JP2785141B2 - Alignment device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a so-called step-and-repeat exposure apparatus, which performs highly accurate relative position detection and alignment between an original such as a mask and a substrate to be exposed such as a semiconductor wafer. The present invention relates to an alignment apparatus for performing the alignment.

[Prior Art] As an alignment and exposure method in a conventional step-and-repeat exposure apparatus, only one shot in a wafer is aligned with an alignment mark, and then the wafer stage is moved to a distance between lattices (distance between shot centers). There are known global alignment in which exposure is performed while moving each shot, die-by-die alignment in which exposure is performed while sequentially performing alignment using alignment marks for each shot, and zone alignment in which alignment is performed once for a plurality of shots.

By the way, in order to manufacture an integrated circuit of a 100 megabit DRAM class, an exposure apparatus which can print a pattern having a line width of 0.25 μm is required. In this case, high accuracy with an overlay error of 0.06 microns or less is required. To achieve such high precision, it is necessary to perform alignment for each shot.

In the conventional die-by-die alignment method, in a shot in which at least one relative position measurement information is not detected from the alignment mark of the wafer and the mask due to a defect of an alignment mark on the wafer, the exposure of the shot is given up or a grid is changed from the previous shot. Exposure is performed while moving by the distance, or after the previous shot is sent to the grid point of the current shot (designed shot center), correction driving is performed based on the alignment correction amount of the adjacent aligned shot. I was In any case, since the alignment using the alignment mark of the current shot is not performed, the accuracy is insufficient for realizing a line width of 0.25 μm.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] The present invention has been made in view of such a problem of the related art, and has measurement information obtained even in a shot in which measurement information for some alignment marks cannot be obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment apparatus capable of performing high-accuracy alignment between a substrate to be exposed and an original by utilizing the method.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in a so-called die-by-die alignment type alignment apparatus, a plurality of types of correction (quantity calculation) processing sequences are provided, and a mark obtained by the shot is measured. One correction processing sequence is automatically selected in accordance with the number of pieces of information.

In the present invention, “alignment” means adjusting the relative positional relationship between the substrate and the original using marks provided on the substrate to be exposed and the original, and the direction of the adjustment is not limited. In the following, the alignment in the plane (XY plane) parallel to the plane of the substrate and the original is referred to as “AA”.
Positioning in the direction (Z-axis direction) perpendicular to the XY plane (for example, setting the proximity gap between the substrate and the master or focusing) is referred to as “AF”.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a correction processing sequence is selected in die-by-die AF or die-by-die AA in accordance with at least layout information and the occurrence of a measurement error (in the case of AA, an AF measurement error of the same or proximity mark is included).

In another aspect of the present invention, a preliminary mark is provided in advance for each shot, and when the number of pieces of measured information is insufficient for calculating the correction amount, the mark measuring unit is moved over the preliminary mark. Measurement information sufficient for calculating the correction amount of the shot is obtained.

[Operation] In the present invention, if the number of pieces of measurement information obtained by the mark measuring means is redundant in the calculation of the correction amount, a higher reliability or a higher speed operation is executed by utilizing the redundancy. If the number of measurement information is necessary and sufficient for the correction amount calculation, the correction amount calculation based on the measurement information is executed. Further, if the number of pieces of measurement information is insufficient for the calculation of the correction amount, the replacement information of the insufficient measurement information is supplemented to calculate the correction amount. This alternative information can be supplemented to provide the redundancy.

To give a specific example, when one measurement information is generated for each pair of marks by a four-eye mark measuring unit that measures four pairs of marks on a wafer and a mark on a mask, four-eye alignment is performed using the four pieces of measurement information. And when only three pieces of measurement information are obtained, three pieces of measurement information are used.
Automatically transition to eye alignment. When only two pieces of measurement information are obtained, one or two preliminary marks are automatically measured to perform three- or four-eye alignment.

As described above, according to the present invention, even in a shot in which some marks cannot be measured or a measurement error has occurred, it is possible to more reliably calculate the correction amount using the remaining measurement information of the shot. In, alignment with higher precision than before becomes possible.

[Effects] As described above, in the present invention, alignment is performed even on a shot in which a part of the mark around the exposed substrate is incomplete or missing, or a mark is broken due to a process defect. Can improve the yield.

Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a mask wafer alignment and an exposure stage portion of a step and repeat exposure apparatus (stepper) according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes exposure light, for example, X-rays emitted from SOR. Reference numeral 2 denotes a mask on which a pattern to be transferred is formed. Reference numeral 3 denotes a wafer to which a pattern of a mask is transferred, 4 denotes a mask θ stage for rotating the mask 2 in its plane, 5 denotes a θ coarse movement stage for rotating the wafer 3 in its plane, and 6 denotes a wafer 3 When the wafer 3 is made to face the mask 2 via a predetermined proximity gap, the wafer 3 is moved in the direction toward the exposure light, ω _X (rotated around the X axis), ω
A Z tilt stage 7 for driving _Y (rotating around the Y axis); and 7 for rotating the wafer 3 minutely in its plane.
A fine movement stage, 8 is an X fine movement stage for finely driving the wafer in the X direction, 9 is a Y fine movement stage for finely driving the wafer in the Y direction, 10 is an X coarse movement stage, and 11 is a Y coarse movement stage. . θ coarse movement stage 5, Z tilt stage 6, θ fine movement stage 7, X fine movement stage 8, Y fine movement stage 9, X coarse movement stage 10, and Y coarse movement stage 11.
Constitutes a wafer stage 24.

Reference numeral 12 denotes a pickup that irradiates light to alignment marks formed on the mask 2 and the wafer 3 and detects scattered light from these marks. In this embodiment, a total of eight alignment marks are formed on the scribe line of each shot on the wafer 3 in the vicinity of each side of the shot, one priority mark and one spare mark. As shown in FIG. 2, in order to detect a mask-wafer overlay error in a direction parallel to the side where the mark is arranged, as shown in FIG.
A diffraction grating serving as the mark 201 and an AF mark 202 for detecting the distance between the mask 2 and the wafer 3 is formed together with the semiconductor circuit pattern in the preceding process. Eight alignment marks 203 and 204 that are paired with the alignment marks on the wafer 3 are also formed on the mask 2 with gold or the like together with the semiconductor circuit pattern to be transferred.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 205 denotes a semiconductor laser as a light emitting element; 206, a collimator lens for converting a light beam output from the semiconductor laser 205 into parallel light; and 207, a projection light output from the semiconductor laser 205 and converted to parallel light by a collimator lens 206. Light beam 208, AA mark 201 on wafer and AA mark 203 on mask
AA light-receiving beam to which positional deviation information (AA information) is given by an optical system constituted by 209. Gap information (AF information) is given to 209 by an optical system constituted by an AF mark 202 on a wafer and an AF mark 204 on a mask. AA sensor 210 which is a line sensor such as a CCD for converting the position of the AA light receiving spot 211 formed by the AA light receiving beam 208 into an electric signal as AA information, and 212 is formed by the AF light receiving beam 209. The position of the received AF spot 213
It is an AF sensor that is a line sensor such as a CCD that converts the information into an electric signal.

FIG. 3 shows a configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus shown in FIG. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a mirror unit that expands an X-ray radiated from an SOR into a sheet beam in a horizontal direction in the vertical direction to form a planar beam, an alignment unit that aligns a mask and a wafer, and an aligned mask. A body unit including an exposure unit for exposing the wafer with the planar X-ray, a posture control unit for controlling the postures of the mirror unit and the body unit, and a chamber and an air conditioning unit for controlling the atmosphere of the mirror unit and the body unit Etc. are provided.

In FIG. 3, reference numeral 301 denotes a main processor unit for controlling the operation of the entire apparatus, 302 denotes a communication circuit for connecting the main processor unit 301 and the main unit, 303 denotes a main body side communication interface, 304 denotes a main unit control unit, 305 is a pickup stage control unit, and 307 and 306, 308 are fine AA / AF control units 309a, 309b, for driving the θ, X, Y fine movement stage and the mask θ stage for fine alignment with the main unit control unit 304 and the main unit in the main unit. Communication line and communication interface connecting to 309c, 309d, 311 and 310,312
Reference numeral denotes a communication line and a communication interface for connecting the main body control unit 304 and the stage control unit 313 for controlling pre-alignment and step movement of the wafer in the main body unit.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a step-and-repeat exposure method. For simplicity, for FIG. 1,
The mask θ stage 4 as a driving unit of the mask 2, the wafer stage 24 as a driving unit of the wafer 3, and the pickup 12
The pickup stage 13 which is a driving means of the above is omitted.

