Substrate processor and article producing method

Abstract

To provide a technology advantageous for accurately treating a substrate even during movement of a stage.SOLUTION: A substrate processor that executes a predetermined process on a substrate includes: a drive unit that drives a stage holding the substrate; a first control unit that operates at a first frequency to control the drive unit; a second control unit that operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency and generates commands based on the position of the stage; and a device that executes the predetermined process or a preparatory process for the predetermined process in response to the commands.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus and an article manufacturing method. [Background technology]

[0002] In a substrate stage device, the position of the substrate can be detected based on the position of the stage and the position of a mark on the substrate detected using a scope (camera) (relative position in the field of view of the scope). In recent years, in order to improve throughput, the position of the substrate can be measured while the stage is moving.

[0003] However, when detecting the position of the board while moving the stage, it is necessary to capture an image of the mark the moment it enters the field of view of the scope. When a high-magnification scope is used, the field of view becomes dark, so high-brightness lighting is required to detect the position of the board while moving the stage at high speed. For this reason, a method of performing strobe photography using multiple light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is considered, but when performing strobe photography, a shift in the light emission timing of multiple LED tubes can cause a shift in the image. Patent Document 1 describes a method of correcting the light emission trigger time so that the emission timing of multiple LEDs is the same.

[0004] Furthermore, when detecting the position of the substrate while driving the stage, there is a problem that the image of the mark will be stretched if the imaging time of the mark is long. Regarding this, Patent Document 2 describes a method of capturing an instantaneous image of the mark by outputting a short-time gate signal when the mark is within the detection range. Furthermore, there is a problem that the mark falls out of the field of view due to a placement error of the substrate, making it impossible to image it. Regarding this, Patent Document 3 describes a method of calculating in advance the average positional deviation amount of the substrate with respect to the mark measurement unit, and adjusting the position of the camera unit if the positional deviation amount is outside the allowable value. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-10734 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2015-233106 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2007-10735 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when detecting the position of a substrate while moving the stage, conventional devices can only issue imaging commands in units of the stage control frequency of the stage control board, so the actual timing of the imaging command is shifted from the ideal timing of the imaging command. When the timing of the imaging command is shifted, the mark falls outside the field of view of the scope, and the mark cannot be imaged. Therefore, conventionally, it has been difficult to accurately process a substrate when the stage is moving.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an advantageous technique for accurately processing a substrate even when the stage is moving. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] One aspect of the present invention relates to a substrate processing apparatus that performs a specified process on a substrate, the substrate processing apparatus including a drive unit that drives a stage that holds the substrate, a first control unit that operates at a first frequency and controls the drive unit, a second control unit that operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency and issues commands based on a position of the stage, and a device for performing the specified process or a preparatory process for the specified process in response to the commands. Effect of the Invention

[0009] The present invention provides an advantageous technique for accurately processing a substrate even when the stage is moving. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the arrangement of an exposure apparatus according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a view showing a configuration related to position control of the substrate stage in the exposure apparatus of the first embodiment. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the flow of a detection process for detecting the position of a mark in the exposure apparatus of the first embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a view showing a configuration related to position control of a substrate stage in an exposure apparatus according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is a view showing a configuration related to position control of a substrate stage in an exposure apparatus according to a third embodiment. [Figure 6] 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of the relationship between the field of view of the scope of the first mark detection system and the second mark detection system and the marks. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a laser irradiation system as a substrate processing apparatus according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a configuration related to position control of a substrate stage in a laser irradiation system according to a fourth embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims. Although the embodiments describe a number of features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any manner. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted.

[0012] 1 shows the configuration of an exposure apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is an example of a substrate processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on a substrate, and the exposure apparatus 100 performs an exposure process as the predetermined process. Although the exposure apparatus 100 will be described here as an example of a substrate processing apparatus, the substrate processing apparatus may be configured as other apparatus, such as an apparatus that chemically or mechanically processes a substrate, an apparatus that places or supplies a solid or liquid at a predetermined position on the substrate, or an apparatus that inspects the substrate.

[0013] The exposure apparatus 100 may be configured as, for example, a scanning exposure apparatus, but may be configured as another type of exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus 100 may be configured to transfer a pattern of the original 112 onto the substrate 114. More specifically, the exposure apparatus 100 includes a projection optical system 120 that projects the pattern of the original 112 onto the substrate 114, and forms a transfer image corresponding to the pattern of the original 112 on the substrate 114 by an exposure process. The substrate 114 has a photoresist, and the transfer image may be formed as a latent image in the photoresist. The latent image may be converted into a resist pattern, which is a physical pattern, by a development process.

