HK1169861B - Exposure apparatus, exposure method and device manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method

The present invention is a divisional application entitled "exposure apparatus, moving body driving system, pattern forming apparatus, and exposure method" having application No. 200880019589.2 and having application date of 2008, 12/29.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus, a movable body drive system, a pattern forming apparatus, an exposure method, and a device manufacturing method, and more particularly, to an exposure apparatus used in a photolithography process when manufacturing electronic devices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display devices, a movable body drive system that measures the position of a movable body using an encoder system, a pattern forming apparatus equipped with the movable body drive system, an exposure method used in a photolithography process, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus or the exposure method.

Background

Conventionally, in a photolithography process for manufacturing electronic devices (microdevices) such as semiconductor devices (integrated circuits and the like) and liquid crystal display devices, a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-repeat method (so-called stepper), a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan method (so-called scanning stepper (also called scanner)), and the like have been mainly used.

When a wafer is exposed by such an exposure apparatus, a portion that is not exposed (i.e., a region that cannot be used as a product (chip)) is generated in the peripheral portion of the wafer. However, the existence of the unexposed portion (region) is a problem in a Chemical Mechanical Polishing (CMP) process used for planarizing the surface of the wafer on which the pattern is formed. Therefore, in the peripheral portion of the wafer, a peripheral exposure is also performed in which a portion that cannot be used as a device is exposed in an irradiation (shot) region (hereinafter, referred to as "peripheral irradiation") that partially protrudes from the effective exposure region (for example, see patent document 1).

However, in performing such a peripheral exposure different from the exposure for transfer-forming the reticle pattern onto the wafer, the productivity is lowered by a considerable amount by the time required for the peripheral exposure.

On the other hand, as a method for improving productivity, various double-wafer stage type exposure apparatuses have been proposed, in which a plurality of wafer stages for holding wafers, for example, 2 stages are provided, and a processing method of simultaneously processing different operations in parallel using the 2 wafer stages is adopted. Recently, a two-stage exposure apparatus using a liquid immersion exposure method has also been proposed (for example, see patent document 2).

However, the device rule (practical minimum line width) has become finer, and accordingly, the exposure apparatus is required to have higher overlay performance. Therefore, the number of sampling shots for Enhanced Global Alignment (EGA) which is the mainstream of wafer alignment is expected to further increase, and even a twin-stage type exposure apparatus may have a reduced productivity.

In an exposure apparatus such as a stepper or a scanner, for example, the position of a stage holding a wafer is generally measured using a laser interferometer. However, with the miniaturization of the pattern due to the high integration of the semiconductor device, the required performance has become more and more strict, and in recent years, the short-term fluctuation of the measurement value due to the air fluctuation caused by the temperature change and/or the influence of the temperature gradient of the ambient atmosphere on the beam path of the laser interferometer has become non-negligible.

Therefore, attention has recently been paid to an encoder having a higher resolution which is less susceptible to air fluctuation than an interferometer, and the inventors have also proposed an exposure apparatus using the encoder for position measurement of a wafer stage or the like (for example, see patent document 3 and the like).

However, in the case where the scale (grating) is provided on the upper surface of the wafer stage as in the exposure apparatus described in the embodiment of patent document 3, since the number of encoder heads is large, the arrangement thereof has almost no freedom and the layout (layout) is very difficult.

[ patent document 1] Japanese patent application laid-open No. 2006-278820

[ patent document 2] specification of U.S. Pat. No. 7,161,659

[ patent document 3] pamphlet of International publication No. 2007/097379

Disclosure of Invention

The 1 st exposure apparatus according to the 1 st aspect of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an exposure beam, comprising: a movable body that holds the object and moves along a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; a measurement system which is disposed apart from an exposure position where the exposure is performed in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and performs a predetermined measurement of the object; and a periphery exposure system which is disposed apart from the measurement system in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and exposes at least a part of an irradiation region around the object.

Accordingly, while the moving body holding the object is moving in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis in the predetermined plane, at least a part of the peripheral irradiation region of the object is exposed by the peripheral exposure system. In this way, the peripheral exposure can be performed in parallel with the movement of the object (moving body) from the measurement system toward the exposure position or the movement of the object (moving body) in the opposite direction (for example, the movement of the moving body from the exposure position to the object replacement position), and unlike the case where the peripheral exposure is performed independently, the productivity is hardly lowered.

The 2 nd exposure apparatus according to the 2 nd aspect of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an exposure beam, comprising: a movable body that can hold an object and moves in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; and a peripheral exposure system which is provided between an exposure position where the exposure is performed and a replacement position of the object which is disposed apart from the exposure position in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis, and exposes at least a part of a peripheral region of the object which is different from a region where the exposure is performed; at least a part of the exposure operation of the peripheral region is performed in parallel with the movement operation of the movable body from one of the exposure position and the replacement position to the other.

According to this exposure apparatus, at least a part of the exposure operation of the peripheral region using the peripheral exposure system is performed in parallel with the movement operation of the movable body from one of the exposure position and the replacement position to the other. Therefore, unlike the case where the peripheral exposure is performed independently, the productivity is hardly lowered.

The 3 rd exposure apparatus according to the 3 rd aspect of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam to form a pattern on the object, comprising: a 1 st moving body that holds an object and moves in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; a 2 nd movable body that holds an object and moves independently of the 1 st movable body within the plane; a mark detection system having a plurality of detection regions having different positions in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, for detecting marks on the object mounted on each of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies; and a control device that detects a plurality of different marks on the object held by one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies by the mark detection system and measures position information of the marks while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis, in parallel with exposure of the object held by the one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies.

Accordingly, in parallel with exposure of the object held by one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, the control device detects a plurality of different marks on the object held by the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis by the mark detection system and measures position information of the marks while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis. Therefore, in parallel with the exposure of the object held by one of the moving bodies, while the other moving body moves in the 1 st axis direction from a position near the plurality of detection regions of the mark detection system (for example, near a position at which the replacement of the object held by the moving body is performed) toward the exposure position, the position information of the plurality of marks, for example, all the marks on the object held by the other moving body can be detected. As a result, productivity and overlay accuracy can be improved.

A 4 th exposure apparatus according to claim 4 of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam to form a pattern on the object, including: a 1 st moving body that holds an object and moves in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; a 2 nd movable body that holds an object and moves independently of the 1 st movable body within the plane; a plane motor for driving the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the plane; and a control device that controls the planar motor, and moves the 1 st moving body to a 1 st replacement position where the 1 st moving body is replaced with the object on the 1 st moving body along a 1 st return path located on one side of an exposure position where exposure is performed in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis when exposure of the object held by the 1 st moving body is completed, and moves the 2 nd moving body to a 2 nd replacement position where the 2 nd moving body is replaced with the object on the 2 nd moving body along a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis when exposure of the object held by the 2 nd moving body is completed.

In this case, the 1 st replacement position and the 2 nd replacement position may be the same or different.

Accordingly, according to the control device, the planar motors that drive the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the plane are controlled, and at the end of exposure of the object held by the 1 st moving body, the 1 st moving body is moved to the 1 st replacement position where replacement of the object on the 1 st moving body is performed along the 1 st return path located on one side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, and at the end of exposure of the object held by the 2 nd moving body, the 2 nd moving body is moved to the 2 nd replacement position where replacement of the object on the 2 nd moving body is performed along the 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis. Therefore, the cables for wiring and piping are attached to the 1 st mobile body from one side in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis and the 2 nd mobile body from the other side in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, whereby the cables can be prevented from being entangled and the length thereof can be shortened as much as possible.

A 5 th exposure apparatus according to claim 5 of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam to form a pattern on the object, including: a 1 st moving body that holds an object and moves in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; a 2 nd movable body that holds an object and moves independently of the 1 st movable body within the plane; a plane motor for driving the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the plane; an optical member that emits the energy beam; a liquid immersion device configured to form a liquid immersion region by supplying a liquid between the optical member and one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies; and a control device that controls the planar motor to switch between an approaching state in which the 1 st moving body and the 2 nd moving body approach each other in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis by a predetermined distance or less and a separating state in which both moving bodies are separated, so that the liquid immersion area is transferred from the one moving body to the other moving body after exposure of the object held by the one moving body is completed, and to move the one moving body separated from the other moving body to a replacement position in which the object on the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies is replaced along a return path located on one side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis.

Here, the approaching state in which the distance is not more than the predetermined distance includes a state in which the 1 st moving body and the 2 nd moving body are brought into contact in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis, that is, a state in which the separation distance between the 1 st moving body and the 2 nd moving body is zero. In the present specification, the same is true when the contact state is explicitly indicated, but in the case where the contact state is not explicitly indicated, the term close state is also used as a concept including the state where the separation distance is zero, that is, the contact state.

Accordingly, the control device controls the planar motor to switch between an approaching state in which the two moving bodies approach each other in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis by a predetermined distance or less and a separating state in which the two moving bodies are separated from each other, and to move the one moving body separated from the other moving body to a replacement position in which the object on the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies is replaced along a return path located on one side of the exposure position in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, in order to move the liquid immersion area from the one moving body to the other moving body after exposure of the object held by the one moving body is completed. Therefore, the moving range of both the moving bodies in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis can be set narrower as compared with a case where one of the moving bodies is moved to the replacement position along the return path located on one side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis and the other moving body is moved to the replacement position along the return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis.

A moving body drive system according to claim 6 of the present invention is a moving body drive system for substantially driving a moving body along a predetermined plane, the moving body drive system including: an encoder system having a head that irradiates detection light to a scale having a 2-dimensional grating in which 1 st and 2 nd directions orthogonal to each other are periodic directions in a plane parallel to the predetermined plane and receives the light from the scale, the encoder system measuring position information of the movable body in at least 2-degree-of-freedom directions in the predetermined plane including the 1 st and 2 nd directions, based on measurement values of the head; and a drive device for driving the movable body along the predetermined plane based on the measurement information of the encoder system.

According to this system, the moving body is driven along the predetermined plane by the driving device based on the measurement information of the encoder system having the head that irradiates the scale including the 2-dimensional grating with the detection light and receives the reflected light from the scale, and the position information of the moving body in the at least 2-degree-of-freedom direction within the predetermined plane including the 1 st and 2 nd directions is measured based on the measurement value of the head. Therefore, compared with the case of using an encoder system including a plurality of one-dimensional heads that measure positional information of the moving body in the 1 st and 2 nd directions, the degree of freedom in the arrangement of the heads can be significantly improved, and the layout can be made easier. For example, the position of the moving body in the 2-degree-of-freedom direction in the plane parallel to the predetermined plane can be measured using only 1 scale.

The pattern forming apparatus according to claim 7 of the present invention includes: a movable body for loading an object and holding the object so as to be movable substantially along a moving surface; patterning means for generating a pattern on the object; and a movable body driving system of the present invention that drives the movable body in order to form a pattern on the object.

Accordingly, by forming a pattern on the object on the movable body driven with good accuracy by the movable body driving system of the present invention by the patterning device, the pattern can be formed on the object with good accuracy.

An exposure apparatus 6 according to claim 8 of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for patterning an object by irradiation with an energy beam, comprising: a patterning device for irradiating the object with the energy beam; and a moving body drive system of the invention; in order to move the energy beam relative to the object, the moving body driving system is used to drive the moving body on which the object is mounted.

Accordingly, the movable body on which the object is mounted is driven with high accuracy by the movable body driving system of the present invention in order to move the object relative to the energy beam irradiated from the patterning device. Therefore, a pattern can be formed on an object with good accuracy by scanning exposure.

The 7 th exposure apparatus according to 9 of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: a movable body which can hold the object and can move substantially along a predetermined plane; a measuring device which measures positional information of the object by disposing a measuring position for irradiating a measuring beam in the predetermined plane in relation to the 1 st direction at a position apart from an exposure position to which the energy beam is irradiated; an encoder system in which scales having a 2-dimensional grating with the 1 st direction as a long side direction are arranged on both sides of the moving body with respect to the 2 nd direction orthogonal to the 1 st direction in the predetermined plane, a pair of head units having a plurality of heads which can face at least 1 head with respect to the 2 nd direction and are positioned at different positions with respect to the 2 nd direction are arranged so as to face the moving body, and position information of the moving body in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane is measured based on outputs of the 2 heads which face the pair of scales simultaneously; and a driving device that drives the movable body based on the positional information of the object measured by the measuring device and the positional information of the movable body measured by the encoder system.

According to this exposure apparatus, the measurement position irradiated with the measurement beam disposed apart from the exposure position in the 1 st direction in the predetermined plane is measured by the measurement device, the position information of the object on the movable body is measured by the encoder system, the position information of the movable body in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane is measured by the encoder system based on the outputs of the 2 heads simultaneously opposed to the 2 (one pair) scales, and the movable body is driven with good accuracy by the drive device based on the position information of the object measured by the measurement device and the position information of the movable body measured by the encoder system. Therefore, the object held by the movable body can be exposed with high accuracy. Further, the layout of the heads and the like is easier than in the case of using an encoder system including a plurality of 1-dimensional heads that measure the positional information of the moving body in the 1 st and 2 nd directions, respectively.

An 8 th exposure apparatus according to 10 of the present invention is an exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: a movable body which can hold the object and can move substantially along a predetermined plane; a measuring device which measures positional information of the object by disposing a measuring position for irradiating a measuring beam in the predetermined plane in relation to the 1 st direction at a position apart from an exposure position to which the energy beam is irradiated; an encoder system in which a pair of scales having a 2-dimensional grating and a 2 nd direction orthogonal to the 1 st direction in the predetermined plane are arranged so as to be capable of facing the moving body, and a plurality of heads which are capable of facing at least 1 head respectively to the pair of scales and are different in position with respect to the 1 st direction are arranged on both sides of the moving body respectively, and which measures positional information of the moving body in a 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane based on outputs of the 2 heads facing the pair of scales simultaneously; and a driving device that drives the movable body based on the positional information of the object measured by the measuring device and the positional information of the movable body measured by the encoder system.

Accordingly, the measuring device measures the position information of the object on the movable body at the measuring position irradiated by the measuring beam disposed in the 1 st direction separated from the exposure position in the predetermined plane, the encoder system measures the position information of the movable body in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane based on the outputs of the 2 heads simultaneously facing the pair of scales, and the driving device drives the movable body with high accuracy based on the position information of the object measured by the measuring device and the position information of the movable body measured by the encoder system. Therefore, the object held by the movable body can be exposed with high accuracy, and the arrangement of the heads on the movable body is easier than in the case of using an encoder system including a plurality of 1-dimensional heads each measuring positional information of the movable body in the 1 st and 2 nd directions.

The method for manufacturing the 1 st device according to the 11 th aspect of the present invention comprises: an operation of exposing the object by using any one of the exposure apparatuses 1 to 8 of the present invention; and an operation of developing the exposed object.

The 1 st exposure method according to the 12 th aspect of the present invention is an exposure method for exposing an object with an exposure beam, including: loading the object on a movable body that moves along a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis that are orthogonal to each other; and exposing at least a part of the peripheral irradiation region of the object while moving the moving body on which the object is mounted in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis, using a peripheral exposure system arranged in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis, which is a measurement system arranged in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis and performing a predetermined measurement on the object while being separated from an exposure position at which the exposure is performed in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis in the predetermined plane.

Accordingly, at least a part of the peripheral irradiation region of the object is exposed by the peripheral exposure system while the moving body on which the object is mounted is moved in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis within the predetermined plane. In this way, the peripheral exposure can be performed in parallel with the movement of the object (moving body) from the measurement system toward the exposure position or the movement of the object (moving body) in the opposite direction (for example, the movement of the moving body from the exposure position to the object replacement position), and unlike the case where the peripheral exposure is performed independently, the productivity is hardly lowered.

The 2 nd exposure method according to the 13 th aspect of the present invention is a method for exposing an object with an exposure beam, comprising: a step of holding an object on a movable body movable in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other; and performing at least a part of the exposure operation of the peripheral region in parallel with the movement operation of the movable body from one of the exposure position and the replacement position to the other, using a peripheral exposure system which is disposed between the exposure position at which the exposure is performed and the replacement position of the object which is disposed apart from the exposure position in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and exposes at least a part of the peripheral region different from the region at which the exposure is performed on the object.

According to this exposure method, at least a part of the exposure operation of the peripheral region using the peripheral exposure system is performed in parallel with the movement operation of the movable body from one of the exposure position and the replacement position to the other. Therefore, unlike the case where the peripheral exposure is performed independently, the productivity is hardly lowered.

The 3 rd exposure method according to the 14 th aspect of the present invention, which exposes an object with an energy beam to form a pattern on the object, includes: and a step of detecting a plurality of different marks on the object held by the other moving body by a mark detection system having a plurality of detection regions whose positions are different with respect to a direction parallel to the 1 st axis while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis, and measuring positional information of the marks, in parallel with an operation of exposing the object held by one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies independently moving in a predetermined plane including the 1 st axis and the 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other.

Accordingly, in parallel with exposure of the object held by one of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies, while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in the direction parallel to the 1 st axis, a plurality of different marks on the object held by the other movable body are detected by a mark detection system (having a plurality of detection regions whose positions are different in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis) and position information thereof is measured. Therefore, in parallel with the exposure of the object to be exposed held by one of the moving bodies, while the other moving body moves in the 1 st axis direction from a position near the plurality of detection regions of the mark detection system (for example, near a position at which the replacement of the object held by the moving body is performed) to the exposure position, the position information of the plurality of marks, for example, all the marks on the object held by the other moving body can be detected. As a result, productivity and overlay accuracy can be improved.

The 4 th exposure method according to the 15 th aspect of the present invention, which exposes an object with an energy beam to form a pattern on the object, includes: and a step of controlling a plane motor for driving a 1 st and a 2 nd moving bodies that respectively hold an object and independently move within a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other, so that the 1 st moving body is moved to a 1 st replacement position where the object on the 1 st moving body is replaced along a 1 st return path located on one side of an exposure position where exposure is performed in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis when exposure of the object held by the 1 st moving body is completed, and the 2 nd moving body is moved to a 2 nd replacement position where the object on the 2 nd moving body is replaced along a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis when exposure of the object held by the 2 nd moving body is completed.

Accordingly, by controlling the plane motors that drive the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the plane, at the end of exposure of the object held by the 1 st moving body, the 1 st moving body moves to the 1 st replacement position where replacement of the object on the 1 st moving body is performed along the 1 st return path located on one side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, and at the end of exposure of the object held by the 2 nd moving body, the 2 nd moving body moves to the 2 nd replacement position where replacement of the object on the 2 nd moving body is performed along the 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis. Therefore, the cables for wiring and piping are attached to the 1 st mobile body from one side in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis and the 2 nd mobile body from the other side in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, whereby the cables can be prevented from being entangled and the length thereof can be shortened as much as possible.

The 5 th exposure method according to the 16 th aspect of the present invention is an exposure method for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: an operation of holding the object by a movable body; and an operation of driving the movable body by the movable body driving system of the present invention to expose the object with the energy beam.

Accordingly, the movable body holding the object is accurately driven by the movable body driving system of the present invention, and the object is exposed by the energy beam, so that the object can be exposed with high accuracy.

The 6 th exposure method according to 17 of the present invention is an exposure method for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: an operation of holding the object by a movable body capable of substantially moving along a predetermined plane; an operation of measuring a measurement position on the moving body, the measurement position being disposed apart from an exposure position on which the energy beam is irradiated in the 1 st direction on the predetermined plane and being irradiated with the measurement beam, and measuring positional information of the object on the moving body; an operation of measuring position information of the movable body in a 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by an encoder system that arranges a pair of scales having a 2-dimensional grating with a 1 st direction as a long side direction on the movable body, separately from a 2 nd direction orthogonal to the 1 st direction in the predetermined plane, and arranges a pair of head units having a plurality of heads that can respectively face at least 1 head from each of the pair of scales and are different in position with respect to the 2 nd direction so as to be able to face the movable body; and an operation of driving the movable body based on the measured position information and the measurement information of the encoder system, and exposing the object with the energy beam.

Accordingly, the position information of the object on the movable body is measured at the measurement position irradiated with the measurement beam disposed in the 1 st direction separated from the exposure position in the predetermined plane, and the position information of the movable body in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane is measured by the encoder system. And the movable body is driven based on the measured position information and the measurement information of the encoder system, and the object is exposed with the energy beam. Therefore, the object can be exposed with high accuracy.

The 7 th exposure method according to 18 of the present invention is an exposure method for exposing an object with an energy beam, comprising: an operation of holding the object by a movable body capable of substantially moving along a predetermined plane; an operation of measuring positional information of an object on the movable body at a measurement position which is disposed apart from an exposure position irradiated with the energy beam in the 1 st direction and at which the energy beam is irradiated, in the predetermined plane; an operation of measuring position information of the movable body in a 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by an encoder system which is arranged so as to be capable of opposing the movable body with a pair of scales having a 2-dimensional grating in which a 2 nd direction orthogonal to the 1 st direction is a long side direction in the predetermined plane, and which is arranged so as to be capable of opposing at least 1 head with respect to the pair of scales and which has a plurality of heads having different positions with respect to the 1 st direction on both sides of the movable body, respectively; the movable body is driven based on the measured position information and the measurement information of the encoder system, and the object is exposed with the energy beam.

Accordingly, the position information of the object on the movable body is measured at the measurement position irradiated with the measurement beam disposed in the 1 st direction separated from the exposure position in the predetermined plane, and the position information of the movable body in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane is measured by the encoder system. And the movable body is driven based on the measured position information and the measurement information of the encoder system, and the object is exposed with the energy beam. Therefore, the object can be exposed with high accuracy.

The method for manufacturing a device 2 according to claim 19 of the present invention comprises: an act of exposing the object to form a pattern by any one of the exposure methods 1 to 7 of the present invention; and developing the object on which the pattern is formed.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a view schematically showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to embodiment 1.

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the wafer stage.

Fig. 3 is a plan view showing the measurement stage.

Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating an interferometer system.

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing the stage device and various measuring devices.

Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the heads, the alignment system, the peripheral exposure unit, and the like of the encoder system.

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of the Z head of the multipoint AF system and the surface position measurement system.

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating an active mask for periphery exposure.

Fig. 9(a) and 9(B) are views for explaining the ON state and the OFF state of the micromirror, respectively.

Fig. 10 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control system in the exposure apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 11 is a view for explaining an irradiation pattern of a wafer.

Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining an alignment irradiation region of a wafer.

Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining a region to be subjected to the peripheral exposure.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing the states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage in a state where the wafer on the wafer stage is exposed by the step-and-scan method.

FIG. 15 is a view showing the states of the two stages at the time of unloading the wafer (when the measurement stage reaches the Sec-BCHK (intermittent) position).

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing the states of the two stages at the time of loading the wafer.

Fig. 17 is a diagram showing the states of the two stages when switching from stage servo control by the interferometer to stage servo control by the encoder (when the wafer stage moves to a position where the first half of the Pri-BCHK processing is performed).

FIG. 18 is a schematic view showing the use of alignment systems AL1, AL2₂、AL2₃And a diagram of states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of detecting the alignment marks attached to the 3 1 st alignment irradiation areas at the same time.

Fig. 19 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage when the process of the first half of the focus calibration is performed.

FIG. 20 shows the use of alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄And a diagram of states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage when the alignment marks attached to the 5 nd alignment irradiation areas are simultaneously detected.

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage when at least one of the processing of the second half of Pri-BCHK and the processing of the second half of focus calibration is performed.

FIG. 22 is a schematic view showing the use of alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄And a diagram of states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of detecting the alignment marks attached to the 5 rd 3 rd alignment irradiation areas at the same time.

FIG. 23 is a schematic view showing the use of alignment systems AL1, AL2₂、AL2₃And a diagram of states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of detecting the alignment marks attached to the 3 th alignment irradiation areas at the same time.

Fig. 24 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of completion of the focus mapping.

Fig. 25(a) to 25(F) are views for explaining the progress of the peripheral exposure.

Fig. 26 is a view showing all the regions exposed by the periphery exposure.

Fig. 27 is a view schematically showing the configuration of an exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 28 is a plan view showing the wafer stage.

Fig. 29 is a plan view showing the arrangement of the stage device and the interferometer provided in the exposure apparatus of fig. 27.

Fig. 30 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a stage device and a sensor unit provided in the exposure apparatus of fig. 27.

FIG. 31 is a top view showing the configuration of the encoder readhead and alignment system.

Fig. 32 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 33 is a diagram for explaining position measurement in the XY plane of the wafer stage and head switching (connection) by a plurality of encoders including a plurality of heads, respectively.

Fig. 34 is a diagram showing an example of the encoder configuration.

Fig. 35 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage when the step-and-scan type exposure is performed on the wafer.

Fig. 36 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of unloading the wafer.

Fig. 37 is a diagram showing states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of wafer loading.

Fig. 38 is a diagram showing the states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage and the arrangement of the encoder heads when switching from stage servo control by the interferometer to stage servo control by the encoder.

Fig. 39 is a diagram for explaining states of the wafer stage and the measurement stage at the time of wafer alignment.

Fig. 40 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a stage device and a sensor unit provided in the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 3.

Fig. 41 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 3.

Fig. 42 is a view schematically showing the configuration of the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 4.

Fig. 43(a) is a side view showing wafer stage WST1 of fig. 42, and fig. 43(B) is a top view showing wafer stage WST 1.

Fig. 44(a) is a side view showing wafer stage WST2 of fig. 42, and fig. 44(B) is a top view showing wafer stage WST 2.

Fig. 45 is a diagram for explaining the arrangement of heads such as an encoder system and a surface position measuring system, which constitute the measuring system provided in the wafer stage device of fig. 42.

Fig. 46 is a diagram for explaining the configuration of an interferometer system constituting the measurement system.

Fig. 47 is a block diagram showing a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 48 is a diagram (1) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 49 is a diagram (fig. 2) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 50 is a diagram (fig. 3) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 51 is a diagram (4) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 52 is a diagram (fig. 5) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 53 is a diagram (fig. 6) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 54 is a diagram (fig. 7) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 55 is a diagram (fig. 8) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 56 is a diagram (fig. 9) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 57 is a diagram (10) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 58 is a diagram (fig. 11) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 59 is a diagram (12) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 60 is a diagram (fig. 13) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 61 is a diagram (fig. 14) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 62 is a diagram (fig. 15) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 63 is a diagram (16) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 64 is a diagram (fig. 17) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 65 is a diagram (18) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 66 is a diagram (fig. 19) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 67 is a diagram (20) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 68 is a diagram (21) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 69 is a diagram (22) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 70 is a diagram (fig. 23) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 71 is a diagram (24) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 72 is a diagram (25) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 73 is a diagram (26) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 74 is a diagram (27) for explaining the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 75 is a diagram (28) illustrating a parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Fig. 76 is a diagram (29) illustrating the parallel processing operation using wafer stages WST1 and WST 2.

Detailed Description

Embodiment 1

Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 1 to 26.

Fig. 1 schematically shows the structure of an exposure apparatus 100 according to a first embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan method, that is, a so-called scanner. As will be described later, the present embodiment is provided with a projection optical system PL, and the following description will be given taking a direction parallel to an optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL as a Z-axis direction, a direction in which a reticle and a wafer are relatively scanned in a plane orthogonal to the Z-axis direction as a Y-axis direction, a direction orthogonal to the Z-axis and the Y-axis as an X-axis direction, and rotational (oblique) directions about the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis as θ X, θ Y, and θ Z directions, respectively.

Exposure apparatus 100 includes illumination system 10, reticle stage RST, projection unit PU, stage device 50 including wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and control systems for these. In fig. 1, wafer W is placed on wafer stage WST.

The illumination system 10, such as disclosed in U.S. patent application publication No. 2003/0025890 and the like, includes a light source and an illumination optical system having an illuminance uniformizing optical system including an optical integrator and the like, and a reticle blind (neither shown). The illumination system 10 illuminates a slit-shaped illumination region IAR on a reticle R defined by a reticle blind (mask system) with illumination light (exposure light) IL at a substantially uniform illuminance. Here, as the illumination light IL, for example, an ArF excimer laser beam (wavelength 193nm) is used.

A reticle R having a circuit pattern or the like formed on its pattern surface (the lower surface in fig. 1) is fixed to the reticle stage RST by, for example, vacuum suction. Reticle stage RST can be driven slightly in the XY plane by reticle stage driving system 11 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 10) including, for example, a linear motor or the like, and can be driven in a predetermined scanning direction (the Y-axis direction, which is the left-right direction in the drawing of fig. 1) at a predetermined scanning speed.

The reticle laser interferometer (hereinafter referred to as "reticle interferometer") 116 always detects positional information (including the position in the θ z direction (hereinafter also referred to as θ z rotation amount or θ z deflection amount) of the reticle stage RST in the XY plane with a resolution of, for example, about 0.25nm by moving the mirror 15 (actually, a Y moving mirror (or retroreflector) having a reflection surface orthogonal to the Y axis direction and an X moving mirror having a reflection surface orthogonal to the X axis direction) at a resolution of, for example, about 0.25 nm. The measurement values of the reticle interferometer 116 are transmitted to the main controller 20 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 10).

