JPH11260681A - Controller provided with plurality of processors and projection aligner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a projection aligner which uses effectively at least two processors and has throughput enhanced. SOLUTION: A first processor 51A transfers position data RX, RY, Rθ and WX, WY, Wθ to a memory 51C of a second processor 51B for setting interrupt to a second processor 51B and calculates for control of fine moving position to be transferred to a memory 51D. The second processor 51B performs calculation for control of the fine moving position based on position data in the memory 51C, through an interrupt command by the first processor 51A to be transferred to the memory 51D to interrupt to the first processor 51A. The first processor 51A drives a reticle fine moving stage 23, according to drive signals SX, SY, Sθ stored in the memory 51D by an interrupt output from the second processor 51B. The first processor 51A executes other processes until it is interrupted by the second processor 51B, and the second processor 51B executes other processes until being interrupted by the first processor 51A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to a control device having a plurality of processors, and a projection exposure apparatus used for manufacturing, for example, a semiconductor integrated circuit or a liquid crystal display device in a lithography process.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a projection exposure apparatus of a slit scan exposure system disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 6-140305, a reticle is moved coarsely in order to improve the alignment accuracy between a reticle and a wafer during slit scan exposure. The position deviation from the wafer is removed by the fine movement stage while controlling at the same speed.

In such a projection exposure apparatus, it is necessary to calculate the positional deviation of the reticle and the wafer in the X, Y and θ rotation directions and the drive signal for driving the reticle stage in order to correct the positional deviation. However, if a single processor performs calculations in time series, the processing time becomes longer. Therefore, conventionally, two processors share various operations in order to reduce the processing time. For example, one processor performs an operation on the displacement in the X and Y directions, and the other processor performs an operation on the displacement in the θ rotation direction.

In the case where two processors share different operations in this manner, conventionally, a memory that can be commonly accessed by the two processors is provided, and the processor constantly monitors whether predetermined data is written in the memory. Each processor is configured to execute a shared operation upon recognizing writing of predetermined data.

[0005]

However, such a conventional system has a problem that both processors need to constantly monitor the memory, and cannot execute other processing during that time.

[0006] A first object of the present invention is to provide a control device having a plurality of processors that can effectively use at least two processors. It is a second object of the present invention to provide a projection exposure apparatus in which at least two processors are effectively used to improve throughput.

[0007]

Means for Solving the Problems FIGS. 1 to 4 of an embodiment.
Explanation will be given in association with. (1) The invention of claim 1 includes a first processor 51A that executes a first operation based on first data, and a second processor 51B that executes a second operation based on the first data.
And control device 50 for outputting drive signals SX, SY, Sθ for driving driven device 23 based on the result of second calculation.
Applied to The above-described object is achieved by the following configuration. The first processor 51A reads the first data RX, RY, Rθ and WX, WY, Wθ and transfers them to the second storage device 51C of the second processor 51B.
An interrupt command is issued to the second processor 51B, the first operation is executed, and the results SX, S of the first operation are stored in the first storage device 51D.
Y, and when the first operation is completed, the second processor 51
Perform other processing until an interrupt command is output from B,
The second processor 51B sends the first data RX, R from the second storage device 51C in response to an interrupt command from the first processor.
Y, Rθ and WX, WY, Wθ are obtained, a second operation is executed, the result Sθ of the second operation is transferred to the first storage device 51D, an interrupt command is issued to the first processor 51A, and the first operation is performed.
The first processor 51A executes another process until an interrupt command is output from the processor 51A, and the first processor 51A executes the first and second calculations stored in the first storage device 51D in response to the interrupt command from the second processor 51A. Result SX, S
A drive signal for driving the driven device 23 is output based on Y and Sθ. (2) A reticle stage 23 that holds a reticle R and moves at least in the XY directions and θ rotation directions, a substrate stage 32 and 33 that holds a sensitive substrate W and moves at least in the XY directions, Stage 2
Reticle position detector 27X, 27 for measuring the position of 3
Y, 27θ, substrate position detectors 36X, 36Y, 36θ for measuring the positions of the substrate stages 32, 33, and the reticle stages 22, 23 and the substrate stages 32, 33 are scanned at the same speed in opposite directions at the same time. Drive control means 50 and 42 for fine-moving position control of reticle stage 23 according to the measured position of reticle stage 23 and the position of substrate stage 33, and illumination optical system 1 for illuminating reticle R
The present invention is applied to a projection exposure apparatus provided with a projection optical system PL for projecting and exposing a pattern image formed on a reticle R onto a sensitive substrate W. The above-mentioned object is achieved by the following configuration. X, Y, θ
A first processor 51A that executes a first operation for fine movement position control in two of the three directions, and a second processor 51B that executes a second operation for fine movement position control in the remaining one direction The first processor 51A reads the position data RX, RY, Rθ and WX, WY, Wθ, transfers them to the second storage device 51C of the second processor 51B, issues an interrupt command to the second processor 51B, One operation is executed and the result is transferred to the first storage device 51D. When this operation is completed, another process is executed until an interrupt command is output from the second processor 51B, and the second processor 51B executes the first operation. In response to an interrupt command from the processor 51A, the position data RX, R
Y, Rθ and WX, WY, Wθ are obtained, the second operation is executed, and the result is transferred to the first storage device 51D.
An interrupt command is issued to the processor 51A, and other processing is executed until the interrupt command is issued from the first processor 51A.
And outputs drive signals SX, SY, and Sθ for driving the driven device 23 based on the first calculation result and the second calculation result stored in the first storage device 51D in response to an interrupt command from.

