HK1188031A - Substrate-replacement method - Google Patents

Description

Substrate replacing method

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a method for carrying out an object, a method for replacing an object, an object holding device, an exposure apparatus, a method for manufacturing a flat panel display, and a method for manufacturing a device, and more particularly, to a method for carrying out an object from an object holding device together with an object support member, a method for replacing an object on an object holding device including the method for carrying out an object, an object holding device including at least a part of the carrying out device for carrying out an object, an exposure apparatus including the object holding device, a method for manufacturing a flat panel display using the exposure apparatus, and a method for manufacturing a device using the exposure apparatus.

Background

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

As such an exposure apparatus, there is known one that carries in and out a glass plate or a wafer (hereinafter, collectively referred to as "substrate") as an exposure object to a substrate stage apparatus using a predetermined substrate carrying device (for example, see patent document 1).

When the exposure process for the substrate held by the substrate stage device is completed, the exposure apparatus carries out the substrate from the substrate stage and carries another substrate onto the substrate stage, thereby continuously performing the exposure process for the plurality of substrates. Therefore, when a plurality of substrates are continuously subjected to exposure processing, it is desirable that the substrates can be quickly carried out from the substrate stage device.

Prior art documents

Patent document 1: specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,559,928

Disclosure of Invention

In view of the above circumstances, the present invention provides, in view 1, a method for carrying out an object, comprising: moving an object holding device, which holds an object holding member for holding an object and an object supporting member for conveying the object, toward an object carry-out position at which the object is carried out from the object holding member; and a carrying-out operation of starting carrying out the object from the object holding member before the object holding device reaches the object carrying-out position.

According to this method, since the object carry-out operation is started before the object holding device reaches the object carry-out position, the object carry-out operation on the object holding member can be performed quickly.

In a 2 nd aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of replacing an object on an object holding device, comprising: an operation of carrying out the object carrying out method according to the aspect 1 of the present invention; an operation of causing another object supported by another object supporting member to stand by at a predetermined stand-by position before the object holding device reaches the object carry-out position; an operation of carrying out the object and the object supporting member supporting the object from the object holding device in a state where the object holding device is located at the object carry-out position; and an operation of bringing the other object located at the standby position into the object holding device together with the other object supporting member supporting the other object.

In view of the 3 rd aspect of the present invention, an object holding device includes: an object holding member for holding an object and an object support member for conveying the object; and at least a part of a carrying-out device for carrying out the object held by the object holding member from the object holding member together with the object supporting member supporting the object.

In a 4 th aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus comprising: the object holding device according to aspect 3 of the present invention; and a patterning device for forming a predetermined pattern on the object using an energy beam.

In accordance with a 5 th aspect of the present invention, there is provided an exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on an object by exposing the object to an energy beam, comprising: an object holding device having at least one part of an object holding member for holding the object and an object supporting member for conveying the object, and a carrying-out device for carrying out the object held by the object holding member and the object supporting member for supporting the object from the object holding member; and a pattern forming device for forming a predetermined pattern on the object using an energy beam.

In accordance with a 6 th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a flat panel display, comprising: exposing the object by using the exposure apparatus according to aspect 4 or 5 of the present invention; and an operation of developing the exposed object.

In the 7 th aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device manufacturing method comprising: exposing the object by using the exposure apparatus according to aspect 4 or 5 of the present invention; and an operation of developing the exposed object.

Drawings

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

Fig. 2(a) is a plan view of a substrate tray used in the liquid crystal exposure apparatus of fig. 1, and fig. 2(B) is a side view of the substrate tray of fig. 2 (a).

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the substrate holder and the port portion of the liquid crystal exposure apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 4(a) is a plan view showing a state where the substrate holder and the substrate tray are assembled, and fig. 4(B) is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 4 (a).

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a substrate loading device included in the liquid crystal exposure apparatus of fig. 1.

Fig. 6(a) to 6(C) are views (1 to 3) for explaining the substrate loading operation.

Fig. 7(a) and 7(B) are diagrams (1 and 2) for explaining the substrate unloading operation.

Fig. 8(a) to 8(C) are views (1 to 3) for explaining a substrate replacement operation on the substrate holder.

Fig. 9(a) is a plan view of the substrate tray according to embodiment 2, and fig. 9(B) is a side view of the substrate tray of fig. 9 (a).

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the substrate holder and the port part according to embodiment 2.

Fig. 11(a) to 11(C) are views (1 to 3) for explaining the substrate carrying-out operation according to embodiment 2.

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the substrate holder and the port part according to embodiment 3.

Fig. 13 is a sectional view of the substrate holder according to embodiment 4.

Fig. 14(a) is a plan view of the substrate holder according to embodiment 5, and fig. 14(B) is a view showing a state in which the substrate holder of fig. 14(a) is combined with a substrate tray.

Fig. 15(a) is a plan view of the substrate tray according to embodiment 6, and fig. 15(B) is a view showing a state in which the substrate tray according to embodiment 15(a) and the substrate holder according to embodiment 6 are combined.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the substrate holder and the port part according to embodiment 6.

Fig. 17(a) is a plan view of the substrate tray, the substrate holder, and the port part according to embodiment 7, and fig. 17(B) is a diagram for explaining a substrate carrying-out operation according to embodiment 7.

FIG. 18 is a top view of the port of embodiment 8.

Fig. 19 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the substrate when the substrate of embodiment 8 is carried out.

Detailed Description

Embodiment 1

Hereinafter, embodiment 1 will be described with reference to fig. 1 to 8 (C).

Fig. 1 schematically shows a configuration of a liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 according to embodiment 1. The liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 is a projection exposure apparatus that uses a rectangular (square) glass substrate P (hereinafter, simply referred to as a substrate P) used in, for example, a liquid crystal display device (flat panel display) as an exposure object.

The liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 includes: an illumination system IOP, a mask stage MST for holding a mask M, a projection optical system PL, a substrate stage device PST for holding a substrate P whose surface (surface facing + Z side in FIG. 1) is coated with a resist (a sensitive agent), a substrate loading device 50, a port part 60a for accepting and transferring the substrate with an external device, and a control system for these. Hereinafter, the direction in which the mask M and the substrate P are respectively scanned with respect to the projection optical system PL during exposure is referred to as an X-axis direction, a direction orthogonal to the X-axis in a horizontal plane is referred to as a Y-axis direction, and directions orthogonal to the X-axis and the Y-axis are referred to as Z-axis directions, and directions rotated around the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis are referred to as θ X, θ Y, and θ Z directions, respectively. The positions in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions are referred to as X position, Y position, and Z position, respectively.

The illumination system IOP has the same configuration as that of the illumination system disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,775 and the like. That is, the illumination system IOP irradiates the mask M with light emitted from a light source (e.g., a mercury lamp), not shown, as exposure illumination light (illumination light) IL via a mirror, a dichroic mirror, a curtain, a filter, various lenses, and the like, not shown, respectively. The illumination light IL is, for example, light of i-line (wavelength 365nm), g-line (wavelength 436nm), h-line (wavelength 405nm), or the like (or a composite light of the i-line, g-line, and h-line).

The mask M having a pattern surface on which a circuit pattern or the like is formed is held by suction on the mask stage MST, for example, by vacuum suction. The mask stage MST is mounted on a lens barrel stage 16 which is a part of the apparatus main body (body), and is driven in the scanning direction (X-axis direction) by a predetermined long stroke by a mask stage drive system (not shown) including, for example, a linear motor, and is finely driven in the Y-axis direction and the θ z direction as appropriate. The positional information (including the rotation information in the θ z direction) of mask stage MST in the XY plane is obtained by a mask interferometer system including a laser interferometer (not shown).

Projection optical system PL is disposed below mask stage MST and supported by barrel stage 16. The projection optical system PL has the same configuration as that of the projection optical system disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,552,775. That is, the projection optical system PL includes a plurality of projection optical systems (multi-lens projection optical systems) in which the pattern image projection area of the mask M is arranged in a zigzag shape, and can function similarly to a projection optical system having a rectangular single image field with the Y-axis direction as the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the plurality of projection optical systems form erect images using, for example, an equi-magnification system that is telecentric on both sides.

Therefore, when the illumination area on the mask M is illuminated with the illumination light IL from the illumination system IOP, the projection image (partial erected image) of the circuit pattern of the mask M in the illumination area is formed on the substrate P through the projection optical system PL in the projection image (exposure area) of the illumination light IL, which is conjugate to the illumination area, by the illumination light IL passing through the mask M. Then, by synchronously driving mask stage MST and substrate stage device PST, mask M is moved in the scanning direction with respect to the illumination area (illumination light IL), and substrate P is moved in the scanning direction with respect to the exposure area (illumination light IL), so that scanning exposure is performed on 1 illumination area on substrate P, and the pattern formed on mask M is transferred to the illumination area. That is, in the present embodiment, a pattern of the mask M is formed on the substrate P by the illumination system IOP and the projection optical system PL, and the pattern is formed on the substrate P by exposure of the sensitive layer (resist layer) on the substrate P to the illumination light IL.

Substrate stage device PST includes a stage 12 and a substrate stage 20a arranged above stage 12.

The surface plate 12 is a plate-like member having a rectangular shape in a plan view (as viewed from the + Z side), and its upper surface is processed to have a very high flatness. Platform 12 is mounted on a substrate stage mounting 13 which is a part of the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body including substrate stage mount 13 is mounted on vibration isolator 14 provided on floor surface 11 of the clean room, and thus mask stage MST, projection optical system PL, and the like are separated in terms of vibration from floor surface 11.

The substrate stage 20a includes: x coarse movement stage 23X, Y coarse movement stage 23Y mounted on X coarse movement stage 23X and constituting a so-called gantry (gantry) type XY dual-axis stage device together with X coarse movement stage 23X, fine movement stage 21 arranged on the + Z side (upper side) of Y coarse movement stage 23Y, substrate holder 30a holding substrate P, and weight cancellation device 26 supporting fine movement stage 21 from below on stage 12.