In the figure, reference numeral 12 (12a to 12d) denotes a mask 2 and a wafer 3
418 is a transfer pattern drawn on the mask, 419 is a transferred pattern formed on the wafer by the preceding process, and 420 is a mask alignment mark for aligning the mask with the wafer stage Reference numeral 421 denotes an alignment mark on a mask for aligning the transfer pattern 418 with the transferred pattern 419, reference numeral 422 denotes an alignment mark on the wafer for the same purpose, reference numeral 423 denotes a light beam projected from the pickup 12 for the same purpose, reference numeral 40 denotes
Reference numeral 1 denotes a scribe line between shots, on which an alignment mark 421 on a mask and an alignment mark 422 on a wafer are drawn.

To align the mask 2 and the wafer 3, first,
In a state where the mask 2 and the wafer 3 are supported to face each other, light beams 423 are projected from the pickups 12a to 12d, and a gap between the mask and the wafer is formed through the corresponding alignment mark 421 on the mask and alignment mark 422 on the wafer. Measure. Based on information obtained from the four pickups, a gap correction driving amount is calculated, and the wafer stage is driven.
By driving 24 (not shown), the gap between the mask and the wafer is set to the exposure gap.

Next, light beams 423 are projected from the pickups 12a to 12d, and the corresponding alignment marks 421 on the mask are respectively projected.
Of the mask and the alignment mark 422 on the wafer in the plane direction of the mask and the wafer are measured. Based on the information obtained from the four pickups, the correction drive amount of the entire shot is calculated, and the mask is moved on the mask by driving the mask θ stage 4 (not shown) and the wafer stage 24 (not shown). The transferred pattern 418 is aligned with the transferred pattern 419 on the wafer. When the alignment is achieved, exposure is performed to transfer the transfer pattern 418 onto the wafer 3. Then, the wafer stage 24 (not shown) is driven so that the next exposure shot comes under the mask. Similarly, the alignment and the exposure are repeated to expose all the shots.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for one patch of the step-and-repeat exposure sequence. One patch is a unit that can be printed on one wafer without replacing the mask on the way. In the start state, the mask 2 and the wafer 3 are chucked by the mask θ stage 4 and the wafer stage 24, respectively, and the pickup 12 aligns the projection beam 423 on the mask for AF (auto focus) / AA (auto alignment) measurement. Each of the marks 421 is irradiated.

First, in step 501, it is determined whether or not the mask needs to be replaced. The process proceeds to step 504 when exposing with the currently chucked mask, and proceeds to step 502 when exposing with the mask replaced. In step 502, the currently chucked mask is detached from the mask stage 4 using a mask traverser (not shown) and stored in a mask cassette (not shown), and the mask used for exposure is removed from the mask cassette using a mask traverser. Take it out and chuck it on the mask stage 4. In step 503, the pickup 12 is used to align the mask alignment mark 420 drawn on the mask 2 with a reference mark (not shown) provided on the wafer stage.

Next, in step 504, the wafer stage 24 is driven,
The position (shot position, that is, the transferred pattern 419) on the wafer to be exposed now is opposed to the transfer pattern 418 on the mask. In step 505, the gap between the mask and the wafer is measured using the on-mask alignment mark 421 and the on-wafer alignment mark 422, and the z-direction and tilt correction driving is performed. When the AF is completed, in step 506, the alignment mark 421 on the mask is set.
AA is performed by performing a correction drive by measuring a displacement in the X and Y directions between the mask and the wafer using the wafer alignment mark 422 and the wafer alignment mark 422. Detailed processing contents of AA (step 506) will be described later.

When AA is completed, one-shot exposure is performed in step 507, and the presence or absence of the next exposure shot is determined in step 508. If there is, the process returns to step 504;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the AA process in step 506 in FIG. It shows AA measurement for one shot, calculation of deviation amounts of X, Y, and θ, and correction driving.

First, in step 601, a layout check on the wafer of the shot to be exposed (current shot) is performed. 1
FIG. 7 shows an example of a shot layout of a wafer.
S1 to S3 are shots. FIG. 8 shows the alignment mark arrangement for one shot. a to d are priority marks for measuring the displacement between the mask and the wafer, and a 'to d' are preliminary marks, which are provided on both the mask and the wafer. Each mark can detect a displacement in either the X or Y direction at that position, and a, a ', b, b'
In the directions c, c ', d, d', a shift in the Y direction can be detected. Therefore, in order to know the X, Y, θ shift of one shot, at least 3
Measurement of marks on two sides is required.

