JP2011221241A - Exposure method and exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To expose a pattern on a largely scaled plain substrate with high accuracy and at low costs.SOLUTION: Disclosed is an exposure method of successively exposing a predetermined pattern via a photo-mask in a pattern formation area on the substrate while moving the substrate to a fixed direction. The exposure method includes: a step of exposing the above-mentioned pattern on the above-mentioned substrate, while irradiating any region other than the above-mentioned pattern formation region in a direction crossing a substrate moving direction with a laser beam, and forming an alignment mark by giving a scratch with a fixed shape on the above mentioned substrate face; a step of detecting a position deviation of the above mentioned alignment mark in the direction crossing the substrate moving direction with respect to a predetermined reference position at the rear position of the above mentioned substrate moving direction; a step of relatively moving the above mentioned substrate and the above mentioned photo-mask in order to correct the above mentioned position deviation; and a step of exposing the next pattern at the following position of the above mentioned pattern.

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure method and an exposure apparatus for sequentially exposing a pattern while moving a plain substrate in a certain direction, and more particularly, an exposure method and method for exposing a pattern on a large plain substrate with high accuracy and low cost. This relates to an exposure apparatus.

  In this type of conventional exposure method, a plain substrate to be exposed is superimposed on a reference substrate on which a reference pattern serving as a reference for an exposure position is formed in advance, and the both are transported together, while either the top or bottom of the subject is exposed. The reference pattern is picked up by the imaging means from the side of the substrate, a reference position preset in the reference pattern is detected, and irradiation start or irradiation of a light beam that scans in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction with the reference position as a reference A stop control is performed to sequentially form a pattern on a plain object to be exposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-316167 A

  However, in such a conventional exposure method, it is necessary to prepare a reference substrate on which a reference pattern is formed in advance, and it takes time to form the reference substrate, which may increase the cost of the exposure process.

  Further, when the object to be exposed is large, the reference substrate is also enlarged in accordance with the large object to be exposed, and as a result, a large mask or large size is used to form a reference pattern on a large plain substrate. There is a possibility that an exposure apparatus is required and the reference substrate becomes expensive.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure method and an exposure apparatus that address such problems and expose a pattern on a large plain substrate with high accuracy and low cost.

  In order to achieve the above object, an exposure method according to the present invention is an exposure method in which a predetermined pattern is sequentially exposed to a pattern formation region on the substrate through a photomask while moving the substrate in a certain direction. And exposing the pattern on the substrate while irradiating a laser beam outside the pattern formation region in a direction intersecting the substrate movement direction to form a fixed mark on the substrate surface to form an alignment mark; Detecting a displacement of the alignment mark in a direction intersecting the substrate movement direction with respect to a reference position predetermined at a rear position in the substrate movement direction; and correcting the displacement of the substrate and the photomask. The relative movement step and the step of exposing the next pattern to the subsequent position of the pattern are performed.

  With such a configuration, while moving the substrate in a certain direction, a pattern is exposed to the pattern formation region on the substrate through a photomask, while laser light is irradiated outside the pattern formation region in a direction crossing the substrate movement direction. The substrate surface is scratched in a fixed shape to form an alignment mark, and a position shift of the alignment mark in a direction crossing the substrate movement direction with respect to a predetermined reference position at a rear position in the substrate movement direction is detected. The substrate and the photomask are moved relative to each other so as to correct the deviation, and the next pattern is exposed at the subsequent position of the pattern.

  In addition, the photomask forms an opening window that allows the laser light to pass therethrough and forms the alignment mark on the substrate outside the mask pattern region intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the substrate of the opening window An alignment window for detecting the alignment mark is formed at a rear position in the moving direction. As a result, the alignment mark was formed by irradiating the substrate with laser light through an opening window formed outside the mask pattern region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction of the photomask, and formed at a position behind the opening window in the substrate movement direction. An alignment mark is detected through the alignment window.

