Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

Young-Koog Han

Young-Chang Kim

Heung-jo Ryuk

Kwang-sub Yoon

Jung-hyeon Lee

Si-hyeung Lee

Woo-Seok Shim

In an optical member holder and a projection exposure apparatus having the same, a light beam radiated from a light source may be formed into light having a desired shape by selecting one of a plurality of optical elements. An optical element holder may include a support member to support the plurality of optical elements, a first driving section to move or rotate the support member to select one of the optical elements, and a second driving section to rotate the selected optical element to adjust an arrangement direction thereof. The light formed by the selected optical element may be directed through a reticle.

Optical element holder and projection exposure apparatus having the same

A semiconductor wafer has an alignment mark for use in aligning the wafer with exposure equipment during the manufacturing of a semiconductor device. The wafer is made by forming a chemical mechanical polishing target layer over an alignment mark layer, chemically-mechanically polishing the target layer to planarize the same, and prior to forming the chemical mechanical polishing target layer over the alignment mark layer, forming a dense pattern of lands or trenches in the alignment layer of dimensions and an inter-spacing preselected to inhibit a dishing phenomenon from occurring in the target layer as the result of its being chemically-mechanically polished. The lands or trenches may be disposed in at least a 2&#xd7;2 array of rows and columns. An alignment system for use with this wafer irradiates the mark with light, and includes an image sensor which produces both a Y-axis alignment waveform signal from light reflecting from the column(s) of lands or trenches and an X-axis alignment waveform signal from light reflecting from the row(s) of lands or trenches. Alternatively, the lands or trenches may be disposed along at least two lines arranged in the shape of a chevron. In this case, the alignment system scans an illuminated cross-shaped pattern of a reticle across the alignment mark. A photo-detection unit collects the reflected light and determines the relative amounts of light coming from the wafer surface, from one of the lines of lands or trenches of the alignment mark, and from the other such line of lands or trenches.

Semiconductor wafer bearing alignment mark for use in aligning the wafer with exposure equipment, alignment system for producing alignment signals from the alignment mark, and method of determining the aligned state of a wafer from the alignment mark

A semiconductor wafer has an alignment mark for use in aligning the wafer with exposure equipment during the manufacturing of a semiconductor device. The wafer is made by forming a chemical mechanical polishing target layer over an alignment mark layer, chemically-mechanically polishing the target layer to planarize the same, and prior to forming the chemical mechanical polishing target layer over the alignment mark layer, forming a dense pattern of lands or trenches in the alignment layer of dimensions and an inter-spacing preselected to inhibit a dishing phenomenon from occurring in the target layer as the result of its being chemically-mechanically polished. The lands or trenches may be disposed in at least a 2&times;2 array of rows and columns. An alignment system for use with this wafer irradiates the mark with light, and includes an image sensor which produces both a Y-axis alignment waveform signal from light reflecting from the column(s) of lands or trenches and an X-axis alignment waveform signal from light reflecting from the row(s) of lands or trenches. Alternatively, the lands or trenches may be disposed along at least two lines arranged in the shape of a chevron. In this case, the alignment system scans an illuminated cross-shaped pattern of a reticle across the alignment mark. A photo-detection unit collects the reflected light and determines the relative amounts of light coming from the wafer surface, from one of the lines of lands or trenches of the alignment mark, and from the other such line of lands or trenches.

ALIGNMENT MARK OF SEMICONDUCTOR WAFER FOR USE IN ALIGNING THE WAFER WITH EXPOSURE EQUIPMENT, ALIGNMENT SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING ALIGNMENT SIGNALS FROM THE ALIGNMENT MARK, AND METHOD OF DETERMINING THE ALIGNED STATE OF A WAFER FROM THE ALIGNMENT MARK

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Seoul, South Korea

Young-Koog Han