[0014] The exposure apparatus 100 may be equipped with a user interface 104. A user, such as an operator, can provide various types of information to the exposure apparatus 100 by operating the user interface 104.

[0015] The configuration of the exposure apparatus 100 will be described in more detail below. In FIG. 1, an XYZ coordinate system is defined in which the Z axis is parallel to the optical axis of the projection optical system 120 and extends from the substrate 114 to the original 112, and the X and Y axes are perpendicular to the Z axis. The light source 101 emits exposure light. The light source 101 can be controlled by a light source control unit 102, which is controlled by a main control unit 103. The exposure light emitted from the light source 101 is shaped into a predetermined beam shape by a shaping optical system (not shown) of the illumination optical system 122. The shaped beam enters an optical integrator (not shown), which forms a plurality of secondary light sources to illuminate the original 112 with a uniform illuminance distribution.

[0016] The illumination optical system 122 may include an aperture stop 126 that determines the numerical aperture (NA) of the illumination optical system 122. The aperture stop 126 has a substantially circular opening, and the numerical aperture (NA) of the illumination optical system 122 is controlled by controlling the diameter of the opening by the illumination system control unit 105, which is controlled by the main control unit 103. The ratio of the numerical aperture of the illumination optical system 122 to the numerical aperture of the projection optical system 120 is called a coherence factor (σ value). The illumination system control unit 105 can set the σ value by controlling the aperture stop 126 of the illumination optical system 122.

[0017] A half mirror 121 is disposed on the optical path of the illumination optical system 122, and a portion of the exposure light illuminating the original 112 can be reflected and extracted by the half mirror 121. A photosensor 123 is disposed on the optical path of the light reflected by the half mirror 121, and the intensity of the exposure light (exposure energy) can be detected by the photosensor 123. The illumination optical system 122 can include a shutter unit 129 for controlling the irradiation of the exposure light onto the substrate 114. The shutter unit 129 can be controlled by an illumination system control unit 105, which is controlled by the main control unit 103.

[0018] The original 112 can be held by an original stage 113. For example, the original stage 113 can be driven in the Y-axis direction (scanning direction) by the driving unit 109, thereby driving the original 112 in the Y-axis direction. A pattern of a device to be manufactured is formed on the original 112. The illumination optical system 122 illuminates the pattern of the original 112 with exposure light. The projection optical system 120 reduces an image of the pattern of the original 112 at a reduction ratio β and projects it onto the substrate 114. This exposes the photoresist of the substrate, and a transferred image of the pattern of the original 112 is formed on the photoresist.

[0019] An aperture stop 124 with a nearly circular opening is disposed on a pupil plane (a Fourier transform plane with respect to an object plane, which is the plane on which the original 112 is disposed) of the projection optical system 120, and the diameter of the opening of the aperture stop 124 can be controlled by a drive unit 111 such as a motor. The projection optical system 120 has one or more optical elements 125, and the drive unit 110 can drive the one or more optical elements 125 to adjust the optical characteristics of the projection optical system 120. The drive units 110, 111 can be controlled by a projection system control unit 106, which is controlled by the main control unit 103.

[0020] The substrate 114 is held by a substrate stage 115, which can be driven by a driving unit 109 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and in rotation around these axes. The driving unit 109 that drives the substrate stage 115 and the driving unit 109 that drives the original stage 113 are controlled by a stage control unit 107 that is controlled by the main control unit 103. When the exposure apparatus 100 is configured as a scanning exposure apparatus, the stage control unit 107 controls the driving units 108 and 109 so that the substrate stage 115 and the original stage 113 are scanned synchronously. The substrate stage 115 can be provided with a moving mirror or a scale as a measurement target 117. The displacement of the measurement target 117 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions can be detected by a laser interferometer or an encoder as a measurement instrument 116, whereby the positions of the substrate stage 115 in the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis directions and the rotation angles around these axes can be detected. The stage control unit 107 can feedback-control the position and rotation angle of the substrate stage 115 based on the detection result by the measuring device 116 .

[0021] The exposure apparatus 100 may include a focus detection system 118. The focus detection system 118 may include a light projecting system that projects a plurality of light beams having wavelengths that do not expose the photoresist of the substrate 114 at an oblique incidence onto the substrate 114, and a light receiving system that detects reflected light from the substrate 114. The light receiving system has a light receiving element that receives the plurality of light beams, and may detect the position of the substrate 114 in the Z-axis direction by detecting the light receiving positions of each of the plurality of light beams.

