Photocopying inventions 02/08

20080049202 - Projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography: The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography comprising optical elements and at least one sensor for determining the temperature of regions of at least one optical element. In this case, at least one temperature regulating element is provided and the at least one sensor is arranged... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20080049203 - Exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system that projects a pattern image of an original onto a substrate, an original stage that holds and drives the original, a substrate stage that holds and drives the substrate, and a position detecting system that detects the relative positional relationship between position... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080049206 - Illumination system with a detector for registering a light intensity: Illumination systems for microlithography projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed.... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20080049208 - Method of exposing substrate and apparatus for performing the same: In a method of exposing a substrate to light and an apparatus for performing the method, a first optical unit configured to generate at least two lights and including a photomask, the at least two lights having pattern information of the photomask, and a second optical unit configured to direct... Agent: Harness, Dickey & Pierce, P.L.C

20080049209 - Plate member, substrate holding device, exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method: A substrate holder PH includes a first holder PH1 which holds a substrate P, a liquid-repellent inner surface Tc of a plate member T which faces a side surface Pc of the substrate P held on the first holder PH1 via a predetermined gap A, and a chamfered portion C... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080049201 - Lithographic apparatus and lithographic apparatus cleaning method: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus having a megasonic transducer configured to clean a surface and a method of using megasonic waves to clean a surface of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus are disclosed.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080049204 - Multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus: A multi-column type electron beam exposure apparatus includes: plural column cells disposed over a wafer, each including an electron gun, deflector for deflecting an electron beam emitted by the electron gun, and exposure data receiving unit for receiving exposure data; and correction computing unit for calculating the exposure data for... Agent: Muramatsu & Associates

20080049205 - Imaging system for thermal transfer: An optical imaging system is disclosed for selective thermal transfer of a material from a donor film to a substrate. The imaging system includes a light source assembly that is configured to emit a patterned light beam. The patterned light beam includes a plurality of discrete output light segments where... Agent: 3m Innovative Properties Company

20080049207 - Original-document illumination apparatus, image reading apparatus, color-original-document reading apparatus, and image forming apparatus: Provided is an original-document illumination apparatus which includes: an illuminated area having a length and a width; a light-source unit including a plurality of light-emitting elements aligned in a main-scanning direction, wherein a direction of the length is the main-scanning direction and a direction of the width is a sub-scanning... Agent: Dickstein Shapiro LLP

20080043216 - Film holder and film scan module using the same and multi-functional peripheral using the same: A film holder and a film scan module using the same and a multi-functional peripheral using the same are provided. The film holder is used in a multi-functional peripheral for fixing at least a film. The multi-functional peripheral comprises a cap body and a main body assembled thereon. The film... Agent: Thomas, Kayden, Horstemeyer & Risley, LLP

20080043211 - Apparatus and methods for recovering fluid in immersion lithography: Immersion liquid is recovered in an immersion lithography apparatus. A confinement member includes first and second outlets, each of which recovers an immersion liquid from an immersion area including a gap between a projection system and an object. The second outlet is radially farther from the gap than the first... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080043210 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus that can prevent disadvantages due to a leaked liquid is provided. The exposure apparatus includes: a substrate holder (PH) that includes a peripheral wall portion (33) and supporting portions (34) located on an inside of the peripheral wall portion (33) and that supports a substrate (P) with... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20080043212 - Measuring apparatus and method, processing apparatus and method, pattern forming apparatus and method, exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method: Position information of a movable body within an XY plane is measured with high accuracy by an encoder system whose measurement values have favorable short-term stability, without being affected by air fluctuations, and also position information of the movable body in a Z-axis direction orthogonal to the XY plane is... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080043213 - Euv light source, euv exposure system, and production method for semiconductor device: An Sn—Ga type alloy having a composition in which the atomic % of Sn is 15% or less is accommodated inside a heated tank 4. The Sn alloy pressurized by the pressurizing pump is conducted to a nozzle 1, so that a liquid-form Sn alloy is caused to jet from... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20080043214 - Optimized optical lithography illumination source for use during the manufacture of a semiconductor device: A method and structure for optimizing an optical lithography illumination source may include a shaped diffractive optical element (DOE) interposed between the illuminator and a lens during the exposure of a photoresist layer over a semiconductor wafer. The DOE may, in some instances, increase depth of focus, improve the normalized... Agent: Kevin D. Martin Micron Technology, Inc.

