JP2007171667A - Exposure apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure apparatus that can reliably prevent a mask from being damaged. <P>SOLUTION: A divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE is provided with contact sensors 30 near the four vertexes of a mask M, the contact sensor 30 having a reacting part 30a below the lower face of the mask M held on a mask stage 1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus suitable for performing proximity exposure transfer of a mask pattern of a mask onto a substrate of a large flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display or a plasma display by a divided sequential exposure method.

  Conventionally, various exposure apparatuses for producing color filters for flat panel display devices such as liquid crystal display devices and plasma display devices have been devised (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). The exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 1 uses a mask smaller than a substrate as an exposed material, holds the mask on a mask stage, holds the substrate on a work stage, and closes them to face each other. In this state, the work stage is moved stepwise with respect to the mask, and the substrate is irradiated with light for pattern exposure from the mask side at each step, whereby a plurality of mask patterns drawn on the mask are exposed and transferred onto the substrate. A plurality of displays and the like are created on a single substrate. When the substrate and the mask are arranged to face each other, after the substrate positioning operation is completed, the adjustment operation for the target gap is performed while detecting the gap between the substrate and the mask using a gap sensor.

In addition, the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2 includes a non-contact type measurement device and a gate in the middle of the movement path of the substrate. In contact with the metal gate, the mask is protected.
JP 2000-35676 A JP 2004-272139 A

  By the way, with the recent increase in size of flat panel display devices, masks for producing color filters are also increasing (for example, 1400 mm × 1200 mm), and the price per mask is also increasing. For this reason, it is desired to reliably prevent the substrate from coming into contact with the mask and damaging the mask.

  The exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 1 performs gap adjustment while detecting the gap between the substrate and the mask, and because of a non-contact type gap sensor, a reading error occurs or the substrate contacts the mask due to an operation error or the like. There was a possibility.

  In addition, the exposure apparatus described in Patent Document 2 uses the non-contact type gap sensor, and thus has the above-mentioned problems. When the substrate contacts with the gate, the operator confirms the movement of the work stage. There was a need to control.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an exposure apparatus that can reliably prevent damage to a mask.

The above object of the present invention is achieved by the following configurations.
(1) A work stage that holds a substrate as an exposed material, a mask stage that is disposed opposite to the substrate and holds a mask, and irradiation that irradiates the substrate with light for pattern exposure through the mask. An exposure apparatus comprising: means; and a feed mechanism that relatively steps the work stage and the mask stage so that a mask pattern of the mask faces a plurality of predetermined positions on the substrate,
An exposure apparatus, wherein at least four points in the vicinity of the edge of the mask are provided with contact sensors having reaction parts below the lower surface of the mask held on the mask stage.

  According to the present invention, at least four points in the vicinity of the edge of the mask are provided with a contact sensor having a reaction part below the lowermost surface of the mask held on the mask stage. The drive of the feed mechanism can be controlled by controlling the signal, and the mask can be prevented from being damaged by avoiding contact between the mask and the substrate.

  Hereinafter, an exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  First, the divided sequential exposure apparatus PE of the present invention will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the division sequential exposure apparatus PE of this embodiment includes a mask stage 1 that holds a mask M, a work stage 2 that holds a glass substrate (material to be exposed) W, and an irradiation means for pattern exposure. And an apparatus base 4 that supports the mask stage 1 and the work stage 2.

  A glass substrate W (hereinafter simply referred to as “substrate W”) is placed on the mask M so as to be exposed to the surface (opposite surface of the mask M) so that the mask pattern P drawn on the mask M is exposed and transferred. An agent is applied to make it translucent.

  For convenience of explanation, the illumination optical system 3 will be described. The illumination optical system 3 is, for example, a high-pressure mercury lamp 31 that is a light source for ultraviolet irradiation, and a concave mirror 32 that collects light emitted from the high-pressure mercury lamp 31. Two types of optical integrators 33 that are switchably arranged in the vicinity of the focal point of the concave mirror 32, plane mirrors 35 and 36, and a spherical mirror 37, and are arranged between the plane mirror 35 and the optical integrator 33 to change the irradiation optical path. An exposure control shutter 34 that controls opening and closing is provided.

