Method and apparatus for automatic focusing

Claim 2

A distance calculating device, comprising: distance measuring means for measuring the difference between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; storing means having portions corresponding respectively to said distance measuring means, for storing information as to the effectiveness of each of measured distances by said distance measuring means, respectively, in accordance with points of measurement on the surface of the object; and means for calculating the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane by reference to said storing means and by use of only an effective, distance, of said measured distances, in accordance with the points of measurement on the surface of the object.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said distance calculating device is adapted to focus an optical system.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 1, wherein said calculating means calculates an average of the values detected by the measurement by said distance measuring means.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 2, wherein the object comprises a wafer onto which a circuit pattern is to be transferred.

Claim 6

A distance calculating device, comprising: distance measuring means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; and discriminating means for discriminating, as effective, a value detected as a result of measurement by said distance measuring means whose point of measurement has been shifted relative to the object from a position on the surface of the object to another position on the surface of the object said discriminating means being operable to discriminate, as ineffective, a value detected as a result of measurement by said distance measuring means whose point of measurement has been shifted relative to the object from a position off the surface of the object to another position on the surface of the object.

Claim 7

A distance calculating device, comprising: distance measuring means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; and discriminating means for discriminating, as effective, a value detected as a result of measurement by said distance measuring means whose point of measurement has been shifted relative to the object from a position on the surface of the object to another position on the surface of the object said discriminating means being operable to discriminate, as ineffective, a value detected as a result of measurement by said distance measuring means whose point of measurement has been shifted relative to the object from a position off the surface of the object to another position on the surface of the object.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 5, wherein said distance calculating device is adapted to focus an optical system.

Claim 9

A device according to claim 5, wherein the values detected and discriminated as effective are accumulated and an average is calculated, the average being used as the information about the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane.

Claim 10

A device according to claim 5, wherein the object comprises a wafer onto which an integrated circuit is to be transferred.

Claim 11

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and the surface of the object and producing an output in response thereto; driving means for moving one of the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined on the basis of information about the distance as calculated from values of outputs produced by said distance detecting means in accordance with the measurement; and means, operative upon calculation of the distance information after the stepwise movement, for determining which of the values of said outputs are to be used on the basis of information about a shot layout.

Claim 12

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and the surface of the object and producing an output in response thereto; driving means for moving one of the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined on the basis of information about the distance as calculated from values of outputs produced by said distance detecting means in accordance with the measurement; and means, operative upon calculation of the distance information after the stepwise movement, for determining which of the values of said outputs are to be used on the basis of information about a shot layout.

Claim 13

A distance calculation device, comprising: means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; and means for setting plural points of time for initiation of measurement of the distance by said measuring means, and for selecting one of the points of time for the measurement in accordance with a point of measurement defined on the surface of the object by said measuring means.

Claim 14

A distance calculation device, comprising: means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; and means for setting plural points of time for initiation of measurement of the distance by said measuring means, and for selecting one of the points of time for the measurement in accordance with a point of measurement defined on the surface of the object by said measuring means.

Claim 15

A device according to claim 10, wherein said distance calculating device is adapted to focus an optical system.

Claim 16

A device according to claim 10, wherein said apparatus includes a plurality of distance measuring means and wherein an average of distances measured by said plurality of distance measuring means is calculated, the average being used as information about the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane.

Claim 17

A device according to claim 10, wherein the object comprises a wafer onto which an integrated circuit is to be transferred.

Claim 18

A distance calculating device, comprising: means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and the predetermined plane; and means for predicting the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane on the basis of an output of said measuring means before the output from said measuring means becomes stable.

Claim 19

A distance calculating device, comprising: means for measuring the distance between a surface of an object and the predetermined plane; and means for predicting the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane on the basis of an output of said measuring means before the output from said measuring means becomes stable.

Claim 20

A device according to claim 14, wherein the prediction is made by detecting the output of said measuring means a plurality of times, before the output of said measuring means becomes stable.

Claim 21

A device according to claim 14, wherein the measurement of the distance by said measuring means is effected at plural points of measurement so that plural values are obtained by the prediction wherein an average of the predicted values is calculated, the average being used as information about the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane.

Claim 22

A device according to claim 14, wherein said distance calculating device is adapted to focus of an optical system.