[0008] In the section of the means for solving the above-mentioned problems, which explains the configuration of the present invention, the drawings of the embodiments of the present invention are used to make the present invention easier to understand. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A projection exposure apparatus of the slit scan exposure type to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 shows a projection exposure apparatus of a slit scan exposure type according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 1, X is applied in a direction parallel to the reticle R in a direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG.
Axis, the Y axis is taken in a direction perpendicular to the X axis and parallel to the plane of FIG. 1, and the Z axis is taken perpendicular to the XY plane.

In FIG. 1, during exposure, an illumination optical system 11 is used.
Illumination light beam 61R with exposure light IL
(See also FIG. 2) while illuminating the reticle R
Is scanned in the X direction or the −X direction, and the wafer W is scanned in the −X direction or the X direction. The reticle R has a semiconductor circuit pattern and a liquid crystal element pattern formed thereon, and the transmitted light transmitted through the pattern is projected on the wafer W by the projection lens PL as a slit light image 61W (see also FIG. 3). A photoresist is applied to the surface of the wafer W, and the projected pattern image is exposed on the resist to form a latent image.

The reticle R is XY on the reticle base 21.
It is held so as to be movable in directions (including a positive direction and a negative direction unless otherwise specified) and a θ rotation direction (including a clockwise direction and a counterclockwise direction unless otherwise specified).
That is, the reticle base 21 is provided with the coarse movement stage 22, the fine movement stage 23 is provided on the coarse movement stage 22, and the reticle R is held on the fine movement stage 23.

As shown in FIG. 2, a coarse movement stage 22 has an air guide 21 extending on a reticle base 21 in the X direction.
a permanent magnet (not shown) is provided on the back surface thereof, and is moved in the X direction by an electromagnet 21b extending at a predetermined interval along the air guide 21a. Fine movement stage 23
Tension springs 24X, 24Y, 24θ are interposed between the fine movement stage 23 and the fine movement stage 21 as shown in FIG.
Are urged in the X, Y and θ rotation directions. The fine movement stage 23 is opposed to the coarse movement stage 22 by the actuators 25X, 25Y, and 25θ, as shown in the drawing, against the urging forces of these springs.
It moves in the Y direction and the θ rotation direction.

Further, as shown in FIG.
The movable mirrors 26X, 26Y, 26θ are fixed on the upper side, and the laser beams from the laser interferometers 27X, 27Y, 27θ are applied to the movable mirrors 26X, 26Y, 26θ, and the reflected beams are transmitted to the interferometers 27X, 27Y, 27θ. Upon receiving the light, the position coordinates of the reticle fine movement stage 23 in the X direction, the Y direction, and the θ rotation direction are measured. These X and Y directions and θ
The position coordinates in the rotation direction are shown in FIG.
Is input to the main control system 50 shown in FIG. The main control system 50 controls the scanning speed of the reticle R in the X direction by driving the electromagnet 21b by the reticle coarse movement stage drive circuit 41 and drives the actuators 25X, 25Y, 25θ by the reticle fine movement stage drive circuit 42. The displacement of the reticle R with respect to the wafer W is controlled.