  When the exposure control shutter 34 is controlled to be opened during exposure, the light irradiated from the high-pressure mercury lamp 31 passes through the optical path L shown in FIG. 1 and is held on the mask M held on the mask stage 1 and thus on the work stage 2. Irradiated as parallel light for pattern exposure perpendicularly to the surface of the substrate W. As a result, the mask pad P of the mask M is exposed and transferred onto the substrate W.

  Next, the mask stage 1 and the work stage 2 will be described in this order. First, the mask stage 1 is provided with a mask stage base 10, and the mask stage base 10 is disposed above the work stage 2 while being supported by a mask stage column 11 protruding from the apparatus base 4.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the mask stage base 10 has a substantially rectangular shape and has an opening 10a at the center. A mask holding frame 12 is mounted on the opening 10a so as to be movable in the X and Y directions. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 3A, the mask holding frame 12 has a flange 12 a provided on the outer periphery of the upper end thereof placed on the upper surface in the vicinity of the opening 10 a of the mask stage base 10. It is inserted through a predetermined gap between the inner periphery. Thereby, the mask holding frame 12 can be moved in the X and Y directions by this gap.

  A chuck portion 16 is fixed to the lower surface of the mask holding frame 12 via a spacer 20 and can move in the X and Y directions with respect to the mask stage base 10 together with the mask holding frame 12. The chuck portion 16 is provided with a plurality of suction nozzles 16a for adsorbing a peripheral portion that is an end portion of the mask M on which the mask pattern P is drawn. As a result, the mask M is detachably held on the chuck portion 16 by a vacuum suction device (not shown) through the suction nozzle 16a.

  Further, in FIG. 2, the mask holding frame 12 is moved on the upper surface of the mask stage base 10 in the XY plane based on a detection result by an alignment camera 15 described later or a measurement result by a laser length measuring device 60 described later. A mask position adjusting means 13 for adjusting the position and posture of the mask M held by the mask holding frame 12 is provided.

  The mask position adjusting means 13 includes an X-axis direction driving device 13x attached to one side of the mask holding frame 12 along the Y-axis direction, and two Y-axes attached to one side of the mask holding frame 12 along the X-axis direction. And a direction driving device 13y.

  3A and 3B, the X-axis direction drive device 13x includes a driving actuator (for example, an electric actuator) 131 having a rod 131r that expands and contracts in the X-axis direction, and a mask holding frame 12. And a linear guide (linear motion bearing guide) 133 attached to a side portion along the Y-axis direction. The guide rail 133r of the linear guide 133 extends in the Y-axis direction and is fixed to the mask holding frame 12. The slider 133 s movably attached to the guide rail 133 r is connected to the tip of a rod 131 r fixed to the mask stage base 10 via a pin support mechanism 132.

  On the other hand, the Y-axis direction drive device 13y has the same configuration as the X-axis direction drive device 13x, and includes a drive actuator (for example, an electric actuator) 131 having a rod 131r that expands and contracts in the Y-axis direction, and the mask holding frame 12 And a linear guide (linear motion bearing guide) 133 attached to a side portion along the X-axis direction. The guide rail 133r of the linear guide 133 extends in the X-axis direction and is fixed to the mask holding frame 12. A slider 133s attached to the guide rail 133r so as to be movable is connected to the tip of the rod 131r via a pin support mechanism 132. The X-axis direction driving device 13x adjusts the mask holding frame 12 in the X-axis direction. The two Y-axis direction driving devices 13y adjust the mask holding frame 12 in the Y-axis direction and the θ-axis direction (oscillation around the Z-axis). ).

  Further, inside the two sides facing each other in the X-axis direction of the mask holding frame 12, as shown in FIG. 2, a gap sensor 14 as a means for measuring the gap between the opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W, An alignment camera 15 is disposed as means for detecting the amount of plane deviation between the mask M and the alignment reference. Both the gap sensor 14 and the alignment camera 15 are movable in the X-axis direction via a moving mechanism 19.

  The moving mechanism 19 has a holding frame 191 for holding the gap sensor 14 and the alignment camera 15 extending in the Y-axis direction on the upper surfaces of the two sides facing each other in the X-axis direction of the mask holding frame 12. The end of the holding base 191 that is separated from the Y-axis direction drive device 13 y is supported by a linear guide 192. The linear guide 192 includes a guide rail 192r that is installed on the mask stage base 10 and extends along the X-axis direction, and a slider (not shown) that moves on the guide rail 192r. The end portion of 191 is fixed.

