JP2006058768A - Step-type proximity exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a step-type proximity exposure device capable of exposing a first layer as a reference with high accuracy without lowering the tact time. <P>SOLUTION: In the step-type proximity exposure device for exposing/transferring a plurality of patterns depicted in a mask M onto a substrate W by irradiating it with pattern exposure light in such a state that the mask M is arranged opposite and close to the substrate W at each step while stepwisely moving a substrate stage 2 relatively to the mask M, a mask position detecting means is provided for detecting the position of the mask M at the time of transferring an exposure pattern of the first layer to the substrate W through respective steps. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a stepwise proximity exposure apparatus suitable for proximity exposure transfer of a mask pattern onto a substrate used for a large flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display.

  In proximity exposure, a translucent substrate (material to be exposed) coated with a photosensitive agent on the surface is held on the substrate stage of the proximity exposure apparatus, and the substrate is brought close to the mask held on the mask holding frame of the mask stage. Then, the gap between the two is set to several tens μm to several hundreds μm, for example, and then the exposure light is irradiated toward the mask by the irradiation device from the side away from the substrate of the mask. The pattern is exposed and transferred.

By the way, in proximity exposure, there is a method in which the mask is made the same size as the substrate and is exposed in a lump. However, in such a method, when the mask pattern is exposed and transferred onto a large substrate, the mask becomes large and the mask is exposed. This causes problems in terms of the influence on the pattern accuracy due to the bending of the pattern and the cost.
For these reasons, conventionally, when a mask pattern is exposed and transferred onto a large substrate, a mask smaller than the substrate is used, and the substrate stage is moved stepwise relative to the mask, for example, in the Y-axis direction. The so-called stepwise proximity exposure system that irradiates the pattern exposure light in a state in which the mask is placed close to the substrate at each step, thereby exposing and transferring a plurality of patterns drawn on the mask onto the substrate. There is.

Further, in the manufacturing process of a color filter for a liquid crystal display, for example, a black matrix pattern is first formed, and then a pattern of three colors is sequentially formed. Corresponding to this, the exposure apparatus can be broadly divided into those for black matrix pattern exposure (first layer exposure) and those for the second and subsequent layers.
Here, the exposure (first layer exposure) for a substrate on which no pattern has been formed yet is performed as follows, for example.

  First, for example, the orientation of the mask is adjusted via the mask holding frame so that the alignment mark on the substrate stage side and the alignment mark on the mask side are aligned, and the orientation is the X axis that becomes the reference for the step feed of the substrate stage, Align with the Y axis (for example, adjust if one side of the rectangular pattern should be parallel to the X axis and the other side to the Y axis) (this is hereinafter referred to as “initial alignment”) .

Next, the substrate mounted on the substrate stage is brought close to the mask, and light for pattern exposure is irradiated from the irradiation means toward the mask with the substrate and the mask interposed through a minute gap, and the first mask pattern is formed on the substrate. Transfer to exposure.
Next, the substrate is separated from the mask, and in this state, the substrate stage is sent by one step amount with respect to the mask. At this time, for example, a feed error of the substrate stage occurs due to the accuracy of a linear guide or the like. Therefore, if the next step exposure is performed as it is, the relative position between the exposure pattern of the next step formed on the substrate and the exposure pattern of the first step is shifted.

  For this reason, before performing exposure in the next step, an optical measurement sensor such as a laser interferometer detects a feed error (positional deviation) of the substrate stage, and the detection result and initial posture information of the mask stored in the storage device. Based on the above, the orientation of the mask is corrected through the mask holding frame to align the position of the substrate and the mask, and the exposure of the next step is performed in this state, so that the relative position of each exposure pattern on the substrate So that no shift occurs.

However, in the conventional stepwise proximity exposure apparatus, when the substrate is separated from the mask after the first exposure transfer is performed in the state where the substrate and the mask are brought close to each other, the separation speed is increased and the tact time is increased. When trying to do so, the mask may be displaced with respect to the mask holding frame due to a sudden change in air pressure between the substrate and the mask. For this reason, the substrate must be slowly separated from the mask after exposure, which causes the takt time of the apparatus to be delayed.
The present invention has been made in order to eliminate such inconveniences, and it is possible to increase the speed at which the substrate is separated from the mask after the exposure, so that the first layer serving as a reference is highly accurate without reducing the tact time. It is an object of the present invention to provide a stepwise proximity exposure apparatus that can be exposed to light.

To achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 adjusts the orientation of a substrate stage for holding a substrate as an exposed material, a mask having a pattern to be exposed, and a mask holding frame for holding the mask. A mask stage that is freely supported, a stage feed mechanism that moves the substrate stage stepwise relative to the mask holding frame so that the pattern of the mask faces a plurality of predetermined positions on the substrate, and the substrate An irradiation means for irradiating light for pattern exposure toward the mask to expose and transfer the pattern of the mask to the substrate at each step in a state where the mask and the mask are passed through a minute gap; A feed error detecting means for detecting a step feed error using an optical measurement sensor, and the marker based on a detection value by the feed error detecting means. In Step proximity exposure apparatus and a mask position adjusting means for adjusting relative to the feeding direction by the stage moving mechanism an orientation of the mask through a click holding frame,
A mask position detecting unit configured to detect a shift amount of the mask with respect to the mask holding frame, wherein the mask position adjusting unit adds the detection shift amount by the mask position detection unit to the detection value by the feed error detection unit; The position of the mask is adjusted.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the mask position adjusting unit corrects the shift of the mask before the first exposure pattern is transferred to the substrate based on the detection value by the mask position detecting unit. Preferably, the apparatus further includes means for adjusting the orientation of the mask for each step through the mask holding frame.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first or second aspect, the mask position detection unit monitors the position of the mark provided in the non-exposure region of the mask by the imaging unit using epi-illumination from above the mask. Thus, the position of the mask is detected.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the stage feed mechanism causes the substrate stage to move stepwise relative to the mask in a biaxial direction. .
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the feed error detecting means extends along the feed direction of the substrate stage and irradiates the outer surface in the width direction with laser light. And a step portion lower than the outside is formed on the inner side in the width direction of the bar mirror, and the step portion is fixed to the substrate stage side by a fixing means.

  In the first to third aspects of the invention, the position of the mask when the first exposure pattern is transferred to the substrate is always detected through each step by the mask position detecting means, and one layer is applied to the substrate at the next step based on the detected value. Before transferring the eye exposure pattern, the mask position adjusting means adjusts the orientation of the mask through the mask holding frame to align the position of the substrate and the mask, so that the substrate is separated from the mask after the exposure transfer is performed. Since the separation speed of the substrate can be increased without worrying about the displacement of the mask, the reference first layer can be exposed with high accuracy without reducing the tact time of the apparatus.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the plurality of patterns of the mask are exposed and transferred onto the substrate by moving the substrate stage in two axial directions with respect to the mask and irradiating light for pattern exposure at each step. Therefore, it is possible to expose a large substrate with a smaller mask, thereby reducing the cost and increasing the accuracy of the pattern, and further enabling the creation of various patterns on the substrate. it can.

  In the invention of claim 5, the upper surface of the bar mirror in the width direction outer side can be raised to be as close as possible to the upper surface of the substrate, so that the laser beam can be irradiated to the bar mirror at a height position close to the upper surface of the substrate. Thus, the Abbe error of the feed error detecting means can be minimized.

  Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a partially broken explanatory view for explaining a step-type proximity exposure apparatus which is an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a mask in which an alignment mark for mask position detection is provided in a non-exposure area. 3 is a diagram seen from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the optical system of the mask position detecting means, and FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the details of the bar mirror. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a stepped proximity exposure apparatus that is an example of an embodiment of the present invention uses a mask M smaller than a substrate W as a material to be exposed, holds the mask M on a mask stage 1, and W is held by the substrate stage 2, and in this state, the substrate stage 2 is moved stepwise with respect to the mask M in the two directions of the X-axis direction and the X-axis direction, and the mask M and the substrate W are brought closer to each step. In this state, the pattern M is exposed and transferred onto the substrate W by irradiating light for pattern exposure from the irradiation means 3 toward the mask M.

  In FIG. 1, reference numeral 4 denotes an apparatus base 4. An X-axis stage feed mechanism 5 for moving the substrate stage 2 stepwise in the X-axis direction is installed on the apparatus base 4. A Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6 for moving the substrate stage 2 stepwise in the Y-axis direction is installed on the axis feed table 5a, and the substrate stage 2 is installed on the Y-axis feed table 6a of the Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6. Has been. The substrate W is held on the upper surface of the substrate stage 2 in a state of being vacuumed by a work chuck or the like.

