Photocopying – Projection printing and copying cameras – Step and repeat
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-20
2001-11-20
Adams, Russell (Department: 2851)
Photocopying
Projection printing and copying cameras
Step and repeat
C355S077000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06320646
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an exposure apparatus such as a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices such as LSI and VLSI devices, as well as a device manufacturing method that employs this exposure apparatus.
In order to process separate lots in a semiconductor device manufacturing operation quickly and efficiently, a plurality of semiconductor exposure apparatuses used in a lithographic process are typically placed under the overall control of a host computer or personal computer hierarchically superior to the computer on the side of each exposure apparatus. Ordinarily, a command to start the exposure processing is issued after specific parameters for exposure (a “job”) necessary to process a certain lot are selected from a database in which operating parameters have been stored.
Further, in order to raise the availability rate of each exposure apparatus at a semiconductor plant and achieve unmanned operation in a clean room to cope with the automation of semiconductor device manufacture, there is a tendency to place coating and developing equipment used in processes upstream and downstream of each exposure apparatus inline and perform overall control by a host computer or personal computer.
When exposure is carried out, often one carrier (25 wafers) is treated as one lot. If volume of production is low and there are a wide variety of products made, the job used or the reticle used usually differs from one lot to the next. However, in a case where volume of production is high and there are a narrow variety of products made, it is possible that the same job and reticle will be used for two or three lots in succession.
In order to automate the manufacturing operation, raise the availability rate of each exposure apparatus, and perform operations efficiently in these circumstances, the changeover from one lot to another must be executed at the highest speed practicable. The prior art is such that even in a case where two or three successive lots are processed by the same job and reticle, a job selected from a database is transferred to the exposure apparatus proper and calibration processing is always executed from one lot to the next.
In accordance with the aforementioned example of the prior art, however, despite the fact that the same job and reticle are used for two or three lots in succession, re-transfer of the job and re-measurement for calibration are performed from one lot to the next. As a consequence, the real availability rate of the exposure apparatus declines and time is wasted at the changeover between lots.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an exposure apparatus and a device manufacturing method that employs this apparatus, in which when lots using the same job and reticle are processed in succession, the time needed for changeover between lots is shortened by eliminating time that is wasted as the changeover between lots, thereby improving real availability rate of the exposure apparatus.
According to the present invention, the foregoing object is attained by providing an exposure apparatus for executing predetermined calibration processing and exposing a substrate to a pattern on a reticle in accordance with a job transferred to the apparatus and representing exposure parameters for one lot. The apparatus comprises a determining means and a by-pass means. The determination means determines whether a job and a reticle used to expose a current lot are the same as a job and a reticle used to expose a preceding lot. The bypass means bypasses re-transfer of a job to the apparatus and/or the calibration processing when the determination means determines that a job and a reticle used to expose the current lot and a job and a reticle used to expose the preceding lot are the same.
In accordance with the present invention, re-transfer of a job and/or calibration processing is bypassed in a case where lots using the same job and the same reticle are processed in succession. Unnecessary processing is eliminated and time is not wasted at the changeover from the preceding lot to the current lot. As a result, when lots using the same job and the same reticle are processing successively, changeover time between lots is shortened and real availability rate of the exposure apparatus is raised. In a case where re-transfer of a job or calibration processing is bypassed, the job or the calibration value used in the preceding lot is maintained in the processing of the current lot.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5243377 (1993-09-01), Umatate et al.
patent: 5909030 (1999-01-01), Yoshitake et al.
patent: 6002987 (1999-12-01), Kamiya et al.
Adams Russell
Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
Fitzpatrick ,Cella, Harper & Scinto
Nguyen Hung Henry
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