[0022] The exposure apparatus 100 may include a first mark detection system 127 and / or a second mark detection system 128. The first mark detection system 127 may include one or more first scopes that detect the relative position of the mark on the original 112 and the mark on the substrate 114 via the projection optical system 120. The relative position of the mark on the original 112 and the mark on the substrate 114 can be detected using each first scope of the first mark detection system 127. The first mark detection system 127 may include a drive system that drives each first scope along the XY plane. The second mark detection system 128 may include one or more second scopes that are disposed between the projection optical system 120 and the substrate stage 115 and detect the position of the mark on the substrate 114. The second mark detection system 128 may include a drive system that drives each second scope along the XY plane. The exposure apparatus 100 can simultaneously detect the positions of multiple marks using multiple first scopes and multiple second scopes. Therefore, based on the results detected using the multiple first scopes and the multiple second scopes, the main control unit 103 can detect misalignment and shape deviation between the substrate 114 and the original 112, distortion of the substrate 114, etc. Furthermore, based on the misalignment and shape deviation between the substrate 114 and the original 112, distortion of the substrate 114, etc., the main control unit 103 can control the exposure process while adjusting the speed and position of the original stage 113 and the substrate stage 115, the projection magnification of the projection optical system 120, etc.

[0023] The one or more first scopes of the first mark detection system 127 and the one or more second scopes of the second mark detection system 128 can be understood as optical devices for performing a preparatory process (mark detection process) for a predetermined process (exposure process) on the substrate 114. Alternatively, the predetermined process on the substrate 114 may be considered as a detection process of the marks on the substrate 114. In this case, the one or more first scopes of the first mark detection system 127 and the one or more second scopes of the second mark detection system 128 can be understood as optical devices for performing a predetermined process (mark detection process) on the substrate 114. Alternatively, the illumination optical system 122 or the shutter unit 129 (or the illumination system control unit 105 that controls it) can be understood as a device for performing a predetermined process (exposure process) on the substrate 114. More specifically, the illumination optical system 122 or the shutter unit 129 can be understood as a device for controlling the start (timing of) and end (timing of) exposure of the substrate 114. The second controller 136 can be configured to send commands to the illumination system controller 105 to start and end exposure based on the position of the substrate stage 115 .

[0024] 2 shows a configuration related to position control of the substrate stage 115 in the exposure apparatus 100. Although not shown in FIG. 2, the exposure apparatus 100 may have a similar configuration related to position control of the original stage 113. More specifically, the stage controller 107 controlled by the main controller 103 may control the original stage 113 by controlling the driver 108. Such a configuration may be one in which the driver 109, substrate stage 115, and measuring instrument 116 in FIG. 2 are replaced with the driver 108, original stage 113, and measuring instrument (not shown) (measuring instrument that measures the position of the original stage 113).

[0025] As described above, the exposure apparatus 100 as a substrate processing apparatus may include a substrate stage 115 that holds a substrate, a drive unit 109 that drives the substrate stage 115, a stage control unit 107 that controls the drive unit 109, and a measurement instrument 116. The exposure apparatus 100 may also include a scope control unit 131 that controls a first mark detection system 127 and a second mark detection system 128 as optical devices for performing a predetermined process on the substrate 114 or a preparatory process for the predetermined process. The scope control unit 131 may also be understood as a device for performing a preparatory process (mark detection process) for a predetermined process (exposure process) on the substrate 114. The exposure apparatus 100 may also include a main control unit 103 that controls the stage control unit 107. In addition to the stage control unit 107, the main control unit 103 may control the light source control unit 102, the illumination system control unit 105, the projection system control unit 106, the scope control unit 131, the user interface 104, and the like.

[0026] The stage control unit 107 may include a first control unit 135 and a second control unit 136. The first control unit 135 operates at a first frequency and controls the driving unit 109. The first control unit 135 operates at the first frequency, which means that the frequency of a clock for operating the first control unit 135 is the first frequency. The second control unit 136 operates at a second frequency that is higher than the first frequency, and generates a command based on the position of the substrate stage 115. The second control unit 136 operates at the second frequency, which means that the frequency of a clock for operating the second control unit 136 is the second frequency. The scope control unit 131 is an example of a device for performing a preparation process in response to a command generated by the second control unit 136.