X coarse movement stage 23X is formed of a rectangular member whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction in a plan view, and has an elongated hole-shaped opening (not shown) whose longitudinal direction is the Y-axis direction formed in the center portion thereof. X coarse movement stage 23X is mounted on a guide, not shown, provided on floor surface 11 separately from the apparatus main body and extending in the X axis direction, and is driven in the X axis direction by a predetermined stroke in an X stage drive system including a linear motor and the like, for example, at the time of scanning operation at the time of exposure, substrate replacement operation, and the like.

Y coarse movement stage 23Y is formed of a member having a rectangular shape in plan view, and has an opening (not shown) formed in the center thereof. Y coarse movement stage 23Y is mounted on X coarse movement stage 23X through Y linear guide 25, and is driven in the Y axis direction by a predetermined stroke on X coarse movement stage 23X by Y stage driving including a linear motor and the like, for example, at the time of Y stepping operation at the time of exposure. Further, Y coarse movement stage 23Y moves in the X-axis direction integrally with X coarse movement stage 23X by the action of Y linear guide 25.

The fine movement stage 21 is composed of a low-height rectangular parallelepiped member having a substantially square shape in plan view. Fine movement stage 21 is fine-driven in the 6-degree-of-freedom direction (X-axis, Y-axis, Z-axis, θ X, θ Y, and θ Z directions) with respect to Y coarse movement stage 23Y by a fine movement stage drive system including a plurality of voice coil motors (or linear motors) composed of a stator fixed to Y coarse movement stage 23Y and a mover fixed to fine movement stage 21. The plurality of voice coil motors include a plurality of X voice coil motors 29X that micro-drive the micro-movement stage 21 in the X-axis direction (overlapping in the depth direction of the drawing in fig. 1), a plurality of Y voice coil motors (not shown) that micro-drive the micro-movement stage 21 in the Y-axis direction, and a plurality of Z voice coil motors 29Z that micro-drive the micro-movement stage 21 in the Z-axis direction (for example, arranged at positions corresponding to the four corners of the micro-movement stage 21).

Fine movement stage 21 is guided by Y coarse movement stage 23Y through the plurality of voice coil motors, and moves in the X-axis direction and/or the Y-axis direction along the XY plane with a predetermined stroke. The positional information in the XY plane of fine movement stage 21 is obtained by a substrate interferometer system including interferometers (including an X interferometer that measures the X position of fine movement stage 21 using X movement mirror 22X and a Y interferometer that measures the Y position of fine movement stage 21 using Y movement mirror), not shown, that irradiate a distance measuring beam onto a movement mirror (including X movement mirror 22X having a reflection surface orthogonal to the X axis and Y movement mirror (not shown)) fixed to fine movement stage 21 through mirror base 24. The structure of the micro stage drive system and the substrate interferometer system is disclosed in, for example, U.S. patent application publication No. 2010/0018950.

The substrate holder 30a is formed of a low-height rectangular parallelepiped member having a rectangular shape in a plan view with the X-axis direction as the longitudinal direction, and is fixed to the upper surface of the fine movement stage 21. A plurality of holes, not shown, are formed in the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. The substrate holder 30a is connected to an externally provided vacuum device, and can hold the substrate P by suction by the vacuum device. The structure of the substrate holder 30a will be described later.

The weight cancellation device 26 is constituted by a column-shaped member (also referred to as a stem) extending in the Z-axis direction, and supports the central portion of the fine movement stage 21 from below through a device referred to as a leveling device 27. Weight cancellation device 26 is inserted into the opening of each of X coarse movement stage 23X and Y coarse movement stage 23Y. The weight eliminating device 26 is suspended on the stage 12 with a slight gap by a plurality of air bearings 26a mounted on the lower portion thereof. Weight cancellation device 26 is connected to Y coarse movement stage 23Y at the height position of the center of gravity in the Z-axis direction thereof via a plurality of connection devices 26b, and is moved on table 12 in the Y-axis direction and/or the X-axis direction together with Y coarse movement stage 23Y by being pulled by Y coarse movement stage 23Y.

The weight cancellation device 26 includes, for example, an air spring (not shown), and cancels (cancels) the weight (vertical downward force) of the fine movement stage 21, the leveling device 27, the substrate holder 30a, and the like by a vertical upward force generated by the air spring, thereby reducing the load on the plurality of voice coil motors included in the fine movement stage drive system. The leveling device 27 supports the fine movement stage 21 from below so as to be swingable (tilt-operate) with respect to the XY plane. The leveling device 27 supports the weight cancellation device 26 from below in a non-contact manner via an air bearing, not shown. Including the leveling device 27 and the connecting device 26b, the detailed structure and operation of the weight reducing device 26 are disclosed in, for example, U.S. patent publication No. 2010/0018950.

Here, in the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10, loading (loading) of the substrate P into the substrate holder 30a and unloading (unloading) of the substrate P from the substrate holder 30a are performed in order to load the substrate P on a member called a substrate tray 40a shown in fig. 2(a) and 2 (B).

As shown in fig. 2(a), the substrate tray 40a includes a plurality of support members 41, a connecting member 42, a plurality of reinforcing members 43, and the like. The support member 41 is formed of a rod-like member extending in the X-axis direction, and has a rectangular cross section (YZ cross section) perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The plurality of support members 41 are arranged in parallel with each other at substantially equal intervals in the Y-axis direction. As shown in fig. 5, the dimension in the longitudinal direction of the support members 41 is set to be slightly longer than the dimension in the X-axis direction of the substrate P, and the substrate tray 40a supports the substrate P from below using the plurality of support members 41. A plurality of micro holes, not shown, are formed in the upper surface of each of the plurality of support members 41, and the substrate P is sucked and held through the plurality of holes. The substrate tray 40a according to embodiment 1 shown in fig. 2a, 4, 5, etc. has 3 support members 41, for example, but the number of the support members 41 is not limited thereto, and may be appropriately changed depending on the size, thickness (flexibility), etc. of the substrate P.

As shown in fig. 2B, a tapered member 44a (a tapered trapezoidal member) having a tapered surface that tapers from the-X side to the + X side is attached to the + X side end of each of the plurality of support members 41. Further, a tapered member 44b having a tapered surface that tapers from the + X side toward the-X side is attached to the-X side end of each of the plurality of support members 41.

As is clear from fig. 2(a) and 2(B), the connecting member 42 is a rod-like member having a rectangular XZ cross section extending in the Y-axis direction. And a connecting member 42 having a lower portion fitted into a recess formed in an upper surface of each of the plurality of support members 41 in the vicinity of the end on the + X side to connect the plurality of support members 41 to each other. The plurality of reinforcing members 43 are rod-shaped members having a rectangular XZ cross section extending in the Y-axis direction, and are set to be thinner than the supporting member 41. As shown in fig. 2(B), recesses are formed in the upper surface of each of the plurality of support members 41 at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction, and the reinforcing member 43 is fitted into each of the plurality of recesses. The depth of the recess into which the reinforcing member 43 is fitted is set so that the upper surface of the reinforcing member 43 is located on the-Z side (or at the same Z position) as the upper surface of the support member 41. The substrate tray 40a is connected to each other by a plurality of reinforcing members 43 through the middle portions in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of supporting members 41, and the rigidity of the whole is improved.

Of the plurality of support members 41 (e.g., 3 support members in the present embodiment), the central support member 41 has a rectangular parallelepiped protrusion 45a in the vicinity of the-X-side end on the lower surface thereof. The function of the projection 45a is left to be described later.

As shown in fig. 3, a plurality of X grooves 31X (e.g., 3 in embodiment 1) extending in the X axis direction are formed on the upper surface (substrate mounting surface) of the substrate holder 30a at predetermined intervals in the Y axis direction in correspondence with the plurality of support members 41 (see fig. 2 a) of the substrate tray 40 a. The X groove 31X is open on each side surface of the substrate holder 30a on the + X side and the-X side. The intervals of the plurality of X grooves 31X in the Y axis direction substantially coincide with the intervals of the plurality of support members 41 of the substrate tray 40a in the Y axis direction shown in fig. 2 (a). As shown in fig. 4(a), in a state where the substrate P is loaded on the substrate holder 30a, the support member 41 of the substrate tray 40a is accommodated in the X-groove 31X. The length of the substrate holder 30a in the X axis direction is set to be shorter than the length of the support member 41 in the X axis direction, and in a state where the substrate tray 40a is combined with the substrate holder 30a, the coupling member 42 is positioned outside the substrate holder 30a (more + X side than the + X side end of the substrate holder 30 a), and the tapered members 44a, 44b protrude outside the substrate holder 30a, respectively.

Returning to fig. 3, on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30a, a plurality of reinforcing members 43 (see fig. 2 a) corresponding to the substrate tray 40a are formed (for example, 3 in embodiment 1) in the X-axis direction with a predetermined interval in the Y-groove 31Y extending in the Y-axis direction. The intervals of the plurality of Y grooves 31Y in the X axis direction are substantially equal to the intervals of the plurality of reinforcing members 43 of the substrate tray 40a in the X axis direction shown in fig. 2(a), and as shown in fig. 4(a), the reinforcing members 43 of the substrate tray 40a are accommodated in the Y grooves 31Y in a state where the substrate tray 40a is combined with the substrate holder 30 a.

