Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Exposure apparatus and exposure method for minimizing defocusing of the transferred pattern
 An exposure apparatus and an exposure method which minimize defocusing of the transferred pattern even with a large-sized mask. When the exposure apparatus is used which transfers the pattern formed on a first substrate through a substantially real-size projection optical system onto a second substrate, the positions of the mask and the substrate are detected, and based on the information on the positions the distance between the mask and the substrate is controlled to be substantially constant. According to the present invention, defocusing of the transferred pattern may be substantially avoided by detecting positions of the mask and the plate by making use of, e.g., an obliquely incident light focus detection optical system, and controlling the distance therebetween to be held constant or at a predetermined distance. 
Nikon Corporation
G G
G03F G03F
inventional inventional
Masami Masaki Kazuaki Kinya
Seki Kato Saiki Kato