Projection unit PU is disposed below reticle stage RST in fig. 1. The projection unit PU includes a lens barrel 40 and a projection optical system PL housed in the lens barrel 40. As the projection optical system PL, for example, a refractive optical system composed of a plurality of optical elements (lens elements) arranged along an optical axis AX parallel to the Z-axis direction is used. The projection optical system PL is, for example, telecentric on both sides and has a predetermined projection magnification (for example, 1/4 times, 1/5 times, or 1/8 times). Therefore, when the illumination area IAR on the reticle R is illuminated by the illumination system 10, a reduced circuit pattern image (a partial reduced circuit pattern image) of the reticle R within the illumination area IAR is formed in an area (hereinafter also referred to as an exposure area) IA, which is a conjugate area with the illumination area IAR on the wafer W disposed on the 2 nd surface (image surface) side of the projection optical system PL and coated with a resist (a sensor), by the projection optical system PL (projection unit PU) with the illumination light IL of the reticle R having a pattern surface substantially aligned with the 1 st surface (object surface) of the projection optical system PL. Then, by synchronously driving reticle stage RST and wafer stage WST, reticle R is relatively moved in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) with respect to illumination area IAR (illumination light IL) and wafer W is relatively moved in the scanning direction (Y-axis direction) with respect to exposure area (illumination light IL), thereby scanning and exposing one irradiation area (divided area) on wafer W to transfer the pattern of reticle R to the irradiation area. That is, in the present embodiment, a pattern is generated on the wafer W by the illumination system 10, the reticle R, and the projection optical system PL, and the pattern is formed on the wafer W by exposure of the sensitive layer (resist layer) on the wafer W with the illumination light IL.

The exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a local liquid immersion apparatus 8 for performing exposure by a liquid immersion method. The local immersion apparatus 8 includes, for example, a liquid supply apparatus 5, a liquid recovery apparatus 6 (both not shown in fig. 1 and see fig. 10), a liquid supply pipe 31A, a liquid recovery pipe 31B, a nozzle (nozzle) unit 32, and the like. As shown in fig. 1, the nozzle unit 32 is suspended and supported by a main frame (mainframe), not shown, which holds the projection unit PU so as to surround the lower end of a lens barrel 40 holding an optical element, here, a lens (hereinafter, also referred to as a "tip lens") 191, which is the closest to the image plane side (wafer W side) constituting the projection optical system PL. In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the lower end surface of the nozzle unit 32 is set to be substantially flush with the lower end surface of the distal end lens 191. The nozzle unit 32 includes a supply port and a recovery port for the liquid Lq, a lower surface of the wafer W disposed opposite to the supply port and provided with a recovery port, and a supply flow path and a recovery flow path connected to the liquid supply tube 31A and the liquid recovery tube 31B, respectively. As shown in fig. 5, the liquid supply tube 31A and the liquid recovery tube 31B are inclined at substantially 45 ° with respect to the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in a plan view (viewed from above), and are parallel to the Y-axis line (reference axis) LV passing through the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, which coincides with the center of the exposure area IA in the present embodiment) and ₀Are arranged symmetrically.

The liquid supply pipe 31A is connected to the liquid supply device 5 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 10), and the liquid recovery pipe 31B is connected to the liquid recovery device 6 (not shown in fig. 1, see fig. 10). Here, the liquid supply device 5 includes a liquid tank (tank) for storing liquid, a pressurizing pump, a temperature control device, a valve for controlling the flow rate of the liquid, and the like. The liquid recovery device 6 includes a liquid tank for storing the recovered liquid, a suction pump, a valve for controlling the flow rate of the liquid, and the like.

The main control device 20 (refer to fig. 10), controls the liquid supply device 5 to supply the liquid Lq between the front end lens 191 and the wafer W through the liquid supply tube 31A, and controls the liquid recovery device 6 to recover the liquid Lq between the front end lens 191 and the wafer W through the liquid recovery tube 31B. At this time, the main control device 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 so that the amount of the supplied liquid Lq and the amount of the recovered liquid Lq are always equal. Therefore, a certain amount of liquid Lq (see fig. 1) is always alternately held between the front end lens 191 and the wafer W, and the liquid immersion area 14 is formed (see fig. 14 and the like). When measurement stage MST is positioned below projection unit PU, which will be described later, immersion area 14 can be formed between front end lens 191 and the measurement stage in the same manner.

In the present embodiment, pure water (hereinafter, referred to as "water" unless otherwise specified) that allows ArF excimer laser beam (light having a wavelength of 193 nm) to transmit therethrough is used as the liquid. The refractive index n of water with respect to the ArF excimer laser beam is approximately 1.44, and the wavelength of the illumination light IL in water is shortened to 193nm × 1/n, which is about 134 nm.

As shown in fig. 1, stage device 50 includes wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST arranged above base plate 12, measurement system 200 (see fig. 10) for measuring positional information of these stages WST and MST, and stage drive system 124 (see fig. 10) for driving stages WST and MST. As shown in fig. 10, the measurement system 200 includes the interferometer system 118, the encoder system 150, the surface position measurement system 180, and the like.

Wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are supported on base plate 12 with a gap of about several μm therebetween by non-contact bearings, not shown, fixed to the respective bottom surfaces, for example, air bearings. Stages WST and MST can be independently driven in the XY plane by a stage driving system 124 (see fig. 10) including, for example, a linear motor.

Wafer stage WST includes a stage main body 91 and a wafer table WTB mounted on stage main body 91. Wafer table WTB and stage main body 91 are driven in a 6-degree-of-freedom direction (X, Y, Z, θ x, θ y, θ Z) with respect to chassis 12 by a drive system including, for example, a linear motor and a Z leveling mechanism (including a voice coil motor and the like) (both not shown).

A wafer holder (not shown) for holding the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is provided at the center of the upper surface of the wafer table WTB. As shown in fig. 2, a plate member (liquid repellent plate) 28 having a rectangular outer shape (contour) and a circular opening which is one turn larger than the wafer holder is formed in the central portion thereof is provided outside the wafer holder (wafer mounting region). The surface of this plate member 28 is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment for the liquid Lq. Further, the plate member 28 is set such that the entire surface (or a part thereof) is flush with the surface of the wafer W.

A plate member 28 having: the liquid ejecting apparatus has a 1 st liquid ejecting region 28a having a rectangular outer shape (outline) with the opening formed at the center thereof, and a 2 nd liquid ejecting region 28b having a rectangular frame shape provided around the 1 st liquid ejecting region 28 a. In the present embodiment, since water is used as the liquid Lq as described above, the 1 st and 2 nd liquid repellent regions 28a and 28b are hereinafter also referred to as the 1 st and 2 nd water repellent plates 28a and 28b, respectively.

A measurement plate 30 is provided at the + Y-side end of the 1 st water paddle 28 a. The measurement plate 30 is provided with a reference mark FM at the center, and a pair of aerial image measurement slit (slit) patterns (slit-shaped measurement patterns) SL are provided so as to sandwich the reference mark FM. A light-transmitting system (not shown) for guiding illumination light IL transmitted through each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL to the outside of wafer stage WST (a light-receiving system provided on measurement stage MST described later) is provided corresponding to each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL.

The 2 nd water-repellent plate 28b is divided into one side and the other side in the X-axis direction (left-right direction in the paper plane in FIG. 2) on the upper surfaceRespectively provided with a Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂. Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂Each of the gratings is composed of a reflection type grating (for example, a diffraction grating) having a periodic direction of a Y-axis direction, in which grating lines 38 having a longitudinal direction of an X-axis direction are arranged in a direction (Y-axis direction) parallel to the Y-axis at a predetermined pitch.

Similarly, an X scale 39X is formed on one side and the other side of the upper surface of the 2 nd water paddle 28b in the Y axis direction (vertical direction in the paper surface of fig. 2)₁、39X₂. X Scale 39X₁、39X₂Each of the gratings is composed of a reflection type grating (for example, a diffraction grating) having a periodic direction of the X-axis direction, in which grating lines 37 having a longitudinal direction of the Y-axis direction are arranged in a direction (X-axis direction) parallel to the X-axis at a predetermined pitch. Each scale is produced by scribing the scale of the diffraction grating on, for example, a thin plate glass at a pitch of, for example, 138nm to 4 μm, for example, at a pitch of 1 μm. These scales are covered with the liquid repellent film (water repellent film). Also, in fig. 2, the pitch of the grating is shown to be much larger than the actual pitch for ease of illustration. The same applies to other figures. In order to protect the diffraction grating, the surface of the glass plate having a low thermal expansion coefficient and water repellency may be covered with the diffraction grating at the same height (surface position) as the surface of the wafer. Here, as the glass plate, a glass plate having a thickness about the same as that of the wafer, for example, a thickness of 1mm can be used.

Further, near the end of each scale, a positioning pattern (not shown) for determining a relative position between an encoder head (head) and the scale, which will be described later, is provided. The positioning pattern is formed by, for example, grating lines of different reflectivity, and the intensity of the output signal of the encoder changes when the encoder read head scans over the positioning pattern. Therefore, a threshold value is predetermined, and a position where the intensity of the output signal exceeds the threshold value is detected. The relative position between the encoder head and the scale is set based on the detected position.

As shown in fig. 2, 4, and the like, a reflection surface 17a and a reflection surface 17b used in an interferometer system described later are formed on the-Y end surface and the-X end surface of wafer table WTB.

As shown in fig. 1, measurement stage MST includes a stage main body 92 driven by a linear motor or the like, not shown, in the XY plane, and a measurement table MTB mounted on stage main body 92. Measurement stage MST is configured to be driven in at least 3 degrees of freedom (X, Y, θ z) relative to chassis 12 by a drive system (not shown).

In fig. 10, a stage drive system 124 is shown that includes a drive system for wafer stage WST and a drive system for measurement stage MST.

Various measuring members are provided on measuring table MTB (and stage main body 92). As shown in fig. 3, for example, an uneven illuminance sensor 94, an aerial image measuring instrument 96, a wavefront aberration measuring instrument 98, an illuminance monitor (not shown), and the like are provided as the measuring means. Further, a pair of light receiving systems (not shown) are provided on the stage main body 92 in an arrangement facing the pair of light transmitting systems (not shown). In the present embodiment, the following aerial image measuring apparatus 45 (see fig. 10) is configured: in a state (including a contact state) in which wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are close to each other within a predetermined distance in the Y-axis direction, illumination light IL transmitted through each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL of measurement plate 30 on wafer stage WST is guided by each light-transmitting system (not shown), and is received by the light-receiving elements of each light-receiving system (not shown) in measurement stage MST.

As shown in fig. 3, a reference rod (hereinafter, simply referred to as "FD rod") 46 extends in the X-axis direction on the-Y-side end surface of the measurement table MTB. The FD lever 46 is dynamically supported on the measurement stage MST by a full-dynamic mount structure. Since the FD lever 46 is a standard (measurement standard), an optical glass ceramic having a low thermal expansion coefficient, for example, Zerodur (trade name) of seidel corporation, or the like is used as a material thereof. In the vicinity of one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the FD lever 46, reference gratings (for example, diffraction gratings) 52 are formed in a symmetrical arrangement with respect to the center line CL, respectively, with the Y-axis direction as the periodic direction. A plurality of reference marks M are formed on the upper surface of the FD lever 46. As each reference mark M, for example, a 2-dimensional mark having a size detectable by a primary alignment system or a secondary alignment system described later is used. Further, the surface of the FD lever 46 and the surface of the measurement table MTB are also covered with a liquid-repellent film (water-repellent film).

Reflection surfaces 19a and 19b (see fig. 3) similar to wafer table WTB are formed on the + Y-side end surface and the-X-side end surface of measurement table MTB.

As shown in FIG. 6, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment has the reference axis LV₀The primary alignment system AL1 is provided with a detection center at a position spaced a predetermined distance from the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL) to the-Y side. Primary alignment system AL1 is secured under a main frame, not shown. The primary alignment system AL1 is interposed between the two plates, and the detection center thereof is provided on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction with respect to the reference axis LV ₀Secondary alignment system AL2 configured to be substantially symmetrical₁、AL2₂And AL2₃、AL2₄. Secondary alignment system AL2₁～AL2₄The drive mechanism 60 may be fixed to a lower surface of a main frame (not shown) by a movable support member (not shown)₁～60₄The relative positions of these detection regions are adjusted in the X-axis direction (see fig. 10). A straight line (reference axis) LA passing through the detection center of the primary alignment system AL1 and parallel to the X axis shown in fig. 6 and the like coincides with the optical axis of the measured-length beam B6 from the interferometer 127 described later.

In the present embodiment, the alignment systems (AL1, AL 2) are used as the alignment systems₁～AL2₄) For example, a Field Image Alignment (FIA) system in an Image processing system is used. From each alignment system AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The imaging signal (2) is supplied to the main control device 20 via a signal processing system (not shown).

Next, the configuration and the like of interferometer system 118 (see fig. 10) for measuring positional information of wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST will be described.

Interferometer system 118, as shown in FIG. 4, includes position measurement of wafer stage WSTY interferometer 16, X interferometers 126, 127, and 128, and Z interferometers 43A and 43B for use, and Y interferometer 18 and X interferometer 130 for measuring the position of measurement stage MST, and the like. The Y interferometer 16 and the 3X interferometers 126, 127, 128 irradiate interferometer beams (measuring beams) B4 (B4) on the reflection surfaces 17a, 17B of the wafer table WTB, respectively ₁、B4₂)、B5(B5₁、B5₂) B6, B7. Then, Y interferometer 16 and 3X interferometers 126, 127, and 128 receive the reflected lights thereof, measure positional information of wafer stage WST in the XY plane, and supply the measured positional information to main control apparatus 20.

Here, for example, X-interferometer 126 would include a pair of side-measuring beams B5₁、B5₂At least 3 length measuring beams parallel to the X axis (symmetrical about a straight line (reference axis LH (see fig. 5, etc.)) passing through optical axis AX of projection optical system PL (also coinciding with the center of exposure area IA in the present embodiment) and parallel to the X axis are irradiated onto reflection surface 17 b. Further, Y interferometer 16 will include a pair of measured length beams B4₁、B4₂(with respect to the aforementioned reference axis LV₀Symmetrical) and at least 3 length measuring beams parallel to the Y axis of B3 (see fig. 1) are irradiated on the reflecting surface 17a and the movable mirror 41 described later. As described above, in the present embodiment, a multi-axis interferometer having a plurality of longitudinal axes is used as each interferometer, in addition to a part (for example, interferometer 128). Therefore, main controller 20 calculates X, Y position of wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) based on the measurement results of Y interferometer 16 and X interferometer 126 or 127, and also calculates position in θ X direction (hereinafter also appropriately referred to as θ X rotation (or θ X rotation amount) or pitch (or pitch)), position in θ Y direction (hereinafter also appropriately referred to as θ Y rotation (or θ Y rotation amount) or roll (or roll)), and θ z rotation (that is, yaw).

As shown in fig. 1, a movable mirror 41 having a concave reflecting surface is attached to the-Y side surface of the stage body 91. As is clear from fig. 2, the length of the movable mirror 41 in the X axis direction is set longer than the reflection surface 17a of the wafer table WTB.

A pair of Z interferometers 43A and 43B (see fig. 1 and 4) is provided opposite to the movable mirror 41. The Z interferometers 43A and 43B irradiate respective fixed mirrors 47A and 47B fixed to, for example, a main frame (not shown) for supporting the projection unit PU with 2 equal-length beams B1 and B2 via the movable mirror 41. And respectively receive the reflected light, and measure the optical path length of the length measuring light beams B1 and B2. From the result, main controller 20 calculates the position of wafer stage WST in the 4-degree-of-freedom (Y, Z, θ y, θ z) direction.

In the present embodiment, the position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB) in the XY plane (including the rotation information in the θ z direction) is mainly measured using an encoder system described later. Interferometer system 118 is used when wafer stage WST is located outside the measurement area of the encoder system (e.g., near unloading position UP and loading position LP shown in fig. 5 and the like). In addition, the correction device is used as a backup when correcting (correcting) long-term variations in the measurement results of the encoder system (for example, due to temporal deformation of the scale) or when the output of the encoder system is abnormal. Of course, interferometer system 118 and encoder system may be used together to control the position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB).

As shown in fig. 4, Y interferometer 18 and X interferometer 130 of interferometer system 118 irradiate interferometer beams (measurement beam) onto reflection surfaces 19a and 19b of measurement table MTB and receive the reflected light of the interferometer beams, thereby measuring positional information of measurement stage MST (for example, including at least the position in the X-axis and Y-axis directions and rotation information in the θ z direction), and supply the measurement result to main control device 20.

Next, the configuration of encoder system 150 (see fig. 10) that measures positional information (including rotation information in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST in the XY plane will be described. The main components of encoder system 150 have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0088843.

In exposure apparatus 100, as shown in fig. 5, 4 head units 62A, 62B, 62C, and 62D are arranged on the + X side, the + Y side, and the-X side of nozzle unit 32, and on the-Y side of primary alignment system AL1, respectively. Head units 62E and 62F are provided on the-Y side of head units 62C and 62A, respectively, at substantially the same Y position as primary alignment system AL 1. The head units 62A to 62F are fixed in a suspended state by support members to a main frame (not shown) that holds the projection unit PU.

As shown in fig. 6, the head unit 62A is disposed on the + X side of the nozzle unit 32, and includes: a plurality of (4 in this case) Y heads 65 arranged on the reference axis LH at intervals WD in the X-axis direction ₂～65₅And a Y head 65 disposed at a position on the-Y side of the nozzle unit 32 at a predetermined distance from the reference axis LH in the-Y direction₁. Here, the Y head 65₁、65₂The interval in the X-axis direction of (b) is also set to be substantially equal to WD. As shown in fig. 6, the head unit 62C is configured to be bilaterally symmetrical to the head unit 62A and is disposed about the reference axis LV₀Is symmetrical. The head unit 62C has a reference axis LV₀And Y head 65₅～65₁5Y read heads 64 in a symmetrical configuration₁～64₅. Hereinafter, the Y head 65 is appropriately set₁～65₅、64₁～64₅Also referred to as Y heads 65, 64, respectively.

The head unit 62A is configured by: using the Y scale 39Y₁A multi-eye (here, 5-eye) Y linear encoder (hereinafter, appropriately referred to simply as "Y encoder" or "encoder") 70A (see fig. 10) that measures the position (Y position) of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB) in the Y-axis direction. Similarly, the head unit 62C constitutes: using the Y scale 39Y₂Multi-eye (here, 5-eye) Y encoder 70C (see fig. 10) that measures the Y position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB). Here, 5Y heads 64 provided in head units 62C and 62A, respectively_i、65_jThe distance WD in the X-axis direction between adjacent Y heads (more precisely, the irradiation points on the scale of the measuring beam emitted by each Y head) among (i, j ═ 1 to 5) is set to be larger than that of the Y scale 39Y ₂、39Y₁The width in the X-axis direction (correctly, the length of the grating lines 38) is slightly narrower. Therefore, at the time of exposure or the like, 5Y heads 65 are provided each_j、64_iIn which at least 1 of the heads is always associated with a corresponding Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂Are opposite.

As shown in fig. 6, the head unit 62B is disposed on the + Y side of the nozzle unit 32 (projection unit PU), and includes the reference axis LV₀A plurality of, here 4, X heads 66 arranged at intervals WD in the Y-axis direction₅～66₈. The head unit 62D is disposed on the-Y side of the primary alignment system AL1, and is provided on the reference axis LV₀A plurality of, here 4, X heads 66 arranged at intervals WD₁～66₄. Hereinafter, the X head 66 is appropriately set₁～66₈Also referred to as the X read head 66.

The head unit 62B is configured by: using the X scale 39X₁A multi-eye (here, 4-eye) X linear encoder (hereinafter, simply referred to as "X encoder" or "encoder") 70B (see fig. 10) that measures the position (X position) of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB) in the X-axis direction. The head unit 62D includes: using the X scale 39X₂Multi-eye (here, 4-eye) X linear encoder 70D (see fig. 10) that measures the X position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB).

Here, the 4X heads 66 provided in the head units 62B and 62D, respectively₁～66₄、66₅～66₈The distance WD in the Y-axis direction between the intermediate and adjacent X heads 66 (precisely, the irradiation point on the scale of the measuring beam emitted by the X head) is set to be larger than the X scale 39X ₁、39X₂Has a narrow width in the Y-axis direction (to be precise, the length of the grating lines 37). Therefore, at the time of exposure, wafer alignment, or the like, at least 1 head of the 4X heads 66, that is, 8X heads 66, provided in the head units 62B and 62D, respectively, always corresponds to the corresponding X scale 39X₁Or 39X₂Are opposite. X head 66 closest to the-Y side in head unit 62B₅And the X read head 66 closest to the + Y side in the read head unit 62D₄The interval between the heads is set to be narrower than the width of wafer table WTB in the Y-axis direction so that the 2X heads can be switched (connected) by the movement of wafer stage WST in the Y-axis direction.

Read head unit 62E, as shown in FIG. 6Shown disposed in a secondary alignment system AL2₁Has 3Y heads 67 arranged on the reference axis LA at substantially the same intervals as the intervals WD₁～67₃And a secondary alignment system AL2 disposed at a predetermined distance from the reference axis LA in the + Y direction₁Y read head 67 of + Y side₄. Here, the Y head 67₃、67₄The interval in the X-axis direction between them is also set to WD. Hereinafter, the Y head 67 is described₁～67₄Also appropriately described as the Y read head 67.

A head unit 62F for the reference axis LV₀Symmetrical to the head unit 62E, and provided with the 4Y heads 67₄～67₁About a reference axis LV ₀4Y read heads 68 in a symmetrical configuration₁～68₄. Hereinafter, the Y head 68₁～68₄Also appropriately described as the Y read head 68.

Y head 67 during alignment operation described later and the like_p、68_qAt least 1 of (p, q 1-4) respectively faces the Y scale 39Y₂、39Y₁. A Y head 67_p、68_q(i.e., by these Y read heads 67)_p、68_qY encoders 70E and 70F) configured to measure the Y position (and θ z rotation) of wafer stage WST.

In the present embodiment, the secondary alignment system AL2 is used for reference line measurement of the secondary alignment system described later₁、AL2₄Y head 67 adjacent in the X-axis direction₃、68₂Respectively opposed to a pair of reference gratings 52 of the FD rod 46, and passed through a Y head 67 opposed to the pair of reference gratings 52₃、68₂The Y position of the FD lever 46 is measured at the position of each reference grating 52. Hereinafter, the Y head 67 is defined as the one that faces the pair of reference gratings 52₃、68₂The constituent encoders are referred to as Y encoders 70E₂、70F₂And for identification, the Y scale 39Y is opposite to the Y scale₂、39Y₁Y encoders 70E and 70F of the Y heads 67 and 68 are referred to as Y encoder 70E₁、70F₁。

The measured values of the encoders 70A to 70F are supplied to the main control device 20, and the main control device 20 controls the encoders 70A to 70D based on 3 or 70B, 70D, and 70E₁、70F₁Controls the XY in-plane position of wafer stage WST, and is based on encoder 70E ₂、70F₂Controls the θ z-direction rotation (yaw) of FD lever 46 (measurement stage MST).

In fig. 5, measurement stage MST is not shown, and a liquid immersion area formed by water Lq held between measurement stage MST and tip lens 191 is indicated by reference numeral 14. In fig. 5, reference symbols UP and LP denote reference axes LV₀An unloading position for unloading the wafer from wafer table WTB and a loading position for loading the wafer onto wafer table WTB are set to be symmetrical. The unloading position UP and the loading position LP may be set to the same position.

As shown in fig. 5 and 7, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a multi-point focal position detection system (hereinafter, simply referred to as "multi-point AF system") 90 of an oblique incidence type including an irradiation system 90a and a light receiving system 90b, which has the same configuration as that disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,448,332. In the present embodiment, as an example, the irradiation system 90a is disposed on the + Y side of the-X end of the head unit 62E, and the light receiving system 90b is disposed on the + Y side of the + X end of the head unit 62F in a state opposed thereto. The multi-spot AF system 90 is fixed under a main frame for holding the projection unit PU.

The plurality of detection points of the multi-point AF system 90(90a, 90b) are arranged on the detection surface at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction. In the present embodiment, the plurality of detection points are arranged in a matrix form of, for example, one row with M columns (M is the total number of detection points) or 2 rows with N columns (N is M/2). In fig. 5 and 7, the plurality of detection points to which the detection beams are respectively applied are not individually shown, but are shown as an elongated detection area (beam area) AF extending in the X-axis direction between the irradiation system 90a and the light receiving system 90 b. Since the length of the detection area AF in the X axis direction is set to be approximately equal to the diameter of the wafer W, the Z axis direction position information (surface position information) of the substantially entire surface of the wafer W can be measured by scanning the wafer W only once in the Y axis direction.

As shown in FIG. 7, the detection regions AF of the multi-point AF system 90(90a, 90b) are near both end portions thereof so as to be positioned with respect to the reference axis LV₀The heads 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d of a pair of Z position measuring surface position sensors (hereinafter, simply referred to as "Z heads") are arranged symmetrically. The Z heads 72a to 72d are fixed under a main frame, not shown.

As the Z heads 72a to 72d, for example, heads of optical displacement sensors similar to optical pickups (pick up) used in CD drives and the like are used. Z heads 72a to 72d irradiate wafer table WTB with a measuring beam from above, and receive the reflected light thereof to measure the surface position of wafer table WTB at the irradiation point. In the present embodiment, the measuring beam of the Z head is the measuring beam constituting the Y scale 39Y ₁、39Y₂The reflection type diffraction grating of (1).

Further, as shown in fig. 6 and 7, the head units 62A and 62C are provided with 5Y heads 65 respectively_j、64_i(i, j 1-5) the same X position, but shifted by Y position, and 5Z heads 76_j、74_i(i, j ═ 1 to 5). Here, 3Z heads 76 respectively belonging to the outer sides of head units 62A, 62C₃～76₅、74₁～74₃The reference axis LH is arranged parallel to the reference axis LH at a predetermined distance in the + Y direction from the reference axis LH. The innermost Z heads 76 belonging to the head units 62A and 62C, respectively₁、74₅Disposed on the + Y side of the projection unit PU, and the remaining Z heads 76₂、74₄Are respectively arranged at the Y read head 65₂、64₄the-Y side of (1). Further, 5Z heads 76 belonging to the head units 62A, 62C, respectively_j、74_iArranged relative to each other about a reference axis LV₀Is symmetrical. Further, as each Z head 76_j、74_iThe head of the optical displacement sensor is used as the Z heads 72a to 72 d.

5Z heads 76 provided in head units 62A and 62C, respectively_j、74_iThe X-axis direction interval between the middle and adjacent Z heads (precisely, the irradiation point on the scale of the measurement beam emitted by each Z head) is set to be equal to the X-axis direction interval WD of the Y heads 65 and 64. Therefore, at the time of exposure or the like, with the Y head 65_j、64_iLikewise, 5 each Z heads 76 _j、74_iOf which at least 1 each always corresponds to a corresponding Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂Are opposite.

The Z heads 72a to 72d and 74₁～74₅、76₁～76₅As shown in fig. 10, the signal processing selection device 160 is connected to the main control device 20. The main controller 20 slave Z heads 72a to 72d, 74 via the signal processing selector 160₁～74₅、76₁～76₅Selects an arbitrary Z head to be in an operating state, and receives surface position information detected by the Z head in the operating state by the signal processing and selecting device 160. In the present embodiment, the Z heads 72a to 72d and 74 are included₁～74₅、76₁～76₅And signal processing selection device 160 constitute a surface position measurement system 180 for measuring positional information of wafer stage WST in the Z-axis direction and in the tilt direction with respect to the XY plane.

As shown in fig. 5, the exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment is provided with a peripheral exposure unit 51 extending in the X-axis direction between the detection area (beam area) AF of the multipoint AF system and the head units 62C and 62A. The peripheral exposure unit 51 is supported in a suspended state by a support member, not shown, on a lower surface of a main frame, not shown.

The peripheral exposure unit 51 has: a light source (not shown) that emits light having substantially the same wavelength as the illumination light IL, and a peripheral exposure active mask (hereinafter, appropriately referred to simply as an active mask) 51a (see fig. 8) that receives the light from the light source. Instead of the light from the light source, the illumination light IL may be guided to the active mask 51a by using an optical fiber, for example.

As shown in fig. 5, the length of the peripheral exposure unit 51 (active mask 51a) is set to be slightly longer than the diameter of the wafer W. As shown in fig. 8, the active mask 51a includes a pair of variable shape masks VM1 and VM2 at both ends in the X-axis direction, for example.

As each of the variable shaping masks VM1 and VM2, for example, a mask including a plurality of micromirrors M arranged in a matrix in the XY plane is used_ij(see fig. 9(a) and 9 (B)). The micromirror array is formed by forming movable micromirrors by MEMS technology on an integrated circuit fabricated by CMOS process. Each micro-mirror M_ijThe mirror surface (reflection surface) may be tilted by a predetermined angle range ± θ (θ is, for example, 3 degrees (or 12 degrees)) around a predetermined axis (for example, an axis coinciding with a diagonal line of the micromirror), and the electrode provided under the mirror surface may be driven to have 2 states of "ON" (-) and "OFF" (+ -) respectively. That is, each variable shape mask includes: substrate as base, movable micro-mirror M formed on the substrate_ijAnd an electrode for turning ON/OFF the micromirrors.

Each micro-mirror M_ijIn accordance with the drive signal supplied to the electrode, for example, the state (or posture) in which the light from the light source is reflected toward the wafer W as shown in fig. 9 a and the state (or posture) in which the light from the light source is reflected in a predetermined direction in which the light is not incident on the wafer W as shown in fig. 9B are set. Hereinafter, the former is referred to as a micromirror M _ijON state (or ON posture), the latter being referred to as micro-mirror M_i，jOFF state (or OFF posture).

Main control device 20 for controlling each micromirror M_ijThe ON state (or the ON posture) and the OFF state (or the OFF posture) are individually controlled. Therefore, according to peripheral exposure unit 51 of the present embodiment, wafer stage WST is moved in the Y-axis direction in a state where the center in the X-axis direction of wafer W and the center in the longitudinal direction of peripheral exposure unit 51 substantially coincide with each other, whereby arbitrary positions in the vicinity of both ends in the X-axis direction of wafer W can be exposed to light and formed arbitrarilyAnd (4) designing a pattern. That is, the peripheral exposure unit 51 can form 2 shot regions for exposing the periphery divided in the X-axis direction, and can change its position at least in the X-axis direction.

