Method for controlling a lithography apparatus, lithography apparatus, and method for manufacturing articles.

Abstract

This technology offers advantages in terms of productivity for lithography equipment. [Solution] A control method for a lithography apparatus having a forming unit for forming patterns on a substrate and a chamber in which the forming unit is located includes: a detection step for detecting the type of abnormality that has occurred in the forming unit; a determination step for determining whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber to resolve the abnormality based on the type of abnormality detected in the detection step; and a processing step for executing a first process to notify the operator if it is determined in the determination step that it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, and for executing a second process to automatically restore the forming unit without performing the first process if it is determined in the determination step that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for controlling a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, and a method for manufacturing an article.

Background Art

[0002] As a lithography apparatus for manufacturing semiconductor devices, liquid crystal display devices, etc., an exposure apparatus that transfers a pattern of a master plate (reticle or mask) onto a substrate (e.g., a wafer or a glass plate having a resist layer formed on its surface) via a projection optical system is known. The exposure apparatus is required to operate with high performance and high precision, and in order to maintain its performance, it is necessary to regularly perform maintenance of the apparatus. Also, when an abnormality occurs in the apparatus, it is required to clarify the cause and quickly recover. In Patent Document 1, for the purpose of improving productivity, a method is proposed to automatically perform maintenance scheduled in advance using the device downtime when a device abnormality occurs.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Depending on the type of abnormality that occurs in the exposure apparatus, it may be difficult for the exposure apparatus itself to automatically recover, and intervention (work) by an operator may be required. In this case, it is desirable to notify the operator before performing an operation for automatic recovery in terms of shortening the downtime and improving productivity (throughput).

[0005] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a technique advantageous in terms of the productivity of a lithography apparatus.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above objective, a control method as one aspect of the present invention is a control method for a lithography apparatus having a forming unit for forming a pattern on a substrate and a chamber in which the forming unit is disposed, characterized in that it includes: a detection step for detecting the type of abnormality that has occurred in the forming unit; a determination step for determining whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality based on the type of abnormality detected in the detection step; and a processing step for executing a first process for notifying the operator if it is determined in the determination step that it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, and for executing a second process for automatically restoring the forming unit without performing the first process if it is determined in the determination step that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber.

[0007] Further objects or other aspects of the present invention will be revealed by preferred embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, for example, it is possible to provide a technology that is advantageous in terms of the productivity of lithography equipment. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of an exposure apparatus. [Figure 2] Schematic diagram showing an example of chamber configuration. [Figure 3] Block diagram showing an example of the control unit system configuration. [Figure 4] Flowchart showing the operation flow of the exposure apparatus in the first embodiment [Figure 5] Flowchart showing the operation flow of the exposure apparatus in the first embodiment [Figure 6] Flowchart showing the operation flow of the exposure apparatus in the first embodiment [Figure 7]A diagram illustrating how to determine whether or not an operator needs to enter the chamber to resolve a malfunction in the circuit board stage. [Figure 8] Flowchart showing the operation flow of the exposure apparatus in the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The embodiments will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention as defined in the claims. While the embodiments describe multiple features, not all of these features are essential to the invention, and the features may be combined in any way. Furthermore, in the attached drawings, identical or similar configurations are given the same reference numerals, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

[0011] In this specification and the accompanying drawings, directions are indicated in an XYZ coordinate system with the substrate surface as the XY plane. The directions parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes in the XYZ coordinate system are defined as the X direction, Y direction, and Z direction, respectively, and the rotations around the X, Y, and Z axes are defined as θX, θY, and θZ, respectively. Control and driving (movement) related to the X, Y, and Z axes refer to control or driving (movement) related to the direction parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively. Furthermore, control or driving related to the θX, θY, and θZ axes refer to control or driving related to rotation around the axis parallel to the X, Y, and Z axes, respectively.

[0012] The lithography apparatus according to the present invention is an apparatus having a forming unit for forming a pattern on a substrate and a chamber in which the forming unit is located. Examples of lithography apparatuses include an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate to transfer a pattern from a master plate (mask) onto the substrate, and an imprint apparatus that uses a master plate (mold) to form a pattern on an imprint material on a substrate. In the following, an exposure apparatus will be used as an example to describe the lithography apparatus.

[0013] <First Embodiment> A first embodiment of the present invention will now be described. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the configuration of the exposure apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The exposure apparatus 100 is used in the lithography process, which is a manufacturing process for devices, and performs an exposure process on a substrate S. The exposure process is a process in which the pattern of the mask M is transferred onto the substrate S by exposing the substrate S through the mask M (master plate). The exposure apparatus 100 performs the exposure process on each of a plurality of shot regions on the substrate S using a step-and-scan method or a step-and-repeat method.

