Processing system and processing method

Abstract

To provide a processing system which contributes to convenience related to processing of objects and improvement of performance.MEANS: A processing system includes: a housing which houses an object; a processing device which is provided in the housing and processes the object; a measuring device which is provided in the housing and measures the object processed by the processing device; and a control device which sets processing conditions by using a measurement result of the object.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of, for example, a processing system and a processing method for processing an object. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a processing device that processes an object by irradiating the object with laser light. In technical fields related to such object processing, improvements in convenience and performance related to object processing are desired. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] US Patent Application Publication No. 2002 / 0017509 Summary of the Invention

[0004] According to a first aspect, there is provided a processing system comprising: a housing for accommodating an object; a processing device provided within the housing for processing the object; a measuring device provided within the housing for measuring the object; and a control device for setting processing conditions using measurement results from the measuring device.

[0005] According to a second aspect, there is provided a processing system comprising: a housing for accommodating an object; a processing device provided within the housing for processing the object; a measuring device provided within the housing for measuring the amount of processing of the object processed by the processing device; and a control device for setting processing conditions using the amount of processing measured using the measuring device.

[0006] According to a third aspect, there is provided a processing system comprising an object placement device for placing an object, a processing device for processing the object placed on the object placement device, a measuring device for measuring the object placed on the object placement device, and a control device for setting processing conditions using measurement results from the measuring device, wherein the object remains placed on the object placement device between the processing of the object by the processing device and the measurement of the object by the measuring device.

[0007] According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a processing system comprising: a processing device that processes an object; a measuring device that measures the object; a position changing device that changes the positional relationship between the object, the processing device, and the measuring device to a first positional relationship in which the object is located at a processing position by the processing device, or a second positional relationship in which the object is located at a position that can be measured by the measuring device; and a control device that sets processing conditions using the measurement results by the measuring device.

[0008] According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a processing system comprising an irradiation optical system that irradiates an energy beam onto an object, a processing device that processes the object, and a measurement device that measures the object processed by the processing device, wherein the irradiation position of the energy beam irradiated from the irradiation optical system onto the object is changeable in at least a first direction, and the processing device and the measurement device are arranged side by side along a second direction that intersects the first direction.

[0009] According to a sixth aspect, there is provided a processing method including processing an object using a processing device provided in a housing that accommodates the object, measuring the object processed by the processing device using a measurement device provided in the housing, and setting processing conditions using the measurement results of the object.

[0010] According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a processing method including: processing an object using a processing device provided in a housing that accommodates the object; measuring, using a measuring device provided in the housing, a processing amount at a processing position of the object processed by the processing device; and setting processing conditions using the processing amount measured by the measuring device.

[0011] According to an eighth aspect, there is provided a processing method including placing an object on an object placement device, processing the object placed on the object placement device, measuring the processed object placed on the object placement device, and setting processing conditions using the measurement results of the object, wherein the object remains placed on the object placement device between the processing and the measurement of the object.

[0012] According to a ninth aspect, there is provided a processing method including processing an object using a processing device, measuring the processed object using a measurement device, changing the positional relationship between the object, the processing device, and the measurement device to a first positional relationship in which the object is located at a processing position by the processing device, or a second positional relationship in which the object is located at a measurement position by the measurement device, and setting processing conditions using the measurement results of the object.

[0013] According to a tenth aspect, there is provided a processing method including using a processing device to irradiate an energy beam onto an object to process the object, and measuring the object processed by the processing device using a measurement device, wherein the processing includes changing the irradiation position of the energy beam irradiated on the object in at least a first direction, and the processing device and the measurement device are arranged side by side along a second direction intersecting the first direction.

[0014] The functions and other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the processing system of this embodiment. [Figure 2] Each of FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the removal process performed on the workpiece. [Figure 3] Each of Figures 3(a) to 3(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the state of a workpiece being processed by non-thermal processing. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the processing device. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the structure of an optical system provided in the processing device. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the machining operation performed by the machining system SYS. [Figure 7] 7(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of an unmachined workpiece, and FIG. 7(b) is a plan view showing the top surface of the unmachined workpiece W. FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a plan view showing an example of the positional relationship between the measurement shot area and the workpiece. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a plan view showing another example of the positional relationship between the measurement shot area and the workpiece. [Figure 10] 10(a) and 10(b) are plan views showing examples of the movement trajectories of measurement shot areas that move relative to the surface of the workpiece. [Figure 11] FIG. 11(a) is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the positional relationship between the processing target area and the workpiece, and FIG. 11(b) is a plan view showing an example of the positional relationship between the processing target area and the workpiece. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a section of a processing target portion and a plurality of layered structure portions. [Figure 13] Each of Figures 13(a) to 13(d) is a plan view schematically showing an example in which slice data corresponding to a certain layered structure portion indicates the position where removal processing is actually performed within the processing target area during the process of removing the certain layered structure portion. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing how the processing target portion is removed. [Figure 15] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the workpiece after removal processing has been completed. [Figure 16] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of the initial setting operation for setting the initial values ​​of the processing conditions. [Figure 17] FIG. 17 is a plot diagram in which the processing amount is plotted against the focus position of the processing light. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a graph showing the relationship between the focus position of the processing light and the processing amount using an approximation curve. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the focus position of the processing light and the surface of the workpiece. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first temperature drift reducing operation. [Figure 21] FIG. 21(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the stage device, and FIG. 21(b) is a plan view showing the top surface of the stage device. [Figure 22] FIG. 22(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the stage device, and FIG. 22(b) is a plan view showing the top surface of the stage device. [Figure 23] FIG. 23 is a graph showing the time progression of the position of the workpiece in the Z-axis direction calculated by the control device. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a flowchart showing the flow of the second temperature drift reducing operation. [Figure 25] FIG. 25 is a graph showing a schematic distribution of the position of the workpiece in the Z-axis direction on the XY plane. [Figure 26] FIG. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of the third temperature drift reducing operation. [Figure 27] Figure 27(a) is a cross-sectional view showing a measuring device tilted relative to the stage, Figure 27(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of a workpiece calculated from the measurement results of the measuring device under the conditions shown in Figure 27(a), Figure 27(c) is a cross-sectional view showing a workpiece W being processed by a processing device under conditions where the measuring device is tilted relative to the stage, and Figure 27(d) is a cross-sectional view showing a workpiece being processed to reduce the effect of the tilt amount. [Figure 28] FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first tilt measurement operation for measuring the amount of tilt of the measuring device relative to the workpiece. [Figure 29] FIG. 29 is a plan view showing the reference member. [Figure 30] FIG. 30(a) is a plan view showing the reference member, and FIG. 30(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the reference member. [Figure 31] FIG. 31 is a plan view showing a stage modified to perform the first tilt measurement operation. [Figure 32] FIG. 32 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the processing device relative to the workpiece. [Figure 33] FIG. 33 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a processing system according to a first modified example. [Figure 34] FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view showing a first gas supply mode by the gas supply device. [Figure 35] FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view showing a second gas supply mode by the gas supply device. [Figure 36] FIG. 36 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a processing system according to a second modified example. [Figure 37] FIG. 37 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a processing system according to a third modified example. [Figure 38] FIG. 38 is a schematic diagram showing another structure of the processing system of the third modified example. [Figure 39] FIG. 39(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the light receiving device, and FIG. 39(b) is a plan view showing the structure of the light receiving device. [Figure 40] FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view showing processing light irradiated onto the light receiving device. [Figure 41] Figure 41(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how the processing device irradiates processing light onto the light receiving device to perform focus control operation, Figure 41(b) is a plan view showing how the processing device irradiates processing light onto the light receiving device to perform focus control operation, and Figure 41(c) is a graph showing the detection results of a detector provided in the light receiving device. [Figure 42]FIG. 42 is a graph showing the detection results of the detector. [Figure 43] FIG. 43 is a plan view that schematically shows the spot diameter of the processing light EL at each position on the surface of the workpiece when the processing light deflected by the galvanometer mirror scans the surface of the workpiece. [Figure 44] Figures 44(a) and 44(c) are cross-sectional views showing the positional relationship between the processing device and the light receiving device 9d during the period when the status detection operation is performed, and Figures 44(b) and 44(d) are plan views showing the positional relationship between the processing device and the light receiving device during the period when the status detection operation is performed. [Figure 45] Figure 45(a) is a plan view showing the irradiation position of the processing light on the surface of the workpiece (i.e., the surface along the XY plane) when no temperature drift is occurring, and Figure 45(b) is a plan view showing the irradiation position of the processing light on the surface of the workpiece (i.e., the surface along the XY plane) when temperature drift is occurring. [Figure 46] FIG. 46(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the stage, and FIG. 46(b) is a plan view showing the stage. [Figure 47] FIG. 47 is a flowchart showing the flow of a stage control operation for controlling the position of the stage based on the measurement results of the opening by the measurement device. [Figure 48] FIG. 48 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the baseline amount in the fourth modified example. [Figure 49] Each of Figures 49(a) to 49(d) is a plan view showing a marker used in the stage control operation. [Figure 50] FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a processing system according to the fifth modified example. [Figure 51] FIG. 51 is a diagram showing the configuration of a machining head according to a fifth modified example. [Figure 52] FIG. 52 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of a processing system according to the sixth modified example. [Figure 53] FIG. 53(a) is a plan view showing a light receiving device of the seventh modified example, and FIG. 53(b) is a cross-sectional view thereof. [Figure 54]FIG. 54 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the eighth modified example. [Figure 55] FIG. 55 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the ninth modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of a machining system and a machining method will be described with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a machining system and a machining method will be described using a machining system SYS that machines a workpiece W as an example.

[0017] In the following description, the positional relationships of the various components that make up the machining system SYS will be explained using an XYZ Cartesian coordinate system defined by mutually orthogonal X, Y, and Z axes. For ease of explanation, the following description assumes that the X-axis and Y-axis directions are horizontal (i.e., predetermined directions within a horizontal plane) and the Z-axis direction is vertical (i.e., a direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, essentially the up-down direction or the direction of gravity). The rotation directions (in other words, tilt directions) around the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis will be referred to as the θX direction, θY direction, and θZ direction, respectively. Here, the Z-axis direction may be the direction of gravity. The XY plane may also be horizontal.

[0018] (1) Structure of the machining system SYS First, the structure of the processing system SYS will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the processing system SYS. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 1 does not show cross sections of some of the components of the processing system SYS.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the processing system SYS includes a processing device 1, a measuring device 2, a stage device 3, a housing 4, a drive system 5, a drive system 6, and a control device .

[0020] The processing device 1 is capable of processing the workpiece W under the control of the control device 7. The workpiece W may be, for example, a metal, an alloy (e.g., duralumin, etc.), a semiconductor (e.g., silicon), a resin, a composite material such as CFRP (Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic), glass, ceramics, or an object made of any other material.

[0021] The processing device 1 irradiates the workpiece W with processing light EL in order to process the workpiece W. The processing light EL may be any type of light as long as it can process the workpiece W when irradiated onto the workpiece W. In this embodiment, the processing light EL will be described using an example in which the processing light EL is laser light, but the processing light EL may be a type of light other than laser light. Furthermore, the wavelength of the processing light EL may be any wavelength as long as it can process the workpiece W when irradiated onto the workpiece W. For example, the processing light EL may be visible light or invisible light (e.g., at least one of infrared light and ultraviolet light).

[0022] In this embodiment, the processing device 1 irradiates the workpiece W with processing light EL1 to perform removal processing (so-called cutting or grinding) that removes a portion of the workpiece W. However, as will be described later, the processing device 1 may also perform processing other than removal processing (for example, additional processing or marking). The removal processing may include at least one of planar cutting processing, planar grinding processing, cylindrical cutting processing, cylindrical grinding processing, drilling cutting processing, drilling and grinding processing, planar polishing processing, cutting processing, and engraving processing (in other words, marking processing) that forms (in other words, carves) any character or any pattern.

[0023] Here, an example of removal processing using the processing light EL will be described with reference to each of FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c). Each of FIGS. 2(a) to 2(c) is a cross-sectional view showing the removal processing performed on the workpiece W. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the processing device 1 irradiates the processing light EL onto an irradiation area EA set (in other words, formed) on the surface of the workpiece W. When the processing light EL is irradiated onto the irradiation area EA, the energy of the processing light EL is transmitted to the irradiation area EA and a portion of the workpiece W adjacent to the irradiation area EA. When heat caused by the energy of the processing light EL is transmitted, the material constituting the irradiation area EA and a portion of the workpiece W adjacent to the irradiation area EA melts due to the heat caused by the energy of the processing light EL. The molten material scatters in the form of droplets. Alternatively, the molten material evaporates due to the heat caused by the energy of the processing light EL. As a result, the portion of the workpiece W adjacent to the irradiation area EA is removed. That is, as shown in FIG. 2(b), a recess (in other words, a groove) is formed on the surface of the workpiece W. In this case, it can be said that the processing apparatus 1 processes the workpiece W using the principle of so-called thermal processing. Furthermore, when the processing light EL scans the surface of the workpiece W, the irradiation area EA moves on the surface of the workpiece W. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2(c), the surface of the workpiece W is at least partially removed along the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL (i.e., the movement trajectory of the irradiation area EA). In other words, the surface of the workpiece W is essentially scraped away along the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL (i.e., the movement trajectory of the irradiation area EA). Therefore, the processing apparatus 1 can appropriately remove the portion of the workpiece W that is to be removed by causing the processing light EL to scan the surface of the workpiece W along a desired scanning trajectory that corresponds to the area to be removed.

[0024] On the other hand, depending on the characteristics of the processing light EL, the processing apparatus 1 may also process the workpiece W using the principle of non-thermal processing (e.g., ablation processing). That is, the processing apparatus 1 may perform non-thermal processing (e.g., ablation processing) on ​​the workpiece W. For example, when pulsed light having an emission time of picoseconds or less (or, in some cases, nanoseconds or femtoseconds or less) is used as the processing light EL, the material constituting the irradiation area EA and the portion adjacent to the irradiation area EA of the workpiece W instantaneously evaporates and scatters. Note that when pulsed light having an emission time of picoseconds or less (or, in some cases, nanoseconds or femtoseconds or less) is used as the processing light EL, the material constituting the irradiation area EA and the portion adjacent to the irradiation area EA of the workpiece W may sublimate without passing through a molten state. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 3(c), which are cross-sectional views showing the state of the workpiece W processed by non-thermal processing, recesses (in other words, grooves) can be formed on the surface of the workpiece W while minimizing the effect of heat caused by the energy of the processing light EL on the workpiece W.

[0025] In order to perform such removal processing, the processing device 1 is equipped with a light source 11, an optical system 12, a dichroic mirror 13, an optical system 14, a return light prevention device 15, and an observation device 16, as shown in Figure 4, which is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the processing device 1.

[0026] The light source 11 is capable of generating the processing light EL. When the processing light EL is laser light, the light source 11 may be, for example, a laser diode. Furthermore, the light source 11 may be a light source capable of pulse oscillation. In this case, the light source 11 is capable of generating pulsed light (for example, pulsed light having an emission time of picoseconds or less) as the processing light EL. The light source 11 emits the generated processing light EL toward the optical system 12. Note that the light source 11 may emit the processing light EL in a linearly polarized state.

[0027] The optical system 12 is an optical system into which the processing light EL emitted from the light source 11 is incident. The optical system 12 is an optical system that outputs the processing light EL that has entered the optical system 12 toward the return-light prevention device 15. In other words, the optical system 12 is an optical system that guides the processing light EL emitted from the light source 11 to the return-light prevention device 15.

[0028] The optical system 12 may control the state of the processing light EL emitted from the light source 11 and may emit the state-controlled processing light EL toward the return light prevention device 15. For example, the optical system 12 may control the beam diameter of the processing light EL (i.e., the size of the processing light EL in a plane intersecting the traveling direction of the processing light EL). The optical system 12 may control the beam diameter of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece W (i.e., the spot diameter) by controlling the beam diameter of the processing light EL. In this case, the optical system 12 may be equipped with a beam expander 121. For example, the optical system 12 may control the convergence or divergence of the processing light emitted from the optical system 12. This controls the focus position of the processing light EL (e.g., the so-called best focus position). In this case, the optical system 12 may be equipped with a focus lens 122. The focus lens 122 is an optical element composed of one or more lenses and adjusts the position of at least some of the lenses along the optical axis direction to change the convergence or divergence of the processing light EL and adjust the focus position of the processing light EL. The focus lens 122 may be integrated with the beam expander 121 or may be separate from the beam expander 121. For example, the optical system 12 may control the intensity distribution of the processing light EL in a plane intersecting the traveling direction of the processing light EL. In this case, the optical system 12 may be provided with an intensity distribution control member 123 capable of controlling the intensity distribution of the processing light EL. The state of the processing light EL controlled by the optical system 12 may be the focus position of the processing light EL, the beam diameter of the processing light EL, the convergence or divergence of the processing light EL, and the intensity distribution of the processing light EL, as well as the pulse length or number of pulses of the processing light EL, the intensity of the processing light EL, the traveling direction of the processing light EL, and the polarization state of the processing light EL.

[0029] The dichroic mirror 13 guides the processing light EL, which enters the dichroic mirror 13 from the optical system 12 via the return light prevention device 15, to the optical system 14. The dichroic mirror 13 reflects one of the processing light and the observation light (illumination light IL and reflected light ILr) having a wavelength different from that of the processing light, and transmits the other. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the dichroic mirror 13 guides the processing light EL to the optical system 14 by reflecting the processing light EL toward the optical system 14. However, the dichroic mirror 13 may also guide the processing light EL to the optical system 14 by passing the processing light EL through.

[0030] The optical system 14 is an optical system for irradiating (i.e., guiding) the processing light EL from the dichroic mirror 13 onto the workpiece W. To irradiate the processing light EL onto the workpiece W, the optical system 14 includes a galvanometer mirror 141 and an fθ lens 142. The galvanometer mirror 141 deflects the processing light EL from the fθ lens 142 so that the processing light EL scans the workpiece W (i.e., the irradiation area EA irradiated with the processing light EL moves across the surface of the workpiece W). Note that a polygon mirror may be used instead of or in addition to the galvanometer mirror 141. As shown in FIG. 5, which is a perspective view showing the structure of the optical system 14, the galvanometer mirror 141 includes an X-scanning mirror 141X and a Y-scanning mirror 141Y. The X-scanning mirror 141X reflects the processing light EL toward the Y-scanning mirror 141Y. The X-scanning mirror 141X can swing or rotate about an axis in the θY direction (i.e., the rotation direction around the Y-axis). As the X scanning mirror 141X oscillates or rotates, the processing light EL scans the surface of the workpiece W along the X-axis direction. As the X scanning mirror 141X oscillates or rotates, the irradiation area EA moves along the X-axis direction on the surface of the workpiece W. The Y scanning mirror 141Y reflects the processing light EL toward the fθ lens 142. The Y scanning mirror 141Y can oscillate or rotate about an axis in the θX direction (i.e., the rotation direction around the X-axis). As the Y scanning mirror 141Y oscillates or rotates, the processing light EL scans the surface of the workpiece W along the Y-axis direction. As the Y scanning mirror 141Y oscillates or rotates, the irradiation area EA moves along the Y-axis direction on the surface of the workpiece W. The fθ lens 142 is an optical element for focusing the processing light EL from the galvanometer mirror 141 onto the workpiece W. The X scanning mirror 141X may be oscillating or rotatable about an axis in a direction slightly tilted from the θY direction (i.e., the direction of rotation around the Y axis), and the Y scanning mirror 141Y may be oscillating or rotatable about an axis in a direction slightly tilted from the θX direction (i.e., the direction of rotation around the X axis). In this example, the fθ lens 142 is an optical system that is telecentric on the exit surface side (workpiece W side), but the fθ lens 142 does not have to be a telecentric optical system.If the fθ lens 142 is an optical system that is telecentric on the exit surface side (workpiece W side), there is an advantage that the irradiation position of the processing light EL does not change within the XY plane even if the thickness of the workpiece W (size in the Z axis direction) changes.

[0031] Referring again to FIG. 4, the return light prevention device 15 prevents the return light ELr, which is the processing light EL reflected by the workpiece W, from returning to the optical system 12 and the light source 11. Meanwhile, the return light prevention device 15 guides the processing light EL emitted by the optical system 12 to the dichroic mirror 13 (i.e., to the workpiece W). To guide the processing light EL to the dichroic mirror 13 while preventing the return light ELr from returning to the optical system 12 and the light source 11, the return light prevention device 15 may use, for example, polarized light. When using such a return light prevention device 15 that uses polarized light, it is preferable that the light source 11 emit linearly polarized processing light EL. When the light source 11 emits circularly polarized processing light EL, a quarter-wave plate may be disposed between the light source 11 and the return light prevention device 15. The return light prevention device 15 includes, for example, a half-wave plate 151, a polarizing beam splitter 152, a quarter-wave plate 153, a half-wave plate 154, and a beam diffuser 155. The half-wave plate 151 changes the polarization direction of the processing light EL from the optical system 12. For example, the half-wave plate 151 changes the polarization direction of the processing light EL from the optical system 12 to a direction that allows the processing light EL to pass through the polarizing beam splitter 152. The processing light EL that passes through the half-wave plate 151 passes through the polarizing beam splitter 152. For convenience of explanation, the polarizing beam splitter 152 passes through an example in which the polarizing beam splitter 152 transmits p-polarized light and reflects s-polarized light relative to the polarization separation surface of the polarizing beam splitter. In other words, the processing light EL that passes through the polarizing beam splitter 152 is p-polarized. The processing light EL that passes through the polarizing beam splitter 152 passes through the quarter-wave plate 153 and becomes circularly polarized light. The processing light EL that has passed through the quarter-wave plate 153 passes through the half-wave plate 154. Here, each of the half-wave plate 151, the quarter-wave plate 153, and the half-wave plate 154 is provided so as to be rotatable about an axis that corresponds to the traveling direction of the processing light EL.

[0032] The processing light EL from the half-wave plate 154 becomes circularly polarized light and enters the dichroic mirror 13. The light-return prevention device 15 can guide the processing light EL to the dichroic mirror 13. On the other hand, the light-return prevention device 15 receives the light-return light ELr, which passes through the half-wave plate 154 and then enters the quarter-wave plate 153. At this time, the light-return light ELr is the processing light EL reflected by the surface of the workpiece W, so the rotation direction of the light-return light ELr is reversed relative to the rotation direction of the processing light EL. Therefore, the light-return light ELr that passes through the quarter-wave plate 153 becomes s-polarized light. As a result, the light-return light ELr that passes through the quarter-wave plate 153 is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter 152. The light-return light ELr reflected by the polarizing beam splitter 152 is absorbed by the beam diffuser 155. Therefore, the light-return prevention device 15 can prevent the light-return light ELr from returning to the optical system 12 and the light source 11. By using this light return prevention device 15, the processing light EL irradiated onto the workpiece W becomes circularly polarized, thereby reducing differences in processing characteristics caused by the linear polarization direction. Such differences in processing characteristics often vary depending on the material of the workpiece W and the angle of incidence on the workpiece W. Therefore, by performing processing using circularly polarized processing light EL, it is possible to reduce differences in processing results caused by differences in the material of the workpiece W and the angle of incidence on the workpiece W. When processing the workpiece W with linearly polarized processing light, a quarter-wave plate may be placed in the optical path between the quarter-wave plate 154 and the workpiece W.

[0033] The observation device 16 can optically observe the surface condition of the workpiece W. For example, FIG. 4 shows an example in which the observation device 16 can optically capture an image of the surface condition of the workpiece W. In this case, the observation device 16 may include a light source 161, a beam splitter 162, a notch filter 163, and an image sensor 164. The light source 161 generates illumination light IL. The illumination light IL is visible light, but may also be invisible light. However, the wavelength of the illumination light IL is different from the wavelength of the processing light EL. In particular, the wavelength of the illumination light IL is set to a wavelength that can pass through the dichroic mirror 13. The light source 161 emits the generated illumination light IL toward the beam splitter 162. The beam splitter 162 reflects at least a portion of the illumination light IL from the light source 161 toward the notch filter 163. The notch filter 163 is a filter that attenuates only light in a certain wavelength band of the incident illumination light IL. A bandpass filter that transmits only light in a certain wavelength band of the incident illumination light IL may also be used. This notch filter 163 limits the wavelength band of the illumination light IL that passes through the notch filter 163 to a wavelength band that can pass through the dichroic mirror 13. The illumination light IL reflected by the beam splitter 162 is incident on the dichroic mirror 13 via the notch filter 163. The illumination light EL that is incident on the dichroic mirror 13 passes through the dichroic mirror 13. As a result, the illumination light IL is irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece W via the optical system 14. In other words, the illumination light IL is irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece W via an optical path that at least partially overlaps with the optical path of the processing light EL. The illumination light IL is irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece W via a part of the optical system that guides the processing light EL from the light source 11 to the workpiece W (in the example shown in FIG. 4, the dichroic mirror 13 and the optical system 14). 4, a part of the optical system that guides the processing light EL from the light source 11 to the workpiece W is also used as part of the optical system that guides the illumination light IL from the light source 161 to the workpiece W. However, the optical system that guides the processing light EL from the light source 11 to the workpiece W and the optical system that guides the illumination light IL from the light source 161 to the workpiece W may be optically separated. At least a part of the illumination light IL irradiated onto the surface of the workpiece W is reflected by the surface of the workpiece W.As a result, the illumination light IL reflected by the workpiece W enters the optical system 14 as reflected light ILr. The reflected light ILr enters the observation device 16 via the optical system 14. The reflected light ILr that entered the observation device 16 enters the beam splitter 162 via the notch filter 163. The illumination light IL and the reflected light ILr may also be referred to as observation light. The notch filter 163 is used as a light-blocking member to prevent the processing light EL, which has a wavelength different from that of the observation light, from entering the interior of the observation device 16 (particularly, the image sensor 164). At least a portion of the reflected light ILr that entered the beam splitter 162 passes through the beam splitter 162 and enters the image sensor 164. As a result, the observation device 16 can optically capture an image of the surface condition of the workpiece W.