Fig. 10 shows a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus 100. The control system is mainly composed of a main control device 20 composed of a microcomputer (or a workstation) which integrates the entire control device. In fig. 10, the uneven illuminance sensor 94, the aerial image measuring instrument 96, the wavefront aberration measuring instrument 98, and the like are collectively shown as a sensor group 99 by various sensors provided on the measurement stage MST.

Next, a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST in exposure apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to fig. 14 to 24. In the following operation, the main control device 20 controls the opening and closing of the valves of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 of the local immersion device 8 in the manner described above, so that the emission surface side of the front end lens 191 of the projection optical system PL is always filled with water. However, in the following description, the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 will not be described for ease of understanding. Note that the following description of the operation is made using a plurality of drawings, but some members in the drawings are denoted by symbols, and some members are not denoted by symbols. That is, although the reference numerals are different in each drawing, the drawings have the same configuration regardless of the presence or absence of the reference numeral. The same applies to the drawings used in the above description.

Before the parallel processing operation is described, the size and arrangement of the shot regions formed on the wafer W to be exposed, that is, the shot pattern (shot map) of the wafer W, and the like will be described. A top view of the wafer W is shown in fig. 11. The effective exposure area (the inner area corresponding to the circular outer shape in FIG. 11) of the wafer W coated with the resist is divided into a plurality of irradiation areas Sj (in FIG. 11, j is 1 to 76). For example, the irradiation region Sj is 2 irradiation regions in which 2 identical devices (chips) are to be formed, respectively.

In the present embodiment, it is assumed that 16 shot regions (S2, S4, S6, S18, S20, S22, S24, S26, S51, S53, S55, S57, S59, S71, S73, and S75) blacked out in fig. 12 are designated by an operator as a sampling shot region (aligned shot region) for wafer alignment (EGA: Enhanced global alignment). Among the 16 sampling irradiation regions, 3 irradiation regions (S71, S73, S75) are the 1 st (first) alignment irradiation region, 5 irradiation regions (S51, S53, S55, S57, S59) are the 2 nd (second) alignment irradiation region, 5 irradiation regions (S18, S20, S22, S24, S26) are the 3 rd (third) alignment irradiation region, and 3 irradiation regions (S2, S4, S6) are the 4 th (fourth) alignment irradiation region.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 13, of the 12 peripheral irradiation regions (S1, S7, S8, S16, S17, S27, S50, S60, S61, S69, S70, and S76) of the wafer W, the edge-side half regions (S1a, S7a, S8a, S16a, S17a, S27a, S50a, S60a, S61a, S69a, S70a, and S76a) are each a peripheral exposure target region (hereinafter referred to as a peripheral exposure region).

The parallel processing operation using the two stages WST and MST described below is performed in the same order as the parallel processing operation disclosed in, for example, wo 2007/097379 (and U.S. patent application publication No. 2008/0088843 corresponding thereto), except for the peripheral exposure.

Fig. 14 shows a state in which step-and-scan exposure is performed on wafer W placed on wafer stage WST. This exposure is performed by repeating the following operations based on the results of wafer Alignment (EGA) or the like performed before the start: the wafer stage WST is moved between shots to a scanning start position (acceleration start position) for performing exposure of each shot on the wafer W, and the pattern formed on the reticle R is transferred to the scanning exposure of each shot by the scanning exposure method. The exposure is performed in order from the irradiation region located on the-Y side to the irradiation region located on the + Y side on the wafer W. The process is performed in a state where the liquid immersion area 14 is formed between the projection unit PU and the wafer W.

In the above exposure, the XY plane position of wafer stage WST (including the position in the θ z direction (θ z rotation)) is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement results of 3 encoders in total of 2Y encoders 70A and 70C and one of 2X encoders 70B and 70D. Here, the 2X encoders 70B, 70D are respectively opposed to the X scale 39X₁、39X₂2X heads 66, and 2Y encoders 70A, 70C each facing the Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂And Y heads 65 and 64. The Z position and θ y rotation (rolling) of wafer stage WST are based on Z heads 74 belonging to head units 62C and 62A, respectively, which face one side and the other side in the X-axis direction of the front surface of wafer table WTB_i、76_jIs controlled. The θ x rotation (pitch) of wafer stage WST is controlled based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 16. The Z head 74 is also included_i、76_jWhen 3 or more Z heads face the surface of the 2 nd water-repellent plate 28b of the wafer table WTB, the Z head 74 may be used_i、76_jAnd the measurement values of the other 1Z heads, the Z-axis direction position, the θ y rotation (roll), and the θ x rotation (pitch) of wafer stage WST are controlled. In any case, control of the Z-axis direction position, θ y rotation, and θ x rotation of wafer stage WST (i.e., focus leveling control of wafer W) is performed based on the result of focus mapping performed in advance.

At the position of wafer stage WST shown in fig. 14, X head 66 is present₅(shown encircled by a circle in FIG. 14) subtends an X scale 39X₁But not to the X scale 39X₂X read head 66. Therefore, main controller 20 controls the position (X, Y, θ z) of wafer stage WST using 1X encoder 70B and 2Y encoders 70A and 70C. Here, when wafer stage WST moves from the position shown in fig. 14 in the-Y direction, X head 66₅Off X scale 39X₁(not opposed any more), and instead, the X read head 66₄(shown surrounded by a dotted circle in FIG. 14) is opposed to an X scale 39X₂. Therefore, main controller 20 switches to position (and speed) control of wafer stage WST using 1X encoder 70D and 2Y encoders 70A and 70C (so as to control the position (and speed)Hereinafter, the stage control is appropriately referred to).

When wafer stage WST is located at the position shown in fig. 14, Z head 74₃、76₃(shown encircled by circles in FIG. 14) respectively oppose the Y scales 39Y₂、39Y₁. Therefore, the main controller 20 uses the Z head 74₃、76₃Position (Z, θ y) control of wafer stage WST is performed. Here, when wafer stage WST moves from the position shown in fig. 14 in the + X direction, Z head 74₃、76₃Separate from the corresponding Y scale, and instead, the Z readhead 74₄、76₄(shown surrounded by a dotted circle in the figure) respectively oppose the Y scales 39Y ₂、39Y₁. Then, the main controller 20 switches to use the Z head 74₄、76₄The stage control of (2).

As described above, main controller 20 performs stage control by continuously switching the encoder and the Z head to be used, based on the position coordinates of wafer stage WST.

The position (X, Y, Z, θ x, θ y, θ z) of wafer stage WST using interferometer system 118 is always measured independently from the position measurement of wafer stage WST using the measuring instruments. Here, the X position and the θ Z rotation amount (yaw amount) of wafer stage WST are measured using X interferometers 126, 127, or 128 constituting interferometer system 118, the Y position, the θ X rotation amount, and the θ Z rotation amount are measured using Y interferometer 16, and the Y position, the Z position, the θ Y rotation amount, and the θ Z rotation amount are measured using Z interferometers 43A and 43B. X interferometers 126, 127 and 128 are arbitrarily 1 for use according to the Y position of wafer stage WST. In the exposure, as shown in fig. 14, an X interferometer 126 is used. The measurement result of interferometer system 118 is used for position control of wafer stage WST in addition to the pitch amount (θ x rotation amount), in an auxiliary manner, in a backup (back up) mode described later, in a mode in which measurement using encoder system 150 and/or surface position measurement system 180 is not possible, or the like.

When exposure of wafer W is completed, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST toward unload position UP. At this time, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, which were originally separated from each other in the exposure, come into contact with each other or approach each other with a separation distance of about 300 μm, and move to a parallel (scrub) state. Here, the-Y side of FD lever 46 on measurement table MTB is in contact with or close to the + Y side of wafer table WTB. When this parallel state is maintained, both stages WST and MST move in the-Y direction, and thereby the liquid immersion area 14 formed under the projection unit PU moves onto the measurement stage MST. For example, fig. 15 and 16 show the state after the movement.

When wafer stage WST further moves in the-Y direction and moves out of the effective stroke area (the area where wafer stage WST moves during exposure and wafer alignment), all the X heads, Y heads, and all the Z heads of surface position measurement system 180 that constitute encoder system 150 move out of the corresponding scales on wafer table WTB. Therefore, stage control based on the measurement results of encoder system 150 and surface position measurement system 180 cannot be performed. Therefore, immediately before stage control based on the measurement results of encoder system 150 and surface position measurement system 180 is not performed, main controller 20 switches from stage control based on the measurement results of both systems 150 and 180 to stage control based on the measurement result of interferometer system 118. Here, the X interferometer 128 of the 3X interferometers 126, 127, 128 is used.

Thereafter, as shown in fig. 15, wafer stage WST is released from being arranged in parallel with measurement stage MST, and moves to unload position UP. After the movement, main controller 20 removes wafer W on wafer table WTB. Next, as shown in fig. 16, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST in the + X direction and moves it to loading position LP, and then loads next wafer W on wafer table WTB.

In parallel with these operations, the main controller 20 performs Sec-BCHK (secondary reference line inspection) that performs the following operations: position adjustment of FD lever 46 supported by measurement stage MST in XY plane, and 4 secondary alignment systems AL2₁～AL2₄Is measured from a reference line. Sec-BCHK was performed intermittently at each wafer change. Here, in order to measure the amount of θ z rotation of the FD lever 46, the aforementioned Y encoder 70E is used₂、70F₂。

Next, as shown in fig. 17, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST to position reference mark FM on measurement board 30 within the detection field of primary alignment system AL1, and determines alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The first half of Pri-BCHK (primary reference line inspection) of the reference position of the reference line measurement of (1).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 17, 2Y heads 68₂、67₃And 1X read head 66₁(shown surrounded by circles in the figure) and a Y scale 39Y ₁、39Y₂And X scale 39X₂Are opposite. Then, the main control device 20 switches from the interferometer system 118 to the encoder system 150 (encoder 70E)₁、70F₁70D) stage control. In addition to the measurement of the θ x rotation amount of wafer stage WST, interferometer system 118 is used secondarily again. Further, an X interferometer 127 out of the 3X interferometers 126, 127, 128 is used.

Next, main controller 20 starts movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction while managing the position of wafer stage WST based on the measurement values of the 3 encoders, and moves to a position for detecting the alignment marks attached to the 3 1 st alignment irradiation areas.

Then, when wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in fig. 18, main controller 20 stops wafer stage WST. Before that, main controller 20 Operates (ON) Z heads 72a to 72d at or before the time point when all or part of Z heads 72a to 72d face wafer table WTB, and starts measurement of the Z position and the tilt amount (θ y rotation amount) of wafer stage WST.

After wafer stage WST is stopped, main control device 20 uses primary alignment system AL1 and secondary alignment system AL2₂、AL2₃The alignment marks (see the star marks in fig. 18) attached to the 3 1 st alignment irradiation regions are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 3 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used ₂、AL2₃The detection result and the 3 codes during the detectionThe encoder measurements are stored in a memory not shown in association with each other.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the movement to the contact state (or the proximity state) of measurement stage MST and wafer stage WST is completed at the position where the alignment mark detection of the 1 st alignment irradiation region is performed, and from this position, the movement of both stages WST and MST in the contact state (or the proximity state) in the + Y direction (the step movement toward the position for detecting the alignment mark attached to the 5 2 nd alignment irradiation regions) is started by main control device 20. Before starting the movement of both stages WST and MST in the + Y direction, main controller 20 starts irradiation of wafer table WTB with the detection beams of multipoint AF systems (90a and 90b) as shown in fig. 18. Accordingly, a detection area of the multi-spot AF system is formed on wafer table WTB.

Then, when both stages WST and MST reach the positions shown in fig. 19 while both stages WST and MST move in the + Y direction, main controller 20 performs a process for determining the center line of wafer table WTB and reference axis LV₀The first half of the focus Calibration (CALIBRATION) is performed based on the relationship between the measured values of Z heads 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d in the matched state (surface position information of one side and the other side of wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction) and the detection result (surface position information) of the surface of measurement plate 30 measured by multipoint AF systems (90a and 90 b). At this time, the liquid immersion area 14 is formed on the FD lever 46.

Next, when the two stages WST and MST are further moved in the + Y direction while maintaining the contact state (or the close state) and reach the positions shown in fig. 20, 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The alignment marks attached to the 5 2 nd alignment shot regions are detected substantially simultaneously and individually (see the star marks in fig. 20), and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detection results of (a) are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with the measurement values of the 3 encoders that are measuring the position of the wafer stage WST in the XY plane at the time of the detection. At this time, the main controller 20 is controlled based on the X scale 39X₂Opposing X read head 66₂(X Linear encoder 70D)) And Y linear encoder 70E₁、70F₁Controls the position of wafer stage WST in the XY plane.

After the detection of the alignment marks attached to the 5 nd alignment irradiation areas is completed, main controller 20 starts the movement of both stages WST and MST in the contact state (or the close state) in the + Y direction again, and starts a focus map for detecting position information (surface position information) of the front surface of wafer W in the Z axis direction using Z heads 72a to 72d and the multi-spot AF systems (90a and 90b) as shown in fig. 20.

Then, after the start of the focus mapping, main controller 20 uses Y linear encoder 70E to determine the position of both stages WST and MST shown in fig. 21 ₁、70F₁The measured Y position of wafer stage WST controls each of micromirrors M of 2 variable shaping masks VM1, VM2 constituting peripheral exposure unit 51 individually_ijThereby, as shown in fig. 25(a), 25(B), and 25(C), the peripheral exposure regions S70a and S76a, S61a and S69a, S50a and S60a are sequentially exposed. In this case, the main controller 20 can form a predetermined pattern by blanket-exposing each peripheral exposure region using the peripheral exposure unit 51.

Next, when both stages WST and MST reach a position where measurement plate 30 shown in fig. 21 is disposed directly below projection optical system PL, main controller 20 switches the Z head for controlling the position (Z position) of wafer stage WST in the optical axis direction of projection optical system PL to Z head 74 without switching it to Z head 74_i、76_jIn the case of (3), the latter half of the focus calibration described below is performed while the Z position control of wafer stage WST (measurement plate 30) with reference to the surface position information measured by Z heads 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d is continued. That is, main controller 20 uses aerial image measuring device 45 while controlling the position (Z position) of measurement plate 30 (wafer stage WST) in the optical axis direction of projection optical system PL based on the surface position information measured by using Z heads 72a to 72d, for example, pamphlet of international publication No. 2005/124834 (and U.S. patent application corresponding thereto) Specification 2008/030715) or the like, an aerial image of a measurement mark formed on a mark plate, not shown, on reticle stage RST is measured, and the best focus position of projection optical system PL is determined based on the measurement result. Main controller 20, in the Z-direction scanning measurement, synchronously with the output signal from aerial image measuring device 45, extracts a pair of Z heads 74 for measuring the surface position information of one side and the other side of wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction₃、76₃Is measured. And will correspond to the Z head 74 at the best focus position of the projection optical system PL₃、76₃The values of (c) are stored in a memory not shown. In the second half of the focus calibration, the position (Z position) of the measurement plate 30 (wafer stage WST) in the optical axis direction of the projection optical system PL is controlled with reference to the surface position information measured by the Z heads 72a to 72d, because the second half of the focus calibration is performed in the middle of the focus image.

The main controller 20 performs the following second half processing of Pri-BCHK in succession to the second half processing of the focus calibration. That is, main controller 20 measures projection images (aerial images) of a pair of measurement marks on reticle R projected by projection optical system PL by a slit scanning type aerial image measuring operation using a pair of aerial image measuring slit patterns SL using aerial image measuring device 45, as in the method disclosed in, for example, U.S. patent application publication No. 2002/0041377, and stores the measurement results (aerial image intensities corresponding to XY positions of wafer table WTB) in a memory. In the latter half of the Pri-BCHK process, the position of the wafer table WTB in the XY plane is determined on the basis of the X scale 39X ₂Opposing X read head 66₄(encoder 70D) and Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂Opposing 2Y heads 67₃、68₂(encoder 70E)₁、70F₁) (or Y read head 65)_j、64_i(encoders 70A, 70C)).

The main controller 20 calculates a reference line of the primary alignment system AL1 from the results of the first half of the Pri-BCHK processing and the results of the second half of the Pri-BCHK processing. At the same time, the main control device 20 obtains an offset (offset) at a representative detection point of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) from the results of the first half and second half of the focus calibration, and stores the offset in the internal memory. Then, when reading out the mapping information obtained as a result of the focus mapping at the time of exposure, the main controller 20 adds an offset to the mapping information.

In the state of fig. 21, the focus map is continuously performed.

When wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in fig. 22 due to the movement of both stages WST and MST in the contact state (or the close state) in the + Y direction, main controller 20 stops wafer stage WST at the position, and continues to move measurement stage MST in the + Y direction. Next, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The alignment marks (see the star marks in FIG. 22) attached to the 5 3 rd alignment irradiation regions are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used ₁～AL2₄The detection results of (a) are stored in an internal memory in association with the measured values of the above-mentioned 3 encoders at the time of the detection. Also at this point in time, focus mapping continues.

On the other hand, after a predetermined time has elapsed since the stop of wafer stage WST, measurement stage MST and wafer stage WST move from the contact (or close) state to the separated state. After the shift to the separated state, main controller 20 stops measurement stage MST at the exposure start waiting position when it reaches the exposure start waiting position waiting until the exposure start.

Next, main controller 20 starts movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction to detect the position of the alignment mark attached to the 3 th alignment irradiation area. At this time, focus mapping is continued. On the other hand, measurement stage MST waits at the exposure start waiting position.

After the focus calibration is finished, the two stages WST and MST starts moving in the + Y direction, and the main controller 20 moves from the Y linear encoder 70E to the position shown in FIG. 23₁、70F₁The measured Y position of wafer stage WST controls each of micromirrors M of 2 variable shaping masks VM1, VM2 constituting peripheral exposure unit 51 individually_ijThereby, as shown in fig. 25(D) and 25(E), the peripheral exposure regions S17a and S27a, S8a and S16a are sequentially exposed. In this case, the main controller 20 may use the peripheral exposure unit 51 to expose the entire peripheral exposure regions, or may form a predetermined pattern.

Next, when wafer stage WST reaches the position shown in fig. 23, main control device 20 immediately stops wafer stage WST and uses primary alignment system AL1 and secondary alignment system AL2₂、AL2₃The alignment marks (see the star marks in fig. 23) of the 3 4 th alignment shot regions attached to the wafer W are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 3 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₂、AL2₃And 4 encoders (e.g. 70E) used for the detection₁、70E₂70B, 70D) are stored in a memory not shown in the figure in association with the measured values of the 3 encoders. At this time, the focus mapping is also continuously performed, and the measurement stage MST is kept waiting at the exposure start waiting position. Then, the main controller 20 performs a statistical operation disclosed in, for example, japanese patent laid-open No. 61-044429 using the detection results of the total of 16 alignment marks obtained in this manner and the measurement values of the corresponding encoders, and calculates the positions of all the irradiated regions on the wafer W at the 4 encoders 70E of the encoder system₁、70E₂Arrangement information (coordinate values) on a coordinate system defined by the measurement axes of the sensors 70B, 70D.

Next, main controller 20 continues to perform focus mapping while moving wafer stage WST in the + Y direction again. During the movement of wafer stage WST in the + Y direction, main control device 20 responds to the movement from Y linear encoder 70E ₁、70F₁The measured Y position of wafer stage WST, which constitutes peripheral exposure unit 51, is controlled individuallyEach micromirror M of the 2 variable shaping masks VM1, VM2_ijThereby, as shown in fig. 25(F), the peripheral exposure regions S1a and S7a are sequentially exposed. In this case, the main controller 20 may use the peripheral exposure unit 51, and may expose the entire peripheral exposure regions to light, or may form a predetermined pattern. Accordingly, the exposure of the periphery of the wafer W is completed, and as shown in fig. 26, the peripheral exposure regions S1a, S7a, S8a, S16a, S17a, S27a, S50a, S60a, S61a, S69a, S70a, and S76a are exposed regions, respectively.

Next, wafer stage WST is moved further in the + Y direction, and when the detection beams from multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b) are deviated from the surface of wafer W as shown in fig. 24, the focus map is ended.

Thereafter, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST to a scanning start position (exposure start position) for performing exposure of the 1 st irradiation on wafer W, and switches the Z head for controlling the Z position and θ y rotation of wafer stage WST from Z heads 72a to 72d to Z head 74 while maintaining the Z position, θ y rotation, and θ x rotation of wafer stage WST during the movement _i、74_j. After the switching, main controller 20 immediately follows the results of the wafer alignment (EGA) and the latest 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The reticle pattern is sequentially transferred to a plurality of irradiation regions on the wafer W by performing step-and-scan exposure using a liquid immersion exposure method. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated.

As described above in detail, according to exposure apparatus 100 of the present embodiment, while wafer stage WST is linearly moved in the Y-axis direction, surface position information of the surface of wafer W is detected by multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b) in which a plurality of detection points are set at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction, and a plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2 are arranged in a line in the X-axis direction from the detection areas₁～AL2₄Alignment marks at positions different from each other on the wafer W are detected, and further, the periphery of the wafer W is exposed using the periphery exposure unit 51. That is, wafer stage WST (wafer W) passes through the multi-spot AF system only in a straight lineA plurality of detection points (detection areas AF) of the systems (90a, 90b), a plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The detection of the surface position information of the substantially entire surface of the wafer W, the detection of all alignment marks to be detected on the wafer W (for example, the alignment marks of the alignment irradiation region in the EGA), and the exposure of the periphery of the wafer W are completed by 3 operations below the detection region and the periphery exposure unit 51. Therefore, the productivity can be significantly improved as compared with the case where the detection operation of the alignment mark, the detection operation of the surface position information (focus information), and the peripheral exposure operation are performed independently (separately). That is, since the time required for the peripheral exposure operation can be made to substantially overlap the wafer alignment operation time, the peripheral exposure operation hardly causes a reduction in productivity.

Further, according to the present embodiment, it is possible to measure the positional information of wafer table WTB in the XY plane with high accuracy without being affected by air fluctuation or the like by encoder system 150 including encoders 70A to 70F and the like having excellent short-term stability of measurement, and it is possible to use encoder system including Z heads 72a to 72d, 74 and the like₁～74₅And 76₁～76₅The surface position measurement system 180 measures the position information of the wafer table WTB in the Z-axis direction orthogonal to the XY plane with high accuracy without being affected by air fluctuation or the like. In this case, both encoder system 150 and surface position measurement system 180 directly measure the upper surface of wafer table WTB, and therefore, the position of wafer table WTB and wafer W can be controlled easily and directly.

In the present embodiment, at the time of the focus mapping, the main controller 20 operates the surface position measuring system 180 and the multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b) simultaneously, and converts the detection result of the multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b) into data based on the measurement result of the surface position measuring system 180. Therefore, by obtaining the converted data in advance and then measuring only the positional information of wafer table WTB in the Z-axis direction and the positional information of the wafer table WTB in the tilt direction with respect to the XY plane by surface position measuring system 180, the surface position of wafer W can be controlled without obtaining the surface positional information of wafer W. Therefore, in the present embodiment, although the working distance between the front end lens 191 and the front surface of the wafer W is narrow, the focus leveling control of the wafer W at the time of exposure can be performed with good accuracy particularly without hindrance.

Further, according to the present embodiment, as described above, since the surface position of wafer table WTB and hence wafer W can be controlled with high accuracy, high-accuracy exposure can be performed with little exposure error due to surface position control error, and thus an image of a pattern can be formed on wafer W without causing image blurring due to defocus.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the plurality of Y heads 64 and 65 are arranged at intervals in the X axis direction with the Y axis direction as the measurement direction, which is shorter than the Y scale 39Y₁、39Y₂Has a smaller width in the X-axis direction, and the arrangement interval in the Y-axis direction of the plurality of X heads 66 with the X-axis direction as the measurement direction is smaller than that of the X scale 39X₁、39X₂Has a narrow width in the Y-axis direction. Therefore, when wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) is moved, it is possible to switch a plurality of Y heads 64 and 65 in order and align Y scale 39Y with each other₁Or 39Y₂The Y position of wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) is measured by the measurement value of Y linear encoder 70A or 70C that irradiates detection light (light beam), and in parallel with this, the plurality of X heads 66 are switched sequentially while the X scale 39X is aligned₁Or 39X₂The X position of wafer table WTB (wafer stage WST) is measured by the measurement value of X linear encoder 70B or 70D that irradiates detection light (light beam).

In the above-described embodiment, the alignment systems (AL1, AL 2) are shown as examples, which are disposed apart in the Y-axis direction from the exposure position (the position below the projection unit PU where the liquid immersion area 14 is formed) where the wafer W is exposed₁～AL₄) And the multi-spot AF system 90 and the peripheral exposure unit 51, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, alignment systems (AL1, AL 2)₁～AL2₄) And one of the multipoint AF systems 90 may not be disposed at the above-described location. In this case, in order to perform wafer measurement using the other measuring apparatus, wafer stage WST can be oriented in the Y-axis direction with respect to the exposure positionThe periphery of the wafer is exposed while moving upward. Therefore, the time required for the peripheral exposure can be overlapped with other processing time, so that the productivity can be improved.

Alternatively, the alignment system (AL1, AL 2) may not be used₁～AL2₄) And a multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) are arranged at the above positions. In this case, however, a measuring device for performing some kind of measurement on the wafer is disposed in the alignment system (AL1, AL 2)₁～AL₄) And a multipoint AF system (90a, 90 b).

In the above embodiment, the following is exemplified: a pair of Y scales 39Y for measuring the Y-axis direction position of wafer stage WST ₁、39Y₂And a pair of X scales 39X for measuring the position in the X-axis direction₁、39X₂Provided on wafer table WTB, and corresponding thereto, a pair of head units 62A, 62C are arranged on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction with projection optical system PL interposed therebetween, and 2 head units 62B, 62D are arranged on one side and the other side in the Y-axis direction with projection optical system PL interposed therebetween. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the Y scale 39Y for measuring the Y-axis position may be used₁、39Y₂And an X scale 39X for measuring the position in the X-axis direction₁、39X₂At least one of the pair of head units 62A and 62C and at least one of the pair of head units 62B and 62D may be provided on wafer table WTB so as to be only 1 instead of a pair, or only 1 of the pair of head units 62A and 62C and the pair of head units 62B and 62D may be provided. The extending direction of the scale and the extending direction of the head unit are not limited to orthogonal directions such as the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction in the above-described embodiments, and may be directions intersecting each other.

In the above embodiment, the head units 62A to 62D include a plurality of heads arranged at predetermined intervals, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a single head including a light source that emits a light beam to a region extending in a long and narrow pitch direction of the Y scale or the X scale, and a plurality of light receiving elements that receive reflected light (diffracted light) of the light beam on the Y scale or the X scale (diffraction grating) and are arranged without a gap in the pitch direction of the Y scale or the X scale may be used.

In the above-described embodiments, the present invention is applied to a system including wafer stage WST, measurement stage MST, and alignment system (AL1, AL 2)₁～AL2₄) The case of all the exposure apparatuses such as the multipoint AF systems (90A, 90b), the Z sensor, the interferometer system 118, and the encoder systems (70A to 70F) has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is also applicable to an exposure apparatus not provided with the measurement stage MST and the like. The present invention can be applied to any configuration part as long as it includes a wafer stage (moving body) and a part other than the wafer stage in the above-described configuration parts. That is, the alignment system (AL1, AL 2) may be used as long as the alignment system is away from the exposure position where the wafer W is exposed₁～AL₄) And a measuring device for measuring the wafer is provided at the same position as the multipoint AF systems (90a, 90 b).

In the above embodiment, the peripheral exposure unit 51 is disposed in the alignment system (AL1, AL 2) as an example (the embodiments are not limited to the embodiments described above)₁～AL₄) (and the multi-point AF systems (90a, 90b)) on the projection unit PU side, but the invention is not limited thereto, and the peripheral exposure units may be disposed on the alignment systems (AL1, AL 2)₁～AL₄) (and multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b)) on the unloading position UP and loading position LP sides.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the peripheral exposure of wafer W is performed in the course of advancing wafer stage WST from loading position LP to exposure position (projection unit PU) has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the peripheral exposure may be performed in the course of advancing from exposure position (projection unit PU) to unloading position UP, or the peripheral exposure of one wafer may be performed in both the course and the course.

In the above embodiment, the case of using the peripheral exposure unit 51 capable of irradiating 2 irradiation regions separated in the X axis direction for peripheral exposure is exemplified, but the configuration of the peripheral exposure unit is not limited to this. However, it is preferable that the plurality of irradiation regions of the peripheral exposure unit are variable in position at least in the X-axis direction, as in the peripheral exposure unit 51.

In the above embodiment, the following description is made: wafer stage WST (wafer W) passes through a plurality of detection points (detection areas AF) of multipoint AF systems (90a, 90b) and a plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2 only in a straight line₁～AL2₄The detection of the surface position information of the substantially entire surface of the wafer W, the detection of all the alignment marks to be detected on the wafer W, and the peripheral exposure of the wafer W are completed 3 operations below the detection area and the peripheral exposure unit 51. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and only at least a part of the peripheral exposure operation may be performed in parallel with the movement of wafer stage WST (wafer W) from the loading position to the exposure position. In this case, when at least a part of the measurement operations (including the detection of the mark) is performed in parallel, the productivity can be further improved. That is, it is sufficient that at least a part of the peripheral exposure operation is performed while wafer stage WST (wafer W) is moving from the loading position to the exposure position, and other matters are not essential.

In the above embodiment, the measurement system 200 includes both the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150, but is not limited to this, and the measurement system may include only one of the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150.

