Patent ID: 6963075
Filing Date: 2005-11-08
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. A scanning exposure apparatus, comprising: a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a reticle onto an object to be exposed, wherein the object has a region in which a pattern structure is formed; a moving system for scanningly moving the reticle and the object relative to said projection optical system, wherein the pattern of the reticle is scanningly projected onto the object in a scanningly moving state; surface position detecting means for detecting a surface position of the object at each of plural detection points in the region, in the scanningly moving state; surface position adjusting means for adjusting the surface position of the object with respect to an image plane of said projection optical system, on the basis of the detection by said surface position detecting means in the projection; control means for controlling said moving system and said surface position detecting means to perform a pre-scan measurement of the surface position of the object, prior to the projection, so as to detect an error, related to the detection through said surface position detecting means, with respect to each of the detection points, which error is attributable to a difference in pattern structure at the detection points in the region, the detected error being used for correcting the adjustment by said surface position adjusting means in the projection; and initializing means for initializing said surface position detecting means in synchronism with the scan motion in the projection, at the position where said surface position detecting means has started the detection in the pre-scan measurement.