  The photomask further includes an aperture window formed in an exposure laser light irradiation area outside the mask pattern area in a direction intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the aperture laser is provided with a condensing lens. The alignment mark is formed by irradiating the substrate with the laser beam through the condensing lens of the photomask simultaneously with exposure with light. As a result, the exposure laser beam is condensed on the substrate by the condensing lens provided in the opening window of the photomask formed in the exposure laser beam irradiation area outside the mask pattern area crossing the substrate movement direction. Then, alignment marks are formed.

  Furthermore, the photomask is a plurality of unit masks arranged alternately in the direction crossing the substrate movement direction, and formed at the adjacent end of each unit mask in the alignment mark misalignment correction stage. By detecting the alignment mark between the masks, the position of each unit mask is adjusted so that the arrangement pitch of each unit mask becomes a constant value. As a result, the alignment mark between the masks formed at the adjacent end portions of the plurality of unit masks arranged alternately in the substrate moving direction and the cross direction is detected, and the unit masks are arranged so that the arrangement pitch of each unit mask becomes a constant value. Exposure while adjusting the position.

  An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is an exposure apparatus that sequentially exposes a predetermined pattern via a photomask to a pattern formation region on the substrate while moving the substrate in a certain direction. An exposure light source that is exposed by irradiating light source light through a photomask, and a laser beam is applied to the substrate to scratch the substrate surface outside the pattern formation region in a direction intersecting with the substrate moving direction. A laser light source that forms an alignment mark, and a positional deviation in a direction crossing the substrate movement direction with respect to a reference position that is predetermined at a position behind the substrate movement direction is detected, and the positional deviation is corrected. Alignment means for correcting a positional deviation of exposure by relatively moving the substrate and the photomask.

  With such a configuration, while moving the substrate in a certain direction, the substrate is irradiated with light source light from an exposure light source through a photomask to expose a pattern on a pattern formation region on the substrate, while a laser light source The substrate is irradiated with laser light to form a fixed mark on the substrate surface outside the pattern formation region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction to form an alignment mark, which is predetermined by the alignment means at the rear position in the substrate movement direction. The positional deviation of the alignment mark in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction with respect to the reference position is detected, and the positional deviation of the exposure is corrected by relatively moving the substrate and the photomask so as to correct the positional deviation. The next pattern is exposed at the subsequent position.

  Further, the photomask forms an opening window that allows the laser beam to pass therethrough and forms the alignment mark on the substrate outside the mask pattern region intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the substrate of the opening window An alignment window for detecting the alignment mark is formed at a rear position in the moving direction. As a result, the alignment mark was formed by irradiating the substrate with laser light through an opening window formed outside the mask pattern region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction of the photomask, and formed at a position behind the opening window in the substrate movement direction. An alignment mark is detected through the alignment window.

  Furthermore, the photomask has an opening window formed in an irradiation region of the exposure laser beam outside the mask pattern region in a direction intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the condensing lens is provided in the opening window. The light source and the laser light source are one pulse laser light source that emits laser light of the same wavelength, and the laser light is exposed through the laser light emitted from the pulse laser light source and simultaneously the laser light passes through the condensing lens of the photomask. The substrate is irradiated to form the alignment mark. As a result, the exposure laser beam is condensed on the substrate by the condensing lens provided in the opening window of the photomask formed in the exposure laser beam irradiation area outside the mask pattern area crossing the substrate movement direction. Then, alignment marks are formed.

  The photomask is a plurality of unit masks arranged alternately in a direction crossing the substrate movement direction, and each unit mask is detected by detecting an inter-mask alignment mark formed at an adjacent end of each unit mask. Further includes unit mask alignment means for adjusting the position of each unit mask so that the arrangement pitch of each becomes a constant value. Thereby, the inter-mask alignment marks formed at the adjacent end portions of the plurality of unit masks arranged alternately in the substrate moving direction and the crossing direction are detected by the unit mask alignment means, and the arrangement pitch of each unit mask becomes a constant value. Adjust the position of each unit mask as follows.

