Alignment and exposure apparatus

Claim 2

A mark detecting device usable in an alignment and exposure apparatus for aligning an alignment mark of a mask with an alignment mark of a wafer and for exposing a resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer to a pattern of the mask with radiation, said device comprising: latent image forming means forming a latent image of the alignment mark of the mask on the resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer by use of first radiation from a radiation source; removing means for removing at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by use of second radiation from a radiation source; and means for detecting the alignment mark of the wafer, the resist material of which has been at least partially removed by the irradiation with the second radiation, and the latent image of the alignment mark of the mask formed by said latent image forming means, wherein said first radiation and said second radiation are supplied from a common radiation energy source.

Claim 3

A device according to claim 1, wherein said latent image forming means is arranged to project light as the first radiation upon the resist layer so as to optically project, upon the resist layer, an image of the alignment mark of the mask by use of light of a predetermined intensity and wherein said removing means is arranged to project, upon the resist layer, light as the second radiation of an intensity which is higher than said predetermined intensity.

Claim 4

A device according to claim 2, wherein said radiation of said latent image forming means is usable to photolithographically transfer the pattern of the mask onto the wafer.

Claim 5

A device according to claim 3, wherein said latent image forming means includes variably setting means for variably setting an illumination region on the resist material layer, which region is to be irradiated with the radiation from said radiation source, and wherein said variably setting means is arranged to set different illumination regions for the formation of the latent image and for the transfer of the pattern of the mask.

Claim 6

A device according to claim 1, wherein the amount of irradiation by said first radiation is smaller than that by said second radiation.

Claim 7

A device according to claim 1, wherein said second radiation is provided by an excimer laser producing a laser beam.

Claim 8

A device according to claim 1, wherein said removing means is operative to remove at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by vaporization of resist material, comprising the resist material layer, with irradiation with a radiation energy.

Claim 9

A mark detecting method usable in an alignment and exposure apparatus for aligning an alignment mark of a mask with an alignment mark of a wafer and for exposing, to a pattern of the mask, a resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer, said method comprising: a latent image forming step, performed by latent image forming means, for forming a latent image of the alignment mark of the mask on the resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer by using first radiation from a radiation source; a resist removing step for removing at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by using second radiation from a radiation source; and a detecting step for detecting the alignment mark of the wafer, the resist material of which has been at least partially removed by the irradiation with the second radiation, and the latent image of the alignment mark of the mask formed by said latent image forming means, wherein said latent image forming step and said resist removing step are executed at the same time.

Claim 10

A mark detecting method usable in an alignment and exposure apparatus for aligning an alignment mark of a mask with an alignment mark of a wafer and for exposing, to a pattern of the mask, a resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer, said method comprising: a latent image forming step, performed by latent image forming means, for forming a latent image of the alignment mark of the mask on the resist material layer provided on the surface of the wafer by using first radiation from a radiation source; a resist removing step for removing at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by using second radiation from a radiation source; and a detecting step for detecting the alignment mark of the wafer, the resist material of which has been at least partially removed by the irradiation with the second radiation, and the latent image of the alignment mark of the mask formed by said latent image forming means, wherein said latent image forming step and said resist removing step are executed at the same time.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 8, wherein said first radiation used in said latent image forming step and said second radiation used in said resist removing step are supplied from a common radiation energy source.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 8, wherein said first and second radiation are directed through the mask to the resist layer on the wafer and wherein said first radiation and said second radiation pass through first and second portions, respectively, of the mask.

Claim 13

A method according to claim 10, wherein the second portion of the mask through which said second radiation passes has a transmission factor which is higher than that of the first portion of the mask through which said first radiation passes, and wherein said first radiation and said second radiation are supplied from a common radiation energy source.

Claim 14

A method according to claim 8, wherein said removing step removes at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by vaporization of resist material, comprising the resist material layer, with irradiation with a radiation energy.

