JP2008225288A - Exposure device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exposure device improved in productivity without requiring large labor. <P>SOLUTION: The exposure device 1 exposes a plurality of louvers 10 held in the same plane by a fixture 18, and comprises two reticles 3a and 3b where predetermined mask patterns to be transferred to the louvers 10 are formed, and is configured to expose two of the louvers 10 held by the fixture 18 at a time. The exposure device 1 comprises two reticle control units 33a and 33b which adjust relative positions of the reticles corresponding to the louvers 10 to be exposed according to the positions of the louvers 10 to be exposed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an exposure apparatus.

In recent years, in order to improve productivity, there has been proposed an exposure apparatus configured to perform exposure at once for a plurality of objects to be exposed that are aligned and fixed in advance (for example, see Patent Document 1). According to such an exposure apparatus, even when a single exposure mask is used, productivity can be improved by expanding the exposure range of the exposure mask.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-189713

  However, in the exposure apparatus as described above, productivity can be improved by expanding the exposure range, but on the other hand, enormous effort is required to align and fix the object to be exposed with high accuracy.

  The present invention has been made in view of such problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus with improved productivity without requiring a large amount of labor.

  In order to achieve such an object, an exposure apparatus according to the present invention is an exposure apparatus that performs exposure by projecting a predetermined pattern formed on a reticle onto an object to be exposed, and is a predetermined image transferred to the object to be exposed. There are provided a plurality of reticles on which the patterns are formed, and an adjusting device for adjusting the positions of the plurality of reticles.

  In the above-described invention, the object to be exposed is formed in a rod shape, and a plurality of objects to be exposed are held side by side by the holding member, and the plurality of objects to be exposed are formed using the plurality of reticles. It is preferable that the exposed objects at positions aligned at a pitch of two or more pitches adjacent to each other in the body are exposed at a time.

  According to the present invention, the productivity of the exposure apparatus can be improved without requiring a large amount of labor.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is shown in FIG. The exposure apparatus 1 is used in a process of forming a so-called slider rail structure (also referred to as an air bearing surface) on a magnetic head 15 (see FIG. 5) of a hard disk drive, and an object to be exposed is fixed. Holding device 2 that holds the fixed fixture 18 so as to be displaceable, two reticles 3a and 3b on which a predetermined mask pattern to be transferred to the object to be exposed is formed, and light from the light source 41 is supplied to each reticle 3a, The illumination optical system 4 that leads to 3b and the projection optical system 5 that projects the light guided to the illumination optical system 4 and transmitted through the reticles 3a and 3b onto the object to be exposed are mainly configured.

  The magnetic head 15 is for writing / reading magnetic information to / from a magnetic disk (not shown) of a hard disk drive, and is formed in a rectangular parallelepiped shape as shown in FIG. Attached to the tip. On the side surface of the magnetic head 15 on the side corresponding to the rotational tangent direction of the magnetic disk, a read / write unit 16 that is a circuit pattern for writing / reading magnetic information to / from the magnetic disk is formed. On the bottom surface of the magnetic head 15 facing the magnetic disk, a slider rail structure 17 is formed to keep the distance between the magnetic disk and the magnetic head 15 constant by utilizing the air flow generated by the high-speed rotation of the magnetic disk. The

  Such a magnetic head 15 is made from a wafer 19 as shown in FIG. A plurality of read / write units 16 of the magnetic head 15 are formed side by side on the surface of the wafer 19, and a plurality of rod-shaped (cuboid) row bars 10 are formed by cutting the wafer 19 on which the read / write unit 16 is formed. . A plurality of slider rail structures 17 are formed on the side surface of the row bar 10, which is a cut surface of the wafer 19. As shown in FIG. 7, the row bar 10 in which a plurality of magnetic heads 15 are connected in a row is formed. By cutting the row bar 10 to which the magnetic heads 15 are connected in this way, a large number of magnetic heads 15 can be made from a single wafer 19.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the row bar 10 has a read / write unit forming surface 11 on which a plurality of read / write units 16 are formed and a slider forming surface 12 on which a plurality of slider rail structures 17 are formed. In the step of forming the slider rail structure on the slider forming surface 12, the exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is used. That is, the row bar 10 is an object to be exposed in the present embodiment, and the slider forming surface 12 is an exposed surface.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the row bar 10 is exposed in a state where the plurality of row bars 10 a, 10 b, 10 c to 10 z are held on the same plane by the fixing jig 18. In general, about 50 row bars are fixedly held on the fixing jig to improve productivity, but in this embodiment, 26 row bars 10a, 10b, 10c to 10z are fixed for easy explanation. It is assumed that the tool 18 is fixedly held. The fixing jig 18 is formed in a plate shape, and is fixed and held on the upper surface of the fixing jig 18 by using an adhesive or the like so that the plurality of row bars 10a to 10z are arranged adjacent to each other. At this time, the slider-forming surfaces of the row bars 10a to 10z face the upper surface.