[0034] The observation results (specifically, the imaging results) of the observation device 16 include information that can identify the state of the workpiece W. Therefore, the observation device 16 may be used as a measuring device for measuring the workpiece W. In particular, the observation results (specifically, the imaging results) of the observation device 16 include information that can identify the shape of the workpiece W (for example, the shape of the surface of the workpiece W). Therefore, the observation device 16 may be used as a measuring device for measuring the shape of the workpiece W. In this case, it can be said that a part of the processing device 1 is shared with at least a part of a measuring device for measuring the workpiece W (the observation device 16 in the example shown in FIG. 4).

[0035] Referring again to FIG. 1 , the measurement device 2 is capable of measuring a measurement object under the control of the control device 7. The measurement object includes, for example, a workpiece W. For example, the measurement device 2 may be a device capable of measuring the state of the workpiece W. The state of the workpiece W may include the position of the workpiece W. The position of the workpiece W may include the position of the surface of the workpiece W. The position of the surface of the workpiece W may include the position of each surface portion obtained by dividing the surface of the workpiece W in at least one of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction. The state of the workpiece W may include the shape of the workpiece W (e.g., a three-dimensional shape). The shape of the surface of the workpiece W may include the shape of the surface of the workpiece W. In addition to or instead of the position of the surface of the workpiece W described above, the shape of the surface of the workpiece W may include the orientation of each surface portion obtained by dividing the surface of the workpiece W (e.g., the direction of the normal to each surface portion, which is substantially equivalent to the amount of inclination of each surface portion with respect to at least one of the X-axis, the Y-axis, and the Z-axis). The state of the workpiece W may include the size of the workpiece W (e.g., the size in at least one of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, and the Z-axis direction). Measurement information relating to the measurement results of the measurement device 2 is output from the measurement device 2 to the control device 7.

[0036] In order to measure the workpiece W, the measurement apparatus 2 may be equipped with a plurality of measurement apparatuses 21, each of which differs in at least one of the size (in other words, width) and measurement resolution of the measurement shot area MSA. Note that the "measurement shot area MSA" in this embodiment refers to the area (in other words, range) in which measurement is performed by the measurement apparatus 21 while the positional relationship between the measurement apparatus 21 and the measurement target (e.g., workpiece W) is fixed (i.e., without change) (see FIGS. 8 and 9, etc., described later). Note that the measurement shot MSA may also be referred to as the measurable range or measurable field of the measurement apparatus 2. FIG. 1 shows an example in which the measurement apparatus 2 is equipped with two measurement apparatuses 21 (specifically, measurement apparatuses 21-1 and 21-2). However, the measurement apparatus 2 may also be equipped with a single measurement apparatus 21. The measurement shot area MSA of a first measurement apparatus 21 of the plurality of measurement apparatuses 21 may be wider (i.e., larger) than the measurement shot area MSA of a second measurement apparatus 21 that is different from the first measurement apparatus 21 of the plurality of measurement apparatuses 21. On the other hand, the measurement resolution of the first measurement apparatus 21 having a relatively wide measurement shot area MSA may be lower than the measurement resolution of the second measurement apparatus 21 having a relatively narrow measurement shot area MSA. In other words, the measurement resolution of the second measurement apparatus 21 having a relatively narrow measurement shot area MSA may be higher than the measurement resolution of the first measurement apparatus 21 having a relatively wide measurement shot area MSA. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement apparatus 21-1 may be wider than the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement apparatus 21-2, and the measurement resolution of the measurement apparatus 21-1 may be lower than the measurement resolution of the measurement apparatus 21-2. Examples of measurement apparatuses 21-1 and 21-2 that satisfy this condition include measurement apparatus 21-1 that measures the workpiece W using a light-section method that projects a slit light onto the surface of the workpiece W and measures the shape of the projected slit light, and measurement apparatus 21-2 that measures the workpiece W using white light interferometry that measures the interference pattern between white light that passes through the workpiece W and white light that does not pass through the workpiece W. The measuring device 21-2 may be a Michelson interferometer, a Mirau interferometer, or a Linnik interferometer. Note that the white light mentioned here may mean light having a wavelength width (spectral width) relative to monochromatic light.However, each measuring device 21 may measure the workpiece W using a method other than the light section method and the white light interferometry. Examples of other methods include a pattern projection method in which a light pattern is projected onto the surface of the workpiece W and the shape of the projected pattern is measured; a time-of-flight method in which light is projected onto the surface of the workpiece W and the distance to the workpiece W is measured from the time it takes for the projected light to return, and this is performed at multiple positions on the workpiece W; a moire topography method (specifically, a grating illumination method or a grating projection method); a holographic interferometry method; an autocollimation method; a stereo method; an astigmatism method; a critical angle method; a knife-edge method; an interferometry method; and a confocal method. In any case, the measuring device 21 may include a light source that emits measurement light (e.g., slit light or white light) and a light receiver that receives light from the workpiece W irradiated with the measurement light (e.g., reflected light of the measurement light). The light receiver may include a single photodetector, may include a plurality of photodetectors arranged in one dimension, or may include a plurality of photodetectors arranged in two dimensions.

[0037] The stage device 3 is disposed (i.e., provided) below (i.e., on the -Z side) of the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2. The stage device 3 includes a base 31 and a stage 32. The base 31 is disposed on the bottom surface of the housing 4 (or on a support surface such as a floor on which the housing 4 is placed). The stage 32 is disposed on the base 31. A vibration isolation device (not shown) may be installed between the base 31 and the bottom surface of the housing 4 or a support surface such as a floor on which the housing 4 is placed, in order to reduce transmission of vibrations from the base 31 to the stage 32. Furthermore, a support frame 8 supporting the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 may be disposed on the base 31. In other words, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 (and further the stage 32) may be supported by the same base 31. However, at least a portion of the processing device 1 does not have to be disposed on the base 31. Furthermore, at least a portion of the measuring device 2 does not have to be disposed on the base 31. At least a part of the processing device 1 and at least a part of the measuring device 2 may be placed on different surface plates (or other support surfaces). The measuring system SYS may be configured without the surface plate 31. In this case, the stage 32 may be provided on a predetermined structure of the housing 4.

[0038] The stage 32 may be made of quartz glass or may be made of other materials (for example, stone such as granite, metal, ceramics, etc.). The workpiece W is placed on the stage 32. Specifically, the surface of the stage 32 includes a placement surface 321 on which the workpiece W can be placed. The placement surface 321 is a surface parallel to the XY plane. The workpiece W is placed on the placement surface 321. In this case, the stage 32 does not have to hold the placed workpiece W. Alternatively, the stage 32 may hold the placed workpiece W. For example, the stage 32 may hold the workpiece W by vacuum suction and / or electrostatic suction. Note that FIG. 1 shows an example in which at least one opening 322 for vacuum suction of the workpiece W is formed in the placement surface 321 of the stage 32. The stage 32 vacuum suctions the workpiece W by sucking the back surface of the workpiece W through the opening 322.

[0039] The stage 32, with the workpiece W placed thereon, is movable over the surface plate 31 under the control of the control device 7. The stage 32 is movable relative to at least one of the surface plate 31, the processing device 1, and the measuring device 2. The stage 32 is movable along both the X-axis and the Y-axis. In this case, the stage 32 is movable along a stage running plane parallel to the XY plane. The stage 32 may also be movable along at least one of the Z-axis, the θX direction, the θY direction, and the θZ direction. To move the stage 32, the stage device 3 includes a stage drive system 33. The stage drive system 33 moves the stage 32 using, for example, any motor (e.g., a linear motor). Furthermore, the stage device 3 includes a position measuring device 34 for measuring the position of the stage 32. The position measuring device 34 may include, for example, at least one of an encoder and a laser interferometer.

[0040] When the stage 32 moves, the positional relationship between the stage 32 (and further the workpiece W placed on the stage 32), the processing device 1, and the measuring device 2 changes. In other words, when the stage 32 moves, the position of the stage 32 (and further the workpiece W placed on the stage 32) changes relative to the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2. Therefore, moving the stage 32 is equivalent to changing the positional relationship between the stage 32 (and further the workpiece W placed on the stage 32), the processing device 1, and the measuring device 2.

[0041] The stage 32 may move so that at least a portion of the workpiece W is located within the processing shot area PSA during at least a portion of the processing period during which the processing apparatus 1 processes the workpiece W. The stage 32 may move so that the processing shot area PSA is located on the workpiece W during at least a portion of the processing period. Note that the "processing shot area PSA" in this embodiment refers to an area (in other words, a range) in which processing is performed by the processing apparatus 1 while the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the workpiece (e.g., the workpiece W) is fixed (i.e., without change). Typically, as shown in FIG. 5, the processing shot area PSA is set to coincide with or be narrower than the scanning range of the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 while the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the workpiece is fixed. In other words, the processing shot area PSA is set so that it coincides with or be narrower than the movable range of the irradiation area EA irradiated with the processing light EL while the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the workpiece is fixed. Therefore, the processing shot area PSA is an area determined based on the processing device 1 (i.e., an area having a predetermined positional relationship with the processing device 1). When at least a portion of the workpiece W is located within the processing shot area PSA (i.e., the processing shot area PSA is located on the workpiece W), the processing device 1 can irradiate at least a portion of the workpiece W located within the processing shot area PSA with the processing light EL. As a result, at least a portion of the workpiece W is processed by the processing light EL irradiated by the processing device 1 while placed on the stage 32 (or while held by the stage 32). Note that when the workpiece W is large enough that the entire workpiece W cannot be located within the processing shot area PSA, the first portion of the workpiece W is processed while being included in the processing shot area PSA. Thereafter, the stage 32 is moved (and, if necessary, the processing device 1 is moved by the drive system 5, which will be described later) so that a second portion of the workpiece W, different from the first portion, is included in the processing shot area PSA. Thereafter, the second portion of the workpiece W is processed. Thereafter, the same operation is repeated until processing of the workpiece W is completed.

[0042] The stage 32 may move so that at least a portion of the workpiece W is located within the measurement shot area MSA during at least a portion of the measurement period in which the measurement device 2 measures the workpiece W. The stage 32 may move so that the measurement shot area MSA is located on the workpiece W during at least a portion of the measurement period. For example, if the measurement device 2 is equipped with a measurement device 21-1 that uses a light-section method and a measurement device 21-2 that uses white light interferometry, the measurement shot area MSA may typically be set to coincide with or be narrower than a range (e.g., a scanning range of the slit light and / or white light) that can be irradiated with the slit light used in the light-section method and / or the white light used in the white light interferometry while the positional relationship between the measurement device 2 and the measurement object is fixed. The measurement shot area MSA may be set to be a range corresponding to the light receiving surface of a light receiver (e.g., a single photodetector, or the light receiving surface of multiple photodetectors arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional direction) that receives light from the workpiece W irradiated with slit light and / or white light while the positional relationship between the measurement device 2 and the measurement target is fixed. Therefore, the measurement shot area MSA becomes an area determined based on the measurement device 2 (i.e., an area having a predetermined positional relationship with the measurement device 2). When at least a portion of the workpiece W is located within the measurement shot area MSA (i.e., the measurement shot area MSA is located on the workpiece W), the measurement device 2 can measure at least a portion of the workpiece W located within the measurement shot area MSA. In other words, at least a portion of the workpiece W is measured by the measurement device 2 while it is placed on the stage 32 (or while it is held on the stage 32). If the workpiece W is so large that the entire workpiece W cannot be positioned within the measurement shot area MSA, a first portion of the workpiece W is measured while the first portion is included in the measurement shot area MSA, and then the stage 32 moves so that a second portion of the workpiece W that is different from the first portion is included in the measurement shot area MSA (and, if necessary, the measuring device 2 moves by the drive system 6, which will be described later), and then the second portion of the workpiece W is measured. Thereafter, similar operations are repeated until measurement of the workpiece W is completed.In the measurement device 21-1 using the optical cutting method, the measurement shot area MSA is typically in the shape of a slit extending in a predetermined direction, so measurement of the workpiece W may be performed while the workpiece W is moved by the stage 32 along a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the slit.

[0043] The stage 32 may move between the processing shot area PSA and the measurement shot area MSA with the workpiece W placed on it. The stage 32 may move so that the workpiece W moves between the processing shot area PSA and the measurement shot area MSA with the workpiece W placed on it. That is, the workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32 not only during the processing period in which the processing apparatus 1 processes the workpiece W and the measurement period in which the measuring apparatus 2 measures the workpiece W, but also during the movement period in which the workpiece W moves between the processing shot area PSA and the measurement shot area MSA. The workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32 between the processing of the workpiece W by the processing apparatus 1 and the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring apparatus 2. The workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32 between the processing of the workpiece W by the processing apparatus 1 and the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring apparatus 2. The workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32 between the processing of the workpiece W by the processing apparatus 1 and the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring apparatus 2. The workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32 between the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring apparatus 2 and the processing of the workpiece W by the processing apparatus 1. In other words, the workpiece W does not need to be removed from the stage 32 between the time when the processing of the workpiece W by the processing device 1 is completed and the time when the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring device 2 begins, or between the time when the measurement of the workpiece W by the measuring device 2 is completed and the time when the processing of the workpiece W by the processing device 1 begins.

[0044] When the stage 32 holds the workpiece W, the holding manner in which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W during at least a portion of the machining period may be the same as the holding manner in which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W during at least a portion of the measurement period. One example of a holding manner is the force with which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W. When the stage 32 holds the workpiece W by vacuum suction, the force with which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W depends on the exhaust speed through the opening 322. In this case, to maintain the same force with which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W, the exhaust speed during the machining period and the exhaust speed during the measurement period may be the same. When the stage 32 holds the workpiece W by electrostatically suction, the force with which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W depends on the voltage applied to the electrode. In this case, to maintain the same force with which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W, the voltage applied to the electrostatic suction electrode during the machining period may be the same as the voltage applied to the electrostatic suction electrode during the measurement period. However, the holding manner in which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W during at least a portion of the processing period may be different from the holding manner in which the stage 32 holds the workpiece W during at least a portion of the measurement period. Also, a weight may be placed on the workpiece W. This is particularly effective when the workpiece W is lightweight or small.

[0045] The stage 32 may include a plurality of stages 32.

[0046] In this example, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are arranged along the movement direction of the stage 32. For example, if the movement direction of the stage 32 is at least the Y direction, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are arranged side by side along the Y direction. Here, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 may be arranged along a direction intersecting the movement direction of the stage 32.

[0047] In this example, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are arranged along a direction intersecting the scanning direction of the processing light EL by the processing device 1. For example, if the scanning direction of the processing light EL by the processing device 1 is the X direction, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are arranged side by side along the Y direction intersecting the X direction. Here, the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 may be arranged along the scanning direction of the processing light EL.

[0048] The housing 4 accommodates the processing apparatus 1, the measuring apparatus 2, and the stage apparatus 3 in an internal storage space SP that is separated from the space outside the housing 4. That is, in this embodiment, the processing apparatus 1, the measuring apparatus 2, and the stage apparatus 3 are arranged in the same housing 4. The processing apparatus 1, the measuring apparatus 2, and the stage apparatus 3 are arranged in the same storage space SP. When a workpiece W is placed on the stage 32 of the stage apparatus 3, the housing 4 accommodates the workpiece W in its internal storage space SP. That is, the processing apparatus 1, the measuring apparatus 2, and the workpiece W are arranged in the same storage space SP. However, at least a portion of the processing apparatus 1 does not have to be arranged in the storage space SP. At least a portion of the processing apparatus 1 does not have to be arranged outside the housing 4. At least a portion of the measuring apparatus 2 does not have to be arranged in the storage space SP. At least a portion of the measuring apparatus 2 does not have to be arranged outside the housing 4. At least a portion of the stage apparatus 3 does not have to be arranged in the storage space SP. At least a portion of the stage apparatus 3 does not have to be arranged outside the housing 4.

[0049] In this way, since the processing device 1, measurement device 2, and stage device 3 (and further, the workpiece W) are arranged in the same accommodation space SP, the stage 32 can move between the processing shot area PSA and the measurement shot area MSA with the workpiece W placed on the stage 32. Furthermore, the same housing 4 can continue to accommodate the workpiece W during both at least a portion of the processing period and at least a portion of the measurement period. In other words, the workpiece W can continue to be located inside the same housing 4 during both at least a portion of the processing period and at least a portion of the measurement period.

[0050] The drive system 5 moves the processing device 1 under the control of the control device 7. The drive system 5 moves the processing device 1 relative to at least one of the surface plate 31, the stage 32, and the workpiece W placed on the stage 32. The drive system 5 may also move the processing device 1 relative to the measuring device 2. The drive system 5 moves the processing device 1 along at least one of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, the Z-axis direction, the θX direction, the θY direction, and the θZ direction. The drive system 5 includes, for example, a motor. Furthermore, the processing system SYS is equipped with a position measuring device 51 that can measure the position of the processing device 1 moved by the drive system 5. The position measuring device 51 may include, for example, at least one of an encoder and a laser interferometer.

[0051] When the drive system 5 moves the processing device 1, the irradiation area EA and processing shot area PSA move on the workpiece W. Therefore, the drive system 5 can change the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the irradiation area EA and processing shot area PSA by moving the processing device 1. However, because the stage 32 is movable, the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the irradiation area EA and processing shot area PSA can be changed even if the processing device 1 is not movable. Therefore, the processing device 1 does not need to be movable. In this case, the processing system SYS does not need to be equipped with the drive system 5.

[0052] In this embodiment, since the stage 32 is movable in the X and Y directions, the processing device 1 may be movable in the Z-axis direction. In this case, the focus position of the processing light EL and the focus position of the observation device 16 may be controlled by moving the processing device 1 in the Z-axis direction.

[0053] The drive system 6 moves the measuring device 2 under the control of the control device 7. The drive system 6 moves the measuring device 2 relative to at least one of the surface plate 31, the stage 32, and the workpiece W placed on the stage 32. The drive system 6 may also move the measuring device 2 relative to the processing device 1. The drive system 6 moves the measuring device 2 along at least one of the X-axis direction, the Y-axis direction, the Z-axis direction, the θX direction, the θY direction, and the θZ direction. The drive system 6 includes, for example, a motor. Furthermore, the processing system SYS is equipped with a position measuring device 61 that can measure the position of the measuring device 2 moved by the drive system 6. The position measuring device 61 may include, for example, at least one of an encoder and a laser interferometer.

[0054] When the drive system 6 moves the measuring device 2, the measurement shot area MSA moves on the workpiece W. Therefore, the drive system 6 can change the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the measurement shot area MSA by moving the measuring device 2. However, because the stage 32 is movable, the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the measurement shot area MSA can be changed even if the measuring device 2 is not movable. Therefore, the measuring device 2 does not have to be movable. In this case, the processing system SYS does not have to be equipped with the drive system 6.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the stage 32 is movable in the X and Y directions, the measurement device 2 may be movable in the Z-axis direction. In this case, the focus position of the measurement device 2 may be controlled by moving the measurement device 2 in the Z-axis direction.

[0056] When the measuring device 2 includes a plurality of measuring devices 21, the driving system 6 may move the plurality of measuring devices 21 together, or may move each measuring device 21 individually.

[0057] The control device 7 controls the operation of the machining system SYS. The control device 7 may include, for example, at least one of a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and a GPU (Graphics Processing Unit), and a memory. In particular, in this embodiment, the control device 7 sets machining conditions for the workpiece W and controls the machining device 1, the measuring device 2, the stage device 3, the drive system 5, and the drive system 6 so that the workpiece W is machined in accordance with the set machining conditions. Note that the control device 7 does not have to be located inside the machining system SYS, and may be located outside the machining system SYS as a server, for example. In this case, the control device 7 and the machining system SYS may be connected by a communication line, such as a wired or wireless line.

[0058] (2) Operation of the machining system SYS Next, the operation performed by the machining system SYS will be described.

[0059] (2-1) Machining operation First, a machining operation (that is, an operation for machining a workpiece W), which is one of the operations performed by the machining system SYS, will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the flow of the machining operation performed by the machining system SYS.

[0060] 6, a workpiece W to be processed by the processing device 1 is newly placed on the stage 32 (step S101). That is, the unprocessed workpiece W is newly placed on the stage 32. For example, the unprocessed workpiece W is transported from the outside of the housing 4 to the accommodation space SP inside the housing 4, and then the workpiece W transported to the accommodation space SP is newly placed on the stage 32. The workpiece W may be held by the stage 32.

[0061] In this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the machining operation will be described using as an example a workpiece W having a protrusion Wp formed on its surface protruding toward the +Z side, as shown in FIG. 7(a), a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the unmachined workpiece W, and FIG. 7(b), a plan view showing the top surface of the unmachined workpiece W. In particular, in this embodiment, the machining operation will be described using as an example a machining operation performed on the workpiece W to remove the protrusion Wp. However, the machining system SYS can machine any workpiece having a shape different from the workpiece W shown in FIGS. 7(a) and 7(b) by performing the machining operation based on the flowchart shown in FIG. 6.

[0062] After the workpiece W is placed on the stage 32, the measuring device 21-1 included in the measuring device 2 measures the workpiece W (step S111). Specifically, first, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-1 move so that the entire workpiece W (or, in some cases, a portion thereof) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1. Thereafter, the measuring device 21-1 measures the workpiece W. Because the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1 is wider than the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 2-12, in this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the measurement by the measuring device 21-1 will be referred to as "wide-area measurement."

[0063] The outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1 that performs wide-area measurement may be large enough to encompass the entire surface of the workpiece W, as shown in Figure 8, a plan view showing an example of the positional relationship between the measurement shot area MSA and the workpiece W. The size of the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1 in the XY plane (or a plane along the surface of the workpiece W; the same applies below) may be larger than or the same as the size of the outer edge of the surface of the workpiece W in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that the workpiece W is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA, the measuring device 21-1 can complete the wide-area measurement of the workpiece W without moving the stage 32 and the measuring device 21-1.

[0064] Alternatively, the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1 may be large enough to encompass a portion of the surface of the workpiece W while not encompassing another portion of the surface of the workpiece W, as shown in FIG. 9, which is a plan view showing another example of the positional relationship between the measurement shot area MSA and the workpiece W. The size of the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-1 in the XY plane may be smaller than the size of the outer edge of the surface of the workpiece W in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that a portion of the workpiece W is located within the measurement shot area MSA, as described above, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-1 are repeatedly moved so that other portions of the workpiece W that have not yet been measured by the measuring device 21-1 are located within the measurement shot area MSA. In other words, the operation of moving the measurement shot area MSA relative to the surface of the workpiece W along at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction is repeated each time the measuring device 21-1 completes measurement of a portion of the workpiece W located within the measurement shot area MSA.

[0065] At this time, as shown in FIG. 10(a), a plan view showing an example of the movement trajectory of the measurement shot area MSA moving relative to the surface of the workpiece W, the measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that the measurement shot area MSA before movement and the measurement shot area MSA after movement do not overlap. In other words, the measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that the measurement shot area MSA including a first portion of the surface of the workpiece W does not overlap with the measurement shot area MSA including a second portion adjacent to the first portion of the surface of the workpiece W. The measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that the first portion of the surface of the workpiece W included in the measurement shot area MSA before movement does not overlap with the second portion of the surface of the workpiece W included in the measurement shot area MSA after movement. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 10(b), a plan view showing an example of the movement trajectory of the measurement shot area MSA moving relative to the surface of the workpiece W, the measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that the measurement shot area MSA before movement and the measurement shot area MSA after movement partially overlap. In other words, the measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that a measurement shot area MSA including a first portion of the surface of the workpiece W and a measurement shot area MSA including a second portion adjacent to the first portion of the surface of the workpiece W partially overlap. The measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that a first portion of the surface of the workpiece W included in the measurement shot area MSA before movement partially overlaps with a second portion of the surface of the workpiece W included in the measurement shot area MSA after movement. Note that, although the workpiece W is moved relative to the measurement shot area MSA in the above description, the measurement shot area MSA may also be moved relative to the workpiece W by, for example, moving the measurement device 21-1.

[0066] 6, after the wide-area measurement of the workpiece W is performed, the control device 7 determines whether there is a missing part in the wide-area measurement information indicating the measurement results of the measuring device 21-1 (step S112). The missing part here means that information regarding the measurement results of a certain portion of the surface of the workpiece W is not included in the wide-area measurement information. If it is determined in step S112 that there is a missing part in the wide-area measurement information (step S112: Yes), the control device 7 interpolates the missing information using an existing data interpolation method or the like (step S113). Alternatively, the control device 7 may control the measuring device 21-1, etc. to remeasure the portion of the workpiece W corresponding to the missing information. At this time, the measurement conditions of the measuring device 21-1 (for example, the wavelength, the orientation of the measuring device 21-1, etc.) may be changed and the measurement may be performed again.

[0067] Thereafter, the control device 7 generates 3D model data of the workpiece W based on the wide-area measurement information (step S114). Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the 3D model data based on the wide-area measurement information will be referred to as "wide-area 3D model data." Note that, if a workpiece W for which wide-area 3D model data has already been generated is newly placed on the stage 32 in step S101, the measuring device 21-1 does not need to perform wide-area measurement in step S111. Specifically, the operations from step S111 to step S114 for generating wide-area 3D data do not need to be performed. In this case, the operations from step S115 onwards may be performed using the wide-area 3D data that has already been generated.