[0027] The main control unit 103 provides a position target value to the first control unit 135. The first control unit 135 can generate a command value (e.g., a current command value) to be provided to the driving unit 109 based on a difference (control deviation) between the position target value provided by the main control unit 103 and position information of the substrate stage 115 provided by the measuring instrument 116. The first control unit 135 can include, for example, a subtractor 201 and a compensator (e.g., a PID compensator) 202. The subtractor 201 calculates a difference (control deviation) between the position target value provided by the main control unit 103 and position information of the substrate stage 115 provided by the measuring instrument 116. The compensator 202 generates a command value for the driving unit 109 based on the output of the subtractor 201. The first control unit 135 can take in the output (position information) of the measuring instrument 116 at the first frequency and generate a command value for the driving unit 109 at the first frequency. From another perspective, the first control unit 135 can take in the output (position command value) of the main control unit 103 and the output (position information) of the measuring instrument 116 at the first frequency, and generate a command value for the driving unit 109 at the first frequency according to them. The first frequency can be determined according to the control band of the substrate stage 115. If the first frequency is set too high, the above-mentioned operations cannot be completed within each period of the first frequency, and therefore the substrate stage 115 cannot be appropriately controlled.

[0028] The main control unit 103 may be configured to send the mark detection position to the second control unit 136 via the first control unit 135. Alternatively, the main control unit 103 may be configured to send the mark detection position directly to the second control unit 136. The mark detection position is the position of the substrate stage 115 at the timing when the mark should be detected by the first mark detection system 127 (first scope of the first mark detection system) and / or the second mark detection system 128 (second scope of the second mark detection system). The timing when the mark should be detected may be a timing during a period when the substrate stage 115 (substrate 114) is being accelerated, or may be a timing during a period when the substrate stage 115 (substrate 114) is being driven at a constant speed.

[0029] The second control unit 136 operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency at which the first control unit 135 operates. The second control unit 136 takes in the output of the measuring instrument 116 (position information of the substrate stage 115) at the second frequency and generates a detection command for the scope control unit 131 based on the output. In other words, by the second control unit 136 operating at the second frequency generating a detection command, it is possible to generate a detection command with a higher time resolution than a configuration in which the first control unit 135 operating at the first frequency generates a measurement command. The (value of) the second frequency can be determined so that the first mark detection system 127 (the first scope of the first mark detection system) and / or the second mark detection system 128 (the second scope of the second mark detection system) can perform imaging based on the detection command.

[0030] In response to the detection command, the scope control unit 131 causes the first mark detection system 127 (first scope of the first mark detection system) and / or the second mark detection system 128 (second scope of the second mark detection system) to execute a mark detection process (preparatory process). By providing the scope control unit 131 with a detection command generated with high time resolution, the scope control unit 131 can cause the first mark detection system 127 and / or the second mark detection system 128 (second scope of the second mark detection system) to execute imaging at accurate timing. In other words, the first mark detection system 127 (first scope of the first mark detection system) and / or the second mark detection system 128 (second scope of the second mark detection system) can image the mark at the timing when the mark falls within the field of view.

[0031] The scope control unit 131 can be configured to detect the position of a mark imaged by (the first scope of) the first mark detection system 127 and / or (the second scope of) the second mark detection system 128, and send the detection result to the main control unit 103. The main control unit 103 generates a position command value so as to drive the substrate 114 to a target position based on the output (position information of the mark) of the scope control unit 131, and sends the position command value to the first control unit 135. Thereby, the original 112 having a pattern to be transferred to the substrate 114 and the substrate 114 are aligned.

[0032] The second control unit 136 can be configured to send detection parameter values ​​such as brightness, magnification, and accumulation time to the scope control unit 131 in addition to the detection command. These detection parameter values ​​may be sent to the scope control unit 131 together with the detection command, or may be sent to the scope control unit 131 at a timing different from the detection command. The measurement parameter values ​​can be determined according to the driving conditions of the substrate stage 115. For example, if the driving speed of the substrate stage 115 changes after detecting a mark and before detecting the next mark, the brightness and accumulation time should be changed to those suited to the driving speed of the substrate stage 115 when the next mark is detected. This can reduce errors in detecting the position of the mark.

[0033] The main control unit 103 may correct the mark position output from the scope control unit 131 using a position target value (mark detection position) of the substrate stage 115 at the timing to detect the mark position and position information of the substrate stage 115 at the time of the detection command. The corrected mark position can be given by equation (1). Here, P is the corrected mark position, Pm is the mark position output from the scope control unit 131, Pt is the mark detection position, and Ps is the position of the substrate stage 115 at the timing to issue the detection command.