[0014] The exposure apparatus 100 of this embodiment may include a forming unit 10 that forms a pattern on a substrate S by performing an exposure process, a chamber 20 in which the forming unit 10 is located, and a control unit 30. In the following description, an exposure apparatus 100 (forming unit 10) employing a step-and-scan method will be used as an example, but the same configuration applies to an exposure apparatus employing a step-and-repeat method.

[0015] As shown in Figure 1, the forming unit 10 may include an illumination optical system 12, a measurement unit 13, a mask stage 14 (master stage) that can hold and move a mask M (master plate), a projection optical system 15, and a substrate stage 16 that can hold and move a substrate S. The substrate stage 16 may include, for example, a substrate chuck 16a that holds the substrate S by vacuum suction, and a substrate driving mechanism 16b that drives the substrate S by driving the substrate chuck 16a.

[0016] The illumination optical system 12 illuminates the mask M using the light emitted from the light source 11 (specifically, a mercury lamp, an excimer laser, etc.). For example, the illumination optical system 12 shapes the light from the light source 11 into long arc-shaped light so that a desired illuminance distribution is obtained on the mask M, and illuminates the mask M with the shaped light (slit light) at a substantially uniform illuminance. In FIG. 1, a configuration in which the light source 11 is provided in the illumination optical system 12 is illustrated, but the light source 11 may be arranged outside the illumination optical system 12 or outside the exposure apparatus 100. Further, the measurement unit 13 forms the relative position and orientation between the mask M and the substrate S by detecting the alignment marks of the mask M and the alignment marks of the substrate S. The measurement unit 13 can be used to align the mask M and the substrate S.

[0017] The mask M and the substrate S are respectively held by the mask stage 14 and the substrate stage 16, and are optically arranged at substantially conjugate positions via the projection optical system 15. Specifically, the mask M is arranged on the object plane of the projection optical system 15, and the substrate S is arranged on the image plane of the projection optical system 15. The projection optical system 15 has a predetermined projection magnification, and projects the pattern image of the mask M onto the substrate S by reflecting it with a plurality of mirrors. Then, the mask stage 14 and the substrate stage 16 are relatively synchronously scanned in a direction parallel to the object plane of the projection optical system 15 (for example, the Y direction) at a speed ratio corresponding to the projection magnification of the projection optical system 15. Thereby, the scanning exposure of the substrate S can be performed, and the pattern image of the mask M can be transferred to the substrate S (specifically, the resist (photosensitive agent) on the substrate S).

[0018] The chamber 20 can be configured as a room in which the forming unit 10 is provided inside, that is, a room that houses the forming unit 10. The chamber 20 of the present embodiment is provided with a plurality of entrances 21 to 22 (entrance / exit) for an operator to enter the chamber 20 when performing regular maintenance work or when an abnormality occurs in the forming unit 10. Each of the entrances 21 to 22 is provided with an opening / closing door such as a door or a gate, and the communication between the inside and the outside of the exposure apparatus 100 is controlled by the opening / closing door. Here, the regular maintenance work is work performed to maintain the performance of the exposure apparatus 100. Examples of the regular maintenance work include, for example, cleaning work of the substrate chuck 16a, greasing of the guides inside the measurement unit 13, replacement work of regularly replaceable parts such as the light source 11, and the like.

[0019] FIG. 2 shows a configuration example of the chamber 20 of the present embodiment. The chamber 20 has a plurality of layers and has a plurality of work areas divided from each other so as to correspond to a plurality of units (a plurality of parts) in the forming unit 10. In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 20 has two layers and has two work areas A to B. The work area A (the first area) is provided on the first floor of the chamber 20, and the substrate stage 16 can be arranged as one unit (part) in the forming unit 10. The work area B (the second area) is provided on the second floor of the chamber 20, which is a higher layer than the work area A, and the mask stage 14 can be arranged as another unit (part) in the forming unit 10.

[0020] Each of the work areas A and B is an area where workers enter to perform work when performing regular maintenance or when an abnormality occurs in the forming section 10, but it is an access-restricted area where workers are normally restricted from entering. Therefore, the entrances (opening / closing doors) to each of the work areas A and B are locked under normal circumstances (for example, during exposure processing). For example, when a worker enters work area A, they pass through an entrance 21 provided on the outer wall of the chamber 20 and an entrance 23 provided on the inner wall of the chamber 20. Each of the entrances 21 and 23 is provided with an opening / closing door (intrusion prevention gate), and the locking / unlocking of these doors is controlled by the control unit 30. Similarly, when a worker enters work area B, they pass through an entrance 22 provided on the outer wall of the chamber 20 and an entrance 24 provided on the inner wall of the chamber 20. Each of the entrances 22 and 24 is provided with an opening / closing door (intrusion prevention gate), and the locking / unlocking of these doors is controlled by the control unit 30.