  According to the first or fifth aspect of the invention, the exposure position is adjusted on the basis of the alignment mark formed outside the pattern formation region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction while performing exposure through the photomask. Since the next exposure is executed, the exposure patterns can be sequentially connected with high positional accuracy even when the substrate is plain. In addition, since it is not necessary to prepare a reference substrate on which a reference pattern is formed in advance as in the prior art, the pattern can be exposed accurately and at low cost even with a large plain substrate.

  In addition, according to the invention according to claim 2 or 6, it is possible to perform the alignment of the exposure pattern previously exposed and the mask pattern of the photomask with higher accuracy, and to improve the connection accuracy of each exposure pattern. It can be improved further.

  Furthermore, according to the invention which concerns on Claim 3 or 7, the energy density of the light irradiated on a board | substrate can be increased by providing a condensing lens. Therefore, if a laser light source is used as the exposure light source, a part of the exposure laser light can be condensed on the substrate and used for forming the alignment mark. As a result, the light source can be one of the exposure laser light sources, and the apparatus can be simplified.

  And according to the invention concerning Claim 4 or 8, it can expose to a large sized board | substrate using the several unit mask with a small shape. Therefore, the manufacturing cost of the photomask can be reduced.

It is a front view which shows 1st Embodiment of the exposure apparatus by this invention. It is a top view which shows the photomask used for the said 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows schematic structure of a control means. It is a flowchart explaining the exposure method of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows exposure by the exposure method of this invention. It is a figure which shows 2nd Embodiment of the exposure apparatus by this invention, and is the top view which showed the example of 1 structure of the photomask. It is a top view which shows the example which provided the opening window and the window for alignment in the mask stage, (a) is an example which provided the said opening window in the irradiation area | region of exposure light, (b) is an example of exposure light. This is an example in which the opening window is provided outside the irradiation region. It is explanatory drawing which shows the exposure using the mask stage of FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a front view showing a first embodiment of an exposure apparatus according to the present invention. This exposure apparatus sequentially exposes a pattern while moving a film 1 as a plain substrate in a fixed direction. A supply reel 2, a take-up reel 3, a laser light source 4, a photomask 5, and an alignment means. 6 and a control means 7.

  The supply reel 2 is, for example, a roll of a long film 1 and is rotatably held on a supply-side rotating shaft 8. Further, a brake (not shown) that restricts rotation is attached to the supply-side rotating shaft 8 so that a back tension is applied so as to apply a certain tension to the film 1.

  The take-up reel 3 is rotatably held on a take-up side rotary shaft 9 provided in parallel with the supply side rotary shaft 8 at a predetermined distance in the horizontal direction. The take-up reel 3 takes up the film 1 supplied from the supply reel 2 and is rotated by a take-up motor 10 provided with a rotary shaft connected to the take-up side rotary shaft 9. .

  A pair of guide poles 11 are provided between the supply reel 2 and the take-up reel 3 so that the film 1 can be supported horizontally.

  A laser light source 4 is provided above the film 1 laid horizontally between the pair of guide poles 11. The laser light source 4 is a pulse laser light source that emits an exposure laser beam L having a wavelength of about 355 nm. A coupling optical member 12 is arranged on the downstream side of the laser light source 4 in the traveling direction of the laser light L. After expanding the beam diameter of the laser light L and making the intensity distribution uniform, parallel light is described later. The photomask 5 can be irradiated. A mercury lamp or a xenon flash lamp having a wavelength of 313 nm may be used in place of the laser light source 4, but the case where the exposure light source is the laser light source 4 will be described in the following description.