  Then, the gap sensor 14 and the alignment camera 15 are moved in the X-axis direction via the holding frame 191 by driving the slider by a driving actuator 193 including a motor and a ball screw.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the alignment camera 15 optically detects the mask side alignment mark 101 on the surface of the mask M held on the lower surface of the mask stage 1 from the back side of the mask, and the focus adjustment mechanism 151. As a result, the focus is adjusted by moving toward and away from the mask M.

  The focus adjustment mechanism 151 includes a linear guide 152, a ball screw 153, and a motor 154. The linear guide 152 includes a guide rail 152r and a slider 152s. Of these, the guide rail 152r is attached to the holding frame 191 of the moving mechanism 19 of the mask stage 1 so as to extend in the vertical direction. The alignment camera 15 is fixed to the slider 152s via a table 152t. A nut screwed to the screw shaft of the ball screw 153 is connected to the table 152t, and the screw shaft is rotated by a motor 154.

  Further, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, the work side alignment mark 100 is projected from below with a light source 781 and a condenser lens 782 below the work chuck 8 provided on the work stage 2. An optical system 78 is disposed integrally with the Z-axis fine movement stage 24 in accordance with the optical axis of the alignment camera 15. A through hole corresponding to the optical path of the projection optical system 78 is formed in the work stage 2 and the Y-axis feed base 52.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the best focus of the alignment image that detects the position of the mask M having the mask side alignment mark 101 (mask mark surface Mm) and prevents the alignment camera 15 from being out of focus. An adjustment mechanism 150 is provided. In addition to the alignment camera 15 and the focus adjustment mechanism 151, this best focus adjustment mechanism 150 uses the gap sensor 14 as a focus deviation detection means. That is, the measured value of the mask lower surface position measured by the gap sensor 14 is compared with the focus position preset by the control device 80 to obtain a difference, and the relative focus position change amount from the set focus position is calculated from the difference. The alignment camera 15 is moved by controlling the motor 154 of the focus adjustment mechanism 151 according to the calculated change amount, thereby adjusting the focus of the alignment camera 15.

  By using the best focus adjustment mechanism 150, it is possible to perform high-precision focus adjustment of the alignment image regardless of the plate thickness change of the mask M and the plate thickness variation. That is, when a plurality of types of masks M are exchanged and used, proper focus can always be obtained even if the thicknesses of the individual masks are different. Note that the focus adjustment mechanism 151, the projection optical system 78, the best focus adjustment mechanism 150, and the like not only correspond to the high accuracy of the alignment of the first layer divided pattern, but also the high accuracy of the alignment after the second layer. If the thickness of the mask M is known, the best focus adjustment mechanism 150 may be omitted and the focus adjustment mechanism may be moved according to the thickness.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, a contact sensor window portion 16b is formed in the chuck portion 16 near the four apexes of the mask M, and the window portion 16b is like a pressure sensor. A touch sensor 30 is attached. The contact sensor 30 is located at a position below the lower surface of the mask M so that the substrate W on the work stage 2 contacts the substrate W before contacting the mask M held on the mask stage 1. 30a.

  For example, when the exposure is performed with the gap g between the mask M and the substrate W being 150 μm, the contact sensor 30 is attached so that the distance l from the lower surface of the mask M to the reaction part 30a is 80 μm. As a result, when the gap between the mask M and the substrate W becomes 80 μm or less, the contact sensor 30 detects that the reaction unit 30a is in contact with the substrate W, and the collision risk state between the mask M and the substrate W is detected. A danger signal is transmitted to the control device 80.

  Note that masking apertures (shielding plates) 17 that shield both ends of the mask M as necessary are disposed at both ends in the Y-axis direction of the opening 10a of the mask stage base 10 so as to be positioned above the mask M. The masking aperture 17 can be moved in the Y-axis direction by a masking aperture driving device 18 including a motor, a ball screw, and a linear guide so that the shielding areas at both ends of the mask M can be adjusted.