[0068] Thereafter, the control device 7 identifies the position of the workpiece W within a coordinate system (hereinafter, "stage coordinate system") used when the stage 32 moves (step S115). Specifically, when performing the wide-area measurement in step S111, the measurement device 21-1 measures a reference mark (for example, an opening 93d (see FIG. 39), a marker AM (see FIG. 49), or any other mark) previously formed on the surface of the stage 32 (or another member such as the surface plate 31). Information regarding the measurement results of the reference mark includes information regarding the position of the reference mark. Therefore, the control device 7 can identify the positional relationship between the reference mark and the workpiece W based on the wide-area measurement information including the measurement results of the reference mark. Furthermore, because the reference mark is formed on the stage 32 (i.e., the positional relationship between the reference mark and the stage 32 is fixed), the control device 7 can identify the position of the reference mark within the stage coordinate system based on information regarding the position of the stage 32 (i.e., the position within the stage coordinate system) measured by the position measurement device 34 and information regarding the positional relationship between the reference mark and the stage 32. As a result, the control device 7 can identify the position of the workpiece W in the stage coordinate system based on information about the position of the reference mark in the stage coordinate system and information about the positional relationship between the reference mark measured by wide-area measurement and the workpiece W. Note that instead of measuring the reference mark of the stage 32, characteristic points of the stage 32 may be measured.

[0069] Thereafter, the control device 7 sets a machining target area TA of the workpiece W to be actually machined by the machining device 1 (step S116). For example, the control device 7 may set the machining target area TA based on an instruction (e.g., an instruction to set the machining target area TA) from a user of the machining system SYS who has confirmed the 3D model of the workpiece W based on the wide-area 3D model data generated in step S114. Alternatively, for example, the control device 7 may identify a portion of the workpiece W that satisfies a predetermined specific condition and set the machining target area TA including the identified portion. Specifically, for example, if the specific condition is set such that "a surface that protrudes by a predetermined amount or more along the Z-axis direction compared to surrounding surfaces is set as the machining target area TA," the control device 7 may identify a surface of the workpiece W that protrudes by a predetermined amount or more along the Z-axis direction compared to surrounding surfaces and set the machining target area TA including the identified surface. In the following explanation, we will use an example in which a processing target area TA including a protrusion Wp is set, as shown in Figure 11(a), a cross-sectional view showing an example of the positional relationship between the processing target area TA and the workpiece W, and Figure 11(b), a plan view showing an example of the positional relationship between the processing target area TA and the workpiece W.

[0070] Thereafter, the measuring device 21-2 included in the measuring device 2 measures the processing target portion W_target, which is a portion of the workpiece W included in the processing target area TA (step S121). In the example shown in FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b), the processing target portion W_target coincides with the protrusion Wp (or includes at least a portion of the protrusion Wp). Specifically, first, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-2 move so that the entire processing target area TA (or, in some cases, a portion thereof) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2. In other words, the stage 32 moves so that the entire processing target portion W_target (or, in some cases, a portion thereof) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2. Thereafter, the measuring device 21-2 measures the processing target portion W_target. Since the measurement resolution of the measurement device 21-2 is higher than that of the measurement device 21-1, in this embodiment, for convenience of explanation, the measurement by the measurement device 21-2 is referred to as "fine measurement."

[0071] The outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement device 21-2 that performs fine measurement may be large enough to encompass the entire processing target area TA. The size of the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement device 21-2 in the XY plane may be larger than or the same as the size of the outer edge of the processing target area TA in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that the processing target area TA is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA, the measurement device 21-2 can complete the wide-area measurement of the processing target portion W_target without moving the stage 32 or the measurement device 21-2.

[0072] Alternatively, the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2 performing fine measurement may be large enough not to encompass the entire processing target area TA. The size of the outer edge of the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2 in the XY plane may be smaller than the size of the outer edge of the processing target area TA in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that the processing target portion W_target is located within the measurement shot area MSA, as described above, each time the measuring device 21-2 completes measurement of a portion of the processing target portion W_target that is located within the measurement shot area MSA, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-2 repeatedly move so that other portions of the processing target portion W_target that have not yet been measured by the measuring device 21-2 are located within the measurement shot area MSA. In other words, each time the measuring device 21-2 completes measurement of a portion of the processing target portion W_target that is located within the measurement shot area MSA, the operation of moving the measurement shot area MSA relative to the surface of the workpiece W is repeated. At this time, the measurement shot area MSA of measurement device 21-2 may be moved so that the measurement shot area MSA before movement and the measurement shot area MSA after movement do not overlap, similar to the measurement shot area MSA of measurement device 21-1. Alternatively, the measurement shot area MSA may be moved so that the measurement shot area MSA before movement and the measurement shot area MSA after movement partially overlap.

[0073] After fine measurement of the workpiece W is performed, the control device 7 generates three-dimensional model data of the processing target portion W_target based on fine measurement information indicating the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 (step S122). Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the three-dimensional model data based on the fine measurement information will be referred to as "fine 3D model data." Note that, if a workpiece W for which fine 3D model data has already been generated is newly placed on the stage 32 in step S101, the measuring device 21-2 does not need to perform fine measurement in step S121. Specifically, the operations from step S121 to step S122 for generating fine 3D data do not need to be performed. In this case, the operations from step S123 onward may be performed using the fine 3D data that has already been generated. In this case, the fine 3D data may be generated using 3D-CAD.

[0074] Furthermore, the control device 7 identifies the position of the processing target portion W_target in the stage coordinate system (step S123). Note that the operation of identifying the position of the processing target portion W_target in the stage coordinate system may be performed in the same manner as the operation of identifying the position of the workpiece W in the stage coordinate system (step S116 in FIG. 6), and therefore detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0075] The control device 7 then slices the fine 3D model data at a predetermined slice pitch to create slice data corresponding to the 3D model data of the processing target portion W_target sliced ​​into layers (step S124). Specifically, the control device 7 first specifies a reference removal thickness, which is a parameter indicating the thickness (i.e., the length in the Z-axis direction) of the portion to be removed by one scan of the processing light EL. The reference removal thickness depends on the characteristics of the processing light EL. The characteristics of the processing light EL may include, for example, at least one of the total energy amount of the processing light EL (e.g., the total amount of energy transmitted from the processing light EL to the workpiece W), the energy amount per unit area of ​​the processing light EL (e.g., the amount of energy transmitted from the processing light EL to the workpiece W per unit area, so-called fluence), the energy amount per unit time of the processing light EL (e.g., the amount of energy transmitted from the processing light EL to the workpiece W per unit time), the size of the irradiation area EA irradiated with the processing light EL, and the irradiation time of the processing light EL. The characteristics of the processing light EL may include at least one of the focus position, beam diameter (or spot diameter), and polarization state of the processing light EL. If the processing light EL is pulsed light, the characteristics of the processing light EL may include the number of pulses per unit time. Therefore, the control device 7 specifies the reference removal thickness based on the characteristics of the processing light EL irradiated by the processing device 1. The control device 7 then slices the fine 3D model data at a slice pitch corresponding to the reference removal thickness. As a result, slice data corresponding to 3D model data of multiple layered structure portions SL obtained by slicing the processing target portion W_target in the Z-axis direction is generated. That is, as shown in FIG. 12, which is a cross-sectional view showing the processing target portion W_target and the multiple layered structure portions SL, the control device 7 generates slice data including multiple 3D model data corresponding to the multiple layered structure portions SL that are stacked along the Z-axis direction to form the processing target portion W_target. Note that the multiple layered structure portions SL are virtual in the data.

[0076] Each layered structure portion SL can be considered to correspond to a removed portion that is removed by scanning with the processing light EL while the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the processing device 1 in the Z-axis direction (particularly, the positional relationship between the workpiece W and the focal position of the processing light EL) is fixed. Therefore, the processing device 1 can be considered to sequentially remove multiple layered structure portions SL. Specifically, the processing device 1 first removes a portion corresponding to the uppermost layered structure portion SL#1. Then, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 are moved so that the processing device 1 approaches the workpiece W by the amount of the reference removal thickness. Alternatively, the optical system 12 is controlled so that the focal position of the processing light EL approaches the workpiece W by the amount of the reference removal thickness. Then, the processing device 1 removes a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#2, which is one layer below the layered structure portion SL#1. Similar operations are repeated until all of the portions corresponding to the layered structure portions SL are removed.

[0077] In this case, the slice data may indicate an area within the processing target area TA where removal processing is actually performed in the process of removing each layer structure portion SL. In other words, the slice data may indicate an area within the processing target area TA where removal processing is planned to be performed in the process of removing each layer structure portion SL. The area within the processing target area TA where removal processing is actually performed contains actual portions corresponding to the layer structure portions SL. Therefore, the slice data may indicate an area within the processing target area TA where portions corresponding to each layer structure portion SL that should actually be removed exist at the time of removing the portions corresponding to each layer structure portion SL. The processing light EL is actually irradiated onto the area within the processing target area TA where removal processing is actually performed. On the other hand, the processing light EL is not irradiated onto positions within the processing target area TA where removal processing is not actually performed (i.e., areas where removal processing is not planned). Therefore, the slice data may indicate an area within the processing target area TA where irradiation light EL is actually irradiated during the process of removing each layer structure SL. In other words, the slice data may indicate an area within the processing target area TA where irradiation light EL is planned to be irradiated during the process of removing each layer structure SL. For example, Fig. 13(a) shows an example in which slice data indicates an area within the processing target area TA where removal processing will actually be performed in the process of removing a portion corresponding to layered structure portion SL#1. Fig. 13(b) shows an example in which slice data indicates an area within the processing target area TA where removal processing will actually be performed in the process of removing a portion corresponding to layered structure portion SL#2. Fig. 13(c) shows an example in which slice data indicates an area within the processing target area TA where removal processing will actually be performed in the process of removing a portion corresponding to layered structure portion SL#3. Fig. 13(d) shows an example in which slice data indicates a position within the processing target area TA where removal processing will actually be performed in the process of removing a portion corresponding to layered structure portion SL#n (where n is the number of layered structure portions SL).

[0078] 6 again, thereafter, the control device 7 sets the processing conditions for removing the workpiece W based on the slice data generated in step S124 (step S125). Specifically, the control device 7 sets the processing conditions that determine the operation details of the processing device 1, the stage device 3, and / or the drive system 5 required to properly remove the processing target portion W_target of the workpiece W. Therefore, if the processing device 1, the stage device 3, and / or the drive system 5 operate based on the processing conditions set in step S125, the processing target portion W_target of the workpiece W will be properly removed.

[0079] The processing conditions may include a first condition related to the processing device 1 that processes the workpiece W. The first condition may include a condition related to the characteristics of the processing light EL described above. The first condition may include a condition related to the irradiation position of the processing light EL. The first condition may include a condition related to the irradiation timing of the processing light EL (for example, the timing to turn on the processing light EL and / or the timing to turn off the processing light EL). The first condition may include a condition related to the size and / or shape of the irradiation area EA on the workpiece W. If the processing light EL is pulsed light, the first condition may include a condition related to the pulse frequency. If the processing light EL scans the workpiece W, the first condition may include a condition related to the scanning speed. If the processing light EL is pulsed light and the processing light EL scans the workpiece W, the first condition may include a condition related to the interval (shot interval) between multiple irradiation positions of the processing light EL. If the processing light EL is pulsed light, the first condition may include a condition related to the number of pulses. The first condition may include a condition related to the pulse width (temporal width) if the processing light EL is pulsed light. The first condition may include a condition related to the pitch of the scanning lines if the processing light EL scans the workpiece W along multiple scanning lines. The first condition may include a condition related to the movement of the processing device 1 (in other words, a condition related to the drive system 5 that moves the processing device 1). The condition related to the movement of the processing device 1 may include a condition related to at least one of the movement direction, movement amount, movement speed, and movement timing of the processing device 1.

[0080] The processing conditions may include a second condition related to the stage device 3 on which the workpiece W is placed. The second condition may include a condition related to the movement of the stage 32 (in other words, a condition related to the stage drive system 33 that moves the stage 32). The condition related to the movement of the stage 32 may include a condition related to at least one of the movement direction, movement amount, movement speed, and movement timing of the stage 32. When the processing device 1 and / or the stage 32 move, the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the workpiece W placed on the stage 32 changes. Therefore, the processing conditions may include a condition related to the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the workpiece W. When the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the workpiece W changes, the positional relationship between the processing shot area PSA and the irradiation area EA and the workpiece W changes. Therefore, the processing conditions may include a condition related to the positional relationship between the processing shot area PSA and the irradiation area EA and the workpiece W. The processing conditions may be determined using an initial setting operation described later.

[0081] Thereafter, the processing apparatus 1 starts removing the workpiece W (step S131). Specifically, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 move so that the processing target area TA is positioned within the processing shot area PSA of the processing apparatus 1. In other words, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 move so that the workpiece W moves from the measurement shot area MSA toward the processing shot area PSA. The stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 move so that the workpiece W moves from a position below the measurement device 2 toward a position below the processing apparatus 1. At this time, as described above, the workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32. Thereafter, the control device 7 controls the processing apparatus 1, the stage device 3, and the drive system 5 based on the processing conditions set in step S125 so as to sequentially remove portions corresponding to the multiple layered structure portions SL. As a result, the multiple layered structure portions SL are sequentially removed. 14, which is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the processing target portion W_target is removed, the processing device 1 irradiates the processing light EL to a position in the processing target area TA where the removal processing is actually performed (i.e., a position where the layered structure portion SL exists). As a result, the layered structure portion SL irradiated with the processing light EL is removed.

[0082] The outer edge of the processing shot area PSA may be large enough to encompass the entire processing target area TA. The size of the outer edge of the processing shot area PSA in the XY plane may be larger than or the same as the size of the outer edge of the processing target area TA in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that the processing target area TA is positioned within the processing shot area PSA, the processing apparatus 1 can complete processing of the workpiece W even if the stage 32 and the processing apparatus 1 do not move.

[0083] Alternatively, the outer edge of the processing shot area PSA may be large enough to encompass a portion of the processing target area TA but not encompass another portion of the processing target area TA. The size of the outer edge of the processing shot area PSA in the XY plane may be smaller than the size of the outer edge of the processing target area TA in the XY plane. In this case, after the stage 32 has moved so that a portion of the processing target area TA is located within the processing shot area PSA, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 are repeatedly moved each time the processing device 1 completes removal processing of a portion of a certain layered structure portion SL located within the processing shot area PSA so that other portions of the same layered structure portion SL that have not yet been removed by the processing device 1 are located within the processing shot area PSA. In other words, each time the processing device 1 completes removal processing of a portion of a certain layered structure portion SL located within the processing shot area PSA, the processing shot area PSA is repeatedly moved relative to the workpiece W along at least one of the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0084] In this embodiment, in particular, each time the processing target portion W_target is processed by a desired amount, it may be evaluated whether the removal processing of the processing target portion W_target has been performed appropriately. For example, each time one layer structure portion SL is removed, it may be evaluated whether the removal processing of that layer structure portion SL has been performed appropriately. Alternatively, the evaluation of whether the removal processing of the layer structure portion SL has been performed appropriately may be performed not only at the timing when one layer structure portion SL is removed, but also at any desired timing during the period until the removal processing of the workpiece W is completed. For convenience of explanation, an example will be described below in which the evaluation of whether the removal processing of the layer structure portion SL has been performed appropriately is performed at the timing when one layer structure portion SL is removed.

[0085] 6, the measuring device 21-2 measures the processing target portion W_target each time a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL is removed (step S132). To this end, first, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-2 move so that the processing target area TA (i.e., the processing target portion W_target) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2. That is, the stage 32 moves so that the workpiece W (particularly, the processing target portion W_target) moves from the processing shot area PSA toward the measurement shot area MSA. At this time, as described above, the workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32. Thereafter, the measuring device 21-2 measures the processing target portion W_target. In particular, the measuring device 21-2 measures at least one of the portion of the processing target portion W_target that was actually subjected to removal processing (i.e., the portion irradiated with the processing light EL) and the portion of the processing target portion W_target that was scheduled to be subjected to removal processing (i.e., the portion irradiated with the processing light EL).

[0086] Thereafter, the control device 7 determines whether the amount of processing performed by the processing device 1 is a predetermined or assumed appropriate amount (step S133). In this embodiment, the processing amount is a parameter that indicates the difference between the shape of the processing target portion W_target before removal processing is performed to remove a portion corresponding to a certain layered structure portion SL and the shape of the processing target portion W_target after removal processing is performed to remove a portion corresponding to a certain layered structure portion SL. For example, the processing amount when removing processing a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#1 is a parameter that indicates the difference between the shape of the processing target portion W_target before removal processing is performed to remove a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#1 and the shape of the processing target portion W_target after removal processing is performed to remove a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#1. For example, the processing amount when a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#2 is processed for removal is a parameter indicating the difference between the shape of the processing target portion W_target before the processing for removing the portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#2 is performed (i.e., the shape of the processing target portion W_targetn from which the layered structure portion SL#1 has been removed) and the shape of the processing target portion W_target after the processing for removing the layered structure portion SL#2 has been performed. For example, the processing amount when a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#3 is processed for removal is a parameter indicating the difference between the shape of the processing target portion W_target before the processing for removing the portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#3 is performed (i.e., the shape of the processing target portion W_targetn from which the portions corresponding to the layered structure portions SL#1 and SL#2 have been removed) and the shape of the processing target portion W_target after the processing for removing the portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL#3 has been performed. Fine measurement information indicating the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 before the processing for removal indicates the shape of the processing target portion W_target before the processing for removal. The fine measurement information indicating the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 after the removal processing has been performed indicates the shape of the processing target portion W_target after the removal processing has been performed.Therefore, the control device 7 can calculate the processing amount based on the fine measurement information indicating the measurement result of the measuring device 21-2 before the removal processing is performed and the fine measurement information indicating the measurement result of the measuring device 21-2 after the removal processing is performed. Note that when the processing device 1 performs the removal processing, the processing amount can be referred to as the removal amount.

[0087] The control device 7 may determine whether the amount of processing for a comparison portion, which is a part of the processing target portion W_target, is an appropriate amount of processing that was predetermined or assumed for the comparison portion. In this case, the control device 7 may acquire information about the shape of the comparison portion from fine measurement information before and after removal processing based on information indicating the position of the comparison portion (for example, information indicating the position of the comparison portion in the above-mentioned stage coordinate system), and may calculate the amount of processing for the comparison portion based on the acquired information. In this case, the control device 7 can be said to essentially be determining whether removal processing was correctly performed on a portion that was scheduled to be removed.

[0088] In this embodiment, since the processing device 1 performs the removal processing, the processing amount may be a removal amount that is a parameter related to the portion actually removed by the removal processing. As an example, the processing amount (removal amount) may be an actual removal thickness that indicates the thickness of the portion actually removed by the removal processing. In this case, the control device 7 may determine whether the processing amount is appropriate by comparing the actual removal thickness with the above-mentioned reference removal thickness. For example, if the difference between the actual removal thickness and the reference removal thickness is smaller than a predetermined threshold, the control device 7 may determine that the processing amount is appropriate. For example, if the difference between the actual removal thickness and the reference removal thickness is larger than a predetermined threshold, the control device 7 may determine that the processing amount is inappropriate.

[0089] If the result of the determination in step S133 is that the processing amount is inappropriate (step S133: No), it is assumed that there is a relatively high possibility that the processing conditions that affect the processing amount were inappropriate. Therefore, the control device 7 resets the processing conditions. Specifically, the control device 7 resets the processing conditions based on at least the currently set processing conditions and fine measurement information indicating the measurement results of the processing target portion W_target after the removal processing has been performed (i.e., the fine measurement information acquired in step S132) (step S134). For example, the control device 7 may correct the currently set processing conditions based on the fine measurement information acquired in step S132, and set the corrected processing conditions as new processing conditions. In this case, the control device 7 may correct the currently set processing conditions based on the fine measurement information acquired in step S132.

[0090] On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step S133 is that the machining amount is appropriate (step S133: No), it is assumed that there is a relatively high possibility that the machining conditions that affect the machining amount are appropriate. Therefore, in this case, the control device 7 does not need to reset the machining conditions.

[0091] Thereafter, the operations from step S131 to step S134 are repeated (step S135) until all removal processing of the workpiece W is completed (that is, until all layered structure portions SL are removed). That is, the processing device 1 irradiates the processing target portion W_target measured by the measuring device 21-2 with processing light EL, and removes and processes the processing target portion W_target measured by the measuring device 21-2. Thereafter, the measuring device 21-2 measures the processing target portion W_target processed by the processing device 1. Thereafter, the control device 7 resets the processing conditions as necessary based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2. The above operations are repeated until all removal processing of the workpiece W is completed. As a result, as shown in FIG. 15, which is a cross-sectional view showing the workpiece W after removal processing, the processing target portion W_target (protrusion Wp in the example shown in FIG. 15) is removed from the workpiece W.

[0092] It should be noted that the measuring device 21-2 does not need to measure the processing target portion W_target every time a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL is removed. As an example, the processing target portion W_target may be measured before and after removing and processing the portion corresponding to the uppermost layered structure portion SL#1, to determine whether the processing conditions are appropriate and reset the processing conditions as necessary. After that, it is not necessary to measure the processing target portion W_target every time a portion corresponding to the layered structure portion SL is removed.

[0093] (2-2) Initial setting operation to set the initial values ​​of the machining conditions Next, with reference to FIG. 16, an initial setting operation, which is one of the operations performed by the processing device SYS, will be described. The initial setting operation is an operation for setting initial values ​​(in other words, reference values ​​or default values) of the processing conditions used in the above-described processing operations. In particular, the initial setting operation for setting initial values ​​of the processing conditions related to the characteristics of the processing light EL will be described. FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing the flow of the initial setting operation. Note that the processing system SYS typically performs the initial setting operation before performing the above-described processing operations, but the initial setting operation may also be performed during or after the processing operation is completed. The processing system SYS may perform the initial setting operation between performing one processing operation and performing another processing operation. The processing system SYS may perform the initial setting operation between one period for processing the workpiece W and another period for processing the same workpiece W. Furthermore, if the characteristics of the workpiece W to be processed (e.g., the characteristics of the material constituting the workpiece W) change, the processing conditions may also change. Therefore, after setting the initial values ​​of the machining conditions to be used in the machining operation on one workpiece W, when performing a machining operation on another workpiece W having characteristics different from those of the one workpiece W, the machining system SYS may perform an initial setting operation again to set the initial values ​​of the machining conditions to be used in the machining operation on the other workpiece W. However, the machining system SYS does not necessarily have to perform the initial setting operation.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 16, first, a workpiece W is newly placed on the stage 32 (step S21). The workpiece W placed on the stage 32 in step S21 is different from the workpiece W scheduled to be machined by the above-described machining operation. For example, the workpiece W placed on the stage 32 in step S21 is a test workpiece W used to perform an initial setting operation. For convenience of explanation, the test workpiece W used to perform the initial setting operation will be referred to as a "workpiece Wt" below to distinguish it from the workpiece W scheduled to be machined by the above-described machining operation. However, the workpiece W placed on the stage 32 in step S21 may be the workpiece W itself scheduled to be machined by the above-described machining operation. In other words, the workpiece W scheduled to be machined by the above-described machining operation may be placed on the stage 32 in the initial setting operation.

[0095] Thereafter, the control device 7 sets the processing conditions related to the characteristics of the processing light EL to predetermined provisional conditions (step S22). The provisional conditions may be processing conditions previously determined for the initial setting operation. Alternatively, the provisional conditions may be processing conditions that have actually (already) been used as processing conditions related to the characteristics of the processing light EL at the time the initial setting operation is performed.

[0096] Thereafter, the processing device 1 starts processing the workpiece Wt under the control of the control device 7 (step S23). Specifically, in the initial setting operation, the processing device 1 processes multiple portions of the surface of the workpiece Wt. For convenience of explanation, in the following description, the portions of the surface of the workpiece Wt that are processed in the initial setting operation are referred to as trial processing surfaces. Therefore, the processing device 1 processes each of the multiple trial processing surfaces set on the surface of the workpiece Wt. To this end, first, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 moves so that at least a portion of the multiple trial processing surfaces is positioned within the processing shot area PSA. Then, the processing device 1 irradiates each of the multiple trial processing surfaces with processing light EL to remove the trial processing surface.

[0097] At this time, the focus position of the processing light EL is controlled so that it changes for each test-processed surface. In other words, the focus position of the processing light EL is controlled so that the positional relationship between the focus position of the processing light EL in the Z-axis direction and the surface of the workpiece Wt changes for each test-processed surface. For example, the processing device 1 irradiates the first trial processing surface with processing light EL whose focus position is set to a first position, the second trial processing surface with processing light EL whose focus position is set to a second position (however, the second position is different from the first position along the Z-axis direction), the third trial processing surface with processing light EL whose focus position is set to a third position (however, the third position is different from the first to second positions along the Z-axis direction), ..., the kth trial processing surface (where k is an integer of 2 or more indicating the total number of trial processing surfaces) with processing light EL whose focus position is set to the kth position (however, the kth position is different from the first to k-1th positions along the Z-axis direction). In other words, for example, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the processing light EL onto the first trial processing surface in a state where the positional relationship between the focus position and the surface of the workpiece Wt is a first positional relationship, irradiates the processing light EL onto the second trial processing surface in a state where the positional relationship between the focus position and the surface of the workpiece Wt is a second positional relationship (however, the second positional relationship is different from the first positional relationship), irradiates the processing light EL onto the third trial processing surface in a state where the positional relationship between the focus position and the surface of the workpiece Wt is a third positional relationship (however, the third positional relationship is different from the first to second positional relationships), ... irradiates the processing light EL onto the kth trial processing surface in a state where the positional relationship between the focus position and the surface of the workpiece Wt is a kth positional relationship (however, the kth positional relationship is different from the first to k-1th positional relationships).