EXAMPLE 2 embodiment

Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described below with reference to fig. 27 to 39.

Fig. 27 schematically shows the structure of an exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2. The exposure apparatus 500 is a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan method, a so-called scanner.

Exposure apparatus 500 includes illumination system 10, reticle stage RST, projection unit PU, stage apparatus 50 including wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, and control systems for these. In fig. 27, wafer W is mounted on wafer stage WST. The exposure apparatus 500 has the same configuration as the exposure apparatus 100 of embodiment 1, except that a wafer table WTB' is used instead of the wafer table WTB and the configuration of the encoder system 150 is different from the exposure apparatus 100 of embodiment 1. Hereinafter, the description will be mainly focused on the differences, and the same reference numerals are given to the same or equivalent components as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted. For simplification of description, the configuration related to the peripheral exposure and focus leveling control of the wafer W will not be described.

As in embodiment 1, stage device 50 includes wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST arranged on base plate 12, as shown in fig. 27. Stage device 50 further includes: a measurement system 200 for measuring the position information of both stages WST and MST, and a stage drive system 124 for driving both stages WST and MST (both not shown in fig. 27, see fig. 32). As shown in fig. 32, the measurement system 200 includes an interferometer system 118, an encoder system 150, and the like.

Wafer stage WST includes a stage main body 91 and a wafer table WTB' mounted on stage main body 91. Wafer table WTB' and stage main body 91 are driven in a 6-degree-of-freedom direction (X, Y, Z, θ x, θ y, θ Z) with respect to chassis 12 by a drive system including, for example, a linear motor and a Z leveling mechanism (including a voice coil motor).

A wafer holder (not shown) for holding the wafer W by vacuum suction or the like is provided at the center of the upper surface of the wafer table WTB'. As shown in fig. 28, a plate member (liquid-repellent plate) 28' having a rectangular outer shape (contour) and a circular opening slightly larger than the wafer holder is formed at the center is provided outside the wafer holder (wafer mounting region). The surface of the plate member 28' is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment for the liquid Lq. Further, the plate member 28' is set such that all or a part of the surface thereof is flush with the surface of the wafer W.

Plate 28' is located at the center of wafer table WTB in the X-axis direction, and includes: a 1 st liquid repellent region 28a ' having a rectangular outer shape (outline) in which the circular opening is formed at the center thereof, and a pair of 2 nd liquid repellent regions 28b ' having a rectangular shape located at the + X side end and the-X side end of wafer table WTB with this 1 st liquid repellent region 28a ' therebetween in the X axis direction. In embodiment 2, since water is used as the liquid Lq for immersion, the 1 st and 2 nd liquid repellent regions 28a 'and 28 b' are hereinafter also referred to as the 1 st and 2 nd water repellent plates 28a 'and 28 b', respectively.

A measurement plate 30 is provided near the + Y-side end of the 1 st water paddle 28 a', and a reference mark FM and a pair of aerial image measurement slit patterns (slit-shaped measurement patterns) SL sandwiching the reference mark FM are formed on the measurement plate 30. A light transmission system (not shown) for guiding illumination light IL transmitted through the aerial image measurement slit patterns SL to the outside of wafer stage WST, specifically, to the light receiving system (not shown) provided in measurement table MTB (and stage main body 92) is provided corresponding to each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL. That is, in embodiment 2, illumination light IL transmitted through each aerial image measurement slit pattern SL of measurement plate 30 on wafer stage WST is guided by each light transmission system (not shown) and received by the light receiving elements of each light receiving system (not shown) in measurement stage MST in a state where wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are close to each other within a predetermined distance in the Y axis direction (including a contact state) (see fig. 32).

A moving scale for an encoder system described later is formed on the pair of 2 nd water-repellent plates 28 b'. Specifically, the pair of 2 nd water paddle 28B' has movement scales 39A and 39B formed thereon, respectively. The movement scales 39A and 39B are each constituted by a reflection type two-dimensional diffraction grating in which a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction and a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction are combined, for example. The pitch of the grating lines of the two-dimensional diffraction grating is set to, for example, 1 μm in both the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction. In fig. 28, the pitch of the grating is shown to be larger than the actual pitch for convenience of illustration. The same applies to other figures.

In this case, it is also effective to cover the diffraction grating with a glass plate having water repellency, for example, a low thermal expansion coefficient, as described above.

Further, in the vicinity of the end of the moving scale of each 2 nd water paddle 28 b', a positioning pattern, not shown, having the same configuration as described above is provided to determine the relative position between the encoder head and the moving scale, which will be described later.

As shown in fig. 28, a reflection surface 17a and a reflection surface 17b are formed on the-Y end surface and the-X end surface of wafer table WTB'. As shown in fig. 29, the Y interferometer 16 and the 3X interferometers 126 to 128 of the interferometer system 118 (see fig. 32) irradiate the reflection surfaces 17a and 17B with interferometer beams (measuring beams) B4 ₁、B4₂、B5₁、B5₂B6, B7, etc. Y interferometer 16 and 3X interferometers 126 to 128 receive the respective reflected lights, measure positional information of wafer stage WST in the XY plane, and supply the measured positional information to main control device 20. In embodiment 2, main controller 20 may calculate not only the X, Y position of wafer table WTB' (wafer stage WST) but also rotation information in the θ X direction (i.e., pitch), rotation information in the θ Y direction (i.e., roll), and rotation information in the θ z direction (i.e., yaw) based on the measurement results of Y interferometer 16 and X interferometer 126 or 127.

As shown in fig. 27, a movable mirror 41 having a concave reflecting surface is attached to the-Y side surface of the stage main body 91.

The pair of Z interferometers 43A and 43B constituting a part of the interferometer system 118 irradiate the fixed mirrors 47A and 47B with 2 length measuring beams B1 and B2, respectively, via the movable mirror 41, and receive the reflected light beams, thereby measuring the optical path lengths of the length measuring beams B1 and B2. From the result, main controller 20 calculates the position of wafer stage WST in the 4-degree-of-freedom (Y, Z, θ y, θ z) direction.

In embodiment 2, positional information (including rotation information in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') in the XY plane is measured mainly by using an encoder system 150 (see fig. 32) described later. Interferometer system 118 is used when wafer stage WST is located outside the measurement area of the encoder system (e.g., near unload position UP or load position LP shown in fig. 30). In addition, the encoder system is used as a backup when long-term fluctuations in measurement results of the encoder system (for example, due to temporal deformation of a scale) are corrected (corrected), or when the output of the encoder system is abnormal. Of course, interferometer system 118 and encoder system may be used together to control the position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB').

In fig. 32, a drive system for wafer stage WST and a drive system for measurement stage MST are also shown as stage drive system 124.

As shown in fig. 30 and 31, the exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2 is disposed on a reference axis LV₀And a primary alignment system AL1 having a detection center at a position separated by a predetermined distance from the optical axis AX to the-Y side. The primary alignment system AL1 is interposed between the detection centers of the detection centers and the reference axis LV on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction₀Secondary alignment system AL2 configured to be substantially symmetrical₁、AL2₂And AL2₃、AL2₄。

Next, the configuration of encoder system 150 (see fig. 32) for measuring positional information (including rotation information in the θ z direction) in the XY plane of wafer stage WST will be described.

In the exposure apparatus 500, as shown in fig. 30, a pair of head units 62A 'and 62B' are arranged on the + X side and the-X side of the nozzle unit 32. These head units 62A ', 62B' are fixed in a suspended state by a support member to a main frame (not shown) that holds the projection unit PU.

As shown in fig. 31, the head units 62A 'and 62B' each include: a plurality of (4 here) 2-dimensional heads (hereinafter, simply referred to as "heads" or "2D heads") 165 arranged at intervals WD on a reference axis LH ₂～165₅And 164₁～164₄And a head 165 disposed at a position on the-Y side of the nozzle unit 32 at a predetermined distance from the reference axis LH in the-Y direction₁And 164₅. Further, a head 165₁、165₂And a read head 164₄、164₅The interval in the X-axis direction is also set toWD. The read head 165 is then switched as necessary₁～165₅And a read head 164₁～164₅Also described as read head 165 and read head 164, respectively.

The head unit 62A' is constituted by: a multi-eye (here, 5-eye) XY linear encoder (hereinafter, simply referred to as "XY encoder" or "encoder" as appropriate) 170A (see fig. 32) for measuring the X-axis direction position (X position) and the Y-axis direction position (Y position) of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') using moving scale 39A described above. Also, the head unit 62B' constitutes: multi-eye (here, 5-eye) XY encoder 170B (see fig. 32) for measuring the X position and the Y position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') using moving scale 39B. Here, the X-axis direction interval WD of the 5 heads 165 and 164 (more precisely, the irradiation points on the moving scale of the measuring beams (encoder beams) emitted by the heads 165 and 164) provided in the head units 62A 'and 62B' is set to be slightly narrower than the X-axis direction width of the moving scales 39A and 39B. Here, the width of the movement scale refers to the width of the diffraction grating (or the formation region thereof), and more precisely, refers to a range in which position measurement can be performed by the head.

In embodiment 2, as shown in fig. 30, head units 62C 'and 62D' are provided on the-Y side of the head units 62B 'and 62A' at predetermined distances, respectively. The head units 62C 'and 62D' are fixed to a main frame (not shown) that holds the projection unit PU in a suspended state by support members.

As shown in fig. 31, the head unit 62C' includes: at the secondary alignment system AL2₁3 heads 167 arranged on reference axis LA at substantially the same interval as interval WD on-X side thereof₁～167₃And a secondary alignment system AL2 spaced from the reference axis LA by a predetermined distance in the + Y direction₁The + Y side of the head 167₄. Further, a head 167₃、167₄The interval in the X-axis direction between them is set to be slightly narrower than WD.

The head unit 62D' is about the aforementioned reference axis LV₀Symmetrical to the head unit 62C', and has a reference axis LV₀And aboveThe 4 read heads 167₄～167₁Symmetrically arranged 4 read heads 168₁～168₄. Hereinafter, the reading head 167 is optionally₁～167₄And a read head 168₁～168₄Also referred to as read head 167 and read head 168, respectively.

At least 1 of the heads 167 and 168 faces the moving scales 39B and 39A, respectively, during the alignment operation or the like. That is, at least 1 of the measuring beams (encoder beams) emitted from the heads 167 and 168 is always irradiated on the moving scales 39B and 39A. The X position, Y position, and θ z rotation of wafer stage WST are measured by heads 167 and 168 (i.e., XY encoders 170C and 170D configured by heads 167 and 168).

In embodiment 2, the secondary alignment system AL2 is used for reference line measurement of the secondary alignment system₁、AL2₄Reading head 167 adjacent in the X-axis direction₃、168₂A pair of reference gratings 52 facing the FD rod 46, respectively, are formed by a head 167 facing the pair of reference gratings 52₃、168₂The Y positions of the FD rods 46 are measured with the positions of the reference gratings 52, respectively. Hereinafter, the reference grating 52 is formed by the heads 167 facing the pair of reference gratings 52₃、168₂The constituent encoders are referred to as Y linear encoders (also referred to simply as "Y encoder" or "encoder" as appropriate) 170G and 170H (see fig. 32). The head 167 constituting a part of the encoders 170C and 170D₃、168₂Since the pair of reference gratings 52 face each other, they are referred to as Y encoders 170G and 170H as described above, with a view to having the function of a Y head instead of a 2D head. For convenience, the description will be made on the assumption that Y encoders 170G and 170H are provided in addition to XY encoders 170C and 170D.

The measured values of the encoders are supplied to the main controller 20. Main controller 20 controls the position of wafer table WTB in the XY plane (including the rotation (yaw) in the θ z direction) based on the measurement values of XY encoders 170A, 170B, 170C, and 170D, and controls the rotation in the θ z direction of FD lever 46 (measurement stage MST) based on the measurement values of Y encoders 170G and 170H.

Fig. 32 shows a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus 500. The control system is mainly composed of a main control device 20 composed of a microcomputer (or a workstation) for integrating the entire control device.

In exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2, since the arrangement of the movable scale on wafer table WTB ' and the arrangement of the heads are adopted, movable scales 39A and 39B are always opposed to heads 165 and 164 (head units 62A ' and 62B ') or heads 168 and 167 (head units 62D ' and 62C ') in the effective stroke range of wafer stage WST (i.e., the range of movement for alignment and exposure operation), as illustrated in fig. 33 and the like. In fig. 33, heads for position measurement that face the corresponding moving scale are shown surrounded by solid circles.

As described in more detail above, main controller 20 controls the position and rotation (rotation in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST in the XY plane using the measurement values of 1 head 165, 164 facing moving scales 39A, 39B, of 5 heads 165, 164 of head units 62A ', 62B', in the step-and-scan exposure operation for transferring the pattern of reticle R onto wafer W.

Further, main controller 20 controls the position and rotation (rotation in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST in the XY plane using the measurement values of heads 168 and 167 (encoders 170D and 170C) of head units 62D 'and 62C' facing moving scales 39A and 39B, respectively, at the time of wafer alignment.

When main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction as indicated by white arrows in fig. 33, heads 165 and 164 for measuring the X position and the Y position of wafer stage WST are shown by arrow e in fig. 33₁Shown, switched sequentially to adjacent read heads 165, 164. E.g. from a read head 164 surrounded by a solid circle₂Switching to the reading head 164 surrounded by a dashed circle₃(and the read head 165 enclosed by the solid circle₂Switching to head 165 enclosed by a dashed circle₃). That is, in the present embodiment 2, in order to smoothly switch (connect) the heads 165 and 164, the interval WD between the adjacent heads 165 and 164 in the head units 62A 'and 62C' is set to be narrower than the width of the moving scales 39A and 39B in the X axis direction, as described above.

Next, the configuration of the encoders 170A to 170D will be described, taking as an example an encoder 170B shown enlarged in fig. 34 as a representative example. In fig. 34, 1 2D head 164 of the head unit 62B' that irradiates detection light (measurement beam) on the moving scale 39B is shown.

The read head 164, as shown in FIG. 34, includes: a light source 164a for irradiating a laser beam onto a movable scale (movable grating) 39B provided at the-X-side end portion on the upper surface of the wafer table WTB'; a fixed scale 164B which has a fixed positional relationship with the light source 164a and collects diffracted light generated by the movable scale 39B₁、164b₂And 164b₃、164b₄(ii) a By fixing the scale 164b₁、164b₂And a fixed scale 164b₃、164b₄Index scales (indexscale)164c on which diffracted lights condensed respectively interfere; and a detector 164d that detects light interfered by the index scale 164 c. The posture of the light source 164a is set in design so that the optical axis of the laser beam emitted from the light source 164a is perpendicular to the XY plane.

Fixed scale 164b₁、164b₂The phase grating is a transmission type phase grating formed of a plate on which a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction is formed. On the other hand, the fixed scale 164b₃、164b₄The phase grating is a transmission type phase grating formed of a plate on which a diffraction grating is formed with the X-axis direction as the periodic direction. The index scale 164c is a transmissive two-dimensional grating formed with a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction and a diffraction grating having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction. Further, the detector 164d includes, for example, a 4-division detector or a CCD.

Fixed scale 164b₁The diffraction light is diffracted +1 times by-1 times generated by the diffraction grating with the periodic direction of the Y-axis direction of the moving scale 39BDiffracted light, the +1 st diffracted light is directed toward the index scale 164 c. Further, a scale 164b is fixed₂Then, the + 1-order diffracted light generated by the diffraction grating of the moving scale 39B with the Y-axis direction as the periodic direction is diffracted to generate-1-order diffracted light, and the-1-order diffracted light is directed to the index scale 164 c.

Here, the scale 164b is fixed₁、164b₂The generated +1 st-order diffracted light and-1 st-order diffracted light overlap each other at the same position on the index scale 164 c. That is, the +1 st-order diffracted light and the-1 st-order diffracted light interfere on the index scale 164 c.

On the other hand, the fixed scale 164b₃The +1 st diffracted light is generated by diffracting the-1 st diffracted light generated by the diffraction grating of the moving scale 39B in the periodic direction of the X-axis, and the +1 st diffracted light is directed to the index scale 164 c. Further, a scale 164b is fixed₄The + 1-order diffracted light generated by the diffraction grating of the moving scale 39B with the X-axis direction as the periodic direction is diffracted to generate-1-order diffracted light, and the-1-order diffracted light is directed to the index scale 164 c.

Here, the scale 164b is fixed₃、164b₄The generated +1 st-order diffracted light and-1 st-order diffracted light overlap each other at the same position on the index scale 164 c. That is, the +1 st-order diffracted light and the-1 st-order diffracted light interfere on the index scale 164 c.

In this case, the diffraction angle of diffracted light generated in each grating of the moving scale is determined based on the wavelength of the laser beam emitted from the light source 164a and the pitch of the moving scale (moving grating) 39B, and the wavelength of the laser beam and the fixed scale 164B are appropriately determined₁～164b₄The pitch of (B) determines the apparent bending angle of the ± 1 st diffracted light generated by the moving scale (moving grating) 39B.

Here, in the head 164 (encoder 170B), a two-dimensional pattern (a checkered pattern) appears on the detector 164 d. Since the two-dimensional pattern changes depending on the Y-axis direction position and the X-axis direction position of wafer stage WST, the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction position of wafer stage WST can be measured by measuring the changes by a 4-segment device, a CCD, or the like that constitutes at least a part of detector 164 d.

Further, it is also possible to generate moire (moire) by slightly rotating index scale 164c about the Z axis, and to use the moire for measurement of wafer stage WST.

As is clear from the above description, in the encoder 170B, the optical path lengths of the 2 interfering light beams are extremely short and substantially equal, unlike the respective interferometers of the interferometer system 118, and therefore the influence of air pulsation can be almost ignored. The other encoders 170A, 170C, and 170D are also configured in the same manner as the encoder 170B. As each encoder, an encoder having a resolution of, for example, about 0.1nm is used.

In exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2, during an exposure operation described later, the position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') (including the rotation in the θ z direction) in the XY plane is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measured values of 2 encoders 170A and 170B including 2 heads 165 and 164 facing movable scales 39A and 39B, respectively, and various kinds of correction information (including stage position-induced error correction information of each encoder corresponding to the position information (including tilt information) of wafer stage WST in the non-measurement direction of the encoder measured by interferometer system 118, characteristic information of the movable scales (for example, flatness of the grating surfaces, and/or grating formation errors), and abbe deviation amounts (abbe error correction information) of the movable scales).

Here, stage position induced error correction information is information indicating the degree of influence exerted on the encoder measurement values by the position (pitch, roll, yaw, and Z positions, etc.) of wafer stage WST in the non-measurement direction (in embodiment 2, directions other than the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, for example, the θ X-axis direction, the θ Y-axis direction, the θ Z-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction, etc.) of the encoder head. The stage position cause error correction information is obtained in advance in the following manner.

That is, main controller 20 changes wafer stage WST to a plurality of different postures, and for each posture, while the posture of wafer stage WST is maintained based on the measurement results of interferometer system 118, wafer stage WST is moved in the Z-axis direction within a predetermined stroke range while the detection light is irradiated from heads 165 and 164 onto the specific regions of moving scales 39A and 39B, and the measurement results of the encoder are sampled during this movement. Accordingly, information (error characteristic curve) of changes in encoder measurement values for each posture corresponding to the position of wafer stage WST in the direction (Z-axis direction) orthogonal to the moving surface is obtained. Then, main controller 20 performs a predetermined operation based on the sampling result, that is, information on the change in the encoder measurement value corresponding to the position of wafer stage WST in the Z-axis direction for each posture, to obtain correction information on the encoder measurement value corresponding to the position information of wafer stage WST in the non-measurement direction. Therefore, it is possible to determine stage position-induced error correction information for correcting an encoder measurement error caused by relative changes of the head and the moving scale in the non-measurement direction, by a simple method.

In the present embodiment 2, when the correction information is determined for a plurality of heads constituting the same head unit, for example, for a plurality of heads 164 constituting the head unit 62B, the detection light is irradiated from each head 164 to the same specific region of the corresponding scale 39B, then the encoder measurement results are sampled, and the correction information of each head 164 (each encoder) facing the moving scale 39B is determined based on the sampling results. In other words, when the correction information is obtained for a plurality of encoders corresponding to the same movement scale, main controller 20 obtains the correction information for the encoder that is the target, taking into account the geometric error that occurs when the encoder head that is the target tilts when wafer stage WST is moved in the Z-axis direction. Therefore, in embodiment 2, the cosine error caused by the difference in the flip angles of the plurality of heads does not occur. Even if head 164 does not tilt, and when a measurement error occurs in the encoder due to, for example, head optical characteristics (telecentric focusing, etc.), the correction information is obtained in the same manner, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the measurement error and the deterioration of the position control accuracy of wafer stage WST. That is, in embodiment 2, wafer stage WST is driven so as to compensate for an encoder system measurement error (hereinafter, also referred to as a head-induced error) caused by the head unit. Further, correction information such as the encoder system measurement value may be calculated based on the head unit characteristic information (including, for example, head tilt and/or optical characteristics).

The characteristic information of the moving scale is information such as irregularities (including tilt) of the scale surface (more precisely, the surface of the diffraction grating and the surface including the glass cover when the diffraction grating is covered with the glass cover), and/or grating formation errors (grating pitch and/or curvature of grating lines), and is measured in advance.

The abbe shift amount is a difference between the height (Z position) of the surface (diffraction grating surface) of each moving scale on wafer table WTB' and the height of a reference plane including the exposure center (the center of exposure area IA, which coincides with optical axis AX of projection optical system PL in embodiment 2). When there is an error (or gap) between the height of the reference surface of wafer stage WST and the height of the surface (diffraction grating surface) of each moving scale, a so-called abbe error occurs in the encoder measurement value when wafer stage WST is rotated (tilted or rolled) about an axis (X axis or Y axis) parallel to the XY plane. Here, the reference surface is a surface that serves as a reference for displacement of wafer stage WST in the Z-axis direction measured by interferometer system 118, and is a surface that serves as a reference for position alignment (position control) of each irradiation region on wafer W in the Z-axis direction (in embodiment 2, it coincides with the image plane of projection optical system PL). Further, abbe offset is obtained in advance in approximately the following manner.

That is, before starting the batch process of driving wafer stage WST, for example, at the time of starting the apparatus, a calibration process for acquiring the abbe displacement of the surface of each of the above-described moving scales (diffraction gratings) is performed as 1 type of a series of calibrations of the encoder system that measures the positional information of wafer stage WST in the XY plane. That is, main controller 20 tilts wafer stage WST in the diffraction grating periodic direction with respect to the XY plane by angle α based on the measurement value of interferometer system 118 that measures the tilt angle of wafer stage WST in the diffraction grating periodic direction with respect to the XY plane for each moving scale of the encoder system, and calculates the abbe's displacement of the diffraction grating surface based on the measurement value of the encoder system before and after the tilt and the information of angle α measured by interferometer system 118. Then, the main control device 20 stores the calculated information in the memory.

Next, a parallel processing operation using wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST in exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2 will be described with reference to fig. 35 to 39. In the following operation, the main control device 20 controls the opening and closing of the valves of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 of the local immersion device 8 in the manner described above, so that the front end lens 191 of the projection optical system PL is always filled with water directly below. However, in the following description, the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 will not be described to facilitate understanding of the description. Note that, although the following description of the operation will be given using a plurality of drawings, the same members in each drawing are given symbols, and some members are not given symbols. That is, although the reference numerals in the drawings are different, the drawings have the same configuration regardless of the presence or absence of the reference numerals. The same applies to the figures used in the previous description.

Fig. 35 shows a state in which step-and-scan exposure is being performed on wafer W placed on wafer stage WST. This exposure is performed by repeating the following operations based on the results of wafer alignment (for example, EGA) and the like performed before the start: the wafer stage WST is moved between shots to a scanning start position (acceleration start position) at which exposure of each shot on the wafer W is to be performed, and scanning exposure is performed in which a pattern formed on the reticle R is transferred to each shot in a scanning exposure manner. The exposure is performed in order from the irradiation region located on the-Y side to the irradiation region located on the + Y side of the wafer W.

In the exposure operation, the position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') in the XY plane (including the rotation in the θ z direction) is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of 2 encoders 170A and 170B including 2 heads 165 and 164 facing moving scales 39A and 39B, respectively, and the various kinds of correction information (stage position induced error correction information, moving scale characteristic information, abbe error correction information, and the like) for correcting the encoder measurement values. In the exposure operation, θ Y rotation (roll) and θ X rotation (pitch) of wafer stage WST are managed by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of X interferometer 126 (or Z interferometers 43A and 43B) and Y interferometer 16. Further, regarding at least 1 of the Z-axis direction position (Z position), the θ y rotation (roll), and the θ x rotation (pitch) of wafer stage WST, for example, the Z position and the θ y rotation, other sensors, such as a sensor for detecting the Z position on wafer table WTB', a head of an optical displacement sensor similar to the optical pickup used in, for example, a CD drive device, and the like, may be used for measurement. In any case, control of the Z-axis direction position, θ y rotation, and θ x rotation of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') during this exposure (focus leveling control of wafer W) is performed by main controller 20 based on the measurement result of wafer surface position information measured in advance and the measurement result of encoder system 150 and/or interferometer system 118.

In the step-and-scan exposure operation, when wafer stage WST moves in the X-axis direction, the head is switched in accordance with the movement. In this manner, main controller 20 performs stage control by appropriately switching the encoders to be used, based on the position coordinates of wafer stage WST.

The position (X, Y, Z, θ x, θ y, θ z) of wafer stage WST using interferometer system 118 is always measured independently from the position measurement of wafer stage WST using the above-described encoder system. For example, for X interferometers 126, 127, and 128, 1 of them is used according to the Y position of wafer stage WST. For example, in the exposure, as shown in fig. 35, an X interferometer 126 is used as an auxiliary.

When exposure of wafer W is completed, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST toward unload position UP. At this time, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST, which are originally separated from each other in the exposure, come into contact with each other or come close to each other with a separation distance of, for example, about 300 μm, and are shifted to the parallel state. Here, the-Y side end face of FD lever 46 on measurement table MTB is in contact with or close to the + Y side end face of wafer table WTB. When both stages WST and MST move in the-Y direction while maintaining the parallel state, liquid immersion area 14 formed under projection unit PU moves onto measurement stage MST.

When wafer stage WST moves further in the-Y direction after moving to the parallel state described above and moves out of the effective stroke area (the area where wafer stage WST moves during exposure and wafer alignment), all heads constituting encoder system 150 move out of the corresponding movement scale on wafer table WTB'. Therefore, stage control based on the measurement result of the encoder system 150 cannot be performed. Immediately before that, main controller 20 switches to stage control based on the measurement result of interferometer system 118. Here, the X interferometer 128 of the 3X interferometers 126, 127, 128 is used.

Thereafter, as shown in fig. 36, wafer stage WST is released from being aligned with measurement stage MST, and moves to unload position UP. After the movement, main controller 20 unloads wafer W on wafer table WTB'. Next, as shown in fig. 37, wafer stage WST is driven in the + X direction and moved to loading position LP, and the next wafer W is loaded on wafer table WTB'.

In parallel with these operations, the main controller 20 performs Sec-BCHK (secondary reference line inspection) that performs the following operations: position adjustment of FD lever 46 supported by measurement stage MST in XY plane, and 4 secondary alignment systems AL2₁～AL2₄Is measured from a reference line. Here, the Y encoders 170G and 170H are used to measure the rotation information of the FD lever 46 in the θ z direction.

Next, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST to position fiducial marks FM on measurement board 30 within the detection field of primary alignment system AL1 as shown in fig. 38, and determines alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The first half of the Pri-BCHK of the reference position of the reference line measurement of (1).

At this time, as shown in FIG. 38, 2 read heads 168₃、167₂(shown surrounded by circles in the figure) are opposed to the moving scales 39A, 39B, respectively. Then, main controller 20 switches from interferometer system 118 to stage control using encoder system 150 (encoders 170D and 170C). Interferometer system 118 is again used as an aid. Further, an X interferometer 127 out of the 3X interferometers 126, 127, 128 is used.

Thereafter, master control device 20 uses primary alignment system AL1 and secondary alignment system AL2₁～AL2₄Wafer alignment (EGA) is performed (see star marks in fig. 39).

In embodiment 2, before starting the wafer alignment shown in fig. 39, wafer stage WST and measurement stage MST are moved to the parallel state. Main controller 20 drives both stages WST and MST in the + Y direction while maintaining the parallel state. Thereafter, the water in liquid immersion area 14 moves from measurement table MTB to wafer table WTB'.

In parallel with the wafer alignment (EGA), the main controller 20 performs the second half of the Pri-BCHK process of measuring the projected image intensity distribution of the mark on the reticle with respect to the XY position of the wafer table WTB' by using the aerial image measuring device 45.

After the above operation is completed, main control device 20 releases the parallel state of both stages WST and MST. Next, as shown in fig. 35, step-and-scan exposure is performed to transfer the reticle pattern onto a new wafer W. Thereafter, the same action is repeatedly performed.

As described above, according to exposure apparatus 500 of embodiment 2, a pair of moving scales 39A and 39B having a 2-dimensional grating are provided at both ends in the X-axis direction of the upper surface of wafer stage WST, and when wafer stage WST is positioned in the movement range for performing the exposure operation on both sides in the X-axis direction of projection unit PU (nozzle unit 32), a pair of head units 62A 'and 62B' in which at least 1 head 165 and 164 can always face moving scales 39A and 39B are arranged. Accordingly, main controller 20 can accurately measure positional information (including rotation information in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST in the XY plane during the step-and-scan exposure operation using heads 165 and 164, i.e., encoders 170A and 170B. Therefore, according to embodiment 2, the layout of the encoder head is easier than that of the exposure apparatus disclosed as an embodiment in the pamphlet of international publication No. 2007/097379.