[0034]

number

[0035] 3 illustrates an example of the flow of the detection process for detecting the position of the mark. A specific example of the detection process will be described below with reference to FIG. 3. In step S212, the main control unit 103 transmits a movement command to the first control unit 135 to move the substrate stage 115 to the mark detection position (Pt). In step S232, the first control unit 135 transmits the mark detection position to the second control unit 136, and in step S233, the first control unit 135 moves the substrate stage 115 to the mark detection position.

[0036] In step S241, the second control unit 136 monitors the position of the substrate stage 115 based on the output of the measuring instrument 116. In step S245, the second control unit 136 stores the mark detection position received from the first control unit 135 in step S232. In step S242, the second control unit 136 waits until the position of the substrate stage 115 reaches the mark detection position. When the position of the substrate stage 115 reaches the mark detection position, in step S243, the second control unit 136 transmits an accumulation start signal to the scope control unit 131. In addition, the second control unit 136 transmits detection parameter values ​​to the scope control unit 131. Note that the detection parameter values ​​transmitted to the scope control unit 131 can be optimized according to the driving state of the substrate stage 115.

[0037] In step S221, the scope control unit 131 starts the mark detection process in response to receiving the accumulation start signal transmitted from the second control unit 136 in step S243. In step S222, the scope control unit 131 starts accumulation process (imaging) of an electric signal (charge) corresponding to an optical image of the mark according to the detection parameter value. In step S223, the scope control unit 131 ends the accumulation process (imaging) according to the detection parameter value. In step S224, the scope control unit 131 calculates the position (Pm) of the mark based on the captured image of the mark, and transmits the position information of the mark (calculation result) to the main control unit 103.

[0038] In step S213, the main control unit 103 stores the position information of the mark received from the scope control unit 131. In step S225, the scope control unit 131 notifies the main control unit 103 of the end of the mark detection process. In step S226, the scope control unit 131 waits for the next detection command from the second control unit 136 (step S243).

[0039] In step S214, the main control unit 103 waits for a completion notification of the mark detection process from the scope control unit 131 (step S225), and ends the mark detection process when the completion notification of the mark detection process is received. In step S246, the second control unit 136 transmits the position (Ps) of the substrate stage 115 at the time of transmitting the detection command to the first control unit 135. In step S244, the second control unit 136 waits for a movement command to the next mark detection position from the first control unit 135 (step S232).

[0040] In step S235, the first control unit 135 transmits position information of the substrate stage 115 to the main control unit 103. In step S234, the first control unit 135 waits for a drive command to the next mark detection position (step S212) transmitted from the main control unit 103.

[0041] In step S216, the main control unit 103 stores the position information of the substrate stage 115 received from the first control unit 135. In step S217, the main control unit 103 calculates a corrected mark position based on the mark position (Pm), the mark detection position (Pt), and the position of the substrate stage 115 at the time of sending the detection command (Ps) output from the scope control unit 131. Furthermore, the main control unit 103 can determine the absolute position of the mark based on the corrected mark position (i.e., the position (relative position) of the mark within the field of view of the scope and the position of the substrate stage 115 at the time of detecting the mark position). In step S215, the main control unit 103 proceeds to detecting the position of the next mark (step S212). By repeatedly executing the above processes, the positions of multiple marks to be detected are detected.

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a configuration related to the position control of the substrate stage 115 in the exposure apparatus 100 of the second embodiment. Matters not mentioned as the second embodiment may follow the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, a stage position monitoring unit 200 is provided to monitor the position of the substrate stage 115, and the second control unit 136 is incorporated in the stage position monitoring unit 200. The measuring instrument 116 includes, for example, an encoder that outputs a pulse signal when the substrate stage 115 is driven, and the second control unit 136 measures the position of the substrate stage 115 by counting the pulse signal. The stage position monitoring unit 200 (second control unit 136) may be configured to operate at a frequency equal to or higher than the frequency of the pulse signal output by the encoder. This allows the position of the substrate stage 115 to be monitored with the minimum time resolution that the encoder can measure, and allows the mark to be imaged in a state where the mark is within the field of view of the detection system (scope).

[0043] 5 shows a configuration related to position control of the substrate stage in exposure apparatus 100 of the third embodiment. Matters not mentioned as the third embodiment may follow the first or second embodiment. In the third embodiment, a stage position monitoring unit 200 that monitors the position of the substrate stage 115 is provided, and second control unit 136 and measuring instrument 116 are incorporated in the stage position monitoring unit 200.