When the shot S1 is to be exposed, all marks a to d can be measured because the entire shot is on the wafer. Therefore, proceed to step 602 to select each pickup 1
By projecting the light projecting beam 423 for AA from 2, measurement is performed at four points, and the measurement result is checked in step 603. Here, a measurement error caused by a measurement failure due to a missing or crushed mark or a large shift between the mask 2 and the wafer 3 is repelled.

FIG. 9 is a graph showing the characteristics of the output signal from the pickup 12 with respect to the amount of displacement between the wafer and the mask in the X and Y directions. Zones I and II will be described in step 604, but this range is the AA measurement range, and zone III is a region where a measurement error occurs and is rejected in step 603. When all four marks can be measured, four points are determined to be OK, and the X, Y, and θ shift amounts are calculated in step 604. In step 605, the X, Y, and
The correction drive of θ is performed. Then, at step 606, the correction drive amount is checked. If this correction amount, that is, the deviation amount calculation value in step 604 is within the tolerance, this A
The process A is terminated, and if the tolerance is out of tolerance, the process returns to step 601. A specific X, Y, θ shift amount calculation method in step 604 will be described later with reference to FIG. 10 and subsequent figures. Steps
If only three marks can be measured in 603, it is determined that three points are OK, and merges with the above-described four-point measurement sequence (steps 602 to 604) to step 609 of the three-point measurement sequence (steps 607 to 609) branched in step 601 I do. In addition, when only two marks or less can be measured, the step of the measurement sequence (steps 610 to 613) of two points or less is determined as NG.
Proceeding to 612, a preliminary mark corresponding to the NG mark is measured.

When the shot S2 in FIG. 7 is to be exposed, the mark a in FIG.
The point is measured, branching from step 601 and step 607
Performs AA measurement at three points excluding mark a. In step 608, the measurement result is checked in the same manner as in step 603. If three points are OK, the process proceeds to step 609; In step 609, X, Y, and θ correction amounts are calculated based on the three-point data, including those branched in step 603 of the four-point measurement sequence. Assuming now that a cannot be measured and that the mask and wafer shift amount measurement data ΔX _D , ΔY _L , and ΔY _R are obtained from b, c, and d, respectively, the shift amounts ΔX, ΔY, Δθ of the entire shot are: ΔX = ΔX _D + Δθ · L _X / 2 ΔY = (ΔY _L + ΔY _R ) / 2 Δθ = (ΔY _L −ΔY _R ) / L _Y The value obtained by inverting the sign of each shift amount is the correction amount. L _X and L _Y are the distances between marks for detecting displacement in the same direction, respectively.
The value or design value obtained in 1006 is used. When marks other than a cannot be measured, 3
Three unknowns ΔX, ΔY, Δθ can be obtained from the measured data of the points. Then, in step 605, correction driving of X, Y, θ is performed.

When shot S3 in FIG. 7 is to be exposed, only b and c in FIG. 8 can be measured. Although the measurement of d 'is possible, in the present embodiment, the measurement of d' is performed later because the pickups interfere with each other depending on the shape and mark arrangement of the pickup.

First, the process branches from step 601 to step 610.
AA measurement of 2 marks is performed. In step 611, the measurement result is checked, and in step 612, the missing data is supplemented. In step 612, the error branch from the four-point measurement or the three-point measurement merges. When only two points or less can be measured as in the shot S3, d 'can be measured as described above, so that the pickup 12 corresponding to d is measured.
The d is driven by using the pickup stage 13d to move over the preliminary mark d ', and d' is measured. When the NG is merged from the four-point measurement or the three-point measurement, the preliminary mark corresponding to the NG mark is measured. If the pickup 12 is moved here, after the measurement is completed, it is necessary to return the pickup position to the original position for the measurement of the next shot. Then, in step 613, the total number of valid data is checked.
If there are four points, the process proceeds to step 604, and if there are three points, the process proceeds to step 609 to calculate the X, Y, and θ shift amounts. If still less than two points are obtained, an error is terminated and manual alignment is performed or the shot is skipped and the next shot is started. Alternatively, it is also possible to perform alignment by estimating from information of surrounding shots and performing alignment.