  On the optical axis of the laser light source 4, a photomask 5 is provided in close proximity to the film 1 that is horizontally stretched between a pair of guide poles 11. As shown in FIG. 2, the photomask 5 is an original of an exposure pattern formed on the film 1, and a mask pattern region 13 in which an opening of a mask pattern corresponding to the exposure pattern is formed at a substantially central portion. 1 and the mask pattern region 13 on the center line of the mask pattern region 13 parallel to the moving direction (hereinafter referred to as “X direction”) and the crossing direction (hereinafter referred to as “Y direction”) indicated by an arrow X in FIG. An aperture window 15 is formed outside and within the irradiation region 14 of the exposure laser beam L, and a condensing lens 16 is provided on the aperture window 15 to condense the laser beam L on the film 1. The alignment mark 17 (see FIG. 5) can be formed with a scratch having a fixed shape. An alignment window 18 is formed behind the opening window 15 in the X direction by a distance D from the center of the opening window 15. In this case, the distance D between the opening window 15 and the alignment window 18 is set to be equal to or smaller than the width W in the X direction of the mask pattern region 13 (D ≦ W). Thereby, an exposure pattern can be formed continuously in the X direction. The photomask 5 is held by a mask stage 19 formed so as to be movable in the Y direction.

  An alignment means 6 is provided so that the photomask 5 and the film 1 can be moved relative to each other in the Y direction. The alignment means 6 is for correcting exposure misalignment, and includes an imaging means 20 and a mask stage driving means 21. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 29 denotes a plane reflection mirror.

  The imaging means 20 images the alignment mark 17 formed on the film 1, is a CCD camera, and is arranged with the center of the visual field aligned with the center of the alignment window 18 of the photomask 5. . The mask stage driving means 21 moves the mask stage 19 in the Y direction, and is a combination of a stepping motor and a gear, an electromagnetic actuator, a linear motor, or the like.

  A control means 7 is provided in electrical connection with the winding motor 10, laser light source 4, imaging means 20, and mask stage driving means 21. The control means 7 calculates the amount of misalignment of the alignment mark 17 in the Y direction due to the movement error of the film 1, and moves the photomask 5 so as to correct this, as shown in FIG. The image processing unit 22, the calculation unit 23, the memory 24, the motor drive control unit 25, the light source drive unit 26, the mask stage drive control unit 27, and the control unit 28 are provided.

  The image processing unit 22 processes the image of the alignment mark 17 picked up by the image pickup means 20, and detects the center position of the alignment mark 17, for example. The calculation unit 23 calculates the amount of positional deviation between the center (reference position) of the alignment window 18 and the center of the alignment mark 17. Further, the memory 24 stores the center position of the alignment mark 17 and the calculation result. The motor drive control unit 25 controls the rotational speed of the motor and driving and stopping. Further, the light source drive unit 26 controls the power, oscillation frequency, lighting and extinguishing of the laser light source 4. Furthermore, the mask stage drive control unit 27 controls the movement of the mask stage 19 by controlling the drive of the mask stage drive means 21. The control unit 28 controls the driving of each element so that the entire apparatus is appropriately driven.

Next, an operation of the exposure apparatus configured as described above and an exposure method performed using the exposure apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
First, the film 1 having a photosensitive material coated on the surface thereof is pulled out from the supply reel 2 and horizontally stretched over a pair of guide poles 11, and then the tip is fixed to the shaft of the take-up reel 3.
In this state, in step S1, the motor drive control unit 25 drives the winding motor 10 to wind the film 1 in the X direction at a constant speed.

  Next, in step S2, the light source driving unit 26 is driven to turn on the laser light source 4 for a certain period of time, and the photomask 5 is irradiated with the exposure laser light L. This exposure laser beam L passes through the opening of the mask pattern of the photomask 5 and irradiates the film 1 to expose a pattern corresponding to the mask pattern on the film 1. At the same time, a part of the exposure laser beam L passes through the opening window 15 of the photomask 5 and is then condensed on the film 1 by the condenser lens 16, and a fixed shape is scratched on the film 1 for alignment. A mark 17 is formed.

  In step S3, when the film 1 is moved by the distance D and the alignment mark 17 formed on the film 1 reaches directly below the alignment window 18 of the photomask 5, the imaging means 20 passes through the alignment window 18. The alignment mark 17 is imaged. This captured image is subjected to image processing in the image processing unit 22, and the center position of the alignment mark 17 is detected. In the calculation unit 23, the amount of positional deviation in the Y direction of the center of the alignment mark 17 with respect to the center (reference position) of the alignment window 18 is calculated.