Returning to fig. 3, among the plurality of X grooves 31X, a plurality of (for example, 3 in the present embodiment, one X groove 31X is accommodated at a predetermined interval in the X-axis direction in the present embodiment) tray guides 32 are accommodated in the other X grooves 31X (2X grooves 31X on the + Y side and the-Y side in the present embodiment 1) except for the central X groove 31X. As shown in fig. 4B, the tray guide 32 includes a Z actuator 34 accommodated in a recess 33 formed in the bottom surface defining the X groove 31X, and a guide 35 driven in the vertical (Z-axis) direction in the X groove 31X by the Z actuator 34. The type of the Z actuator 34 is not particularly limited, but for example, a cam device, a feed screw device, an air actuator, or the like that converts a horizontal force into a vertical force can be used. The Z actuators 34 of the plurality of tray guides 32 are synchronously driven by a main control device, not shown. The guide 35 is a plate-like member parallel to the XY plane, and supports a support member 41 of the substrate tray 40a from below. A plurality of not-shown minute holes are formed in the upper surface of the guide 35, and pressurized gas (for example, air) is ejected from the holes to float and support the support member 41 with a minute gap therebetween. Further, the guide 35 may hold the support member 41 mounted thereon by suction using the hole (or another hole).

Referring back to fig. 3, the substrate unloading device 70a is accommodated in the central X-groove 31X among the plurality of X-grooves 31X. The substrate carrying-out device 70a includes an X travel guide 71 and a pressing member 72 a. The X-travel guide 71 is formed of a member extending in the X-axis direction, and is fixed to a bottom surface defining the X-groove 31X. The X travel guide 71 is set to have a longer dimension in the longitudinal (X-axis) direction than the substrate holder 30a, and both ends in the longitudinal direction thereof protrude outside the substrate holder 30 a. As shown in fig. 7(a), the pressing member 72a is formed of an L-shaped member having an XZ cross section, and a portion parallel to the XY plane is slidably engaged with the X travel guide 71 in the X axis direction, and is driven in the X axis direction by a predetermined stroke on the X travel guide 71. The type of the driving device for driving the pressing member 72a is not particularly limited, and for example, an X linear motor including a stator provided in the X travel guide 71 and a movable element provided in the pressing member 72a, a feed screw device including a feed screw provided in the X travel guide 71 and a nut provided in the pressing member 72a, or the like can be used.

As shown in fig. 1, the substrate loading device 50 includes a 1 st transport unit 51a and a 2 nd transport unit 51 b. The 1 st conveying unit 51a is disposed above the port portion 60a described later, and the 2 nd conveying unit 51b is disposed above the substrate holder 30a on the-X side of the 1 st conveying unit 51a when the substrate stage 20a moves to a position adjacent to the port portion 60a (a position near the + X-side end of the stage 12, hereinafter referred to as a substrate exchange position) for exchanging the substrate P. The substrate replacement position may be referred to as a substrate carry-out position (object carry-out position) at which the substrate P held by the substrate holder 30a (substrate stage 20a) is carried out from the substrate holder 30a (substrate stage 20a) as will be described later.

As shown in fig. 5, the 1 st transport unit 51a includes a pair of X travel guides 52, a pair of X sliders 53 provided corresponding to the pair of X travel guides 52, and a holding member 54a extending between the pair of X sliders 53. The pair of X travel guides 52 are each formed of a member extending in the X axis direction, and the longitudinal dimension thereof is set to be slightly longer than the X axis dimension of the substrate P. The pair of X travel guides 52 are arranged parallel to each other at a predetermined interval (an interval slightly wider than the dimension of the substrate P in the Y axis direction) in the Y axis direction. The pair of X-sliders 53 are slidably engaged with the corresponding X-travel guides 52 in the X-axis direction, and are driven synchronously along the X-travel guides 52 by an actuator (not shown) (e.g., a feed screw device, a linear motor, a belt drive device, etc.) at a predetermined stroke.

The holding member 54a is formed of a member extending in the Y-axis direction, and a plurality of recesses 55a are formed in a surface portion facing the-X side. The plurality of recesses 55a are formed at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction (at intervals substantially equal to the intervals in the Y-axis direction of the plurality of tapered members 44a of the substrate tray 40 a). The recess 55a is defined by a tapered surface that is tapered from the-X side toward the + X side, and the holding member 54a is inserted into the plurality of recesses 55a through the plurality of tapered members 44a of the substrate tray 40a, respectively, to hold the + X-side end of the substrate tray 40 a. The pair of X travel guides 52, the pair of X sliders 53, and the holding member 54a are driven in the Z-axis direction by a Z actuator, not shown, by a predetermined stroke. Further, the Z positions of the pair of X travel guides 52 and the pair of X sliders 53 may be changed, and only the holding member 54a may be moved in the Z-axis direction with respect to the pair of X travel guides 52. The configuration of the 2 nd conveying unit 51b is the same as that of the 1 st conveying unit 51a except that a plurality of recesses 55b into which the tapered members 44b of the substrate tray 40a are inserted are formed in the + X side surface portion of the holding member 54b, and thus, the description thereof is omitted.

The substrate loading device 50 can synchronously drive the plurality of X sliders 53 in a state where the substrate tray 40a is held by the holding member 54a of the 1 st transport unit 51a and the holding member 54b of the 2 nd transport unit 51b, thereby moving the substrate tray 40a along the XY plane (horizontal plane) between above the port 60a and above the substrate replacement position. In addition, the substrate loading device 50 can move the substrate tray 40a up and down above the port 60a or above the substrate replacement position by synchronously driving the 1 st transport unit 51a and the 2 nd transport unit 51b in the Z-axis direction.

Here, the carrying-in operation of carrying the substrate P into the substrate holder 30a by using the substrate carrying-in device 50 will be described with reference to fig. 6(a) to 6 (C). In fig. 6(a) to 6(C), for simplification of explanation, the components other than the substrate holder 30a in the substrate stage 20a and the components other than the holding members 54a and 54b in the substrate loading device 50 are not shown. As shown in fig. 6(a), the substrate tray 40a held by the holding members 54a and 54b is conveyed to above the substrate holder 30a located at the substrate replacement position. The Y position of the substrate stage 20a is positioned so that the Y positions of the plurality of support members 41 (see fig. 2 a) of the substrate tray 40a substantially coincide with the Y positions of the plurality of X grooves 31X. In the substrate holder 30a, the guide 35 of each of the plurality of tray guides 32 is positioned such that the upper surface thereof is positioned on the + Z side (protruding from the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a) with respect to the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. The pressing member 72a of the substrate unloading device 70a is located at the most-X position in the movable range and outside the substrate holder 30 a. The length of the X travel guide 71 is set so that the pressing member 72a does not contact the substrate tray 40a when the substrate is carried in.

From the state shown in fig. 6a, the main controller, not shown, lowers the substrate tray 40a by driving the holding members 54a and 54b in the-Z direction (see the arrows in fig. 6 a). Accordingly, as shown in fig. 6(B), the substrate tray 40a is transferred to the plurality of tray guides 32, and is sucked and held by the plurality of guides 35. The main controller drives the holding members 54a and 54B in a direction (see an arrow in fig. 6B) away from the substrate tray 40a in a state where the substrate tray 40a is mounted on the guides 35 of the plurality of tray guides 32, and then drives them upward (see an arrow in fig. 6C) as shown in fig. 6C.

As shown in fig. 6C, the plurality of guides 35 are synchronously driven in the-Z direction (see the arrow in fig. 6C) in the substrate holder 30a, and the substrate tray 40a is lowered and the substrate P is loaded on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. In addition, the plurality of guides 35 are further driven in the-Z direction after the substrate P is mounted on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. Accordingly, the substrate tray 40a is separated from the lower surface of the substrate P, and the substrate P is sucked and held by the substrate holder 30 a.

Returning to fig. 1, the port portion 60a has a stand 61 and a plurality of tray guides 62 (shown in fig. 1 as being overlapped in the depth direction of the paper and hidden, see fig. 3). Mount 61 is provided on floor surface 11 at a position on the + X side of stage 12, and is housed in a chamber (chamber), not shown, together with substrate stage device PST.

A plurality of (for example, 2 in the present embodiment) tray guide devices 62 are mounted on the mount 61 at predetermined intervals in the Y-axis direction as shown in fig. 3. The port 60a of the present embodiment includes, for example, 2 tray guides 62, but the number of the plurality of tray guides 62 is not limited to this, and may be appropriately changed depending on, for example, the number of the support members 41 (not shown in fig. 3, see fig. 2 a) of the substrate tray 40 a. Specifically, the tray guide 62 is provided on the mount 61 corresponding to the support members 41 other than the support member 41 (the central support member 41 in the present embodiment 1) having the protrusion 45a (see fig. 2B) among the plurality of support members 41. In the present embodiment, for example, the distance between the 2 tray guides 62 in the Y axis direction is substantially equal to the distance between the most + Y-side support member 41 and the most-Y-side support member 41 of the substrate tray 40a, as shown in fig. 5.

As shown in fig. 1, the tray guide device 62 includes a base 63 formed of a plate-like member extending in the X-axis direction, a plurality of (e.g., 3) Z actuators 64 mounted on the base 63 at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction, a plurality of guides 65 driven by the Z actuators 64 in the vertical (Z-axis) direction, and the like. The base 63 is linearly guided in the X-axis direction by an X-linear guide device including a plurality of X-linear guides 66 fixed to the upper surface of the stand 61 and an X-slider 67 fixed to the lower surface of the base 63 and slidably engaged with the X-linear guides 66. The base 63 is driven in the X-axis direction by an X actuator (not shown) (e.g., a feed screw device, a linear motor, etc.) with a predetermined stroke. The type of the Z actuator 64 is not particularly limited, and for example, a cam device, a feed screw device, an air actuator, or the like can be used. The Z actuators 64 of the plurality of tray guides 62 are synchronously driven by a main control device, not shown. The guide 65 is formed of a plate-like member parallel to the XY plane, and the support member 41 of the substrate tray 40a is mounted on the upper surface thereof (see fig. 2 a). A plurality of fine holes (not shown) are formed in the upper surface of the guide 65, and pressurized gas (for example, air) is ejected from the holes to levitate and support the substrate tray 40a with a fine gap therebetween.