[0044] In the first to third embodiments, the first control unit 135 can be configured to receive a detection parameter set for mark position detection from the main control unit 103, and set the detection parameter set in the second control unit 136. The detection parameter set can include information indicating the above-mentioned mark detection position. The second control unit 136 can be configured to obtain the position of the substrate 114 from the measuring instrument 116 that measures the position of the substrate stage 115, and output a detection command to the scope control unit 131 according to the detection parameter set set by the first control unit 135.

[0045] The first controller 135 may be configured to receive a drive parameter set from the main controller 103 and output a command value to the driver 109 in accordance with the drive parameter set. The drive parameter set may include, for example, a position, a speed, and an acceleration of the substrate stage 115. The first controller 135 may feedback-control the substrate stage 115 based on a position target value of the substrate stage 115 and the current position of the substrate stage 115 measured by the measuring instrument 116. The current position of the substrate stage 115 measured by the measuring instrument 116 may be provided directly to the first controller 135 via the second controller 136, or may be provided directly from the measuring instrument 116 to the first controller 135.

[0046] Hereinafter, a method for determining the frequency of the clock that operates the second control unit 136, that is, the second frequency, will be described. FIG. 6 illustrates the relationship between the field of view 500 of the scope of the first mark detection system 127 and the second mark detection system 128 and the mark ccc. Dx indicates the amount of positional deviation permitted when the substrate stage 115 is driven in the X-axis direction. Dy indicates the amount of positional deviation permitted when the substrate stage 115 is driven in the Y-axis direction. That is, Dx and Dy indicate the amount of mark measurement positional deviation permitted for accurately detecting the position of the mark while the substrate stage 115 is driven in the X-axis direction or the Y-axis direction. Note that Dx and Dy indicate the distance from the edge of the mark ccc to the edge of the field of view 500 when the mark ccc is placed in the center of the field of view 500.

[0047] When detecting the position of the mark while moving the substrate stage 115, the allowable positional deviations Dx and Dy change depending on the driving speed of the substrate stage 115. That is, if the driving speed of the substrate stage 115 is slow, the position of the mark can be accurately detected even if the half of the operating cycle (second frequency) of the second control unit 136 is set low. Conversely, if the driving speed of the substrate stage 115 is fast, the half of the operating cycle (second frequency) of the second control unit 136 needs to be set high. Furthermore, when determining the allowable positional deviations Dx and Dy, it is necessary to take into account the movement amount of the mark within the field of view 500 during the accumulation period.

[0048] From the above, in order to accurately detect the position of the mark while moving the substrate stage 115, the second frequency f which is the operating frequency of the second control unit 136 can be determined as follows.

[0049] First, the positional deviation amount of the mark, which can be either Dx or Dy, is D, the mark placement error is Ep, the substrate placement error is Es, the mark movement amount during the imaging period (accumulation period) is Ds, and the drive speed of the substrate stage 115 is v.

[0050] If the driving speed of the substrate stage 115 is v, it is desirable that the position measurement period T of the substrate stage 115 satisfies the condition given by the following equation.

[0051]

number

[0052]

number

[0053] Therefore, it is desirable that the position measurement frequency f satisfies the condition given by the following formula: In other words, it is desirable that the second frequency f, which is the operating frequency of the second control unit 136, is determined according to formula (4).

[0054]

number

[0055] FIG. 7 shows a configuration example of a laser irradiation system LS as a substrate processing apparatus of the fourth embodiment. FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of a control system incorporated in the laser irradiation system LS. In the fourth embodiment, the laser irradiation system LS is configured as a mass transfer apparatus. The laser irradiation system LS may include a stage base 600, a first substrate stage 601, a second substrate stage 602, and a laser head 603. The first substrate stage 601 holds a target substrate (first substrate) TS and may be driven by a first driving unit (not shown). The second substrate stage 602 may have a plurality of openings 602h and may be configured to hold a microdevice substrate (second substrate) MDS in each opening 602h. Each microdevice substrate MDS may have a plurality of microdevices. The second substrate stage 602 may be driven by a second driving unit (not shown). The laser beam emitted from the laser head 603 is irradiated onto a micro device (not shown) to be transferred, and the micro device to be transferred can be separated from the micro device substrate SB and transferred to the target substrate TS. That is, the laser irradiation system LS (mass transfer apparatus) of this configuration example employs a laser lift-off (LLO) technique to transfer the micro device. The laser irradiation system LS can be understood as a substrate processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on the target substrate (first substrate) TS, specifically, a transfer process that transfers the micro device to the target substrate (first substrate) TS. The laser head 603 can be understood as a device that performs a predetermined process (transfer process).