  Further, at this time, the left positioning marks 13a, 13b, 13c to 13z located at the left end of the slider forming surface and the right end of the slider forming surface are respectively provided on the slider forming surfaces of the row bars 10a to 10z. Right positioning marks 14a, 14b, and 14c to 14z are formed. The left positioning marks 13a to 13z are the read / write unit 16 itself located at the left end of each row bar 10a to 10z, and constitute a positioning mark by using what is formed in advance on each row bar 10a to 10z. . Similarly, the right positioning marks 14a to 14z are the read / write unit 16 positioned at the right end of each of the row bars 10a to 10z, and a positioning mark is configured using what is formed in advance on each of the row bars 10a to 10z. is doing.

  Note that a positioning mark may be configured using something other than the read / write unit 16. Moreover, without using what was previously formed in each row bar 10a-10z, for example, in the scribe region in each row bar 10a-10z (region corresponding to a cutting part when cutting a row bar to obtain a magnetic head), You may make it provide the mark for positioning separately with a laser.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the holding device 2 includes a base part 21, a stage part 22 disposed on the base part 21, and a stage control part 29 that controls the operation of the stage part 22. Configured. A fixing jig 18 is placed and held on the stage portion 22, and the XYZ axes are defined as shown in FIG. 1, and the rotation direction around the Z axis is the θ direction. The tool 18, ie, each row bar 10a-10z is comprised so that a displacement to XYZ (theta) direction is possible. The stage control unit 29 is electrically connected to the stage unit 22, and the position (XYZ) and direction (θ) of each row bar 10 a to 10 z are controlled by controlling the operation of the stage unit 22. In addition, the holding device 2 can use what is used for the conventional exposure apparatus.

  In FIG. 1, the coordinate axes orthogonal to each other in the horizontal plane are the X axis and the Y axis, respectively, the coordinate axis in the vertical axis direction is Z, and the XYZ axes are the coordinate axes orthogonal to each other. Further, in FIG. 1, in the fixing jig 18, in the initial state, the extending direction of each row bar 10a to 10z is the X axis direction, and the direction in which the slider forming surface of each row bar 10a to 10z faces is the Z axis direction. As described above, it is placed and held on the stage unit 22.

  The first and second reticles 3a and 3b are held by first and second reticle holding portions 32a and 32b provided on the reticle base 31, respectively. Further, the first and second reticles 3a and 3b are arranged at a predetermined interval in a substantially horizontal plane, and in each of the row bars 10a to 10z held by the fixing jig 18, two of the positions where the first and second reticles 3a and 3b are arranged one by one. One row bar, that is, two row bars positioned at twice the pitch adjacent to each other (for example, the first row bar 10a positioned first from the end portion and the third row bar positioned third from the end portion). In combination with the row bar 10c). As shown in FIG. 3, the first and second exposure regions 52a and 52b formed by the first and second reticles 3a and 3b are formed in a bar shape parallel to each other with respect to the entire exposure region 51 when there is no reticle. (In FIG. 3, the first and second exposure regions 52a and 52b are oriented in the direction of the row bar in FIG. 2).

  This makes it possible to expose two row bars at a time and improve productivity. As described above, the row bars 10a to 10z are arranged adjacent to each other, and the gap between the row bars 10a to 10z is minute, so that two adjacent row bars can be exposed at a time. It is difficult to place two reticles.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, a plate-shaped light shielding member 36 is provided below the intermediate portion between the first reticle 3a and the second reticle 3b, and is exposed one by one. The row bar located between the two row bars is prevented from being exposed. Further, first and second exposure limiting thin films 35a and 35b (for example, chrome thin films) for limiting the exposure area are formed on the lower surfaces of the first and second reticles 3a and 3b, respectively. The areas other than the exposure areas 52a and 52b (see FIG. 3) by the second reticles 3a and 3b are completely shielded from light. The illumination light I1 guided by the illumination optical system 4 passes through the first reticle 3a and the second reticle 3b, respectively, and is divided into a first exposure light I2 and a second exposure light I3. .