  Between the Y-axis stage feed mechanism 6 and the substrate stage 2, there is a relatively coarse positioning resolution for performing a simple vertical movement of the substrate stage 2, but the vertical coarse motion device 7 and the vertical coarse motion device 7 having a large movement stroke. A vertical fine movement device 8 that can be positioned with high resolution compared to the above and finely adjusts the gap between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W to a predetermined amount by finely moving the substrate stage 2 up and down is installed.

The vertical coarse movement device 7 is provided on a fine movement stage 6b described later, and moves the substrate stage 2 up and down with respect to the fine movement stage 6b by an appropriate driving mechanism. Reference numeral 14 denotes a stage coarse movement shaft fixed at four positions on the bottom surface of the substrate stage 2, which engages with a linear motion bearing 14a fixed to the fine movement stage 6b and is guided in the vertical direction with respect to the fine movement stage 6b. .
The vertical fine movement device 8 includes a fixed base 9 fixed to the Y-axis feed base 6a, and a linear guide guide rail 10 attached to the fixed base 9 with its inner end inclined obliquely downward. A ball screw nut (not shown) is connected to the slide body 12 which reciprocates along the guide rail 10 via the slider 11 straddled over the guide rail 10. The upper end surface is in slidable contact with the flange 12a fixed to the fine movement stage 6b in the horizontal direction.

  Further, the flange 12a and the fixing base 9 are connected by a leaf spring 15 as shown in FIG. The leaf spring 15 has three tongue pieces 16 a, 16 b and 16 c, a central tongue piece 16 b is fixed to the flange 12 a, and both tongue pieces 16 a and 16 c are fixed to the fixing base 9. Therefore, the flange 12a is restricted from moving in the horizontal plane (in the XY plane), and only fine movement in the vertical direction and a slight change in inclination are allowed. In addition, you may make it fix the tongue piece 16b of a center to the fixing stand 9, and the tongue pieces 16a and 16c of both sides to the flange 12a.

Then, when the screw shaft of the ball screw is rotationally driven by the motor 17 attached to the fixed base 9, the nut, the slider 11 and the slide body 12 are integrally moved along the guide rail 10 in an oblique direction. The flange 12a is finely moved up and down. At this time, the horizontal displacement of the flange 12 a is restricted by the action of the leaf spring 15.
The vertical fine movement device 8 is installed on one end side (left end side in FIG. 1) in the Y-axis direction of the Z-axis feed base 6a and two on the other end side, and a total of three are installed and controlled independently. It is like that. Accordingly, the vertical fine movement device 8 independently finely adjusts the heights of the three flanges 12a on the basis of the measurement results of the gaps between the mask M and the substrate W at a plurality of locations by the gap sensor 31 to be described later. Since the height and inclination of the stage 2 can be finely adjusted, the gap between the mask M and the substrate W can be set to a target value with good parallelism.

On the Y-axis feed base 6a, a bar mirror 19 that faces the Y-axis laser interferometer 18 that detects the position of the substrate stage 2 in the Y-axis direction, and an X-axis that detects the position of the substrate stage 2 in the X-axis direction. A bar mirror (both not shown) facing the laser interferometer is installed.
The bar mirror 19 facing the Y-axis laser interferometer 18 extends along the X-axis direction on one side of the Y-axis feed base 6a, and the bar mirror facing the X-axis laser interferometer is on one end side of the Y-axis feed base 6a. It extends along the Y-axis direction. The X-axis laser interferometer and the Y-axis laser interferometer are arranged so as to always face the corresponding bar mirror regardless of the position of the substrate stage 2 and are supported by the apparatus base 4. Two Y-axis laser interferometers 18 are set apart from each other in the X-axis direction. These Y-axis laser interferometer 18, bar mirror 19, X-axis laser interferometer, a bar mirror facing the Y-axis laser interferometer 18, a laser measuring system comprising a laser head (not shown) and an optical system for guiding the laser beam constitute a feed error detecting means.