Claim 23

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and the surface of the object; driving means for moving one of the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined on the basis of distance information from an output of said distance detecting means; means for calculating an expected value about the distance information on the basis of plural values obtained from said distance detecting means before the output from said distance detecting means becomes stable.

Claim 24

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and the surface of the object; driving means for moving one of the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined on the basis of distance information from an output of said distance detecting means; means for calculating an expected value about the distance information on the basis of plural values obtained from said distance detecting means before the output from said distance detecting means becomes stable.

Claim 25

A distance calculting method, comprising: intermittently detecting the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane with a predetermined time interval; calculating a moving average from values obtained as a result of the intermittent detection of the distance; repeating the intermittent detection and the calculation of the moving average at least once, and detecting a difference between the moving averages; and calculating, as the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane, an average of the values obtained, by the intermittent detection, when the difference between the moving averages becomes not greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 26

A distance calculting method, comprising: intermittently detecting the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane with a predetermined time interval; calculating a moving average from values obtained as a result of the intermittent detection of the distance; repeating the intermittent detection and the calculation of the moving average at least once, and detecting a difference between the moving averages; and calculating, as the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane, an average of the values obtained, by the intermittent detection, when the difference between the moving averages becomes not greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 27

A method according to claim 19, further comprising discriminating, after detection of the difference between the moving averages, whether a difference between the last-detected moving average and actual values obtained by sampling is not greater than a predetermined value.

Claim 28

A distance calculating method, comprising: detecting the distance between a first region on a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; comparing the value of the detected distance with a first predetermined value; accumulating the detected value into storing means when the detected value is not greater than the first predetermined value, and incrementing a means for counting by a unit number, wherein the detected value is not accumulated into the storing means and the content of the counting means is retained as it is where the detected distance is greater than the first predetermined value; detecting a second distance between the predetermined plane and a second region on the surface of the object; accumulating the value of said second distance into said storing means when said value of said second distance is not greater than a second predetermined value different from the first predetermined value, and incrementing counting means by a unit member, wherein the detected value of said second distance is not accumulated into the storing means and the content of the counting means is maintained as it is where the value of said second distance is greater than the second predetermined value; and dividing the content of the storing means by the content of the counting means, to calculate an average of the values stored into the storing means.

Claim 29

A distance calculating method, comprising: detecting the distance between a first region on a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; comparing the value of the detected distance with a first predetermined value; accumulating the detected value into storing means when the detected value is not greater than the first predetermined value, and incrementing a means for counting by a unit number, wherein the detected value is not accumulated into the storing means and the content of the counting means is retained as it is where the detected distance is greater than the first predetermined value; detecting a second distance between the predetermined plane and a second region on the surface of the object; accumulating the value of said second distance into said storing means when said value of said second distance is not greater than a second predetermined value different from the first predetermined value, and incrementing counting means by a unit member, wherein the detected value of said second distance is not accumulated into the storing means and the content of the counting means is maintained as it is where the value of said second distance is greater than the second predetermined value; and dividing the content of the storing means by the content of the counting means, to calculate an average of the values stored into the storing means.

Claim 30

A distance measuring method, comprising: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; apportioning by calculation a value detected by the measurement to portions corresponding to an amount of coarse drive and an amount of fine drive, respectively, and moving stepwise the surface of the object and the predetermined plane relative to each other in accordance with the calculated amount of coarse drive and the calculated amount of fine drive; and comparing the amount of coarse drive obtained by the calculation with a predetermined value, and stopping the measurement where the amount of coarse drive is equal to the predetermined value, but repeating the measurement and the calculation where the amount of coarse drive is not equal to the predetermined value.

Claim 31

A distance measuring method, comprising: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; apportioning by calculation a value detected by the measurement to portions corresponding to an amount of coarse drive and an amount of fine drive, respectively, and moving stepwise the surface of the object and the predetermined plane relative to each other in accordance with the calculated amount of coarse drive and the calculated amount of fine drive; and comparing the amount of coarse drive obtained by the calculation with a predetermined value, and stopping the measurement where the amount of coarse drive is equal to the predetermined value, but repeating the measurement and the calculation where the amount of coarse drive is not equal to the predetermined value.

Claim 32

A distance measuring method, comprising the steps of: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; detecting by calculation and storing an amount of relative movement to be made between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane, on the basis of a value obtained by the measurement of the distance; moving the surface of the object and the predetermined plane relative to one another by an amount calculated and stored; and comparing information on the amount of relative movement, stored, with a predetermined value, and discriminating whether the preceding steps are to be repeated in accordance with the result of comparison.