Further, since there is no need to dispose a scale in the region of the + Y-side end portion of the upper surface of wafer table WTB' in embodiment 2, that is, in the region where liquid immersion region 14 frequently passes, there is no fear that the measurement accuracy of the encoder system is lowered even if a situation such as liquid remaining or impurities adhering occurs in this region.

Further, according to exposure apparatus 500 of embodiment 2, each of 5 heads 165 included in head units 62A 'and 62B' for measuring the positions of wafer stage WST in the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the θ z direction, respectively, with respect to moving scales 39A and 39B at the time of exposure₁～165₅、164₁～164₅In the X-axis direction, the distance WD between adjacent heads is set to a desired distance, for example, 70mm, taking into account the width (for example, 76mm) of the movement scales 39A and 39B in the X-axis direction, and the head 165 positioned closest to the center of the projection unit PU is positioned according to the empty space (in the present embodiment, the empty space around the nozzle unit 32)₁、164₅Is configured differently from the other (remaining 4) read heads. Accordingly, the arrangement of the 5 heads 165 and 164 of the head units 62A 'and 62B' in accordance with the empty space can be performed, and the overall size of the apparatus can be reduced due to the improvement of the space efficiency. In addition, the 5 heads 165 and 164 of the head units 62A 'and 62B' can be connected to each other without any problem (switching of heads is used). Therefore, by the encoder system 150 including the XY encoders 170A and 170B having the head units 62A 'and 62B', respectively, the position of the wafer stage WST in the XY plane can be measured with high accuracy without being affected by air fluctuations at the time of exposure.

Further, according to exposure apparatus 500 of embodiment 2, main control device 20 controls the position (including the rotation in the θ z direction) of wafer stage WST in the XY plane with high accuracy based on the measurement values of encoder system 150 (encoders 170A and 170B) and correction information (at least 1 of stage position induced error correction information (correction information including head induced error), characteristic information of the movement scale, abbe error correction information, and the like) for correcting the respective encoder measurement values when wafer stage WST is driven during exposure or the like.

Further, according to exposure apparatus 500 of embodiment 2, based on the latest reference line obtained by the reference line measurement of the alignment system performed every time a wafer is replaced and the result of alignment with the wafer (EGA), the inter-irradiation movement operation of moving wafer stage WST to the scanning start position (acceleration start position) for performing exposure of each irradiation region on wafer W and the scanning exposure operation of transferring the pattern formed on reticle R to each irradiation region in the scanning exposure method are repeated, whereby the pattern of reticle R can be transferred to a plurality of irradiation regions on wafer W with good accuracy (overlay accuracy). In addition, in embodiment 2, since exposure with high resolution can be realized by immersion exposure, a fine pattern can be transferred onto the wafer W with good accuracy.

Further, in the exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2, the peripheral exposure unit 51, the multi-spot AF system (90a, 90b), and the like are provided at substantially the same positions as those in embodiment 1. Therefore, according to exposure apparatus 500, as in exposure apparatus 100 according to embodiment 1, only wafer stage WST (wafer W) is linearly passed through the plurality of detection points (detection areas AF) of the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), the plurality of alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The detection of the surface position information of the substantially entire surface of the wafer W, the detection of all alignment marks to be detected on the wafer W (for example, the alignment marks in the alignment irradiation region of the EGA), and the 3 operations of exposing the periphery of the wafer W are completed below the detection region and the periphery exposure unit 51. Therefore, has no relation withThe productivity can be greatly improved as compared with the case where the alignment mark detection operation, the surface position information (focus information) detection operation, and the peripheral exposure operation are performed (separately).

The exposure apparatus 500 according to embodiment 2 may be provided with a surface position measuring system similar to that of embodiment 1. Therefore, the same focus map as in embodiment 1 and the surface position control of the wafer W using the result of the focus map can be performed. Therefore, in the present embodiment, although the working distance between the front end lens 191 and the front surface of the wafer W is narrow, the focus leveling control of the wafer W at the time of exposure can be performed with good accuracy particularly without hindrance.

In embodiment 2, the exposure apparatus 500 is provided with an encoder system configured as follows: moving scales 39A and 39B (scale members) are arranged on wafer stage WST, and head units 62A 'to 62D' are arranged outside wafer stage WST, that is, below a main frame (not shown) that holds projection unit PU, in opposition to these scale members. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and as in the next embodiment 3, an encoder head may be provided on wafer stage WST, and a scale member may be provided outside wafer stage WST.

Embodiment 3

Fig. 40 is a plan view showing the arrangement of a stage device and a sensor unit provided in the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 3. The exposure apparatus according to embodiment 3 is different from the exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2 only in the configuration of the encoder system, and the other portions are the same in configuration. Therefore, the following description will focus on a differential point encoder system. Note that the same or equivalent components as those in embodiment 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is simplified or omitted.

As shown in fig. 40, in embodiment 3, in place of the movement scales 39A and 39B, 2D heads are provided on a pair of 2 nd water-repellent plates 28B 'on the upper surface of the wafer table WTB' at regular intervals WD in a direction parallel to the reflection surface 17B 172₁～172₆、174₁～174₆. Each 2D read head 172₁～172₆、174₁～174₆Heads having the same configuration as the aforementioned 2D heads 164, 165, 167, 168 are used. 2D read head 172₁～172₆And a 2D read head 174₁～174₆The center lines of wafer table WTB' are symmetrically arranged. Hereinafter, the 2D head 172 is appropriately set₁～172₆2D read head 174₁～174₆Also referred to simply as read heads 172, 174, respectively.

On the other hand, a pair of fixed scales 39A 'and 39B' are disposed on the + X side and the-X side of the nozzle unit 32, respectively, in close proximity to each other and in the longitudinal direction of the X axis. The fixed scales 39A ', 39B' have the following shapes as shown in fig. 40: a rectangular notch portion is formed in a part of one end portion in the longitudinal direction of the rectangle, and an extension portion having the same shape as the notch portion is provided on the other side of the one end portion. In this case, the fixed scale 39A' has the following shape: the nozzle unit 32 is disposed in a state of being substantially in contact with the + X side surface of the nozzle unit with the X-axis direction being the longitudinal direction, and has a rectangular cutout portion formed in a part of the-X end portion on the + Y side, and an extension portion having the same shape as the cutout portion is provided on the-Y side of the-X end portion. The extension portion protrudes slightly to the-Y side than the nozzle unit 32. The fixed scale 39B 'has a shape bilaterally symmetrical to the fixed scale 39A' with respect to the reference line LV ₀Are configured to be symmetrical. The fixed scales 39A ', 39B' are fixed in parallel to the XY plane on the back of a main frame (not shown) holding the projection unit PU. The fixed scales 39A 'and 39B' are slightly shorter than the moving scales 39A and 39B, and the reflection-type two-dimensional diffraction grating is formed on the lower surface thereof (the surface on the (-Z) side).

In embodiment 3, as shown in fig. 40, rectangular fixed scales 39D ' and 39C ' are arranged on the-Y side of the fixed scales 39A ' and 39B ' at predetermined intervals (for example, at substantially the same size as the width of the fixed scale 39A '), with the X-axis direction as the longitudinal direction. The fixed scales 39D ', 39C' are relative to the aforementioned reference line LV₀Are arranged symmetrically. Further, a scale 39 is fixedD ', 39C' are respectively close to a secondary alignment system AL2₄、AL2₁And (4) configuring. The fixed scales 39D 'and 39C' are fixed to the back of a main frame (not shown) holding the projection unit PU in parallel with the XY plane. The fixed scales 39D 'and 39C' are slightly shorter than the fixed scales 39A 'and 39B', and the reflection-type two-dimensional diffraction grating is formed on the lower surface thereof (the surface on the (-Z side).

Further, a pair of 2D heads 176 is provided on the FD lever 46 in place of the pair of reference gratings 52.

2D read head 172₁～172₆The method comprises the following steps: multi-eye (here, 6-eye) XY encoder 170A 'for measuring the X position and the Y position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') using aforementioned fixed scale 39A 'or 39D' (see fig. 41). Likewise, the 2D read head 174₁～174₆The method comprises the following steps: multi-eye (here, 5-eye) XY encoder 170B 'for measuring the X position and the Y position of wafer stage WST (wafer table WTB') using fixed scale 39B 'or 39C' (see fig. 41).

At the time of exposure operation or the like, at least 1 of the heads 172 and 174 respectively face the fixed scales 39A 'and 39B'. That is, at least 1 of the measuring beams (encoder beams) emitted from the heads 172 and 174 always irradiates the fixed scales 39A 'and 39B'. The X position, Y position, and θ z rotation of wafer stage WST are measured by heads 172 and 174 (i.e., encoders 170A 'and 170B' configured by heads 172 and 174).

At the time of alignment operation or the like, at least 1 of the heads 174 and 172 faces the fixed scales 39C 'and 39D', respectively. That is, at least 1 of the measuring beams (encoder beams) emitted from the heads 174 and 172 always irradiates the fixed scales 39C 'and 39D'. The heads 174 and 172 (i.e., encoders 170B 'and 170A' configured by these heads 174 and 172) measure the X position, Y position, and θ z rotation of wafer stage WST.

In embodiment 3, during reference line measurement of the secondary alignment system, etc., the pair of 2D heads 176 on the FD lever 46 face the fixed scales 39C ', 39D', and the X, Y position and θ z rotation of the FD lever 46 are measured by the pair of 2D heads 176. Hereinafter, encoders formed by a pair of 2D heads 176 facing the fixed scales 39C ', 39D', respectively, will be referred to as encoders 170C ', 170D' (see fig. 41).

The 4 encoders 170A 'to 170D' supply their measured values to the main control device 20. Main controller 20 controls the position of wafer table WTB ' in the XY plane (including the rotation (yaw) in the θ z direction) based on the measurement values of encoders 170A ' and 170B ', and controls the position of FD lever 46 in the X, Y and θ z directions based on the measurement values of encoders 170C ' and 170D '.

The other parts are the same as those of embodiment 2.

According to the exposure apparatus of embodiment 3 configured in this way, the same effects as those of embodiment 1 can be obtained by the main control device 20 performing the same control operations of the respective parts as those of the exposure apparatus 500 of embodiment 2.

In the above-described embodiments 2 and 3, the case where the 2D head configured as shown in fig. 34 is used as the encoder head has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and 2 1-dimensional heads may be combined to configure a 2-dimensional head. That is, the 2-dimensional heads referred to in the present specification include heads in which 2 1-dimensional heads are combined.

Although the above-described embodiments 1 to 3 have been described with respect to the case where the present invention is applied to an exposure apparatus including a wafer stage and a measurement stage, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus including only a single wafer stage, or an exposure apparatus of a multi-stage type including a plurality of wafer stages, for example, a double stage type, as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,590,634, U.S. Pat. No. 5,969,441, U.S. Pat. No. 6,208,407, and the like. In this case, the control device of the exposure apparatus may be designed to control the peripheral exposure unit disposed in the movement path between the region (measurement station) where measurement such as alignment measurement of the wafer is performed and the region (exposure station) where exposure of the wafer is performed, while moving the other wafer stage at least in the Y-axis direction, in parallel with the operation of exposing the wafer held by one of the 2 wafer stages, and to perform peripheral exposure of at least a part of the peripheral irradiation region of the wafer held by the other wafer stage below the peripheral exposure unit while moving the other wafer stage toward the exposure position.

Further, the peripheral exposure operation may be started in the measurement operation at the measurement station. In this case, the peripheral exposure operation is completed after the measurement operation is completed and before the exposure is started.

In addition, the peripheral exposure unit and the alignment system (AL1, AL 2) may be used₁～AL2₅) The peripheral exposure operation is performed during the measurement operation.

Further, the position control of the wafer stage between the measurement station and the exposure station (including the period during which at least a part of the peripheral exposure operation is performed) can be performed using any measurement device, but is preferably performed using the encoder system or the interferometer system.

In the double stage type exposure apparatus, the peripheral exposure operation may be performed on the outbound path (i.e., the movement path of the wafer stage from the measurement station to the exposure station), the peripheral exposure operation may be performed on the return path (i.e., the movement path of the wafer stage from the exposure station to the measurement station (the unloading position)), or the peripheral exposure operation for one wafer may be performed separately between the outbound path and the return path.

When embodiments 2 and 3 are applied to a double-stage exposure apparatus, the peripheral exposure unit may not be provided, and only an encoder system having the 2D head (2D encoder) may be used as the position measuring apparatus for at least one of the wafer stages. That is, the above-described embodiments 2 and 3 may be applied to any encoder system having the 2D head, and any combination of the configuration and the program (sequence) (such as the stage movement and the measurement operation performed in parallel) other than the encoder system may be employed, but is not essential.

In the above-described embodiments 2 and 3, the measurement system 200 includes both the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150, but is not limited thereto, and the measurement system may include only one of the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150.

Next, embodiment 4 of the present invention relating to a dual stage exposure apparatus will be described.

EXAMPLE 4 embodiment

Hereinafter, embodiment 4 of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 42 to 76. Here, the same or equivalent components as those in embodiment 1 and/or embodiment 2 are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be simplified or omitted.

Fig. 42 schematically shows the structure of an exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4. The exposure apparatus 1000 is a projection exposure apparatus of a step-and-scan method, and is a so-called scanner. As will be described later, in the present embodiment 4, since the projection optical system PL is also provided, the direction parallel to the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL is referred to as the Z-axis direction, the direction in which the reticle and the wafer are relatively scanned in the plane orthogonal thereto is referred to as the Y-axis direction, the directions orthogonal to the Z-axis and the Y-axis are referred to as the X-axis direction, and the rotational (tilting) directions around the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are referred to as the θ X-axis, the θ Y-axis, and the θ Z-axis, respectively, in the following description.

Exposure apparatus 1000 includes illumination system 10, reticle stage RST for holding reticle R illuminated with illumination light IL from illumination system 10, projection unit PU including projection optical system PL for irradiating wafer with illumination light IL emitted from reticle R, stage device 1050 including 2 wafer stages WST1 and WST2, local immersion apparatus 8, and control systems thereof. Wafers W1 and W2 are held on wafer stages WST1 and WST2, respectively.

As shown in fig. 42, stage device 1050 includes 2 wafer stages WST1 and WST2 arranged on base plate 12, a measurement system 200 (see fig. 47) for measuring positional information of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2, a stage drive system 124 (see fig. 47) for driving wafer stages WST1 and WST2, and the like. As shown in fig. 47, the measurement system 200 includes an interferometer system 118, an encoder system 150, a surface position measurement system 180, and the like.

Wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are supported on base plate 12 in a floating manner with a gap of several μm, for example, by air slides (described later) provided for the stages. Further, wafer stages WST1 and WST2 can be independently driven in the XY plane along the upper surface (movement guide surface) of base plate 12 by a planar motor described later constituting stage drive system 124.

Wafer stage WST1 includes a stage main body 91A and a wafer table WTB1 mounted on stage main body 91A, as shown in fig. 42 and 43 (a). As shown in fig. 43(a), stage main body 91A includes: a mover 56 constituting a planar motor 151 together with a stator 152 buried inside the chassis 12, and an air slider (air slider)54 having a plurality of air bearings integrally provided around the lower half portion of the mover 56.

The movable element 56 is formed of a magnet unit including a flat magnetic body formed of a plurality of flat magnets arranged in a matrix form with adjacent magnetic pole surfaces having different polarities. The movable element 56 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a small thickness.

On the other hand, the stator 152 is formed of an armature unit having a plurality of armature coils (driving coils) 57 arranged in a matrix inside the chassis 12. In embodiment 4, the armature coil 57 includes X drive coils and Y drive coils. The moving magnet type flat motor 151 of an electromagnetic force drive system (lorentz force drive system) is configured by a stator 152 including an armature unit including a plurality of X drive coils and Y drive coils, and a mover 56 including the magnet unit.

The plurality of armature coils 57 are covered with a flat plate-like member 58 made of a non-magnetic material constituting the upper surface of the chassis 12. The upper surface of flat plate-like member 58 constitutes a movement guide surface for wafer stage WST1 and WST2, and a pressure receiving surface for pressurized air from an air bearing provided in air slider 54.

The wafer table WTB1 includes: a table body 34 formed of a thick thin rectangular parallelepiped (thick plate-like) member, an FD rod 46 attached to the + Y side surface of the table body 34 (to be precise, dynamically supported by the table body 34 by a full dynamic assembly structure), and 3 parts of a measurement unit 138 fixed to the-Y side surface of the table body 34. Hereinafter, the stage main body 34, the FD lever 46, and the measurement unit 138 are collectively referred to as a wafer stage WTB1 unless otherwise required. Here, the table body 34 has an outer shape having the same shape and size as the mover 56 as viewed from above.

Wafer table WTB1 is mounted on stage main body 91A via a Z leveling mechanism (including, for example, a voice coil motor) not shown in the drawing, which constitutes a part of stage drive system 124. Wafer table WTB1 can be driven finely in the Z-axis direction, the θ x direction, and the θ y direction with respect to stage body 91A by the Z leveling mechanism. Therefore, wafer WTB1 can be driven in a 6-degree-of-freedom direction (X, Y, Z, θ x, θ y, θ Z) with respect to base plate 12 by stage drive system 124 (see fig. 47) including plane motor 151 and a Z leveling mechanism.

A wafer holder (not shown) for holding a wafer by vacuum suction or the like is provided at the center of the upper surface of wafer table WTB 1. As shown in fig. 43B, a plate member 28 is provided outside the wafer holder (wafer placement region), and the plate member 28 has a rectangular outer shape (outline) with a circular opening at the center thereof, the circular opening being one turn larger than the wafer holder. The surface of the plate member 28 is subjected to a liquid repellent treatment for the liquid Lq. The plate 28 is set such that the surface thereof is substantially flush with the surface of the wafer W1. The FD lever 46 and the measuring unit 138 are attached to the table body 34 so that their surfaces are substantially flush with the surface of the plate 28.

A rectangular opening is formed at substantially the center in the X axis direction near the + Y side end of the plate 28, and a measurement plate 30 is embedded in the opening. Further, inside wafer table WTB1 below each of the pair of aerial image measurement slit patterns SL of measurement plate 30, a pair of aerial image measurement devices 45A (see fig. 47) are provided corresponding to the pair of aerial image measurement slit patterns SL, and each aerial image measurement device 45A includes: an optical system including an objective lens and the like, and a light receiving element (e.g., a photomultiplier tube). As the aerial image measuring apparatus 45A, for example, an apparatus having the same configuration as that disclosed in U.S. patent application publication No. 2002/0041377, etc., is used. The surface of the measuring plate 30 is substantially level with the plate 28.

Further, movement scales 39A, 39B are formed in regions on one side and the other side (left and right sides in fig. 43B) in the X axis direction on the upper surface of the plate member 28. The movement scales 39A and 39B are each formed of a reflection-type two-dimensional grating (e.g., a diffraction grating) in which a grating having a periodic direction in the Y-axis direction and a grating having a periodic direction in the X-axis direction are combined, for example. The pitch of the grating lines of the two-dimensional grating is, for example, 1 μm in both the Y-axis direction and the X-axis direction. In fig. 43(B), the pitch of the grating is shown to be larger than the actual pitch for the convenience of illustration. The same applies to other figures. The movable scales 39A and 39B are covered with a liquid repellent film (water repellent film).

Further, it is also effective to cover the diffraction grating with a glass plate having a low thermal expansion coefficient and water repellency. Here, as the glass plate, a glass plate having a thickness approximately equal to that of the wafer, for example, a thickness of 1mm may be used, and the glass plate is provided on the top surface of table main body 34 (wafer table WTB1) so that the surface thereof has the same height (surface position) as the wafer surface.

Further, in the vicinity of the end of each moving scale of the plate 28, positioning patterns, not shown, for determining the relative position between an encoder head and the scale, which will be described later, are provided. The positioning pattern is formed, for example, by grating lines of different reflectivity, and the intensity of the encoder output signal varies as the encoder read head scans over the positioning pattern. Therefore, a threshold value is predetermined, and a position where the intensity of the output signal exceeds the threshold value is detected. The relative position between the encoder head and the scale is set based on the detected position.

As described above, in embodiment 4, since the plate 28 itself constitutes the scale, a glass plate having a low thermal expansion coefficient is used as the plate 28. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a scale member made of, for example, a glass plate with a low thermal expansion coefficient on which a grating is formed may be fixed to the upper surface of the wafer table WTB1 by, for example, a plate spring (or vacuum suction) so as not to cause a local expansion and contraction. Alternatively, wafer table WTB1 may be formed of a material having a low thermal expansion coefficient, and in this case, the movement scale may be formed directly on the upper surface of wafer table WTB 1.

As shown in fig. 43(B), the FD lever 46 has the same configuration as that of the embodiment 1. The pair of reference gratings 52 formed on the FD lever 46 are spaced apart by a distance L.

The measuring portion 138 is a rectangular parallelepiped shape whose longitudinal direction is the X-axis direction. The measurement unit 138 is provided with various measurement members to be described later.

Wafer stage WST2 includes a stage main body 91B and a wafer table WTB2 as shown in fig. 42, 44(a), 44(B), and the like, and is configured in the same manner as wafer stage WST1 described above. Wafer stage WST2 is driven by a planar motor 151 including mover 56 and stator 152.

As shown in fig. 44(a) and 44(B), the wafer table WTB2 includes 3 parts, which are a table main body 34, an FD rod 46 attached to the + Y side surface and the-Y side surface of the table main body 34, and a measurement unit 138, in the same manner as the wafer table WTB 1. However, the various measuring members provided in measuring unit 138 of wafer stage WST2 are different from the various measuring members provided in measuring unit 138 of wafer stage WST 1. That is, in embodiment 4, a plurality of types of measuring members are distributed and arranged in the measuring units 138 provided in each of the wafer stages WST1 and WST 2. The pair of aerial image measuring apparatuses including the measuring plate 30 of the wafer table WTB2 will be hereinafter referred to as aerial image measuring apparatuses 45B.

As the measuring means, as shown in fig. 43(B), the uneven illuminance sensor 94, the illuminance monitor 97 having a light receiving unit of a predetermined area for receiving the illumination light IL on the image plane of the projection optical system PL, the wavefront aberration measuring instrument 98, the aerial image measuring instrument, and the like, which are similar to those described above, can be used.

In embodiment 4, as the measuring means, for example, a transmittance measuring instrument for measuring the transmittance of the projection optical system PL, and/or a measuring instrument for observing the local immersion device 8, for example, the nozzle unit 32 (or the distal end lens 191), or the like may be used. Further, a member different from the measuring member, for example, a cleaning member for cleaning the nozzle unit 32, the tip lens 191, and the like may be mounted on any of the wafer stages.

In embodiment 4, illumination light IL is received through the projection optical system PL and water in the uneven illuminance sensor 94, the illuminance monitor 97, the wavefront aberration measuring instrument 98, and the aerial image measuring instrument, which are used for measurement using the illumination light IL, in accordance with liquid immersion exposure in which the wafer W is exposed by the exposure light (illumination light) IL through the projection optical system PL and the liquid (water) Lq. Further, each sensor may be mounted with only a part of the optical system or the like on the wafer stage, or the entire sensor may be disposed on the wafer stage. The same applies to the aforementioned aerial image measuring apparatuses 45A and 45B.

Although not shown, a cable for a distribution pipe (not shown) is connected from the-X-side end of wafer stage WST1 to the 1 st cable shuttle (not shown) provided on the-X side of base plate 12 and movable in the Y-axis direction. Similarly, a cable for a distribution line (not shown) is connected from the + X-side end of wafer stage WST2 to the 2 nd cable shuttle (not shown) provided on the + X side of chassis 12 and movable in the Y-axis direction. These cables supply power to the Z leveling mechanism, the measuring member, and the like provided in the wafer stages WST1 and WST2, and supply of pressurized air to the air slide.

Although illustration is omitted in fig. 42 in view of avoiding the complication of the drawing in the exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, in actuality, as shown in fig. 45, a straight line passing through the center of the projection unit PU (the optical axis AX of the projection optical system PL, and the center of the exposure area IA in embodiment 4) and parallel to the Y axis, that is, a straight line passing through the center of the projection unit PU and coinciding with the reference axis LV in embodiment 4 is arranged₀Above, the primary alignment system AL1 having the detection center at a position separated by a given distance from the optical axis AX on the-Y side. Further, with the primary alignment system AL1 interposed, detection centers are provided on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction with respect to the reference axis LV, respectively ₀Secondary alignment system AL2 in a substantially symmetrical configuration₁、AL2₂And AL2₃、AL2₄. I.e. 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The detection centers thereof are located at different positions in the X-axis direction, that is, arranged in the X-axis direction.

As a primary alignment system AL1 and 4 secondary alignment systems AL2₁～AL2₄For example, the FIA (field Image alignment) system of the Image processing system is used for each of the above. From primary alignment system AL1 and 4 secondary alignment systems AL2, respectively₁～AL2₄The photographing signal of (2) is supplied to the main control device 20 of fig. 47 via an alignment signal processing system not shown.

Next, the configuration and the like of interferometer system 118 for measuring positional information of wafer stage WST1 and WST2 will be described.

The + X side surface (+ X end surface) and the-X side surface (-X end surface) of wafer table WTB1 are mirror-finished, respectively, to form reflection surfaces 27a and 27c as shown in fig. 43B. Reflection surfaces 27b and 27d are formed on the + Y side surface (+ Y end surface) of wafer table WTB1, that is, the + Y end surface of FD rod 46, and the-Y side surface (-Y end surface) of wafer table WTB1, that is, the-Y end surface of measurement unit 138, respectively.

Similarly, the + X end surface, -X end surface, + Y end surface (+ Y end surface of FD rod) and-Y end surface (that is, -Y end surface of the measurement section) of wafer table WTB2 are mirror-finished, and reflection surfaces 27e, 27g, 27f and 27h shown in FIG. 44B are formed.

Interferometer system 118, as shown in FIG. 46, includes 4Y interferometers 206, 207, 208, 209 and 6X interferometers 217, 218, 226, 227, 228, 229. On the + Y side of the chassis 12, Y interferometers 206, 207, 208 are arranged at different positions in the X-axis direction. On the-Y side of the chassis 12, a Y interferometer 209 is disposed so as to face the Y interferometer 207. On the-X side of the chassis 12, X interferometers 217 and 218 are arranged at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction. On the + X side of the chassis 12, X interferometers 226, 227, 228, and 229 are arranged at different positions in the Y-axis direction. X interferometers 227 and 228 are disposed to face X interferometers 217 and 218, respectively.

Specifically, the Y interferometer 207 is, as shown in FIG. 46, the reference axis LV₀A multi-axis interferometer that is a substantially long axis with respect to the Y-axis direction. The Y interferometer 207 irradiates at least 3 measured-length beams parallel to the Y axis onto the reflection surface 27b of the wafer table WTB1 (or the reflection surface 27f of the wafer table WTB2), receives the reflected lights, and measures the Y-axis direction position information of the reflection surface 27b (or 27f) at each measured-length beam irradiation point. These pieces of positional information are sent to the main control device 20 (see fig. 47). The main controller 20 calculates the position (Y position) of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) in the Y axis direction, the amount of θ z rotation (yaw amount), and the amount of θ x rotation (pitch amount) based on the position information measured by the Y interferometer 207.

Y interferometers 206, 208, and 209 are used to measure the Y position, pitch amount, and yaw amount of wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2), similarly to Y interferometer 207. Y interferometers 206 and 208 each have a reference axis LV₀Parallel Y-axis direction parenchymatous long axis LV₁、LV₂. In addition, the Y interferometer 209 has a reference axis LV₀At least 3 of the length measuring beams are irradiated to reflection surface 27d of wafer table WTB1 or reflection surface 27h of wafer table WTB2 for substantially measuring the long axis.

The X interferometers 217 and 227 are multi-axis interferometers in which the reference axis LH is a substantial long axis with respect to the X-axis direction. That is, the X interferometer 217 irradiates a plurality of measuring beams parallel to the X axis onto the reflection surface 27c of the wafer table WTB1, receives the respective reflected lights, and measures the X axis direction position information of the reflection surface 27c at each measuring beam irradiation point. Similarly, the X interferometer 227 irradiates a plurality of measuring beams parallel to the X axis onto the reflection surface 27e of the wafer table WTB2, receives the respective reflected lights, and measures position information in the X axis direction of the reflection surface 27e at the measuring beam irradiation point. These pieces of position information are sent to the main control device 20. Main controller 20 calculates the X positions of wafer tables WTB1 and WTB2 and the amount of θ y rotation (roll amount) based on the position information measured by X interferometers 217 and 227.

X interferometers 218 and 228 are constituted by multi-axis interferometers similar to X interferometers 217 and 227, and measure the X position and the θ y rotation amount (roll amount) of wafer tables WTB1 and WTB2, respectively.

The remaining X interferometers 226 and 229 are each constituted by a multi-axis interferometer similar to the X interferometers 217 and 227, and are used for measuring the X position and the θ y rotation amount (roll amount) of the wafer tables WTB1 and WTB 2. The X interferometer 229 has the reference axis LA as a longitudinal axis.

As described above, by using interferometer system 118 including Y interferometers 206, 207, 208, 209 and X interferometers 217, 218, 226, 227, 228, 229, positional information in the 5-degree-of-freedom (X, Y, θ X, θ Y, θ z) direction of wafer tables WTB1, WTB2 can be measured. Further, the multi-axis interferometer, for example, each X interferometer, detects the Z position of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 by being provided on the reflection surfaces of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 with an inclination of 45 ° and by irradiating a laser beam onto a reflection surface, not shown, provided on a part of a main frame for holding projection unit PU.

Next, the configuration of encoder system 150 for measuring positional information (including θ z rotation information) in the XY plane of wafer stage WST1 and WST2 will be described.