Claim 15

An alignment method, usable in a projection exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a reticle onto a resist layer formed on a wafer, for aligning the reticle with the wafer, said method comprising the steps of: transferring a mark of the reticle onto the wafer by use of a projection optical system to form a latent image of the mark of the reticle in the resist layer of the wafer; irradiating at least a portion of the resist layer on an alignment mark provided on the wafer with a predetermined radiation to remove an irradiated portion of the resist layer; observing, by use of an observation optical system provided proximate to the projection optical system, (i) the alignment mark of the wafer wherein the resist layer has been removed, and (ii) the latent image of the mark of the reticle having been formed on the wafer; and adjusting the position of at least one of the reticle and the wafer on the basis of the positional relationship between the alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the reticle formed on the wafer, having been obtained from said observing step to align the reticle and the wafer with each other, wherein said mark transfer step and said resist removing step are executed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 16

An alignment method, usable in a projection exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a reticle onto a resist layer formed on a wafer, for aligning the reticle with the wafer, said method comprising the steps of: transferring a mark of the reticle onto the wafer by use of a projection optical system to form a latent image of the mark of the reticle in the resist layer of the wafer; irradiating at least a portion of the resist layer on an alignment mark provided on the wafer with a predetermined radiation to remove an irradiated portion of the resist layer; observing, by use of an observation optical system provided proximate to the projection optical system, (i) the alignment mark of the wafer wherein the resist layer has been removed, and (ii) the latent image of the mark of the reticle having been formed on the wafer; and adjusting the position of at least one of the reticle and the wafer on the basis of the positional relationship between the alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the reticle formed on the wafer, having been obtained from said observing step to align the reticle and the wafer with each other, wherein said mark transfer step and said resist removing step are executed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 17

A mark detecting method usable with a mask having an alignment mark and a wafer having an alignment mark wherein the wafer has a surface provided with a resist material layer thereon, said method comprising the steps of: forming a latent image of the alignment mark of the mask on the resist material layer provided on the wafer by using radiation from a radiation source; removing at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by using radiation from a radiation source; and detecting the alignment mark of the wafer, the resist material of which has been at least partially removed by the irradiation, and the latent image of the alignment mark of the mask formed on the wafer by said latent image forming step, wherein said latent image forming step and said resist removing step are executed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 18

A mark detecting method usable with a mask having an alignment mark and a wafer having an alignment mark wherein the wafer has a surface provided with a resist material layer thereon, said method comprising the steps of: forming a latent image of the alignment mark of the mask on the resist material layer provided on the wafer by using radiation from a radiation source; removing at least a portion of the resist material layer on the alignment mark of the wafer by using radiation from a radiation source; and detecting the alignment mark of the wafer, the resist material of which has been at least partially removed by the irradiation, and the latent image of the alignment mark of the mask formed on the wafer by said latent image forming step, wherein said latent image forming step and said resist removing step are executed substantially simultaneously.

Claim 21

A method according to claim 15, wherein said removing step comprises the step of removing the portion of the material of the surface layer about the mark by projecting radiation energy to the portion of the material of the surface layer about the mark.

Claim 22

A method according to claim 15, wherein the object is a semiconductor wafer and the reference pattern is formed on mask having a circuit pattern to be transferred to the wafer, and wherein said forming step comprises the step of forming the latent image of the reference pattern by use of a projection optical system for projecting the circuit pattern of the mask to the wafer.

Claim 23

A method to claim 17, wherein said observing step comprises the step of observing the mask of the wafer in a dark field while observing the latent image of the reference pattern formed on the wafer in a light field.

Claim 24

An exposure apparatus for exposing with radiation a wafer having a mark and a surface layer covering the mark, said apparatus comprising: means for exhibiting a reference pattern; means for forming a latent image of the reference pattern on the wafer; means for removing a portion of the material of the surface layer of the wafer about the mark so that the mark is substantially uncovered; means for observing, after the removing of the portion of the material of the surface layer of the wafer about the mark, the latent image of the reference pattern and the mark of the wafer to detect the position of the object with respect to the reference pattern; and means for adjusting the position of the wafer on the basis of the observing by said observing means, wherein said latent image forming means and said removing means comprise a common radiation source for the latent image formation and the material removal, respectively.

