Patent ID: 7009683
Filing Date: 2006-03-07
Classification: G03B,G03F

Abstract:
1. An exposure apparatus which exposes substrates to a pattern on a master, said apparatus comprising: first, second, and third chucks which hold the substrates; a first fine adjustment stage which holds said first chuck to perform fine driving; a second fine adjustment stage which holds said second chuck to perform fine driving; a coarse adjustment stage on which said first and second fine adjustment stages are mounted and which can move in an X Y plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis; an exposure unit which performs an exposure operation for the substrate held by said first chuck; a measurement unit which performs a measurement operation for the substrate held by said second chuck; and a controller which drives said coarse adjustment stage and causes said measurement and exposure units to perform the measurement and exposure operations, respectively, wherein said controller performs in parallel the measurement and exposure operations for the substrates by serially performing: (i) an operation of unloading the substrate having undergone the exposure operation together with said first chuck from said first fine adjustment stage, (ii) an operation of moving the substrate having undergone the measurement operation from said second fine adjustment stage to said first fine adjustment stage while the substrate is held by said second chuck, and (iii) an operation of loading a substrate to be subjected to the measurement operation next while the substrate is held by said third chuck, wherein said first chuck also serves as said third chuck.