In the exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, as shown in fig. 45, 2 head units 162A and 162B of the encoder system 150 are arranged on the + X side and the-X side of the liquid immersion area 14 (nozzle unit 32) with the X-axis direction as the longitudinal direction. In fig. 45 and the like, although the head units 162A and 162B are not shown in order to avoid the complication of the drawing, they are actually fixed to a main frame that holds the projection unit PU in a suspended state by a support member.

Each of the head units 162B and 162A includes a plurality of (5 in this case) 2-dimensional encoder heads (hereinafter, simply referred to as 2D heads) arranged at intervals WD in the X-axis direction)164_i、165_j(i, j ═ 1 to 5). Specifically, the head units 162B and 162A each include: a plurality of (4 here) 2D heads (164) arranged at intervals WD on the reference axis LH except for the periphery of the projection unit PU₁～164₄Or 165₂～165₅) And 1 2D heads (164) disposed at positions around the projection unit PU and separated from the reference axis LH by a predetermined distance in the-Y direction, that is, at positions on the-Y side of the nozzle unit 32₅Or 165₁). Each of the head units 162A and 162B also includes 5Z heads described later. Here, the 2D head is an encoder head having sensitivities in two orthogonal directions, here, the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, that is, the orthogonal two-axis directions (the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction) are measurement directions. As the 2D head, for example, a 2D head (for example, a head shown in fig. 34) having the same configuration as the 2D head employed in the above-described embodiments 2 and 3 can be used.

The head unit 162A is configured by: a multi-eye (5-eye here) 2-dimensional encoder (hereinafter, appropriately referred to simply as "encoder") 170A (see fig. 47) for measuring the X-axis direction position (X position) and the Y-axis direction position (Y position) of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 using moving scale 39A. Similarly, the head unit 162B constitutes: a multi-eye (here, 5-eye) 2-dimensional encoder 170B (see fig. 47) for measuring the X and Y positions of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 using the moving scale 39B. Here, the 5 2D heads (164) provided in the head units 162A and 162B, respectively _iOr 165_j) The distance WD in the X-axis direction (i.e., the measurement beam) is set to be slightly smaller than the width in the X-axis direction of the moving scales 39A and 39B (precisely, 2-dimensional gratings).

And in the-Y direction with the 2D head 164₃、165₃A 2D head 166 is disposed at a predetermined distance from the other₁、166₂. 2D read head 166₁、166₂About a reference axis LV₀Are arranged in a symmetrical configuration with each other. 2D read head 166₁、166₂Actually, the projector unit PU is fixed to a main frame holding the projector unit PU in a suspended state by a support member.

2D read head 166₂、166₁2-dimensional encoders 170E and 170F (see fig. 47) for measuring the X position and the Y position of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are configured using the moving scales 39A and 39B, respectively. In the peripheral exposure operation described later, etc., the 2D head 166₁、166₂Respectively opposed to the moving scales 39B, 39A, whereby the 2D head 166₁、166₂(i.e., 2-dimensional encoders 170E, 170F) measure the X, Y position and the θ z rotation amount of wafer stage WST1 or WST 2.

In embodiment 4, 2D head 166 is further provided on the-Y side₂、166₁The head units 162C and 162D are provided at predetermined distances from each other. The head units 162C and 162D are not shown in fig. 45 and the like in consideration of avoiding the complication of the drawing, but are actually fixed to the main frame in a suspended state by support members.

Head unit 162D, and 5 2D heads 64 belonging to head unit 162B₁～64₅5 2D heads 167 arranged at the same X position₁～167₅. Specifically, the head unit 162D includes: disposed in a secondary alignment system AL2₁4 2D heads 167 arranged at intervals WD on the reference axis LA on the-X side of (a)₁～167₄And 2D read head 167 at + X side and innermost side (+ X side)₄Secondary alignment system AL2 spaced from distance WD and spaced from reference axis LA by a predetermined distance on the-Y side₁1 2D read head 167 arranged at-Y side position of₅。

A head unit 162C about a reference axis LV₀Symmetrical to the head unit 162D, and provided with 5 2D heads 167₅～167₁About a reference axis LV₀Symmetrically configured 5 2D read heads 168₁～168₅. At the time of alignment operation described later, etc., the 2D head 167_p、168_qAt least 1 of the 2D heads 167 and 168 (i.e., the 2-dimensional encoders 170D and 170C (see fig. 47) including the 2D heads 167 and 168) are opposed to the movable scales 39B and 39A, respectively, (p and q are 1 to 5), and X, y, and y of the wafer stage WST1 or WST2 are measured by the 2D heads 167 and 168 (see fig. 47),Y position and θ z rotation. Here, with a secondary alignment system AL2₁、AL2₄2D read head 167 adjacent in the X-axis direction₄、168₂Is set to be substantially equal to the distance L.

In embodiment 4, the secondary alignment system AL2 is periodically performed in the same order as that of Sec-BCHK (interval) disclosed in, for example, International publication pamphlet No. 2007/097379 ₁～AL2₄Is measured from a reference line. Here, the secondary alignment system AL2₁～AL2₄The 2D reading heads 167 in the reference line measurement of (2)₄、168₂A pair of reference gratings 52 of the FD rod 46 are respectively opposed to each other, and a 2D head 167 opposed to the pair of reference gratings 52 is used₄、168₂The Y position of the FD lever 46 is measured at the position of the respective reference grating 52. Hereinafter, the 2D head 167 is formed by the pair of reference gratings 52 facing each other₄、168₂The encoders 170G and 170H are referred to as Y linear encoders (also referred to as "Y encoder" or "encoder" for short, as appropriate) (see fig. 47).

Encoders 170A to 170H measure the position coordinates of wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) with a resolution of, for example, about 0.1nm, and supply the measured values to main controller 20. Main controller 20 controls the position of wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) in the XY plane (including the θ z rotation) based on the measurement values of encoders 170A and 170B, or 170C and 170D, or 170E and 170F, and controls the θ z rotation of FD lever 46 (wafer stage) based on the measurement values of Y encoders 170G and 170H.

In embodiment 4, the 2D head 164 is used as the above-described 2D head_i、165_j、166₁、166₂、167_p、168_qFor example, a 3-grating diffraction interference encoder is used which has 2 pairs of fixed scales arranged in the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, and collects diffracted lights emitted from 2-dimensional gratings (moving scales 39A and 39B) in the same order in the orthogonal 2-axis direction on a common index scale by each pair of fixed scales. However, it is not limited thereto, and if a single head is used, the XY 2-dimensional direction of the wafer stage can be measured Any configuration of 2D read head may be used.

As shown in fig. 45, the exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4 is provided with a multipoint AF system including an irradiation system 90a and a light receiving system 90 b. Here, for example, the irradiation system 90a is disposed on the + Y side of the head unit 162D, and the light receiving system 90b is disposed on the + Y side of the head unit 162C in a state facing this irradiation system. The illuminating system 90a and the light receiving system 90b are arranged around a reference axis LV₀In a symmetrical configuration.

In fig. 45, a plurality of detection points to which the detection beams are respectively applied are not individually shown, but are shown as an elongated detection area (beam area) AF extending in the X-axis direction between the irradiation system 90a and the light receiving system 90 b. Since the length of the detection area AF in the X axis direction is set to be slightly longer than the diameter of the wafer (W1, W2), the Z axis direction position information (surface position information) of the substantially entire surface of the wafer W can be measured only by scanning the wafer once in the Y axis direction. Further, the detection area AF is disposed in the Y-axis direction between the liquid immersion area 14 (exposure area IA) and the alignment systems (AL1, AL 2)₁、AL2₂、AL2₃、AL2₄) The detection operation can be performed in parallel by the multi-point AF system and the alignment system. The multipoint AF system is provided in a main frame or the like that holds the projection unit PU.

A pair of head units 162E and 162F are provided on a straight line LF in the X-axis direction passing through the Y-axis direction center of the detection area AF of the multipoint AF system (90a and 90b) in a substantially symmetrical arrangement with the pair of head units 162C and 162D. The readhead units 162E, 162F are fixed below a mainframe, not shown. The readhead portions 162E, 162F are about a reference axis LV₀In a symmetrical configuration. A head unit 162F having a 2D head 167 connected to the head unit 162D₁～167₅5Z heads 171 arranged symmetrically about straight line LF₁～171₅. The head unit 162E has a 2D head 168 which is the same as the head unit 162C₁～168₅5Z heads 173 symmetrically arranged about straight line LF₁～173₅. This is achieved byIn this case, Z head 171₁～171₅And Z read head 173₅～173₁About a base line LV₀Is symmetrical.

As a Z read head 171₁～171₅And Z read head 173₁～173₅For example, an optical displacement sensor head having a configuration like an optical pickup used in a CD drive device or the like is used as a sensor head for irradiating the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2, more specifically, the movable scales 39A and 39B with light from above, receiving the reflected light, and measuring the Z-axis direction position information on the surface of the wafer table WTB1 or WTB2 at the irradiation point of the light.

The head units 162B and 162A are provided with 5Y heads 164 respectively _i、165_j(i, j are 1-5) the same X position, but are provided with 5Z heads 74 at positions shifted by Y position_i、76_j(i, j ═ 1 to 5). Here, the outer 4Z heads 76 belonging to the head units 162A and 162B, respectively₂～76₅、74₁～74₄The reference axis LH is arranged in parallel with the + Y direction at a predetermined distance from the reference axis LH. The innermost Z heads 76 belonging to the head units 162A and 162B, respectively₁、74₅And is disposed on the + Y side of the projection unit PU. Then, 5Z heads 74 belonging to the head units 162B and 162A, respectively_i、76_j(i, j ═ 1 to 5) arranged with respect to each other about a reference axis LV₀And (4) symmetry.

The Z head 171₁～171₅Z read head 173₁～173₅Z head 74₁～74₅And Z head 76₁～76₅As shown in fig. 47, the main control device 20 is connected via a signal processing selection device 160. The main controller 20, the Z head 171 via the signal processing selector 160₁～171₅Z read head 173₁～173₅Z head 74₁～74₅And Z head 76₁～76₅Selects an arbitrary Z head to be in an operating state, and is connected to the Z head through a signal processing selection device 160The face position information detected by the Z head set to the operating state is collected. In embodiment 4, Z head 171 is included₁～171₅Z read head 173₁～173₅Z head 74₁～74₅And Z head 76₁～76₅And a signal processing/selecting device 160 constituting a surface position measuring system 180 for measuring positional information of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) in the Z-axis direction and in the tilt direction with respect to the XY plane.

Further, in exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, as shown in fig. 45, 2D head 166 is provided in₁、166₂Between each other, a peripheral exposure unit 51 (see fig. 8) having a peripheral exposure active mask 51a extending in the X-axis direction is disposed. The peripheral exposure unit 51 is supported in a suspended state by a support member, not shown, on a lower surface of a main frame, not shown. In the peripheral exposure unit 51, by switching the ON state and the OFF state of each of the micromirrors of the pair of variable shaping masks VM1 and VM2 constituting the active mask for peripheral exposure, it is possible to expose an arbitrary region irradiated ON the periphery of the wafer W1 (or W2) located below the peripheral exposure unit 51. The active mask 51a for peripheral exposure of the peripheral exposure unit 51 may be configured by a single variable-shape mask extending in the X direction. Instead of the light from the light source, the illumination light IL may be guided to the peripheral exposure active mask by using an optical fiber, for example.

With this peripheral exposure unit 51, wafer stage WST1 or WST2 can be moved in the Y-axis direction in a state where the X-axis direction center of wafer W1 or W2 and the longitudinal direction center of peripheral exposure unit 51 are substantially aligned, whereby an arbitrary peripheral exposure area (for example, see areas S1a, S7a, S8a, S16a, S17a, S27a, S50a, S60a, S61a, S69a, S70A, and S76a in fig. 13) of wafer W1 or W2 can be exposed to form an arbitrary pattern.

Fig. 47 shows a main configuration of a control system of the exposure apparatus 1000. The control system is mainly composed of a main control device 20 composed of a microcomputer (or a workstation) which integrates the entire control device. In fig. 47, various sensors such as uneven illuminance sensor 94, illuminance monitor 97, wavefront aberration measuring instrument 98, and the like are collectively shown as a sensor group 99.

Next, parallel processing operations using wafer stages WST1 and WST2 will be described with reference to fig. 48 to 76. In the following operation, the main controller 20 controls the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 to supply the liquid Lq directly below the front end lens 191 of the projection optical system PL and recover the liquid Lq directly below the front end lens 191, and a predetermined amount of the liquid Lq is held between the front end lens 191 and the wafer table WTB1 and/or WTB2 to form the liquid immersion area 14 at all times. However, in the following description, the control of the liquid supply device 5 and the liquid recovery device 6 will not be described to facilitate understanding of the description. Note that, although the following description of the operation will be given using a plurality of drawings, the same member in each drawing is given a symbol, and the same member in each drawing is not given a symbol. That is, although the reference numerals in the drawings are different, the drawings have the same configuration regardless of the presence or absence of the reference numerals. The same applies to the respective drawings used in the above description. In fig. 48 to 76, for convenience of illustration, only the liquid immersion area 14 is shown, and the projection unit PU (projection optical system PL), the local liquid immersion device 8 (nozzle unit 32), and the like are not shown.

Fig. 48 shows a state in which, under liquid immersion area 14 (projection unit PU), step-and-scan exposure is performed on wafer W2 held on wafer stage WST2, and, concurrently therewith, wafer exchange between a wafer conveyance mechanism (not shown) and wafer stage WST1, cooling of the wafer holder, and other preparatory operations for performing exposure (hereinafter referred to as Pit operations) are completed at the left-hand loading position. At this time, the position of wafer table WTB1 is managed by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of Y interferometer 208 and X interferometer 229. At this time, the position of wafer table WTB2 in the XY plane (including the amount of rotation in the θ z direction) is based on 2D head 165 belonging to head units 162A and 162B facing movement scales 39A and 39B of wafer table WTB2, respectively_j、164_iThe measured values (i.e., 2-dimensional encoders 170A, 170B) are controlled by main control device 20.

Also, expose to the sunThe position of wafer table WTB2 in the Z-axis direction and the rotation (rolling) in the θ y-direction in the light are based on a pair of Z heads 74 facing the end portions (moving scales 39B, 39A) on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction of the surface of wafer table WTB2_i、76_jIs controlled by the main control device 20. Rotation (pitch) of wafer table WTB2 in the θ x direction during exposure is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 207. The control of the position of the wafer table WTB2 in the Z-axis direction, the θ y rotation, and the θ x rotation during this exposure (focus leveling control of the wafer W) is performed based on the result of the focus map performed in advance. Further, the position in the direction of 5 degrees of freedom other than the Z-axis direction of the wafer table WTB2 is also measured by the interferometers 207, 227.

The exposure operation is performed by the main controller 20 based on the result of the wafer alignment (e.g., EGA) performed in advance and the alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The latest reference line and the like in (2) are performed by repeating the inter-irradiation movement of moving wafer stage WST2 to the scanning start position (acceleration start position) for performing exposure of each irradiation region on wafer W2 and the scanning exposure operation of transferring the pattern formed on reticle R to each irradiation region by the scanning exposure method. The number of lines of the irradiation region to be exposed on the wafer W2 is an even number of lines, and the above-described exposure is performed in order from the irradiation region located at the upper left to the irradiation region located at the lower left in fig. 48 by so-called complete cross scanning.

While step-and-scan type exposure of wafer W2 on wafer table WTB2 is continuing as described above, main controller 20 starts driving wafer stage WST1 in the + X direction as shown in fig. 49. Next, wafer stage WST1 is moved to a position where fiducial mark FM on measurement board 30 can be positioned within the field of view (detection area) of primary alignment system AL1, as shown in fig. 50. During this movement, main controller 20 switches the control of the position of wafer table WTB1 in the XY plane from the control based on the measurement values of interferometers 208 and 229 to the control based on head units 162D, 39A facing movement scales 39B and 39A of wafer table WTB1, respectively, 162C 2D read head 167_p、168_q(p, q is 1 to 5), that is, the control of the measurement values of the 2-dimensional encoders 170D, 170C.

When wafer stage WST1 moves to the position shown in fig. 50, main controller 20 resets Y interferometer 209 and X interferometer 229, and 2-dimensional encoders 170D and 170C (resets the origin) before starting wafer alignment (and other pre-processing measurements) with respect to new wafer W1.

When resetting of interferometers 209 and 229 and 2-dimensional encoders 170D and 170C is completed, main controller 20 detects fiducial marks FM on measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST1 using primary alignment system AL 1. Then, main controller 20 detects the position of reference mark FM with reference to the center of the pointer of primary alignment system AL1, and stores the detection result in the memory in association with the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D at the time of detection.

Next, main controller 20 starts scanning of wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction, and moves it to the alignment area as shown in fig. 51. Thereafter, main controller 20 starts enhanced full wafer alignment (EGA) while measuring the position coordinates of wafer stage WST2 using encoders 170C and 170D (and interferometers 209 and 229). More specifically, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 in the X-axis direction and, while stepping it in the Y-axis direction, detects a part of a plurality of alignment marks attached to a plurality of specified shot areas (sampled shot areas) on wafer W1 using at least 1 alignment system including primary alignment system AL1 at each stepping position, and stores the detection result in an unillustrated memory in association with the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D at the time of detection.

In FIG. 51, the use of primary alignment system AL1, secondary alignment system AL2 is shown₂、AL2₃、AL2₄The states of the alignment marks attached to the 4 sampling irradiation regions are detected substantially simultaneously and individually (see the star marks in fig. 51). At this time, step-and-scan exposure of wafer W2 held on wafer stage WST2 is continued.

After the start of scanning of wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction and causes 2Z heads 171 facing moving scales 39B and 39A to respectively face wafer W1 until the detection beams of multipoint AF systems (90a and 90B) start to impinge on wafer W1_p、173_q(e.g. 171)₃、173₃) Working (ON) with a multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), focus mapping is started.

Here, the focus map in embodiment 4 refers to the following processing: at Z head 171_p、173_qIn a state of operating simultaneously with the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), while wafer stage WST1 (or WST2) is traveling in the + Y direction (see fig. 51 to 55), Z head 171 is picked up at predetermined sampling intervals_p、173_qThe three pieces of positional information (surface positional information) of the surface (the surface of the plate 28, specifically, the surface of the movable scale 39B, 39A) of the wafer table WTB1 (or WTB2) measured in the Z-axis direction and the positional information (surface positional information) of the surface (the surface of the wafer W1 (or W2) of the plurality of detection points detected by the multipoint AF system (90a, 90B) in the Z-axis direction are stored in the memory, not shown, one after another in such a manner as to correspond to each other.

After the focus map is started, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the-X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions them in 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 as shown in fig. 52₁～AL2₄The positions of the alignment marks attached to the 5 sampling irradiation regions on the wafer W can be detected substantially simultaneously and individually. Next, master control 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see the star marks in FIG. 52) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, wafer stage WThe focus map at ST1 side and the step-and-scan type exposure of wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 continue.

Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the + X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions it in 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 as shown in fig. 53₁～AL2₄The positions of the alignment marks attached to the 5 sampling irradiation regions on the wafer W can be detected substantially simultaneously and individually. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see the star marks in FIG. 53) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, the focus map on the wafer stage WST1 side and the step-and-scan exposure of wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 continue.

Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the-X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions them in 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 as shown in fig. 54₁～AL2₄The positions of the alignment marks attached to the 5 sampling irradiation regions on the wafer W can be detected substantially simultaneously and individually. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see star marks in FIG. 54) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, the length-measuring beam from X interferometer 218 starts to strike reflection surface 27C of wafer table WTB1, and therefore main control device 20 presets X interferometer 218 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 229 (or the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D) at this time. Accordingly, the X interferometer 218 can be used to measure the rotation amount (roll amount) of the wafer table WTB1 in the X position and θ y direction. At this time, the focus map on the wafer stage WST1 side and the step-and-scan exposure for wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 continue.

Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST by a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the + X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions it in alignment systems AL1 and AL2 as shown in fig. 55₃The positions of the alignment marks attached to the last 2 sampling irradiation areas on the wafer W can be detected substantially simultaneously and individually. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 2 alignment systems AL1, AL2₃2 alignment marks (see star marks in fig. 55) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 2 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₃The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, step-and-scan exposure of wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 is completed. However, at this point in time, the focus mapping on the wafer stage WST1 side continues. Before wafer stage WST2 reaches the exposure end position for wafer W2, since the length-measuring beam from X interferometer 226 starts to strike reflection surface 27e of wafer table WTB2, main controller 20 presets X interferometer 226 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 227 (or the measurement values of encoders 170A and 170B).

Before the end of the exposure, the main controller 20 starts scanning exposure (peripheral scanning exposure) of the wafer W1 using the peripheral exposure unit 51 (see fig. 55). At the time point when this peripheral exposure is started, as is clear from fig. 55, the 2D head 166 is used₂、166₁Since the scales 39A and 39B are opposed to each other, the main controller 20 thereafter reads the head 166 using the 2D head₂、166₁That is, the measurement values of encoders 170E and 170F, measurement of positional information of wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane is started.

Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST2 and wafer stage WST1 to the 1 st parallel start position shown in fig. 56 while continuing the peripheral scanning exposure. Heretofore, the encoders used for measurement of position information of wafer stage WST1 in the XY plane have been switched from encoders 170C, 170D to encoders 170E, 170F.

Then, when wafer stages WST1 and WST2 reach the 1 st parallel start position, main controller 20 causes multipoint AF systems (90a and 90b) (and Z head 171)_p、173_q) Is stopped (OFF), the focus map is finished, and the surface position information of each detection point for the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) is converted into the surface position information of the Z head 171 captured simultaneously_p、173_qThe measured surface position information is used as reference data. The conversion at this time is performed by the same method as that disclosed in, for example, pamphlet of International publication No. 2007/097379.

By obtaining the conversion data in advance as described above, the Z head 74 is used, for example, at the time of exposure or the like_i、76_jThe surface of wafer table WTB1 (points on the areas where scales 39B and 39A are formed, respectively) is measured, and the amount of tilt (mainly θ y rotation amount) between the Z position of wafer table WTB1 and the XY plane is calculated. By using the calculated Z position and inclination with respect to the XY plane of the wafer table WTB1 and the converted data, the surface position of the upper surface of the wafer W can be controlled without actually acquiring the surface position information of the wafer surface.

Since EGA is also completed at the time point when the focus map is completed, main controller 20 uses the measurement values of 2 encoders 170C and 170D corresponding to the detection results of the plurality of alignment marks obtained so far and a secondary alignment system AL2 measured in advance_nThe reference line(s) of (a) is statistically calculated by, for example, the EGA method disclosed in U.S. patent specification No. 4,780,617, etc., to calculate the arrangement (position coordinates) of all the irradiation regions on the wafer W1 in a coordinate system (for example, an XY coordinate system (alignment coordinate system) with the detection center of the primary alignment system AL1 as the origin) defined by the measurement axes of the 2 encoders 170C and 170D (2 head units 162C and 162D).

As described above, in embodiment 4, the main controller 20 carries the wafer while it is being loadedStage WST1 moves in the + Y direction, moves back and forth in the X-axis direction in a zigzag manner, positions wafer stage WST1 at multiple positions on the moving path, and uses 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 at the same time for each positioning₁～AL2₄At least 2 of the alignment marks. Therefore, according to embodiment 4, the position information of the alignment marks in the plurality of sampling irradiation regions on the wafer W1 can be obtained in a very short time as compared with the case where the alignment marks are sequentially detected by using a single alignment system. Therefore, even when all the irradiation areas on the wafer W1 are used as sampling irradiation areas, the measurement can be performed in a short time.

Then, in a state where both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are moved to the 1 st parallel start position, the reference axis LV is located at the center line of wafer table WTB1₀Substantially coincident and central line of wafer table WTB2 is from reference axis LV₀In a state shifted by a predetermined distance (1 st offset amount) from the + X side, the-Y end surface of wafer table WTB2 (the-Y end surface of measuring part 138) is in contact with (or close to with a gap of, for example, about 300 μm) the + Y end surface of wafer table WTB1 (the + Y end surface of FD rod 46). That is, in this parallel state, since the-Y side end of measurement unit 138 constituting a part of wafer table WTB2 is in contact with (or close to) the + Y side end of FD lever 46 constituting a part of wafer table WTB1, wafer stage WST1 and wafer stage WST2 can be in contact with (or close to) the Y axis direction via FD lever 46 and measurement unit 138 in a state where the + Y side surface of wafer stage WST1 and the-Y side surface of wafer stage WST2 are partially opposed to each other.

The total of the Y-axis direction length of measuring portion 138 of wafer stage WTB2 and the Y-axis direction length of FD rod 46 of wafer stage WTB1 is set to a length such that wafer stage WST1 is prevented from contacting wafer stage WST2 (to be precise, the + Y-side end of air slide 54 of wafer stage WST1 and the-Y-side end of air slide 54 of wafer stage WST 2) in a state where measuring portion 138 is in contact with FD rod 46.

While maintaining the parallel state, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170E and 170F, and drives wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction and the + X direction as indicated by the bold white arrows in fig. 57 based on the measurement values of interferometers 207 and 226. During the movement of the two wafer stages WST1, WST2, the peripheral scanning exposure is continued.

As wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move in the above-described respective movement directions while maintaining the parallel state, liquid immersion area 14 originally formed between front end lens 191 and wafer table WTB2 moves from above wafer table WTB2 to above wafer table WTB 1. Fig. 57 shows a state in which liquid immersion area 14 is transferred from above wafer table WTB2 to wafer stages WST1 and WST2 immediately before table body 34 of wafer table WTB1 via measurement unit 138 of wafer table WTB2 and FD rod 46 of wafer table WTB1 during this movement.

When the movement of liquid immersion area 14 onto wafer stage WTB1 (stage main body 34) is completed and wafer stage WST1 reaches the position shown in fig. 58 (the position where measurement plate 30 is located directly below projection optical system PL), main controller 20 makes the driving force of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the + Y direction zero. Accordingly, wafer stage WST1 stops, and wafer stage WST2 starts to be driven in the + X direction as indicated by the white bold arrow in fig. 58.

Next, main controller 20 measures a projection image (aerial image) of a pair of measurement marks on reticle R projected by projection optical system PL using aerial image measuring apparatus 45A of measurement plate 30 including wafer stage WST 1. For example, in the same manner as the method disclosed in the aforementioned U.S. patent application publication No. 2002/0041377, etc., the aerial image measuring operation of the slit scanning method using the pair of aerial image measuring slit patterns SL measures the aerial images of the pair of measuring marks, respectively, and stores the measurement results (the aerial image intensities corresponding to the XY positions of wafer table WTB 1) in the memory. During the aerial image measurement processing of the pair of measurement marks on reticle R, the position of wafer table WTB1 in the XY plane is determined by 2D heads 164 facing X scales 39B, 39A _i、165_j(encoders 170B, 170A).

Before starting driving of wafer stage WST2 in the + X direction, the measurement beam from Y interferometer 206 also starts to strike reflection surface 27f at the stage when the measurement beam from Y interferometer 207 strikes reflection surface 27f of wafer table WTB 2. Therefore, main controller 20 presets Y interferometer 206 based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 207 immediately after the start of irradiation of the measurement beam from Y interferometer 206 onto reflection surface 27 f. After this predetermined time point, the position of wafer table WTB2 is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of interferometers 206 and 226, as shown in fig. 58.

On the other hand, at the stage when wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move to the positions shown in fig. 58, the length measuring beam from X interferometer 217 starts to strike reflection surface 27c of wafer table WTB1, and the length measuring beam from Y interferometer 207 also starts to strike reflection surface 27b of wafer table WTB 1. Then, main control apparatus 20 presets X interferometer 217 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 218, and presets Y interferometer 207 based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 209. Alternatively, the master control device 20 presets the interferometers 207, 217 based on the measurements of the encoders 170B, 170A. In any event, after this point in time, main control apparatus 20 measures the position information of wafer table WTB1 using interferometers 207, 217. Of course, the position control in the XY plane of wafer table WTB1 is performed based on the measurement values of encoders 170B, 170A.

Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST2 to the position shown in fig. 59 in parallel with the aerial image measuring operation.

When the aerial image measuring operation is completed, main controller 20 calculates a reference line of primary alignment system AL1 from the detection result obtained when reference mark FM on measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST1 is detected by using primary alignment system AL1 and the measurement result of the aerial image. At this time, the peripheral exposure of the wafer W1 is continued.

Next, as shown in fig. 60, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 to the exposure start position for wafer W1 while continuing the peripheral exposure of wafer W1, and starts movement of wafer stage WST2 in the-Y direction toward the right loading position shown in fig. 61. At the time point when the exposure of the wafer W1 starts, the peripheral exposure is completed.

The exposure operation of the wafer W1 is performed by the main controller 20 based on the result of the wafer alignment (EGA) performed in advance and the alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The latest reference line and the like in (2) are performed by repeating the inter-irradiation movement of moving wafer stage WST1 to the scanning start position (acceleration start position) for performing exposure of each irradiation region on wafer W1 and the scanning exposure operation of transferring the pattern formed on reticle R to each irradiation region by the scanning exposure method. The number of lines of the irradiation region to be exposed on the wafer W1 is an even number of lines, and the above-described exposure is performed in order from the irradiation region located at the upper right in fig. 60 to the irradiation region located at the lower right in a so-called complete cross scan.

In the exposure operation of wafer W1, the position of wafer table WTB1 in the XY plane (including the rotation in the θ z direction) is based on 2D head 165 belonging to head units 162A and 162B facing moving scales 39A and 39B, respectively_j、164_iThe measured values (i.e., 2-dimensional encoders 170A, 170B) are controlled by main control device 20. The position of wafer table WTB1 in the Z-axis direction and the rotation (rolling) in the θ y-direction during exposure are based on a pair of Z heads 74 facing the end portions (moving scales 39B, 39A) on one side and the other side in the X-axis direction of the surface of wafer table WTB1_i、76_jIs controlled by the main control device 20. Rotation (pitch) of wafer table WTB1 in the θ x direction during exposure is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 207. The control of the position of the wafer table WTB1 in the Z-axis direction, the θ y rotation, and the θ x rotation during this exposure (focus leveling control of the wafer W) is performed based on the result of the focus map. Further, the position in the direction of 5 degrees of freedom other than the Z-axis direction of the wafer table WTB1 is also measured by the interferometers 207, 217.

As is clear from fig. 60, while the length measuring beam from X interferometer 226 does not strike reflection surface 27e of wafer table WTB2 during the movement of wafer stage WST2 to the right loading position, the length measuring beam from X interferometer 227 starts striking reflection surface 27e until the length measuring beam from X interferometer 226 strikes reflection surface 27 e. Then, main control device 20 presets the measurement value of X interferometer 227 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 226.

When wafer stage WST2 moves further in the-Y direction from the position shown in fig. 60, the measurement beam from X interferometer 228 starts to strike reflection surface 27 e. Then, the main controller 20 presets the measurement value of the X interferometer 228 based on the measurement value of the X interferometer 227 while the reflection surface 27e is obtained by irradiation of the measurement beam from the X interferometer 227.

When wafer stage WST2 moves further in the-Y direction, the measurement beam from X interferometer 229 starts to strike reflection surface 27 e. Then, main controller 20 presets the measurement value of X interferometer 229 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 228 while reflection surface 27e is obtained by irradiation of the measurement beam from X interferometer 228.

Main controller 20 continues the step-and-scan exposure operation for wafer W1 in parallel with the operation of driving wafer stage WST2 to the right loading position while switching the X interferometer for position control in the above-described manner.

As shown in fig. 61, when wafer stage WST2 reaches the right loading position, main controller 20 starts the Pit operation at the right loading position.

Fig. 62 shows a state in which, at the right loading position, Pit work (wafer exchange between the wafer transfer mechanism (not shown) and wafer stage WST2, cooling of the wafer holder, and other preparatory work for exposure) is performed, and in parallel therewith, step-and-scan exposure is performed on wafer W1 held on wafer stage WST1 below projection unit PU. At this time, the position of wafer table WTB2 is managed by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of Y interferometer 206 and X interferometer 229.

While step-and-scan exposure of wafer W1 on wafer table WTB1 is continuing as described above, main controller 20 starts driving of wafer stage WST2 in the-X direction to end Pit work as shown in fig. 63. Next, wafer stage WST2 is moved to a position where fiducial mark FM on measurement board 30 is positioned within the field of view (detection area) of primary alignment system AL1, as shown in fig. 64. During this movement, the main controller 20 controls the position of the wafer table WTB2 in the XY plane, and switches from the control based on the measurement values of the interferometers 206 and 229 to the control based on the 2D heads 167 belonging to the head units 162D and 162C facing the movement scales 39B and 39A of the wafer table WTB2, respectively_p、168_qI.e., the measurement values of the 2-dimensional encoders 170D, 170C.

When wafer stage WST2 moves to the position shown in fig. 64, main controller 20 resets (resets the origin) Y interferometer 209 and X interferometer 229, and 2-dimensional encoders 170D and 170C before starting wafer alignment (and other pre-processing measurements) on new wafer W2.

After resetting of interferometers 209 and 229 is completed, control device 20 detects fiducial marks FM on measurement board 30 of wafer stage WST2 using primary alignment system AL 1. Next, main controller 20 detects the position of fiducial mark FM with reference to the center of the pointer of primary alignment system AL1, and stores the detection result in memory in association with the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D at the time of detection.

Next, main controller 20 starts scanning of wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction, and moves it to the alignment area as shown in fig. 65. Main controller 20 starts the same EGA as described above while measuring the position coordinates of wafer stage WST2 using encoders 170C and 170D (and interferometers 209 and 229).

In FIG. 65, primary alignment system AL1 and secondary alignment system AL2 are shown as being used by master control device 20₂、AL2₃The states of the alignment marks attached to the 3 sampling irradiation regions are detected substantially simultaneously and individually (see the star marks in fig. 65). This is achieved byIn this case, step-and-scan exposure of wafer W1 held on wafer stage WST1 is continued.

After starting scanning of wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction, main controller 20 causes Z head 171 to start scanning in the + Y direction while wafer stage WST2 moves in the + Y direction and the detection beam of multipoint AF system (90a, 90b) starts impinging on wafer W1_p、173_qWorking (ON) with the multipoint AF system (90a, 90b), the same focus mapping as described above is started.

After the focus mapping is started, main control device 20 moves wafer stage WST2 a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the + X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions it at the position shown in fig. 66. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see star marks in fig. 66) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, the focus map on the wafer stage WST2 side and the step-and-scan exposure for wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 continue.

Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST by a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the-X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions it at the position shown in fig. 67. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see star marks in fig. 67) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, the focus map on the wafer stage WST2 side and the step-and-scan exposure for wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 continue.

Next, master control device 20 measures from encoders 170C, 170D The wafer stage WST2 is moved by a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and by a predetermined distance in the + X direction, and is positioned at the position shown in fig. 68. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 5 alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The 5 alignment marks (see star marks in fig. 68) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 5 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₁～AL2₄The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, since the length measuring beam from X interferometer 228 starts to strike reflection surface 27e of wafer table WTB2, main controller 20 presets X interferometer 228 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 229 at that time. Accordingly, the X interferometer 228 can measure the rotation amount (roll amount) of the wafer table WTB2 in the X position and θ y direction. At this time, the focus map on the wafer stage WST2 side and the step-and-scan exposure for wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 continue.

Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST2 a predetermined distance in the + Y direction and a predetermined distance in the-X direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170C and 170D, and positions it at the position shown in fig. 69. Thereafter, master control device 20 uses 2 alignment systems AL1, AL2 ₂2 alignment marks (see star marks in FIG. 69) are detected substantially simultaneously and individually, and the 2 alignment systems AL1 and AL2 are used₂The detected result of (C) and the measured values of the encoders 170C, 170D at the time of the detection are stored in an unillustrated memory in association with each other. At this time, step-and-scan exposure of wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 is completed. However, at this time point, the aforementioned focus mapping on the wafer stage WST2 side continues. Before wafer stage WST1 reaches the exposure end position for wafer W1, since the length-measuring beam from X interferometer 226 starts to impinge on reflection surface 27a of wafer table WTB1, main control device 20 presets X interferometer 226 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 217 (or the measurement values of encoders 170A and 170B).

Before the exposure is completed, the main controller 20 starts the peripheral scanning exposure of the wafer W2 using the peripheral exposure unit 51 (see fig. 1)69). At the time point when this peripheral exposure is started, as can be seen from fig. 69, the 2D head 166₂、166₁Since the scale 39A and 39B are opposed to each other, the main controller 20 thereafter reads the head 166 with the 2D head₂、166₁That is, the measurement values of encoders 170E and 170F, measurement of positional information of wafer stage WST2 in the XY plane is started.

Next, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 and wafer stage WST2 to the 2 nd parallel start position shown in fig. 70 while continuing the peripheral scanning exposure. Heretofore, encoders used for measurement of positional information on wafer stage WST2 in the XY plane have been switched from encoders 170C and 170D to encoders 170E and 170F.

When wafer stages WST1 and WST2 reach the 2 nd parallel start position, main controller 20 ends the focus map, and converts the surface position information of the multipoint AF system (90a and 90b) at each detection point into the surface position information of Z head 171 captured simultaneously in the same manner as described above_p、173_qData based on the measured surface position information.

Since the EGA is also completed at the time point when the focus mapping is completed, the main control device 20 uses the measurement values of the 2 encoders 170C and 170D corresponding to the detection results of the plurality of alignment marks obtained so far and the secondary alignment system AL2 measured in advance_nThe reference lines of (2) are statistically calculated by the EGA method, and the arrangement (position coordinates) of all the irradiated regions on the wafer W1 is calculated in a coordinate system (for example, an XY coordinate system (alignment coordinate system) with the detection center of the primary alignment system AL1 as the origin) defined by the measurement axes of the 2 encoders (2 head units).

Here, in a state where both wafer stages WST1, WST2 are moved to the 2 nd parallel start position, the center line of wafer table WTB2 and reference axis LV are located₀Substantially coincident and central line of wafer table WTB1 is from reference axis LV₀the-Y end face of wafer table WTB1 (of measuring part 138) with a predetermined offset (2 nd offset) on the-X sidethe-Y end face) is in contact with (or close to with a gap of, for example, about 300 μm) the + Y end face of wafer table WTB2 (the + Y end face of FD rod 46). That is, in this parallel state, since the-Y side end of measurement unit 138 constituting a part of wafer table WTB1 is in contact with (or close to) the + Y side end of FD lever 46 constituting a part of wafer table WTB2, wafer stage WST2 and wafer stage WST1 can be in contact with (or close to) in the Y-axis direction via FD lever 46 and measurement unit 138 in a state where the + Y side surface of wafer stage WST2 and the-Y side surface of wafer stage WST1 face each other. Here, the 2 nd offset is set to be the same distance as the 1 st offset.

The total of the Y-axis direction length of measuring portion 138 of wafer stage WTB1 and the Y-axis direction length of FD rod 46 of wafer stage WTB2 is set to a length sufficient to prevent contact between wafer stage WST2 and wafer stage WST1 (to be precise, the + Y-side end of air slide 54 of wafer stage WST2 and the-Y-side end of air slide 54 of wafer stage WST 1) in a state where measuring portion 138 and FD rod 46 are in contact.

While maintaining the parallel state, main controller 20 drives wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction based on the measurement values of encoders 170E and 170F, and drives wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction and the-X direction as indicated by the bold white arrows in fig. 71 based on the measurement values of interferometers 207 and 226. During the movement of the two wafer stages WST1, WST2, the peripheral scanning exposure is continued.

With the movement of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the respective movement directions while keeping the parallel state, liquid immersion area 14 originally formed between front end lens 191 and wafer table WTB1 moves from above wafer table WTB1 to above wafer table WTB 2. Fig. 71 shows a state in which liquid immersion area 14 has moved from above wafer table WTB1 to wafer stages WST1 and WST2 immediately before table body 34 of wafer table WTB2 via measurement unit 138 of wafer table WTB1 and FD rod 46 of wafer table WTB2 during this movement.

When the movement of liquid immersion area 14 onto wafer stage WTB2 (stage main body 34) is completed and wafer stage WST2 reaches the position shown in fig. 72 (the position where measurement plate 30 is located below projection optical system PL), main controller 20 sets the driving force in the + Y direction of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 to zero. Accordingly, wafer stage WST2 stops, and wafer stage WST1 starts to be driven in the-X direction as indicated by the white bold arrow in fig. 72.

Next, main controller 20 measures a projection image (aerial image) of a pair of measurement marks on reticle R projected by projection optical system PL in the same manner as described above, using aerial image measuring apparatus 45B described above, which includes measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST 2. In the measurement process of the aerial image, the position of wafer table WTB2 in the XY plane is determined by 2D heads 165 facing X scales 39A and 39B_j、164_i(encoders 170B, 170A).

Before starting driving of wafer stage WST1 in the-X direction, the measuring beam from Y interferometer 208 also starts to strike reflection surface 27b at a stage when the measuring beam from Y interferometer 207 still strikes reflection surface 27b of wafer table WTB 1. Then, immediately after the start of the irradiation of the measurement light beam from the Y interferometer 208 onto the reflection surface 27b, the main controller 20 presets the Y interferometer 208 based on the measurement value of the Y interferometer 207. After this predetermined time point, the position of wafer table WTB1 is controlled by main controller 20 based on the measurement values of interferometers 208 and 226, as shown in fig. 72.

On the other hand, at the stage when wafer stages WST1 and WST2 move to the positions shown in fig. 72, the length-measuring beam from X interferometer 227 is irradiated onto reflection surface 27e of wafer table WTB2, and the length-measuring beam from Y interferometer 207 is also irradiated onto reflection surface 27f of wafer table WTB 1. Then, main control device 20 presets X interferometer 227 based on the measurement value of X interferometer 228, and presets Y interferometer 207 based on the measurement value of Y interferometer 209. Alternatively, the master control device 20 presets the interferometers 207, 227 according to the measured values of the encoders 170B, 170A. In any case, after this point in time, main controller 20 measures the positional information of wafer table WTB1 using interferometers 207, 227. Of course, the position control of wafer table WTB2 in the XY plane is performed based on the measurement values of encoders 170B, 170A.

Then, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST1 to the position shown in fig. 73 in parallel with the aerial image measuring operation described above.

When the aerial image measurement is completed, main controller 20 calculates the reference line of primary alignment system AL1 from the detection result obtained when reference mark FM on measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST2 is detected by using primary alignment system AL1 and the measurement result of the aerial image. At this time, the peripheral exposure of the wafer W2 is continued.

Next, as shown in fig. 73, main controller 20 moves wafer stage WST2 to the exposure start position for wafer W2 while continuing the peripheral exposure of wafer W2, and starts moving wafer stage WST1 in the-Y direction toward the left loading position shown in fig. 75.

Thereafter, the main controller 20 starts exposure of the wafer W2 in the same manner as described above. At the time point when the exposure of the wafer W2 is started, the peripheral exposure is completed.

As is clear from fig. 74, while the length measuring beam from X interferometer 226 does not strike reflection surface 27a of wafer table WTB1 during the movement of wafer stage WST1 to the left loading position, the length measuring beam from X interferometer 217 starts striking reflection surface 27c until the length measuring beam from X interferometer 226 strikes reflection surface 27 a. Therefore, the measurement value of the X interferometer 217 is preset according to the measurement value of the X interferometer 226.

When wafer stage WST1 moves further in the-Y direction from the position shown in fig. 74, the measurement beam from X interferometer 218 starts to strike reflection surface 27 c. Then, the main controller 20 presets the measurement value of the X interferometer 218 based on the measurement value of the X interferometer 217 while the reflection surface 27c is obtained by irradiation of the measurement beam from the X interferometer 217.

When wafer stage WST1 moves further in the-Y direction, the measurement beam from X interferometer 229 starts to strike reflection surface 27 a. Then, the main controller 20 presets the measurement value of the X interferometer 229 based on the measurement value of the X interferometer 218 while the reflection surface 27c is obtained by irradiation of the measurement beam from the X interferometer 218.

Main controller 20 continues the step-and-scan exposure operation for wafer W2 in parallel with the operation of driving wafer stage WST1 to the left loading position while switching the X interferometer for position control in the above-described manner.

Thereafter, as shown in fig. 75, when wafer stage WST1 reaches the left loading position, main control apparatus 20 starts the Pit operation at the left loading position.

Fig. 76 shows a state in which wafer exchange between the wafer transfer mechanism (not shown) and wafer stage WST1 is performed as part of the Pit operation at the left loading position, and in parallel with this, step-and-scan exposure is performed on wafer W2 held on wafer stage WST2 below projection unit PU.

Thereafter, main control apparatus 20 repeats the parallel operation using wafer stage WST1 and WST 2.

As described in detail above, according to exposure apparatus 1000 of embodiment 4, main control apparatus 20 moves the other of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the Y-axis direction and also in the X-axis direction in parallel with the operation of exposing the wafer (W1 or W2) held by one of wafer stages WST1 and WST2, and sequentially positions the different alignment marks on the wafer held by the other wafer stage in alignment systems AL1 and AL2₁～AL2₄The detection area(s) of (a) sequentially detecting the alignment systems AL1, AL2₁～AL2₄The position information of the alignment mark within the detection area. Therefore, in parallel with the operation of exposing a wafer held by one wafer stage WST, alignment systems AL1 and AL2 can be used for the other wafer stage₁～AL2₄To the exposure position (e.g., the position near the position where the wafer held by the wafer stage is replaced)While the position (directly below projection unit PU, exposure area IA) is moving in the Y-axis direction, position information of a plurality of alignment marks, for example, all alignment marks on the wafer held by the other wafer stage is detected. As a result, productivity and overlay accuracy can be improved. The main controller 20 controls the peripheral exposure unit 51 to irradiate an energy beam having substantially the same wavelength as the illumination light IL on at least a part of the irradiation region of the peripheral portion of the wafer held by the other wafer stage below the peripheral exposure unit 51 while moving to the exposure position. Therefore, the yield can be improved without lowering the productivity.

In exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, in parallel with the operation of main control apparatus 20 for exposing a wafer (W1 or W2) held by one of wafer stages WST1 or WST2, Pit work, that is, wafer replacement between a wafer conveyance mechanism (not shown) and the other wafer stage, cooling of a wafer holder, and other preparatory operations for exposure are performed at the other loading position of wafer stages WST1 or WST 2. Therefore, the wafer holder can be cooled without lowering the productivity.

Further, according to embodiment 4, main controller 20 controls plane motor 151 that drives wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the XY plane, and when exposure of wafer W1 held by wafer stage WST1 is completed, moves wafer stage WST1 to the left loading position where wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 is replaced along the 1 st return path located on one side (-X side) in the X axis direction of the exposure position, and when exposure of wafer W2 held by wafer stage WST2 is completed, moves wafer stage WST2 to the right loading position where wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 is replaced along the 2 nd return path located on the other side (+ X side) in the X axis direction of the exposure position. Therefore, cables for wiring pipes are connected to wafer stage WST1 from one side in the X-axis direction and to wafer stage WST2 from the other side in the X-axis direction, respectively, whereby the cables can be prevented from being entangled, and the lengths thereof can be shortened as much as possible.

In exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, main control apparatus 20 maintains the parallel state in which measuring unit 138 of wafer stage WST1 and FD lever 46 of wafer stage WST2 are close to or in contact with each other when exposure of wafer W1 is completed, drives wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction and simultaneously drives wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction and the-X direction, and transfers liquid immersion area 14 from wafer stage WST1 to wafer stage WST 2. After the liquid immersion area 14 has been transferred, main controller 20 makes the driving force of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the + Y direction zero at a position where measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST2 is located directly below projection optical system PL. Accordingly, wafer stage WST2 stops, and wafer stage WST1 starts moving in the-X direction as indicated by the white bold arrow in fig. 72, and moves to the left loading position along the 1 st return path. In order to start the movement of wafer stage WST1 along the 1 st return path with good efficiency, at the 2 nd parallel start position, the center line of wafer table WTB2 and reference axis LV are set₀Substantially aligned with each other, and a center line of the wafer table WTB1 is located on the-X side from the reference axis LV₀In the state of the predetermined distance (2 nd offset), the parallel state of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is started.

On the other hand, when exposure of wafer W2 is completed, main controller 20 maintains the parallel state in which measurement unit 138 of wafer stage WST2 and FD lever 46 of wafer stage WST1 are close to or in contact with each other, drives wafer stage WST1 in the + Y direction and simultaneously drives wafer stage WST2 in the + Y direction and the + X direction, and transfers liquid immersion area 14 from wafer stage WST2 to wafer stage WST1, as described above. After the liquid immersion area 14 has been transferred, main controller 20 makes the driving force of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the + Y direction zero at a position where measurement plate 30 of wafer stage WST1 is located below projection optical system PL. Accordingly, wafer stage WST1 stops, and wafer stage WST2 starts moving in the + X direction as indicated by the white bold arrow in fig. 58, and moves toward the right loading position along the 2 nd return path. In order to start the movement of wafer stage WST2 along the 2 nd return path with good efficiency, at the 1 st parallel start position, the center line of wafer table WTB1 and reference axis LV are set₀Substantially aligned with each other, and the center line of the wafer table WTB2 is separated from the reference axis LV at the + X side₀In the state of the predetermined distance (1 st offset), the parallel state of both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is started.

As is apparent from the above description, in exposure apparatus 1000 according to embodiment 4, the amount of offset in the X-axis direction at the start of parallel arrangement of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is set so that the movement of one wafer stage toward the corresponding loading position along the return path can be started with optimum efficiency after the end of exposure of the wafer on the one wafer stage, that is, so that the movement path of the one wafer stage is shortest and the required time is shortest.

In embodiment 4 described above, the amount of offset in the X axis direction at the time of starting the alignment of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 is set so that the movement of the wafer stage holding the exposed wafer along the return path toward the corresponding loading position can be started with optimum efficiency, but instead of this or in addition to this, the amount of offset in the X axis direction at the time of starting the alignment of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 can be set so that the exposure of the wafer to be exposed next can be started with optimum efficiency.

After the exposure of the wafer on one wafer stage is completed, the alignment of the two wafer stages that can start the movement of the one wafer stage toward the corresponding loading position along the return path at the optimum efficiency, or the alignment of the two wafer stages that can start the exposure of the wafer to be exposed next at the optimum efficiency, can be called the alignment of the optimum efficiency.

In addition, although the above-described embodiment 4 has been described with respect to the case where both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are arranged in the Y direction in contact with or in proximity to each other in the Y axis direction in order to transfer liquid immersion area 14 between both wafer stages WST1 and WST2, the present invention is not limited to this, and both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 may be arranged in the X direction in contact with or in proximity to each other in the X axis direction in order to transfer liquid immersion area 14 between both wafer stages WST1 and WST 2. In this case, at the start of the parallel arrangement, both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 can be offset with respect to the Y-axis direction.

In the case of arranging the substrates in the Y direction as in embodiment 4, the following may be considered: part of the mechanism portion protrudes outward from the Y-axis direction side surfaces of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 than the other portions. In this case, it is preferable that the measurement unit and the FD lever have a length such that the projection does not come into contact with a part of the other wafer stage, such as a dimension in the Y axis direction and/or an offset amount when the measurement unit and the FD lever are arranged.

Although the above-described embodiment 4 has been described with respect to the case where the fixed measuring unit and the projection of the opposing table main body 34 such as the FD lever are provided on wafer stages WST1 and WST2, the present invention is not limited thereto, and in the case where the projection is mainly intended to transfer the liquid immersion area between both wafer stages WST1 and WST2, the projection may be movable. In this case, for example, the protruding portion is substantially horizontal only when both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are arranged, and can be folded except when they are arranged, that is, when they are not used. In embodiment 4, the measuring unit and the FD lever are also used as the protruding portions, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a dedicated fixed protruding portion may be provided for wafer stage WST1 and WST 2.

In the above-described embodiment 4, in order to transfer liquid immersion area 14 from one wafer stage to the other wafer stage after the end of exposure, after switching between an approaching state (parallel state) in which both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are brought closer to each other in the Y-axis direction by a predetermined distance or less and a separating state (parallel releasing state) in which both wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are separated, wafer stage WST1 is moved along the 1 st return path on the-X side of the exposure position to the 1 st replacement position in which wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 is replaced, and wafer stage WST2 is moved along the 2 nd return path on the + X side of the exposure position to the 2 nd replacement position in which wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 is replaced. That is, the description has been made with respect to the case where the 1 st replacement position is different from the 2 nd replacement position. But not limited thereto, the 1 st replacement position and the 2 nd replacement position may be the same. In this case, the main controller 20 may be configured as follows: after exposure of a wafer held by one wafer stage located at the exposure position is completed, the planar motor is controlled so that, in order to transfer the liquid immersion area 14 from the one wafer stage to the other wafer stage, switching is performed between an approaching state (parallel state) in which both wafer stages WST1, WST2 approach a predetermined distance or less in the Y-axis direction and a separating state (parallel releasing state) in which both wafer stages WST1, WST2 are separated, and the one wafer stage separated from the other wafer stage is moved along a return path located on one side of the exposure position in the X-axis direction to a replacement position in which replacement of a wafer on both wafer stages WST1, WST2 is performed. In this case, the moving range of the two wafer stages in the X-axis direction can be set narrower than in the case where one wafer stage is moved to the replacement position along the return path located on one side of the exposure position in the X-axis direction and the other wafer stage is moved to the replacement position along the return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the X-axis direction.

In embodiment 4, wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are driven independently along the XY plane by a plane motor, assuming that the movement paths of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 are described above. However, it is not always necessary to use a planar motor, and a linear motor or the like may be used depending on the movement path.

In embodiment 4, the peripheral exposure unit 51 is not necessarily provided. Even in such a case, the above-described various effects can be obtained.

In embodiment 4 described above, main control device 20 uses alignment systems AL1 and AL2 while moving the other of wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the Y-axis direction in parallel with the exposure operation of the wafer (W1 or W2) held by one of wafer stages WST1 and WST2₁～AL2₄A plurality of different alignment marks on the wafer held by the other wafer stage are detected, and only the positional information can be measured. That is, the movement path from the exposure position to the wafer replacement position may be the same for both wafer stages WST1 and WST 2. Further, the wafer stageThe other of the WSTs 1 and WST2 may be configured to detect a plurality of different alignment marks on the wafer held by the other wafer stage while moving in the Y-axis direction without moving in the X-axis direction. Further, the peripheral exposure is not required during the movement of the other wafer stage in the Y-axis direction. Further, it is not necessary to drive wafer stages WST1 and WST2 by using a planar motor.

On the other hand, in embodiment 4, only: plane motors 151 that drive wafer stages WST1 and WST2 in the XY plane are controlled by main controller 20, and wafer stage WST1 is moved along the 1 st return path located on one side (-X side) in the X-axis direction of the exposure position to the left loading position where wafer W1 on wafer stage WST1 is replaced when exposure of wafer W1 held by wafer stage WST1 is completed, and wafer stage WST2 is moved along the 2 nd return path located on the other side (+ X side) in the X-axis direction of the exposure position to the right loading position where wafer W2 on wafer stage WST2 is replaced when exposure of wafer W2 held by wafer stage WST2 is completed. That is, in parallel with the operation of exposing a wafer (W1 or W2) held by one of wafer stages WST1 or WST2, the periphery of a wafer held by the other of wafer stages WST1 or WST2 may not be exposed, and the positional information of a plurality of different alignment marks on the wafer may not be measured. Further, the planar motor may be a moving coil type.

In addition, although the measurement system 200 includes both the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150 in the above-described embodiment 4, the measurement system may include only one of the interferometer system 118 and the encoder system 150. Particularly where only an encoder system is involved, the encoder system may not be a 2-dimensional encoder including a 2D readhead.

Although the peripheral exposure unit 51 is configured using a micromirror array in each of the above embodiments 1 and 4, the configuration of the peripheral exposure unit is not limited thereto as long as it can freely expose an arbitrary position (region) on the wafer with light having substantially the same wavelength as the illumination light IL. For example, a spatial light modulator other than the micromirror array may be used to constitute the peripheral exposure unit. Further, the peripheral exposure unit may be configured using a reticle and the projection optical system PL. In the peripheral exposure, the same pattern as that transferred to the irradiation region in the normal exposure can be transferred, but a different pattern can be transferred. In this case, for example, the density of the transferred pattern is preferably the same or not extremely different. However, the line width may be thicker.

The arrangement, structure, and the like of the measuring devices such as the encoder head, the Z head, and the interferometer described in embodiments 1 to 4 are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these. For example, the number of heads provided in each head unit is not limited to the above number, and may be provided by a plurality of mark detection systems (alignment systems AL1 and AL2 in the above embodiments) ₁～AL2₄) It is sufficient to have a read head on each of the two outer sides, and the number thereof is not limited. When the specific alignment marks on the wafer W are detected by each of the plurality of mark detection systems, at least 1 head may be opposed to a pair of scales. In the above embodiments, the Y positions of the 2 heads positioned on the innermost side among the heads on both outer sides of the mark detection systems are different from those of the other heads, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the Y position of any one head may be different. The Y position of any head may be set to be different from the Y positions of other heads according to the empty space. Alternatively, if there is sufficient free space on both outer sides of the plurality of mark detection systems, all heads may be arranged at the same Y position.

The number of mark detection systems (alignment systems) is not limited to 5, and it is preferable that the number of mark detection systems having different positions of the detection area in the 2 nd direction (X-axis direction in the above embodiments) is 2 or more, but the number is not particularly limited.

In the above embodiments, when only the encoder system is provided without the interferometer system, the position information of the wafer stage in the θ x direction may be measured by the Z head.

In each of the above-described embodiments 1, 2 and 4, as disclosed in embodiment 3 or, for example, U.S. patent application publication No. 2006/0227309, an encoder system may be used in which an encoder head is provided on a wafer stage, and a scale having a one-dimensional or two-dimensional grating (e.g., a diffraction grating) is disposed above and opposite to the wafer stage. In this case, the Z head may be also disposed on the wafer stage, and the scale surface may also serve as a reflection surface on which the measurement beam from the Z head is irradiated. In addition, a head having both functions of an encoder head and a Z head, which has the Z-axis direction as a measurement direction in addition to the X-axis direction and/or the Y-axis direction, may be used. In this case, the Z head is not required.

In the above embodiments, the lower surface of the nozzle unit 32 is substantially flush with the lower end surface of the front end optical element of the projection optical system PL, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and for example, the lower surface of the nozzle unit 32 may be disposed closer to the image plane (i.e., wafer) of the projection optical system PL than the emission surface of the front end optical element. That is, the local immersion device 8 is not limited to the above-described structure, and for example, structures described in european patent application publication No. 1420298, international publication No. 2004/055803 pamphlet, international publication No. 2004/057590, international publication No. 2005/029559 pamphlet (corresponding to U.S. patent application publication No. 2006/0231206), international publication No. 2004/086468 pamphlet (corresponding to U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0280791), and japanese patent application laid-open No. 2004 and 289126 (corresponding to U.S. patent No. 6,952,253) can be used. For example, as disclosed in international publication No. 2004/019128 pamphlet (corresponding to U.S. patent application publication No. 2005/0248856), the optical path on the object surface side of the front end optical element may be filled with a liquid in addition to the image surface side optical path of the front end optical element. Further, a film having lyophilic and/or dissolution preventing function may be formed on a part (including at least a contact surface with a liquid) or the whole of the surface of the distal end optical element. Further, although quartz has high affinity with a liquid and does not require a dissolution preventing film, fluorite is preferably formed at least with a dissolution preventing film.

