Photocopying inventions 01/06

20060017892 - Image recording apparatus: A magazine containing a roll of recording paper is removably loaded in an image recording apparatus. A sensor for detecting a leading end of the recording paper is provided in the image recording apparatus near a paper outlet of the loaded magazine. The image recording apparatus has a device for...

20060017896 - Cooling apparatus: A cooling apparatus arranged in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere for use with an optical element having an illuminated area onto which light is irradiated concave part includes a temperature variation mechanism that changes a temperature of part of the cooling apparatus in a non-contact manner....

20060017895 - Extreme ultraviolet reticle protection using gas flow thermophoresis: Methods and apparatus for using a flow of a relatively cool gas to establish a temperature gradient between a reticle and a reticle shield to reduce particle contamination on the reticle are disclosed. According to one aspect of the present invention, an apparatus that reduces particle contamination on a surface...

20060017893 - Lithographic apparatus: In an immersion-type lithographic apparatus, in which a surface of a substrate is immersed in liquid during an exposure operation, the substrate is held against a substrate table. On completion of the exposure operation, the substrate is lifted clear of the substrate table. In order to overcome a tendency caused...

20060017894 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system includes a housing and a plurality of optical elements arranged in the housing. The apparatus also includes an inlet for feeding conditioned...

20060017897 - Exposure apparatus: Two independent fine adjustment stages are arranged on one coarse adjustment stage to simultaneously perform all of focus measurement and part of alignment measurement in parallel with an exposure operation. A method of transporting a wafer together with a chuck is adopted as a precondition. Alignment of a pattern on...

20060017898 - Exposure apparatus and aberration correction method: An exposure apparatus includes a barometer for detecting air pressure, a lens driving unit for driving a lens of a projection optical system, a light-source-wavelength changing unit for changing a wavelength of an exposure light source, and a stage driving unit for driving a wafer stage in an optical-axis direction....

20060017899 - Exposure apparatus and method of controlling exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus generates an interlock signal to stop an exposure process when defocus is detected in real time. Leveling data for at least one wafer, and a predetermined threshold value are stored in a memory of the exposure apparatus. A value indicative of the defocus is calculated from the...

20060017900 - Optical arrangement of autofocus elements for use with immersion lithography: An autofocus unit is provided to an immersion lithography apparatus in which a fluid is disposed over a target surface of a workpiece and an image pattern is projected onto this target surface through the fluid. The autofocus unit has an optical element such as a projection lens disposed opposite...

20060017901 - Alignment using latent images: Systems and techniques for alignment with latent images. In one implementation, a method includes detecting a location of a latent image on a substrate, repositioning the substrate based on the detected location of the latent image, and patterning the substrate....

20060017903 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is provided that uses an array of individually controllable elements to pattern the beam of radiation. The critical dimension uniformity of a substrate patterned using the apparatus is improved by adjusting the pattern data provided to the array of individually controllable elements to compensate for process variation....

20060017902 - Lithographic apparatus having double telecentric illumination: A system and method are used to pattern illumination to form one or more devices on a substrate using a reflecting system, a pattern generator that defines an objection plane, a projection system, and the substrate that defines an image plane. A reflecting portion of the reflecting system is substantially...

20060017904 - Method and apparatus for photolithographic exposure using a redirected light path for secondary shot regions: Photolithographic exposure methods and apparatus are provided wherein light from an illumination source is processed to produce light beams having substantially parallel paths and substantially identical densities. The light beams are passed through a reticle to expose a first object on a microelectronic substrate. The light beams are redirected to...

20060017905 - Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: A projection optical system for performing reduction projection of a pattern of a reticle onto a projection plane. The system includes a first mirror having a concave reflective surface, a second mirror having a reflective surface, a third mirror having a convex reflective surface, a fourth mirror having a concave...

20060017906 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: Control of exposures is based at least in part on the relative contrast loss for a source spectrum and an pattern to be projected or an average absolute detuning of the source....

20060017908 - Exposure apparatus and semiconductor device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus includes a base, a stage device which is mounted on the base and moves in a predetermined direction, a counter mass which is mounted on the base and moves in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction as the stage device moves, a sensor which detects a...

20060017909 - Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and semiconductor device manufacturing mehtod: A stage apparatus has a substrate holding unit which chucks and holds a substrate, and includes a flat surface having a recess where the substrate holding unit is to be mounted. A fixing member fixes a projection support provided to the substrate holding unit onto the flat surface. The substrate...

20060017907 - Wafer carrier: A wafer carrier for carrying a wafer includes a transparent base and a conducting layer. The transparent base has dimensions similar to that of the wafer, and bonds the wafer with a bonding layer. The conducting layer is transparent, and can be attracted by an electrostatic chuck so that the...

