Patent ID: 6249336
Filing Date: 2001-06-19
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A projection exposure system including a projection optical system with an optical axis, for projecting through said projection optical system an image of transfer patterns formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate, said projection exposure system comprising:a mask stage for holding said mask and moving said mask in a first direction in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis of said projection optical system;a first reference member fixedly mounted on said mask stage and having a first reference mark formed thereon;a substrate stage for holding said substrate and moving said substrate in a second direction in a plane perpendicular to said optical axis of said projection optical system, said second direction corresponding to said first direction;a second reference member fixedly mounted on said substrate stage and having a second reference mark formed thereon;a mark detection device for detecting a relative position shift between one of said first and second reference marks and an image of the other of said first and second reference marks formed through said projection optical system; anda correction device for correcting an image-formation characteristic of said projection optical system based on the amount of said relative position shift detected by said mark detection device.