Patent Number: 053171411
Section: claims

1. A method for alignment of a first object with a second object, comprising the steps of: (a) determining the location of a feature on a surface of said second object using a probe of a scanned probe microscope, said scanned probe microscope being distinct from said first object;  (b) positioning said first object in preselected spatial relationship with respect to said located feature.  (a) using a probe of a second scanned probe microscope in determining the location of a second feature on the surface of said second object; and  (b) positioning said first object in preselected spatial relationship with respect to the second located feature, simultaneously with said step of positioning said first object with respect to the first located feature, thereby obtaining rotational and translational alignment of said first object to said second object.  (a) determining the location of a first feature on a surface of said second object using a probe of a scanned probe microscope; and  (b) determining the location of a first feature on the surface of said first object, and  (c) positioning said first object in preselected spatial relationship with respect to said located first feature on said second object.  (a) determining the location of a second feature on the surface of said second object using a probe of a scanned probe microscope; and  (b) positioning said first object in preselected spatial relationship with respect to the second located feature, simultaneously with said step of positioning said first object, thereby obtaining rotational and translational alignment of said first object to said second object.  (a) determining, employing one and only one probe of a scanned probe microscope, the position and orientation on the surface of the second object of an alignment mark having a shape such that its position and orientation can be determined;  (b) comparing the determined position and orientation of the alignment mark with a stored position and orientation of the alignment mark; and  (c) translating and rotating said second object relative to said first object to align said first object with said second object.  (a) means, comprising one and only one probe of a scanned probe microscope, for determining the position and orientation on the surface of the second object of an alignment mark having a shape such that its orientation can be determined;  (b) data processing apparatus adapted to compare the determined position and orientation of the alignment mark with a stored position and orientation of the alignment mark; and  (c) means for translating and rotating said second object relative to said first object to align said first object with said second object.  (a) scanning the surface of the second object using a probe of a scanned probe microscope until sufficient information is obtained regarding the scanned portion of the surface such that the scanned portion can be identified on a stored reference image of the surface whereby the position of said probe can be determined; and  (b) comparing the determined position of the probe on the surface to a predetermined home position for the probe on the reference image.  (a) means, comprising a probe of a scanned probe microscope, for obtaining an image of a portion of the surface of the second object; and  (b) means for comparing the obtained image of the surface of the second object with a stored reference image, in order to determine the location of the probe on the surface relative to a predetermined home position for said probe. 2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of positioning comprises maintaining said first object in fixed spatial relationship with respect to said probe. 3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said probe is rigidly mounted on a forward side of said first object. 4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said probe comprises a probe of a scanning tunneling microscope, said location determining means further comprising a conductor in electrical contact with said probe and extending substantially to an edge of said forward side of said first object. 5. The method of claim 3, further comprising the step of, prior to said step (a), performing metrology on the forward side of said first object to determine the relative location of a reference feature on said first object and the probe. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein said step of performing metrology comprises scanning the forward side of said first object with a scanning electron microscope. 7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the steps of: 8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein said first probe and said second probe are rigidly attached to a forward face of said first object. 9. A method as recited in claim 8, wherein said first and second probes comprise probes of scanning tunneling microscopes. 10. A method for alignment of a first object with a second object, comprising the steps of: 11. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein said step of determining the location of a feature on a surface of said first object comprises employing a probe of a scanned probe microscope. 12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein said probe comprises a probe of an atomic force microscope. 13. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising the steps of: 14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein said step of positioning further comprises using a probe of a third scanned probe microscope in determining the location of a second feature on a surface of said first object. 15. In the apparatus for performing optical lithography on a substrate, having an optical mask and a mask holder supporting the optical mask, the improvement comprising means, comprising a probe of a first scanned probe microscope, for determining the location of a feature on a surface of the substrate, further comprising a probe of a second scanned probe microscope, in known spatial relationship with respect to said probe of said first scanned probe microscope, for determining the location of a feature on said mask. 16. The improvement of claim 15, wherein said probe of said first scanned probe microscope and said probe of said second scanned probe microscope each depends from said holder. 17. A method for rotational and translational alignment of a first object with a second object, comprising the steps of: 18. The method of claim 17, wherein said probe is mounted on a surface of said first object. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein said first object is a mask. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein said second object is a wafer. 21. An apparatus for rotational and translational alignment of a first object with a second object, comprising: 22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said probe is mounted on a surface of said first object. 23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said first object is a mask. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein said second object is a wafer. 25. A method for detecting misalignment between a first object and a second object, comprising the steps of: 26. The method of claim 25 wherein the second object is a mask, and the first object is a mask holder. 27. An apparatus for detecting misalignment between a first object and a second object, comprising: 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein said second object is a mask, and said first object is a mask holder.