[0098] To control the focus position, the processing apparatus 1 may control the focus lens 122. Specifically, the processing apparatus 1 may control the focus position by adjusting the position of at least one lens constituting the focus lens 122 along the optical axis direction. The processing apparatus 1 may control the focus position by moving along the Z-axis direction under the control of the drive system 5. The focus position may be controlled by moving the stage 32 along the Z-axis direction.

[0099] When the focus position changes, the spot diameter of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece W, and therefore the area of ​​the irradiation area EA irradiated with the processing light EL, changes. As a result, the fluence of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece W changes. Note that the fluence means the energy density of the processing light EL per unit area. In this case, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the first test processing surface with processing light EL whose fluence is set to a first fluence value by setting the focus position to a first position, the second test processing surface with processing light EL whose fluence is set to a second fluence value different from the first fluence value by setting the focus position to a second position, the third test processing surface with processing light EL whose fluence is set to a third fluence value different from the first to second fluence values ​​by setting the focus position to a third position, and so on, the kth test processing surface with processing light EL whose fluence is set to a kth fluence value different from the first to k-1th fluence values ​​by setting the focus position to a kth position. Therefore, it can be said that the processing apparatus 1 changes the fluence of the processing light EL for each test processing surface by changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each test processing surface. In other words, the operation of changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each test processing surface is substantially equivalent to the operation of changing the fluence of the processing light EL for each test processing surface.

[0100] On the other hand, the processing apparatus 1 does not need to change the characteristics of the processing light EL other than the focus position for each test processing surface (i.e., they may be fixed). For example, the processing apparatus 1 may irradiate each of the first to kth test processing surfaces with processing light EL having the same characteristics other than the focus position. As long as the characteristics other than the focus position do not change, the total energy of the processing light EL (i.e., the total amount of energy transmitted from the processing light EL to the workpiece Wt) will not change even if the focus position changes. Therefore, by changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each test processing surface while fixing the characteristics of the processing light EL other than the focus position, the processing apparatus 1 can be said to change the fluence of the processing light EL for each test processing surface while fixing the total energy of the processing light EL. In other words, the operation of changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each test processing surface while fixing the characteristics of the processing light EL other than the focus position is substantially equivalent to the operation of changing the fluence of the processing light EL for each test processing surface while fixing the total energy of the processing light EL. Furthermore, when the processing light EL is pulsed light, the processing device 1 may take into account the irradiation interval (or irradiation pitch), which is the interval (or pitch) on the workpiece W between multiple irradiation areas EA formed by different pulsed light. When the focus position changes, the size (spot diameter) of the irradiation area EA changes, and therefore the overlap rate between multiple irradiation areas EA formed by different pulsed light changes. Since a change in the overlap rate may change the processing efficiency, other conditions (for example, the scanning speed of the irradiation area EA and the frequency of the pulsed light) may be adjusted when the focus position is changed so that the overlap rate remains the same.

[0101] After the processing of the plurality of trial processed surfaces is completed, the measuring device 21-2 measures the workpiece Wt (step S24). In particular, the measuring device 21-2 measures the shapes of the plurality of trial processed surfaces of the workpiece Wt processed in step S23 (step S24). For this purpose, first, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21-2 move so that at least a portion of the processed trial processed surfaces is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21-2. In other words, the stage 32 moves so that the portion of the workpiece W where at least a portion of the plurality of trial processed surfaces exists moves from the processing shot area PSA toward the measurement shot area MSA. At this time, as described above, the workpiece Wt may remain placed on the stage 32. Then, the measuring device 21-2 measures the shapes of the plurality of trial processed surfaces.

[0102] Thereafter, the control device 7 identifies the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 in step S24 (step S25). Specifically, the control device 7 can identify the processing amount (e.g., the actual removal thickness corresponding to the thickness of the actually removed portion) for each of the multiple test processing surfaces based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 in step S24. As a result, the control device 7 can identify the relationship between the focus position of the processing light EL irradiated onto each test processing surface and the processing amount, as shown in FIG. 17, which is a plot diagram in which the processing amount is plotted against the focus position. Note that the circles in FIG. 17 correspond to plot points in which the processing amount identified based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21-2 is plotted in correspondence with the focus position. Therefore, the control device 7 can identify the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized. Here, the focus position can be the position in the Z-axis direction of the focal point of the processing light EL (the position in the Z-axis direction at which the cross-sectional area of ​​the processing light EL in a plane intersecting the Z axis is smallest). Note that in FIG. 17, the horizontal axis may be replaced with fluence. Furthermore, when the processing light EL is pulsed light, if the number of pulses (number of irradiations) varies depending on the conditions, normalization may be performed using the number of irradiations or the total energy amount. Note that in this case, normalization may also be performed using the pulse energy per pulse of light.

[0103] In FIG. 17, the focus position is expressed using the distance from the surface of the workpiece Wt in the Z-axis direction. A focus position that is farther from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side is expressed using a positive distance, and a focus position that is farther from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side is expressed using a negative distance. As shown in FIG. 17, the processing amount is not necessarily maximized when the focus position coincides with the surface of the workpiece Wt (i.e., when the spot diameter of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece Wt is smallest). For example, as shown in FIG. 17, the processing amount takes a minimum value when the focus position coincides with the surface of the workpiece Wt. For example, the processing amount takes a maximum value when the focus position is a first distance DF1 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. For example, the processing amount takes a maximum value when the focus position is a second distance DF2 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side. In this case, the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized is at least one of the focus position that is the first distance DF1 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side and the focus position that is the second distance DF2 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. However, the processing amount may not reach its maximum value when the focus position is a first distance DF1 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. The processing amount may not reach its maximum value when the focus position is a second distance DF2 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side. Furthermore, the processing amount may reach its maximum value when the focus position coincides with the surface of the workpiece Wt.

[0104] When identifying the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized, the control device 7 may calculate an approximation curve showing the relationship between the focus position and the processing amount, and identify the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized based on the approximation curve, as shown in FIG. 18, which is a graph showing the relationship between the focus position and the processing amount using an approximation curve. In this case, the control device 7 may identify a focus position (e.g., a focus position between adjacent plots) different from the focus position actually used when the processing light EL was irradiated onto the test processing surface as the focus position at which the processing amount is maximized. In the example shown in FIG. 18, the processing amount indicated by the approximation curve reaches its maximum value when the focus position is a third distance DF3 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. The third distance DF3 may or may not coincide with the first distance DF1 described above. Furthermore, in the example shown in FIG. 18, the processing amount indicated by the approximation curve reaches its maximum value when the focus position is a fourth distance DF4 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side. The fourth distance DF4 may or may not coincide with the second distance DF2 described above. In this case, the focus position at which the processing amount is maximum will be at least one of the focus position that is a third distance DF3 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side and the focus position that is a fourth distance DF4 away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. The control device 7 may also identify the focus position at which the light intensity is maximum without calculating an approximation curve showing the relationship between the focus position and the processing amount. In this case, for example, the focus position at which the processing amount is maximum among the focus positions actually used when the processing light EL was irradiated onto the test processing surface may be identified as the focus position.

[0105] Experiments conducted by the inventors of the present application have revealed that the likelihood of achieving the maximum machining amount when the focus position is farther away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side is higher than the likelihood of achieving the maximum machining amount when the focus position is farther away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side. Therefore, when changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each trial processing surface, the processing apparatus 1 may change the focus position only in the range on the -Z side of the surface of the workpiece Wt. When changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each trial processing surface, the processing apparatus 1 may not change the focus position so that the focus position is not located in the range on the +Z side of the surface of the workpiece Wt. That is, as shown in FIG. 19, a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the focus position and the surface of the workpiece Wt, the processing apparatus 1 may change the focus position in the range behind (i.e., farther from) the surface of the workpiece Wt as viewed from the processing apparatus 1. The processing apparatus 1 may also change the focus position so that the focus position is not located in the range on the near side (i.e., closer to) the surface of the workpiece Wt as viewed from the processing apparatus 1. As a result, the time required to process the trial processing surface can be reduced compared to when the focus position is changed in both the -Z range from the surface of the workpiece Wt and the +Z range from the surface of the workpiece Wt. However, in some cases, the processing amount may be greatest when the focus position is set at a position away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the +Z side, rather than when the focus position is set at a position away from the surface of the workpiece Wt on the -Z side. Therefore, when changing the focus position of the processing light EL for each trial processing surface, the processing device 1 may change the focus position in the +Z range from the surface of the workpiece Wt and / or in the -Z range from the surface of the workpiece Wt.

[0106] 16 again, the control device 7 then calculates the fluence achieved by the focus position identified in step S25 (step S26). That is, the control device 7 calculates the fluence of the processing light EL when the focus position is set to the focus position identified in step S25 (step S26). Specifically, the control device 7 calculates the fluence based on the total energy amount of the processing light EL determined from the output of the light source 11, etc. (if the processing light EL is pulsed light, the energy amount per pulse) and the spot diameter of the processing light EL determined from the focus position (i.e., the spot diameter (spot area) on the surface of the workpiece Wt). More specifically, the control device 7 calculates the fluence by dividing the total energy amount of the processing light EL determined from the output of the light source 11, etc. by the spot diameter (spot area) of the processing light EL determined from the focus position. The fluence calculated in step S26 corresponds to the fluence that can maximize the processing amount. That is, the fluence calculated in step S26 corresponds to the fluence at which the processing efficiency (specifically, the processing amount per unit energy amount) is maximized. Hereinafter, the fluence calculated in step S26 will be referred to as the "calculated fluence." The fluence specified in step S26 becomes the initial value of the fluence of the processing light EL.

[0107] Thereafter, the control device 7 determines the spot diameter of the processing light EL, which is one of the processing conditions related to the characteristics of the processing light EL, based on the processing content actually desired to be performed in the processing operation performed following the initial setting operation (step S27). For example, the smaller the spot diameter of the processing light EL, the finer the processing possible in the processing operation. Therefore, the control device 7 may determine the spot diameter of the processing light EL based on the fineness of the processing desired to be achieved in the processing operation. The spot diameter determined in step S27 becomes the initial value of the spot diameter of the processing light EL.

[0108] Thereafter, the control device 7 sets an initial value of the total energy amount of the processing light EL (the energy amount per pulse if the processing light EL is pulsed light) based on the calculated fluence identified in step S26 and the spot diameter determined in step S27 (step S28). Specifically, the control device 7 sets the value obtained by multiplying the calculated fluence identified in step S26 by the spot diameter determined in step S27 as the initial value of the total energy amount of the processing light EL. In this case, it can be said that the control device 7 sets the initial value of the total energy amount of the processing light EL so that the fluence of the processing light EL becomes the calculated fluence identified in step S26 when the processing light EL having the spot diameter determined in step S27 is irradiated onto the workpiece W. In other words, it can be said that the control device 7 sets the initial value of the total energy amount of the processing light EL so that the processing efficiency (specifically, the processing amount per unit energy amount) when processing the workpiece W using the processing light EL having the spot diameter determined in step S27 is maximized.

[0109] Once the initial value of the total energy amount of the processing light EL is determined, the initial values ​​of the output of the light source 11 and the like are also determined according to the total energy amount. Thereafter, the control device 7 may set processing conditions related to other characteristics of the processing light EL, if necessary, based on the set initial values ​​(specifically, the initial value of the fluence, the initial value of the spot diameter, and the initial value of the total energy amount).

[0110] Incidentally, even in this initial setting operation, the workpiece Wt may remain placed on the stage 32 between the measurement of the workpiece Wt by the measuring device 21 and the processing of the workpiece Wt by the processing device 1.

[0111] (2-3) Temperature drift reduction operation Next, a temperature drift reduction operation, which is one of the operations performed by the processing apparatus SYS, will be described. The temperature drift reduction operation is an operation for reducing the influence of temperature drift, which is a phenomenon in which the measurement accuracy of the measuring apparatus 21 fluctuates due to the temperature (in other words, heat) of the measuring apparatus 21. Typically, when the temperature of the measuring apparatus 21 rises with continued use of the measuring apparatus 2, the measurement accuracy of the measuring apparatus 21 deteriorates. For example, a temperature drift component, which is an error component due to the temperature of the measuring apparatus 21, is superimposed on the measurement results of the measuring apparatus 21. The temperature drift reduction operation is an operation for reducing the deterioration of the measurement accuracy of the measuring apparatus 21 due to the superposition of such temperature drift components. In this embodiment, a temperature drift reduction operation for reducing the deterioration of the measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction (specifically, reducing the influence of the temperature drift component in the Z-axis direction) will be described as an example of a temperature drift reduction operation.

[0112] The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation before the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation after the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation during the period in which the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation between performing one machining operation and performing another machining operation. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation between one period in which the workpiece W is machined and another period in which the same workpiece W is machined. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation before the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation after the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation during the period in which the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation every time the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation every time a certain amount of time has elapsed since starting to use the measuring device 21. The machining system SYS may perform the temperature drift reduction operation every time the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W a certain number of times. However, the machining system SYS does not necessarily have to perform the temperature drift reduction operation.

[0113] In this embodiment, the processing system SYS may perform at least one of the first temperature drift reduction operation to the third temperature drift reduction operation as the temperature drift reduction operation. The first temperature drift reduction operation to the third temperature drift reduction operation will be described below in order.

[0114] (2-3-1) First temperature drift reduction operation First, the first temperature drift reducing operation will be described with reference to Fig. 20. Fig. 20 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first temperature drift reducing operation.

[0115] 20, first, measurement device 21 measures Z reference plane BSz (step S311). Specifically, stage 32 and / or measurement device 21 move so that the entire Z reference plane BSz (or, in some cases, a portion thereof) is positioned within measurement shot area MSA of measurement device 21. Thereafter, measurement device 21 measures Z reference plane BSz.

[0116] The Z reference plane BSz may be, for example, a part of the surface of the stage 32. For example, as shown in FIG. 21(a), a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the stage device 3, and FIG. 21(b), a plan view showing the top surface of the stage device 3, the Z reference plane BSz may be at least a part of the outer peripheral surface 323 of the surface of the stage 32, which is located around the mounting surface 321 on which the workpiece W is placed. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 22(a), a cross-sectional view showing a cross section of the stage device 3, and FIG. 22(b), a plan view showing the top surface of the stage device 3, the Z reference plane BSz may be a part of the surface of the base 31. Alternatively, the Z reference plane BSz may be a part of the surface of another member.

[0117] Before or after measuring the Z reference plane BSz, the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W (step S312). Specifically, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21 move so that the entire workpiece W (or, in some cases, a portion thereof) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21. Thereafter, the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. Note that the operation of step S312 may be performed as at least a part of the measurement operation of the workpiece W in the above-described processing operation (step S111 or S121 in FIG. 6). Therefore, when performing the first temperature drift reduction operation, the processing system SYS may perform the operation of step S311 in FIG. 20 (i.e., measurement of the Z reference plane BSz) before or after each of the operations of steps S111 and S121 in FIG. 6.

[0118] Thereafter, the control device 7 calculates the position of the workpiece W (particularly, the position in the Z-axis direction) based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz and the measurement results of the workpiece W (step S313). Note that the operation of step S313 may be performed as part of the operation of generating three-dimensional model data in the above-mentioned machining operation (step S114 or S122 in FIG. 6) and the operation of identifying the position of the workpiece W or the machining target area TA (step S115 or S123 in FIG. 6).

[0119] Specifically, the control device 7 calculates the position (i.e., height) of the Z reference plane BSz in the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz. Furthermore, the control device 7 calculates the position (i.e., height) of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the workpiece W. A temperature drift component is superimposed on both the calculated position of the Z reference plane BSz and the position of the workpiece W. In this case, the temperature drift component is no longer superimposed on the difference between the position of the workpiece W and the position of the Z reference plane BSz. In other words, no drift component is superimposed on the relative position of the workpiece W with respect to the Z reference plane BSz. This is because, when the position of the reference plane BSz is subtracted from the position Z of the workpiece W, the temperature drift component superimposed on the position of the Z reference plane BSz and the temperature drift component superimposed on the position of the workpiece W cancel each other out. Therefore, the control device 7 calculates the relative position of the workpiece W with respect to the Z reference plane BSz in the Z-axis direction based on the positions of the Z reference plane BSz and the workpiece W. In the subsequent processing, the control system SYS uses information about the relative position of the workpiece W with respect to the Z reference plane BSz in the Z axis direction as information about the position of the workpiece W in the Z axis direction, instead of information about the position of the workpiece W in the Z axis direction calculated from the measurement results of the workpiece W. As a result, the machining system SYS can perform machining operations without being affected by temperature drift components. For example, as shown in FIG. 23, which is a graph showing the time progression of the position of the workpiece W in the Z axis direction calculated by the control device 7, the position of the workpiece W calculated when the first temperature drift reduction operation is performed (solid line) does not or is less likely to have drift components superimposed thereon, compared to the position of the workpiece W calculated when the temperature drift reduction operation is not performed (see dotted line).

[0120] The machining system SYS may perform a first temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in a direction different from the Z-axis direction (for example, at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction) by performing an operation similar to the first temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction. However, in this case, the control device 7 may calculate the position of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane) in a direction different from the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane), calculate the position of the workpiece W in a direction different from the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the workpiece W, and calculate the relative position of the workpiece W with respect to the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane) in the direction different from the Z-axis direction.

[0121] (2-3-2) Second temperature drift reduction operation Next, the second temperature drift reduction operation will be described with reference to Fig. 24. Fig. 24 is a flowchart showing the flow of the second temperature drift reduction operation. Note that the same operations as those performed in the first temperature drift reduction operation described above are assigned the same step numbers and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0122] As shown in FIG. 24, first, the measuring device 21 measures the Z reference plane BSz (step S311).

[0123] Thereafter, in the second temperature drift reduction operation, the control device 7 estimates the temperature drift component superimposed on the measurement result of the measuring device 21 based on the measurement result of the Z reference plane BSz (step S321). Note that the operation of step S321 may be performed as part of the operation of generating three-dimensional model data in the above-mentioned machining operation (step S114 or S122 in FIG. 6) and the operation of identifying the position of the workpiece W or the machining target area TA (step S115 or S123 in FIG. 6).

[0124] Specifically, in the second temperature drift reduction operation, the Z reference plane BSz is assumed to be at least a portion of the surface of a component whose position in the Z-axis direction is known to the control device 7. Furthermore, the Z reference plane BSz is assumed to be at least a portion of the surface of a component whose position in the Z-axis direction does not fluctuate (or fluctuates very little). An example of a component that satisfies this condition is the surface plate 31. The surface plate 31 may be formed of a low-thermal expansion ceramic component or a low-thermal expansion glass component. When the Z reference plane BSz that satisfies this condition is used, the design position of the Z reference plane BSz is already known to the control device 7. Therefore, if the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 21 does not vary due to the temperature of the measurement device 21, the position of the Z reference plane BSz calculated from the measurement results of the measurement device 21 should match the design position. On the other hand, if the position of the Z reference plane BSz calculated from the measurement results of the measurement device 21 does not match the design position, there is a relatively high possibility that the position of the Z reference plane BSz calculated from the measurement results of the measurement device 21 is affected by temperature drift. In this case, there is a relatively high possibility that the difference between the position of the Z reference plane BSz calculated from the measurement results of the measurement device 21 and the design position corresponds to the temperature drift component. Therefore, the control device 7 first calculates the position of the Z reference plane BSz in the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz. Then, the control device 7 calculates the difference between the calculated position of the Z reference plane BSz and the design position of the Z reference plane BSz. The calculated difference is used as an estimate of the temperature drift component.

[0125] Before or after measuring the Z reference plane BSz, the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W (step S312). As an example, the measuring device 21 may measure the Z reference plane BSz before and after measuring the workpiece W. In this case, the temperature drift component may be estimated as the temperature drift component between the time when the Z reference plane BSz was measured before measuring the workpiece W and the time when the Z reference plane BSz was measured after measuring the workpiece W. Thereafter, the control device 7 corrects the measurement result of the workpiece W based on the temperature drift component estimated in step S321 (step S322). Note that the operation of step S322 may be performed as part of the operation of generating three-dimensional model data in the above-mentioned machining operation (step S114 or S122 in FIG. 6) and the operation of identifying the position of the workpiece W or the machining target area TA (step S115 or S123 in FIG. 6).

[0126] Specifically, the control device 7 calculates the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the workpiece W. The calculated position of the workpiece W here is superimposed with a temperature drift component. Therefore, the control device 7 subtracts the temperature drift component estimated in step S321 from the calculated position of the workpiece W. In other words, the control device 7 removes the temperature drift component estimated in step S321 from the calculated position of the workpiece W. As a result, as shown in FIG. 25, which is a graph schematically showing the distribution of the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction in the XY plane, the control device 7 can obtain information about the position of the workpiece W without the temperature drift component being superimposed. In subsequent processing, the control system SYS uses the information about the position of the workpiece W from which the temperature drift component has been subtracted as information about the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction, instead of information about the position of the workpiece W calculated from the measurement results of the workpiece W. As a result, the machining system SYS can perform machining operations without being affected by the temperature drift component.

[0127] The machining system SYS may perform a second temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in the measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in a direction other than the Z-axis direction (e.g., at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction) by performing an operation similar to the second temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in the measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction. In this case, however, the position of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane) in a direction other than the Z-axis direction is known to the control device 7, and the position of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane) is a plane whose position does not fluctuate (or whose position fluctuates very little) in a direction other than the Z-axis direction. Furthermore, the control device 7 may calculate the position of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane) in a direction other than the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane), estimate a temperature drift component (particularly, a temperature drift component in a direction other than the Z-axis direction) based on the measurement results of the Z reference plane BSz (or any other reference plane), and correct the measurement results of the workpiece W based on the estimated temperature drift component.

[0128] (2-3-3) Third temperature drift reduction operation Next, the third temperature drift reduction operation will be described with reference to Fig. 26. Fig. 26 is a flowchart showing the flow of the third temperature drift reduction operation. Note that the same operations as those performed in the first or second temperature drift reduction operation described above are assigned the same step numbers and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0129] As shown in FIG. 26, first, the control device 7 acquires temperature information regarding the temperature of the measuring device 21 (step S331). For example, the control device 7 may acquire temperature information from a temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the measuring device 21. For example, the control device 7 may estimate the temperature of the measuring device 21 from the operating state of the measuring device 21. Note that, for example, the operating time (the time during which the power is on) may be used as the operating state of the measuring device 21. The control device may also estimate the temperature of the measuring device 21 from the operating state of equipment related to the measuring device 21. An example of equipment related to the measuring device 21 is equipment that controls the temperature of the measuring device 21 itself.

[0130] Thereafter, the control device 7 estimates the temperature drift component based on the temperature information acquired in step S331 (step S332). Specifically, considering that the temperature drift component is generated due to an increase in the temperature of the measuring device 21, the temperature drift component is relatively likely to be correlated with the temperature of the measuring device 21. Therefore, the control device 7 can estimate the temperature drift component based on the temperature information. For example, the control device 7 may estimate the temperature drift component based on temperature information and correlation information indicating the correlation between the temperature drift component and the temperature of the measuring device 21.

[0131] Before or after the operations of steps S331 to S332, the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W (step S312). Therefore, when performing the third temperature drift reduction operation, the machining system SYS may perform the operations of steps S331 to S332 in Fig. 26 (i.e., the operation of estimating the temperature drift component) before or after the operations of steps S111 and S121 in Fig. 6, respectively.

[0132] Thereafter, in the third temperature drift reduction operation, as in the second temperature drift reduction operation, the control device 7 corrects the measurement result of the workpiece W based on the temperature drift component estimated in step S332 (step S322). As a result, the machining system SYS can perform the machining operation without being affected by the temperature drift component.

[0133] The machining system SYS may perform a third temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in a direction different from the Z-axis direction (for example, at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction) by performing an operation similar to the third temperature drift reduction operation to reduce deterioration in measurement accuracy of the position of the workpiece W in the Z-axis direction. In other words, the control device 7 may estimate a temperature drift component in a direction different from the Z-axis direction based on temperature information, and correct the measurement result of the workpiece W based on the estimated temperature drift component.

[0134] (2-4) Tilt measurement operation Next, a tilt measurement operation, which is one of the operations performed by the processing system SYS, will be described. The tilt measurement operation is an operation for measuring the tilt amounts (particularly the tilt amounts in the θX direction and the θY direction) of the processing system 1 and the measuring system 2 relative to the stage 32. However, the processing system SYS does not necessarily have to perform the tilt measurement operation.

[0135] (2-4-1) Technical issues caused by tilt First, with reference to FIGS. 27(a) to 27(d), a technical problem that occurs when the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are each inclined relative to the stage 32 will be described.

[0136] FIG. 27(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the measurement device 2 tilted with respect to the stage 32. Note that if the measurement device 2 includes multiple measurement devices 21, the tilt of the measurement device 2 with respect to the stage 32 may refer to the tilt of each measurement device 21 with respect to the stage 32. The state in which the measurement device 2 is tilted with respect to the stage 32 may include a state in which the measurement device 2 is tilted. The state in which the measurement device 2 is tilted may include a state in which the measurement device 2 is tilted with respect to the designed arrangement of the measurement device 2. The state in which the measurement device 2 is tilted with respect to the stage 32 may include a state in which the stage 32 is tilted with respect to the designed arrangement of the stage 32. For example, if the designed arrangement of the stage 32 is such that the mounting surface 321 of the stage 32 is a plane parallel to the XY plane, the state in which the stage 32 is tilted may include a state in which the mounting surface 321 is tilted with respect to the XY plane.