In the implementation, when four points were measured in step 602 and three points were OK in step 603, the shot shift amount was obtained from the data of the three points. Proceeding to step 612, a preliminary mark corresponding to the NG mark may be measured. Four points can reduce the influence of measurement errors more than three points.
Since the measurement data of the point is obtained and the throughput is lowered, which one to select is a trade-off between time and accuracy.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the processing content of step 604 in FIG. 4 shows a calculation sequence of the X, Y, and θ shift amounts of one shot from four measurement data. First, in step 1001, it is determined whether or not the calculation of the elongation percentage of this shot is necessary. If the expansion and contraction of the wafer occurs almost uniformly throughout the wafer due to the process, this elongation percentage calculation is
The process skips to step 1007 because it is necessary only for the shot and the correction calculation based on the elongation calculated for the first shot is sufficient for the second and subsequent shots.

If the elongation percentage needs to be calculated, it is determined in step 1002 whether the elongation percentage can be calculated. For elongation calculation,
Since at least one preliminary mark in each of the X and Y directions must be measured, the elongation rate calculation is performed when both preliminary marks in the X or Y direction are used to obtain four points of measurement data. Can not. If the elongation cannot be calculated in this way, the process proceeds to step 1008, and if possible, the process proceeds to step 1003.

In step 1003, the pickup 12 is moved above the preliminary mark, and in step 1004, the deviation between the mask and the wafer is measured using the preliminary mark. In step 1005, the measurement result is checked in the same manner as in step 603 in FIG. 6, and if at least one preliminary mark has been measured in each of the X and Y directions,
If it is not, the process proceeds to step 1006. If the process is not completed, the elongation cannot be calculated, and the process proceeds to step 1008.

In step 1006, the elongation percentage of the wafer is calculated from the measured values of the priority marks measured in steps 602, 607, and 610 of FIG. 6 and the measured values of the preliminary marks measured in step 1004, and the inter-mark distances L _X , L Perform _Y correction. A specific calculation method will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 11, the solid line is the design size of one shot, the broken line is the size of one expanded shot, and the solid line can be considered as the shot shape on the mask and the broken line is the shot shape on the wafer. Mark a and a 'to determine the growth rate of the x-direction using a mark a, and mark a as seen from the shot center' each design X coordinate of the X _U, as X _U ',
The measured values of the mark a and the mark a ′ are Δ
The elongation rate ρ _XU in the x direction, where X _U and ΔX _U ′, is expressed as ρ _XU = (ΔX _U ′ −ΔX _U ) / (X _U ′ −X _U ). Similarly, marks b and b ', marks c and c', 'when seeking respective elongation _{using, ρ XD = (ΔX L -ΔX} L' mark d and _{d) / (X L -X L} ' ) Ρ _YL = (ΔY _L ′ −ΔY _L ) / (Y _L ′ −Y _L ) ρ _YR = (ΔY _R −ΔY _R ′) / (Y _R −Y _R ′). If only one preliminary mark can be measured in each of the X and Y directions, the obtained elongation percentages may be used as they are, as ρ _X and ρ _Y, and if both are obtained, the average of them is calculated. It is sufficient to calculate and set ρ _X = (ρ _XU + ρ _XD ) / 2 ρ _Y = (ρ _YL + ρ _YR ) / 2.

Next, the distances L _X and L _Y between marks are corrected in accordance with the elongation percentage obtained as described above. Assuming that the set value of the distance between marks is L _X and L _Y shown in FIG. 11, the actual distance between marks for calculating the θ rotation amount of the shot changes due to the expansion of the wafer. Therefore, it can be corrected by a renewed _{L X ← L X (1 +} ρ X) L Y ← L Y (1 + ρ Y).

In step 1007, the measurement data is corrected based on the elongation percentage obtained in step 1006. For the shots for which it is determined in step 1001 that the elongation percentage calculation is unnecessary, the elongation percentages already calculated for the first shot and the like are used. Measurement data becomes the mask and shift amount of the wafer in the mark position, shift amount in the sense that match the shot center, since the minus the elongation _{amount, ΔX U ← ΔX U -ρ X} · X _U ΔX _D ← ΔX _D −ρ _X • X _D ΔY _L ← ΔY _L −ρ _Y • Y _L ΔY _R ← ΔY _R −ρ _Y • Y _R By performing such a correction, it is possible to remove the displacement due to the expansion of the wafer as shown in FIG. 12 (a), and it is possible to identify the displacement from the rotation shown in FIG. 12 (b).