20080043215 - Optimized polarization illumination: Disclosed concepts include a method of optimizing polarization of an illumination of a pattern to be formed in a surface of a substrate. Polarized illumination is optimized by determining an illumination intensity for at least one point on an illuminator for at least two polarization states, determining image log slope... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20080036980 - Pattern forming method and apparatus used for the same: A pattern forming method includes performing resist coating on a substrate, thereby forming a resist film; performing immersion light exposure in accordance with a predetermined pattern on the resist film formed on the substrate, while immersing the resist film in a high refractive index liquid having a refractive index higher... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20080036982 - Method for structuring a substrate using multiple exposure: p

20080036983 - Lithography system, control system and device manufacturing method: A lithography system in which a performance criterion of the lithography system is predicted, based on one or more operating conditions of the lithography system, and compared to measurements of that performance criterion. The lithography system may determine from a difference between the measured and predicted performance criterion which, if... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080036987 - Manufacturing method of display device and exposure system for that: An object of the present invention is to readily minimize inhomogeneity in image quality in a display field on one liquid crystal display panel. A display panel manufacturing method in which a step of forming a thin film on a substrate and a step of etching the thin film are... Agent: Stanley P. Fisher

20080036984 - Method and apparatus for angular-resolved spectroscopic lithography characterization: A combined alignment and overlay target to be applied to a substrate to enable measurement of the alignment of the substrate with respect to its surroundings, and measurement of the relative alignment of a series of layers on the substrate, is disclosed. In an embodiment, the target comprises an array... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080036986 - Photomask, method and apparatus that uses the same, photomask pattern production method, pattern formation method, and semiconductor device: The photomask 10 comprises a substrate 11, a shot region 12 positioned on the substrate 11, mask patterns 13 formed within the shot region 12, and mask magnification information 14x formed in the outside exposure area (recto area) 14 of the shot region 12. The entire shot region 12 including... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080036985 - Systems and methods for fluid flow control in an immersion lithography system: Systems and methods for controlling fluid flow in an immersion lithography system. The system includes a fluid flow path that allows fluid to flow from a source through a fluid retention hood and then a fluid control valve. The system includes a pressure sensing system for determining a pressure drop... Agent: SprinkleIPLaw Group

20080036990 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises an image sensor, a measurement optical system configured to guide measurement light to obliquely enter the projection optical system, and further guide the measurement light returned from the projection optical system to the image sensor, and a control unit configured to calculate... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080036991 - Lithographic apparatus, source, source controller and control method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a plurality of control circuits, each control circuit arranged to be connected to an associated radiation source of a plurality of radiation sources configured to generate pulses of radiation for projection onto a substrate and each control circuit arranged to control the energy... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080036992 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus comprises an illumination optical system and a projection optical system. The illumination optical system includes an optical integrator configured to emit a plurality of light fluxes from an exit surface thereof, a diffraction optical element configured to form a predetermined light intensity distribution on an incident surface... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080036981 - Stage device and exposure apparatus: A stage device for driving a movable element, mounted with an object thereon, by using a plane motor, including: (i) a stator unit having a coil group; and (ii) the movable element which moves on the stator unit, the stator unit including: (a) a first region where the object is... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080036988 - Lithographic apparatus, level sensor, method of inspection, device manufacturing method, and device manufactured thereby: A level sensor for a lithographic projection apparatus, the level sensor comprising a light source, a first reflector, a second reflector and a detector the first reflector being arranged to direct light from the light source towards a wafer surface, and the second reflector being arranged to direct light reflected... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080036989 - Stage apparatus and exposure apparatus: A wafer stage system moves a wafer stage that retains a wafer via a wafer holder along a wafer base. For example, the wafer holder is formed from a material whose density is not uniform, such that the portion that includes the reflecting surface that reflects a measuring beam for... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030693 - Immersion photolithography monitoring: A method and apparatus are provided for monitoring an immersion photolithography process, the method including supplying an immersion fluid having an initial refractive index, performing photolithography using the supplied immersion fluid, recovering the used immersion fluid; and the apparatus including a light source, one or more fluid passageways disposed relative... Agent: Frank Chau, Esq. F.chau & Associates, LLC