[0137] FIG. 27(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the shape of the workpiece W calculated from the measurement results of the measuring device 2 under the conditions shown in FIG. 27(a). As shown in FIG. 27(b), when the measuring device 2 is inclined with respect to the stage 32 (or conversely, when the stage 32 is inclined with respect to the measuring device 2), the shape of the workpiece W calculated by the control device 7 from the measurement results of the measuring device 2 differs from the original shape of the workpiece W. For example, in the example shown in FIGS. 27(a) and 27(b), although the original shape of the workpiece W is such that the surface of the workpiece W is parallel to the mounting surface 321 of the stage 32, the shape of the workpiece W calculated from the measurement results of the measuring device 2 is such that the surface of the workpiece W is inclined with respect to the mounting surface 321 of the stage 32. This is because the inclination of the measuring device 2 is not taken into consideration. In other words, although the original shape of the workpiece W is such that the surface of the workpiece W is parallel to the XY plane, the shape of the workpiece W calculated from the measurement results of the measuring device 2 is such that the surface of the workpiece W is inclined with respect to the XY plane.

[0138] In this situation, assume that the workpiece W is subjected to removal processing so that its surface is parallel to the XY plane. In this case, because the surface of the workpiece W before processing is parallel to the XY plane, the target processing portion W_target, which has a constant thickness, is the portion to be removed by the removal processing, as shown in FIG. 27(a). However, if the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32, the control device 7 erroneously recognizes that the surface of the workpiece W before processing is tilted relative to the XY plane, as shown in FIG. 27(b). As a result, as shown in FIG. 27(b), the target processing portion W_target, whose thickness varies along the XY plane, is set as the portion to be removed by the removal processing. As a result, as shown in FIG. 27(c), which is a cross-sectional view of the workpiece W being processed by the processing device 1 when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32, the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W so that the removal amount (e.g., the actual removal thickness) varies along the XY plane, even though the processing should be performed so that the removal amount is constant along the XY plane. Therefore, although the surface of the workpiece W after machining should be parallel to the XY plane, the surface of the workpiece W after machining ends up tilting relative to the XY plane.

[0139] Therefore, in this embodiment, the machining system SYS performs a tilt measurement operation to measure the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32. Furthermore, based on the measured tilt amount, the machining system SYS performs a machining operation to machine the workpiece W even when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32 in the same manner as when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32. For example, the control device 7 may correct the measurement results of the measuring device 2 based on the measured tilt amount to eliminate the influence of the tilt of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32. As an example, the control device 7 may correct the measurement results of the measuring device 2 when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32 so that the measurement results of the measuring device 2 when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32 match the measurement results of the measuring device 2 when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32. For example, based on the measured tilt amount, the control device 7 may move the measuring device 2 using the drive system 6 and / or move the stage 32 using the stage drive system 33 so that the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32. For example, the control device 7 may set the processing target portion W_target based on the measured tilt amount so as to eliminate the influence of the tilt of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32 (for example, may set the processing target area TA). As an example, the control device 7 may set the processing target portion W_target so that the processing target portion W_target set when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32 matches the processing target portion W_target set when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32. For example, the control device 7 may control the processing device 1 based on the measured tilt amount so as to eliminate the influence of the tilt of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32. As an example, the control device 7 may control the processing device 1 so that the portion to be processed by the processing device 1 when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32 matches the portion to be processed by the processing device 1 when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32. The control of the processing device 1 may include at least one of control of the position of the processing device 1 (i.e., control of the drive system 5 that moves the processing device 1), control of the optical system 12, and control of the optical system 14 (particularly, control of the galvanometer mirror 141).As a result, as shown in Figure 27(d), which is a cross-sectional view showing the workpiece W that has been machined to eliminate the effect of the inclination of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32, even when the measuring device 2 is inclined relative to the stage 32, the processing device 1 can process the workpiece W so that the amount of processing (e.g., the amount of actual removal thickness) is constant in the direction along the XY plane.

[0140] Furthermore, although detailed description will be omitted for the sake of simplicity, even when the processing apparatus 1 is inclined relative to the stage 32, as in the case where the measuring device 2 is inclined relative to the stage 32, the processing apparatus 1 may process the workpiece W in a manner different from the intended processing manner due to the inclination of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32. For this reason, in this embodiment, the processing system SYS performs a tilt measurement operation to measure the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32. Furthermore, based on the measured tilt amount, the processing system SYS processes the workpiece W in the same manner as when the processing apparatus 1 is not inclined relative to the stage 32, even when the processing apparatus 1 is inclined relative to the stage 32. For example, the control device 7 may control the processing apparatus 1 to eliminate the influence of the inclination of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 based on the measured tilt amount. As an example, the control device 7 may control the processing apparatus 1 so that the portion processed by the processing apparatus 1 when the processing apparatus 1 is inclined relative to the stage 32 coincides with the portion processed by the processing apparatus 1 when the processing apparatus 1 is not inclined relative to the stage 32. As a result, even when the processing device 1 is inclined with respect to the stage 32, the processing device 1 can properly process the workpiece W in the processing manner that it should be processed.

[0141] The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation before the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement reduction operation after the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation during the period in which the above-described machining operation is performed. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation between performing a certain machining operation and performing another machining operation. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation between a period in which the workpiece W is machined and another period in which the same workpiece W is machined. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation before the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation after the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation during the period in which the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W. The machining system SYS may perform a tilt measurement operation every time a certain amount of time has elapsed since the machining system SYS began to be used.

[0142] Below, the first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32 and the second tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the processing device 1 relative to the stage 32 will be described in order.

[0143] (2-4-2) First tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measurement device 2 relative to the stage 32 First, with reference to FIG. 28 , a first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32 will be described. FIG. 28 is a flowchart showing the flow of the first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32. Note that if the measuring device 2 includes multiple measuring devices 21, the first tilt measurement operation may be performed for each measuring device 21. For example, if the measuring device 2 includes measuring devices 21-1 and 21-2, a first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measuring device 21-1 relative to the stage 32 and a first tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the measuring device 21-2 relative to the stage 32 may be performed separately. Alternatively, if the measuring device 2 includes multiple measuring devices 21, the first tilt measurement operation may be performed for a specific measuring device 21. In this case, the tilt amount measured by the first tilt measurement operation may be used not only as the tilt amount of the measuring device 21 for which the first tilt measurement operation was actually performed, but also as the tilt amounts of the other measuring devices 21. In other words, the tilt amount measured by the first tilt measurement operation may be used as the tilt amount of each of the multiple measurement devices 2.

[0144] As shown in FIG. 28, first, a reference member BM is newly placed on the stage 32 (step S411). The reference member BM is a member on whose surface a predetermined pattern is formed, which is used to measure the tilt amount of the measurement device 2 relative to the stage 32. An example of such a reference member BM is shown in FIG. 29 and FIGS. 30(a) and 30(b). For example, the reference member BM may be a reference member BM1 on whose surface (particularly, a surface along the XY plane) a dot pattern DP of any shape is formed regularly, as shown in FIG. 29, which is a plan view showing a reference member BM1, which is an example of a reference member BM. Note that FIG. 29 shows an example of a reference member BM1 on which a rectangular dot pattern DP is formed in a matrix (i.e., regularly in each of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction, in other words, at a predetermined period in the X-axis and the Y-axis directions). The reference member BM1 may also be referred to as a pattern reticle. For example, the reference member BM may be a reference member BM2 having multiple block patterns BP formed on its surface (particularly, a surface along the XY plane), as shown in FIG. 30(a), a plan view showing a reference member BM2 as an example of the reference member BM, and FIG. 30(b), a cross-sectional view showing the reference member BM2. The multiple block patterns BP may be integrated with the reference member BM2 or may be detachable from the reference member BM2. The multiple block patterns BP may include multiple block patterns BP1 having different sizes in any direction along the XY plane (the X-axis direction in the example shown in FIG. 30(a)). The multiple block patterns BP may also include multiple block patterns BP2 having different sizes in a direction intersecting the XY plane (the Z-axis direction in the example shown in FIG. 30(b)). In other words, the multiple block patterns BP may include multiple block patterns BP2 having different heights in a direction intersecting the XY plane (the Z-axis direction in the example shown in FIG. 30(b)). In the example shown in FIG. 30(b), the block pattern BP2 has a shape that protrudes from the reference member BM2, but it may have a shape that is engraved into the reference member BM2.

[0145] Furthermore, a block gauge with a controlled thickness or a glass member with uniform flatness can be used as the reference member BM.

[0146] 28 again, the measuring device 21 then measures the reference member BM (step S412). Specifically, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21 move so that the entirety (or, in some cases, a portion) of the reference member BM is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21. Alternatively, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21 may move so that the entirety (or, in some cases, a portion) of a predetermined pattern formed on the reference member BM is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21. The measuring device 21 then measures the reference member BM. In particular, the measuring device 21 measures the pattern formed on the reference member BM (that is, the predetermined pattern used to measure the tilt amount of the measuring device 2).

[0147] Thereafter, the control device 7 calculates the tilt amount of the measuring device 21 relative to the stage 32 (particularly, the tilt amount of the measuring device 21 in each of the θX direction and the θY direction) based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21 (step S413). For example, the control device 7 identifies the position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the reference member BM based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21. Thereafter, the control device 7 calculates the tilt amount of the measuring device 21 relative to the stage 32 based on the difference between the designed position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the reference member BM (i.e., the position and / or shape of the pattern that would be identified from the measurement results of the measuring device 2 if the measuring device 21 were not tilted relative to the stage 32) and the actually identified position and / or shape of the pattern. As described above, the calculated tilt amount is used as a parameter for operating the machining system SYS so that the workpiece W can be machined in the same way as when the measuring device 2 is not tilted relative to the stage 32, even when the measuring device 2 is tilted relative to the stage 32. Furthermore, the control device 7 may calculate the tilt amount of the stage 32 itself (particularly, the tilt amount of the stage 32 in each of the θX direction and the θY direction) based on the measurement results of the measurement device 21.

[0148] Depending on the pattern formed on the reference member BM, the control device 7 can calculate at least one of the tilt amount of the measurement device 21 in the θZ direction and the offset amount of the position of the measurement device 21 in the Z-axis direction (i.e., the offset amount of the position of the measurement device 21 from the reference position in the Z-axis direction) based on the measurement results of the measurement device 21. For example, when a reference member BM2 on which a dot pattern DP is regularly formed as shown in FIG. 29 is used, the control device 7 can calculate the tilt amount of the measurement device 21 in the θZ direction based on the measurement results of the measurement device 21. For example, when a reference member BM2 on which a plurality of block patterns BP2 with different heights in a direction intersecting the XY plane are formed as shown in FIG. 30(b) is used, the control device 7 can calculate the offset amount of the position of the measurement device 21 in the Z-axis direction based on the measurement results of the measurement device 21. In this case, the tilt amount of the measuring device 21 in the θZ direction may be used as a parameter for operating the machining system SYS so that even when the measuring device 21 is tilted in the θZ direction with respect to the stage 32, the workpiece W can be machined in the same way as when the measuring device 21 is not tilted in the θZ direction with respect to the stage 32. The offset amount of the position of the measuring device 2 in the Z-axis direction may be used as a parameter for operating the machining system SYS so that even when an offset of the measuring device 21 occurs in the Z-axis direction, the workpiece W can be machined in the same way as when no offset of the measuring device 21 occurs in the Z-axis direction.

[0149] Furthermore, depending on the pattern formed on the reference member BM, the control device 7 can calculate parameters related to the shape of the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement device 21. The parameters related to the shape of the measurement shot area MSA may include at least one of, for example, the degree of distortion of the measurement shot area MSA, the magnification of the measurement shot area MSA (for example, the magnification of the actual size of the measurement shot area MSA relative to the designed size of the measurement shot area MSA), and the curvature of the measurement shot area MSA (for example, the curvature of the measurement shot area MSA relative to a surface along the XY plane). Here, the measurement shot area MSA may be a three-dimensional area. Note that the degree of distortion of the measurement shot area MSA may be expressed as the difference between the XY position actually measured and the XY position when there is no error, or the difference between the Z position actually measured and the Z position when there is no error, in the XYZ coordinate system in which the measurement shot area MSA is defined. Furthermore, the curvature of the measurement shot area MSA can be expressed as the degree of deviation between the reference XY plane and a surface that approximates the XYZ position where the Z displacement output from the measurement device 21 becomes a predetermined Z displacement output in the XYZ coordinate system in which the measurement shot area MSA is defined.

[0150] For example, when a reference member BM2 on which a dot pattern DP is regularly formed as shown in FIG. 29 is used, the control device 7 can calculate at least one of the degree of distortion of the measurement shot area MSA and the magnification of the measurement shot area MSA based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21. For example, when a reference member BM2 on which a plurality of block patterns BP2 having different heights in a direction intersecting the XY plane as shown in FIG. 30(b) is formed is used, the control device 7 can calculate the curvature of the measurement shot area MSA based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21. In this case, the degree of distortion of the measurement shot area MSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that the workpiece W can be machined in the same way as when the measurement shot area MSA is not distorted, even when the magnification of the measurement shot area MSA is not the desired magnification. The magnification of the measurement shot area MSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that the workpiece W can be machined in the same way as when the magnification of the measurement shot area MSA is the desired magnification, even when the magnification of the measurement shot area MSA is not the desired magnification. The degree of curvature of the measurement shot area MSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that even when the measurement shot area MSA is curved, the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when the measurement shot area MSA is not curved.

[0151] In the above description, a reference member BM is placed on the stage 32 to perform the first tilt measurement operation. However, as shown in FIG. 31, which is a plan view showing a stage 32′ modified for performing the first tilt measurement operation, a predetermined pattern used to measure the tilt amount of the measurement device 2 relative to the stage 32 may be formed on the stage 32′ itself. FIG. 31 shows an example in which a dot pattern DP is formed on an outer circumferential surface 323 located around the mounting surface 321 of the surface of the stage 32′. In this case, a reference member BM does not need to be placed on the stage 32 in the first tilt measurement operation, and the measurement device 2 may measure the pattern formed on the stage 32′ in addition to or instead of the reference member BM placed on the stage 32. The dot pattern DP may be formed on a part of the outer circumferential surface 323 located around the mounting surface 321 of the surface of the stage 32′.

[0152] Furthermore, a pattern formed on the workpiece W by the processing device 1 may be used as a pattern measured by the measuring device 2 to measure the tilt amount, etc. In this case, the processing device 1 may first process the workpiece W so as to form a predetermined pattern on the workpiece W that is used to measure the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32. At this time, the workpiece W on which the predetermined pattern that is used to measure the tilt amount of the measuring device 2 relative to the stage 32 is formed may be different from the workpiece W that is scheduled to be processed by the above-described processing operation (for example, it may be a test workpiece), or it may be the workpiece W that is scheduled to be processed by the above-described processing operation. Thereafter, the measuring device 2 may measure the pattern formed on the workpiece W in addition to or instead of the reference member BM placed on the stage 32.

[0153] (2-4-3) Second tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the processing device 1 relative to the stage 32 Next, a second tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 will be described with reference to Fig. 32. Fig. 32 is a flowchart showing the flow of the second tilt measurement operation for measuring the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32.

[0154] 32, first, the processing apparatus 1 processes the workpiece W so as to form a predetermined pattern on the workpiece W that is used to measure the amount of tilt of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 (step S421). The pattern formed in step S421 may be the same as the predetermined pattern that is used to measure the amount of tilt of the measuring apparatus 2 relative to the stage 32 in the first tilt measurement operation. Alternatively, the pattern formed in step S421 may be a pattern that is different from the predetermined pattern that is used to measure the amount of tilt of the measuring apparatus 2 relative to the stage 32.

[0155] Thereafter, the measuring device 21 measures the workpiece W machined in step S421 (particularly the machined portion machined in step S421) (step S422). To do this, first, the stage 32 and / or the measuring device 21 move so that the machined portion of the workpiece W machined in step S421 is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measuring device 21. In other words, the stage 32 moves so that the machined portion of the workpiece W machined in step S421 moves from the processing shot area PSA toward the measurement shot area MSA. At this time, as described above, the workpiece W may remain placed on the stage 32. Thereafter, the measuring device 21 measures the machined portion of the workpiece W machined in step S421.

[0156] Thereafter, the control device 7 calculates the tilt amount of the processing device 1 relative to the stage 32 (particularly, the tilt amount of the processing device 1 in each of the θX direction and the θY direction) based on the measurement result of the measuring device 21 (step S423). For example, the control device 7 identifies the actual position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the workpiece W based on the measurement result of the measuring device 21. Thereafter, the control device 7 calculates the tilt amount of the processing device 1 relative to the stage 32 based on the difference between the designed position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the workpiece W (i.e., the position and / or shape of the pattern that the processing device 1 would form on the workpiece W if the processing device 1 were not tilted with respect to the stage 32) and the actual position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the workpiece W. As described above, the calculated tilt amount is used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that the workpiece W can be processed in the same manner as when the processing device 1 is not tilted with respect to the stage 32, even when the processing device 1 is tilted with respect to the stage 32.

[0157] Depending on the pattern to be formed on the workpiece W, the control device 7 can calculate, based on the measurement results of the measuring device 21, the tilt amount of the processing device 1 in the θZ direction, the offset amount of the position of the processing device 1 in the Z-axis direction (i.e., the offset amount of the position of the processing device 1 from the reference position in the Z-axis direction), and parameters related to the shape of the processing shot area PSA of the processing device 1. The parameters related to the shape of the processing shot area PSA may include, for example, at least one of the degree of distortion of the processing shot area PSA, the magnification of the processing shot area PSA (e.g., the magnification of the actual size of the processing shot area PSA relative to the designed size of the processing shot area PSA), and the curvature of the processing shot area PSA (e.g., the curvature of the processing shot area PSA relative to a plane along the XY plane). In this case, the tilt amount of the processing device 1 in the θZ direction may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when the processing device 1 is not tilted in the θZ direction relative to the stage 32, even when the processing device 1 is tilted in the θZ direction relative to the stage 32. The offset amount of the position of the processing apparatus 1 in the Z-axis direction may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that even when an offset of the processing apparatus 1 in the Z-axis direction occurs, the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when an offset of the processing apparatus 1 in the Z-axis direction does not occur. The degree of distortion of the processing shot area PSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that even when the processing shot area PSA is distorted, the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when the processing shot area PSA is not distorted. The magnification of the processing shot area PSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that even when the magnification of the processing shot area PSA is not a desired ratio, the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when the magnification of the processing shot area PSA is a desired ratio.The degree of curvature of the processing shot area PSA may be used as a parameter for operating the processing system SYS so that even when the processing shot area PSA is curved, the workpiece W can be processed in the same way as when the processing shot area PSA is not curved. Note that instead of or in addition to the parameters related to the shape of the processing shot area PSA of the processing apparatus 1, the magnification, distortion, and field curvature of the optical system (typically an fθ lens) of the processing apparatus 1 may be used as parameters.

[0158] Also, in the second tilt measurement operation, as in the first tilt measurement operation, a reference member BM (particularly, a reference member BM on which a predetermined pattern used to measure the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 is formed) may be placed on the stage 32. Alternatively, a predetermined pattern used to measure the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 may be formed on the stage 32. In this case, the processing apparatus 1 may observe (essentially measure) the position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the reference member BM and / or the stage 32 using the observation device 16 provided in the processing apparatus 1. Furthermore, the control device 7 may calculate the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 based on the observation result of the observation device 16. Specifically, the control device 7 may identify the position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the reference member BM based on the measurement result of the observation device 16. Thereafter, the control device 7 may calculate the tilt amount of the processing apparatus 1 relative to the stage 32 based on the difference between the designed position and / or shape of the pattern formed on the reference member BM and the actually identified position and / or shape of the pattern. In this case, the processing device 1 does not need to process the workpiece W so as to form a predetermined pattern on the workpiece W that is used to measure the tilt amount of the processing device 1 relative to the stage 32.

[0159] (3) Technical effect As described above, the processing system SYS includes both the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2. In particular, the processing system SYS includes the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 in a housing 4 that houses the stage device 3 (i.e., that houses the workpiece W). Therefore, it is not necessary to remove the workpiece W from the stage 32 between the time the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W and the time the measuring device 2 measures the machined workpiece W. Similarly, it is not necessary to remove the workpiece W from the stage 32 between the time the measuring device 2 measures the workpiece W and the time the processing device 1 processes the measured workpiece W. Therefore, compared to a case where it is necessary to remove the workpiece W from the stage 32 between the time the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W and the time the measuring device 2 measures the machined workpiece W and / or between the time the measuring device 2 measures the workpiece W and the time the processing device 1 processes the measured workpiece W, the throughput for processing the workpiece W is improved by not needing to remove the workpiece W from the stage 32 and place the workpiece W back on the stage 32. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to perform alignment operations (for example, operations for positioning the workpiece W relative to the stage 32) that may be necessary when the workpiece W is re-mounted on the stage 32, the throughput for processing the workpiece W is improved accordingly.

[0160] Furthermore, in the machining system SYS, the workpiece W remains placed on the stage 32 between the machining of the workpiece W by the machining device 1 and the measurement of the workpiece W by the measurement device 2. This reduces the effects of machining errors and measurement errors caused by the placement and removal of the workpiece W, and improves the throughput related to the machining of the workpiece W.

[0161] Furthermore, because the machining system SYS is equipped with both the machining device 1 and the measuring device 2, the machining system SYS can machine the workpiece W while measuring the state of the workpiece W machined by the machining device 1 with the measuring device 2. As a result, when the state of the workpiece W deviates from the desired state (for example, the machining amount of the workpiece W is inappropriate and / or the machining position of the workpiece W is inappropriate), the machining system SYS can instantly control the machining device 1 so that the state of the workpiece W approaches or matches the desired state. For example, when the machining amount of the workpiece W is inappropriate and / or the machining position of the workpiece W is inappropriate, the machining system SYS can instantly control the machining device 1 so that the machining amount of the workpiece W is appropriate and / or the machining position of the workpiece W is appropriate. Therefore, the machining system SYS can machine the workpiece W with higher precision than when the workpiece W is machined without measuring the state of the workpiece W machined by the machining device 1 with the measuring device 2.

[0162] Furthermore, because the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W using the processing light EL, cutting waste is less likely to be generated from the workpiece W compared to when the workpiece W is processed using a cutting member or the like. Therefore, even if the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 are placed in the same housing 4, cutting waste will hardly interfere with the proper operation of the measuring device 2.

[0163] Furthermore, because the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W using the processing light EL, a relatively large external force is not applied to the workpiece W compared to when the workpiece W is processed using a cutting member or the like. Therefore, the stage 32 does not need to hold the workpiece W with a relatively large holding force. As a result, the workpiece W can be placed on the stage 32 in substantially the same state both when the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W and when the measuring device 2 measures the workpiece W. Therefore, the measuring device 2 can measure the workpiece W placed on the stage 32 in a state similar to when the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W. In other words, compared to when the processing device 1 processes the workpiece W and the workpiece W is held by the stage 32 with a relatively large holding force, the measuring device 2 can measure the workpiece W with relatively high accuracy without being affected by minute distortions of the workpiece W that may occur due to the relatively large force. Furthermore, the workpiece W can be processed with high accuracy while reducing the influence of distortions of the workpiece W.

[0164] Furthermore, the machining system SYS can perform an initial setting operation to set the initial values ​​of the machining conditions, which allows the machining system SYS to set the initial values ​​of the machining conditions relatively easily and in a short time.

[0165] Furthermore, the machining system SYS can perform temperature drift reduction operations. Therefore, the machining system SYS can appropriately reduce the influence of temperature drift, which is a phenomenon in which the measurement accuracy of the measuring device 21 varies due to the temperature of the measuring device 21. Therefore, the machining system SYS can measure the workpiece W with relatively high accuracy compared to a case in which the influence of temperature drift is not reduced. Furthermore, the machining system SYS can machine the workpiece W with relatively high accuracy based on the relatively high-accuracy measurement results of the workpiece W.

[0166] Furthermore, the machining system SYS can perform tilt measurement operations. Therefore, the machining system SYS can machine the workpiece W so as to eliminate the influence of tilt. In other words, even when the machining device 1 and / or the measuring device 2 are tilted relative to the stage 32, the machining system SYS can machine the workpiece W in the same manner as when the machining device 1 and / or the measuring device 2 are not tilted relative to the stage 32.

[0167] (4) Variations Next, a modified example of the machining system SYS will be described.

[0168] (4-1) Machining system SYSa of the first modified example First, the machining system SYSa of the first modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 33. Fig. 33 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the machining system SYSa of the first modified example. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 33 does not show cross sections of some components of the machining system SYSa.

[0169] As shown in Fig. 33, the processing system SYSa of the first modified example differs from the processing system SYS described above in that it includes a gas supply device 8a. Other features of the processing system SYSa may be the same as those of the processing system SYS. Note that in Fig. 33, for the sake of simplicity, the illustration of some of the components included in the processing system SYSa is omitted or simplified.

[0170] The gas supply device 8a supplies (i.e., flows) gas into the accommodation space SP. Examples of the gas supplied by the gas supply device 8a include at least one of the atmosphere, CDA (clean dry air), and an inert gas. Examples of the inert gas include nitrogen gas and argon gas.