Next, in step 1008, the shot shift amounts ΔX, ΔY, Δθ _X ,
Calculate Δθ _Y. As the inter-mark distance and measurement data used here, the values after correction are used for those for which the elongation rate has been calculated. The calculation formula is shown below.

_{ΔX = (ΔX U + ΔX D} ) / 2 ΔY = (ΔY L + ΔY R) / 2 Δθ X = (ΔX U -ΔX D) / L X Δθ Y = (ΔY L -ΔY R) / L Y where [Delta] [theta] _X And Δθ _Y are θ rotation deviation amounts obtained from the measurement data in the X direction and the Y direction, respectively.

In the present embodiment, a mark that can measure only one direction of displacement is used. However, if a mark that can be measured in both X and Y directions is used, the same correction can be performed without using a spare mark.

In step 1009, the measurement accuracy in the X direction and the measurement accuracy in the Y direction are compared. Although Δθ _X and Δθ _Y obtained in step 1008 should originally have the same value, in actuality measurement accuracy, wafer,
It has different values depending on the mask distortion and the like. Therefore, an attempt is made to use the one with higher accuracy for the correction drive.

Further, at present, if the resolution of the measurement optical system is increased in order to perform precise alignment, the measurement range in which the signal output of the measurement system with respect to the amount of displacement between the mask and the wafer is linearly reduced. Therefore, with respect to the optical system having the characteristics shown in FIG. 9, even the non-linear region (Zone II) on both sides of the linear region (Zone I) is included in the measurement range. As a matter of course, since the measurement accuracy in the zone II is lower than that in the zone I, it is indispensable to perform the correction drive and perform the measurement again in the zone I.

When the mask and the wafer are displaced as shown in FIG. 13, since the drift amount in the X direction is large and also has a θ rotation component, ΔX _D , ΔY _L , and ΔY _R fall in zone I. , ΔX _U are in zone II. Then, Δθ _{Y is} larger than Δθ _X obtained in step 1008 in FIG.
Is more reliable, and the θ rotation deviation amount Δθ is Δθ _Y
The number of times of rushing can be reduced by using. Therefore,
Step when both the measured values in the Y direction are Zone I and at least one of the measured values in the X direction is Zone II
At 1010, the θ rotational deviation Δθ is set to Δθ _Y, and when at least one of the two measured values in the X direction is Zone II in Zone I, the rotational deviation Δθ is set to Δθ _{X in} Step 1011. And If both zones are the same, the process proceeds to step 1012.

In step 1012, when the measurement precisions in the X direction and the Y direction are equal, a weighting coefficient n (0 ≦ n ≦ 1) for calculating the θ rotation deviation amount Δθ by temporarily combining Δθ _X and Δθ _Y is calculated. As is clear from the calculation formulas, Δθ _X and Δθ _Y indicate that the larger the denominator, the higher the accuracy if the mark measurement accuracy is equal. Therefore, the weighting coefficient n is expressed as n = L _X / (L _X + L _Y ), and the θ rotation deviation Δθ is set as Δθ = n · Δθ _X + (1-n) Δθ _Y as shown in step 1013. Enables weighting according to the accuracy.

Here, L _X and L _Y used in the calculation of the weighting coefficient n are the values corrected by the elongation in Step 1006, but the elongation cannot be calculated in Step 1002 or 1005, and L _X and L _Y
Is the design value, there is a method for calculating the weighting coefficient n described below. This method can be used when it is known that the wafer easily expands and contracts in the X direction and the Y direction depending on the crystal growth direction of the wafer. Assuming that the uncertainty rate (uncertain length / basic length) of the length of the wafer in the X direction is α _X and that in the Y direction is α _Y , L _X ← L _X · (1−α _X ) L _Y ← L _Y If (1−α _Y ), the weighting coefficient n can be obtained by the same equation as in the above example. Further, the weighting coefficient n may be determined according to other conditions.

Further, in FIG. 10, Δx, Δy, and Δθ were obtained after correcting the measured values based on the elongation rate. However, when at least one of the measured values was in zone II, the accuracy was more nonlinear than the accuracy degradation due to elongation. If the deterioration is greater, a branch is made before the step 1008 by branching at the step 1009, and the extension is not corrected for the steps 1010 and 1011.