20060017910 - Composite printing: Systems and techniques for printing substrates. In one implementation, a method includes patterning a substrate with a substantially arbitrary arrangement of features by introducing irregularity into a repeating array of features....

20060012760 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is provided with a charged object on a projection system of the lithographic apparatus, a substrate table of the lithographic apparatus, or both that is configured to have an electric charge to attract particles thereto....

20060012761 - Lithographic apparatus, radiation system, contaminant trap, device manufacturing method, and method for trapping contaminants in a contaminant trap: A lithographic apparatus includes a radiation system that includes a source for producing a radiation beam, a contaminant trap arranged in a path of the radiation beam, and an illumination system configured to condition the radiation beam produced by the source, and a support for supporting a patterning device. The...

20060012762 - Method for cleaning semiconductor device: A method for cleaning semiconductor device is disclosed. The steps include providing a mask-protective device, providing a mask with a defined pattern, and combining the mask-protective device with the cleaned mask layer, such that the space between the mask-protective device and the mask layer can fill with the cleaning gas...

20060012765 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: This exposure system projects a pattern image onto a substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid to expose the substrate, with a space between the projection optical system and the substrate filled with the liquid. The exposure system is provided with a vaporization preventing unit for preventing the...

20060012764 - Exposure apparatus and method: An exposure method immerses, in liquid, a surface of an object to be exposed, and a surface of a projection optical system closest to the object, and projects a repetitive pattern formed on a mask via the projection optical system onto the object. The exposure method forms on a pupil...

20060012763 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and method comprise an illumination system arranged to provide a radiation beam, a support structure configured to support a product patterning device and a metrology target patterning device. The product patterning device imparts a radiation beam derived from the illumination system with a product pattern in its...

20060012767 - Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method: A projection optical system is a catoptric system in which a field of view region and an imaging region are located spaced from an optical axis, in which a numerical aperture of light reaching each point on an image plane is substantially uniform regardless of an image height and a...

20060012766 - Versatile maskless lithography system with multiple resolutions: A versatile maskless patterning system with capability for selecting rapidly among a plurality of projection lenses mounted on a turret. This provides the ability to rapidly select multiple choices for resolution and enables optimization of the combination of the imaging resolution and exposure throughput, making possible cost-effective fabrication of microelectronics...

20060012768 - Exposure apparatus and optical component for the same: v

20060012770 - Diffuser unit, lithographic apparatus, method for homogenizing a beam of radiation, a device manufacturing method and device manufactured thereby: A lithographic apparatus is provided with a diffuser unit including a fluid that includes diffuser particles that are able to diffuse rays in a beam of radiation used to illuminate an object, for example a mask or a wafer. The diffuser particles may be solid particles or gas bubbles in...

20060012769 - Illumination optical system and exposure apparatus using the same: An illumination optical system for illuminating an illuminated surface using light from a light source includes a first diffraction optical element upon which the light from the light source is incident, and a second diffraction optical element upon which the light from the light source is incident, wherein the light...

20060012771 - System and method for manufacturing a flat panel display: A system for manufacturing a flat panel display is provided including: a first mask loading/unloading part for loading at least one mask; a main mask-stage for disposing the mask; a first mask-transferer for transferring the mask from the first mask loading/unloading part onto the main mask-stage; a second mask loading/unloading...

20060007413 - Esposure apparatus, cooling method, and device manufacturing method: Disclosed herein are an exposure apparatus and a cooling method usable therein, being effective to improve a mirror temperature-control precision and to suppress temperature changes in a certain allowable range, particularly in an EUV exposure apparatus. The exposure apparatus includes a chamber having an inside space filled with a vacuum...

20060007416 - Exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus for printing, by exposure, a pattern of an original onto a substrate includes a housing tightly filled with a predetermined ambience and for accommodating therein at least a portion of an exposure light optical axis, and a detection system having an optical system, wherein a portion of...

20060007415 - Exposure system and device production process: The exposure system of the present invention inhibits baseline shift by carrying out temperature control as required by each composite equipment. This exposure system has a first control system that that sets the temperature of a first liquid, and controls the temperature of an object by circulating the first liquid...

20060007414 - Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. A projection system is configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto...

20060007417 - Document lighting unit, image scanning unit, and image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus which includes an image forming unit and an image scanning unit. The image forming unit includes a document-contact face, a light-source unit which arrays a plurality of light-emitting elements in the main scanning direction with a pitch to emit light beams to the document-contact face, and...

20060007418 - Specification determining method, projection optical system making method and adjusting method, exposure apparatus and making method thereof, and computer system: A computer system comprises a first computer into which target information that an optical apparatus is to achieve is inputted and a second computer that determines the specification of a projection optical system based on the target information received from the first computer via a communication path with using a...

