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:
Dec. 12, 2000
Filed:
Jun. 29, 1999
Fuyuhiko Inoue, San Mateo, CA (US);
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A projection exposure apparatus and method aligns a substrate with an optical axis of a lens column using one or more interferometers, mirrors, and a control device. The lens column projects a pattern from a mask onto the substrate. The optical axis of the lens column is perpendicular to the substrate. To ensure precise alignment of the lens column and the substrate, the one or more interferometers use a plurality of beams having respective paths, the lengths of which change in response to movement of the optical axis. In response to the detected changes of the interferometer beams, a control device adjusts the position of the stage so that the substrate is aligned with the optical axis of the lens column.