Here, a transfer operation (substrate carry-out operation) of transferring the substrate tray 40a and the substrate P loaded on the substrate tray 40a from the substrate holder 30a to the port 60a by using the substrate carry-out device 70a will be described with reference to fig. 7 a and 7B. In fig. 7(a) and 7(B), for simplification of explanation, members of the substrate stage 20a other than the substrate holder 30a and a part of the stage 61 of the port 60a are not shown. When the substrate P is carried out from the substrate holder 30a, as shown in fig. 7(a), after the suction holding of the substrate P is released in the substrate holder 30a, the plurality of tray guides 32 are synchronously driven to drive the plurality of guides 35 in the + Z direction. Accordingly, the substrate tray 40a is raised, and the substrate P is supported from below by the plurality of support members 41. Further, the main control device also moves the plurality of guides 35 in the + Z direction after the substrate P is supported on the substrate tray 40 a. Accordingly, the substrate P moves in the + Z direction integrally with the substrate tray 40a, and the lower surface of the substrate P is separated from the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. At this time, the main control device separates the substrate P from the substrate holder 30a, and drives the guide 35 by a minimum stroke necessary to position the lower surfaces of the plurality of reinforcing members 43 on the + Z side with respect to the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 a. Therefore, the lower half portions of the plurality of support members 41 of the substrate tray 40a are accommodated in the X-grooves 31X.

In the port portion 60a, the plurality of tray guides 62 are driven in the-X direction (toward the substrate stage 20a), and the-X side end of the base 63 is positioned to protrude from the stage 61 toward the-X side. The plurality of Z actuators 64 are controlled so that the Z positions of the plurality of guides 65 are substantially the same as (or substantially on the-Z side of) the Z positions of the plurality of guides 35 in the substrate holder 30 a.

Next, the pressing member 72a of the substrate unloading device 70a is driven in the + X direction in the substrate holder 30 a. The Z position (height) of the pressing member 72a is set so as to come into contact with the projection 45a in a state where the substrate tray 40a is supported by the plurality of tray guides 32 in the substrate holder 30a in order to carry out the substrate P. Therefore, when the pressing member 72a is driven in the + X direction, as shown in fig. 7(B), the substrate tray 40a is pressed by the pressing member 72a, and moves in the + X direction integrally with the pressing member 72 a. In addition, the port portion 60a is interlocked with the substrate tray 40a moving in the + X direction, and the tray guiding device 62 is driven in the + X direction.

At this time, the guide 35 on the substrate holder 30a side and the guide 65 on the port 60a side each eject pressurized gas to the lower surface of the support member 41 to suspend and support the substrate tray 40 a. Therefore, the substrate tray 40a (substrate P) can be carried out from the substrate holder 30a to the port 60a at a high speed and with low dust emission. Further, since the substrate P is carried out at a high speed, the substrate tray 40a may hold the substrate P by suction (or may hold the substrate P only by friction) in order to avoid positional deviation of the substrate P. Further, a regulating member (for example, a pin-like member protruding from the supporting member 41) for regulating the movement of the substrate P on the substrate tray 40a may be provided on the substrate tray 40 a. Further, since the substrate tray 40a is supported in a floating manner, for example, an adsorption device (for example, a vacuum adsorption device, a magnetic adsorption device, or the like) that adsorbs the holding projection 45a may be provided to the pressing member 72a in order to avoid separation of the substrate tray 40a from the pressing member 72a when the pressing member 72a presses the substrate tray 40 a. Alternatively, for example, a mechanism (e.g., lock pin) for mechanically engaging the pressing member 72a with the substrate tray 40a may be provided. Further, for example, the suction holding function of the guide 35 may be utilized to apply a light load (braking force) in the-Z direction to the substrate tray 40a, thereby preventing the pressing member 72a from being separated from the protrusion 45 a.

Further, in embodiment 1, the substrate P is carried out by the substrate carrying-out device 70a provided in the substrate holder 30a, but another substrate carrying-out device for holding the substrate tray 40a to move in the + X direction may be provided in the port 60a in combination with this, and the substrate carrying-out operation using the substrate carrying-out device 70a may be switched to the substrate carrying-out operation using the other substrate carrying-out device during the movement of the substrate tray 40 a. In this case, the stroke of the pressing member 72a can be shortened. Further, since the substrate tray 40a is supported in a floating manner, the substrate tray 40a pressed by the pressing member 72a (provided with a thrust force in the + X direction) can be moved from the guide 35 to the guide 65 by inertia. In this case, the stroke of the pressing member 72a can be shortened.

The liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 (see fig. 1) configured as described above is configured to load the mask M onto the mask stage MST by the mask loader (not shown) and to load the substrate P onto the substrate holder 30a by the substrate loading device 50, under the control of the main control device (not shown). After that, the main controller performs alignment measurement using alignment detection (not shown), and after the alignment measurement is completed, the step & scan exposure operation is sequentially performed on the plurality of irradiation areas set on the substrate P. Since this exposure operation is the same as the step-and-scan type exposure operation that has been performed conventionally, a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Next, the substrate after the exposure processing is carried out of the substrate holder 30a, and another substrate to be exposed next is carried to the substrate holder 30a, whereby the substrate on the substrate holder 30a is replaced, and the exposure operation and the like are continuously performed on the plurality of substrates.

Hereinafter, a substrate replacement operation on the substrate holder 30a of the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 will be described with reference to fig. 8(a) to 8 (C). For simplicity of explanation, fig. 8(a) to 8(C) are omitted in the drawings of the components of substrate stage 20a other than substrate holder 30a, the components of substrate loading device 50 other than holding members 54a and 54b, and port 60a serving as mount 61. In embodiment 1, two substrate trays 40a (referred to as substrate trays 40a for convenience) are used in the substrate replacement operation on the substrate holder 30a, as shown in fig. 8(a) to 8(C)₁、40a₂) The substrate P is carried. Two substrate trays 40a₁、40a₂Are substantially the same. The following substrate replacement operation is performed under the management of a main control device, not shown.

As shown in FIG. 8(A), the substrate P which has been carried out of the substrate holder 30a and has been subjected to the exposure processing₁Is loaded on a substrate tray 40a₁Upper, the substrate tray 40a₁Is supported from below by a plurality of tray guides 32 of the substrate holder 30 a. On the other hand, the next substrate P to be subjected to the exposure processing₂Is loaded on another basePlate pallet 40a₂The above. Further, the substrate tray 40a₂Is held by the holding members 54a, 54b, and is positioned above the substrate holder 30a when the substrate holder 30a is positioned at the substrate replacement position.

Here, the main control device is set on the substrate P₁After the exposure process for the last irradiation region out of the plurality of irradiation regions above is completed, the substrate stage 20a is moved from below the projection optical system PL (see fig. 1) to the substrate replacement position (position adjacent to the port portion 60 a). Next, as shown in fig. 8(a), the main controller controls the plurality of tray guides 32 in the substrate holder 30a to cause the substrate tray 40a to move during the movement of the substrate stage 20a, that is, before reaching the substrate replacement position₁Is raised to make the substrate P₁Further, the substrate carrying-out device 70a is controlled to move the substrate tray 40a away from the upper surface of the substrate holder 30a by using the pressing member 72a₁Move to + X side (port portion 60a side). As described above, in embodiment 1, the movement of the substrate stage 20a to the substrate exchange position and the substrate P are moved₁At the same time (that is, before the substrate stage 20a is positioned to the substrate replacement position, the substrate P is carried out₁The carrying out operation of (1).

Hereinafter, the substrate P₁The carrying-out (c) is performed in the order shown in fig. 7(a) and 7(B) from the state shown in fig. 8 (a). That is, the support substrate P₁Substrate tray 40a of₁The substrate carrying-out device 70a in the substrate holder 30a is further driven to the + X side to carry out the substrate tray 40a₁To the tray guide 62 of the port portion 60 a.

Subsequently, as shown in fig. 8(B), the substrate P which is originally previously standing by above the substrate holder 30a is sequentially placed in the order shown in fig. 6(a) to 6(C)₂And carry in the substrate holder 30 a. As shown in fig. 8C, X coarse movement stage 23X and/or Y coarse movement stage 23Y (neither shown in fig. 8C, see fig. 1) are appropriately driven on substrate stage 20a, and substrate P held by substrate holder 30a is carried out₂And (4) an exposure operation. Furthermore, with the substrate P₂In parallel with the exposure operation, the substrate P after the exposure is processed at the port portion 60a₁Slave substrate tray 40a₁Up-transfer to an external apparatus (e.g., coating and developing apparatus), and transfer another substrate P₃Loaded on the substrate tray 40a₁The above. The substrate replacement operation at the port portion 60a is performed by using, for example, a robot arm (not shown), a lift pin (not shown) device (not shown) provided at the port portion 60a, or the like.

Hereinafter, although not shown, the support substrate P₃Substrate tray 40a of₁Held by the holding members 54a and 54b, and conveyed to the position shown in fig. 8 a (above the substrate replacement position). Generally speaking, the substrate P at the port portion 60a₁、P₃And a substrate tray 40a using the substrate loading device 50₁Is relatively moved to the substrate P₂The exposure operation is terminated early, so that the main control device can be applied to the substrate P₂Before the substrate holder 30a is moved to the substrate replacement position after the exposure operation is finished, the substrate P is moved to the substrate replacement position₃Is located above the substrate replacement position. As described above, in embodiment 1, two substrate trays 40a are used₁、40a₂Therefore, the cycle time for substrate replacement on the substrate holder 30a can be shortened.

