JP2020194007A - Exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an exposure device capable of improving exposure accuracy without decreasing a throughput when simultaneously carrying-in and sequentially exposing a plurality of substrates.SOLUTION: An exposure device includes: a substrate stage including a substrate receiving part configured to receive a plurality of substrates transported from a substrate transport device and a substrate holding part configured to hold the plurality of substrates and rotatable within a surface parallel to a surface of a substrate; and a control part configured to control a drive of the substrate stage. The substrate receiving part includes a substrate placement face on which the plurality of substrates are to be placed, the substrate placement face displaceable in a direction perpendicular to a face of a substrate to be placed. The control part controls such that deliveries of the plurality of substrates from the substrate transport device to the substrate receiving part are carried out each in a different timing, while rotatably driving the substrate holding part before a delivery of a substrate from the substrate transport device to the substrate receiving part so that the plurality of substrates are arranged in an aligned manner on the substrate holding part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus.

Conventionally, an exposure apparatus has been known in which a plurality of substrates are simultaneously carried in and exposed in sequence to increase the throughput.
Further, there are known exposure devices that improve the exposure accuracy by correcting the positional deviation of the substrate when the substrate is carried in.
Patent Document 1 discloses an exposure apparatus that measures the positional deviation of a substrate before the substrate is carried in and corrects the receiving position of the positioning stage into which the substrate is carried in based on the measured amount of the positional deviation.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 06-02920

In the exposure apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, when a plurality of substrates are simultaneously conveyed and sequentially exposed, when the positional deviations of the respective substrates are different from each other, positioning is performed so as to correspond to the positional deviations of all the substrates at the same time. It is very difficult to correct the receiving position of the stage.
In that case, it is conceivable to correct the misalignment of the substrates exposed on the positioning stage during the exposure processing of each substrate after the plurality of substrates are carried in.
However, at this time, since it is necessary to unlock the substrate holding portion that holds the substrate in the positioning stage, the throughput is lowered.
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus capable of improving exposure accuracy without lowering throughput when a plurality of substrates are simultaneously carried in and sequentially exposed.

The exposure apparatus according to the present invention is an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate so as to transfer a pattern drawn on a mask to the substrate, and is a substrate receiving unit that receives a plurality of substrates conveyed from the substrate conveying apparatus and a plurality of substrates. It includes a substrate stage having a substrate holding portion that holds the substrate and is rotatable in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate, and a control unit that controls the drive of the substrate stage, and has a plurality of substrate receiving units. The board is mounted and has a board mounting surface that can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the board on which the board is mounted, and the control unit has different transfer of a plurality of boards from the board transfer device to the board receiving unit. The board holding part is rotationally driven before the board is delivered from the board conveying device to the board receiving part so that the board is controlled so as to be performed at the timing and the plurality of boards are arranged in line with the board holding part. It is characterized by.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an exposure apparatus capable of improving the exposure accuracy without lowering the throughput when a plurality of substrates are simultaneously carried in and sequentially exposed.

The schematic diagram of the exposure apparatus which concerns on any of 1st to 3rd Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the state of the receiving operation of the substrate in the exposure apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the state of the receiving operation of the substrate in the exposure apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The flowchart when the substrate is carried to the plate stage of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment and is exposed. The schematic top view which shows the state which the substrate was handed over to the substrate holding mechanism of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 1st Embodiment. The schematic diagram which shows the state of the receiving operation of the substrate in the exposure apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment. The flowchart when the substrate is carried to the plate stage of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 2nd Embodiment, and the exposure processing is performed. The schematic diagram which shows the state of the receiving operation of the substrate in the exposure apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment. The flowchart when the substrate is carried to the plate stage of the exposure apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment, and the exposure processing is performed. Schematic cross-sectional view near the plate stage of a conventional exposure apparatus. The schematic cross-sectional view which shows the state of the receiving operation of the substrate in the conventional exposure apparatus. A flowchart when a substrate is conveyed to a plate stage of a conventional exposure apparatus. The schematic top view which shows the state which the substrate is handed over to the substrate holding mechanism of the conventional exposure apparatus. The flowchart when the substrate is exposed in the conventional exposure apparatus.

The exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The drawings shown below are drawn at a scale different from the actual ones so that the present embodiment can be easily understood.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the exposure apparatus 10 includes an exposure light source 11, an illumination optical system 12, a mask stage 14, a projection optical system 15, a plate stage 17 (board stage), a measurement camera 18, and a control device 30 ( It has a control unit).

The mask 13 is mounted on the mask stage 14, and the substrate 16 is mounted on the plate stage 17. Further, the control device 30 includes, for example, a CPU and a memory, and controls the illumination optical system 12, the mask stage 14, and the plate stage 17.
For example, an ultraviolet lamp or the like is used as the exposure light source 11, and light (exposure light) for exposing the substrate 16 is emitted.

The mask stage 14 is configured to hold and move the mask 13 in order to position the mask 13. A pattern such as a semiconductor circuit pattern is formed on the mask 13, and the mask 13 is illuminated by the exposure light emitted by the exposure light source 11.
The projection optical system 15 has a predetermined magnification and projects the pattern formed on the mask 13 onto the substrate 16.
The plate stage 17 movably holds the substrate 16 in order to position the substrate 16 coated with the photoresist (photosensitive agent).

The plate stage 17 has a Y stage driven in the Y direction and an X stage driven in the X direction arranged on a main body base (not shown). The X stage and the Y stage are integrated to adopt a biaxial stage that can be driven in two directions, the X direction and the Y direction, to form an XY stage.
Further, a θZ stage is mounted on the XY stage, and the substrate 16 to be exposed is supported by arranging a plate chuck (board holding portion) on the θZ stage.
Therefore, the substrate 16 can be moved in the X, Y and Z directions by the plate stage 17 and is rotatably supported in the XY plane.

In this way, the pattern drawn on the mask 13 by the projection optical system 15 is projected (transferred) onto the substrate 16 and applied to the substrate 16 by using the exposure light emitted from the exposure light source 11 and passed through the illumination optical system 12. A latent image pattern is formed on the resist (photosensitive material). Then, the latent image pattern is developed by a developing device (not shown), whereby a resist pattern is formed on the substrate 16.

At this time, the control device 30 uses the measuring camera 18 to align the pattern already formed on the substrate 16 and the pattern on the mask 13 to be formed on the substrate 16 with high accuracy. Measure the misalignment between patterns. Then, the exposure process is performed while controlling the mask stage 14 or the plate stage 17 in the X direction and the Y direction in the two-dimensional plane and the θ direction which is the angle in the plane based on the measured positional deviation.
Therefore, the amount of displacement of the pattern is determined by the relative position between the pattern on the mask 13 and the pattern on the substrate 16, and includes components caused by a placement error when the substrate 16 is mounted on the plate stage 17.

Next, in the exposure system, processing when a plurality of substrates 16 are placed together on the plate stage 17 and exposed.

FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the plate stage 17 of the conventional exposure apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 10, the plate stage 17 includes a stage 500 that can be driven in a two-dimensional XY plane and a substrate holding mechanism 501 that can be driven (rotatable) in the θ direction in the plane. ..

Further, the plate stage 17 is provided on the substrate holding mechanism 501 and is driveable (displaceable) in the Z direction, and includes a substrate mounting mechanism 502 for transferring the substrate 16.
Further, the exposure system including the conventional exposure apparatus includes a substrate carry-in mechanism 503 that conveys the substrate 16 from the outside of the exposure apparatus 10 to the substrate mounting mechanism 502.

As shown in FIG. 10, the support member 502a of the substrate mounting mechanism 502 rotates with respect to the axis parallel to the X direction while being in contact with the substrate holding mechanism 501, so that the contact member 502b with the substrate 16 becomes Y. It can be driven in the Z direction while shifting in the direction.
Then, a predetermined position when the contact member 502b of the substrate mounting mechanism 502 is driven in the Z direction is set as the receiving position, and when the substrate 16 is delivered by the substrate loading mechanism 503, the contact member 502b of the substrate mounting mechanism 502 moves. Move to this receiving position. Then, the contact member 502b sucks and controls the substrate 16 when driving in the Z direction while holding the substrate 16.
Further, when the substrate 16 is not received, both the support member 502a and the contact member 502b of the substrate mounting mechanism 502 are stored inside the substrate holding mechanism 501 (FIG. 11 (c)). That is, the substrate mounting mechanism 502 is storably coupled to the substrate holding mechanism 501.

11A, 11B, and 11C are schematic cross-sectional views showing a state of transfer operation of the substrate 16 in an exposure system including a conventional exposure apparatus.
Further, FIG. 12 shows a flowchart of a transfer operation of the substrate 16 in an exposure system including a conventional exposure apparatus.

First, when the substrate 16 is carried into the exposure apparatus, the control apparatus drives the substrate mounting mechanism 502 to the receiving position (step S50).
Then, after confirming that the board mounting mechanism 502 has moved to the receiving position, the board loading mechanism 503 simultaneously mounts the boards 16a and 16b of the board mounting mechanism 502 as shown in FIG. 11A. It is conveyed onto the contact member 502b.
Then, as shown in FIG. 11B, the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered from the substrate loading mechanism 503 to the substrate mounting mechanism 502 (step S51).
After that, the control device drives the substrate mounting mechanism 502 in the Z direction, and the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered to the substrate holding mechanism 501 as shown in FIG. 11C (step S52).

FIG. 13 is a schematic top view showing a state in which the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered to the substrate holding mechanism 501 in the conventional exposure apparatus.
As shown in FIG. 13, the substrates 16a and 16b conveyed to the conventional exposure apparatus are held with respect to the substrate holding mechanism 501 having different θ components.

FIG. 14 shows a flowchart when an exposure process is performed on the substrates 16a and 16b conveyed by the conventional exposure apparatus.

First, as shown above, the substrates 16a and 16b are imported from the substrate loading mechanism 503 into the exposure apparatus (step S60).
Next, in order to expose one of the substrates 16a, the control device drives the substrate holding mechanism 501 at an optimum position in the θ direction (step S61).
At this time, in order to drive the substrate holding mechanism 501 in the θ direction, the control device unlocks the θ driving mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism 501 (step S70), drives the θ driving mechanism (step S71), and θ. The drive mechanism is locked (step S72).
In this way, after the substrate holding mechanism 501 is driven in the θ direction and the θ driving mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism 501 is locked, the substrate 16a is exposed to the substrate 16a while the control device keeps the locked state (step). S62).

After the exposure processing of the substrate 16a is completed in step S62, the control device drives the substrate holding mechanism 501 at an optimum position in the θ direction in order to perform the exposure processing of the other substrate 16b (step S63).
At that time, the control device performs the unlocking (step S70), driving (step S71), and locking (step S72) operations of the θ drive mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism 501 in the same manner as in step S61.
Then, while the control device keeps the substrate holding mechanism 501 locked, the substrate 16b is exposed (step S64), and then the substrates 16a and 16b are carried out (step S65).

As described above, in such a process in the conventional exposure apparatus, after the exposure process of the substrate 16a is completed, the substrate 16b is corrected by the θ drive mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism 501, and then the substrate 16b is exposed. It is necessary to process.
Therefore, the correction process by the θ drive mechanism of the substrate holding mechanism 501 directly affects the exposure processing time, and the throughput deteriorates.

[First Embodiment]
2A, 2B, and 2C are a schematic cross-sectional view, a schematic top view, and a schematic perspective view showing a state of receiving operation of the substrate 16 in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment. ..
Further, FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a state of receiving operation of the substrate 16 in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the first embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a), 2 (b), (c) and 3, the plate stage 17 included in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is a stage 100 that can be driven in a two-dimensional XY plane. And a substrate holding mechanism 101 that can be driven in the θ direction in the plane.
The substrate holding mechanism 101 is configured on the stage 100, and is not shown to limit the drive in the θ direction by the magnetic force generated between the magnet arranged on the lower surface and the metal member arranged on the upper surface of the stage 100. Has a locking mechanism. Then, the substrate holding mechanism 101 enables driving in the θ direction by causing the substrate holding mechanism 101 to float by passing high-pressure air between the substrate holding mechanism 101 and the stage 100 so as to exceed the above magnetic force. It has an unlocking mechanism (not shown). Further, the substrate holding mechanism 101 has a structure that can be driven in the θ direction by a θ drive motor (not shown).

Further, the plate stage 17 is provided by being coupled to the substrate holding mechanism 101 (board holding portion), and is capable of driving in the Z direction and receiving the substrate 16, and the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102. ´ (board receiving part, mounting area) is provided.
Further, the exposure system including the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a substrate carry-in mechanism 103 (board transfer apparatus) for conveying the substrate 16 from the outside of the exposure apparatus 10 to the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'. There is.

As shown in FIGS. 2 (a), 2 (b), (c) and 3, the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'are in the Z direction (board mounting surfaces of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'). In the direction perpendicular to), the boards are driven so that the distances to the substrate loading mechanism 103 are different from each other.
Therefore, as shown below, in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, it is possible to sequentially receive each of the plurality of substrates 16 from the substrate loading mechanism 103 at different timings.

In the substrate mounting mechanism 102, the support member 102a rotates with respect to an axis parallel to the X direction while being in contact with the substrate holding mechanism 101, so that the contact member 102b with the substrate 16 is driven in the Z direction while shifting in the Y direction. can do.
Similarly, in the substrate mounting mechanism 102', contact with the substrate 16 is caused by contact with the substrate holding mechanism 101 and rotation of the support member 102'a of the substrate mounting mechanism 102'with respect to an axis parallel to the X direction. The member 102'b can be driven in the Z direction while shifting in the Y direction.

Then, a predetermined position when the contact members 102b and 102'b of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'are driven in the Z direction is set as the receiving position. Then, when the substrate carrying mechanism 103 delivers the substrate 16, the contact members 102b and 102'b of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'move to this receiving position. Then, the contact members 102b and 102'b control the substrate 16 by suction when driving in the Z direction while holding the substrate 16.
Further, when the substrate 16 is not received, the support members 102a and 102'a and the contact members 102b and 102'b of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'are both stored inside the substrate holding mechanism 101.

In the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the contact members 102b and 102'b of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'are described by a plurality of long plate-shaped members, respectively. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and any shape may be used as long as the substrate 16 can be received by each of the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart when the substrates 16a and 16b are conveyed from the substrate loading mechanism 103 to the plate stage 17 of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

First, the substrates 16a and 16b are imported from the substrate loading mechanism 103 into the exposure apparatus 10. At that time, as shown in FIG. 2A, the control device 30 drives the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'so that the positions in the Z direction are different from each other (steps S10 and S11).
Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, after the control device 30 drives the board mounting mechanism 102 to the receiving position, the board carrying mechanism 103 conveys the board 16a onto the board mounting mechanism 102. (Step S12).
At this time, the substrate holding mechanism 101 is rotationally driven so as to be arranged at an angular position based on the placement error of the θ component of the substrate 16a.

Then, after the substrate 16a is delivered onto the substrate mounting mechanism 102, the control device 30 determines the substrate holding mechanism 101 based on the placement error of the θ component of the substrate 16b calculated in advance by the method shown later. Drive in the direction (step S13).
By performing such driving, the substrate 16b can be corrected in the θ direction by driving in the θ direction while only the substrate 16a is held on the substrate mounting mechanism 102.
Further, at this time, since the substrate holding mechanism 101 is in the unlocked state, the control device 30 unlocks the θ driving mechanism in order to drive the substrate holding mechanism 101 in the θ direction, and thereafter. No need to lock.

Next, as shown in FIG. 2C, the substrate carry-in mechanism 103 conveys the substrate 16b onto the substrate mounting mechanism 102'(step S14).
By transporting the substrates 16a and 16b onto the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'while shifting the delivery timing as described above, the correction of the substrates 16a and 16b in the θ direction can be performed independently.

Then, the control device 30 drives the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'in the Z direction, respectively, so that the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered to the substrate holding mechanism 101 (steps S15 and S16).
By passing the substrates 16a and 16b in this way, it is possible to independently correct the θ component of the substrate holding mechanism 101 for each of the substrates 16a and 16b.

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view showing a state in which the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered to the substrate holding mechanism 101 of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 5, unlike the conventional exposure apparatus, in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the conveyed substrates 16a and 16b have the same θ components with respect to the substrate holding mechanism 101. That is, they can be held aligned with each other.

After that, the control device 30 locks the θ drive mechanism (step S17), and the substrate 16a is exposed while maintaining the locked state (step S17), as in the flowchart of the conventional exposure device shown in FIG. Step S18).
Then, unlike the conventional exposure device, the control device 30 performs the exposure process of the substrate 16b while maintaining the locked state of the substrate holding mechanism 101 without unlocking the θ drive mechanism (step S19). After that, the substrates 16a and 16b are carried out (step S20).

As described above, in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when the substrates 16a and 16b are carried from the substrate loading mechanism 103 to the plate stage 17 of the exposure apparatus 10, the θ component is independently corrected for each substrate. Therefore, the driving time required for carrying in will increase accordingly.
However, on the other hand, it is not necessary to unlock the substrate holding mechanism 101 and drive the substrate holding mechanism 101 in the θ direction during the exposure processing of the substrates 16a and 16b in the exposure apparatus 10.
Therefore, the control time in the exposure system can be reduced as a whole, and the throughput can be improved.

If a certain amount of positional deviation occurs with respect to the θ component in a plurality of substrates conveyed by the substrate loading mechanism 103, the measured values (predetermined amount, rotation amount) regarding the orientation position (orientation) of each substrate are as follows. You can ask for it. That is, when the substrates 16a and 16b are mounted on the stage 100 as described above, the position measurement sensor (first measurement unit) (not shown) measures the positions of the end faces of the substrates 16a and 16b in the X and Y directions. I do. Then, from the measurement result, the amount of displacement of the substrates 16a and 16b with respect to the stage 100, that is, the angle corresponding to each of the substrates 16a and 16b can be calculated and obtained. Thereby, the drive amount (rotational drive amount) for the correction in the θ direction of the substrate holding mechanism 101 can be determined.

Further, the relative pattern between the pattern already formed on the substrates 16a and 16b using the measurement camera 18 (second measuring unit) and the pattern on the mask 13 to be formed on the substrates 16a and 16b respectively. Measure the position. Then, it is also possible to calculate by feeding back the two obtained measured values as the amount of positional deviation with respect to the θ component when the substrate is carried in thereafter.

Further, the above has shown a method of calculating the amount of displacement of the substrates 16a and 16b with respect to the stage 100 after the substrates 16a and 16b are mounted on the stage 100, but the present invention is not limited to this.
For example, a measurement sensor (not shown) for detecting the end faces of the boards 16a and 16b in the X and Y directions is provided on the board carry-in mechanism 103 to detect the position of the end faces. Then, it is also possible to measure the positional deviation of the substrates 16a and 16b on the substrate loading mechanism 103 and calculate the positional deviation amount for the θ component.

Further, in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the substrate mounting mechanisms 102 and 102'are driven in the configuration as shown above, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the substrate holding mechanism 101 is driven in the Z direction. Another configuration may be used as long as it can be driven.

[Second Embodiment]
6A, 6B, and 6C are a schematic cross-sectional view, a schematic top view, and a schematic perspective view showing a state of receiving operation of the substrate 16 in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the second embodiment. ..

As shown in FIGS. 6A, 6B and 6C, the plate stage 17 included in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is a stage 200 that can be driven in a two-dimensional XY plane and the plane. It is provided with a substrate holding mechanism 201 that can be driven in the θ direction inside.

Further, the plate stage 17 is provided with a substrate mounting mechanism 202 that is coupled to the substrate holding mechanism 201 and is capable of driving in the Z direction and receiving the substrate 16.
The substrate mounting mechanism 202 has a support member 202a and a contact member 202b similar to those of the conventional exposure apparatus shown above.

Further, the exposure system including the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment includes a substrate carry-in mechanism 203 having a plurality of mounting regions 203a and 203b of substrates 16 whose positions in the Z direction are different from each other. Then, the substrate carry-in mechanism 203 can convey a plurality of substrates 16 from the outside of the exposure apparatus 10 with different heights from each other with respect to the substrate mounting mechanism 202.
Therefore, one of the features of the exposure system including the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is that the positions of the plurality of substrates 16 in the Z direction are different from each other on the substrate carry-in mechanism 203 when the plurality of substrates 16 are delivered. It will be possible.

FIG. 7 shows a flowchart when the substrates 16a and 16b are conveyed from the substrate loading mechanism 203 to the plate stage 17 of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

First, the substrates 16a and 16b are imported from the substrate loading mechanism 203 into the exposure apparatus 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, the control device 30 drives the substrate mounting mechanism 202 to the receiving positions of the substrates 16a and 16b (step S30).
Then, as shown in FIG. 6B, the substrate loading mechanism 203 is driven so that only the substrate 16a is transported onto the substrate mounting mechanism 202 (step S31).
At this time, the substrate holding mechanism 201 is arranged at an angular position based on the placement error of the θ component of the substrate 16a.

Then, after the substrate 16a is delivered onto the substrate mounting mechanism 202, the control device 30 drives the substrate holding mechanism 201 in the θ direction based on the placement error of the θ component of the substrate 16b calculated in advance. (Step S32).
By performing such driving, the substrate 16b can be corrected in the θ direction by driving in the θ direction while only the substrate 16a is held on the substrate mounting mechanism 202.
Further, at this time, since the substrate holding mechanism 201 is in the unlocked state, the control device 30 unlocks the θ driving mechanism in order to drive the substrate holding mechanism 201 in the θ direction, and thereafter. No need to lock.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6C, the substrate loading mechanism 203 is driven so that the substrate 16b is transported onto the substrate mounting mechanism 202 (step S33).
As described above, the correction of the substrates 16a and 16b in the θ direction can be independently performed by transporting the substrates 16a and 16b onto the substrate mounting mechanism 202 while shifting the delivery timing.

Then, the control device 30 drives the board mounting mechanism 202 in the Z direction, so that the boards 16a and 16b are delivered to the board holding mechanism 201 (step S34).
By passing the substrates 16a and 16b in this way, it is possible to independently correct the θ component of the substrate holding mechanism 201 for each of the substrates 16a and 16b.

After that, similarly to the conventional exposure device, the control device 30 locks the θ drive mechanism (step S35), and while maintaining the locked state, the substrate 16a is exposed (step S36).
Then, unlike the conventional exposure device, the control device 30 performs the exposure process of the substrate 16b while maintaining the locked state of the substrate holding mechanism 201 without unlocking the θ drive mechanism (step S37). After that, the substrates 16a and 16b are carried out (step S38).

In this way, when the substrates 16a and 16b are carried from the substrate carry-in mechanism 203 to the plate stage 17 of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the θ component is independently corrected for each substrate, so that the amount is carried in. The drive time required for this will increase.
However, on the other hand, it is not necessary to unlock the substrate holding mechanism 201 and drive the substrate holding mechanism 201 in the θ direction during the exposure processing of the substrates 16a and 16b in the exposure apparatus 10.
Therefore, the control time in the exposure system can be reduced as a whole, and the throughput can be improved.

In the exposure system including the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, it is also possible for the substrate mounting mechanism 202 to include a plurality of mounting regions having different heights from each other, as in the first embodiment.
Therefore, in other words, in the exposure system including the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, at least one of the substrate mounting mechanism and the substrate loading mechanism has a distance to the other in the direction perpendicular to the substrate mounting surface of the substrate mounting mechanism. It contains multiple mounting areas that are different from each other.

[Third Embodiment]
8 (a), (b) and (c) are a schematic cross-sectional view and a schematic top view showing a state of receiving operation of the substrate 16 in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the third embodiment.

As shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the plate stage 17 included in the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment is a stage 300 that can be driven in a two-dimensional XY plane and the plane. It is provided with a substrate holding mechanism 301 that can be driven in the θ direction inside.
Further, the plate stage 17 has substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b (board mounting portions) that are coupled to the substrate holding mechanism 301 and can be driven in the Z direction and can receive the substrate 16. I have.

Here, as shown in FIGS. 8A, 8B, and 8C, the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a are arranged along the X direction, and are independent of each other in the Y and Z directions. The movable portions 302a1, 302a2 and 302a3 (movable elements) that can be driven are provided. Then, by driving the movable portions 302a1, 302a2 and 302a3 in the Y direction, the substrate 16a to be mounted can be rotated in the θ direction.

Similarly, the substrate mounting mechanism 302b is arranged along the X direction, and includes movable portions 302b1, 302b2, and 302b3 that can be driven in the Y direction and the Z direction independently of each other. Then, by driving the movable portions 302b1, 302b2 and 302b3 in the Y direction, the substrate 16b to be mounted can be rotated in the θ direction.
Therefore, as one of the features of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, when the plurality of substrates 16 are delivered, the positions of the plurality of substrates 16 in the θ direction on the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b are corrected independently of each other. It becomes possible.

Further, the plate stage 17 includes a substrate carry-in mechanism 303 that conveys a plurality of substrates 16 to the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b from the outside of the exposure apparatus 10.

In the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment, the movable portions 302a1 to 302a3 and 302b1 to 302b3 of the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b can be individually driven in the Y direction and the Z direction. That is, when the substrates 16a and 16b are delivered to the substrate holding mechanism 301, the description is based on the premise that the contact member that contacts the substrates 16a and 16b can be shifted in the Y direction at the same time as being driven in the Z direction. To do.
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the correction for rotating the substrates 16a and 16b to be mounted on the substrate mounting mechanism 302 in the first plane parallel to the substrate mounting surface of the substrate mounting mechanism 302, that is, in the θ direction. A different form may be used as long as the mechanism can be driven.

FIG. 9 shows a flowchart when the substrates 16a and 16b are conveyed from the substrate loading mechanism 303 to the plate stage 17 of the exposure apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

First, the substrates 16a and 16b are imported from the substrate loading mechanism 303 into the exposure apparatus 10. Then, as shown in FIG. 8A, the control device 30 drives the movable portions 302a1 to 302a3 and 302b1 to 302b3 of the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b to the same receiving positions in the Z direction.
Then, together with the above driving, the control device 30 drives the movable portions 302a1 to 302a3 and 302b1 to 302b3 in the Y direction based on the pre-calculated positional difference of the θ components of the substrates 16a and 16b (step S40 and S41).

Specifically, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302a, the movable portions 302a2 arranged at the center are not driven in the Y direction, and the movable portions 302a1 and 302a3 arranged at both ends of the movable portion 302a2 are moved in the Y direction. Drive the same distance in different directions. Similarly, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302b, the movable portions 302b2 arranged at the center are not driven in the Y direction, but the movable portions 302b1 and 302b3 arranged at both ends of the movable portion 302b2 are different from each other in the Y direction. Drive the same distance in the direction.

Then, as shown in FIG. 8B, the substrate carry-in mechanism 303 is driven so that the substrates 16a and 16b are conveyed onto the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b, respectively (step S42).

Then, after the boards 16a and 16b are delivered onto the board mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b, the control device 30 drives both the board mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b downward in the Z direction. At the same time, as shown in FIG. 8C, the control device 30 synchronously drives the movable portions 302a1 to 302a3 and 302b1 to 302b3 so as to cancel the positional difference in the Y direction in steps S40 and S41, respectively. (Steps S43 and S44).

Specifically, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302a, the movable portions 302a2 arranged at the center are not driven in the Y direction, and the movable portions 302a1 and 302a3 arranged at both ends of the movable portion 302a2 are moved in the Y direction. It is driven by the same distance in the direction opposite to the direction of step S40. Similarly, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302b, the movable portion 302b2 arranged in the central portion is not driven in the Y direction, and the movable portions 302b1 and 302b3 arranged at both ends of the movable portion 302b2 are moved in the Y direction in step S41. Drive the same distance in the opposite direction of.
In other words, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302a, the movable portions 302a1 and 302a3 are driven so that the movable portions 302a1 to 302a3 are aligned with each other along the X direction. Similarly, in the substrate mounting mechanism 302b, the movable portions 302b1 and 302b3 are driven so that the movable portions 302b1 to 302b3 are aligned with each other along the X direction.

