Nikon Corporation

Masanobu Ito

Masamitsu Yanagihara

Hideji Goto

Yoshiyuki Katamata

Norihiko Hara

A processing apparatus processes an object, and includes at least first and second processing devices that are separated from each other by a partition. The apparatus includes a first housing that covers the first processing device, and a second housing that covers the second processing device. The second housing includes a first door device that is capable of opening the second housing. The apparatus also includes a controller having a CPU to control the first and second processing devices in accordance with a state of the first door device. The controller stops at least a part of the second processing device, and does not stop at least a part of the first processing device, when the first door device opens the second housing.

Processing apparatus and method of control

To improve the focus accuracy during alignment and to improve the alignment accuracy even if a substrate has warpage, during alignment, an approximate focus plane is obtained by using only the detection results at focus points of focus sensors located near the ends of a substrate, close to alignment points, and without using the detection results at focus points of two central focus sensors. The auto-focus operation is performed by using the above operation results. As a result, a substrate is driven so as to be adjusted to the approximate focus plane during alignment.

Growing community of inventors

Kawasaki, Japan

Masanobu Ito