Device and method for positioning a photolithography mask by a contactless optical method

1. A device for positioning a mask relative to the surface of a wafer with a view to the exposure of said wafer, comprising:

first positioning means configured for holding and moving said mask and said wafer in relation to each other;

imaging means configured for producing at least one image of the mask and of the surface of the wafer according to at least one field of view with an imaging beam, so as to image positioning marks of said mask and of said wafer simultaneously in said field of view; and

at least one optical distance sensor configured for producing a distance measurement between the surface of the wafer and the mask in the field(s) of view with a measurement beam which passes at least partially through the imaging means to form a measurement spot in the field(s) of view,

wherein the imaging means are independent from the at least one optical distance sensor, and the imaging beam is different from the measurement beam.

2. The device of claim 1 , which comprises imaging means suitable for simultaneously producing at least three images according to three fields of view.

3. The device of claim 2 , which comprises at least three optical distance sensors.

4. The device of claim 1 , which comprises at least one optical distance sensor of one of the following types:

confocal sensor,

chromatic confocal sensor,

low-coherence interferometer,

reflectometer, and

laser interferometer.

5. The device of claim 1 , which comprises at least one distance sensor which is also suitable for producing at least one of the following measurements:

a measurement of a thickness of a resist layer on said wafer; and

a measurement of a reflectivity of a layer to be etched, said layer to be etched being present below said resist layer.

6. An appliance for the exposure of wafers, comprising a device according to claim 1 .

7. A method for positioning a mask relative to a surface of a wafer with a view to the exposure of the wafer, utilizing first positioning means suitable for holding and moving the mask and the wafer in relation to each other, comprising:

obtaining, with imaging means and an imaging beam, at least one image of the mask and of the surface of the wafer according to at least one field of view, so as to image positioning marks of said mask and of said wafer simultaneously in said field of view; and

obtaining, with at least one optical distance sensor and a measurement beam which passes at least partially through the imaging means to form a measurement spot in the field(s) of view, at least one distance measurement between the surface of the wafer and the mask in this or these field(s) of view,

wherein the imaging means are independent from the optical sensor, and the imaging beam is different from the measurement beam.

8. The method of claim 7 , which comprises in addition a step of relative movement of the mask and/or of the wafer so as to, in at least one field of view:

superimpose positioning marks of the mask and of the wafer; and

obtain a distance measurement between the surface of the wafer and the mask which is in accordance with a predefined value.

9. The method of claim 7 , which comprises a step of obtaining, simultaneously, at least three images according to three fields of view.

10. The method of claim 7 , which comprises in addition a step of measuring, with the optical distance sensor, at least one of the following values:

a thickness of a resist layer on the wafer; and

a reflectivity of a layer to be etched, said layer to be etched being present below the resist layer, from the signal acquired by said optical distance sensor.