  Next, the work stage 2 is installed on the apparatus base 4 as shown in FIG. 8, and a chuck surface 8a for detachably holding the substrate W by a vacuum suction device (not shown) or the like is provided on the upper surface. A workpiece chuck 8, a Z-axis feed base (gap adjusting means) 2 </ b> A that adjusts a gap between opposing surfaces of the mask M and the substrate W to a predetermined amount, and a work stage disposed on the Z-axis feed base 2 </ b> A. And a work stage feed mechanism 2B for moving 2 in the XY-axis direction.

  The Z-axis feed base 2A includes a Z-axis coarse movement stage 22 supported so as to be capable of coarse movement in the Z-axis direction by an up-and-down coarse movement device 21 erected on the apparatus base 4, and an upper portion of the Z-axis coarse movement stage 22. And a Z-axis fine movement stage 24 supported via an up / down fine movement device 23. For example, an electric actuator composed of a motor and a ball screw or a pneumatic shilling is used for the vertical movement device 21, and the Z-axis coarse movement stage 22 is moved to a preset position by performing a simple vertical movement. Then, it is moved up and down without measuring the gap between the mask M and the substrate W.

  On the other hand, the vertical fine movement device 23 shown in FIG. 1 includes a movable wedge mechanism in which a motor, a ball screw, and a wedge are combined. In this embodiment, for example, the motor 231 installed on the upper surface of the Z-axis coarse movement stage 22. The screw shaft 232 of the ball screw is driven to rotate, the ball screw nut 233 is formed in a wedge shape, and the slope of the wedge nut 233 protrudes from the lower surface of the Z-axis fine movement stage 24. Thus, a movable wedge mechanism is configured.

  When the screw shaft 232 of the ball screw is driven to rotate, the wedge-shaped nut 233 is finely moved in the Y-axis direction, and this horizontal fine movement is converted into a highly accurate vertical fine movement by the action of the slopes of both wedges 233 and 241. The

  The vertical fine movement device 23 composed of the movable wedge mechanism includes a total of three units, two on one end side (front side in FIG. 1) in the Y-axis direction and one on the other end side (not shown) of the Z-axis fine movement stage 24. It is installed and each is driven and controlled independently. Accordingly, the vertical fine movement device 23 also has a tilt function. Based on the measurement results of the gaps between the mask M and the substrate W by the three gap sensors 14, the mask M and the substrate W are parallel and predetermined. The height of the Z-axis fine movement stage 24 is finely adjusted so as to face each other through the gap. Note that the vertical coarse motion device 21 and the vertical fine motion device 23 may be provided in the Y-axis feed base 52.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the work stage feed mechanism 2 </ b> B is a kind of two sets of rolling guides that are spaced apart from each other in the Y-axis direction and extended along the X-axis direction on the upper surface of the Z-axis fine movement stage 24. A linear guide 41, an X-axis feed base 42 attached to a slider 41a of the linear guide 41, and an X-axis feed drive device 43 that moves the X-axis feed base 42 in the X-axis direction. An X-axis feed base 42 is connected to a ball screw nut 433 that is screwed to a ball screw shaft 432 that is rotationally driven by a motor 431 of the shaft feed driving device 43.

  Further, on the upper surface of the X-axis feed base 42, a linear guide 51 which is a kind of two sets of rolling guides that are spaced apart from each other in the X-axis direction and extend along the Y-axis direction, and the linear guide Y-axis feed base 52 attached to 51 slider 51a, and Y-axis feed drive device 53 that moves Y-axis feed base 52 in the Y-axis direction, and is rotated by motor 531 of Y-axis feed drive device 53. A Y-axis feed base 52 is connected to a ball screw nut (not shown) screwed to the ball screw shaft 532 to be driven. The work stage 2 is attached to the upper surface of the Y-axis feed base 52.

  A laser length measuring device 60 as a moving distance measuring unit that detects the X-axis and Y-axis positions of the work stage 2 is provided on the device base 4. In the work stage 2 configured as described above, due to errors such as the shape of the ball screw and the linear guide itself, and mounting errors thereof, when the work stage 2 is moved, positioning errors, yawing, straightness, etc. Occurrence is inevitable. The laser length measuring device 60 is intended to measure these errors. As shown in FIG. 1, the laser length measuring device 60 is provided with a pair of Y-axis interferometers 62 and 63 each provided with a laser so as to face the Y-axis direction end of the work stage 2 and the X-axis of the work stage 2. One X-axis interferometer 64 provided at the end of the direction and provided with a laser, a Y-axis mirror 66 disposed at a position facing the Y-axis interferometers 62 and 63 of the work stage 2, and the X of the work stage 2 The X-axis mirror 68 is disposed at a position facing the axial interferometer 64.