[0021] As described above, in the chamber 20 of this embodiment, the entry routes to each work area A to B are different from each other, and safety can be improved by individually controlling the locking / unlocking of the entry points to each work area A to B. For example, during periodic maintenance work or in the event of an abnormality, the control unit 30 identifies the target work area (target area) that a worker should enter from among the multiple work areas A to B, and controls the entry points to each work area to unlock the entry point (opening / closing door) to the target area. At this time, the control unit 30 can control the locking / unlocking of the entry points (opening / closing doors) to each work area so that a worker cannot enter work areas other than the target work area. Specifically, the control unit 30 keeps the entry points to work areas other than the target work area locked so that a worker cannot enter work areas other than the target work area. This limits the work area that a worker can enter from among the multiple work areas A to B, thereby improving safety.

[0022] Here, the control unit 30 may stop supplying power to the unit located in the target work area of ​​the forming unit 10 (for example, by cutting off the power supply to that unit). At this time, the control unit 30 may continue supplying power to work areas other than the target work area.

[0023] Furthermore, in the exposure apparatus 100 of this embodiment, initialization is performed when periodic maintenance work is completed or when the abnormality in the forming unit 10 is resolved. Initialization involves confirming communication between the control unit 30 and the forming unit 10, returning all mechanisms such as the measurement unit 13, mask stage 14, and substrate stage 16 to their origin position (not shown), and preparing the apparatus for exposure processing.

[0024] The control unit 30 is composed of a computer (information processing device) including, for example, a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a storage unit such as memory, and comprehensively controls each part of the exposure apparatus 100. In addition to controlling the exposure process for exposing the substrate S, the control unit 30 in this embodiment also controls the abnormality resolution process to resolve any abnormalities that occur in the forming unit 10. Furthermore, the control unit 30 may include a user interface for receiving input from the operator (user) and informing the operator (user) of information.

[0025] Figure 3 is a block diagram showing an example of the system configuration of the control unit 30 in the exposure apparatus 100 of this embodiment. The control unit 30 may include an operation unit 31, an exposure processing execution unit 32, a maintenance control unit 33, a target unit control unit 34, an abnormality determination unit 35, a notification unit 36, and a recovery execution unit 37.

[0026] The operation unit 31 receives operations (instructions) from the operator (user), such as selecting an exposure processing recipe (job), various settings for the exposure apparatus 100, and selecting maintenance. When an exposure processing recipe is selected in the operation unit 31, the operation unit 31 supplies information indicating the exposure processing recipe to the exposure processing execution unit 32. The exposure processing execution unit 32 executes the exposure processing by controlling the forming unit 10 based on the information supplied from the operation unit 31. Furthermore, when maintenance is selected in the operation unit 31, the operation unit 31 selects / deselects the units and work areas to be maintained and notifies the maintenance control unit 33 of this information. In the following, units to be maintained may be referred to as "maintenance target units," and work areas to be maintained may be referred to as "maintenance target areas." The maintenance control unit 33 determines whether the exposure apparatus 100 is in a maintenance state based on information indicating the selection of maintenance target units and maintenance target areas by the operation unit 31. The maintenance control unit 33 determines that the apparatus is in a maintenance state if the operation unit 31 has selected maintenance target units and maintenance target areas. On the other hand, the maintenance control unit 33 determines that the apparatus is in a non-maintenance state (i.e., production state, production standby state) if the operation unit 31 has not selected maintenance target units and maintenance target areas. Furthermore, when maintenance is completed, the maintenance control unit 33 notifies the target unit control unit 34 that maintenance has been completed. The target unit control unit 34 performs initialization only on the maintenance target units among the multiple units in the forming unit 10. Here, the maintenance control unit 33 may determine that maintenance is complete when it receives information from the operation unit 31 indicating the release of maintenance target units and / or maintenance target areas. Alternatively, the maintenance control unit 33 may determine that maintenance is complete based on the state of the exposure apparatus 100.

[0027] The abnormality detection unit 35 may include a unit monitoring unit 35a, a unit state comparison unit 35b, and a worker necessity determination unit 35c. The unit monitoring unit 35a includes sensors and cameras provided in each unit of the forming unit 10, and monitors the state of each unit of the forming unit 10 based on their outputs. The unit state comparison unit 35b identifies the unit (target part) in which an abnormality has occurred among the multiple units in the forming unit 10 by comparing the state of each unit monitored by the unit monitoring unit 35 with the normal state. The worker necessity determination unit 35c determines whether or not a worker needs to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality of the target unit.

[0028] For example, if the comparison results from the unit status comparison unit 35b show no problems (abnormalities), the unit monitoring unit 35a continues to monitor the status of each unit in the forming unit 10. On the other hand, if the comparison results from the unit status comparison unit 35b show a problem and the worker necessity determination unit 35c determines that a worker needs to enter the chamber 20, the notification unit 36 ​​(notification unit) executes a notification process (first process) to inform the system of this. Furthermore, if the comparison results from the unit status comparison unit 35b show a problem and the worker necessity determination unit 35c determines that a worker does not need to enter the chamber 20, the recovery execution unit 37 executes an automatic recovery process (second process) to automatically restore the forming unit 10. If the automatic recovery process is performed, the notification process is not performed.