  In step S4, the mask stage drive controller 27 drives the mask stage drive means 21 to control the movement direction and movement amount of the mask stage 19, and the photomask 5 is moved to Y so that the amount of displacement is substantially zero. Move in the direction.

  In step S5, it is determined whether or not all exposure to the film 1 has been completed. Here, in the case of “NO” determination, the process returns to step S2 to execute the next exposure, and the alignment mark 17 is formed at the same time. In steps S5, steps S2 to S5 are executed until “YES” is determined. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, the pattern 30 is continuously connected in the X direction and exposed on the film 1.

  In addition, in the said 1st Embodiment, although the case where it exposed while moving the film 1 continuously was demonstrated, whenever the film 1 moved only the distance D, the film 1 was stopped once, and a position is set in this stop state. You may perform step exposure of carrying out shift correction and exposure. Thereby, the pattern 30 can be connected more accurately in the moving direction of the film 1.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the opening window 15, the condensing lens 16, and the alignment window 18 are provided at both ends of the photomask 5 has been described. Good. Further, the aperture window 15 and the condenser lens 16 may be provided at any position other than on the center line of the mask pattern region 13 parallel to the Y direction as long as it is an outer portion of the mask pattern region 13 in the Y direction.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the case where exposure is performed using one photomask 5 has been described. However, a plurality of photomasks 5 are arranged in advance in the X direction, and exposure using the first photomask 5 is performed. You may make it expose by complementing between patterns with the following photomask 5. FIG.

  In the first embodiment, the case where the photomask 5 is moved in the Y direction to correct the exposure misalignment has been described. However, the film 1 side may be moved in the Y direction, and both of them are moved. May be.

Next, a second embodiment of the exposure apparatus according to the present invention will be described. Here, a different part from 1st Embodiment is demonstrated.
In the second embodiment, the photomask 5 is a plurality of unit masks arranged in the Y direction alternately at regular intervals so that adjacent end portions overlap each other when viewed in the X direction. The apparatus further includes unit mask alignment means for detecting the alignment mark between the masks formed at the end portions and adjusting the position of each unit mask so that the arrangement pitch of each unit mask becomes a constant value.

  Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the photomask 5 is provided with the opening window 15, the condensing lens 16 and the alignment window 18 at the outer end of the unit mask 31s at the outermost end, and is closer to the center. An inter-mask alignment mark 32 (indicated by Δ in the figure) is formed at the end, and the unit mask 31e arranged in the second and subsequent even numbers corresponds to the inter-mask alignment mark 32 at the upper end in the figure. Then, the window member 34 on which the inter-mask alignment window 33 is formed is positioned and joined at a predetermined position, and the same inter-mask alignment mark 32 as above is formed at the lower end, and the third and subsequent odd numbers The inter-mask alignment corresponding to the inter-mask alignment mark 32 formed on the even-numbered unit mask 31e at the upper end in the figure of each unit mask 31o arranged. The window member 34 on which the window 33 is formed is positioned and joined at a predetermined position, and the same inter-mask alignment mark 32 as described above is formed at the lower end, and the corresponding inter-mask alignment mark 32 and inter-mask alignment are formed. The unit masks 31s, 31e, and 31o are arranged so that the window 33 overlaps the upper and lower sides. In this case, a plurality of laser light sources 4 are provided corresponding to the unit masks 31s, 31e, and 31o.

  Each unit mask 31s, 31e, 31o is held so as to be movable in the Y direction by an individual unit mask stage (not shown). Furthermore, a camera for imaging the inter-mask alignment mark 32 is provided above each of the window members 34. The unit mask alignment means is constituted by the unit mask stage and the camera.

