JPS6069593A - Minutely movable stage mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fine movement stage mechanism suitable for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, precision measuring machines, precision processing machines, and the like.

<Background of the Invention> Recently, in large-scale integrated circuits, submicron wafer processing technology has been required to improve device performance. A method of exposure transfer is used.

In this case, in order to obtain exposure accuracy on the order of submicrons, a positioning mechanism with an accuracy one order of magnitude higher is required.

Generally, to detect the position of the mask and wafer, a method is used in which a plurality of marks are provided on both, and these are measured and controlled using a light beam and a light receiver to detect the coincidence of the marks. This requires a mechanism to slightly move the mask in the horizontal direction. Furthermore, in order to prevent out-of-focus, a mechanism for slightly adjusting the gap between the wafer and the mask and the mutual inclination angle is also required. In view of the above requirements, stage mechanisms shown in FIGS. 11 to 14 have been proposed.

The stage mechanism shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 has support walls 1 parallel to the lower surface of the stage 1 in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, respectively.
4.15.16.17, and each support wall is provided with a piezoelectric element sa, sb, respectively.

Corresponding fixed walls 4a, 4b, via 8c, 3d,
The stage is supported on the When the stage moves slightly in the X-ray direction, the piezoelectric elements Bb and Bd and the stage support (11ψ4b , 4a (for this reason, each piezoelectric element Ba, Bb, 8C+8d and the stage support wall 7a
, 7b, 7c, and 7d have a flexible coupling structure, which creates a gap between the stage and the electrical element, resulting in a crash and hysteresis. Due to the above reasons, there are problems such as difficulty in achieving precise modulus power S1], and the length of time it takes to establish micro-movement when the vibration is 11 inches+.

The stage mechanism shown in FIGS. 13 and 14 consists of 1) 1
1. X to the bottom surface of stage 1 as in the conventional example.

Support walls 7a, 7b arranged in 11 rows in the Y-axis direction,
7c.

Add 7d to the corresponding fixed wall 4a.

41), 4 (to 4cl) are supported through the pins 9, and Tji magnets ga, gb, 9c are attached to the fixed wall, respectively.

The electromagnet 9d is placed facing the support wall with a certain gap, and the electromagnet 9a on the X-axis or Y-axis
, 9b, 9c, and 9d, and utilize the balance with the spring force to control the X-axis.

The mechanism causes slight horizontal movement in the Y-axis direction, and in the case of such a mechanism, control of each axis is complicated due to magnetic interference, and there are disadvantages such as the need to increase the size of the device to prevent magnetic leakage. Furthermore, in each of the conventional mechanisms mentioned above, the fine movement directions are only in the two directions of the X and Y axes on the horizontal plane, and fine movement in the vertical direction, front and back, or left and right inclination is not possible. Therefore, a separate fine movement mechanism is required. There are many problems, such as the need to add a mechanism, which makes the mechanism complicated and large.

<Objective of the Invention> The present invention provides a fine movement stage mechanism that has a simple configuration, realizes fine movement in the angular, vertical and horizontal directions, and has excellent effects in making the device smaller and lighter. With the goal.

<Description of Embodiments> The fine movement stage mechanism of the present invention moves the moving stage 1 along the X-axis and the Y-axis from each other to the
Four rod-shaped elastic members 2a in one direction.

213, 2c, 2 (+) two ends are attached, and piezoelectric elements 3a, 3b, such as piezos, which expand and contract when voltage is applied, are installed at the bottom of each elastic part +, lla, zb, 2C, 2d, respectively. The piezoelectric elements 3c and 3d are fixedly mounted facing each other, and the opposing sides of each piezoelectric element 3a, 3b,]c, 3d are fixed and supported on each side of a fixing member 4 which is rectangular in plan and protrudes from the mounting board 5. Each of the elastic members 2a,
2b, 2C and 22d are formed with thin bent portions 21 and 22 at the unshaven ends to impart a certain degree of flexibility to the rod-shaped elastic surface. The bullet and four members may be constructed from board holes.