Referring also to FIG. 3, the wafer W is moved on the wafer base 31 in the XY directions (including the positive direction and the negative direction unless otherwise specified) and the θ rotation direction (the clockwise direction unless otherwise specified). (Including the counterclockwise rotation direction). In the present invention, since the θ rotation of the wafer W has no relation, the description is omitted. An X stage 32 is provided on the wafer base 31, and a Y stage is provided on the X stage 32.
A stage 33 is provided, and reticle R is a Y stage 33
Held on.

As shown in FIG. 3, the X stage 32 is supported by an air guide 31a extending in the X direction on the wafer base 31, and a permanent magnet (not shown) is provided on the back surface thereof. It is moved in the X direction by an electromagnet 31b extending at predetermined intervals along the axis. Y stage 33 is X
Linear guide 32a extending in Y direction on stage 32
, And is moved in the Y direction along the linear guide 32a by the ball screw linear driving device 34. Therefore,
The wafer W moves in the X and Y directions. A linear motor may be used instead of the ball screw linear drive device 34.

As shown in FIG. 3, movable mirrors 35X, 35Yθ are fixed on a Y stage 33, and laser beams from laser interferometers 36X, 36Y, 36θ are
5X, 35Yθ, and the reflected beam is interferometer 3
6X, 36Y and 36θ receive light and the wafer Y stage 33
Are measured in the X direction, the Y direction, and the θ rotation direction. The position coordinates in the X, Y and θ rotation directions are determined by the main control system 50 shown in FIG.
Is input to The main control system 50 controls the scanning speed of the wafer W in the X direction by driving the electromagnet 31b by the wafer X stage drive circuit 43 and drives the ball screw linear drive device 34 to select an exposure area.

For example, when the projection lens PL projects an inverted image at a projection magnification β (for example, 1/4), the reticle R is moved through the reticle coarse movement stage 22 with respect to the illumination area.
In synchronization with scanning at the speed VR in the X direction or the −X direction, the wafer W is moved through the X stage 32 in the −X direction,
Alternatively, scanning is performed at a speed VW in the + X direction. Here, the wafer speed VW is represented by (1 / β) · VR. At this time, the reticle fine movement stage 23 is driven and controlled according to the current position of the wafer W and the current position of the reticle R.

The main control system 50 is provided with first and second processors 51A and 51B, each of which performs processing as shown in FIG. 4 to control the movement of the reticle fine movement stage 23 during slit scan exposure. Processor 51A
Has a memory 51D, and the processor 51B has a memory 51C, and stores calculation results and the like. FIG.
Although the constant velocity control for scanning the coarse movement stage 22 and the wafer X stage 32 in directions opposite to each other is omitted, the control is also performed by the main control system 50.

Referring to FIG. 4, when a control routine of the first processor 51A is started in step S11 by a timer interrupt, an interferometer 27 for detecting the positions RX, RY and Rθ of the reticle fine movement stage 23 in step S12.
X, 27Y, 27θ and the position WX of the Y stage 33,
The position data of the reticle R and the position data of the wafer W are input from the interferometers 36X, 36Y, and 36θ that detect WY and Wθ. In step S13, these position data are
The data is transferred to the processor memory 51C. Step S14
Now, from the first processor 51A to the second processor 51B
Output an interrupt command to After outputting the interrupt command to the second processor 51B, the first processor 51A calculates the deviations .DELTA.RX and .DELTA.RY of the reticle current position with respect to the reticle target position based on the reticle position data RX and RY in step S15. Calculation is performed to calculate drive signals SX and SY for driving the actuators 25X and 25Y in order to remove the deviations ΔRX and ΔRY, and transfer them to the memory 51D.

In step S16, the first processor 5
1A determines whether an interrupt command is output from the second processor 51B. If the result is negative, step S1 is performed until the control routine is terminated and an interrupt command is determined.
At 7, another routine is executed. Step S16
When the output of the interrupt command is determined by the first processor 5
1A starts a data output routine in step S18,
In step S19, the drive signal S is output from the memory 51D.
X, SY, and Sθ are read, and drive signals SX, SY, and Sθ are output to the reticle drive circuit 42 to drive and control the reticle fine movement stage 23. The drive signal Sθ is calculated by the second processor 51B and transferred to the memory 51D as described later.

On the other hand, the second processor 51B is started at a predetermined timing and executes another routine different from the following control routine in step S21. When the interrupt command is output from the first processor 51A, the second processor 51B affirms step S22 and starts the control routine in step S23. In step S24, the position data RX of the reticle R stored in the memory 51C,
RY, Rθ and the position data WX, WY, Wθ of the wafer W are read. Then, a deviation ΔRθ of the reticle current position from the reticle target position is calculated based on the position data, and a PID control calculation is further performed to calculate a drive signal Sθ to the reticle drive circuit 42. Step S2
5, the drive signal Sθ is supplied to the second processor memory 51D.
Is transferred to the first processor 51A in step S26. Then, returning to step S21,
Perform other routines.