  With this configuration, in the second embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the exposure laser beam passes through the aperture window 15 and the condenser lens 16 formed in the unit mask 31s at the outermost end. L is condensed on the film 1, the alignment mark 17 is formed on the film 1, the amount of misalignment of the alignment mark 17 in the Y direction is detected through the alignment window 18, and then the unit mask 31 s at the outermost end portion is detected. Is moved in the Y direction to correct the amount of displacement. At this time, the second and subsequent unit masks 31e, 31o are moved in the Y direction so that the center of the alignment mark 32 between the masks matches the center of the alignment window 33 between the masks. The arrangement pitch of the unit masks 31s, 31e, 31o is maintained at a constant value.

  As described above, according to the second embodiment, by arranging a plurality of small unit masks 31s, 31e, and 31o in the Y direction, a pattern can be exposed even on a wide plain film 1 with high positional accuracy. be able to.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 6, if the two inter-mask alignment marks 32 and the inter-mask alignment window 33 are provided side by side in the Y direction, the difference between the positional deviation amounts in the X direction of the two inter-mask alignment marks 32 is obtained. The inclination angle θ of the unit masks 31s, 31e, 31o with respect to the X direction can be measured, and the inclination correction of the unit masks 31s, 31e, 31o can be performed. Thereby, the position accuracy of the exposure pattern can be further improved. In this case, the unit mask stage of the unit mask 31s may not have a tilt correction function.

  Furthermore, if the amount of overlap between adjacent end portions of each unit mask 31 is increased in advance and the amount of movement of the inter-mask alignment mark 32 in the Y direction can be measured, the unit mask 31 positioned at the center of the array can be measured. Each unit mask 31 can be moved in the center by a certain amount in the Y direction to widen the width of the exposure area.

  In the first and second embodiments, the case where the alignment mark 17 is formed by condensing the laser light L emitted from the laser light source 4 for exposure on the film 1 has been described. Is not limited to this, and a laser light source dedicated to the alignment mark may be provided separately. In this case, it is not necessary to provide the condensing lens 16 in the opening window 15 of the photomask 5, and the light source for exposure is not limited to the laser light source, and may be a mercury lamp or a xenon lamp. Further, the wavelength of the emitted laser light may be different between the exposure laser light source 4 and the laser light source dedicated to the alignment mark.

  Further, in the first and second embodiments, the case where the alignment window 18 is provided in the photomask 5 and the inter-mask alignment window 33 is provided in the unit masks 31s, 31e, and 31o has been described. The invention is not limited to this, and an alignment mark may be provided instead of the alignment window.

  Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, the case where the aperture window 15, the condenser lens 16, and the alignment window 16 are provided in the photomask 5 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and FIG. 7 may be provided on the side of the mask stage 19 that positions and holds the photomask 5. In this case, the opening window 15 may be provided either in the irradiation region 14 of the exposure laser beam L as shown in FIG. 5A or outside the irradiation region 14 as shown in FIG. . When the aperture window 15 is provided in the irradiation region 14 of the exposure laser beam L, a condensing lens 16 is provided in the aperture window 15 so that the alignment laser beam 17 can be used also for the exposure laser light source 4 (see FIG. (See (a)). When the opening window 15 is provided outside the irradiation region 14 of the exposure laser beam L, a dedicated laser light source for forming the alignment mark 17 may be provided. In this case, the condensing lens 16 may be omitted (see FIG. 5B).

  In the exposure using the mask stage 19 shown in FIG. 7, the pattern 30 is exposed through the mask pattern of the photomask 5 on the film 1 as shown in FIG. 8, while the mask stage 19 is exposed outside the pattern formation region in the Y direction. A laser beam is irradiated through the aperture window 15 to form a fixed mark on the surface of the film 1 to form an alignment mark 17, and a predetermined reference position (for example, the center position of the alignment window 18) at the rear position in the X direction. ) Is detected in the Y direction, and the mask stage 19 is moved integrally with the photomask 5 in the Y direction so as to correct the positional deviation, and the pattern 30 previously exposed is detected. Then, the next pattern 30 is exposed. By repeatedly executing this, the pattern 30 can be connected and exposed with high positional accuracy.