[0056] The first substrate stage 601 is disposed on a stage base 600. The first substrate stage 601 holds a target substrate TS and is driven by a drive unit 109 to move and rotate on the stage base 600. The first substrate stage 601 is configured to be capable of two-dimensional movement along, for example, a movement axis X and a movement axis Y, and can move along, for example, a direction X1 (or a direction X2) and a direction Y1 (or a direction Y2). The axial direction of the movement axis X (for example, the direction X1 or the direction X2) intersects with the axial direction of the movement axis Y (for example, the direction Y1 or the direction Y2).

[0057] On the other hand, the second substrate stage 602 is disposed away from the stage base 600, and is configured to hold the micro device substrate MDS and be movable and rotatable relative to the first substrate stage 601. In the fourth embodiment, the second substrate stage 602 can perform three-dimensional movement along the movement axis X, the movement axis Y, and the movement axis Z to move along, for example, the direction X1 (or the direction X2), the direction Y1 (or the direction Y2), and the direction Z1 (or the direction Z2).

[0058] The laser head 603 is disposed away from the first substrate stage 601, and can irradiate a laser beam onto a micro device to be transferred on the micro device substrate MDS held by the second substrate stage 602. In the example of Fig. 7, the laser head 603 is configured to be movable, for example, along the direction X1 (or the direction X2) and the direction Y1 (or the direction Y2).

[0059] After the target substrate TS is held by the first substrate stage 601 and the multiple micro device substrates MDS are held by the second substrate stage 602, a transfer sequence of the micro devices may be started. The main controller 103 may control the first substrate stage 601, the second substrate stage 602, and the laser head 603 according to preset process parameters. In recent years, there has been a demand for shortening the manufacturing process time in mass transfer apparatuses serving as the laser irradiation systems LS. As one of the measures, for example, it has been considered to transfer the micro devices to the target substrate TS at regular intervals while driving the first substrate stage 601.

[0060] In the following, as an example, a case will be described in which a micro device is transferred to a target substrate TS while driving the first substrate stage 601 in a fixed direction in a micro device transfer sequence. The first control unit 135 can control the driving unit 109 to drive the first substrate stage 601 in a fixed direction. The second control unit 136 can monitor the position of the first substrate stage 601 based on the output of the measuring instrument 116. The second control unit 136 operates at a higher frequency than the first control unit 135 that controls the first substrate stage 601. Therefore, the second control unit 136 can monitor the position of the first substrate stage 601 with a higher time resolution (fine time interval) than the first control unit 135 that controls the first substrate stage 601.

[0061] The second control unit 136 can be configured to transmit an irradiation command to the laser head 603 when the first substrate stage 601 reaches a preset position. In response to the irradiation command, the laser head 603 can be configured to irradiate the micro device substrate MDS with a laser beam and transfer the micro device to be transferred to the target substrate TS.

[0062] Providing the second control unit 136 that operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency for controlling the first substrate stage 601 is advantageous for accurately transferring and mounting the micro device to a predetermined position while driving the first substrate stage 601. Moreover, even in a transfer sequence in which the first substrate stage 601 may move irregularly, the second control unit 136 operates independently of the first control unit 135, so that it is possible to accurately transfer the micro device to a predetermined position.

[0063] Hereinafter, as another embodiment, a method for manufacturing an article using the substrate processing apparatus of the above embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing an article may include a first processing step of performing a predetermined process as a first process on a substrate using the substrate processing apparatus, and a second processing step of performing a second process on the substrate after the first processing step.

[0064] When the substrate processing apparatus is configured as an exposure apparatus, the predetermined process may be an exposure process. In this case, the article manufacturing method may include an exposure step of exposing a substrate by the exposure apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus, and a development step of developing the substrate that has been subjected to the exposure step. The article manufacturing method may further include a processing step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate that has been subjected to the development step. The processing step may include, for example, an oxidation step, an ion implantation step, or an etching step.

[0065] When the substrate processing apparatus is configured as a laser irradiation apparatus (mass transfer apparatus), the predetermined process may be a transfer process. In this case, the article manufacturing method may include a transfer process of transferring a second substrate to a first substrate by the laser irradiation apparatus as the substrate processing apparatus, and a process process of processing the structure in which the second substrate is transferred to the first substrate by the transfer process to obtain an article.