In the above embodiments, pure water (water) is used as the liquid, but the present invention is not limited to this. As the liquid, a chemically stable and safe liquid having a high transmittance of the illumination light IL, for example, a fluorine-based inert liquid can be used. As the fluorine-based inert liquid, for example, florina (trade name of 3M company, usa) can be used. The fluorine-based inert liquid is also excellent in cooling effect. As the liquid, a liquid having a refractive index higher than that of pure water (refractive index of about 1.44), for example, 1.5 or more may be used. Examples of the liquid include isopropyl alcohol having a refractive index of about 1.50, a predetermined liquid having a C-H bond or an O-H bond such as glycerin having a refractive index of about 1.61, a predetermined liquid (organic solvent) such as hexane, heptane or decane, Decahydronaphthalene (Decalin) having a refractive index of about 1.60, and the like. Alternatively, the liquid may be a mixture of two or more kinds of the above liquids, or may be a mixture of pure water and at least one of the above liquids. Alternatively, as the liquid, H may be added (mixed) to pure water⁺、Cs⁺、K⁺、Cl^-、SO₄ ^2-、PO₄ ^2-And a base, an acid, or the like. Further, the liquid may be obtained by adding (mixing) fine particles of Al oxide or the like to pure water. The liquid is capable of transmitting an ArF excimer laser beam. Further, the liquid is preferably a liquid which has a small light absorption coefficient and a small temperature dependence and is stable against a photosensitive material (or a protective film (top coating film), an antireflection film, or the like) applied to a projection optical system (front end optical member) and/or a wafer surface. And, in F ₂When a laser is used as a light source, perfluoropolyether Oil (Fomblin Oil) is selected. Further, as the liquid, a liquid having a refractive index higher than that of pure water for the illumination light IL, for example, a liquid having a refractive index of about 1.6 to 1.8 may be used. In addition, a supercritical fluid may also be used as the liquid. Further, as the front end optical element of the projection optical system PL, quartz (silicon dioxide) or calcium fluoride (calcium fluoride), for example, may be usedFluorite), barium fluoride, strontium fluoride, lithium fluoride, sodium fluoride, and other fluorine compounds, or quartz and fluorite materials having a high refractive index (e.g., 1.6 or more). As the material having a refractive index of 1.6 or more, for example, sapphire, germanium dioxide, or the like as disclosed in the pamphlet of international publication No. 2005/059617, or potassium chloride (having a refractive index of about 1.75) or the like as disclosed in the pamphlet of international publication No. 2005/059618 can be used.

In the above embodiments, the recovered liquid may be reused, and in this case, it is preferable that a filter for removing impurities from the recovered liquid be provided in the liquid recovery device, the recovery pipe, or the like.

In the above embodiments, the case where the exposure apparatus is a liquid immersion type exposure apparatus has been described, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and a dry exposure apparatus for exposing the wafer W without passing through a liquid (water) may be employed.

In the above embodiments, the present invention has been described as being applied to a scanning exposure apparatus such as a step-and-scan type exposure apparatus, but the present invention is not limited thereto, and the present invention can also be applied to a stationary exposure apparatus such as a stepper. The present invention is also applicable to a step & stick type exposure apparatus, a proximity (proximity) type exposure apparatus, a mirror projection aligner, and the like, which combine an irradiation field and an irradiation field.

The projection optical system in the exposure apparatus according to each of the above embodiments may be not only a reduction system but also an equal magnification system or an enlargement system, and the projection optical system PL may be not only a refraction system but also a reflection system or a catadioptric system, and the projection image may be an inverted image or an erect image. Further, although the exposure region IA on which the illumination light IL is irradiated via the projection optical system PL is an on-axis region including the optical axis AX in the field of view of the projection optical system PL, as disclosed in, for example, wo 2004/107011, the exposure region may be an off-axis region not including the optical axis AX, as in a so-called line type catadioptric system in which an optical system (a reflection system or a catadioptric system) having a plurality of reflection surfaces and forming at least one intermediate image is provided in a part thereof and has a single optical axis. The illumination area and the exposure area are rectangular in shape, but the shape is not limited to this, and may be, for example, circular arc, trapezoid, or parallelogram.

The light source of the exposure apparatus of each embodiment is not limited to ArF excimer laser, but KrF excimer laser (output wavelength 248nm) and F can be used₂Laser (output wavelength 157nm), Ar₂Laser (output wavelength 126nm), Kr₂A pulsed laser light source such as a laser (output wavelength of 146nm), or an ultrahigh pressure mercury lamp that emits light such as g-line (wavelength of 436nm) or i-line (wavelength of 365 nm). A harmonic generator of YAG laser or the like may be used. As the vacuum ultraviolet light, for example, a harmonic wave disclosed in pamphlet of international publication No. 1999/46835 (corresponding to U.S. patent No. 7,023,610) can be used, which is obtained by amplifying a single-wavelength laser beam in the infrared region or the visible region oscillated from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser by using an optical fiber amplifier coated with, for example, erbium (or both erbium and ytterbium), and converting the wavelength to ultraviolet light by using a nonlinear optical crystal.

In the above embodiments, the illumination light IL for the exposure apparatus is not limited to light having a wavelength of 100nm or more, but may be light having a wavelength of less than 100 nm. For example, the present invention is also suitably applicable to: a total reflection reduction optical system designed in a wavelength range of, for example, an exposure wavelength of 5 to 15nm, for example, 13.5nm, and an EUV exposure apparatus using a reflective mask. The present invention is also applicable to an exposure apparatus using a charged particle beam such as an electron beam or an ion beam.

In the above embodiments, a light transmissive mask (reticle) in which a predetermined light shielding pattern (or phase pattern, or dimming pattern) is formed on a light transmissive substrate is used, but an electronic mask (also referred to as a variable shape mask, an active mask, or an image generator, for example, a DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) including a non-light emitting type image display element (spatial light modulator)) in which a transmission pattern, a reflection pattern, or a light emitting pattern is formed based on electronic data of a pattern to be exposed, such as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,257, may be used instead of the reticle.

The present invention is also applicable to an exposure apparatus (lithography system) that forms a pattern of equal-pitch lines on a wafer by forming interference fringes on the wafer, as disclosed in, for example, pamphlet of international publication No. 2001/035168.

Further, the present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus disclosed in, for example, japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2004-519850 (corresponding to U.S. patent No. 6,611,316), in which two reticle patterns are synthesized on a wafer via a projection optical system, and one shot area on the wafer is double-exposed substantially simultaneously by one scanning exposure.

The apparatus for forming a pattern on an object is not limited to the exposure apparatus (lithography system), and the present invention can be applied to an apparatus for forming a pattern on an object by an inkjet method, for example.

In the above embodiments, the object to be patterned (the object to be exposed to the energy beam) is not limited to a wafer, and may be another object such as a glass plate, a ceramic substrate, a film member, or a mask substrate.

The use of the exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, and the exposure apparatus can be widely applied to, for example, the manufacture of an exposure apparatus for liquid crystal in which a liquid crystal display element pattern is transferred onto a square glass plate, or the manufacture of an exposure apparatus for organic EL, a thin film magnetic head, an imaging element (such as a CCD), a micromachine, a DNA chip, or the like. In addition to the production of microdevices such as semiconductor devices, the present invention can be applied to an exposure apparatus for transferring a circuit pattern to a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, or the like in order to produce a reticle or a mask used in a light exposure apparatus, an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) exposure apparatus, an X-ray exposure apparatus, an electron beam exposure apparatus, or the like.

An electronic device such as a semiconductor element is manufactured by the following steps: a step of designing the function and performance of a device, a step of manufacturing a reticle based on the designing step, a step of forming a wafer from a silicon material, a photolithography step of transferring the pattern of the reticle to the wafer using the exposure apparatus (pattern forming apparatus) of each of the embodiments described above, a development step of developing the exposed wafer, an etching step of removing the exposed member except for the portion where the resist remains by etching, a resist removal step of removing the resist unnecessary after etching, a device assembling step (including a dicing step, a bonding step, a packaging step), and an inspection step. In this case, since the exposure method is performed using the exposure apparatus of each of the above embodiments in the photolithography step to form a device pattern on a wafer, a device with high integration can be manufactured with good productivity.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the moving body drive system of the present invention is suitable for driving a moving body along a predetermined plane. The pattern forming apparatus of the present invention is suitable for forming a pattern on an object such as a wafer. The exposure apparatus, the exposure method, and the device manufacturing method of the present invention are suitably used for manufacturing electronic devices such as semiconductor devices and liquid crystal display elements.

Claims (95)

1. An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on an object by exposing the object with an energy beam through a projection optical system, comprising:

a 1 st moving body that holds an object and moves in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other;

a 2 nd movable body that holds an object and moves independently of the 1 st movable body within the plane;

a mark detection system having a plurality of detection regions set at positions separated by a predetermined distance from the projection optical system to one side thereof in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and disposed between an exposure position at which the exposure is performed and a replacement position at which an object mounted on each of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies is replaced, the detection regions being different in position in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis and detecting marks on the object mounted on each of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies; and

and a controller that detects a plurality of different marks on the object held by one of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies by the mark detection system and measures position information of the marks while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis toward the exposure device, in parallel with exposure of the object held by the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies.

2. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies have, on their surfaces substantially parallel to the plane, 2 d gratings whose periodic directions are a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, respectively, and a pair of grating portions whose longitudinal directions are a direction parallel to the 1 st axis are arranged at a predetermined interval in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis;

and an encoder system including a 1 st head unit having a plurality of 2-dimensional heads, wherein positional information of the one moving body in the plane is measured based on measurement values of heads belonging to the 1 st head unit facing the pair of grating units of the one moving body, respectively, during an exposure operation of an object held by the one moving body, and the plurality of 2-dimensional heads are arranged at different positions in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis facing a surface substantially parallel to the plane.

3. The exposure apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the encoder system further includes a 2 nd head unit having a plurality of heads, and when detecting the mark of the object held by the other movable body, the encoder system measures positional information of the other movable body in the plane based on measurement values of a head belonging to the 2 nd head unit that faces the pair of grating units of the other movable body, respectively, and the plurality of heads are disposed at different positions in a direction parallel to the 2 nd axis so as to face a surface substantially parallel to the plane.

4. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: and a peripheral exposure system which is disposed apart from the plurality of detection regions in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis and performs peripheral exposure in parallel with the detection operation of the mark of the object.

5. An exposure apparatus for exposing an object with an energy beam through a projection optical system, comprising:

1 st and 2 nd moving bodies that hold an object, respectively;

a local immersion device including a nozzle unit having a recovery port on a lower surface side disposed opposite to the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, the nozzle unit supplying a liquid under the projection optical system, and the local immersion device recovering the liquid through the recovery port from a liquid immersion area formed under the projection optical system by the supplied liquid;

a chassis having a surface on which the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are mounted and disposed substantially parallel to a predetermined plane including 1 st and 2 nd directions orthogonal to each other;

a drive system including a planar motor having a stator provided on the base and a movable element provided on the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies, the drive system moving the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies from one of an exposure position where the projection optical system and the liquid in the liquid immersion area expose the object and a replacement position where the object is replaced to the other, respectively;

A measurement system including an encoder system for measuring position information of the 1 st and 2 nd mobile bodies;

a mark detection system having a plurality of detection regions set at positions separated by a predetermined distance from the projection optical system to one side thereof in the 1 st direction and disposed between the exposure position and a replacement position at which an object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies is replaced, respectively, and having positions different from each other in the 2 nd direction, and detecting marks of the object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, respectively; and

a control device that controls the planar motor based on position information measured by the encoder system, in parallel with exposure of one object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, so that the other object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies moves in the 1 st direction with respect to the plurality of detection regions;

the exposure of the object held by the one movable body is performed in parallel with the detection of a plurality of marks including a mark whose position differs in the 1 st direction on the object held by the other movable body by the mark detection system.

6. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the one movable body is disposed below the projection optical system and the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies are moved relative to the nozzle unit by the planar motor, in succession to exposure of an object held by the one movable body;

The other movable body is disposed below the projection optical system in place of the one movable body, and the liquid immersion area is moved from the one movable body to the other movable body while being maintained below the projection optical system.

7. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relatively move so that the other moving body approaches the one moving body disposed below the projection optical system, and the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies that have approached each other move relative to the nozzle unit.

8. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to approach or come into contact with each other by the relative movement, and move relative to the nozzle unit in a state of the approach or the contact.

9. The exposure apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies move relative to the nozzle unit while approaching each other in the 1 st direction and maintaining a positional relationship in the 1 st direction.

10. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to be close to each other in the 1 st direction and to be offset in the 2 nd direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

11. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10 wherein a positional relationship between the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in the 2 nd direction is different between when the 1 st movable body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 2 nd movable body and when the 2 nd movable body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 1 st movable body.

12. The exposure apparatus according to claim 10, wherein in the replacement of the 1 st movable body by the 2 nd movable body, the 1 st movable body is disposed offset to one side in the 2 nd direction with respect to the 2 nd movable body disposed below the projection optical system;

in the replacement of the 2 nd moving body by the 1 st moving body, the 2 nd moving body is disposed to be offset to the other side in the 2 nd direction with respect to the 1 st moving body disposed below the projection optical system.

13. The exposure apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the 1 st moving body moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position on a 1 st return path on a side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd moving body moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position through a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

14. The exposure apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected with a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd mobile body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction.

15. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein return paths of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies from below the projection optical system to the replacement position are different from each other.

16. The exposure apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the 1 st movable body moves in a 1 st return path located on the exposure position side in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd moving body moves in a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

17. The exposure apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected with a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd mobile body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction.

18. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to be close to each other in the 1 st direction and so as to face side surfaces parallel to the 2 nd direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit;

The side surfaces of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies facing each other during movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies with respect to the nozzle unit are different between when the 1 st moving body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 2 nd moving body and when the 2 nd moving body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 1 st moving body.

19. The exposure apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies that have approached each other move in the same direction in the 1 st direction with respect to the nozzle unit at the time of replacement of the 2 nd moving body by the 1 st moving body and at the time of replacement of the 1 st moving body by the 2 nd moving body.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected to a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction, and moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position on a 1 st return path on the chassis on the one side;

the 2 nd moving body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction, and moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position through a 2 nd return path on the chassis on the other side.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed offset in the 2 nd direction in a movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

22. The exposure apparatus according to claim 21 wherein a positional relationship between the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 2 nd direction is different between when the 1 st moving body replaces the 2 nd moving body and when the 2 nd moving body replaces the 1 st moving body.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of detection regions are disposed at positions different from the replacement position in the 1 st direction.

24. The exposure apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the plurality of detection regions are disposed between the exposure position and the replacement position in the 1 st direction;

the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies detect the mark of the object while moving from the replacement position to the exposure position.

25. The exposure apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the replacement position is different from the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

26. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the planar motor is of a moving magnet type in which magnet units are provided as the movable elements on the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies, respectively.

27. The exposure apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a peripheral exposure system which is disposed at a position different from the exposure position in the 1 st direction and exposes at least a part of a peripheral region of the object held by each of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies;

at least a part of the exposure operation of the peripheral exposure system is performed in parallel with the detection operation of the mark detection system.

28. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 27, further comprising a detection device for detecting positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of detection points which are different from each other in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and which are different from each other in the 2 nd direction position.

29. The exposure apparatus according to claim 28 wherein the detection device detects the position information of the object held by the other moving body in parallel with exposure of the object held by the one moving body.

30. The exposure apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the plurality of detection points are disposed at positions different from the replacement position in the 1 st direction.

31. The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the plurality of detection points are arranged between the exposure position and the replacement position in the 1 st direction;

The detection device detects position information of the object in the 3 rd direction on the way of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies moving from the replacement position to the exposure position, respectively.

32. The exposure apparatus according to claim 30, wherein at least a part of the detection operation of the detection device is performed in parallel with the detection operation of the mark detection system.

33. The exposure apparatus according to claim 32, wherein the plurality of detection points are disposed at positions different from the plurality of detection areas in the 1 st direction.

34. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 27, wherein the encoder system irradiates a measuring beam to a scale having a two-dimensional grating and arranged parallel to the predetermined plane, with a plurality of heads provided for the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies, respectively, to measure position information of the 1 st movable body and position information of the 2 nd movable body in a 3-degree-of-freedom direction within the predetermined plane.

35. The exposure apparatus according to claim 34, wherein the plurality of scales are provided around the nozzle unit and the plurality of mark detection systems, and the encoder system measures positional information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3 degree-of-freedom direction at the time of the exposure and the mark detection, respectively.

36. The exposure apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies move respectively below the scale, and one of the heads that is opposed to the scale and used for measurement of the position information is switched to another head.

37. The exposure apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the encoder system also measures positional information of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane.

38. The exposure apparatus according to claim 34, further comprising a detection device that detects positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of detection points different from each other in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and different from each other in the 2 nd direction position.

39. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 27, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies have a mounting area on which the object is respectively placed and a scale having two-dimensional gratings which is respectively disposed on both sides of the mounting area in the 2 nd direction;

the encoder system measures position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by irradiating the 2 scales with measuring beams by the heads, respectively.

40. The exposure apparatus according to claim 39, wherein the 2 scales are provided with the 1 st direction as a longitudinal direction, respectively;

the encoder system includes a plurality of heads whose positions in the 2 nd direction are different from each other.

41. The exposure apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the encoder system includes a plurality of heads arranged in the 2 nd direction with the nozzle unit interposed therebetween, the plurality of heads include a head facing the scale, positions of the heads in the 2 nd direction are different from each other, and the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies move respectively, so that a head facing the scale and used for measurement of the position information among the plurality of heads is switched to another head.

42. The exposure apparatus according to claim 41, wherein the encoder system includes a plurality of heads disposed in the 2 nd direction with the mark detection system interposed therebetween, and position information of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in the 3 degree-of-freedom direction is measured in the mark detection.

43. The exposure apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the encoder system also measures positional information of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane.

44. The exposure apparatus according to claim 39, further comprising a detection device for detecting positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of detection points which are different from each other in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and which are different from each other in the 2 nd direction position.

45. The exposure apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies have a loading area on which the object is placed, and a scale having a two-dimensional grating, which is disposed on both sides of the loading area in a direction parallel to end portions of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies facing each other in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit, respectively;

the encoder system measures position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by irradiating the 2 scales with measuring beams by the heads, respectively.

46. The exposure apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies move relative to the nozzle unit so that the liquid immersion area moves from the one moving body to the other moving body across the opposite end portions.

47. The exposure apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the 2 rulers are respectively arranged such that a long side direction is orthogonal to a direction parallel to the opposing end portions;

The encoder system includes a plurality of heads having different positions in a direction parallel to the opposite ends.

48. The exposure apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed such that the opposing end portions intersect the 1 st direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

49. An exposure method for exposing an object with an energy beam through a projection optical system to form a pattern on the object, comprising:

in parallel with an exposure operation for an object held by one of a 1 st and a 2 nd moving bodies independently moving in a predetermined plane including a 1 st axis and a 2 nd axis orthogonal to each other, and a step of detecting a plurality of different marks on the object held by the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies by a mark detection system having a plurality of detection regions set at positions separated by a predetermined distance from the projection optical system to one side thereof in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis, disposed between the exposure position and a replacement position at which the object mounted on the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies is replaced, and at different positions in the direction parallel to the 2 nd axis, while moving the other of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a direction parallel to the 1 st axis to an exposure position at which the exposure is performed, and measuring position information thereof.

50. An exposure method for exposing an object with an energy beam through a projection optical system, comprising:

an operation of moving a 1 st moving body and a 2 nd moving body, which are arranged on a chassis having surfaces thereof arranged substantially parallel to a predetermined plane including 1 st and 2 nd directions orthogonal to each other, from one of an exposure position where exposure of the object is performed by the projection optical system and a replacement position where the object is replaced to the other through a planar motor having a stator provided on the chassis and a movable element provided on the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, respectively, the liquid immersion area being formed by supplying a liquid under the projection optical system through a nozzle unit having a recovery port on a lower surface side arranged to face the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, respectively; and

an operation of controlling the planar motor based on position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies measured by an encoder system in parallel with exposure of one object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies so that the other object held by the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies moves in the 1 st direction with respect to a plurality of detection regions set in a mark detection system which is located at a predetermined distance from the projection optical system to one side thereof in the 1 st direction, is disposed between the exposure position and the replacement position, and has different positions from each other in the 2 nd direction;

The exposure of the object held by the one movable body is performed in parallel with the detection of a plurality of marks including a mark whose position differs in the 1 st direction on the object held by the other movable body by the mark detection system.

51. The exposure method according to claim 50, wherein the one movable body is disposed below the projection optical system and the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies are moved relative to the nozzle unit by the planar motor, following exposure of an object held by the one movable body;

the other movable body is disposed below the projection optical system in place of the one movable body, and the liquid immersion area is moved from the one movable body to the other movable body while being maintained below the projection optical system.

52. The exposure method according to claim 51, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are relatively moved so that the other moving body approaches the one moving body disposed below the projection optical system, and the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies that have approached each other are moved relative to the nozzle unit.

53. The exposure method according to claim 52, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to approach or come into contact with each other by the relative movement, and move relative to the nozzle unit in a state of the approach or the contact.

54. The exposure method according to claim 52, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies move relative to the nozzle unit while approaching each other in the 1 st direction and maintaining a positional relationship in the 1 st direction.

55. The exposure method according to claim 51, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to be close to each other in the 1 st direction and to be offset in the 2 nd direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

56. The exposure method according to claim 55 wherein a positional relationship between the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in the 2 nd direction is different between when the 1 st movable body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 2 nd movable body and when the 2 nd movable body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 1 st movable body.

57. The exposure method according to claim 56 wherein in the replacement of the 1 st movable body with the 2 nd movable body, the 1 st movable body is disposed offset to one side in the 2 nd direction with respect to the 2 nd movable body disposed below the projection optical system;

in the replacement of the 2 nd moving body by the 1 st moving body, the 2 nd moving body is disposed to be offset to the other side in the 2 nd direction with respect to the 1 st moving body disposed below the projection optical system.

58. The exposure method according to claim 57, wherein the 1 st moving body moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position on a 1 st return path on a side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd moving body moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position through a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

59. The exposure method according to claim 58, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected with a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd mobile body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction.

60. The exposure method according to claim 51 wherein return paths of the 1 st and 2 nd mobile bodies from below the projection optical system to the replacement position are different from each other.

61. The exposure method according to claim 60, wherein the 1 st movable body moves in a 1 st return path located on the exposure position side in the 2 nd direction;

the 2 nd moving body moves in a 2 nd return path located on the other side of the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

62. The exposure method according to claim 61, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected with a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction;

The 2 nd mobile body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction.

63. The exposure method according to claim 51, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed so as to be close to each other in the 1 st direction and so as to face side surfaces parallel to the 2 nd direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit;

the side surfaces of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies facing each other during movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies with respect to the nozzle unit are different between when the 1 st moving body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 2 nd moving body and when the 2 nd moving body disposed below the projection optical system replaces the 1 st moving body.

64. The exposure method according to claim 63 wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies that have approached each other move in the same direction in the 1 st direction with respect to the nozzle unit at the time of the replacement of the 2 nd moving body by the 1 st moving body and at the time of the replacement of the 1 st moving body by the 2 nd moving body.

65. The exposure method according to claim 63, wherein the 1 st movable body is connected to a cable from one side in the 2 nd direction, and a 1 st return path on the chassis on the one side moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position;

The 2 nd moving body is connected to a cable from the other side in the 2 nd direction, and moves from below the projection optical system to the replacement position through a 2 nd return path on the chassis on the other side.

66. The exposure method according to claim 65 wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are displaced in the 2 nd direction in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

67. The exposure method according to claim 66 wherein a positional relationship between the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 2 nd direction is different between when the 1 st moving body replaces the 2 nd moving body and when the 2 nd moving body replaces the 1 st moving body.

68. The exposure method according to claim 50, wherein the plurality of detection regions are disposed at positions different from the replacement position in the 1 st direction.

69. The exposure method according to claim 68, wherein,

the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies detect the mark of the object in the plurality of detection regions arranged between the exposure position and the replacement position in the 1 st direction on the way from the replacement position to the exposure position, respectively.

70. The exposure method according to claim 69, wherein the replacement of the object held by each of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies is performed at the replacement position different from the exposure position in the 2 nd direction.

71. The exposure method according to claim 50, wherein the planar motor is of a moving magnet type in which magnet units are provided as the movable elements on the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies, respectively.

72. The exposure method according to claim 50, wherein at least a part of a peripheral region of the object held by each of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies is exposed by a peripheral exposure system disposed at a position different from the exposure position in the 1 st direction, and wherein at least a part of an exposure operation of the peripheral exposure system is performed in parallel with a detection operation of the mark detection system.

73. The exposure method according to any one of claims 50 to 72, wherein positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane is detected by a detection device having a plurality of detection points which are different from each other in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and which are different from each other in the 2 nd direction position.

74. The exposure method according to claim 73 wherein the detection of the position information of the object held by the other moving body by the detection device is performed in parallel with the exposure of the object held by the one moving body.

75. The exposure method according to claim 74, wherein the plurality of detection points are disposed at positions different from the replacement position in the 1 st direction.

76. The exposure method according to claim 75, wherein,

position information of the object in the 3 rd direction is detected by the plurality of detection points arranged between the exposure position and the replacement position in the 1 st direction on the way of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies moving from the replacement position to the exposure position, respectively.

77. The exposure method according to claim 75, wherein at least a part of the detection operation of the detection device is performed in parallel with the detection operation of the mark detection system.

78. The exposure method according to claim 77, wherein the plurality of detection points are disposed at positions different from the plurality of detection regions in the 1 st direction.

79. The exposure method according to any one of claims 50 to 72, wherein the encoder system irradiates a measurement beam to a scale having a two-dimensional grating and arranged parallel to the predetermined plane, with a plurality of heads provided for the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies, respectively, to measure position information of the 1 st moving body and position information of the 2 nd moving body in a 3-degree-of-freedom direction within the predetermined plane.

80. The exposure method according to claim 79, wherein the plurality of scales are provided around the nozzle unit and the plurality of mark detection systems, and the encoder system measures position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3 degree-of-freedom direction at the time of the exposure and the mark detection, respectively.

81. The exposure method according to claim 80, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies move respectively below the scale, and one of the heads that is opposed to the scale and used for measurement of the position information is switched to another head.

82. The exposure method according to claim 81, wherein positional information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane is also measured by the encoder system.

83. The exposure method according to claim 79, further comprising a detection device for detecting positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane at a plurality of detection points which are different in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and which are different in the 2 nd direction position from each other.

84. The exposure method according to any one of claims 50 to 72, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd mobile bodies are respectively provided with a scale having a two-dimensional grating on both sides of a loading area of the object in the 2 nd direction thereon;

The encoder system measures position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by irradiating the 2 scales with measuring beams by the heads, respectively.

85. The exposure method according to claim 84, wherein the 2 rulers are respectively arranged with the 1 st direction as a longitudinal direction;

the encoder system includes a plurality of heads whose positions in the 2 nd direction are different from each other.

86. The exposure method according to claim 85, wherein the encoder system includes a plurality of heads arranged in the 2 nd direction with the nozzle unit interposed therebetween, the plurality of heads include a head facing the scale, positions of the plurality of heads in the 2 nd direction are different from each other, and the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies move respectively, so that a head facing the scale and used for measurement of the position information among the plurality of heads is switched to another head.

87. The exposure method according to claim 86, wherein the encoder system includes a plurality of heads disposed in the 2 nd direction with the mark detection system interposed therebetween, and position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3 degree-of-freedom direction is measured in the mark detection.

88. The exposure method according to claim 87, wherein the encoder system also measures positional information of the 1 st and 2 nd movable bodies in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane.

89. The exposure method according to claim 84, wherein positional information of the object in a 3 rd direction orthogonal to the predetermined plane is detected by a detection device having a plurality of detection points which are different from each other in the 1 st direction and the exposure position and which are different from each other in the 2 nd direction position.

90. The exposure method according to claim 51, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are respectively provided with a scale having a two-dimensional grating on both sides of a loading area of the object in a direction parallel to end portions of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies facing each other in the movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit;

the encoder system measures position information of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies in the 3-degree-of-freedom direction in the predetermined plane by irradiating the 2 scales with measuring beams by the heads, respectively.

91. The exposure method according to claim 90, wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies move relative to the nozzle unit so that the liquid immersion area moves from the one moving body to the other moving body across the opposite end portions.

92. The exposure method according to claim 91, wherein the 2 rulers are respectively arranged such that a long side direction is orthogonal to a direction parallel to the opposing end portions;

the encoder system includes a plurality of heads having different positions in a direction parallel to the opposite ends.

93. The exposure method according to claim 92 wherein the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies are disposed such that the opposing ends intersect the 1 st direction during movement of the 1 st and 2 nd moving bodies relative to the nozzle unit.

94. A method of manufacturing a device using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 48, comprising:

an operation of exposing an object using the exposure device; and

and developing the exposed object.

95. A method for manufacturing a device using the exposure method according to any one of claims 49 to 93, comprising:

an act of exposing an object using the exposure method; and

and developing the exposed object.