area network, and between the local area network and an external network outside the semiconductor manufacturing factory. 15. The method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to claim 14, further comprising: 16. A semiconductor manufacturing factory, which is different from the semiconductor manufacturing factory, by accessing a database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus via the external network to obtain maintenance information of the manufacturing apparatus by data communication. 16. The production management is performed by performing data communication with the computer via the external network.
A method for manufacturing a semiconductor device according to. 17. A manufacturing apparatus group for various processes including the exposure apparatus according to claim 13, a local area network connecting the manufacturing apparatus group, and an external network outside the factory accessible from the local area network. A semiconductor manufacturing plant having a gateway for enabling data communication of information relating to at least one of the manufacturing apparatus group. 18. The method according to claim 1, which is installed in a semiconductor manufacturing factory.
4. The exposure apparatus maintenance method according to 3, wherein a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus provides a maintenance database connected to an external network of a semiconductor manufacturing factory, and the external network is accessed from within the semiconductor manufacturing factory. Maintenance of the exposure apparatus, including a step of permitting access to the maintenance database via the external storage and a step of transmitting the maintenance information accumulated in the maintenance database to the semiconductor manufacturing factory side via the external network. Method. 19. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, further comprising a display, a network interface, and
An exposure apparatus further comprising a computer that executes software for a network, which enables data communication of maintenance information of the exposure apparatus via a computer network. 20. The network software comprises:
A user interface for accessing a maintenance database provided by a vendor or a user of the exposure apparatus, which is connected to an external network of a factory in which the exposure apparatus is installed, is provided on the display, and from the database via the external network. 20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 19, which makes it possible to obtain information.