[0029] Here, if the abnormality determination unit 35 receives notification from the maintenance control unit 33 that the system is in a maintenance state, it determines that the abnormality is due to maintenance. On the other hand, if the abnormality determination unit 35 has not received notification from the maintenance control unit 33 that the system is in a maintenance state (i.e., the system is not in a maintenance state), the worker necessity determination unit 35c determines whether a worker is necessary based on pre-registered information. If a worker is not needed, it notifies the recovery execution unit 37 and executes the automatic recovery process. If a worker is needed, it notifies the notification unit 36 ​​that a worker is needed along with the abnormality notification and executes the notification process.

[0030] Figures 4 to 6 are flowcharts showing the overall flow of the operation (including abnormality resolution processing) of the exposure apparatus 100 in this embodiment. Each step in the flowcharts in Figures 4 to 6 can be performed by the control unit 30.

[0031] In step S101, the control unit 30 determines whether or not maintenance is to be started. For example, if maintenance is to be started, maintenance start information indicating the unit of the forming unit 10 to be maintained (the unit to be maintained) is input by the operator via the user interface (e.g., the operation unit 31). Therefore, the control unit 30 can determine whether or not maintenance is to be started based on this maintenance start information. If maintenance is to be started, the process proceeds to step S102; if maintenance is not to be started, the process proceeds to step S111 in Figure 5.

[0032] In step S102, the control unit 30 identifies the unit to be maintained from among the multiple units in the forming unit 10 based on the maintenance start information. Next, in step S103, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) the work area where the unit to be maintained identified in step S102 is located from among the multiple work areas in the chamber 20 as the maintenance target area. In this embodiment, the chamber 20 is provided with two work areas A and B. Therefore, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) one of the two work areas A and B as the maintenance target area.

[0033] If work area A is selected as the maintenance target area, the process proceeds to step S104, where the control unit 30 permits workers to enter (access) work area A. Specifically, the control unit 30 unlocks the doors at the entrances 21 and 23 to work area A and stops the power supply to the units of the forming unit 10 located in work area A (for example, the substrate stage 16). In this case, the doors at the entrances to work areas other than work area A (work area B in this embodiment) are kept locked to prevent workers from entering those areas.

[0034] On the other hand, if work area B is selected as the maintenance target area, the process proceeds to step S105, where the control unit 30 permits workers to enter (access) work area B. Specifically, the control unit 30 unlocks the doors at the entrances 22 and 24 to work area B and stops the power supply to the units of the forming unit 10 located in work area B (for example, the mask stage 14). In this case, the doors at the entrances to work areas other than work area B (work area A in this embodiment) are kept locked so that workers cannot enter those areas.

[0035] This prevents workers from accessing work areas other than those selected (specified) as maintenance areas, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, by linking with safety devices attached to the opening and closing doors at the entrances to work areas other than the maintenance area, power can be kept on without interruption for units located in those work areas.

[0036] In step S106, the control unit 30 determines whether the maintenance of the unit to be maintained is complete. For example, if the maintenance of the unit to be maintained is complete, maintenance completion information indicating this is entered by the operator via the user interface (e.g., the operation unit 31). Therefore, the control unit 30 can determine whether the maintenance is complete based on this maintenance completion information. If the maintenance is not complete, step S106 is repeated, and if the maintenance is complete, the process proceeds to step S107.

[0037] In step S107, the control unit 30 starts initialization only for the unit to be maintained. Next, in step S108, the control unit 30 monitors the status of the unit to be maintained during initialization using the unit monitoring unit 35a. Then, in step S109, the control unit 30 compares the status of the unit to be maintained obtained in step S108 with the normal state to determine whether or not an abnormality has been detected in the unit to be maintained. The normal state may be obtained in advance through exposure processing or experiments performed up to that point.

[0038] If an abnormality is detected in the unit to be maintained, the process proceeds to step S110, where the control unit 30 notifies the operator via the notification unit 36 ​​that an abnormality has been detected in the unit to be maintained. This prompts the operator to perform further maintenance on the unit to be maintained. After notifying the operator in step S110, the process returns to step S102. On the other hand, if no abnormality occurs in the unit to be maintained, the process returns to step S101 and the flowchart is repeated.

[0039] If maintenance is not initiated in step S101, in step S111 shown in Figure 5, the control unit 30 monitors the status of each unit in the forming unit 10 using the unit monitoring unit 35a during the normal operation of the forming unit 10. Normal operation refers to operations related to the formation of patterns on the substrate S, such as operations during exposure processing, and may be understood as operations other than maintenance (production operations).