Although the AA sequence has been described above, the AF sequence can be applied to selecting a sequence according to shot layout information or occurrence of a measurement error, and supplementing measurement data using a spare mark.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a main part of a step-and-repeat exposure apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is an explanation of a fine AA / AF system for detecting a deviation between a wafer and a mask in a plane direction and a vertical direction. Schematic diagram, FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of a hard wafer of a control system of the exposure apparatus of FIG. 1, FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a step-and-repeat exposure method, and FIG.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the contents of the AA process in step 506 of FIG. 5, FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a shot layout of one wafer, and FIG. 8 is a diagram of one shot. FIG. 9 is a graph showing the characteristics of the output signal from the pickup with respect to the amount of displacement between the wafer and the mask in the X and Y directions. FIG. 10 shows the processing contents of step 604 in FIG. FIG. 11 is an explanatory view of the calculation of the elongation rate of the wafer, FIGS. 12 (a) and (b) are explanatory views of the deviation due to the elongation of the wafer and the deviation due to the rotation, and FIG. 13 is the alignment on the wafer FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a state where one of the marks has deviated from a high-precision measurement zone. 1: X-ray (exposure light) 2: Mask (original plate) 3: Wafer (substrate to be exposed) 4: Mask θ stage 12, 12a to 12d: Pickup 13: Pickup stage 24: Wafer stage 304: Main unit control unit 305: Pickup Stage controller 309a, 309b, 309c, 309d: Fine AA / AF controller 421: Alignment mark on wafer 422: Alignment mark on mask 423: Projection beam ΔX _U , ΔX _D , ΔY _L , ΔY _R : Deviation of alignment mark Quantity measurement

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Hirohisa Ota 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Tetsushi Nose 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Canon Inc. (56) reference Patent flat 2-82516 (JP, a) JP Akira 62-133566 (JP, a) JP flat 3-110819 (JP, a) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) H01L 21/027

Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] In a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus, prior to printing and transferring an image of an original onto each shot on a substrate to be exposed, a plurality of marks provided on the shot and marks on each substrate are provided. A mark measuring means for measuring a relative positional relationship with a corresponding mark on the original; a judging means for judging the number of measurement information outputted from the mark measuring means; and a different formula depending on a judgment result of the judging means. Calculating means for calculating a correction amount for aligning the substrate and the original from the measurement information. 2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said determination means determines the number of said measurement information in accordance with on-substrate shot layout information. 3. The alignment apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said determination means further determines the number of said measurement information according to a mark detection error in said mark detection means. 4. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said substrate and said original are aligned in a plane direction. 5. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the substrate and the original is corrected. 6. The arithmetic unit according to claim 1, wherein the number of the measurement information is a first number.
If the number is equal to or more than a predetermined number, the correction amount is calculated by a first formula. If the number of the measurement information is less than a first predetermined number and equal to or more than a second predetermined number, the correction amount is calculated by a second formula. And
If the number of the measurement information is less than the second predetermined number, the replacement information of the measurement information not generated by the mark measurement means is supplemented and the replacement information corresponding to the number including the replacement information in the number of the measurement information is used. 2. The alignment apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said correction amount is calculated by a first or second formula. 7. The alignment apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said alternative information is created based on measurement information detected in surrounding shots. 8. The alternative mark information is obtained by moving the mark measuring means to a preliminary mark formed in advance on the substrate and the original, and measuring the preliminary mark by the mark measuring means. 7. The alignment device according to claim 6, which is information. 9. Prior to printing and transferring an image of an original onto each shot on a substrate to be exposed in a step-and-repeat type exposure apparatus, a plurality of marks provided on the shot and marks on each substrate are provided. Mark measuring means for measuring the relative positional relationship with the corresponding mark on the original; determining means for determining the number of measurement information output from the mark measuring means; insufficient when the number of measurement information is less than a predetermined number Information supplementing means for supplementing alternative information of measurement information to be performed, and arithmetic means for calculating a correction amount for aligning the substrate and the original based on the predetermined number of pieces of measurement information. Alignment device. 10. The alignment apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said substitute information is created based on measurement information detected in surrounding shots. 11. The substitute information is preliminary mark measurement information generated by the mark measuring means by moving the mark measuring means onto a preliminary mark formed in advance on the substrate and the original. Item 10. The alignment device according to Item 9.