20060007419 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: In immersion lithography after exposure of a substrate is complete, a detector is used to detect any residual liquid remaining on the substrate and/or substrate table....

20060007421 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a space between an optical element of a projection system is filled with a first fluid and a second fluid separated by a transparent plate. The first and second fluids have first and second indices of refraction, respectively, that are different from one another. The...

20060007420 - Lithography apparatus, method of forming pattern and method of manufacturing semiconductor device: A lithography apparatus includes a resist processing apparatus to perform a process of applying a resist on a substrate, a process of heating a resist film on the substrate, and a process of developing the resist film on the substrate, an immersion exposure apparatus including a projection optical system which...

20060001846 - Exposure system and method for manufacturing semiconductor device: An exposure system includes a simulator speculating first and second calculated doses to project first and second reference marks onto first and second resist films, respectively, an exposure tool projecting the first reference mark onto the first resist film at test doses to form test resist patterns, a choose module...

20060001845 - Illumination system optimized for throughput and manufacturability: An optimized illumination system that efficiently produces uniform illumination for exposure, photoablation, and laser crystallization systems. The illumination system includes a homogenizer that uniformizes and shapes a light beam, which is directed onto a mask by condenser optics. The illumination system recycles radiation by directing light reflected by the mask...

20060001848 - Apparatus for fabricating semiconductor device: An apparatus for fabricating a semiconductor device includes: a chamber having a sidewall; a susceptor in the chamber; a plurality of injection holes in the sidewall, the plurality of injection holes disposed along a horizontal direction; and a plurality of exhaust holes in the sidewall, the plurality of exhaust holes...

20060001847 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and method in which an illumination system supplies a projection beam of radiation, a patterning system imparts to the beam a pattern in its cross section, and a projection system projects the patterned beam onto a target portion of a substrate supported on a substrate table. The...

20060001849 - Imaging a violet sensitive printing plate using multiple low power light sources: Apparatus and method for exposing a lithographic printing plate wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of laser diodes emitting light of wavelength between 350 nm and 450 nm. The light from each of the laser diodes is directed onto the lithographic printing plate such that each spot on the lithographic...

20060001853 - Exposure apparatus and method of cleaning optical element of the same: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to a pattern of a mask by use of exposure light. The apparatus includes an optical system for directing the exposure light from a light source to the substrate, the optical system having an optical element, a first casing for accommodating therein an...

20060001851 - Immersion photolithography system: In immersion photolithography, immersion fluid is located between a wafer and a lens for projecting an image onto the wafer through the immersion fluid. In order to inhibit evaporation from the immersion fluid, a purge fluid saturated with a component of the immersion fluid is conveyed about the immersion fluid....

20060001850 - Lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method are disclosed. The apparatus includes an illumination system for conditioning a beam of radiation, and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to impart the beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section. The apparatus also includes...

20060001852 - Method and apparatus for exposing semiconductor substrates: Provided are methods and apparatus for exposing multiple substrates within a single exposing apparatus using only a single light source wherein a first substrate is exposed in a series of steps or shots during which light transmitted along a primary optical path is directed onto a primary surface of the...

20060001854 - Optical system having an optical element that can be brought into at least two positions: There is provided an optical system including an optical element having a first used area and a second used area on which impinge rays of a light bundle, and a device for moving the optical element between a first position and a second position. The light bundle impinges on the...

20060001856 - Calibration apparatus and method of calibrating a radiation sensor in a lithographic apparatus: A calibration apparatus is provided for calibrating a radiation sensor in a lithographic apparatus. The calibration apparatus includes a window formed of substantially radiation-transparent material for allowing radiation to pass therethrough to reach the radiation sensor. A first reference sensor is located behind the window, having an active surface abutting...

20060001855 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A system and method for use in a lithographic environment include an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation, an array of individually controllable elements for patterning the beam, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto a target plane, and a substrate table for supporting a...

20060001857 - Apparatus to vary dimensions of a substrate during nano-scale manufacturing: The present invention is directed toward a system to vary dimensions of a substrate, such as a template having a patterned mold. To that end, the system includes a substrate chuck adapted to position the substrate in a region; a pliant member; and an actuator sub-assembly elastically coupled to the...

20060001858 - Method for adapting structure dimensions during the photolithographic projection of a pattern of structure elements onto a semiconductor wafer: The invention relates to a method for adapting structure dimensions during the photolithographic projection of a pattern of structure elements onto a semiconductor wafer. An exposure device (5) is provided, which can emit light in two polarization planes (32; 34). Through the choice of the degree of polarization, i.e., the...