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:
Nov. 24, 1998
Filed:
Aug. 02, 1996
Tetsuo Taniguchi, Yokohama, JP;
Nikon Corporatioin, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A scanning type exposure apparatus comprises a mask stage RST for scanning a mask R across an illumination area on the mask R, a projection optical system PL for projecting an image of a pattern on the mask R onto a photosensitive substrate W, and a substrate stage WST for scanning the photosensitive substrate W across an exposure area. The apparatus comprises an image pickup unit 53 having its light-receiving section 1 provided on the substrate stage WST, for photoelectrically detecting an image of a mark pattern on the mask R, and a combining unit 4 for combining signals outputted from the image pickup unit 53 during a period in which the light-receiving section is scanned across the exposure area in synchronization with scanning for the mark pattern across the illumination area. Image formation characteristics or a position of the image of the mark pattern is determined on the basis of an output of the combining unit 4, which may be corrected before actual exposure. Correction is also performed by using synchronization errors. It is also possible to use an edge scan type sensor in place of the image pickup unit 53.