Positioning device having two object holders

Abstract

A positioning device has first and second object holders that are guided over a guiding surface extending parallel to an X-direction and parallel to a Y-direction perpendicular to the X-direction and which are displaceable over the guiding surface from a first position into a second position by means of a displacement system. The displacement system includes a first displacement unit and a second displacement unit to which the object holders can be alternately coupled. The first displacement unit is suitable for carrying out a first series of positioning steps of the first object holder in the first position and for displacing the first object holder from the first position into an intermediate position between the first and second positions. The second displacement unit is suitable for carrying out a second series of positioning steps of the second object holder in the second position, simultaneously with and independently of the first displacement unit, and for displacing the second object holder from the second position into the intermediate position. In the intermediate position, the object holders are exchanged, after which the first series of positioning steps can be carried out by the first displacement unit with the second object holder in the first position and the second series of positioning steps can be carried out by the second displacement unit with the first object holder in the second position. The positioning device is suitable for use in a lithographic device to carry out an exposure process with a first semiconductor substrate in an exposure position and, simultaneously therewith and independently thereof, a characterization process with a second semiconductor substrate in a characterization position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]The invention relates to a positioning device having a guiding surface extending parallel to an X-direction and parallel to a Y-direction, a first object holder and a second object holder which are each guided over the guiding surface and are each displaceable parallel to the X-direction and parallel to the Y-direction from a first position into a second position, and a displacement system for displacing the first object holder and the second object holder over the guiding surface.[0002]The invention further relates to a lithographic device provided with a radiation source, a mask holder, a focusing unit having a main axis, a characterization unit, and a positioning device, said positioning device comprising a guiding surface extending parallel to an X-direction, which is perpendicular to the main axis, and parallel to a Y-direction, which is perpendicular to the X-direction and the main axis, a first substrate holder and a second substrate holder wh...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]A particular embodiment of a positioning device according to the invention is characterized in that the object table of each of the object holders is displaceable relative to the basic part parallel to the X-direction, parallel to the Y-direction, and parallel to a Z-direction extending perpendicularly to the X-direction and the Y-direction, and is pivotable relative to the basic part about a first pivot axis extending parallel to the X-direction, a second pivot axis extending parallel to the Y-direction, and a third pivot axis extending parallel to the Z-direction. In this manner, a high degree of adjustability of the object tables relative to the basic parts is obtained.

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage of the known positioning device and the known lithographic device is that the characterization of the semiconductor substrate present on the second object holder and the exposure of the semiconductor substrate present on the first object holder cannot be carried out independently from each other as a result of said lockstep-wise displacements of the first and the second object holder.

As a result, the exposure of the semiconductor substrate present on the first object holder cannot be started until the second object holder has reached the characterization position.

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