The calculation of the displacements ΔX, ΔY, Δθ performed by the first processor 51A and the second processor 51B can be expressed by the following equations.

(Equation 1)

As described above, the second processor 51B is open until an interrupt command is issued from the first processor 51A, and can execute completely different original processing in step S21. For example, it is possible to execute processing for determining whether the stage has reached the limit position, or to execute processing for communicating with a host processor. In addition, since the second processor 51B instructs the first processor 51A to start an interrupt in step S26 and starts processing by the first processor 51A, the first processor 51A receives an interrupt from the second processor 51B. It is open until the command is issued, and it is possible to execute completely different original processing in step S17. Further, the second processor 51B
Is released after outputting the interrupt command of the first processor 51A in step S26,
B can execute completely different original processing in step S21.

In the above, the projection exposure apparatus using two processors has been described. However, the present invention is applicable to various apparatuses other than the projection exposure apparatus as long as the apparatus executes the same arithmetic processing by two or more processors. it can.

[0025]

(1) According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to effectively use the first processor and the second processor to reduce various control times. (2) According to the second aspect of the present invention, in the projection exposure apparatus of the scan exposure system, the first processor and the second processor are effectively used to reduce the time for controlling the fine positioning of the reticle with respect to the wafer position being scanned. And the throughput can be improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a projection exposure apparatus according to the present embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a reticle stage.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a wafer stage.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of processing by the first and second processors;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 22 coarse movement stage 23 fine movement stage 32 X stage 33 Y stage 27X, 27Y, 27θ interferometer 36X, 36Y, 36θ interferometer 50 Main control system 51A First processor 51B Second processor 51C, 51D Memory

Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁶ Identification symbol FI H01L 21/30 516B 525D

Claims (2)

[Claims] A first operation for executing a first operation based on the first data;
A control device, comprising: a processor; and a second processor that executes a second operation based on the first data, and outputs a drive signal for driving a driven device based on a result of the first and second operations. A processor for reading the first data and transferring the first data to a second storage device of the second processor;
An interrupt instruction is issued to the processor, the first operation is executed, the result of the first operation is transferred to the storage device of the first processor, and when the first operation is completed, the other operation is performed until an interrupt instruction is issued from the second processor. The second processor obtains the first data from the second storage device in response to the interrupt command from the first processor, executes a second operation, and executes a first operation of the first processor. Transferring the result of the second operation to a storage device, issuing an interrupt instruction to the first processor, and performing other processing until the interrupt instruction is received from the first processor; Outputting a drive signal for driving the driven device based on a result of the first operation and the second operation stored in the first storage device in response to the interrupt command from the processor. Controller having a plurality of processors to symptoms. 2. A reticle stage that holds a reticle and moves at least in XY and θ directions, a substrate stage that holds a sensitive substrate and moves at least in XY directions, and a reticle position detector that measures the position of the reticle stage. And a substrate position detector for measuring the position of the substrate stage, while scanning the reticle stage and the substrate stage at a constant speed in opposite directions to each other, while measuring the measured position of the reticle stage and the substrate stage. Drive control means for finely controlling the position of the reticle stage in accordance with the position; an illumination optical system for illuminating the reticle; and a projection optical system for projecting and exposing an image of a pattern formed on the reticle to the sensitive substrate. In the projection exposure apparatus described above, the drive control means includes two of the three directions of X, Y, and θ. A first processor for executing a first operation for the fine movement position control in a direction and a second processor for executing a second operation for the fine movement position control in the remaining one direction, wherein the first processor comprises: The position data is read and transferred to the second storage device of the second processor, an interrupt command is issued to the second processor, the first operation is executed, and the result is stored in the first storage device of the first processor 51A. When the first operation is completed, the other processing is performed until an interrupt command is output from the second processor. The second processor receives the interrupt command from the first processor and outputs the same from the second storage device. The position data is obtained, the second operation is executed, the result is transferred to the first storage device, an interrupt command is issued to a first processor, and an interrupt command is issued from the first processor. The first processor executes the other processing until is output, based on the results of the first and second calculations stored in the first storage device by an interrupt command from the second processor A projection exposure apparatus for outputting a drive signal for driving a driven device.