Patent ID: 6097495
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
An aligning method for sequentially positioning different regions on a workpiece to a predetermined site, said method comprising the steps of:detecting marks provided on selected regions on the workpiece to obtain corresponding mark signals and then measuring respective positional data related to the positions or positional errors of said selected regions, on the basis of the mark signals;detecting the reliability of each measured positional data of a corresponding selected region, on the basis of the state of a corresponding mark signal or the state of that measured positional data;preparing corrected positional data related to the disposition of all the regions on the workpiece by using the measured positional data of the selected regions and design positional data of the selected regions, wherein, for preparation of the corrected positional data, each measured positional data is weighted in accordance with the detected reliability thereof such that a measured positional data having higher reliability is more influential to determine the corrected positional data; andcontrolling movement of the workpiece, for sequential positioning of the different regions on the workpiece to the predetermined site, on the basis of the prepared corrected positional data.