Patent ID: 6341007
Filing Date: 2002-01-22
Classification: G03F

Abstract:
A projection exposure method for exposing sensitive substrates by projecting a pattern formed on a mask through a projection optical system onto the sensitive substrates, comprising:preparing a mask stage which is movable while holding the mask; preparing a first substrate stage and a second substrate stage, each of which is movable independently on a two-dimensional plane while holding a sensitive substrate; measuring positional information of the mask stage by using a mask interferometer system; measuring positional information of the first substrate stage by using a first interferometer system; executing a first exposure operation in which the mask stage and the first substrate stage are synchronously moved in respective scanning directions, based on the positional information measured by the mask interferometer system and the first interferometer system; performing at least one of a substrate exchange operation and a detecting operation by using the second substrate stage during said first exposure operation; measuring positional information of the second substrate stage by using a second interferometer system during at least one of said substrate exchange operation and said detecting operation; starting to measure positional information of the second substrate stage by using the first interferometer system; and executing, after the start, a second exposure operation in which the mask stage and the second substrate stage are synchronously moved in the respective scanning directions, based on the positional information measured by the mask interferometer system and the first interferometer system.