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:
Feb. 27, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 13, 1999
Hidemi Kawai, Tokyo, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A first scanning type exposure method provides for changes in a synchronization settling time in accordance with a sensitivity of a photosensitive substrate, a line width of the mask pattern, or both. The throughput provided by the method can be enhanced while still obtaining the necessary resolution by making the synchronization settling time short when using a mask having a pattern with wide line width or a photosensitive substrate with a high sensitivity. A second scanning type exposure method provides for changes in a margin for synchronization error when starting a transfer of the pattern after completing acceleration of the photosensitive substrate and the mask in accordance with the line width of the mask pattern, the sensitivity of the photosensitive substrate, or both. A reduction in the time until the start of the exposure and an enhancement of the throughput while obtaining the necessary resolution are provided by making the margin of the synchronization error wide when using a mask having a pattern with wide line widths or a photosensitive substrate of high sensitivity. A scanning type exposure device utilizes the first or the second scanning type exposure method by setting a timing for the start of transferring the transfer target mask pattern to the exposure target photosensitive substrate. This timing is set by a transfer start condition read from a storage device in accordance with a line width of multiple mask patterns, the sensitivity of the photosensitive substrate, or both.