[0066] This application includes the following disclosure: (Item 1) A substrate processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on a substrate, a drive unit that drives a stage that holds the substrate; A first control unit that operates at a first frequency and controls the drive unit; a second control unit that operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency and generates a command based on a position of the stage; a device for executing the predetermined process or a preparatory process for the predetermined process in response to the command; A substrate processing apparatus comprising: (Item 2) A measuring device for measuring a position of the stage is further provided, The second control unit sends the command to the device based on an output of the measuring instrument. 2. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 1, (Item 3) The measuring instrument includes an interferometer or an encoder. 3. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 2, (Item 4) The first control unit receives an output of the measuring device at the first frequency and generates a command value for the driving unit at the first frequency. 4. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 2 or 3, (Item 5) The device includes a control unit that controls an optical device for performing the preparation process. 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, (Item 6) the optical device includes a control unit that controls a scope for detecting the position of the mark on the substrate; 6. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 5, (Item 7) The second frequency is determined so that the scope can image the mark based on the command. 7. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 6, (Item 8) Further comprising a main control unit that controls the first control unit so that the substrate is positioned based on an output of the device. 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 6 or 7, (Item 9) a main control unit that controls the first control unit so that an original having a pattern to be transferred to the substrate and the substrate are aligned based on an output of the device; 8. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 6 or 7, (Item 10) the predetermined process includes a process of transferring the pattern onto the substrate; 10. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 9, (Item 11) an exposure apparatus configured to transfer the pattern of the original onto the substrate by projecting the pattern onto the substrate; 10. The substrate processing apparatus according to item 9, (Item 12) the predetermined process includes a process of transferring a second substrate onto a first substrate as the substrate, the device includes a laser head that transfers the second substrate onto the first substrate in response to the command; 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, (Item 13) An exposure step of exposing a substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to item 11; a developing step of developing the substrate that has been subjected to the exposure step; a processing step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate that has been subjected to the developing step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising: (Item 14) A transfer process of transferring a second substrate to a first substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to item 12; a processing step of obtaining an article by processing the structure in which the second substrate is transferred to the first substrate by the transfer step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising:

[0067] The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the following claims are appended to apprise the public of the scope of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0068] 100: exposure apparatus (substrate processing apparatus), 115: substrate stage (stage), 135: first control unit, 136: second control unit, 107: scope control unit (device)

Claims

1. A substrate processing apparatus that performs a predetermined process on a substrate, a drive unit that drives a stage that holds the substrate; A first control unit that operates at a first frequency and controls the drive unit; a second control unit that operates at a second frequency higher than the first frequency and generates a command based on a position of the stage; a device for executing the predetermined process or a preparatory process for the predetermined process in response to the command; A substrate processing apparatus comprising:

2. A measuring device for measuring a position of the stage is further provided, The second control unit sends the command to the device based on an output of the measuring instrument. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1 .

3. The measuring instrument includes an interferometer or an encoder. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 .

4. The first control unit receives an output of the measuring device at the first frequency and generates a command value for the driving unit at the first frequency. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 2 .

5. The device includes a control unit that controls an optical device for performing the preparation process.

5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate processing apparatus.

6. the optical device includes a control unit that controls a scope for detecting the position of the mark on the substrate; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 5 .

7. The second frequency is determined so that the scope can image the mark based on the command. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

8. a main control unit that controls the first control unit so that the substrate is positioned based on an output of the device; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

9. a main control unit that controls the first control unit based on an output of the device so that an original having a pattern to be transferred to the substrate and the substrate are aligned. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6 .

10. the predetermined process includes a process of transferring the pattern onto the substrate; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

11. an exposure apparatus configured to transfer the pattern of the original onto the substrate by projecting the pattern onto the substrate; The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 9 .

12. The predetermined process includes a process of transferring a second substrate onto a first substrate as the substrate, the device includes a laser head that transfers the second substrate onto the first substrate in response to the command; 5. The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate processing apparatus is a substrate processing apparatus.

13. an exposure step of exposing a substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 11; a developing step of developing the substrate that has been subjected to the exposure step; a processing step of obtaining an article by processing the substrate that has been subjected to the developing step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising:

14. a transfer step of transferring a second substrate onto a first substrate by the substrate processing apparatus according to claim 12; a processing step of obtaining an article by processing the structure in which the second substrate is transferred to the first substrate by the transfer step; A method for manufacturing an article, comprising:

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