  The first reticle holding part 32a is composed of a uniaxial manipulator or the like, and holds the first reticle 3a rotatably in a substantially horizontal plane (in the θ direction). Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the first reticle holding unit 32a is electrically connected to the first reticle control unit 33a, and the first reticle control unit 33a is connected to the first reticle holding unit 32a. By controlling the operation, the direction (θ) of the first reticle 3a is controlled.

  The second reticle holding part 32b is composed of a triaxial manipulator or the like, and holds the second reticle 3b so as to be displaceable in a substantially horizontal plane (in the XY and θ directions). The second reticle holding unit 32b is electrically connected to the second reticle control unit 33b, and the second reticle control unit 33b controls the operation of the second reticle holding unit 32b. The position (XY) and direction (θ) of the second reticle 3b are controlled.

  An exposure control unit 42 is electrically connected to the light source 41, and the exposure control unit 42 controls the illuminance and the like of light exposed to each row bar. In addition, the light used for exposure is adapted to the sensitivity of the photosensitive agent applied to each row bar (exposed body) such as conventional ultraviolet rays and electron beams.

  An exposure process for performing exposure using the exposure apparatus 1 having such a configuration will be described below with reference to a flowchart shown in FIG. First, in step S101, the first reticle control unit 33a controls the orientation of the first reticle 3a in accordance with the orientation of the row bar 10 to be exposed. At this time, each row bar is imaged using a microscope and a CCD camera (not shown), and the orientation of the first reticle 3a is controlled based on the left and right positioning marks formed on the row bar 10 to be exposed. In addition, the exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment is configured such that data on the arrangement coordinates and height position of the rover obtained in a process different from the exposure process is input from the outside, and is input from the outside. The direction of the first reticle 3a is controlled in accordance with the arrangement coordinates and height position data of the rover.

  Note that the data on the arrangement coordinates and height position of the row bar is not limited to the above, and a step of measuring the arrangement coordinates and height position of the row bar may be separately provided before the exposure process. In addition, when a process such as etching or baking is performed on the row bar, it is predicted in advance that the row bar arrangement coordinates and the height position generated before and after the process change, and the row bar arrangement is performed. Corrections may be made to the coordinates and height position.

  Next, in step S102, the second reticle control unit 33b controls the position and orientation of the second reticle 3b in accordance with the position and orientation of the row bar 10 to be exposed. At this time, as in the case of step S101, the position and orientation of the second reticle 3b are controlled based on the left and right positioning marks formed on the row bar 10 to be exposed. Similarly to the case of step S101, the position and orientation of the second reticle 3b are controlled in accordance with the row bar array coordinates and height position data input from the outside.

  In this embodiment, since two row bars are exposed at a time, the four left and right positioning marks in the two row bars are used as a reference. Observation may be performed with four independent CCD cameras (microscopes), or the CCD camera and the microscope may be configured to be movable, and may have three or fewer configurations. As for the positioning mark, the observation accuracy of the positioning mark may be increased by increasing the number of observation positions of the positioning mark. The microscope preferably has an arbitrary magnification of about 1 to 100 times depending on the size and required accuracy of the positioning mark, and may be combined with a microscope having a plurality of magnifications. Alternatively, a structure for switching the magnification may be used. The effect of the present invention is maintained regardless of the number of positioning marks, the number of microscopes, and the magnification.

  Next, in step S103, the two row bars are exposed at a time in a state where the positions of the first and second reticles 3a and 3b are controlled as in the previous steps. At this time, the light emitted from the light source 41 is guided to the first and second reticles 3 a and 3 b by the illumination optical system 4, and the light transmitted through each of the reticles 3 a and 3 b is two rover by the projection optical system 5. 10 is projected.

  Next, in step S104, the stage unit 22 is operated, and the holding member 18 is moved so that the next exposed row bar is positioned at a predetermined (exposure capable) exposure position.

  In step S105, steps S101 to S104 are repeated until all the row bars 10 are exposed. When all the row bars 10 are exposed, the processing is completed.