Therefore, when the moving stage 1 makes a slight horizontal movement, one of the piezoelectric elements 3b of the pair is contracted by -P, the other piezoelectric element 3d is expanded by +P, and the piezoelectric elements 3a and 3c, which are positioned 11q in the orthogonal direction, are By controlling the applied voltage to contract by -9, stage 1 moves to the right by δ.
x, (δy) moves slightly. In addition, in FIG. 5, when controlling the applied voltage to contract each piezoelectric element 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d by r, each elastic member 2a, 2b
, 2C, 2ct slightly move the stage 1 upward by δZ due to the deflection action, and by expanding the winter II cylinder, the stage moves slightly ifu+ downward. Furthermore, in FIG. 6, the piezoelectric element 3a is extended by S, and the piezoelectric elements 3b, 3
d to 8. /! 2. By stretching and touching the stage 1 by t2, the stage 1 is tilted by δβ in the β direction, and conversely, as shown in FIG. Therefore, stage 1 moves δ in the α direction. tilt high. The four micro movements in these five directions and the control status of the piezoelectric element are summarized in the following table.
, tl), other combinations are possible.

(However, (1) indicates expansion, and (-) indicates contraction.) 2. When aligning the mask and wafer using the fine movement stage mechanism of the present invention, as shown in FIG. The wafer 10 is placed and fixed with a vacuum chuck, etc.
1) The mask 11 is disposed with a certain gap on one side of the mask 10.
For example, the capacitance type gap sensors 6a, 6b, and 6C disposed around the gap sensor 1 are configured to perform measurement. Now, when the mask and the sea urchin/% are set in the predetermined positions, each gap sensor 5a, 5b.

6C is activated, the gap between the mask and the wafer is detected, and based on this data, the mask and the wafer are positioned parallel to each other with a predetermined gap using the control circuit shown in FIG. Each piezoelectric element 3a, 3b, 3c, 3
The applied voltage d is calculated, and a predetermined voltage is applied to each piezoelectric element by drive circuits a, b, c, and d. By applying this voltage, the stage 1 performs fine movement in the Z direction and fine movement in the α and β directions, and an accurate position is determined. Next, light such as a laser beam is applied to the alignment marks lit and 101 of the mask 11 and the wafer 10 by the projectors 12a and 12b, and the transmitted light +71 is transmitted to a light receiver disposed below the stage 1],
3 a.

13b, and by expanding and contracting each piezoelectric element to maximize the amount of light and slightly moving the stage 1 horizontally in the X and Y axis directions, the mask and wafer are accurately aligned and the accurate M( % light can be performed.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, the present invention fixes four elastic members to the stage 1, supports the ends of each elastic member on the fixing part via a piezoelectric element, and applies a voltage to the piezoelectric element. By controlling the voltage, the stage can be moved slightly in five directions: forward and backward, left and right, up and down, forward and backward tilt, and left and right tilt.Compared to conventional equipment, the configuration and control are simpler and more compact, allowing for high-speed fine movement and improved resolution. Improvement can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a front view showing one embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a right side view of Fig. 1, Fig. 4 to Fig. 7 are front views showing operating conditions, Fig. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of use of the fine movement stage mechanism, Fig. 9 The figure is a plan view of FIG. 8, FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing an example of the circuit configuration of the device, FIG. 11 is a side view of the conventional example, FIG. 12 is a plan view of FIG.
3 (, 1 is a side view of another conventional example, and FIG. 14 is a plan view thereof. 1... Stages 2a, 2b, 2C, 2d...; Elastic members 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d - Piezoelectric element 4... fixed part (A old AC edition'i+ 6 a fang 7 er / moss β■

Claims (1)

[Claims] A moving stage that forms a workpiece support base, four elastic members fixed to appropriate positions on the stage, four piezoelectric elements fixed to one end of each elastic member, and a fixing device that supports the other end of each piezoelectric element. A fine movement stage mechanism, characterized in that the position of the movable stage is adjusted in five directions: front and back, left and right, up and down, 9 front and back tilts, and left and right tilts by controlling the voltage applied to each piezoelectric element.