Claim 33

A distance measuring method, comprising the steps of: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane; detecting by calculation and storing an amount of relative movement to be made between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane, on the basis of a value obtained by the measurement of the distance; moving the surface of the object and the predetermined plane relative to one another by an amount calculated and stored; and comparing information on the amount of relative movement, stored, with a predetermined value, and discriminating whether the preceding steps are to be repeated in accordance with the result of comparison.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 23, wherein the information on the amount of movement, to be compared, is related to an amount of coarse movement to be made by coarse driving means.

Claim 35

A method according to claim 23, wherein the predetermined value includes a value of maximum stroke of a driving element for relatively moving the surface of the object and the predetermined plane.

Claim 36

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adatped to drive the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with the coarse driving means, and means for discriminating whether the focusing operation is to be repeated or to be finished, on the basis of information about the amount of movement by said coarse driving means.

Claim 37

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adatped to drive the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with the coarse driving means, and means for discriminating whether the focusing operation is to be repeated or to be finished, on the basis of information about the amount of movement by said coarse driving means.

Claim 38

A device according to claim 26, wherein said discriminating means discriminates the completion or repetition of the focusing operation in accordance with discrimination as to whether or not the amount of coarse movement is equal to zero.

Claim 39

A focusing method, comprising: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane for focusing; moving the surface of an object and the predetermined plane relative to one another on the basis of the result of measurement; re-measuring the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane; and repeating the relative movement and re-measurement where the result of re-measurement is greater than a predetermined value, wherein the focusing is finished where the result of re-measurement is not greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 40

A focusing method, comprising: measuring the distance between a surface of an object and a predetermined plane for focusing; moving the surface of an object and the predetermined plane relative to one another on the basis of the result of measurement; re-measuring the distance between the surface of the object and the predetermined plane; and repeating the relative movement and re-measurement where the result of re-measurement is greater than a predetermined value, wherein the focusing is finished where the result of re-measurement is not greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 41

A method according to claim 28, wherein the predetermined value is a tolerance set for the focusing.

Claim 42

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; means for comparing an absolute value of said amount for the movement, with a predetermined value; and operation controlling means operative to close the focusing operation where the absolute value is not greater than the predetermined value and to repeat the relative movement and the measurement for the focusing where the absolute value is greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 43

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; means for comparing an absolute value of said amount for the movement, with a predetermined value; and operation controlling means operative to close the focusing operation where the absolute value is not greater than the predetermined value and to repeat the relative movement and the measurement for the focusing where the absolute value is greater than the predetermined value.

Claim 44

A device according to claim 30, wherein the predetermined value is variably settable from outside.

Claim 45

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with said coarse driving means, and means for preparatorily driving said coarse driving means during stepwise movement and before the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.

Claim 46

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with said coarse driving means, and means for preparatorily driving said coarse driving means during stepwise movement and before the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.

Claim 47

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with said coarse means, and means for initially setting said fine driving means to a predetermined position during the stepwise movement and prior to the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.

Claim 48

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving a sheet-like object stepwise in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for moving the object and the projection optical system relative to one another in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in large increments, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system in small increments as compared with said coarse means, and means for initially setting said fine driving means to a predetermined position during the stepwise movement and prior to the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.

Claim 49

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving stepwise a sheet-like object in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for relatively moving the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance as calculated from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system finely as compared with said coarse driving means, and means operative to preparatorily drive said coarse driving means and to initially set said fine driving means to a predetermined position, during the stepwise movement and prior to the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.

Claim 50

An automatic focusing device, comprising: means for moving stepwise a sheet-like object in a horizontal direction; distance detecting means for measuring the distance between a predetermined plane of a projection optical system having an optical axis and a surface of the object; and driving means for relatively moving the object and the projection optical system in a direction of the optical axis by an amount determined by information about the distance as calculated from an output of said distance detecting means; wherein said driving means includes coarse driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system, fine driving means adapted to move the object relative to the projection optical system finely as compared with said coarse driving means, and means operative to preparatorily drive said coarse driving means and to initially set said fine driving means to a predetermined position, during the stepwise movement and prior to the measurement of the distance by said distance detecting means.