[0171] The gas supply device 8a may supply gas to reduce adhesion of substances generated from the workpiece W due to irradiation of the workpiece W with the processing light EL to the measuring device 2. In other words, the gas supply device 8a may function as an adhesion reduction device that can reduce adhesion of substances generated from the workpiece W due to irradiation of the workpiece W with the processing light EL to the measuring device 2. The substances generated from the workpiece W due to irradiation of the workpiece W with the processing light EL may include melted or evaporated material of the workpiece W. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the substances generated from the workpiece W due to irradiation of the workpiece W with the processing light EL will be referred to as "fumes."

[0172] In particular, the gas supply device 8a may supply gas to reduce adhesion of fumes to specific parts of the measurement device 2. The specific parts of the measurement device 2 may be parts to which adhesion of fumes could lead to a deterioration in the measurement accuracy of the measurement device 2. For example, when the measurement device 2 measures the workpiece W by irradiating the workpiece W with measurement light (e.g., slit light in the light section method or white light in the white light interferometry), an example of the specific part is the optical surface 211s of the optical system 211 of the measurement device 2 through which the measurement light passes. In particular, an example of the specific part is the optical surface of the final optical element of the optical system 211 (i.e., the optical element facing the accommodation space SP).

[0173] If fumes adhere to the measurement device 2 (especially to a specific portion thereof), the adhered fumes may prevent the measurement light from being emitted (e.g., onto the workpiece W). As a result, the measurement device 2 may not be able to properly measure the workpiece W. However, in the first modified example, the adhesion of fumes to the measurement device 2 (especially to a specific portion thereof) is reduced. As a result, the measurement device 2 can properly measure the workpiece W with the influence of fumes reduced.

[0174] As shown in FIG. 34, which is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first gas supply mode by the gas supply device 8a, the gas supply device 8a may supply gas to the space between the processing device 1 and the measuring device 2 in the accommodation space SP. The gas supply device 8a may supply gas along a direction including a component along the traveling direction of the processing light EL from the processing device 1 toward the workpiece W (in the example shown in FIG. 34, a direction including the Z-axis direction as a component). In this case, the gas supplied by the gas supply device 8a functions as an air curtain. That is, the gas supplied by the gas supply device 8a functions as an air curtain that can reduce the possibility of fumes invading from a space located on the processing device 1 side of the air curtain to a space located on the measuring device 2 side of the air curtain. As a result, the possibility of fumes adhering to the measuring device 2 is appropriately reduced. Furthermore, the possibility of fumes invading a space including the optical path of the measurement light is appropriately reduced.

[0175] As shown in FIG. 35, which is a cross-sectional view showing a second gas supply mode by the gas supply device 8a, the gas supply device 8a may supply gas to the space between the measuring device 2 and the stage 32 in the accommodation space SP. The gas supply device 8a may supply gas to the space including the optical path of the measurement light from the measuring device 2 in the accommodation space SP. The gas supply device 8a may supply gas along a direction intersecting the traveling direction of the processing light EL traveling from the processing device 1 to the workpiece W (the Y-axis direction in the example shown in FIG. 35). The gas supply device 8a may supply gas flowing from the space including the optical path of the measurement light toward the space including the optical path of the processing light EL. As a result, fumes are less likely to enter the space including the optical path of the measurement light, thereby appropriately reducing the possibility of fumes adhering to the measuring device 2. Furthermore, the possibility of fumes entering the space including the optical path of the measurement light is appropriately reduced. Furthermore, if the gas supplied from the gas supply device 8a is blown onto a specific portion of the measuring device 2 (for example, the optical surface 211s of the optical system 211 described above), the gas blows away (i.e., removes) the fumes adhering to the specific portion of the measuring device 2. Therefore, even if fumes do adhere to the measuring device 2, the possibility that the fumes will continue to adhere to the measuring device 2 is appropriately reduced. This reduces the possibility that fumes will adhere to a specific portion of the processing device 1 (for example, the optical surface of the final optical element of the fθ lens 142), thereby achieving appropriate processing. In this way, the supply of gas by the gas supply device 8a forms a gas flow path in a direction crossing the optical path of the processing light EL and / or the measurement light, and the fumes travel along this flow path, reducing the possibility that the fumes will adhere to the measuring device 2 or the processing device 1.

[0176] (4-2) Machining system SYSb of the second modified example Next, a processing system SYSb of a second modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 36. Fig. 36 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the processing system SYSb of the second modified example. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 36 does not show cross sections of some components of the processing system SYSb.

[0177] As shown in Fig. 36, the processing system SYSb of the second modified example differs from the processing system SYS described above in that it includes a recovery device 8b. Other features of the processing system SYSb may be the same as those of the processing system SYS. Note that in Fig. 36, for the sake of simplicity, the illustration of some of the components included in the processing system SYSb is omitted or simplified.

[0178] The recovery device 8b recovers gas (or any fluid including liquid; the same applies hereinafter in the second modified example) from the storage space SP inside the housing 4. Specifically, the recovery device 8b may recover gas from the storage space SP through a recovery port 81b, which is an opening formed in a partition wall of the housing 4, and a recovery pipe 82b connected to the recovery port 81b. The recovery device 8b may recover gas by sucking the gas from the storage space SP through the recovery port 81b and the recovery pipe 82b. The recovery device 8b may recover gas by evacuating at least a portion of the storage space SP through the recovery port 81b and the recovery pipe 82b. The recovery device 8b has a recovery port 81b on the opposite side of the processing device 1 from the measuring device 2, and forms a fluid (gas) flow path from directly below the measuring device 2 to directly below the processing device 1 and to the recovery port 81b. Note that even in the case of FIG. 36, the space outside the housing 4 and the space inside the housing 4 (storage space SP) may be considered to be substantially separated by the housing 4.

[0179] The collection device 8b may collect at least a portion of the fumes in the storage space SP together with the gas. The collection device 8b may collect the gas and fumes along a direction intersecting the traveling direction of the processing light EL from the processing device 1 toward the workpiece W (the Y-axis direction in the example shown in FIG. 36). The fumes collected by the collection device 8b from the storage space SP may be adsorbed by a filter 83b arranged in the collection pipe 82b. The filter 83b may be detachable or replaceable. As a result, the fumes are more appropriately prevented from adhering to the measuring device 2 than when the fumes are not collected by the collection device 8b. Therefore, the collection device 8b may function as an adhesion prevention device that can reduce the adhesion of fumes to the measuring device 2. A flow rate sensor may be provided downstream of the filter 83b to monitor the degree of clogging of the filter 83b. The replacement time of the filter 83b may also be estimated from the output of the flow rate sensor.

[0180] By collecting the gas by the collection device 8b, a gas flow path is formed in a direction that crosses the optical path of the processing light EL and / or measurement light, and the fumes are collected by the collection device 8b along this flow path, reducing the possibility of the fumes adhering to the measurement device 2 or the processing device 1.

[0181] The processing system SYSb of the second modified example may include a gas supply device 8a, similar to the processing system SYSa of the first modified example. In this case, adhesion of fumes to the measuring device 2 and the processing device 1 is further reduced.

[0182] (4-3) Machining system SYSc of the third modified example Next, a machining system SYSc according to a third modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 37. Fig. 37 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the machining system SYSc according to the third modified example. Note that, for the sake of simplicity, Fig. 37 does not show cross sections of some of the components of the machining system SYSc.

[0183] As shown in Fig. 37, the processing system SYSc of the third modified example differs from the processing system SYS described above in that it includes a housing 8c. Other features of the processing system SYSc may be the same as those of the processing system SYS. Note that in Fig. 37, for the sake of simplicity, the illustration of some of the components included in the processing system SYSc is omitted or simplified.

[0184] The housing 8c is disposed within the accommodation space SP. The housing 8c accommodates at least a portion of the measurement device 2 (for example, a specific portion of the measurement device 2) within the accommodation space SP. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 37, the housing 8c includes a partition member 81c. The partition member 81c defines an internal space 82c in which the measurement device 2 is accommodated. As a result, the housing 8c (particularly, the partition member 81c) prevents fumes from entering the accommodation space 82c from the accommodation space SP. This appropriately prevents fumes from adhering to the measurement device 2 accommodated in the accommodation space 82c.

[0185] However, when the measuring device 2 measures the workpiece W by irradiating measurement light, it is undesirable for the housing 4 to block the irradiation of the measurement light. For this reason, the portion of the partition member 81c that overlaps with the optical path of the measurement light from the measuring device 2 may be composed of a light-transmitting member 83c. The light-transmitting member 83c may be a member that allows the measurement light to pass through but does not allow fumes to pass through. As an example, the light-transmitting member 83c may be a member that is transparent to the measurement light (e.g., has a transmittance of a predetermined rate or more). Alternatively, the light-transmitting member 83c may be a member that allows the measurement light to pass through at least a portion of the period when the measurement light is irradiated (e.g., a period when the measuring device 2 is measuring the workpiece W) but does not allow fumes to pass through at least a portion of the period when the measurement light is not irradiated (e.g., a period when the measuring device 2 is not measuring the workpiece W, typically a period when the processing device 1 is processing the workpiece W). An example of such a light-transmitting member 83c is a light-transmitting substrate such as a glass substrate. As a result, the light transmitting member 83c prevents fumes from entering the accommodation space 82c from the accommodation space SP, while the measurement light from the measurement device 2 is irradiated onto the workpiece W through the light transmitting member 83c. Therefore, the measurement device 2 can appropriately measure the workpiece W while appropriately preventing fumes from adhering to the measurement device 2 accommodated in the accommodation space 82a-3.

[0186] Since the light transmitting member 83c faces the accommodation space SP, fumes may adhere to the light transmitting member 83c. Therefore, the fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c may be removed. For example, the processing system SYSc may supply gas to blow away (i.e., remove) the fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c. In this case, the processing system SYSc may use the gas supply device 8a described above to blow away (i.e., remove) the fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c. For example, as shown in FIG. 38, which is a cross-sectional view showing another structure of the processing system SYSc, the processing system SYSc may include a vibration device 84c that vibrates the light transmitting member 83c to shake off (i.e., remove) the fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c. As a result, fumes are prevented from continuing to adhere to the light transmitting member 83c. Therefore, the irradiation of measurement light from the measurement device 2 is not hindered by fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c.

[0187] The fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c may be removed at a desired timing. For example, the greater the amount of fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c, the greater the amount of measurement light scattered by the fumes. Therefore, the control device 7 may determine whether fumes are adhering to the light transmitting member 83c (or whether a certain amount or more of fumes are adhering) based on the detection result of a detection device that detects the scattered measurement light, and may remove the fumes adhering to the light transmitting member 83c when it is determined that fumes are adhering to the light transmitting member 83c (or that a certain amount or more of fumes are adhering).

[0188] The light transmitting member 83c may be detachable from the housing 8c. Also, the light transmitting member 83c may be replaceable with a different light transmitting member.

[0189] The processing system SYSc of the third modified example may include at least one of the gas supply device 8a and the recovery device 8b, similar to at least one of the processing system SYSa of the first modified example and the processing system SYSb of the second modified example. In this case, adhesion of fumes to the measuring device 2 is more appropriately prevented.

[0190] (4-4) Machining system SYSd of the fourth modified example Next, a processing system SYSd of a fourth modified example will be described. The processing system SYSd of the fourth modified example differs from the processing system SYS described above in that it includes a light receiving device 9d. Other features of the processing system SYSd may be the same as those of the processing system SYS. Therefore, the light receiving device 9d will be described below with reference to Figures 39(a) and 39(b). Figure 39(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the light receiving device 9d, and Figure 39(b) is a plan view showing the structure of the light receiving device 9d.

[0191] As shown in FIGS. 39(a) and 39(b), the light receiving device 9d is disposed on the stage 32. The light receiving device 9d may be disposed at a position away from a mounting surface 321 of the stage 32 on which the workpiece W is placed in at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction. For example, the light receiving device 9d may be disposed on the outer peripheral surface 322 of the stage 32 (more specifically, a member of the stage 32 whose outer peripheral surface 322 forms the surface). However, the light receiving device 9d may also be disposed on the mounting surface 321 of the stage 32 (more specifically, a member of the stage 32 whose mounting surface 321 forms the surface). The light receiving device 9d may be disposed at any position on the stage 32. At least a portion of the light receiving device 9d may be detachable from the stage 32. Alternatively, the light receiving device 9d may be integrated with the stage 32. The light receiving device 9d may also be disposed within the mounting surface 321.

[0192] The light receiving device 9d includes a light blocking member 91d and a detector 92d.

[0193] The light-shielding member 91d is a member capable of blocking the processing light EL. The light-shielding member 91d is disposed on the stage 32. The surface (+Z side surface) of the light-shielding member 91d is at the same height as the surface (+Z side surface, for example, the outer peripheral surface 322) of the stage 32, but may be at a different height. The back surface (-Z side surface) of the light-shielding member 91d is at the same height as the back surface (-Z side surface) of the stage 32, but may be at a different height. At least a portion of the light-shielding member 91d may be integrated with the stage 32. At least a portion of the stage 32 may also serve as the light-shielding member 91d. However, the light-shielding member 91d may be detachable from the stage 32.

[0194] An opening 93d is formed in the light-shielding member 91d. The opening 93d is a through-hole that penetrates from the front surface to the back surface of the light-shielding member 91d. When at least a portion of the light-shielding member 91d is integrated with the stage 32, the opening 93d may be a through-hole that penetrates from the front surface (e.g., the outer peripheral surface 322) of the stage 32 to the back surface. The shape of the opening 93d in a plane along the XY plane is a slit shape, but may be any other shape. The size of the opening 93d in a plane along the XY plane (e.g., the longitudinal size of the slit shape) is, for example, several micrometers to several tens of micrometers (e.g., 5 micrometers to 10 micrometers), but may be any other size. The opening 93d is a through-hole that allows the processing light EL to pass through. The opening 93d is a through-hole that allows the processing light EL irradiated toward the front surface of the stage 32 to pass through to the back surface of the stage 32. Therefore, the light-shielding member 91d having the opening 93d formed therein functions as a light-transmitting member that allows the processing light EL to pass through. The light-shielding member 91d may be formed by forming a light-shielding film on a part of the upper surface of a light-transmitting substrate, in which case the part where the light-shielding film is not formed becomes the opening 93d.

[0195] The detector 92d is a photodetector capable of detecting (e.g., receiving) the processing light EL. An example of a photodetector is a photoelectric converter capable of photoelectrically converting the received processing light EL. The detector 92d is disposed on the back surface of the light-shielding member 91d. When at least a portion of the light-shielding member 91d is integrated with the stage 32, the detector 92d is disposed on the back surface of the stage 32. The detector 92d detects the processing light EL that enters the detector 92d through the opening 93d. The detector 92d detects the processing light EL that passes through the opening 93d and enters the detector 92d.

[0196] The detection result of the detector 92d includes information about the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d. For example, the detection result of the detector 92d includes information about the intensity of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d (specifically, the intensity in a plane intersecting the XY plane). More specifically, the detection result of the detector 92d includes information about the intensity distribution of the processing light EL in a plane along the XY plane. The detection result of the detector 92d is output to the control device 7.

[0197] Based on the detection result of the detector 92d, the control device 7 controls the processing system SYSd (e.g., at least one of the processing device 1, the measuring device 2, the stage device 3, the drive system 5, and the drive system 6) so that the processing system SYSd can properly process the workpiece W. For example, the control device 7 may perform a focus control operation to control the focus position based on the detection result of the detector 92d. For example, the control device 7 may perform an optical state control operation to control the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL using the galvanometer mirror 141 based on the detection result of the detector 92d. For example, the control device 7 may perform a galvanometer control operation to control the galvanometer mirror 141 based on the detection result of the detector 92d to reduce the influence of temperature drift, which is a phenomenon in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL varies within the XY plane due to the temperature (i.e., heat) of the galvanometer mirror 141. The processing system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations (e.g., the focus control operation, the optical state control operation, and the galvanometer control operation) before performing the above-mentioned processing operation. The machining system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations after the above-described machining operations are performed. The machining system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations during the period in which the above-described machining operations are performed. The machining system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations between one machining operation and the next machining operation. The machining system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations between one period in which a workpiece W is machined and another period in which the same workpiece W is machined. The machining system SYSd may perform at least some of these operations each time a certain amount of time has elapsed since the machining system SYSd started operating. If at least some of these operations are performed before or after a machining operation, the workpiece W does not need to be placed on the stage 32 during the period in which at least some of these operations are performed. Details of the focus control operation, the optical state control operation, and the galvanometer control operation will be described later.

[0198] The processing system SYSd may include multiple light receiving devices 9d. Figure 39(b) shows an example in which the processing system SYSd includes two light receiving devices 9d(x) and 9d(y). The shapes of the openings 93d of the multiple light receiving devices 9d (specifically, the shapes in a plane along the XY plane) may be slit shapes with longitudinal directions that run in different directions. For example, Figure 39(b) shows an example in which the shape of the opening 93d(x) of the light receiving device 9d(x) is a slit shape with the longitudinal direction running along the X-axis direction, and the shape of the opening 93d(y) of the light receiving device 9d(y) is a slit shape with the longitudinal direction running along the Y-axis direction.

[0199] The number of the multiple light receiving devices 9d is not limited to two, and for example, in addition to the light receiving devices 9d(x) and 9d(y), one or more light receiving devices 9d having a slit shape whose longitudinal direction forms a predetermined angle (for example, ±45 degrees) with respect to the X-axis or Y-axis may be provided.

[0200] Furthermore, the shape of the opening 93d of the light receiving device 9d is not limited to a rectangular shape, and may be, for example, a circular shape (pinhole shape), an L-shape, a cross shape, etc. Here, when the shape of the opening 93d is an L-shape, a cross shape, or the like, the functions of multiple light receiving devices 9d can be achieved by one light receiving device 9d.

[0201] Considering that the workpiece W is processed by irradiation with the processing light EL, there is a possibility that at least a portion of the light-receiving device 9d (and further, the stage 32 on which the light-receiving device 9d is disposed) may also be processed (effectively destroyed) by irradiation with the processing light EL. For this reason, the intensity of the processing light EL (e.g., the amount of energy per unit area in a plane intersecting the traveling direction of the processing light EL) may be controlled so that the intensity of the processing light EL irradiated to the light-receiving device 9d (e.g., the amount of energy per unit area on the detection surface of the detector 92d) is smaller than the intensity of the processing light EL irradiated to the workpiece W to process the workpiece W (e.g., the amount of energy per unit area on the surface of the workpiece W). For example, the light source 11 of the processing apparatus 1 may generate the processing light EL so that the intensity of the processing light EL emitted during the period when the processing light EL is irradiated to the light-receiving device 9d is smaller than the intensity of the processing light EL emitted during the period when the processing light EL is irradiated to the workpiece W to process the workpiece W. For example, as shown in Fig. 40, which is a cross-sectional view showing the processing light EL irradiated to the light-receiving device 9d, an attenuation member 18d capable of attenuating the processing light EL may be disposed in the optical path of the processing light EL. In this case, the processing apparatus 1 may irradiate the processing light EL to the light-receiving device 9d via the attenuation member 18d, while irradiating the processing light EL to the workpiece W without using the attenuation member 18d. Therefore, the attenuation member 18d may be insertable into and removable from the optical path of the processing light EL so that it is located in the optical path of the processing light EL during the period when the processing light EL is irradiated to the light-receiving device 9d, but is not located in the optical path of the processing light EL during the period when the processing light EL is irradiated to the workpiece W to process the workpiece W. Note that the attenuation member 18d may be disposed inside the processing apparatus 1 or outside the processing apparatus 1 (for example, in the space between the processing apparatus 1 and the light-receiving device 9d or the space above the light-receiving device 9d). In this way, by using the attenuation member 18d, the processing light EL can be measured while the light emission conditions (for example, laser oscillation conditions) of the light source 11 are kept the same as during processing, thereby reducing the problem of the measured intensity distribution of the processing light EL differing from that during processing. Note that the light emission conditions of the light source 11 may be changed to change the intensity of the processing light EL. In this case, the measurement results may be corrected using information about the relationship between the light emission conditions of the light source 11 and the intensity distribution of the processing light EL.

[0202] (4-4-1) Focus control operation Next, a focus control operation, which is a specific example of an operation performed based on the light reception result of the detector 92d provided in the light receiving device 9d, will be described with reference to Fig. 41(a) to Fig. 41(c). Fig. 41(a) is a cross-sectional view showing how the processing device 1 irradiates the light receiving device 9d with the processing light EL to perform the focus control operation, Fig. 41(b) is a plan view showing how the processing device 1 irradiates the light receiving device 9d with the processing light EL to perform the focus control operation, and Fig. 41(c) is a graph showing the detection result of the detector 92d provided in the light receiving device 9d.

[0203] 41(a) and 41(b), to perform focus control operation, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the detector 92d) with processing light EL. To do this, first, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 moves so that the opening 93d is positioned within the processing shot area PSA. Then, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the processing light EL toward the detector 92d through the opening 93d.

[0204] At this time, the processing apparatus 1 causes the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 to pass through the fθ lens 142, thereby causing the processing light EL to scan at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 (specifically, a surface including the portion where the opening 93d is formed). In particular, the processing apparatus 1 causes the processing light EL to scan at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 so that the processing light EL (more specifically, the irradiation area EA of the processing light EL) crosses the opening 93d in a plane along the XY plane. In particular, the processing apparatus 1 may cause the processing light EL to scan at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 so that the processing light EL crosses the opening 93d along the short-side direction of the slit that forms the opening 93d in a plane along the XY plane. For example, when the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the light receiving device 9d(x) shown in Fig. 39(b) with the processing light EL, the processing apparatus 1 may cause the processing light EL to scan at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 so that the processing light EL crosses the opening 93d(x) along the Y-axis direction, which is the short-side direction of the slit that forms the opening 93d(x), in a plane along the XY plane. For example, when the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the light receiving device 9d(y) shown in Fig. 39(b) with the processing light EL, the processing apparatus 1 may cause the processing light EL to scan at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 so that the processing light EL crosses the opening 93d(y) along the X-axis direction, which is the short-side direction of the slit that forms the opening 93d(y), in a plane along the XY plane. Strictly speaking, the results obtained when the processing light EL is scanned across the spatially stationary apertures 93(x) and 93(y) are different from the results obtained when the processing light EL is scanned across the spatially stationary apertures 93(x) and 93(y), but when the scanning amount (the amount of movement of the processing light EL in the XY plane) is small (for example, within 10 times the spot size of the processing light EL), the two can be treated equivalently. Figures 41(a) and 41(b) show an example in which the processing light EL crosses the aperture 93d along the Y-axis direction, which is the short-side direction of the slit that constitutes the aperture 93d, within a plane along the XY plane.

[0205] While the processing light EL is scanning at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32, the stage 32 does not need to move. In other words, while the processing light EL is scanning at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32, the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the stage 32 (particularly, the direction along the XY plane) may be fixed. As a result, the processing light EL scans at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 at a constant scanning speed determined according to the characteristics of the galvanometer mirror 141. In other words, the irradiation area EA of the processing light EL moves on at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32 at a constant speed along the direction along the surface of the stage 32 (for example, at least one of the X-axis direction and the Y-axis direction).

[0206] As a result, the processing light EL is irradiated onto the opening 93d at a certain timing during the period in which the processing light EL is scanning at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32. In other words, the processing light EL is detected by the detector 92d at a certain timing during the period in which the processing light EL is scanning at least a portion of the surface of the stage 32.

[0207] As shown in FIG. 41(c), the control device 7 acquires, as the detection result of the detector 92d, a detection signal indicating that the intensity of the processing light EL is higher during a period when at least a portion of the processing light EL is irradiated onto the aperture 93d compared to the intensity of the processing light EL during a period when the processing light EL is not irradiated onto the aperture 93d. The time (detection time) on the horizontal axis of FIG. 41(c) can be interpreted as the relative position of the processing light EL and the stage 32 along the scanning direction (Y direction). The control device 7 can calculate the spot diameter of the processing light EL (i.e., the spot diameter on the surface of the workpiece W) based on the detection signal. Specifically, the control device 7 can identify, from the detection signal, the time during which the intensity of the processing light EL is greater than a predetermined value (i.e., the time during which at least a portion of the processing light EL is irradiated onto the aperture 93d). In this case, the control device 7 can calculate the spot diameter of the processing light EL based on the identified time and the scanning speed of the processing light EL.

[0208] Thereafter, the control device 7 may control the focus position of the processing light EL so that the calculated spot diameter matches the spot diameter set as a processing condition (for example, the spot diameter set by the above-described initial setting operation). At this time, if the focus position is changed, the control device 7 may control the processing device 1 so that the light-receiving device 9d detects the processing light EL again to confirm whether the changed focus position is appropriate. In this case, the control device 7 may determine whether the spot diameter calculated again based on the redetection result of the detector 92d matches the spot diameter set as a processing condition.

[0209] 39 to 41, the aperture 93d(x) having its longitudinal direction in the X direction (its width in the Y direction is narrower than that in the X direction) is scanned in the Y direction to detect the width (position) of the spot of the processing light EL along the Y direction, and the aperture 93d(y) having its longitudinal direction in the Y direction (its width in the X direction is narrower than that in the Y direction) is scanned in the X direction to detect the width (position) of the spot of the processing light EL along the X direction. Therefore, the ellipticity of the spot of the processing light EL (the ratio (difference) between the X-direction size and the Y-direction size) can be calculated. If the ellipticity of the spot of the processing light EL is large (the difference between the X-direction size and the Y-direction size is large), the ellipticity may be reduced by arranging an optical element (such as a toric lens or a cylindrical lens) having different refractive powers in two orthogonal directions in the optical system of the processing device 1.

