Aligner

Details Aligner Aligner

1999-02-02

2001-06-26

Metjahic, Safet (Department: 2858)

Photocopying

Projection printing and copying cameras

Step and repeat

Reexamination Certificate

active

06252649

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND THE INVENTION AND RELATED ART STATEMENT
The present invention relates to an aligner.
The photolithography method has been recently employed to produce the printed circuit works, wherein the negatives of circuit patterns to be formed are used so as to be projectingly exposed so that the circuit patterns may be printed to the works by way of photo-etching.
At the time of exposure, it is required to exactly align the film-mask and the work. Normally the work is secured to a mount by way of vacuum suction or the like. The film-mask and the work are oppositely positioned with a space of approximately 0.5 mm being provided therebetween, and then the work and the film-mask are aligned while these are photographically treated.
Although the film-mask and the work may be exactly aligned with each other with a space being provided therebetween, it may happen that the film-mask and the work will positionally displace with each other when the film-mask and the work are closely contacted at the time of exposure. This will often raise a problem of producing the products of inferior quality.
It is an object of the invention to provide an aligner for eliminating the defect or disadvantage of the prior art as mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In order to attain the above mentioned object, the aligner of the invention substantially comprises: an aligning device for relatively move and align a mask having a pattern depicted thereon to be exposed and an object having a photosensitive layer to be subject to the exposure through the mask; a contacting device for closely contacting the aligned mask and object; a detecting device for detecting the alignment accuracy of the closely contacted mask and object; said aligning device being operated to separate the mask and the object from each other when the alignment of the closely contacted mask and object is detected out of a predetermined tolerance and to align the mask and the object again; and an exposure apparatus for exposing the object having the mask closely contacted thereto.
According to the combination of the elements as mentioned above, the alignment accuracy of the closely contacted mask and object is detected. When the alignment is detected out of a predetermined tolerance, the exposure is not performed and the close contact between the mask and the object is canceled and then the mask and the object are aligned again. This operation is repeatedly performed until the alignment accuracy as closely contacted comes into the a range of predetermined tolerance. It is therefore apparent that this method will prevent the production of products of inferior quality which may otherwise be produced due to the incomplete alignment of the closely contacted mask and object.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5777747 (1998-07-01), Tanaka
patent: 5894056 (1999-04-01), Kakizaki et al.

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