Nikon Corporation

Takashi Miyachi

Hiroyuki Kondo

An exposure apparatus and exposure method that produces plasma from a target material, generates pulsed light, and carries out exposure with the pulsed light. In particular, a light emitting source generates pulsed light by producing plasma from an intermittently supplied target material. A reticle stage holds a reticle that is irradiated by the pulsed light. A photosensitive substrate stage holds a photosensitive substrate irradiated by the pulsed light patterned by the reticle. A control means controls the photosensitive substrate stage so that, before exposing the photosensitive substrate begins, the timing between an exposure starting point or an exposure ending point and the light emission timing are matched based on the drive timing of the photosensitive substrate stage and the light emission timing of the pulsed light.

Exposure apparatus and exposure method

A main control system determines a mode of a focusing control based on both data representing the surface condition of a divided area and data for a shape of an illumination area on a wafer. Then, the main control system controls actuators based on detection results from a focus sensor, and performs the focusing control of a substrate stage for holding the wafer in respect to a projection optical system. Simultaneously with the focusing control, the main control system controls a wafer stage driving block to control the synchronous movement of a reticle stage and substrate table. Thereby a pattern formed on a reticle is transferred onto the divided area on the wafer via the projection optical system. Not premising a high focusing control driving practicability, the pattern is transferred onto the substrate without serious deterioration of imaging performance.

Scanning exposure method, scanning exposure apparatus and making method for producing the same, and device and method for manufacturing the same

Plane positioning apparatus

Disclosed is a projection exposure apparatus which is able to realize stabilized focusing control which presents highly followable performances for the photosensitive substrate with few irregularities and will work without failure even for a photosensitive substrate having rough irregularities. A determining section determines whether the velocity instructions data obtained by a difference between a detected position of the substrate and a target position and a difference between the detected tilt of the substarate and a target tilt falls within respective predetermined allowable ranges. During the affirmative judgment by the determining section, a controller performs focusing and leveling control with high precision. When the determining section makes a negative judgment, the controller effects focusing control with the tilt of the wafer kept at constant.

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Kounosu, Japan

Takashi Miyachi