[0040] In step S112, the control unit 30 compares the state of each unit of the forming unit 10 obtained in step S108 with the normal state to determine whether an abnormality has been detected in any of the multiple units in the forming unit 10. The normal state can be obtained in advance for each of the multiple units in the forming unit 10 through exposure processing or experiments performed so far. For example, the control unit 30 can determine whether an abnormality has been detected in any of the multiple units in the forming unit 10 by comparing the state of each unit with the normal state using indicators such as unit data, coordinate values, and power values. If an abnormality is detected in any of the multiple units in the forming unit 10, the process proceeds to step S113; if no abnormality is detected in the forming unit 10, the process returns to step S101 in Figure 4.

[0041] In step S113, the control unit 30 notifies the notification unit 36 ​​that an abnormality has been detected in the forming unit 10. Next, in step S114, the control unit 30 identifies (detects) the type of abnormality that occurred in the forming unit 10. In this embodiment, the control unit 30 identifies the target unit (target part) in which the abnormality was detected from among the multiple units (parts) in the forming unit 10, and also identifies the nature of the abnormality that occurred in the target unit. For example, the control unit 30 can identify the target unit in which the abnormality was detected and the nature of the abnormality that occurred in the target unit by using the result of comparing the state of each unit in the forming unit 10 with the normal state in step S102. In the following, the target unit in which the abnormality was detected may be referred to as the "abnormal unit".

[0042] In step S115, the control unit 30 determines whether it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit. This determination may be understood as determining whether it is necessary to unlock the access doors 21-24 (opening / closing doors) provided in the chamber 20. For example, stage units such as the mask stage 14 and the substrate stage 16 are driven (operated) in a predetermined direction during exposure processing according to recipe (job) data. However, abnormalities may occur in these stage units during exposure processing, such as moving in a direction different from the predetermined direction or stopping due to unexpected braking. The control unit 30 can determine the degree of abnormality by detecting the amount of deviation between the target position and the current position of the stage unit. If the determined degree of abnormality is above a threshold, the control unit 30 determines that operator intervention (work) is necessary to resolve the abnormality, that is, that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20. On the other hand, if the determined degree of abnormality is below a threshold, the control unit 30 determines that the forming unit 10 itself can automatically recover, meaning that there is no need for an operator to enter the chamber 20. The current positions of the stage units (mask stage 14, substrate stage 16) can be sequentially detected by position detectors such as interferometers and encoders.

[0043] As an example, the method for determining whether or not an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 to resolve an abnormality in the substrate stage 16 will be explained with reference to Figure 7. For example, as shown in Figure 7, the substrate stage 16 has an overall movable range 40, and in the exposure processing recipe, the substrate stage 16 is to be moved within range 41. In this case, during the exposure processing, the substrate stage 16 normally moves within range 41, but may exceed range 41 and enter the surrounding range 42. When the substrate stage 16 enters the surrounding range 42, the control unit 30 stops the operation of the substrate stage 16 and compares the data before and after the abnormality occurred (for example, comparing power value logs). If the current data of the abnormally stopped state is a normal (normal) value, the control unit 30 determines that automatic recovery is possible in the forming unit 10 and that there is no need for an operator to enter the chamber 20. On the other hand, if the current data of the abnormally stopped state is not a normal (normal) value, the control unit 30 determines that automatic recovery is impossible in the forming unit 10 and that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20. Furthermore, the direction of movement (driving direction) of the circuit board stage 16 is not limited to one direction.

[0044] In this way, the control unit 30 prepares several types of anticipated abnormality patterns in advance through experiments, simulations, etc., and determines which abnormality pattern the detected abnormality belongs to. This allows the control unit 30 to determine whether or not an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality that occurred in the abnormal unit.

[0045] In step 115, if it is determined that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit, that is, if it is determined that the forming unit 10 itself can automatically recover, the process proceeds to step S116. In step S116, the control unit 30 has the recovery execution unit 37 perform an automatic recovery process (second process) to automatically recover the forming unit 10. Once the automatic recovery process is completed, the process proceeds to step S118.

[0046] On the other hand, if in step 115 it is determined that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit, that is, if it is determined that operator intervention is necessary to resolve the abnormality, the process proceeds to step S117. In step S117, the control unit 30 uses the notification unit 36 ​​to perform a notification process (first process) to notify that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20. After the notification process is completed, the process proceeds to step S121 in Figure 6.

[0047] In step S121, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) the work area where the abnormal unit is located from among the multiple work areas in the chamber 20 as the abnormal target area. In this embodiment, the chamber 20 is provided with two work areas A and B. Therefore, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) one of the two work areas A and B as the abnormal target area.

[0048] If work area A is selected as the area to be affected by an abnormality, the process proceeds to step S122, where the control unit 30 permits workers to enter (access) work area A. Specifically, the control unit 30 unlocks the doors at the entrances 21 and 23 to work area A and stops the power supply to the abnormal unit (e.g., the circuit board stage 16) located in work area A. In this case, the doors at the entrances to work areas other than work area A (work area B in this embodiment) are kept locked to prevent workers from entering those areas.