Claim 25

An exposure apparatus for exposing with radiation a wafer having a mark and a surface layer covering the mark, said apparatus comprising: means for exhibiting a reference pattern; means for forming a latent image of the reference pattern on the wafer; means for removing a portion of the material of the surface layer of the wafer about the mark so that the mark is substantially uncovered; means for observing, after the removing of the portion of the material of the surface layer of the wafer about the mark, the latent image of the reference pattern and the mark of the wafer to detect the position of the object with respect to the reference pattern; and means for adjusting the position of the wafer on the basis of the observing by said observing means, wherein said latent image forming means and said removing means comprise a common radiation source for the latent image formation and the material removal, respectively.

Claim 26

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said removing means removes the portion of the material of the surface layer about the mask by use of a radiation energy supplied from said radiation source.

Claim 27

An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said forming means and said removing means are operable substantially simultaneously to execute the formation of the latent image and the removal of the portion of the material.

Claim 32

In a semiconductor device manufacturing method in which the positional deviation of a wafer having an alignment mark and being covered with a resist, with respect to a mask having an alignment pattern and a circuit pattern, is detected and, after correction of the positional deviation, the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, the improvements comprising the steps of: projecting first radiation energy to the wafer through the mask to print a latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask in a portion of the resist and, substantially simultaneously, projecting second radiation energy, stronger than the first radiation energy, to the wafer to remove a portion of the resist covering the alignment mark of the wafer; and detecting the positional relationship between the uncovered alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask formed in the resist of the wafer.

Claim 33

In a semiconductor device manufacturing method in which the positional deviation of a wafer having an alignment mark and being covered with a resist, with respect to a mask having an alignment pattern and a circuit pattern, is detected and, after correction of the positional deviation, the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, the improvements comprising the steps of: projecting first radiation energy to the wafer through the mask to print a latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask in a portion of the resist and, substantially simultaneously, projecting second radiation energy, stronger than the first radiation energy, to the wafer to remove a portion of the resist covering the alignment mark of the wafer; and detecting the positional relationship between the uncovered alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask formed in the resist of the wafer.

Claim 34

A method according to claim 24, further comprising the steps of: supplying the first and second radiation energies from an excimer laser and exposing the wafer to the circuit pattern of the mask by using a laser beam from the excimer laser.

Claim 35

In a semiconductor device manufacturing method in which the positional deviation of a wafer having an alignment mark and being covered with a resist, with respect to a mask having an alignment pattern and a circuit pattern, is detected and, after correction of the positional deviation, the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, the improvements comprising the steps of: providing a single radiation source; projecting first radiation energy from the radiation source to the wafer through the mask to print a latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask in a portion of the resist; projecting second radiation energy, stronger than the first radiation energy, to the wafer to remove a portion of the resist covering the alignment mark of the wafer; and detecting the positional relationship between the uncovered alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask formed in the resist of the wafer.

Claim 36

In a semiconductor device manufacturing method in which the positional deviation of a wafer having an alignment mark and being covered with a resist, with respect to a mask having an alignment pattern and a circuit pattern, is detected and, after correction of the positional deviation, the wafer is exposed to the circuit pattern of the mask with radiation, the improvements comprising the steps of: providing a single radiation source; projecting first radiation energy from the radiation source to the wafer through the mask to print a latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask in a portion of the resist; projecting second radiation energy, stronger than the first radiation energy, to the wafer to remove a portion of the resist covering the alignment mark of the wafer; and detecting the positional relationship between the uncovered alignment mark of the wafer and the latent image of the alignment pattern of the mask formed in the resist of the wafer.

Claim 37

A method according to claim 26, wherein said providing step comprises the step of providing a radiation source comprising an excimer laser, and wherein said method further comprises the step of exposing the wafer to the circuit pattern of the mask by using a laser beam from the excimer laser.