The two Y-axis laser interferometers 18 detect the Y-axis direction position and yawing of the Y-axis feed base 6 a and then the substrate stage 2 through the bar mirror 19.
An X-axis laser interferometer detects the position of the Y-axis feed base 6 and then the substrate stage 2 in the X-axis direction via the opposing bar mirror. Two Y-axis direction position data and X-axis direction position data detection signals obtained during step feed are output to a correction control means (not shown), and the correction control means is commanded as this detection signal (actual position data). The correction amount is calculated based on the difference from the position data (position data to be positioned), and the calculation result is output to the driving circuit of the mask position adjusting means (and the vertical fine movement device 8 if necessary) described later. As a result, the mask position adjusting means and the like are controlled according to the correction amount to correct the positional deviation and yawing error in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and the mask M correctly faces the position of the substrate W to be exposed. Are aligned as follows.

In this embodiment, in order to minimize the Abbe error of the feed error detecting means, as shown in FIG. 5, an outer portion (laser beam irradiation) is provided on the inner portion in the width direction of the bar mirror 19 having a substantially square cross section. A lower step portion 20 is formed, and the step portion 20 is fixed to a bracket 21 attached to the Y-axis feed base 6a through fixing means such as a bolt 22.
In this way, the upper surface of the outer side in the width direction of the bar mirror 19 is raised as much as the head of the bolt as close as possible to the upper surface of the substrate W as compared with the conventional example in which the bolt is screwed from the upper surface of the bar mirror 19. Therefore, it is possible to irradiate the bar mirror 19 with a laser beam at a height position close to the upper surface of the substrate W, thereby minimizing the Abbe error of the feed error detecting means. In FIG. 5, reference numeral 23 denotes a protective cover for the bar mirror 19. The X-axis direction measurement bar mirror has the same configuration.

The mask stage 1 can be moved in the X, Y, and θ directions (in the X, Y plane) by being inserted into a mask frame 24 formed of a substantially rectangular frame and a central opening of the mask frame 24 through a gap. The mask frame 24 is held in a fixed position above the substrate stage 2 by a support column 4 a protruding from the apparatus base 4.
An inwardly extending flange 26 is provided on the lower surface of the central opening of the mask holding frame 25 along the entire circumference of the opening. A mask M on which a pattern to be exposed is drawn on the lower surface of the flange 26 is detachably held via a vacuum suction device 29 (see FIG. 4) or the like.

  Further, above the flange 26, a gap sensor 31 as a means for measuring a gap between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W, and a non-exposure region NR of the mask M (a region R within a broken line in FIG. 2 is exposed). Alignment cameras 30 serving as means for imaging alignment marks 32 (see FIG. 2) provided in the region) and reference marks that can be described later are movably disposed on the mask frame.

  The gap sensor 31 is disposed at two locations above the inner side of one side of the flange 26 along the X-axis direction and spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction, and at least one location above the inner side of the other side along the X-axis direction. The amount of parallelism between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W can be detected by performing arithmetic processing with a control device (not shown) based on the measurement results of these gap sensors 31. The fine movement function including the tilt adjustment function of the vertical fine movement device 8 described above is controlled according to the detected deviation amount, and the parallelism between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W is ensured.

  The alignment camera 30 is arranged at two locations, one at each of the two ends in the X-axis direction, on the inner upper side of one side along the X-axis direction of the flange 26, and is illustrated based on the image data of these two alignment cameras 30. By performing arithmetic processing with a control device that does not, a plane displacement amount between the mask M and a reference mark (a reference hole 35 to be described later) can be detected, and the mask position adjusting means detects a mask holding frame according to the detected plane displacement amount. 25 is moved in the X, Y, and θ directions to adjust the orientation of the mask M held by the mask holding frame 25 with respect to the substrate W.

  The mask position adjusting means includes an X-axis direction driving device (not shown) attached to a substantially central portion of one side along the Y-axis direction of the mask frame 24, and one side along the X-axis direction of the mask holding frame 25. And two Y-axis direction driving devices (not shown) mounted apart in the axial direction. The X-axis direction driving device adjusts the mask holding frame 25 in the X-axis direction. Adjustment of the Y-axis direction and the θ-axis direction (oscillation around the Z-axis) of the mask holding frame 25 is performed by an axial driving device. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 28 denotes a masking aperture mechanism having a light shielding blade that limits the exposure range by shielding exposure light in an arbitrary range on the mask M held by the mask holding frame 25 as necessary. .