  And in the above description, although the case where the board | substrate was the film 1 was described, this invention is not limited to this, A board | plate-shaped member, a printed circuit board, etc. may be sufficient.

1 ... Film (substrate)
4. Laser light source (exposure light source)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 5 ... Photomask 6 ... Alignment means 13 ... Mask pattern area | region 14 ... Irradiation area | region of exposure laser beam 15 ... Opening window 16 ... Condensing lens 17 ... Alignment mark 18 ... Alignment window 30 ... Exposure pattern 31, 31s, 31e, 31o ... Unit mask 32 ... Inter-mask alignment mark L ... Laser light

Claims (8)

An exposure method for sequentially exposing a predetermined pattern through a photomask to a pattern formation region on the substrate while moving the substrate in a certain direction,
While exposing the pattern on the substrate, irradiating a laser beam outside the pattern formation region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction, forming a fixed-shaped scratch on the substrate surface, forming an alignment mark;
Detecting a displacement of the alignment mark in a direction crossing the substrate movement direction with respect to a reference position predetermined at a rear position in the substrate movement direction;
Relatively moving the substrate and the photomask to correct the misalignment;
Exposing a next pattern at a subsequent position of the pattern;
The exposure method characterized by performing.   The photomask forms an opening window that allows the laser light to pass therethrough and forms the alignment mark on the substrate outside the mask pattern region intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the substrate moving direction of the opening window 2. An exposure method according to claim 1, wherein an alignment window for detecting the alignment mark is formed at a rear position. The photomask is formed with an aperture window in the exposure laser light irradiation area outside the mask pattern area in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction, and provided with a condensing lens in the aperture window,
2. The exposure method according to claim 1, wherein the alignment mark is formed by irradiating the substrate with the laser beam through the condensing lens of the photomask simultaneously with the exposure with the exposure laser beam. The photomask is a plurality of unit masks alternately arranged in a direction intersecting with the substrate moving direction,
In the alignment mark misalignment correction step, the position of each unit mask is adjusted so that the alignment pitch between the unit masks becomes a constant value by detecting the inter-mask alignment mark formed at the adjacent end of each unit mask. The exposure method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: An exposure apparatus that sequentially exposes a predetermined pattern via a photomask to a pattern formation region on the substrate while moving the substrate in a certain direction,
An exposure light source for exposing the substrate by irradiating light source light through a photomask;
A laser light source for irradiating the substrate with laser light to form a fixed mark on the substrate surface outside the pattern formation region in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction to form an alignment mark;
A positional shift of the alignment mark in a direction crossing the substrate moving direction with respect to a reference position predetermined at a rear position in the substrate moving direction is detected, and the substrate and the photomask are relatively moved so as to correct the positional shift. Alignment means for correcting exposure misalignment,
An exposure apparatus comprising:   The photomask forms an opening window that allows the laser light to pass therethrough and forms the alignment mark on the substrate outside the mask pattern region intersecting the substrate moving direction, and the substrate moving direction of the opening window 6. An exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein an alignment window for detecting the alignment mark is formed at a rear position. The photomask is formed with an aperture window in the exposure laser light irradiation area outside the mask pattern area in the direction intersecting the substrate movement direction, and provided with a condensing lens in the aperture window,
The exposure light source and the laser light source are one pulse laser light source that emits laser light of the same wavelength,
6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the alignment mark is formed by irradiating the substrate with a laser beam emitted from the pulse laser light source and simultaneously irradiating the laser beam through the condenser lens of the photomask. . The photomask is a plurality of unit masks alternately arranged in a direction intersecting with the substrate moving direction,
It further comprises unit mask alignment means for detecting the alignment mark between the masks formed on the adjacent end portions of each unit mask and adjusting the position of each unit mask so that the arrangement pitch of each unit mask becomes a constant value. The exposure method according to claim 5, wherein the exposure method is characterized in that:

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