[0210] The focus position of the processing light EL can be appropriately controlled by the above focus control operation.

[0211] If necessary, the detection of the processing light EL by the light receiving device 9d may be repeated while changing the position of the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the detector 92d) in a direction intersecting the XY plane (e.g., the Z-axis direction). That is, the detection of the processing light EL by the light receiving device 9d may be performed while the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the detector 92d) is located at a first position in the direction intersecting the XY plane, and the detection of the processing light EL by the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the detector 92d) may be performed while the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the detector 92d) is located at a second position in the direction intersecting the XY plane (however, the second position is different from the first position). The detection of the processing light EL by the light receiving device 9d may be repeated while changing the focus position of the processing light EL in the direction intersecting the XY plane (e.g., the Z-axis direction). In these cases, as shown in FIG. 42(a), which is a graph showing the detection results of the detector 92d, the control device 7 can acquire multiple detection signals corresponding to the change in the position of the light receiving device 9d. In this case, the control device 7 may determine the focus position of the processing light EL based on the multiple detection signals and the position of the light receiving device 9d when each detection signal was acquired, and may ultimately control the focus position of the processing light EL. For example, changing the position of the light receiving device 9d (particularly the detector 92d) in a direction intersecting the XY plane is essentially equivalent to changing the focus position of the processing light EL relative to the light receiving device 9d. Therefore, the control device 7 can determine how much the spot diameter of the processing light EL will change if the light receiving device 9d is moved (i.e., how much the focus position is moved) based on the multiple detection signals and the position of the light receiving device 9d when each detection signal was acquired. As a result, the control device 7 can determine how much the focus position should be moved to make the spot diameter of the processing light EL match the spot diameter set as a processing condition.

[0212] Furthermore, by detecting the processing light EL while changing the position of the light receiving device 9d (particularly the detector 92d) in the Z-axis direction, or by detecting the processing light EL while changing the focus position of the processing light EL in the Z-axis direction, the telecentricity of the processing light EL (the degree of inclination of the processing light EL relative to the optical axis) can be obtained. Figure 42(b) shows the detection results at multiple positions in the Z-axis direction superimposed. In FIG. 42(b), Z(0) is the detection result when the light receiving device 9d is located at a first position in the Z-axis direction, Z(+1) is the detection result when the light receiving device 9d is located at a second position in the Z-axis direction (the second position is on the +Z side (the processing device 1 side) of the first position), Z(+2) is the detection result when the light receiving device 9d is located at a third position in the Z-axis direction (the third position is on the +Z side (the processing device 1 side) of the second position), Z(-1) is the detection result when the light receiving device 9d is located at a fourth position in the Z-axis direction (the fourth position is on the -Z side (the opposite side to the processing device 1) of the first position), and Z(-2) is the detection result when the light receiving device 9d is located at a fifth position in the Z-axis direction (the fifth position is on the fourth 42(c) plots the position PZ at which the intensity is maximum for each detection result, and the straight line connecting these plotted positions PZ(-2), PZ(-1), PZ(0), PZ(+1), and PZ(+2) represents telecentricity. If the straight line extends vertically, the Y-axis position of point PZ at which the intensity is maximum does not change even if the position in the Z-axis direction changes, and therefore telecentricity is achieved. Note that positions PZ(-2), PZ(-1), PZ(0), PZ(+1), and PZ(+2) correspond to detection results Z(-2), Z(-1), Z(0), Z(+1), and Z(+2), respectively.

[0213] If the telecentricity is poor, the position of at least a part (or all) of the fθ lens 142 in the optical axis direction may be changed to correct the telecentricity.

[0214] (4-4-2) Light state control operation Next, the light state control operation will be described. First, the technical reason for performing the light state control operation will be described with reference to Fig. 43. Fig. 43 is a plan view that schematically shows the spot diameter of the processing light EL at each position on the surface of the workpiece W when the processing light EL is deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 and displaced by the fθ lens and scans the surface of the workpiece W.

[0215] 43, the galvanometer mirror 141 deflects the processing light EL so that it scans the surface portion of the workpiece W included in the processing shot area PSA. In this case, a state in which the state of the processing light EL is the same at any position in the processing shot area PSA is an example of an ideal state in terms of highly accurate processing of the workpiece W. For example, an example of an ideal state is a state in which the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#1, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#2, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#3, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#4, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#5, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#6, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#7, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#8, and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at position P#9 are all the same within the processing shot area PSA.

[0216] However, in reality, as shown in Figure 43, the state of the processing light EL irradiated at a certain position in the processing shot area PSA may not be the same as the state of the processing light EL irradiated at another position within the processing shot area PSA. In other words, the state of the processing light EL may vary depending on the position at which the processing light EL is irradiated within the processing shot area PSA. Note that Figure 43 shows an example in which the spot diameter of the processing light EL irradiated at a certain position in the processing shot area PSA is not the same as the spot diameter of the processing light EL irradiated at another position within the processing shot area PSA. One possible reason for this is the characteristics of the galvanometer mirror 141 and the characteristics (typically aberration) of the fθ lens 42.

[0217] Therefore, the processing system SYSd performs an optical state control operation to change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so that the difference between the state of the processing light EL irradiated at a certain position in the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at another position within the processing shot area PSA becomes smaller compared to when the optical state control operation is not performed.

[0218] As part of the light state control operation, the processing system SYSd first performs a state detection operation to detect the state of the processing light EL irradiated onto each of multiple positions within the processing shot area PSA using the light receiving device 9d. To perform the state detection operation, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 moves so that the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned within the processing shot area PSA, as shown in FIG. 44(a), a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the light receiving device 9d during the state detection operation, and FIG. 44(b), a plan view showing the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the light receiving device 9d during the state detection operation. That is, the processing system SYSd changes the positional relationship between the processing device 1 and the light receiving device 9d (more specifically, the positional relationship between the processing shot area PSA and the opening 93d) within the XY plane so that the opening 93d is positioned within the processing shot area PSA. As a result, the opening 93d is positioned at a first position DTP#1 within the processing shot area PSA. Then, the processing apparatus 1 scans the surface portion of the stage 32 included in the processing shot area PSA with the processing light EL. As a result, the detector 92d detects the processing light EL when the processing light EL crosses the opening 92d located at the first position DTP#1. That is, when the displacement amount (in other words, the deflection angle) of the processing light EL reaches the first displacement amount, the processing light EL is irradiated onto the opening 93d located at the first position, and the detector 92d detects the processing light EL. Therefore, the control device 7 acquires information about the state of the processing light EL irradiated onto the first position DTP#1 in the processing shot area PSA from the detector 92d. That is, the control device 7 acquires information about the state of the processing light EL when the displacement amount reaches the first displacement amount from the detector 92d. Furthermore, when the detector 92d detects the processing light EL, the control device 7 also acquires information about the position of the stage 32 at the time when the detector 92d detected the processing light EL from the position measurement device 34. Since the light receiving device 9d is disposed on the stage 32, the information relating to the position of the stage 32 includes information relating to the position of the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the position of the opening 93d).

[0219] Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 44(c), a cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the light-receiving device 9d during the state detection operation, and FIG. 44(d), a plan view showing the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the light-receiving device 9d during the state detection operation, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 moves so that the light-receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned within the processing shot area PSA at a position where the processing light EL has not yet been detected. That is, the processing system SYSd changes the positional relationship between the processing apparatus 1 and the light-receiving device 9d within the XY plane, thereby changing the positional relationship between the processing shot area PSA and the opening 93d within the XY plane. As a result, the opening 93d is positioned at a second position within the processing shot area PSA. Then, the processing apparatus 1 scans the surface portion of the stage 32 included in the processing shot area PSA with the processing light EL. As a result, the detector 92d detects the processing light EL when the processing light EL crosses the opening 92d positioned at the second position. That is, when the displacement amount of the processing light EL reaches the second displacement amount, the processing light EL is irradiated onto the opening 93d located at the second position, and the detector 92d detects the processing light EL. Therefore, the control device 7 acquires information about the state of the processing light EL irradiated onto the second position within the processing shot area PSA from the detector 92d. That is, the control device 7 acquires information about the state of the processing light EL when the displacement amount reaches the second displacement amount from the detector 92d. At this time, the control device 7 also acquires information about the position of the stage 32 from the position measurement device 34.

[0220] Thereafter, the operation of changing the positional relationship between the processing shot area PSA and the opening 93d in a plane along the XY plane and the operation of acquiring information on the state of the processing light EL and information on the position of the stage 32 are repeated as many times as necessary. As a result, the control device 7 can acquire information on the state of the processing light EL irradiated to each of the multiple positions in the processing shot area PSA.

[0221] After the state detection operation is performed, the control device 7 performs a state control operation, as another part of the light state control operation, in which the state of the processing light EL is controlled in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL based on the information acquired in the state detection operation. Specifically, the control device 7 first calculates the position of the aperture 93d (particularly, its position in the stage coordinate system) at the time the detector 92d detects the processing light EL based on the information about the position of the stage 32 acquired in the state detection operation. As a result, the control device 7 can obtain information about the relationship between the position of the aperture 93d and the state of the processing light EL detected through the aperture 93d. Furthermore, the position of the aperture 93d in the stage coordinate system can be converted to the position of the aperture 93d within the processing shot area PSA. Therefore, the control device 7 can obtain information about the relationship between the position of the aperture 93d within the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL detected through the aperture 93d. In other words, the control device 7 can obtain information about the relationship between the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at the irradiation position.

[0222] If the information acquired here indicates that the state of the processing light EL is the same (i.e., does not change) regardless of the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA, it is estimated that the state of the processing light EL is an ideal state in which the state of the processing light EL is the same at any position within the processing shot area PSA. Therefore, in this case, the control device 7 does not need to change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL when actually processing the workpiece W. On the other hand, if the information acquired here indicates that the state of the processing light EL changes depending on the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA, it is estimated that the state of the processing light EL is not ideal. Therefore, in this case, the control device 7 changes the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL when actually processing the workpiece W. Specifically, the control device 7 changes the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to reduce the difference between the state of the processing light EL irradiated at a certain position within the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at another position within the processing shot area PSA. The control device 7 changes the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to reduce variation in the state of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA. In this case, the control device 7 may change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so that the state of the processing light EL is the same at any position within the processing shot area PSA. The control device 7 may also change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to eliminate variation in the state of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA. Even if the state of the processing light EL changes depending on the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA, the control device 7 does not need to change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL when actually processing the workpiece W.

[0223] For example, the control device 7 may change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy a spot diameter condition that the difference between the spot diameter of the processing light EL at a first position within the processing shot area PSA and the spot diameter of the processing light EL at a second position within the processing shot area PSA is smaller than (or equal to) a predetermined tolerance. In this case, the control device 7 may change the focus position of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the spot diameter condition. For example, the control device 7 may change the focus position of the processing light EL to a desired value determined depending on the irradiation position of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the spot diameter condition. For example, the control device 7 may change the focus position of the processing light EL to a desired value that differs or is optimized for each irradiation position of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the spot diameter condition.

[0224] For example, the control device 7 may change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy an intensity condition that the difference between the intensity of the processing light EL (e.g., the amount of energy per unit area) at a first position within the processing shot area PSA and the intensity of the processing light EL at a second position within the processing shot area PSA is smaller than (or equal to) a predetermined tolerance. In this case, the control device 7 may change the intensity of the processing light EL generated by the light source 11 in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the intensity condition. The control device 7 may change the control mode of the intensity distribution of the processing light EL by the intensity distribution control member 123 provided in the optical system 12 in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the intensity condition.

[0225] For example, the control device 7 may change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy an intensity distribution condition that the difference between the intensity distribution of the processing light EL at a first position in the processing shot area PSA and the intensity distribution of the processing light EL at a second position in the processing shot area PSA becomes smaller than a predetermined tolerance (or becomes the same). In this case, the control device 7 may change the control mode of the intensity distribution of the processing light EL by the intensity distribution control member 123 provided in the optical system 12 in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL so as to satisfy the intensity distribution condition.

[0226] When processing the workpiece W, the control device 7 may control the state of the processing light EL irradiated to a first position in the processing shot area PSA based on the detection result of the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d through the opening 93d located at a first position in the processing shot area PSA. When processing the workpiece W, the control device 7 may control the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d through the opening 93d located at the first position in the processing shot area PSA at the timing when the processing light EL is irradiated to the first position in the processing shot area PSA based on the detection result of the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d through the opening 93d located at the first position in the processing shot area PSA. On the other hand, when processing the workpiece W, the control device 7 may control the state of the processing light EL irradiated to a second position in the processing shot area PSA based on the detection result of the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d through the opening 93d located at a second position in the processing shot area PSA. When processing the workpiece W, the control device 7 may control the state of the processing light EL based on the detection result of the state of the processing light EL incident on the detector 92d through the opening 93d located at the second position within the processing shot area PSA at the timing when the processing light EL is irradiated to the second position within the processing shot area PSA.

[0227] The optical state control operation described above suppresses variations in the state of the processing light EL caused by the characteristics of the galvanometer mirror 141 and the fθ lens 142. Therefore, the processing system SYSd can appropriately process the workpiece W using the processing light EL with suppressed variations in the state.

[0228] If the state of the processing light EL varies within the processing shot area PSA, the effect of that variation may manifest as variation in the amount of processing of the workpiece W. Therefore, in addition to or instead of changing the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL based on the detection results of the detector 92d, the processing system SYSd may change the state of the processing light EL in synchronization with the scanning of the processing light EL based on the measurement results of the actual amount of processing of the workpiece W. In this case, for example, the processing system SYSd uses the processing device 1 to process the workpiece W (e.g., a workpiece to be actually processed or a test workpiece) and measures the processing results of the workpiece W using the measuring device 2. Then, based on the measurement results of the measuring device 2, the processing system SYSd acquires information regarding the relationship between the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at the irradiation position. Thereafter, the processing system SYSd changes the state of the processing light EL based on information regarding the relationship between the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the processing shot area PSA and the state of the processing light EL irradiated at the irradiation position, just as when changing the state of the processing light EL based on the detection results of the detector 92d.

[0229] The above-described light state control operation is not limited to the case where the variation in the state of the processing light EL does not change over time, but can also be applied to the case where the variation in the state of the processing light EL changes over time. In this case, the state detection operation may be performed during the removal processing (step S131 in the example of FIG. 6), and the state control operation may be performed using the result.

[0230] (4-4-3) Galvano control operation Next, the galvanometer control operation will be described. As described above, the galvanometer control operation is an operation for controlling the galvanometer mirror 141 so as to reduce the influence of temperature drift, which is a phenomenon in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL within a plane along the XY plane varies (i.e., fluctuates) due to the temperature of the galvanometer mirror 141. Therefore, first, with reference to Figures 45(a) and 45(b), a brief description will be given of the phenomenon in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL within a plane along the XY plane varies due to the temperature of the galvanometer mirror 141.

[0231] FIG. 45(a) is a plan view showing the irradiation position of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece W (i.e., the surface along the XY plane) when no temperature drift occurs. FIG. 45(b) is a plan view showing the irradiation position of the processing light EL on the surface of the workpiece W (i.e., the surface along the XY plane) when a temperature drift occurs. As shown in FIG. 45(a), when no temperature drift occurs, the processing light EL can scan the surface of the workpiece W (i.e., the surface along the XY plane) along an ideal scanning trajectory within the processing shot area PSA. Specifically, the processing light EL can scan the surface of the workpiece W so that the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL in the Y-axis direction is linear. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 45(b), when a temperature drift occurs, the processing light EL may scan the surface of the workpiece W along a scanning trajectory different from the ideal scanning trajectory within the processing shot area PSA. Specifically, the processing light EL may scan the surface of the workpiece W so that the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL in the Y-axis direction is curved.

[0232] In other words, when temperature drift occurs, the irradiation position of the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 may differ from an ideal position (for example, a designed position) compared to when temperature drift does not occur. When temperature drift occurs, the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 may differ from an ideal scanning trajectory (for example, a designed scanning trajectory) compared to when temperature drift does not occur. Such a state in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL differs from the ideal position is not desirable from the viewpoint of appropriate processing of the workpiece W.

[0233] Therefore, based on the detection result of the detector 92d, the control device 7 identifies the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the plane along the XY plane during the period when the galvanometer mirror 141 is deflecting the processing light EL. Then, the control device 7 controls the galvanometer mirror 141 so that the irradiation position of the processing light EL within the plane along the XY plane during the period when the galvanometer mirror 141 is deflecting the processing light EL approaches (or coincides with) an ideal position.

[0234] As part of the galvanometer control operation, the processing system SYSd first performs an irradiation position detection operation in which the light receiving device 9d detects the irradiation position of the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141. To perform the irradiation position detection operation, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 moves so that the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned within the processing shot area PSA. In this state, the processing apparatus 1 scans the surface portion of the stage 32 included in the processing shot area PSA with the processing light EL. As a result, the detector 92d detects the processing light EL when the processing light EL crosses the opening 92d. At this time, the control device 7 obtains information about the position of the stage 32 from the position measurement device 34 at the time the detector 92d detects the processing light EL. Because the light receiving device 9d is disposed on the stage 32, the information about the position of the stage 32 includes information about the position of the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the position of the opening 93d). The above operation is repeated while moving the light receiving device 9d (particularly the opening 93d) within the processing shot area PSA. As a result, the control device 7 can acquire information about multiple irradiation positions irradiated with the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141. That is, the control device 7 can acquire information about the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of multiple regions within a plane along the XY plane. Considering that the trajectory connecting multiple irradiation positions in order is the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL, the control device 7 can acquire information about the scanning trajectory of the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141.

[0235] After the irradiation position detection operation is performed, the control device 7 performs a control operation, as another part of the galvanometer control operation, to actually control the galvanometer mirror 141 based on the information acquired in the irradiation position detection operation. Specifically, the control device 7 first calculates the amount of deviation between the irradiation position of the processing light EL in a plane along the XY plane during the period when the galvanometer mirror 141 is deflecting the processing light EL and the ideal position, based on the information about the irradiation position of the processing light EL acquired in the irradiation position detection operation. Then, the control device 7 controls the galvanometer mirror 141 so that the calculated amount of deviation becomes small (or becomes zero). For example, the control device 7 may control the drive amount (specifically, the amount of swing or rotation) of the X scanning mirror 141X and the Y scanning mirror 141Y included in the galvanometer mirror 141. As a result, the irradiation position of the processing light EL in a plane along the XY plane (i.e., the scanning position) is corrected to approach or coincide with the ideal position. The irradiation position of the processing light EL in at least one of the X-axis and Y-axis directions is corrected to approach or coincide with the ideal position. The scanning trajectory of the processing light EL is corrected to approach or coincide with the ideal trajectory.

[0236] The galvanometer control operation described above can reduce the effect of temperature drift, which is a phenomenon in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL within a plane along the XY plane varies (i.e., fluctuates) due to the temperature of the galvanometer mirror 141. Therefore, the processing system SYS can process the workpiece W with relatively high precision by irradiating the processing light EL deflected by the galvanometer mirror 141 at an ideal position. Note that the phenomenon in which the irradiation position of the processing light EL within a plane along the XY plane varies (i.e., fluctuates) due to the temperature of an optical system other than the galvanometer mirror 141 (for example, the fθ lens 142) may also be reduced using a procedure similar to that of this example.

[0237] Note that any detection device capable of detecting the processing light EL, not limited to the light receiving device 9d, may be used to identify the irradiation position of the processing light EL displaced by the galvanometer mirror 141. For example, as shown in Fig. 46(a) which is a cross-sectional view showing the stage 32 and Fig. 46(b) which is a plan view showing the stage 32, a plurality of photodetectors (e.g., a four-segment photodetector) 9e arranged at a plurality of positions on the stage 32 may be used to identify the irradiation position of the processing light EL displaced by the galvanometer mirror 141. Note that the light receiving device 9d having the opening 93d may also be arranged at a plurality of positions on the stage 32, similar to the example of Fig. 46.

[0238] Note that if the irradiation position of the processing light EL is different from the ideal position, this may affect the amount of processing of the workpiece W and result in variations. Therefore, the processing system SYSd may acquire information about the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of a plurality of regions in a plane along the XY plane based on measurement results of the actual amount of processing of the workpiece W, in addition to or instead of the detection results of the detector 92d. In this case, for example, the processing system SYSd uses the processing device 1 to process the workpiece W (e.g., a workpiece to be actually processed or a test workpiece) and measures the processing results of the workpiece W using the measuring device 2. Thereafter, the processing system SYSd may acquire information about the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of a plurality of regions in a plane along the XY plane based on the measurement results of the measuring device 2.

[0239] Furthermore, because the temperature (i.e., heat) of the galvanometer mirror 141 is the cause of the irradiation position of the processing light EL differing from the ideal position, the control device 7 may estimate the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of the multiple regions in the plane along the XY plane based on the temperature of the galvanometer mirror 141 in addition to or instead of the detection result of the detector 92d. Furthermore, because the processing apparatus 1 includes the galvanometer mirror 141, the temperature of the galvanometer mirror 141 may be correlated with the temperature of the processing apparatus 1. Therefore, the control device 7 may estimate the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of the multiple regions in the plane along the XY plane based on the temperature of the processing apparatus 1. In this case, information about the estimated irradiation position may be used as information about the irradiation position of the processing light EL in each of the multiple regions in the plane along the XY plane.

[0240] The above-described galvanometer control operation is not limited to the case where the variation in the irradiation position of the processing light EL changes over time, but can also be applied to the case where the variation in the irradiation position of the processing light EL does not change over time. In this case, an initial value of the variation in the irradiation position of the processing light EL within a plane along the XY plane may be obtained using the irradiation position detection operation, and the result may be used to perform a control operation that actually controls the galvanometer mirror 141.

[0241] (4-4-4) Other uses of the light receiving device 9d In the above description, the light-receiving device 9d is primarily used to control the processing system SYSd based on the detection results of the detector 92d included in the light-receiving device 9d. However, the light-receiving device 9d may also be used for other purposes. As an example, at least a portion of the light-receiving device 9d (e.g., the opening 93d) may be used as a marker (i.e., an index) that can be measured or detected by the measurement device 2. In this case, the processing system SYSd (e.g., at least one of the processing device 1, the measurement device 2, the stage device 3, the drive system 5, and the drive system 6) may be controlled based on the measurement results of the opening 93d by the measurement device 2 so that the processing system SYSd can appropriately process the workpiece W. Hereinafter, as an example, a stage control operation for controlling the position of the stage 32 based on the measurement results of the opening 93d by the measurement device 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 47. FIG. 47 is a flowchart showing the flow of the stage control operation for controlling the position of the stage 32 based on the measurement results of the opening 93d by the measurement device 2.

[0242] 47, first, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 moves so that the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned within the processing shot area PSA (step S51). That is, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 moves so that the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned so that the processing light EL from the processing device 1 can be received.

[0243] Thereafter, the processing apparatus 1 irradiates the processing reference point within the processing shot area PSA with the processing light EL (step S52). For example, the processing apparatus 1 may irradiate the processing reference point with the processing light EL without deflecting the processing light EL with the galvanometer mirror 141 (i.e., without driving the galvanometer mirror 141). Alternatively, the processing reference point may be irradiated with the processing light EL by deflecting the processing light EL (i.e., by driving the galvanometer mirror 141). The processing reference point may be, for example, the center of the processing shot area PSA. The processing reference point may be, for example, the intersection of the optical axis of the processing apparatus 1 and the processing shot area PSA. In this state, the stage 32 and / or the processing apparatus 1 move along the XY plane until the detector 92d can detect the processing light EL (step S52). That is, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 moves along the XY plane until the light receiving device 9d can receive the processing light EL (step S52). Note that this movement may be stepwise (repeated movement and stop).

[0244] Thereafter, when the stage 32 moves in at least one of steps S51 and S52, the control device 7 acquires, from the position measuring device 34, stage position information relating to the position of the stage 32 at the time when the detector 92d was able to detect the processing light EL (particularly, the position within the XY plane to which the stage 32 moved) (step S53). Note that, at the time when the detector 92d was able to detect the processing light EL, the stage 32 was positioned on the surface plate 31. Furthermore, when the processing device 1 moves in at least one of steps S51 and S52, the control device 7 acquires processing position information from the position measuring device 51 regarding the position of the processing device 1 at the time when the detector 92d was able to detect the processing light EL (particularly, the position within the plane along the XY plane along which the processing device 1 moved) (step S53).

[0245] Thereafter, the stage 32 and / or the measurement device 2 move so that the light receiving device 9d (particularly, the opening 93d) is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA (step S54). Thereafter, the measurement device 2 measures the opening 93d (step S55). In particular, the measurement device 2 measures the position of the opening 93d. In this state, the stage 32 and / or the measurement device 2 move along the XY plane until the opening 93d is positioned at a measurement reference point within the measurement shot area MSA (step S55). The measurement reference point may be, for example, the center of the measurement shot area MSA. The measurement reference point may be, for example, the intersection of the optical axis of the measurement device 2 and the measurement shot area MSA. When the measurement device 2 is equipped with a light receiving device (for example, a one-dimensional image sensor or a two-dimensional image sensor) including a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional direction, the measurement reference point is a position within the measurement shot area MSA that corresponds to at least one specific photodetector among the plurality of photodetectors.