  By the way, in order to perform the first step exposure in the Y-axis direction using the stepwise proximity exposure apparatus having the above-described configuration, first, a reference mark (reference hole 35 described later) imaged by the alignment camera 30 and a mask are held. The mask position adjusting means moves the mask holding frame 25 in a predetermined direction according to the amount of deviation from the alignment mark 32 (non-exposure region NR) provided on the mask M held on the frame 25, thereby changing the orientation of the mask M. The initial position of the mask M is adjusted so that the orientation of the mask M is aligned with the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction as the step feed direction. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 27 denotes a work alignment pattern used in the second and subsequent exposures. In the exposure process according to the present embodiment, the workpiece alignment mark is exposed on the substrate W, and is used for alignment of the mask and the substrate in the exposure process for the second and subsequent layers.

  Next, the substrate W is mounted and held on the substrate stage 2, and in this state, the substrate stage 2 is raised by the vertical coarse motion device 7 and the vertical fine motion device 8, and the gap between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W is increased. The first mask pattern is applied to the substrate W by finely adjusting to a predetermined amount and irradiating the mask M with light for pattern exposure from the irradiation means 3 with the substrate W and the mask M through a minute gap. Transfer by exposure.

  Next, the substrate stage 2 is lowered by the vertical coarse motion device 7 and the vertical fine motion device 8 to separate the substrate W from the mask M, and in this state, the substrate stage 2 is moved with respect to the mask M by the Y axis stage feed mechanism 6. Send one step amount in the direction. Here, when the substrate W is separated from the mask M from the state in which the substrate W and the mask M are close to each other after the first exposure transfer is performed, if the separation speed is increased to increase the takt time of the apparatus, Since the mask M may be displaced with respect to the mask holding frame 25 due to an abrupt change in air pressure between the substrate W and the mask M, conventionally, the substrate W is slowly separated from the mask M after exposure. This causes a delay in the takt time of the device.

  Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the alignment mark 32 is provided in the non-exposure region NR of the mask M, and the position of the alignment mark 32 is aligned using the epi-illumination device 40 from above the mask M. By monitoring with the camera 30, there is provided a mask position detecting means for always detecting the position of the mask M when transferring the first exposure pattern onto the substrate W through each step.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the mask position detection unit images the alignment mark 32 provided in the non-exposure region NR of the mask M with the camera unit 33 of the alignment camera 30, and The amount of deviation between the reference hole (reference mark) 35 of the reference mark plate 34 and the alignment mark 32 is detected, and this detected value is used as the amount of deviation of the mask M with respect to the mask holding frame 25. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 36 denotes a half mirror that is disposed between the camera unit 33 and the reference mark plate 34 and supplies the light from the epi-illumination device 40 to the optical system of the alignment camera 30.

  In the present embodiment, the alignment camera 30 and the alignment mark 32 are also used for initial alignment of the mask M. Therefore, at the time of this initial alignment, the two alignment cameras 30 use the reference hole 35 and the mask M. In a state where the alignment mark 32 is satisfactorily aligned, the orientation of the pattern portion of the mask M is adjusted in advance so as to be aligned with the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction.

  Then, based on the detection signal of the step feed error of the substrate stage 2 by the X-axis laser interferometer and the two Y-axis laser interferometers 18, the correction control means (not shown) directs the mask M according to the step feed error. The correction amount is calculated and the correction amount is added with the detection value (deviation amount of the mask M with respect to the mask holding frame 25) during or immediately after the step (before exposure) obtained by the mask position detecting means. By calculating the correction amount and outputting the calculation result to the driving circuit of the mask position adjusting means (and the vertical fine movement device 8 as necessary), the mask position adjusting means and the like are controlled according to the correction correction amount. The orientation of the mask M is adjusted via the mask holding frame 25, so that before the first exposure pattern is transferred to the substrate W in the next step, the substrate W and the mask M are aligned. Align the location, for light exposure for the next step eyes in this state. Thereafter, step feeding and exposure are repeated in the same procedure.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the mask using the alignment camera 30 including the reference mark plate, the reference hole (reference mark), and the epi-illumination device is used as the position of the mask M when the first exposure pattern is transferred to the substrate W. The position detection means can always detect through each step, and based on the detected value, the correction amount based on the step feed error obtained by the feed error detection means before transferring the exposure pattern of the first layer onto the substrate W in the next step. In addition, the position of the substrate W and the mask M is adjusted by adjusting the orientation of the mask M through the mask holding frame 25 by the mask position adjusting means in consideration of the detection value, that is, the amount of deviation of the mask M from the mask holding frame 25. Therefore, after the first exposure transfer of the first layer, the substrate separation speed when the substrate W is separated from the mask M is set to the deviation of the mask M. It can be made faster without having to, thereby, it is possible to expose the first layer serving as a reference without reducing the tact time of the apparatus with high accuracy.