  As a result, according to the exposure apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the first and second reticle control units 33a and 33b are configured to make the relative relationship between the first and second reticles 3a and 3b in accordance with the position of the row bar 10 to be exposed. Since the position (position and orientation) is controlled and adjusted, and the two row bars 10 are exposed at a time with the first and second reticles 3a and 3b being adjusted in position, without much effort, It becomes possible to improve the productivity of the exposure apparatus. Further, since the relative positions (position and orientation) of the first and second reticles 3a and 3b are controlled and adjusted by the first and second reticle control units 33a and 33b, respectively, the first and second reticles 3a are controlled. , 3b is improved, the productivity of the exposure apparatus can be further improved. Since only the direction (θ) of the first reticle 3a is controlled by the first reticle control unit 33a, it is possible to improve the position accuracy of the reticle at a relatively low cost.

  In the above-described embodiment, the first and second reticle control units 33a and 33b are configured to adjust the relative positions of the first and second reticles 3a and 3b, respectively. It is not limited. For example, the first reticle control unit 33a may not be provided such that the first reticle 3a is fixedly held by the first reticle holding unit 32a.

  The exposure process in this case will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. 9. First, in step S201, the stage controller 29 performs exposure according to the position and orientation of the first reticle 3a (holding 10 (holding). The position and orientation of the member 18) are controlled. At this time, the position and orientation of the row bar 10 are controlled based on the left and right positioning marks formed on the row bar 10 to be exposed, and the row bar array coordinates and height position data input from the outside are used. The position and orientation of the row bar 10 are controlled.

  Next, in step S202, the position and orientation of the second reticle 3b are controlled by the second reticle controller 33b in accordance with the position and orientation of the row bar 10 to be exposed. The method for controlling the position and orientation of the second reticle 3b is the same as in the above-described embodiment (step S102).

  Next, in step S203, the two row bars are exposed at a time in a state where the position of the row bar 10 (holding member 18) and the second reticle 3b are controlled as in the above-described steps.

  Next, in step S <b> 204, the stage unit 22 is operated, and the holding member 18 is moved so that the next row bar to be exposed is positioned at a predetermined (exposed) exposure position.

  In step S205, steps S201 to S204 are repeated until all the row bars 10 are exposed. When all the row bars 10 are exposed, the process ends.

  Even if it does in this way, the effect similar to the above-mentioned embodiment can be acquired. Furthermore, since the first reticle 3a is fixedly held, the structure of the apparatus can be simplified and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, the two row bars 3a and 3b are used to expose two row bars at a time. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and three or more reticles are used. In addition, three or more (the same number of reticles) row bars may be exposed at a time.

  Further, in the above-described embodiment, two row bars at positions that are arranged one by one (that is, two row bars at positions that are arranged at twice the pitch adjacent to each other) can be exposed at a time. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, two row bars at two jumped positions (that is, two row bars at three times the pitch adjacent to each other) are exposed at a time. It may be configured as described above, and it is only necessary to expose two row bars at positions arranged at a pitch multiple of the pitch adjacent to each other at a time.

  In the above-described embodiment, a row bar is used as an object to be exposed. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention is applied to a plurality of objects to be exposed held on the same plane by a holding member. Is possible.

1 is a schematic block diagram of an exposure apparatus according to the present invention. It is a schematic diagram of a rover and a fixing jig. It is a top view which shows an exposure area typically. It is a side view which shows a reticle typically. It is a perspective view of a magnetic head. It is a perspective view of a wafer. It is a perspective view of a rover. It is a flowchart which shows the exposure process by exposure apparatus. It is a flowchart which shows the modification of an exposure process.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Exposure apparatus 2 Holding apparatus (adjustment apparatus)
3a 1st reticle 3b 2nd reticle 10 Rover (object to be exposed)
10a first row bar 10b second row bar 10c third row bar 10z 26th row bar 18 fixing jig (holding member)
32a First reticle holding unit (adjustment device)
32b Second reticle holding unit (adjustment device)
33a First reticle control unit (adjustment device)
33b Second reticle control unit (adjustment device)

Claims (2)

An exposure apparatus that performs exposure by projecting a predetermined pattern formed on a reticle onto an object to be exposed,
A plurality of reticles formed with a predetermined pattern to be transferred to the object to be exposed;
An exposure apparatus comprising an adjustment device for adjusting the positions of the plurality of reticles. The object to be exposed is formed in a rod shape, and a plurality of the objects to be exposed are held side by side by the holding member,
The plurality of reticles are used to expose the objects to be exposed at positions arranged at a pitch of two or more times adjacent to each other in the plurality of objects to be exposed. The exposure apparatus according to claim 1.

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