[0049] On the other hand, if work area B is selected as the area to be affected by an anomaly, the process proceeds to step S123, where the control unit 30 permits workers to enter (access) work area B. Specifically, the control unit 30 unlocks the doors at the entrances 22 and 24 to work area B and stops the power supply to the anomaly unit (e.g., mask stage 14) located in work area B. In this case, the doors at the entrances to work areas other than work area B (work area A in this embodiment) are kept locked so that workers cannot enter those areas.

[0050] This prevents workers from accessing work areas other than those selected (specified) as abnormality areas, thereby improving safety. Furthermore, by linking with safety devices attached to the opening and closing doors at the entrances to work areas other than the abnormality area, power can be kept on without interruption for units located in work areas other than the abnormality area (other than the target area).

[0051] In step S123, the control unit 30 determines whether the operator has completed the repair work on the faulty unit. For example, if the repair work on the faulty unit is completed, work completion information indicating this is entered by the operator via the user interface (e.g., the operation unit 31). Therefore, the control unit 30 can determine whether the repair work on the faulty unit is completed based on this work completion information. If the repair work on the faulty unit is not completed, step S123 is repeated, and if the repair work on the faulty unit is completed, the process proceeds to step S118 in Figure 5.

[0052] In step S118, the control unit 30 starts initializing the abnormal unit. The control unit 30 may also start initializing the entire exposure apparatus 100. Next, in step S119, the control unit 30 monitors the state of the abnormal unit during initialization using the unit monitoring unit 35a. Then, in step S120, the control unit 30 compares the state of the abnormal unit obtained in step S108 with the normal state to determine whether an abnormality was detected again during the initialization of the abnormal unit. If an abnormality is detected during the initialization of the abnormal unit, the process proceeds to step S115. On the other hand, if no abnormality is detected during the initialization of the abnormal unit, the process returns to step S101 in Figure 4 and the flowchart is repeated.

[0053] As described above, the control unit 30 of this embodiment determines, based on the detection result of the type of abnormality that has occurred in the forming unit 10, whether or not an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality. If the control unit 30 determines that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20, it performs a notification process, and if it determines that an operator does not need to enter the chamber 20, it performs an automatic recovery process. This makes it possible to notify the operator that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 when operator intervention is required to resolve the abnormality, without attempting an automatic recovery operation. In other words, it is possible to shorten the downtime of the exposure apparatus 100 and improve productivity.

[0054] Here, the determination of whether or not an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 may be made using monitoring units (e.g., surveillance cameras) located inside or outside the exposure apparatus 100. For example, the control unit 30 can determine whether the forming unit 10 where the abnormality occurred is operating normally by confirming that there is no operator inside the chamber 20 based on monitoring data obtained from the monitoring unit. As an example, the control unit 30 confirms that there is no physical damage based on data from a monitoring unit installed inside the chamber 20. Based on this data, if the control unit 30 detects an abnormality that does not involve physical damage, it determines that an operator does not need to enter the chamber 20 and executes an automatic recovery process. On the other hand, if the control unit 30 detects an abnormality that involves physical damage based on this data, it determines that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 and executes a notification process. In this notification process, the location and condition of the damage inside the chamber 20 may be notified to the operator using data from the monitoring unit (e.g., captured images). This can lead to early identification of the cause of the abnormality.

[0055] <Second Embodiment> A second embodiment of the present invention will now be described. In the first embodiment described above, an example was given in which the operation flow was changed depending on whether maintenance was started (i.e., the flowchart in Figure 4) or not (i.e., the flowcharts in Figures 5 and 6). In this embodiment, an operation flow in which some steps are common to both cases where maintenance is started and where maintenance is not started will be described. Note that this embodiment basically follows the first embodiment, and except for the matters mentioned below, it can follow the first embodiment.

[0056] Figure 8 is a flowchart showing the overall flow of the operation (including error resolution processing) of the exposure apparatus 100 in this embodiment. Each step in the flowchart of Figure 8 can be performed by the control unit 30.

[0057] In step S201, the control unit 30 determines whether or not maintenance should be started. For example, the control unit 30 can determine whether or not maintenance should be started based on maintenance start information entered by the operator via the user interface (e.g., the operation unit 31). If maintenance is to be started, the process proceeds to step S202; otherwise, the process proceeds to step S207. Note that step S201 corresponds to step S101 in Figure 4.

[0058] In step S202, the control unit 30 identifies the unit to be maintained from among the multiple units in the forming unit 10 based on the maintenance start information. Next, in step S203, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) the work area where the unit to be maintained identified in step S202 is located from among the multiple work areas in the chamber 20 as the maintenance target area. Steps S202 to S203 correspond to steps S102 to S103 in Figure 4, respectively.