  Further, the substrate stage 2 is moved stepwise in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction with respect to the mask M and irradiated with light for pattern exposure at each step, whereby a plurality of patterns of the mask M are formed on the substrate. Since exposure transfer is performed on W, exposure to a large substrate W can be performed with a smaller mask M to reduce cost and increase pattern accuracy. A variety of patterns can be created.

In addition, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment, In the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention, it can change suitably.
For example, in the above-described embodiment, a combination of a linear guide and a ball screw is used as the feeding unit of each stage feeding mechanism. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to this. For example, a linear motor or the like is used as the feeding unit. May be used.
In the above embodiment, the substrate stage 2 can be stepped in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Alternatively, the mask stage 1 can be stepped in the X-axis and Y-axis directions together with the irradiation means. It is good also as a simple structure.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the position of the mask M when the first exposure pattern is transferred to the substrate W is always detected through each step by the mask position detecting means, and the mask M is based on the detected value (deviation amount). Is corrected so that the positions of the substrate W and the mask M are aligned. Instead of or in addition to this, the displacement amount of the mask M detected by the mask position detecting means is large. If too much, control may be performed such that the step exposure is canceled and the process is restarted from the beginning.

  Further, in the above embodiment, the alignment camera 30 and the alignment mark 32 of the mask M are used for the initial alignment of the mask M. However, since the initial alignment is possible even before the substrate is carried in, for example, on the substrate stage 2. A reference mark and a corresponding alignment mark on the mask M may be separately provided, and initial alignment may be performed by another alignment camera.

It is explanatory drawing which fractured | ruptured one part for demonstrating the step type proximity exposure apparatus which is an example of embodiment of this invention. It is a top view of the mask in which the alignment mark for mask position detection was provided in the non-exposure area. It is the figure seen from the arrow A direction of FIG. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the optical system of a mask position detection means. It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the detail of a bar mirror.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mask stage 2 Substrate stage 3 Irradiation means 5 X-axis stage feed mechanism 6 Y-axis stage feed mechanism W Substrate M Mask 18 Y-axis laser interferometer (optical measurement sensor)
19 Bar mirror 20 Step 22 Bolt (fixing means)
25 Mask holding frame 30 Alignment camera (imaging means)
32 Alignment mark

Claims (5)

A substrate stage for holding a substrate as an exposure material, a mask having a pattern to be exposed, a mask stage for supporting the orientation of a mask holding frame for holding the mask, and a plurality of predetermined positions on the substrate A stage feed mechanism that moves the substrate stage relative to the mask holding frame so that the mask pattern is opposed to the mask holding frame, and the substrate and the mask through a minute gap for each step. Irradiation means for irradiating the mask with light for pattern exposure to expose and transfer the pattern of the mask onto the substrate, and feed error detection for detecting a step feed error by the stage feed mechanism using an optical measurement sensor And a direction of the mask via the mask holding frame based on a detection value by the feeding error detecting means and the stage Ri in Step proximity exposure apparatus and a mask position adjusting means for adjusting relative to the feed direction by mechanism,
A mask position detecting unit configured to detect a shift amount of the mask with respect to the mask holding frame, wherein the mask position adjusting unit adds the detection shift amount by the mask position detection unit to the detection value by the feed error detection unit; A stepwise proximity exposure apparatus that adjusts a position of a mask.   The mask position adjusting means is configured to correct the mask displacement through the mask holding frame in order to correct the displacement of the mask before transferring the first exposure pattern to the substrate based on the detection value by the mask position detecting means. 2. A stepwise proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for adjusting the direction for each step.   The mask position detecting means detects the position of the mask by monitoring the position of the mark provided in the non-exposure area of the mask by the imaging means using epi-illumination from above the mask. A stepwise proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.   The stepwise proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stage feed mechanism moves the substrate stage relative to the mask in a biaxial direction.   The feed error detecting means includes a bar mirror that extends along the feed direction of the substrate stage and is irradiated with laser light on the outer side surface in the width direction, and has a step portion that is lower than the outside on the inner side in the width direction of the bar mirror. The stepwise proximity exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stepped portion is fixed to the substrate stage side via a fixing unit.

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