Patent ID: 7166855
Filing Date: 2007-01-23
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
1. An exposure apparatus which has a projection optical system and exposes a substrate to light via a reticle and said projection optical system, while the substrate and the reticle are moved in a scan direction, said apparatus comprising: a stage configured to hold the substrate and to move; and a sensor configured to detect a surface position of the substrate, in a direction of an optical axis of said projection optical system, with respect to each of detection points defined by positions of the substrate moved by said stage in the scan direction, wherein said apparatus is configured to perform a determination of whether said sensor is ineffective with respect to each of the detection points, based on whether each of the detection points is within an ineffective area on the substrate, the ineffective area being defined beforehand, and to control a position of said stage based on the surface position detected by said sensor with respect to each of the detection points at which said sensor is determined as being effective.