Patent ID: 7426016
Filing Date: 2008-09-16
Classification: G03B,G03F

Abstract:
1. An exposure apparatus measuring a surface position of an object to be exposed mounted on a stage and exposing a surface of the object in a state that the object surface is coincided with a base plane set at a desired position, comprising: a unit measuring the surface position of the object at least more than two points within an exposure area; a unit calculating a distance between the base plane and the object surface and a leveling value of the object surface relative to the base plane in a plurality of exposure areas arranged on the object based on a result of the measurement by the measuring unit; a unit storing the calculated distance and the calculated leveling value in association with position information of the exposure area performed the calculation on the object surface; a unit determining existence or nonexistence of an exposure abnormality based on the associated information and predetermined abnormal determination criteria; and a unit identifying a kind of the exposure abnormality, in case that the determining unit determines that the exposure abnormality exists, at least based on the number of the exposure areas where the exposure abnormality is occurred and distribution of the exposure areas where the exposure abnormality is occurred on the object surface.