[0059] In step S204, the control unit 30 allows the worker to enter (access) the work area selected as the maintenance target area in step S203. Next, in step S205, the control unit 30 determines whether the maintenance of the maintenance target unit is complete. For example, the control unit 30 can determine whether the maintenance is complete based on the maintenance completion information entered by the worker via the user interface (e.g., the operation unit 31). If the maintenance is not complete, step S205 is repeated, and if the maintenance is complete, the process proceeds to step S206. In step S206, the control unit 30 starts initialization only for the maintenance target unit. Note that step S204 corresponds to steps 104 to S105 in Figure 4. Also, steps S205 to S206 correspond to steps S106 to S107 in Figure 4, respectively.

[0060] In step S207, the control unit 30 monitors the state of each unit in the forming unit 10 using the unit monitoring unit 35a. Next, in step S208, the control unit 30 compares the state of each unit in the forming unit 10 obtained in step S108 with the normal state to determine whether an abnormality has been detected in any of the multiple units in the forming unit 10. If an abnormality is detected in any of the multiple units in the forming unit 10, the process proceeds to step S209; if no abnormality is detected in the forming unit 10, the process returns to step S201. Steps S207 to S208 correspond to steps S111 to S112 in Figure 5, respectively.

[0061] In step S209, the control unit 30 notifies the notification unit 36 ​​that an abnormality has been detected in the forming unit 10. Next, in step S210, the control unit 30 identifies (detects) the type of abnormality that occurred in the forming unit 10. Then, in step S211, the control unit 30 determines whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber 20 in order to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit identified as the type of abnormality. Steps S209 to S111 correspond to steps S113 to S115 in Figure 5.

[0062] If it is determined that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit, the process proceeds to step S212, and the control unit 30 performs an automatic recovery process using the recovery execution unit 37. Then, in step S213, the control unit 30 starts initialization on the abnormal unit. The control unit 30 may also start initialization on the entire exposure apparatus 100. Steps S212 to S213 correspond to steps S116 and S118 in Figure 5.

[0063] On the other hand, if it is determined that an operator needs to enter the chamber 20 to resolve the abnormality in the abnormal unit, the process proceeds to step S214, and the control unit 30 uses the notification unit 36 ​​to perform a notification process to inform the operator of this. After step S214 is completed, the process proceeds to step S203. In this case, in step S203, the abnormal unit may be applied as the "unit to be maintained," and the abnormal area may be applied as the "area to be maintained." That is, the control unit 30 selects (identifies) the work area where the abnormal unit is located from among the multiple work areas in the chamber 20 as the abnormal area.

[0064] The operation flow of the exposure apparatus 100 in this embodiment is simplified compared to the first embodiment. Even with this embodiment, when human intervention is required to resolve an abnormality, it is possible to notify the operator that a worker needs to enter the chamber 20 without attempting an automatic recovery operation (automatic recovery operation). In other words, the downtime of the exposure apparatus 100 can be shortened and productivity can be improved.

[0065] <Embodiment for manufacturing an article> The article manufacturing method according to an embodiment of the present invention is suitable for manufacturing articles such as microdevices such as semiconductor devices and elements having a microstructure. The article manufacturing method of this embodiment includes a formation step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the above-described lithography apparatus (lithography method), a processing step of processing the substrate on which the pattern was formed in the formation step, and a manufacturing step of manufacturing an article from the substrate processed in the processing step. When the lithography apparatus is configured as an exposure apparatus, the formation step may be a step of forming a latent image pattern on a photosensitive agent coated on a substrate by exposing the substrate using the above-described exposure apparatus (exposure method). In this case, the processing step may include a step of developing the substrate on which the latent image pattern was formed. Furthermore, the article manufacturing method includes other well-known steps (oxidation, film formation, vapor deposition, doping, planarization, etching, resist stripping, dicing, bonding, packaging, etc.). The article manufacturing method of this embodiment is advantageous compared to conventional methods in at least one of the performance, quality, productivity, and production cost of the article.

[0066] <Other examples> The present invention can also be realized by supplying a program that implements one or more of the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or device via a network or storage medium, and by having one or more processors in the computer of that system or device read and execute the program. It can also be realized by a circuit (e.g., an ASIC) that implements one or more functions.