In the embodiment 1 described above, since the substrate holder 30a includes the substrate carry-out device 70a, the carry-out operation of the substrate P can be started after the exposure operation is completed and before the substrate holder 30a reaches the substrate replacement position. Therefore, the time for replacing the substrate on the substrate holder 30a can be shortened, and the number of substrates P to be processed per U.S. time can be increased. On the other hand, when the substrate unloading device is provided outside the substrate stage 20a (for example, the port portion 60a), the substrate holder 30a must be positioned at the substrate replacement position to start the substrate unloading operation, and therefore, the substrate unloading operation takes time as compared with the embodiment 1.

EXAMPLE 2 embodiment

Next, embodiment 2 will be described with reference to fig. 9(a) to 11 (C). The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 (see fig. 1) according to embodiment 1 except for the configurations of the substrate holder 30b, the port 60b (see fig. 10, respectively), and the substrate tray 40b (see fig. 9 a), and therefore only differences will be described below, and the same reference numerals as those of embodiment 1 are given to the same components and functions as those of embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

While the substrate tray 40a (see fig. 2 a) of the above-described embodiment 1 supports the substrate from below using, for example, 3 (odd-numbered) support members 41, the substrate tray 40b of the embodiment 2 shown in fig. 9 a includes, for example, 4 (even-numbered) support members 41. In addition, while the substrate tray 40a (see fig. 2 a) of embodiment 1 described above has, for example, 3 reinforcing members 43 connecting the intermediate portions in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of support members 41 to each other, the substrate tray 40b of embodiment 2 shown in fig. 9 a further has reinforcing members 43 connecting the vicinity of the-X-side end portions of the plurality of support members 41 to each other (for example, 4 reinforcing members 43 in total). The substrate tray 40B does not have the projections 45a (see fig. 2B) as in the substrate tray 40a of embodiment 1.

As shown in fig. 10, on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30b, a plurality of X-grooves 31X and Y-grooves 31Y are formed, for example, in each of 4 support members 41 and 4 reinforcing members 43 corresponding to the substrate tray 40b (not shown in fig. 10, see fig. 9 a). In a state where the substrate holder 30b and the substrate tray 40b are combined, the plurality of supporting members 41 and the reinforcing member 43 are accommodated in the corresponding X-grooves 31X and Y-grooves 31Y, respectively. However, as shown in fig. 11(a), the reinforcing member 43 on the most-X side is positioned outside the substrate holder 30 b. Returning to fig. 10, a plurality of tray guides 32 are respectively accommodated in the plurality of X slots 31X. Further, another X-groove 73X is formed in the center portion in the Y-axis direction of the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 b. The X-slot 73X accommodates a substrate unloading device 70 b. The X-groove 73X is formed to accommodate the substrate unloading device 70b, and the support member 41 of the substrate tray 40b is not accommodated. In the port 60b, for example, 4 tray guides 62 are mounted on the mount 61 corresponding to the 4 support members 41, for example.

The substrate unloading device 70b includes an X travel guide 71 and a pressing member 72b that presses the substrate tray 40 b. The pressing member 72b, as shown in fig. 11(a), has an X sliding portion 72b which is formed of a plate-like member parallel to the XY plane and is driven in the X axis direction on the X travel guide 71₁And an X sliding part 72b connected to one end of the X sliding part through a hinge device₁A pressing portion 72b formed of a plate-like member₂. The substrate carrying-out device 70b has an actuator, not shown, and the X-slide 72b is appropriately controlled by the actuator₁And a pressing part 72b₂The angle therebetween.

The substrate replacement operation using the substrate unloading device 70b will be described below with reference to fig. 11(a) to 11 (C). In embodiment 2, as in embodiment 1, 2 substrate trays 40b (in fig. 11 a to 11C, substrate tray 40 b) are used₁、40b₂). The substrate holder 30b and the substrate tray 40b shown in FIG. 11(A)₁In a combined state, the substrate P is₁And a substrate tray 40b₁When the substrates are carried out from the substrate holder 30B together, as shown in fig. 11(B), the X-sliding portion 72B₁And a pressing part 72b₂The angle therebetween is, for example, 90 °, and the substrate tray 40b is pressed by the pressing member 72b as in the above embodiment 1₁To proceed with the substrate P₁And (4) carrying out. At this time, the pressing member 72b presses the substrate tray 40b₁The reinforcing member 43 on the most-X side among the plurality of reinforcing members 43. Therefore, the height (Z-axis) dimension of the pressing member 72b is set to be slightly longer than that of the above embodiment 1.

In embodiment 2, the substrate P on the substrate holder 30b is replaced with a plate P in the same manner as in embodiment 1₁After being carried out of the holder 30b, as shown in fig. 11(C), the tray 40b is supported₂Another substrate P₂And carried into the substrate holder 30b by a substrate carrying-in device not shown.

Then, on the substrate P₂After the loading operation (2) is finished, as shown in FIG. 11(C) As shown, the pressing member 72b of the substrate unloading device 70b is controlled by an actuator, not shown, to be an X-slide 72b₁And a pressing part 72b₂The angle therebetween becomes an obtuse angle (a state of being opened more than the substrate is carried out), and in this state, the X travel guide 71 is driven in the-X direction. Here, the X sliding part 72b₁And a pressing part 72b₂The angle between the tray guides is set to be equal to the substrate tray 40b supported by the plurality of tray guides 32₂In the most-Z side state (substrate P)₂Is loaded on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30b and connected with the substrate tray 40b₂Separated) does not contact the reinforcing member 43.

In embodiment 2 described above, even in a state where the substrate P is mounted on the substrate holder 30b (including during exposure, for example), the pressing member 72b can be returned (returned) (the initial position shown in fig. 11 a (the position where the substrate tray 40b can be pressed)).

In the substrate holder 30b, since the substrate carry-out device 70b is housed in the X-slot 73X (a dedicated slot not used for housing the substrate tray 40 b), all the support members 41 of the substrate tray 40b are supported from below by the tray guide 32 in the substrate holder 30b, and all the support members 41 are supported from below by the tray guide 62 in the port portion 60 b. Therefore, the substrate tray 40b and the substrate P are restrained from flexing.

The pressing member 72b is formed as a pressing portion 72b₂Relatively X slidable part 72b₁The pressing member 72b is not limited to the one that can be switched between a state in which the substrate tray 40b can be pressed and a state in which the pressing member 72b can be moved in the X-axis direction without contacting the substrate tray 40b, and for example, the pressing member 72b (or the entire substrate unloading device 70 b) may be configured to be movable in the Z-axis direction (up-down movement). In addition, the substrate carrying-out apparatus 70a of the above-described embodiment 1 shown in fig. 3 and the like may be made into a substrate similar to that of the present embodiment 2The carrying-out device 70b has the same configuration.

Embodiment 3

Next, embodiment 3 will be described with reference to fig. 12. The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 3 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 2 (including the substrate tray 40b (not shown in fig. 12, see fig. 9 a) and the port unit 60b) except for the substrate holder 30c, and therefore only the differences will be described in the following description, and the same reference numerals as in embodiment 1 and embodiment 2 are given to the same components and functions as in embodiment 1 and embodiment 2, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In the above-described embodiment 2, as shown in fig. 10, the X groove 73X for housing the substrate unloading device 70b is formed in the center of the substrate holder 30b, and the X grooves 31X for housing the plurality of support members 41 of the substrate tray 40b (not shown in fig. 10, see fig. 9 a), whereas in the present embodiment 3, as shown in fig. 12, the X grooves 73X for housing the substrate unloading device 70c are formed in the substrate holder 30c, for example, between the 1 st X groove 31X and the 2 nd X groove 31X and between the 3 rd X groove 31X and the 4 th X groove 31X from the + Y side among the 4X grooves 31X. Therefore, the substrate holder 30c includes 2 substrate carry-out devices 70c separated in the Y axis direction. The substrate unloading device 70c is similar to embodiment 2, except that a pressing member (not shown in fig. 12) having a hemispherical shape is provided at a portion of the pressing member 72c that is in contact with the substrate tray (not shown in fig. 12). The substrate replacement operation is also the same as in embodiment 2 above, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

According to embodiment 3, since the substrate unloading apparatus 70c is provided with 2 substrates, for example, the movement of the substrate tray and the substrate in the θ z direction (twisting direction) during the unloading of the substrate can be easily suppressed. Further, since the pushing force for moving the substrate tray is increased, the substrate tray can be carried out more smoothly and quickly. The pressing member 72c may not have a hemispherical pressing member (may be point-contact or surface-contact with the substrate tray).

EXAMPLE 4 embodiment

Next, embodiment 4 will be described with reference to fig. 13. The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 4 is the same in structure (including the substrate tray 40a) as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 (see fig. 1) according to embodiment 1 except for the substrate holder 30d, and therefore only the differences will be described in the following description, and the same reference numerals as those in embodiment 1 are given to the same components and functions as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in fig. 13, the substrate holder 30d includes a substrate unloading device 70d including a rope driving device 74 and a pressing member 72 a. The cord drive 74 includes a cord 74₁A plurality of pulleys 74₂And the like. On the rope 74₁Is connected to the pressing member 72 a. Cord 74₁Is inserted into an X-groove 31X formed in the upper surface of the substrate holder 30d together with the pressing member 72 a. In addition, although not shown in fig. 13, for example, 3X grooves 31X are formed at predetermined intervals in the Y axis direction on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30d, and the cords 74₁Inserted into the X-groove 31X located at the center thereof, and a plurality of tray guides 32 are received in the other X-grooves 31X. Further, another X-groove 74 is formed in the center portion in the Y-axis direction of the lower surface of the substrate holder 30d₃In the X groove 74₃Internally inserted cord 74₁The other part of (a). A plurality of pulleys 74₂The substrate holder 30d is attached to the + X side and the-X side end surfaces thereof, respectively, at a distance of 2 (4 in total), for example, in the vertical direction. On a plurality of pulleys 74₂Each of which is wound with a rope 74₁. On a plurality of pulleys 74₂To one of them, an actuator (e.g., a rotary motor), not shown, is connected, and the pulley 74 connected to the actuator is passed through₂The pressing member 72a is rotationally driven and moves in the X-axis direction by a predetermined stroke in the X-groove 31X. The substrate unloading operation using the substrate unloading device 70d is the same as that of embodiment 1 described above, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

According to the substrate carrying-out apparatus 70d of the present embodiment 4, compared with the case of using, for example, a feed screw apparatus,the pressing member 72a can be driven in the X-axis direction at a higher speed, and the substrate can be quickly carried out from the substrate holder 30 d. Further, if the pressing member 72a can be pulled in the + X direction and the-X direction, the cord 74 may be replaced with the pressing member₁But use, belts (with or without teeth), chains, etc. Further, a rope 74₁The material of (d) is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a steel cord or a synthetic resin. A part of the substrate unloading device 70d such as an actuator for rotating the pulley may be provided in a member other than the substrate holder 30d (for example, the Y coarse movement stage 23Y (not shown in fig. 13, see fig. 1)). In this case, the substrate holder 30d can be reduced in weight, and the positional controllability of the substrate can be improved. The pressing member 72a may be movable as in embodiment 2 (see fig. 11 a, etc.). In addition, as in embodiment 3, a plurality of substrate carrying-out devices 70d may be provided separately in the Y-axis direction. Further, a guide for guiding the pressing member 72a in the X-axis direction may be provided.

EXAMPLE 5 embodiment

Next, embodiment 5 will be described with reference to fig. 14(a) and 14 (B). The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 5 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 (see fig. 1) according to embodiment 1 except for the substrate holder 30e and the substrate tray 40e (not shown in fig. 14 a, see fig. 14B), and therefore only the differences will be described in the following description, and the same reference numerals as in embodiment 1 are given to the same components and functions as in embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The substrate tray 40e used in the liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 5 has a plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41 as in embodiment 1 (see fig. 2 a), but is different from embodiment 1 in that it does not have a protrusion 45a (see fig. 2B) on its lower surface. Further, a plurality of (e.g., 3) X grooves 31X corresponding to the plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41 are formed on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30e, a plurality of (e.g., 3) tray guides 32 are accommodated in all the X grooves 31X, and the plurality of support members 41 of the substrate tray 40e are all supported by the tray guides 32 from below in the X grooves 31X of the substrate holder 30 e. Further, although not shown, the port portion of embodiment 5 includes a plurality of (e.g., 3) tray guides 62 (see fig. 1) corresponding to the plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41.

As shown in fig. 14(B), the substrate unloading device 70e of the substrate holder 30e includes a pair of roller devices 75. A concave part 75 is formed on the + Y side and the-Y side of the X groove 31X in the center near the + X side end of the substrate holder 30e₃One of the pair of roller units 75 is a recess 75 on the + Y side₃Concave part 75 with the inner and the other sides at-Y side₃The X-groove 31X is housed with the center thereof interposed therebetween. A pair of roller devices 75 each having a rotated motor 75₁And a rotary motor 75₁Rotationally driven roller 75₂. Roller 75₂The Z position of (B) is set to a position capable of sandwiching the supporting member 41 of the substrate tray 40e even in a state where the lower surface of the reinforcing member 43 of the substrate tray 40e is positioned on the + Z side of the upper surface of the substrate holder 30e in order to carry out the substrate P (not shown in fig. 14B; see fig. 1). In the substrate carrying-out device 70e, a pair of rollers 75 are provided₂A pair of rollers 75 with the support member 41 interposed therebetween₂When rotating in opposite directions, due to the pair of rollers 75₂The substrate tray 40e moves in the + X direction with respect to the substrate holder 30e by the frictional force between the support member 41 and each of them, and is sent out from the substrate holder 30e to a port not shown. The substrate unloading operation using the substrate unloading device 70e is the same as that of embodiment 1 described above, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

According to substrate carry-out apparatus 70e of embodiment 5, substrate tray 40e can be carried out from substrate holder 30e quickly while being small and light. Further, since there is no member (for example, the pressing member 72a (see fig. 3) in embodiment 1) that moves in the X-axis direction by a predetermined stroke when the substrate tray 40e is carried out, there is no need to return the member to the initial position after the substrate tray 40e is carried out, and therefore, the substrate replacement operation can be performed quickly. In addition, in the substrate holder 30e (and the port portion not shown), since the substrate tray 40e can be carried out in a state in which all the plurality of support members 41 are supported from below, the substrate P (not shown in fig. 14 a and 14B, see fig. 1) can be suppressed from being warped.

In addition, if the roller device 75 can be provided with the roller 75₂It is preferable that the urging member be urged toward the support member 41, whereby the roller 75 can be suppressed₂Sliding with the support member 41. In addition, a pair of rollers 75 may be provided₂Can be driven in the Y-axis direction. Thus, when inserting the support member 41 into the X-groove 31X, the pair of rollers 75 can be used₂Reliably retreating from the supporting member 41 and reliably using the pair of rollers 75 when carrying out the substrate tray 40e₂Sandwiching the support member 41. The substrate carrying-out device 70e may be provided in plural numbers (for example, X-slots 31X corresponding to the most + Y side and the most-Y side) separately in the Y-axis direction. Further, a pair of roller devices (not shown) having the same configuration as the pair of roller devices 75 (see fig. 14 a and 14B) may be provided at the port portion.

EXAMPLE 6 embodiment

Next, embodiment 6 will be described with reference to fig. 15(a) to 16. The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 6 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 according to embodiment 1 (see fig. 1) except for the substrate holder 30f (not shown in fig. 15 a, see fig. 15B), the substrate tray 40f, and the port 60f (not shown in fig. 15 a and 15B, see fig. 16), and therefore only the differences will be described in the following description, and the same reference numerals as those in embodiment 1 are given to the same components and functions as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

While the above-described embodiments 1 to 5 are provided with the substrate carry-out devices on the substrate holders, in contrast to this, in embodiment 6, as shown in fig. 15(B), a pair of X linear motors 70f, which are constituted by a pair of X stators 76 provided in the substrate holder 30f and a pair of X movers 45f provided in the substrate tray 40f, function as the substrate carry-out devices.

As shown in fig. 15 a, the substrate tray 40f includes a plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41, as in embodiment 1 (see fig. 2 a). Further, for example, X movers 45f including a plurality of permanent magnets arranged at predetermined intervals in the X axis direction are attached to the respective surface portions on the + Y side and the-Y side of the center support member 41 among the 3 support members 41. The X mover 45f is provided substantially entirely except in the vicinity of both end portions of the support member 41. The central support member 41 does not have the projection 45a (see fig. 2B) as in the substrate tray 40a of embodiment 1.

As shown in fig. 16, a plurality of (e.g., 3) X grooves 31X corresponding to the plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41 are formed on the upper surface of the substrate holder 30 f. A plurality of (for example, 3 at predetermined intervals in the X-axis direction) tray guides 32 and a plurality of support members 41 (not shown in fig. 16, see fig. 15B) of the substrate tray 40f are housed in all the X grooves 31X, and all the X grooves 31X of the substrate holder 30f are supported from below by the tray guides 32. Further, as shown in fig. 15(B), X stators 76 including coil units are housed in the vicinity of the + X-side end of the substrate holder 30f, for example, in a pair of facing surface portions of the X grooves 31X defining the center among the 3X grooves 31X. Fig. 15(B) corresponds to a sectional view taken along line B-B of fig. 16 (however, fig. 16 does not show the substrate tray 40 f). The Z position of each of the pair of X stators 76 is set to a position facing the X mover 45f of the support member 41 attached to the substrate tray 40f in a state where the lower surface of the reinforcing member 43 of the substrate tray 40f is positioned on the + Z side of the upper surface of the substrate holder 30f in order to carry out the substrate P (not shown in fig. 15B, see fig. 1).

As shown in fig. 16, the port portion 60f includes a plurality of (e.g., 3) tray guides 62 corresponding to the plurality of (e.g., 3) support members 41 (not shown in fig. 16, see fig. 15 a). Further, for example, a pair of X stators 68 are attached near the-X-side end of the base 63 of the central tray guide 62 among the 3 tray guides 62. Each of the pair of X stators 68 includes a coil unit, as with the X stator 76. The pair of X stators 68 are disposed apart from each other in the Y axis direction at a larger interval than the dimension (width) of the support member 41 of the substrate tray 40f in the Y axis direction, and the Z position thereof is set to be substantially the same as the Z position of the X mover 45f (not shown in fig. 16, see fig. 15 a) attached to the support member 41 (facing the X mover 45 f) in a state where the support member 41 is mounted on the plurality of guides 65.

In embodiment 6, when the substrate tray 40f is unloaded from the substrate holder 30f, a total of 4X linear motors, that is, a pair of X linear motors 70f including the pair of X stators 76 of the substrate holder 30f and the pair of X movers 45f of the substrate tray 40f, and another pair of X linear motors including the pair of X stators 68 of the port portion 60f and the pair of X movers 45f of the substrate tray 40f, are suitably used as the substrate unloading device. The substrate carrying-out operation is the same as that in embodiment 1, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In embodiment 6, since the substrate tray 40f can be carried out from the substrate holder 30f at high speed in a non-contact manner, dust generation (generation of dust) can be prevented. In addition, since the substrate tray 40f can be carried out with all of the plurality of support members 41 supported from below in the substrate holder 30f and the port 60f, the substrate P (not shown in fig. 15 a to 16, see fig. 1) can be prevented from being warped. In addition, as in embodiment 3, a plurality of X linear motors (for example, support members 41 corresponding to the most + Y side and the most-Y side) may be provided separately in the Y axis direction.

Embodiment 7

Next, embodiment 7 will be described with reference to fig. 17(a) and 17 (B). The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 7 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus 10 (see fig. 1) according to embodiment 1 except for the substrate holder 30g, the substrate tray 40g, and the port 60g, and therefore only differences will be described below, and the same reference numerals as those in embodiment 1 are given to the same components and functions as those in embodiment 1, and the description thereof will be omitted.

While the substrate holders 30a to 30f (see fig. 1 to 16, respectively) in the above-described embodiments 1 to 6 have a substrate carry-out device (or a part of a substrate carry-out device), in the present embodiment 7, as shown in fig. 17(a), a substrate carry-out device 70g is disposed outside the substrate holder 30g, on the + Y side and the-Y side of the substrate holder 30g, respectively. For example, the configuration of each of the 2 substrate unloading devices 70g is the same as that of the substrate unloading device 70a (see fig. 3) of embodiment 1 described above except that the Z-axis dimension of the pressing member 72g is set to be slightly longer.

As shown in fig. 17 a, the substrate tray 40g includes a plurality of (e.g., 5) support members 41. Further, the substrate tray 40a (see fig. 2 a) of embodiment 1 described above has reinforcing members 45g for connecting the-X-side ends of the plurality of support members 41 to each other, while the intermediate portions in the longitudinal direction of the plurality of support members 41 are connected to each other via, for example, 3 reinforcing members 43. The substrate tray 40g does not have the projections 45a (see fig. 2B) as in the substrate tray 40a of embodiment 1.

Further, the reinforcing member 45g on the most-X side among the plurality of reinforcing members 43, 45g is set such that, as shown in fig. 17(a), in a state where the substrate tray 40g is housed in the substrate holder 30g, the-Y side end portion thereof protrudes from the-Y side end portion of the substrate holder 30g toward the-Y side and the + Y side end portion thereof protrudes from the + Y side end portion of the substrate holder 30g toward the + Y side, the dimension in the longitudinal direction thereof being longer than that of the other reinforcing members 43. As shown in fig. 17(B), the substrate tray 40g is carried out from the substrate holder 30g by the vicinity of the + Y side end of the reinforcing member 45g being pressed by the pressing member 72g of the substrate carrying-out device 70g disposed on the + Y side of the substrate holder 30g, and the vicinity of the-Y side end of the reinforcing member 45g being pressed by the pressing member 72g of the substrate carrying-out device 70g disposed on the-Y side of the substrate holder 30 g.

Here, substrate holder 30g of substrate stage 20g of embodiment 7 is arranged above Y coarse movement stage 23Y (not shown in fig. 17 a and 17B) in the same manner as in embodiment 1 shown in fig. 1. As shown in fig. 17 a and 17B, for example, each of 2 substrate unloading devices 70g is attached to Y coarse movement stage 23Y via a support member (not shown) and mechanically (and vibrationally) separated from substrate holder 30 g. The substrate unloading operation using, for example, the 2 substrate unloading devices 70g is the same as that of embodiment 1 described above, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted. The port 60g and the substrate loading device not shown are similar in function to those of the above embodiment 1 except for the point that they are configured to correspond to the substrate tray 40g having 5 supporting members 41, for example, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In embodiment 7, for example, since each of the 2 substrate carry-out devices 70g is disposed outside the substrate holder 30g, it is not necessary to form a groove or the like for accommodating the substrate carry-out device 70g in the substrate holder 30g, and a decrease in rigidity of the substrate holder 30g can be suppressed. In addition, since the substrate P can be held by suction in a large area, the flatness of the substrate P can be improved. Further, since the substrate holder 30g can be made lightweight and the reaction force when the pressing member 72g is driven does not act on the substrate holder 30g, the position controllability of the substrate holder 30g (substrate P) can be improved. Further, since the substrate carry-out device 70g is disposed outside the substrate holder 30g, the maintenance property is also excellent.

Further, by using a plurality of Z voice coil motors 29Z (see fig. 1) to micro-drive the substrate holder 30g in the + Z direction, for example, 2 substrate unloading devices 70g are positioned on the-Z side of the reinforcing member 45g of the substrate tray 40g, so that the pressing member 72g can pass under the reinforcing member 45g even in a state where the substrate P is loaded on the substrate holder 30 g. Accordingly, the same effect as in embodiment 2, that is, the carrying-in of another substrate can be performed quickly after the substrate is carried out. Further, for example, 2 substrate carrying-out devices 70g may be made movable up and down on Y coarse movement stage 23Y.

Further, if the pressing member 72g is configured not to suck (only contact) the reinforcing member 45g, movement in the θ z direction (twisting direction) of the substrate tray 40g and the substrate P can be easily suppressed, as in the above-described embodiment 3. In the case where the pressing member 72g sucks and holds the reinforcing member 45g, only one substrate unloading device 70g may be provided outside the substrate holder 30 g. The pressing member 72g may be pulled by a rope or the like as in the case of the embodiment 4. Further, a roller device 75 such as the substrate unloading device 70e (see fig. 14 a) according to embodiment 5 may be provided outside the substrate holder in the same manner as in embodiment 7. Further, similarly to the above-described embodiment 6, a movable member may be attached to the substrate tray, and the X stator may be disposed outside the substrate holder.

EXAMPLE 8

Next, embodiment 8 will be described with reference to fig. 18 and 19. The liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 8 is the same as the liquid crystal exposure apparatus according to embodiment 7 (including the substrate holder 30g and the substrate tray 40g) except for the port portion 60h, and therefore only differences will be described, and the same reference numerals as those in embodiment 7 are given to the same components and functions as those in embodiment 7, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in fig. 18, the port portion 60h has a tray guide 62h on the-X side of the stand 61. The tray guide 62h includes a base 63h mounted on a floor, not shown, and a guide 65h mounted on the base 63 h. In embodiment 8, the plurality of tray guides 62 mounted on the mount 61 do not move in the X-axis direction. The guide 65h is formed of a member extending in the Y-axis direction, and has a longer dimension (width) than the length (width) of the substrate tray 40g (and the substrate P) in the Y-axis direction. The guide 65h is provided at the same height as the other guides 65 on the stage 61, and is capable of ejecting pressurized gas from the upper surface thereof to suspend and support the substrate tray 40g, similarly to the guide 65. Accordingly, when the substrate stage 20g is moved to the substrate replacement position in order to transfer the substrate tray 40g from the substrate holder 30g to the port portion 60h, the substrate tray 40g protruding from the + X-side end portion of the substrate holder 30g is supported from below by the guide 65 h. Therefore, the substrate tray 40g and the substrate P can be suppressed from being warped.

Here, for example, when a plurality of shot regions are set on the substrate P, the shot region to be subjected to the exposure process last is usually set on the + Y side or the-Y side of the substrate P in order to reduce the total movement amount of the substrate P. Therefore, when the substrate stage 20g after the end of the exposure process for the last shot area is moved to the substrate replacement position, it moves not only in the X-axis direction but also in the Y-axis direction (moves in an oblique direction with respect to the X-axis). In contrast, in embodiment 8, since the dimension of the guide 65h in the Y axis direction is set longer than the dimension of the substrate tray 40g in the Y axis direction, even when the substrate stage 20g moves in an oblique direction with respect to the X axis, the portion of the substrate tray 40g protruding from the + X side end portion of the substrate holder 30g is supported from below by the guide 65 h. Thus, the substrate P can be carried out more quickly.

The following will be specifically described with reference to fig. 19. On the substrate P, for example, 6 shot regions are set, and the last shot region is set as a shot region S on the + Y side and the + X side of the substrate P₆. Furthermore, the irradiation region S₆The center of the substrate P before the start of the exposure operation is located at the position CP₁The center of the substrate P at the end of the exposure operation is located at the position CP₂. In fig. 19, illustration of the substrate tray 40a, the substrate unloading device 70g, the tray guide devices 62 and 62h, and the like (see fig. 18, respectively) is omitted.

In embodiment 8, before substrate stage 20g reaches the substrate replacement position, the unloading operation of substrate P (and substrate tray 40g not shown) is started by substrate unloading device 70g (see fig. 18). Accordingly, the substrate P (and the substrate tray 40g not shown) protrudes from the + X side end of the substrate holder 30g, and the guide 65h (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18) of the tray guide 62h supports the protruding portion from below before the guide 65 on the stage 61.

In the present embodiment 8, the center of the substrate P may sequentially pass through the position CP in fig. 19₁→CP₂→CP₃The position of the substrate stage 20g is controlled. That is, if the port 60h does not have the tray guide 62h (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18), since the substrate tray 40g (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18) moves parallel to the X-axis direction when the substrate P is carried out, the Y position of the substrate stage 20g must be controlled so that the positions of the plurality of tray guides 62 (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18) on the stage 61 in the Y-axis direction substantially coincide with the positions of the plurality of support members 41 included in the substrate tray 40g (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18) in the Y-axis direction, and in this case, the center of the substrate P must sequentially pass through the position CP in fig. 19₁→CP₂→CP₄→CP₃The position of the substrate stage 20g is controlled.

In contrast, in embodiment 8, the vicinity of the + X-side end of substrate tray 40g (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18), which is independent of the Y position of substrate stage 20g, is supported by guide 65h (not shown in fig. 19, see fig. 18), so that substrate stage 20g can be moved from the position (position CP) at the end of the exposure process of the final shot area₂) Directly moved to a substrate replacement position (position CP)₃) The substrate P is carried out rapidly. The auxiliary tray guide 62h and the method of carrying out the substrate P according to embodiment 8 can be applied to the above-described embodiments 1 to 7. However, when the amount of protrusion of the substrate P from the substrate holder is small (when the tray guide 62 is not in contact with the substrate replacement position), the substrate stages 20a to 20f can be directly moved from the position at the end of the exposure process in the final irradiation region to the substrate replacement position without the auxiliary tray guide 62 h.

The structure of the liquid crystal exposure apparatus is not limited to that described in embodiments 1 to 8, and may be changed as appropriate. For example, the guides 35 and 65 of the tray guides 32 and 62 support the substrate trays 40a to 40g in a non-contact (floating) manner, but are not limited thereto, and may be supported in a contact manner with low friction using a rolling body such as a ball. Each of the tray guides 32 and 62 may be configured to guide the substrate trays 40a to 40g in the X-axis direction by using guides 35 and 65.

The illumination light may be ultraviolet light such as ArF excimer laser light (wavelength 193nm) and KrF excimer laser light (wavelength 248nm), or F₂Vacuum ultraviolet light such as laser light (wavelength 157 nm). Further, as the illumination light, for example, a single wavelength laser light in an infrared band or a visible light band emitted from a DFB semiconductor laser or a fiber laser may be amplified by a fiber amplifier doped with, for example, erbium (or both erbium and ytterbium), and wavelength-converted into a harmonic of ultraviolet light by using a nonlinear optical crystal. Furthermore, solid-state lasers (wavelength: 355nm, 266nm) and the like can also be used.

In the above embodiments, the description has been made of the case where the projection optical system PL is a multi-lens projection optical system including a plurality of projection optical units, but the number of projection optical units is not limited to this, and may be one or more. Further, the projection optical system is not limited to the multi-lens type, and may be a projection optical system using an offner type large mirror, for example. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the projection optical system PL is used with the projection magnification equal to the magnification has been described, but the projection optical system PL is not limited to this, and may be either a reduction system or an enlargement system.

In the above embodiment, although a light transmissive mask in which a predetermined light shielding pattern (or phase pattern, or light reduction pattern) is formed on a light transmissive mask substrate is used, an electronic mask (variable forming mask) 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 as disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,778,257, for example, a variable forming mask of DMD (Digital Micro-mirror Device) which is a kind of non-light emitting type image display Device (also called a spatial light modulator) may be used instead of this mask.

The exposure apparatus is particularly effective for exposing a substrate having a size (including at least one of an outer diameter, a diagonal line, and a side) of 500mm or more, for example, a large-sized substrate for a Flat Panel Display (FPD) such as a liquid crystal display device.

Further, the exposure apparatus can be applied to an exposure apparatus of a step & repeat (step & repeat) system or an exposure apparatus of a step & stitch (step & stitch) system.

The exposure apparatus is not limited to the exposure apparatus for liquid crystal that transfers a liquid crystal display element pattern onto a square glass plate, and can be widely applied to, for example, an exposure apparatus for semiconductor manufacturing, an exposure apparatus for manufacturing a thin film magnetic head, a micromachine, a DNA chip, and the like. The present invention is applicable not only to microdevices such as semiconductor device devices, but also to exposure apparatuses that transfer a circuit pattern onto a glass substrate, a silicon wafer, or the like in order to manufacture a mask or a reticle used in a light exposure apparatus, an EUV exposure apparatus, an X-ray exposure apparatus, an electron beam exposure apparatus, or the like. The object to be exposed is not limited to a glass plate, but may be other objects such as a wafer, a ceramic substrate, a thin film member, and a mask substrate (mask). When the exposure target is a substrate for a flat panel display, the thickness of the substrate is not particularly limited, and for example, a film (flexible sheet member) is also included.

The substrate (object) replacement method described in embodiments 1 to 8 can be applied not only to an exposure apparatus but also to an object handling apparatus that performs a predetermined process on an object, such as an object inspection apparatus for inspecting a predetermined object.

An electronic device such as a liquid crystal display device (or a semiconductor device) is manufactured through a step of designing the functional performance of the device, a step of fabricating a mask (or a reticle) based on the designing step, a step of fabricating a glass substrate (or a wafer), a photolithography step of transferring a mask (reticle) pattern to the glass substrate by the exposure apparatus and the exposure method thereof according to the above embodiments, a development step of developing the exposed glass substrate, an etching step of removing an exposed member except for a portion of the remaining resist by etching, a resist removal step of removing the resist unnecessary for the completion of the etching, a device assembling step, an inspection step, and the like. In this case, since the exposure method is carried out in the photolithography step using the exposure apparatus of the above embodiment to form the device pattern on the glass substrate, a device with high integration can be manufactured with good productivity.

Further, the disclosures of all publications, international publications, U.S. patents, and U.S. patent application publications on exposure apparatuses cited in the above description are incorporated as part of the present specification.

Industrial applicability

As described above, the object carrying-out method according to the present invention is suitable for carrying out an object from an object holding device. Further, the object replacement method of the present invention is suitable for replacing the object held by the object holding device. Further, the object holding device of the present invention is suitable for quickly carrying out the object. Further, the exposure apparatus of the present invention is suitable for exposing an object. In addition, the manufacturing method of the flat panel display is suitable for manufacturing the flat panel display. Furthermore, the device manufacturing method of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing a micro device.

Claims (25)

1. An object carrying out method includes:

moving an object holding device, which holds an object holding member for holding an object and an object supporting member for conveying the object, toward an object carry-out position at which the object is carried out from the object holding member; and

before the object holding device reaches the object carry-out position, a carry-out operation of carrying out the object from the object holding member is started.

2. The object carrying out method according to claim 1, wherein at the start of the carrying out operation, the object supporting member supporting the object is moved relative to the object holding member by using a carrying out device provided in the object holding device.

3. The object carrying out method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the object and the object supporting member are carried out from the object holding device by moving in the 1 st direction from the object carrying-out position;

the carrying-out operation is performed simultaneously with the movement of the object holding device in the 2 nd direction intersecting the 1 st direction.

4. The object carrying out method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the object supporting member is separated from the object and held by the object holding device in a state where the object is held by the object holding member;

the start of the carrying-out operation includes an operation of driving the object supporting member on the object holding device with respect to the object to support the object, and an operation of moving the object supporting member supporting the object together with the object with respect to the object holding member.

5. A method of replacing an object on an object holding device, comprising:

an act of carrying out the object carrying out method according to any one of claims 1 to 4;

an operation of causing another object supported by another object supporting member to stand by at a predetermined stand-by position before the object holding device reaches the object carry-out position;

an operation of carrying out the object and the object supporting member supporting the object from the object holding device in a state where the object holding device is located at the object carry-out position; and

and an operation of bringing the other object located at the standby position into the object holding device together with the other object supporting member supporting the other object.

6. The method for replacing an object according to claim 5, wherein the carrying-out operation moves the object and the object supporting member supporting the object along a predetermined two-dimensional plane;

the carrying-in operation moves the other object and the other object supporting member supporting the other object in a direction orthogonal to the predetermined two-dimensional plane.

7. An object holding device is provided with:

an object holding member for holding an object and an object support member for conveying the object; and

and at least a part of a carrying-out device for carrying out the object held by the object holding member from the object holding member together with the object supporting member supporting the object.

8. The object holding device according to claim 7, wherein the object holding member has a recess formed in an object holding surface portion on which the object is loaded, the recess receiving at least a part of the object supporting member;

the carrying-out device is accommodated in the recess.

9. The object holding device according to claim 7, wherein the object holding member has a 1 st recess for receiving at least a part of the object support member and a 2 nd recess for receiving the carry-out device, formed in an object holding surface portion on which the object is mounted.

10. The object holding device according to claim 7, wherein the carry-out device is disposed outside the object holding member.

11. The object holding device according to claim 10, further comprising a guide device for guiding the object holding member along a predetermined two-dimensional plane by a predetermined stroke;

the carrying-out device is arranged on the inducing device.

12. The object holding device according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the carry-out device is provided in plural.

13. The object holding device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the carry-out device has a pressing member that carries out the object from the object supporting member by pressing the object supporting member on which the object is supported.

14. The object holding device according to claim 13, wherein the pressing member is movable between a position where the object supporting member held at the object holding member can be pressed and a position retracted from the object supporting member held at the object holding member.

15. The object holding device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the carry-out device has a rotating body that can abut against the object support member, and the object support member is moved by rotating the rotating body.

16. The object holding device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the part of the carry-out device constitutes a stator of a linear motor together with a mover provided at the object support member;

the object support member is driven by the linear motor.

17. The object holding device according to any one of claims 7 to 16, wherein the object holding member is provided so as to be movable between an object processing position at which a predetermined processing is performed on the object and an object carry-out position at which the object is carried out;

the carrying-out device starts a carrying-out operation of carrying out the object from the object holding member before the object holding member reaches the object carrying-out position.

18. An exposure apparatus includes:

the object holding device of claim 17; and

a patterning device for forming a predetermined pattern on the object using an energy beam.

19. An exposure apparatus for forming a pattern on an object by exposing the object to an energy beam, comprising:

an object holding device including an object holding member for holding the object and an object supporting member for conveying the object, and at least a part of a carry-out device for carrying out the object held by the object holding member and the object supporting member for supporting the object from the object holding member; and

a patterning device that forms a predetermined pattern on the object using an energy beam.

20. The exposure apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the object holding member is provided so as to be movable between an object processing position at which a predetermined process is performed on the object and an object carry-out position at which the object is carried out.

21. The exposure apparatus according to claim 20, wherein in the carry-out device, a carry-out operation of carrying out the object from the object holding member is started before the object holding member reaches the object carry-out position.

22. The exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 21, wherein the object is used for a substrate of a flat panel display device.

23. The exposure apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the length of at least one side of the substrate is 500mm or more.

24. A method for manufacturing a flat panel display includes:

an act of exposing the object using the exposure apparatus according to claim 22 or 23; and

and developing the exposed object.

25. A device manufacturing method, comprising:

an act of exposing the object using the exposure apparatus according to any one of claims 18 to 21; and

and developing the exposed object.