By driving in this way, the substrates 16a and 16b can be delivered from the substrate mounting mechanisms 302a and 302b to the substrate holding mechanism 301 in a state of being driven and corrected in the θ direction.

After that, the control device 30 locks the θ drive mechanism (step S45), and exposes the substrate 16a while maintaining the locked state (step S46), as in the conventional exposure device.
Then, unlike the conventional exposure device, the control device 30 performs the exposure process of the substrate 16b while maintaining the locked state of the substrate holding mechanism 301 without unlocking the θ drive mechanism (step S47). After that, the substrates 16a and 16b are carried out (step S48).

By passing the substrates 16a and 16b as described above, it is possible to independently correct the θ component of the substrate holding mechanism 301 for each of the substrates 16a and 16b.

Although the preferred embodiments have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments, and various modifications and changes can be made within the scope of the gist thereof.

10 Exposure device 13 Mask 16 Substrate 17 Plate stage (board stage)
30 Control device (control unit)
101 Board holding mechanism (board holding part)
102, 102'Board mounting mechanism (board receiving part)
103 Board carry-in mechanism (board transfer device)

Claims (12)

An exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate so as to transfer the pattern drawn on the mask to the substrate.
A substrate stage having a substrate receiving portion that receives a plurality of the substrates conveyed from the substrate conveying device, and a substrate holding portion that holds the plurality of substrates and is rotatable in a plane parallel to the surface of the substrate. When,
A control unit that controls the drive of the substrate stage is provided.
The substrate receiving portion includes a substrate mounting surface on which the plurality of substrates are mounted and which can be displaced in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the mounted substrate.
The control unit controls so that the transfer of the plurality of substrates from the substrate transport device to the substrate receiving unit is performed at different timings, and the plurality of substrates are arranged and arranged in the substrate holding unit. As described above, the exposure apparatus is characterized in that the substrate holding portion is rotationally driven before the substrate is delivered from the substrate transporting apparatus to the substrate receiving portion. The first aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the substrate receiving portion includes a plurality of mounting regions in which the distances of the substrate transporting device to the substrate delivering portion are different from each other in a direction perpendicular to the substrate mounting surface of the substrate receiving portion. The exposure apparatus according to the description. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotational drive amount of the substrate holding portion is determined based on a measurement result regarding the orientation position of the substrate. A first measuring unit for measuring the angle of the end face of the substrate is provided.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit calculates a rotational drive amount of the substrate holding unit from an angle measured by the first measuring unit. A second measuring unit for measuring the position of the pattern is provided.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the control unit calculates a rotation drive amount of the substrate holding unit from a measurement result by the second measurement unit. An exposure apparatus that exposes the substrate so as to transfer the pattern drawn on the mask to the substrate.
A substrate stage having a substrate receiving unit that receives a plurality of the substrates conveyed from the substrate conveying device, and a substrate holding portion that holds the plurality of substrates.
A control unit that controls the drive of the substrate stage is provided.
The substrate receiving portion includes a substrate mounting portion on which the plurality of substrates are mounted and can be driven in a plane parallel to the surface of the mounted substrate.
The control unit is an exposure apparatus characterized in that the substrate is rotated and the drive of the substrate mounting portion is controlled so that the plurality of substrates are aligned and arranged on the substrate holding portion. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the substrate mounting portion includes a plurality of movable elements that can be independently driven. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the amount of rotation of the substrate is determined based on a measurement result regarding the orientation position of the substrate. A first measuring unit for measuring the angle of the end face of the substrate is provided.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the control unit calculates a rotation amount of the substrate from an angle measured by the first measuring unit. A second measuring unit for measuring the position of the pattern is provided.
The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the control unit calculates a rotation amount of the substrate from a measurement result by the second measurement unit. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.
A substrate transfer device that conveys the plurality of substrates, and
Exposure system with. An exposure method for exposing a substrate so as to transfer a pattern drawn on a mask to the substrate in an exposure apparatus having a substrate receiving portion.
A step of receiving a plurality of the substrates at different timings in the substrate receiving unit,
A step of rotating the board receiving portion before receiving a predetermined board,
An exposure method comprising.

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