  As described above, by providing two Y-axis interferometers 62 and 63 in the Y-axis direction, not only information on the position of the work stage 2 in the Y-axis direction but also a difference in position data between the Y-axis interferometers 62 and 63. You can also know yawing error. The position in the Y-axis direction can be calculated by appropriately correcting both the average value of the two in consideration of the position in the X-axis direction of the work stage 2 and the yawing error.

  Then, when the next divided pattern is connected and exposed following the exposure of the work stage 2 in the XY direction and the Y-axis feed base 52 and the previous divided pattern, each interference is performed at the stage of sending the substrate W to the next area. The detection signals output from the total 62 to 64 are input to the control device 80 as shown in FIG. The control device 80 controls the X-axis feed driving device 43 and the Y-axis feed driving device 53 in order to adjust the amount of movement in the XY direction for the divided exposure based on the detection signal, and also the X-axis interferometer 64. And the detection results of the Y-axis interferometers 62 and 63 are used to calculate a positioning correction amount for joint exposure, and the calculated result is used as the mask position adjustment means 13 (and the vertical fine movement device 23 as required). Output to. As a result, the mask position adjusting means 13 and the like are driven in accordance with the correction amount, and the influence of positioning error, straightness error, yawing and the like caused by the X-axis feed driving device 43 or the Y-axis feed driving device 53 is eliminated.

  Further, the control device 80 drives and controls the mask position adjusting means 13 based on the amount of positional deviation between the mask side alignment mark 101 and the workpiece side alignment mark 100 detected by the alignment camera 15, and the gap sensor 14 controls the mask M and the mask M. The vertical fine movement device 23 is driven and controlled while detecting the gap with the substrate W. Further, when the collision risk state of the substrate W with the mask M is detected by the contact sensor 30, the control device 80 controls to stop the motor drive of the vertical coarse motion device 21 or the vertical fine motion device 23.

  The control device 80 of the present embodiment controls the opening control of the exposure control shutter 34, the feed control of the work stage 2, the calculation of the correction amount based on the detection values of the laser interferometers 62 to 64, and the drive control of the mask position adjusting means 13. In addition, the microcomputer is used to drive most of the actuators incorporated in the divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus, such as calculation of the correction amount at the time of alignment adjustment, drive control of an automatic workpiece supply apparatus (not shown), and predetermined calculation processing. It is executed based on the sequence control using a computer or sequencer.

  Next, a process for avoiding a collision between the substrate W and the mask M in the divided successive proximity exposure apparatus PE of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.

  In a state where the mask M is held on the mask stage 1 and alignment adjustment is performed, the substrate W is placed on the work stage 2 by the transport mechanism, and the substrate W is vacuum-sucked by the work chuck. Then, the gap sensor 14 drives the Z-axis feed base 2A so that the gap between the lower surface of the mask M and the upper surface of the work W becomes a predetermined value (for example, 150 μm) necessary for exposure. It is adjusted while monitoring.

  When the reaction unit 30a of the contact sensor 30 detects contact with the substrate W during the ascending operation of the Z-axis feed base 2A, the contact sensor 30 detects a collision danger state and transmits a danger signal to the control device 80. As a result, the control device 80 controls to stop the motor drive of the Z-axis feed base 2A, and the contact between the substrate W and the mask M is avoided. Further, since the reaction unit 30a is positioned at a predetermined distance l from the lower surface of the mask M, the substrate W is also separated from the mask M by the distance l when the contact sensor 30 detects a collision risk state. Contact between the substrate W and the mask M is reliably avoided. Further, since the contact sensor 30 is attached in the vicinity of the four apexes of the mask M, even if the contact sensor 30 is close to the mask M in a state where the substrate W is inclined, It is possible to detect the collision risk state by contacting the highest part and more reliably avoid contact between the substrate W and the mask M.

