The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 12, 1991
Filed:
Jul. 12, 1989
Hideaki Sakamoto, Tokyo, JP;
Kesayoshi Amano, Tokyo, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern of a mask on a photo-sensitive substrate comprises an X-Y stage, a Z-stage supported on the X-Y stage, and a levelling stage that supports the photo-sensitive substrate. The levelling stage is supported on the Z-stage by a plurality of levelling devices that define a levelling reference plane, and that are operated in unison to change the level of the levelling stage relative to the Z-stage and relative to an exposure reference plane that is parallel to the levelling reference plane. The levelling devices are also operated individually to change the inclination of the photo-sensitive substrate relative to the levelling reference plane and relative to the exposure reference plane. A focus detector controls the movement of the Z-stage and the in-unison movement of the levelling devices. An inclination detector controls the individual operation of the levelling devices. The net result is that the surface of the photo-sensitive substrate is made coincident with the exposure reference plane and the levelling reference plane, and the center point of the surface of the photo-sensitive substrate becomes the pivotal center for changes in inclination of the photo-sensitive substrate.