[0067] <Summary of Embodiments> The disclosures herein include at least the following: methods for controlling a lithography apparatus, a lithography apparatus, and methods for manufacturing articles. (Item 1) A control method for a lithography apparatus having a forming unit for forming patterns on a substrate and a chamber in which the forming unit is located, A detection step for detecting the type of abnormality that occurred in the formed part, A determination step, based on the type of abnormality detected in the detection step, determines whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality. If the determination step determines that it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, a first process is performed to notify the operator of this fact; if the determination step determines that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, a second process is performed to automatically restore the forming unit without performing the first process. A control method characterized by including (Item 2) The control method according to item 1, characterized in that the determination step determines whether or not it is necessary to unlock the entrance provided in the chamber. (Item 3) The control method according to item 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination step involves identifying the target portion where the abnormality occurred among a plurality of portions in the forming portion, and determining whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality in the target portion. (Item 4) The chamber includes a plurality of areas that are separated from each other so as to correspond to the plurality of parts, The control method according to item 3, further comprising: a selection step of identifying a target area from among the plurality of areas in order for a worker to enter in order to work on the target portion; and a control step of controlling the entrance to each area so as to unlock the entrance to the target area. (Item 5) The control method according to item 4, characterized in that the control step involves controlling the entrances to each area so that workers cannot enter areas other than the target area among the multiple areas. (Item 6) The control method according to item 4 or 5, characterized in that the control step controls the locking / unlocking of the opening / closing doors provided at the entrances to each area. (Item 7) The control method according to any one of items 4 to 6, characterized in that, in the control step, the power supply to the target portion of the forming portion is stopped, and the power supply to the portion other than the target portion is continued. (Item 8) The plurality of parts in the forming unit include a substrate stage that holds and moves the substrate, and a master plate stage that holds and moves a master plate having a pattern to be transferred onto the substrate. The control method according to any one of items 4 to 7, characterized in that the plurality of areas include a first area where the substrate stage is located and a second area where the master plate stage is located. (Item 9) The chamber has multiple layers, The control method according to item 8, characterized in that the second area is located at a higher level than the first area. (Item 10) A lithography device, The system comprises a forming unit for forming a pattern on a substrate, a chamber in which the forming unit is located, and a control unit. The control unit, Depending on the type of abnormality that occurred in the molded part, it is determined whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality. A lithography apparatus characterized by performing a first process to notify the operator if it is determined that an operator needs to enter the chamber, and performing a second process to automatically return to the lithography apparatus without performing the first process if it is determined that an operator does not need to enter the chamber. (Item 11) A forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the lithography apparatus described in item 10, A processing step for processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the forming step, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above-mentioned processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

[0068] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and variations are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, claims are attached to disclose the scope of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 10: Forming unit, 14: Mask stage, 16: Substrate stage, 20: Chamber, 21-24: Inlet, 30: Control unit, 100: Exposure apparatus

Claims

1. A control method for a lithography apparatus having a forming unit for forming patterns on a substrate and a chamber in which the forming unit is located, A detection step for detecting the type of abnormality that occurred in the formed part, A determination step, based on the type of abnormality detected in the detection step, determines whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality. If the determination step determines that it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, a first process is performed to notify the operator of that fact; if the determination step determines that it is not necessary for an operator to enter the chamber, a second process is performed to automatically restore the forming unit without performing the first process. A control method characterized by including

2. The control method according to claim 1, characterized in that the determination step determines whether or not it is necessary to unlock the entrance provided in the chamber.

3. The control method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the determination step involves identifying the target portion where the abnormality occurred among a plurality of portions in the forming portion, and determining whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality in the target portion.

4. The chamber includes a plurality of areas that are separated from each other so as to correspond to the plurality of parts, The control method according to claim 3, further comprising: a selection step of identifying a target area from among the plurality of areas in which a worker should enter in order to work on the target portion; and a control step of controlling the entrance to each area so as to unlock the entrance to the target area.

5. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that the control step controls the entrances to each area so that workers cannot enter areas other than the target area among the plurality of areas.

6. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that the control step controls the locking / unlocking of the opening / closing doors provided at the entrances to each area.

7. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, in the control step, the power supply to the target portion of the forming portion is stopped, and the power supply to the portion other than the target portion is continued.

8. The plurality of parts in the forming unit include a substrate stage that holds and moves the substrate, and a master plate stage that holds and moves a master plate having a pattern to be transferred onto the substrate. The control method according to claim 4, characterized in that the plurality of areas include a first area on which the substrate stage is located and a second area on which the master plate stage is located.

9. The chamber has multiple layers, The control method according to claim 8, characterized in that the second area is located at a higher level than the first area.

10. Lithography apparatus, The system comprises a forming unit for forming a pattern on a substrate, a chamber in which the forming unit is located, and a control unit. The control unit, Based on the type of abnormality that occurred in the molded part, it is determined whether or not it is necessary for an operator to enter the chamber in order to resolve the abnormality. A lithography apparatus characterized in that, if it is determined that an operator needs to enter the chamber, a first process is performed to notify the operator to that effect, and if it is determined that an operator does not need to enter the chamber, a second process is performed to automatically return the apparatus to its original state without performing the first process.

11. A forming step of forming a pattern on a substrate using the lithography apparatus described in claim 10, A processing step for processing the substrate on which the pattern has been formed in the forming step, A manufacturing process for producing an article from the substrate processed in the above-mentioned processing step, A method for manufacturing articles, characterized by including the following:

Images