  Therefore, according to the divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE of the present embodiment, the contact sensor 30 having the reaction unit 30a near the four vertexes of the mask M and below the lower surface of the mask M held on the mask stage 1 is provided. Since it is provided, it is possible to control the driving of the Z-axis feed base 2A by controlling the danger signal detected from the contact sensor 30, avoiding contact between the mask M and the substrate W, and damaging the mask M. It can be surely prevented.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus PE according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Note that the exposure apparatus PE of the present embodiment is different from that of the first embodiment only in the configuration of the contact sensor, and therefore, the same components as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof is omitted or simplified. Turn into.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the contact sensor 90 of this embodiment is directly attached in the vicinity of the four apexes on the lower surface of the mask M. Further, as in the first embodiment, the contact sensor 90 has a lower surface of the mask M so that the substrate W on the work stage 2 contacts the substrate W before contacting the mask M held on the mask stage 1. The reaction unit 90a is provided at a lower position than the reaction unit 90a. When the reaction unit 90a comes into contact with the substrate W, it is detected as a collision danger state between the mask M and the substrate W, and this danger signal is transmitted to the control device 80. To do.

Thereby, the danger signal detected from the contact sensor 90 can be controlled to control the driving of the Z-axis feed base 2A, and the mask M and the substrate W can be prevented from coming into contact with each other, and the mask M can be reliably damaged. Can be prevented. In addition, since the contact sensor 90 is directly attached to the mask M, contact between the mask M and the substrate W can be reliably avoided even when the thickness of the mask M varies.
Other configurations and operations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

In addition, this invention is not limited to embodiment mentioned above at all, In the range which does not deviate from the summary, it can implement with a various form.
The contact sensor 30 of the present embodiment is provided in the chuck portion 16 near the four apexes of the mask M, but is not limited to this, depending on the form of the mask stage such as the mask holding frame 12 or the like. It may be attached to any member on the mask stage side. Moreover, although the contact sensors 30 and 90 of this embodiment are arrange | positioned in the vertex vicinity of four places of the mask M, it is not limited to this, At least 4 in any position of the edge part vicinity of the mask M is not limited to this. It suffices if it is arranged at more than one place, and may be arranged appropriately according to the outer shape of the mask M.

  Further, the reaction portion arranged to be lower than the lower surface of the mask M held on the mask stage 1 is, for example, the lowermost surface of the central portion of the mask M when the mask M is bent at the central portion. The position may be appropriately set in consideration of the position of the lowermost surface, the size of the gap between the mask M and the substrate W, etc. so as to be lower than the position.

1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is an expansion perspective view of a mask stage part. (A) is sectional drawing which shows the mask stage cut | disconnected along the III-III line | wire of FIG. 2 with a board | substrate, (b) is a top view of the mask position adjustment means of (a). It is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the irradiation optical system of the workpiece | work side alignment mark. It is a block diagram which shows the focus adjustment mechanism of an alignment image. It is a side view which shows the basic structure of an alignment camera and the focus adjustment mechanism of this alignment camera. It is a bottom view of the chuck | zipper part of a mask stage. It is a front view of the division | segmentation successive proximity exposure apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an electrical configuration of the divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus shown in FIG. 1. It is sectional drawing which shows the mask stage of the division | segmentation successive proximity exposure apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention with a board | substrate.

Explanation of symbols

1 Mask stage 2 Work stage 2A Z-axis feed base (gap adjusting means)
2B Work stage feed mechanism 3 Illumination optical system (irradiation means)
30, 90 Contact sensor 30a, 90a Reaction part M Mask PE Exposure apparatus (divided sequential proximity exposure apparatus)
W Glass substrate (material to be exposed)

Claims (1)

A work stage for holding a substrate as a material to be exposed, a mask stage that is arranged opposite to the substrate and holds a mask, and irradiation means for irradiating the substrate with light for pattern exposure through the mask; An exposure apparatus comprising: a feed mechanism that relatively steps the work stage and the mask stage so that a mask pattern of the mask faces a plurality of predetermined positions on the substrate;
An exposure apparatus, wherein at least four points in the vicinity of the edge of the mask are provided with contact sensors having reaction parts below the lower surface of the mask held on the mask stage.

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