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, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 08, 2000
Tetsuya Oshino, Kawasaki, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The present invention relates to projection-exposure apparatus for projecting an accurate pattern defined by a reticle onto a substrate and, more particularly, to exposure apparatus used to transfer a circuit pattern on a mask or reticle through a reflection-type imaging apparatus onto a substrate such as a wafer by the mirror-projection method, for example using an X-ray optical system. The exposure apparatus includes an axial-position (e.g., focal point) detection system. Most or all of the components of the axial-position detection system are enclosed in a vacuum chamber along with the projection-optical system of the exposure apparatus. The axial-position detection system of the exposure apparatus of the present invention accurately measures, for example, the axial height of the surface of a substrate. The substrate surface position may then be adjusted to position the surface in the range of the focal depth of the X-ray projection-optical system. Using the exposure apparatus of the present invention, a resist pattern having the desired resolution is formed on the substrate surface while maintaining a relatively high throughput in the fabrication of integrated circuits.