[0246] Thereafter, if the stage 32 moves in at least one of steps S51 and S52, the control device 7 acquires, from the position measuring device 34, stage position information relating to the position of the stage 32 at the time when the opening 93d is positioned at the measurement reference point (particularly, the position within the plane along the XY plane to which the stage 32 has moved) (step S56). Note that, when the opening 93d is positioned at the measurement reference point, the stage 32 is positioned on the surface plate 31. Furthermore, if the measuring device 2 moves in at least one of steps S51 and S52, the control device 7 acquires, from the position measuring device 61, measurement position information relating to the position of the measuring device 2 at the time when the opening 93d is positioned at the measurement reference point (particularly, the position within the plane along the XY plane to which the measuring device 2 has moved) (step S56).

[0247] The stage position information acquired in step S53 corresponds to information regarding the position of the stage 32 when the opening 93d is located at the processing reference point. Because the opening 93d is disposed on the stage 32, information regarding the position of the stage 32 when the opening 93d is located at the processing reference point can be said to indirectly indicate the position of the opening 93d located at the processing reference point, the position of the processing reference point, and the relative position of the opening 93d and the processing device 1 that serves as the reference for the processing reference point. Furthermore, the stage position information acquired in step S56 corresponds to information regarding the position of the stage 32 when the opening 93d is located at the measurement reference point. Therefore, information regarding the position of the stage 32 when the opening 93d is located at the measurement reference point can be said to indicate the position of the opening 93d located at the measurement reference point, the position of the measurement reference point, and the relative position of the opening 93d and the measuring device 2 that serves as the reference for the measurement reference point. In addition, the difference between the position of the stage 32 indicated by the stage position information acquired in step S53 and the position of the stage 32 indicated by the stage position information acquired in step S56 corresponds to the difference between the position of the processing reference point and the position of the measurement reference point. For this reason, the control device 7 calculates a baseline amount corresponding to the distance between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point (specifically, the distance along the XY plane) based on the stage position information acquired in steps S53 and S56 (step S57). At this time, since both the stage position information acquired in steps S53 and S56 is information regarding a position in the stage coordinate system, the control device 7 calculates the baseline amount in the stage coordinate system. Note that Fig. 48 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the baseline amount in the fourth modified example.

[0248] Furthermore, the processing position information acquired in step S53 corresponds to information regarding the position of the processing apparatus 1 when the opening 93d is located at the processing reference point. Furthermore, because the position of the processing shot area PSA (and further, the processing reference point) is a position determined based on the processing apparatus 1, the processing position information acquired in step S53 can be said to indirectly indicate the relative position between the processing apparatus 1, which serves as the reference for the processing reference point, and the opening 93d. The measurement position information acquired in step S56 corresponds to information regarding the position of the measuring apparatus 2 when the opening 93d is located at the measurement reference point. Furthermore, because the position of the measurement shot area MSA (and further, the measurement reference point) is a position determined based on the measuring apparatus 2, the measurement position information acquired in step S56 can be said to indirectly indicate the relative position between the measuring apparatus 2, which serves as the reference for the measurement reference point, and the opening 93d. Therefore, the difference between the position of the processing apparatus 1 indicated by the processing position information acquired in step S53 and the position of the measuring apparatus 2 indicated by the measurement position information acquired in step S56 corresponds to the difference between the position of the processing reference point and the position of the measurement reference point. Therefore, the control device 7 calculates a baseline amount corresponding to the distance between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point (specifically, the distance along the XY plane) based on the processing position information and measurement position information acquired in step S53 and step S56, respectively (step S57).

[0249] Considering that the processing reference point is a position determined based on the processing apparatus 1 and the measurement reference point is a position determined based on the measuring apparatus 2, the baseline amount calculated in step S57 can also be said to be information about the relative position between the processing apparatus 1 and the measuring apparatus 2. Therefore, in step S57, the control device 7 may calculate information about the relative position between the processing apparatus 1 and the measuring apparatus 2, in addition to the baseline amount. The information about the relative position between the processing apparatus 1 and the measuring apparatus 2 may include, for example, at least one of information about the relative position between the processing shot area PSA and the measurement shot area MSA and information about the relative position between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point. Note that if the measuring apparatus 2 is equipped with a photoreceiver (for example, a one-dimensional image sensor or a two-dimensional image sensor) including a plurality of photodetectors arranged in a one-dimensional or two-dimensional direction, the control device 7 may associate each of the plurality of photodetectors of the photoreceiver with the stage coordinate system.

[0250] In step S57, the control device 7 may separately calculate a baseline amount indicating the distance between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point in the X-axis direction and a baseline amount indicating the distance between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point in the Y-axis direction. Furthermore, the control device 7 may calculate a baseline amount indicating the distance between the processing reference point and the measurement reference point in the Z-axis direction, separately from the baselines in the X-axis and Y-axis directions.

[0251] In step S57, the control device 7 may perform at least one of an operation to calculate a baseline amount based on stage position information and an operation to calculate a baseline amount based on processing position information and measurement position information. If the operation to calculate a baseline amount based on stage position information is not performed, information about the position of the stage 32 may not be acquired in steps S53 and S56. If the operation to calculate a baseline amount based on processing position information and measurement position information is not performed, information about the position of the processing device 1 may not be acquired in step S53, and information about the position of the measuring device 2 may not be acquired in step S56.

[0252] The operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed before the machining system SYSd actually machines the workpiece W. The operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed after the machining system SYSd actually machines the workpiece W. The operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed between when the machining system SYSd performs a certain machining operation and when it next performs another machining operation. The operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed between one period in which the workpiece W is machined and another period in which the same workpiece W is machined. However, the operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed while the machining system SYSd is actually machining the workpiece W. The operations from step S51 to step S57 may be performed each time a certain period has elapsed since the machining system SYSd started to be used.

[0253] Thereafter, during the period in which the machining system SYSd actually machines the workpiece W (i.e., during the period in which the above-described machining operation is performed), the machining system SYSd performs the machining operation based on the baseline amount calculated in step S57 (step S58). For example, the control device 7 may control the position of the stage 32 based on the baseline amount calculated in step S57 (step S58). The control device 7 may control the stage drive system 33 so that the stage 32 moves based on the baseline amount calculated in step S57 (step S58). The control device 7 may control the drive system 5 so that the machining device 1 moves based on the baseline amount calculated in step S57. The control device 7 may control the drive system 6 so that the measuring device 2 moves based on the baseline amount calculated in step S57.

[0254] In step S58, for example, the control device 7 may move the stage 32 so that the processing device 1 irradiates the measured portion of the workpiece W that has actually been measured by the measuring device 2 with the processing light EL, thereby processing the measured portion. For example, the control device 7 may move the stage 32 so that the measuring device 2 measures the processed portion of the workpiece W that has been processed by the processing device 1 (i.e., the portion irradiated with the processing light EL).

[0255] However, considering that the baseline amount can be calculated based on the stage position information acquired in steps S53 and S56, the control device 7 may control the position of the stage 32 based on the stage position information acquired in steps S53 and S56 without calculating the baseline amount.

[0256] Similarly, considering that the baseline amount is calculated based on the processing position information and measurement position information acquired in steps S53 and S56, respectively, the control device 7 may control the position of the stage 32 based on the processing position information and measurement position information acquired in steps S53 and S56, respectively, without calculating the baseline amount. For example, the control device 7 may move the stage 32 based on the processing position information and measurement position information so that the measuring device 2 measures the processed portion of the workpiece W that has been processed by the processing device 1 (i.e., the portion irradiated with the processing light EL).

[0257] The position indicated by the processing position information and the position indicated by the measurement position information are different from the position in the stage coordinate system. Therefore, the control device 7 may manage the position indicated by the processing position information as a position in the stage coordinate system. Similarly, the control device 7 may manage the position indicated by the measurement position information as a position in the stage coordinate system. As an example, the control device 7 may calculate the position of the processing reference point in the stage coordinate system based on the position indicated by the processing position information acquired in step S53 (and further, if necessary, the stage position information acquired in step S53). For example, the control device 7 may calculate the positional relationship between the stage coordinate system and the measurement shot area MSA based on the position indicated by the measurement position information acquired in step S56 (and further, if necessary, the stage position information acquired in step S56). Then, the control device 7 may move the stage 32 so that the measurement device 2 measures the processed portion of the workpiece W processed by the processing device 1 (i.e., the portion irradiated with the processing light EL) based on information regarding the relationship between the stage coordinate system and the measurement shot area MSA and information regarding the position of the processing reference point in the stage coordinate system. Alternatively, the control device 7 may move the stage 32 based on information regarding the relationship between the stage coordinate system and the measurement shot area MSA and information regarding the position of the processing reference point in the stage coordinate system so that the processing device 1 processes the measured portion of the workpiece W that has actually been measured by the measurement device 2 by irradiating the measured portion with processing light EL.

[0258] The stage control operation described above allows the machining system SYSd to perform machining operations based on the relative positions of the machining device 1 and the measuring device 2 (for example, the relative positions of the machining reference point and the measurement reference point). Therefore, even if the relative positions of the machining device 1 and the measuring device 2 (for example, the relative positions of the machining reference point and the measurement reference point) change over time, the machining system SYSd can perform machining operations without being affected by the change in the relative positions of the machining device 1 and the measuring device 2. As a result, the machining system SYSd can machine the workpiece W with relatively high accuracy compared to when stage movement control is not performed.

[0259] In the above description, the opening 93d is used as a marker (i.e., an index) that can be measured by the measurement device 2. However, any marker AM other than the opening 93d may be measured by the measurement device 2. In this case, the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 may move so that the marker AM is positioned within the processing shot area PSA (step S51 in FIG. 47), the observation device 16 may capture an image of the marker AM (i.e., the observation device 16 may receive the return light ILr of the illumination light IL from the marker AM), and the position of the marker AM may be measured, and the control device 7 may acquire information regarding the positions of the stage 32 and the processing device 1 at that time (step S53 in FIG. 47). Furthermore, the stage 32 and / or the measurement device 2 may move so that the marker AM is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA (step S54 in FIG. 47), the measurement device 2 may measure the position of the marker AM, and the control device 7 may acquire information regarding the positions of the stage 32 and the measurement device 2 at that time (step S56 in FIG. 47). Thereafter, the same operations as when the opening 93d is used may be performed.

[0260] Note that the measurement device 2 may measure the opening 93d and any marker AM. In this case, the operation of moving the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 so that the opening 93d is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA and measuring the opening 93d with the measurement device 2 may be performed separately from the operation of moving the stage 32 and / or the processing device 1 so that the marker AM is positioned within the measurement shot area MSA and measuring the marker AM with the measurement device 2. Furthermore, if the opening 93d and the marker AM can be positioned within the measurement shot area MSA of the measurement device 2, both operations may be performed simultaneously.

[0261] 49(a) to 49(d) show examples of markers AM different from the opening 93d. FIG. 49(a) shows an example in which a marker AM is formed on the surface of the stage 32 (for example, the outer peripheral surface 322 (or the mounting surface 321)). FIG. 49(a) shows an example in which a marker AM is formed on the surface of the stage 32. FIG. 49(b) shows an example in which a marker AM is formed on the surface of the surface plate 31. FIG. 49(c) shows an example in which a marker member 36 on which a marker AM is formed is placed on the surface plate 31, separate from the stage 32. The marker member 36 may be movable together with the stage 32. FIG. 49(d) shows an example in which a marker AM is formed on a workpiece W placed on the stage 32. The marker AM formed on the workpiece W may include a marker AM formed in advance on the workpiece W, or may include a marker AM including a structure formed by a processing operation by the processing apparatus 1.

[0262] When an arbitrary marker AM other than the opening 93d is measured by the measurement device 2, the relationship between the position of the opening 93d and the position of the arbitrary marker AM may be determined in advance by the measurement device 2 or another measurement device. Here, the arbitrary marker AM may be considered as a portion of an associated object associated with the opening 93d (light receiving device 9d).

[0263] Alternatively, the baseline amount may be obtained by machining a workpiece using the machining device 1 and measuring the machined workpiece using the measuring device 2.

[0264] (4-5) Fifth Modification In the above description, the processing device 1 irradiates the workpiece W with the processing light EL to perform removal processing, which removes a portion of the workpiece W. However, the processing device 1 may also irradiate the workpiece W with the processing light EL to perform processing other than removal processing. The processing device 1 may also perform processing other than removal processing in addition to or instead of removal processing. For example, the processing device 1 may irradiate the workpiece W with the processing light EL to perform additional processing on the workpiece W.

[0265] When the processing device 1 performs additional processing, the operation of determining whether the processing amount by the processing device 1 in the processing operation is appropriate (step S133 in FIG. 6) may include an operation of determining whether the added amount by the processing device 1 is appropriate. The added amount is an amount related to material newly added to the workpiece W, and for example, when an additional operation is performed to form multiple layer structures in sequence, the thickness of the layer structures may be used as the added amount.

[0266] Figure 50 is a diagram showing the schematic configuration of a machining system SYSe that performs subtractive machining and additional machining. The machining system SYSe shown in Figure 50 includes a machining device 1B that performs additional machining, in addition to the machining system SYS shown in Figure 1. For ease of explanation, the instruction frame 8 is omitted from Figure 50. The machining device 1B of the machining system SYSe is capable of additional machining of a workpiece W under the control of a control device 7.

[0267] In FIG. 51 , which shows the processing apparatus 1B in detail, the processing apparatus 1B is capable of forming a three-dimensional structure (i.e., a three-dimensional object having size in all three directions, i.e., a solid object). The processing apparatus 1B is capable of forming a three-dimensional structure on a workpiece W, which serves as a base for forming the three-dimensional structure. The processing apparatus 1B is capable of forming a three-dimensional structure on a workpiece W that is to be subjected to additional processing (i.e., the workpiece W that is to be subjected to processing). This workpiece W may also be referred to as a base material or a pedestal. The processing apparatus 1B is capable of forming a three-dimensional structure by performing additional processing on the workpiece W. If the workpiece W is an existing structure held by a stage 31 (or supported or placed on the stage 31), the processing apparatus 1B is capable of forming a three-dimensional structure on the existing structure. In this case, the processing apparatus 1B may form a three-dimensional structure integrated with the existing structure. The operation of forming a three-dimensional structure integrated with an existing structure can be considered equivalent to the operation of adding a new structure to the existing structure. The machining system SYS may form a three-dimensional structure ST that can be separated from the existing structure. 50 and 51 show an example in which the workpiece W is an existing structure held by the stage 31. In the following, the explanation will be continued using an example in which the workpiece W is an existing structure held by the stage 31.

[0268] The processing device 1B can form three-dimensional structures using laser build-up welding. In other words, the processing system SYSe can also be said to be a 3D printer that forms objects using additive manufacturing technology. Note that additive manufacturing technology is also called rapid prototyping, rapid manufacturing, or additive manufacturing.

[0269] 51, in order to form a three-dimensional structure, the processing apparatus 1B includes a material supply device 101 and a processing head 102. At least a portion of each of the processing head 102 and the stage 32 is housed in a housing 4 that houses the processing apparatus 1 and the measuring device 2.

[0270] The material supply device 101 supplies the modeling material M. The material supply device 101 supplies the modeling material M at a supply rate according to the required amount so that the amount of modeling material M required per unit time to form a three-dimensional structure is supplied to the processing head 102. In other words, the material supply device 101 supplies the modeling material M so that the supply amount of modeling material M per unit time becomes the desired supply amount according to the required amount.

[0271] The modeling material M is a material that can be melted by irradiation with processing light EL of a predetermined intensity or higher. For example, at least one of a metal material and a resin material can be used as the modeling material M. However, materials other than metal materials and resin materials may also be used as the modeling material M. In this example, the modeling material M is a powder material. However, the modeling material M may also be a wire-shaped material.

[0272] The processing apparatus 1B forms a three-dimensional structure using a modeling material M supplied from a material supply device 101. In order to form the three-dimensional structure using the modeling material M, the processing apparatus 1B includes a processing head 102 and a drive system 5B. Furthermore, the processing head 102 includes an irradiation optical system 1021 and a material nozzle 1022 (i.e., a supply system or supply device that supplies the modeling material M).

[0273] The irradiation optical system 1021 is an optical system (e.g., a focusing optical system) for emitting processing light FL from an emission unit 1023. Note that, hereinafter, the processing light EL emitted by the irradiation optical system 1021 (i.e., the processing light EL emitted by the processing apparatus 1B) will be referred to as "processing light FL" to distinguish it from the processing light EL emitted by the processing apparatus 1 described above. The irradiation optical system 1021 emits processing light FL downward (i.e., toward the -Z side) from the irradiation optical system 1021. A stage 32 can be disposed below the irradiation optical system 211. When a workpiece W is placed on the stage 32, the irradiation optical system 1021 emits processing light FL toward the workpiece W. Specifically, the irradiation optical system 1021 can emit processing light FL to an irradiation area FA set on the workpiece W as an area to be irradiated (typically, condensed) by the processing light FL. Furthermore, the state of the irradiation optical system 1021 can be switched between a state in which the processing light FL is irradiated onto the irradiation area FA and a state in which the processing light FL is not irradiated onto the irradiation area FA under the control of the control device 7. The direction of the processing light FL emitted from the irradiation optical system 211 is not limited to directly downward (i.e., coinciding with the -Z-axis direction), and may be, for example, a direction inclined by a predetermined angle with respect to the Z-axis.

[0274] The material nozzle 1022 is a material supply member (powder supply member) that supplies the modeling material M toward the workpiece W. Specifically, the material nozzle 1022 is formed with a supply port 1024 that supplies the modeling material M. The supply port 1024 is formed, for example, in a portion of the material nozzle 1022 that faces the workpiece W (i.e., a portion that faces the workpiece W and faces the -Z side). The material nozzle 1022 supplies (e.g., jets, spouts, or sprays) the modeling material M from the supply port 214. The material nozzle 1022 supplies the modeling material M downward (i.e., toward the -Z side) from the material nozzle 1022. A stage 32 can be arranged below the material nozzle 1022. When the workpiece W is mounted on the stage 32, the material nozzle 1022 supplies the modeling material M toward the workpiece W. The direction of travel of the modeling material M supplied from the material nozzle 1022 is inclined at a predetermined angle (for example, an acute angle) with respect to the Z-axis direction, but may be on the -Z side (that is, directly downward).

[0275] In the fifth modified example, the material nozzle 1022 is aligned with the irradiation optical system 1021 so as to supply the building material M toward the irradiation area FA onto which the irradiation optical system 1021 irradiates the processing light FL. Conversely, in the fifth modified example, the irradiation optical system 1021 is aligned with the material nozzle 1022 so as to emit the processing light FL toward a supply area MA that is set on the workpiece W as an area onto which the material nozzle 1022 supplies the building material M. In other words, the material nozzle 1022 and the irradiation optical system 1021 are aligned so that the supply area MA and the irradiation area FA coincide (or at least partially overlap). Note that the material nozzle 1022 may also be aligned so as to supply the building material M to a molten pool formed by the processing light FL emitted from the irradiation optical system 1021.

[0276] The drive system 5B moves the machining head 102. The drive system 5B moves the machining head 102 along at least one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. Furthermore, the drive system 5B may move the machining head 102 along at least one of the θX-axis, θY-axis, and θZ-axis rotation directions in addition to at least one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. In other words, the drive system 5B may rotate the machining head 102 around at least one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The drive system 5B may change the orientation of the machining head 102 around at least one of the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis. The drive system 5B includes, for example, a motor. Furthermore, the machining system SYSe may include a position measuring device 51B capable of measuring the position of the machining head 101 moved by the drive system 5B. The position measuring device 51B may include, for example, at least one of an encoder and a laser interferometer.

[0277] When the machining head 102 moves along at least one of the X-axis and the θY direction, the irradiation area FA and the supply area MA each move along the X-axis on the workpiece W. When the machining head 102 moves along at least one of the Y-axis and the θX direction, the irradiation area FA and t...

Claims

1. an object placement device for placing an object; a first processing head that performs a first processing by irradiating the object placed on the object placement device with a first processing light; a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light to perform a second processing; a measuring head that measures the object placed on the object placement device and is different from the first and second processing heads; a control device that sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Equipped with the measurement head is capable of measuring the object on which the first processing has been performed, The second processing head performs the second processing based on the measurement result of the measuring head after the first processing. Processing system.

2. an object placement device for placing an object; a first processing head that performs a first processing by irradiating the object placed on the object placement device with a first processing light; a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light to perform a second processing; a measuring head that measures the object placed on the object placement device and is different from the first and second processing heads; a control device that sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Equipped with the first processing head is a removal processing head capable of performing removal processing, The second processing head is an additional processing head capable of additional processing. Processing system.

3. an object placement device for placing an object; a first processing head that performs a first processing by irradiating the object placed on the object placement device with a first processing light; a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light to perform a second processing; a measuring head that measures the object placed on the object placement device and is different from the first and second processing heads; a control device that sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Equipped with The control device selectively uses the first processing head and the second processing head based on the measurement result. Processing system.

4. an object placement device for placing an object; a first processing head that performs a first processing by irradiating the object placed on the object placement device with a first processing light; a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light to perform a second processing; a measuring head that measures the object placed on the object placement device and is different from the first and second processing heads; a control device that sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Equipped with The control device processes the object into a target shape by performing additional processing using the first processing head based on the measurement result. Processing system.

5. an object placement device for placing an object; a first processing head that performs a first processing by irradiating the object placed on the object placement device with a first processing light; a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light to perform a second processing; a measuring head that measures the object placed on the object placement device and is different from the first and second processing heads; a control device that sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Equipped with The measurement result relates to at least one of a removal processing amount and an additional processing amount by the first and second processing heads. Processing system.

6. a first driving unit that can change the position of the first processing head in a first direction and a second direction that intersects with the first direction; a second driving unit that can change the position of the second processing head between the first direction and the second direction; The processing system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

7. a third driving unit capable of moving the position of the object placement device; The third driving unit is capable of moving the object to a first position where the first processing head can process the object, and is capable of moving the object to a second position different from the first position where the second processing head can process the object. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The measurement head is disposed between the first processing head and the second processing head. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. the measurement head is capable of measuring the object on which the first processing has been performed by the first processing head, The second processing head performs the second processing based on the measurement result of the measuring head after the first processing. The processing system according to any one of claims 2 to 8.

10. the first processing head includes a first light source for irradiating the first processing light, The second processing head includes a second light source different from the first light source for irradiating the second processing light. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. the first light source is capable of outputting a first output; the second light source is capable of outputting a second output different from the first output; The processing system of claim 10.

12. the first light source is capable of supplying light for a first light emission time as the first processing light, The second light source is capable of providing light for a second light emission time that is different from the first light emission time. The processing system according to claim 10 or 11.

13. the first processing head is a removal processing head capable of performing removal processing, The second processing head is an additional processing head capable of additional processing.

13. The processing system of any one of claims 1 and 3 to 12.

14. The second processing head is An irradiation optical system and a material supply unit are provided, and The head performs additional processing by irradiating at least a portion of the object with the second processing light from the irradiation optical system, and supplying a modeling material to the irradiation area from the material supply unit. The processing system of claim 13.

15. The control device changes, as the processing conditions of the second processing, at least one of an emission mode of the second processing light, a supply mode of the modeling material, and a relative movement mode between the irradiation region and a supply region that supplies the modeling material. The processing system of claim 14.

16. the first processing head is a first removal processing head capable of performing removal processing, The second processing head is a second removal processing head capable of performing removal processing.

16. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. The control device selectively uses the first processing head and the second processing head based on the measurement result.

17. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 2 and 4 to 16.

18. The control device processes the object into a target shape by performing additional processing using the first processing head based on the measurement result.

18. The processing system according to any one of claims 1 to 3 and 5 to 17.

19. The measurement result relates to at least one of a removal processing amount and an additional processing amount by the first and second processing heads.

19. The processing system of any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6 to 18.

20. the measurement head measures a portion of the object irradiated with the first processing light or the second processing light, The control device sets processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using a measurement result of the portion of the object.

20. The processing system of any one of claims 1 to 19.

21. performing a first processing using a first processing head that irradiates a first processing light onto an object placed on the object placement device; performing a second processing using a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light; measuring the object placed on the object placement device using a measurement head different from the first and second processing heads; setting processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Including, Measuring the object includes measuring the object on which a first processing has been performed by the first processing head; The processing method includes performing the second processing after the first processing, using the second processing head based on the measurement result of the measurement head.

22. performing a first processing using a first processing head that irradiates a first processing light onto an object placed on the object placement device; performing a second processing using a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light; measuring the object placed on the object placement device using a measurement head different from the first and second processing heads; setting processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using the measurement results from the measuring head; Including, the first processing head is a removal processing head capable of performing removal processing, The second processing head is an additional processing head capable of additional processing. Processing method.

23. performing a first processing using a first processing head that irradiates a first processing light onto an object placed on the object placement device; performing a second processing using a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light; measuring the object placed on the object placement device using a measurement head different from the first and second processing heads; setting processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using a measurement result by the measuring head; and selectively using the first processing head and the second processing head based on the measurement result. Processing method.

24. performing a first processing using a first processing head that irradiates a first processing light onto an object placed on the object placement device; performing a second processing using a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light; measuring the object placed on the object placement device using a measurement head different from the first and second processing heads; setting processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using a measurement result by the measuring head; and processing the object into a target shape by performing additional processing using the first processing head based on the measurement result. Processing method.

25. performing a first processing using a first processing head that irradiates a first processing light onto an object placed on the object placement device; performing a second processing using a second processing head different from the first processing head, which irradiates the object placed on the object placement device with a second processing light; measuring the object placed on the object placement device using a measurement head different from the first and second processing heads; setting processing conditions for the first processing and the second processing using a measurement result by the measuring head; Including, The measurement result relates to at least one of a removal processing amount and an additional processing amount by the first and second processing heads. Processing method.

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