20080030692 - Novel photoresist materials and photolithography process: A material for use in lithography processing includes a polymer that turns soluble to a base solution in response to reaction with acid and a plurality of magnetically amplified generators (MAGs) each having a magnetic element and each decomposing to form acid bonded with the magnetic element in response to... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20080030705 - Exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system that projects a pattern of a reticle onto a wafer, a vacuum chamber in which the projection optical system is disposed, a partition provided in the vacuum chamber and dividing a first space (which is a space where at least a portion... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080030701 - Individual wafer history storage for overlay corrections: The invention relates to a device manufacturing method comprising identifying a substrate to be processed, performing a manufacturing step of a patterned layer on the substrate, and storing a substrate process history for the substrate. The history may comprise a correction map comprising position errors caused by the manufacturing step.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080030706 - Illumination optical system, exposure method and designing method: Exposure for performing patterning in which micropatterns differing in pitch exist in close vicinity to one another is handled, and micropatterns are formed with high accuracy with sufficient manufacture process margins without using a photomask complicated in manufacturing process at high manufacture cost like an alternating phase shift mask. A... Agent: Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP

20080030700 - Device and method for lithography: Apparatus and method for transferring a pattern from a template (10) having a structured surface to a substrate (12) carrying a surface layer of a radiation polymerisable fluid (14). The apparatus comprises a first main part (101) and a second main part (102) having opposing surfaces (104;105), means for adjusting... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20080030697 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: A lithographic apparatus includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate to be exposed, a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion on a side of the substrate to be exposed, a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a region... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030695 - Exposure apparatus and method for producing device: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030696 - Exposure apparatus and method for producing device: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030698 - Liquid jet and recovery system for immersion lithography: A liquid jet and recovery system for an immersion lithography apparatus has arrays of nozzles arranged to have their openings located proximal to an exposure region through which an image pattern is projected onto a workpiece such as a wafer. These nozzles are each adapted to serve selectively either as... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030694 - Projection exposure apparatus, projection exposure method, and method for producing device: A projection exposure apparatus transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate via a projection optical system. The projection exposure apparatus includes electricity removal units which removes electricity from a liquid supplied to a space between the projection optical system and the surface of a substrate. This makes... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030699 - Wiring technique: An apparatus for supplying electrical power to a movable member. The apparatus includes a fixed member, in which the movable member moves relative to the fixed member, an electrically conductive flexible plate-like member having an end connected to the movable member and another end connected to the fixed member, which... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080030704 - Environmental system including a transport region for an immersion lithography apparatus: A lithographic projection apparatus that is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system has a liquid supply system arranged to supply a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a liquid collecting system... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030702 - Exposure apparatus, producing method of exposure apparatus, and producing method of microdevice: An exposure apparatus for exposing a pattern formed on a mask (M) onto a photosensitive substrate (P) through a projection optical system (PL), comprising an upper pedestal (26) on which at least one of the projection optical system (PL) and a mask stage (MST) which is to hold the mask... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030703 - Projection exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method, and sensor unit: A projection exposure apparatus, which has a projection optical system and exposes a substrate through the projection optical system and a liquid, while a gap between the projection optical system and the substrate is filled with the liquid. The apparatus includes a light-receiving element configured to detect light incident thereon... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080030707 - Lighting optical device, regulation method for lighting optical device, exposure system, and exposure method: An illumination optical apparatus is able to adjust each of pupil luminance distributions at respective points on a surface to be illuminated to being almost uniform, while maintaining or adjusting an illuminance distribution on the surface to be illuminated to being almost uniform. The illumination optical apparatus illuminates the surface... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080030708 - Device manufacturing method: A rectangular or bar-shaped, on-axis illumination mask with radiation polarized parallel to the length of the bar provides improved DOF and exposure latitude with less lens heating as compared to a circular monopole with equivalent σ.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP