Photocopying inventions 06/08

20080151200 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus (EX) has an exposure region (E) for irradiating exposure light (EL) to a substrate (W) through an optical system (30) and liquid (LQ) and has a measurement region (A) for acquiring information on the position of the substrate (W) prior to the exposure. The substrate (W) is... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080151203 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus illuminates a pattern with an energy beam and transfers the pattern onto a substrate via a projection optical system. The exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage on which the substrate is mounted and that moves within a two-dimensional plane holding the substrate. A supply mechanism supplies liquid... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080151201 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A lithographic apparatus that includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam. The illumination system includes a plurality of optical components. The apparatus also includes a support constructed to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080151202 - Stage device and exposure apparatus: A stage device includes a stage configured to move along a base while holding a heating medium, and a heat exchange section configured to perform heat exchange of the heating medium. The heat exchange section includes an instruction unit configured to give instructions to move the stage to a heat... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080151204 - Method for positioning a target portion of a substrate with respect to a focal plane of a projection system: A method is provided for positioning a target portion of a substrate with respect to a focal plane of a projection system. The substrate may include one or more target portions. The method includes performing height measurements of at least part of the substrate to generate height data. The at... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080151206 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A method of lithography is disclosed that includes conditioning a radiation beam using an illumination system of a lithographic apparatus, imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section, and projecting the patterned beam of radiation as an exposure field onto a substrate, wherein a periodic interference pattern is... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080151207 - Magneto-optical photoresist: A method for a magneto-optical photoresist. The method includes applying a magneto-optical photoresist to a surface, and patterning the magneto-optical photoresist by using a magnetic alignment. The magneto-optical photoresist is also patterned by using a photo exposure, wherein the magnetic alignment provides a photo exposure alignment for the photo exposure.... Agent: Wagner, Murabito & Hao LLP

20080151208 - Real-time configurable masking: Methods, systems, and media to define a portion of a circuit pattern with a source of real-time configurable imaging are disclosed. Embodiments include hardware and/or software for directing a beam through a mask onto a wafer surface to outline a circuit pattern having an undefined area, directing a second beam... Agent: Ibm Coporation (rtp) C/o Schubert Osterrieder & Nickelson Pllc

20080151205 - Reducing fast ions in a plasma radiation source: A radiation source with an anode and a cathode to create a discharge in a discharge space between the anode and the cathode is disclosed. A plasma is formed in the radiation source which generates electromagnetic radiation, such as EUV radiation. The radiation source includes a first activation source to... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080151210 - Method for determining exposure condition and computer-readable storage media storing program for determining exposure condition: A method for determining an exposure condition for use in projecting an image of a pattern of an original on a substrate includes a setting step of setting an exposure condition, an image calculating step of calculating a dimension of an image to be projected on the substrate under the... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080151209 - System and method for printing a pattern: A method for recording a pattern includes: (i) determining an illumination scheme in response to the pattern; and (ii) directing, in response to the determination, at least one beam of radiation having a first cross-section towards an saturable absorber such as to allow a portion of said bean to propagate... Agent: Tarek N. Fahmi Applied Materials, Inc.

20080151211 - Multiple-use projection system: Projection exposure methods and systems for exposing substrates are disclosed. The methods and systems feature projection objectives capable of multiple exposure configurations having different image side numerical apertures and different image field sizes.... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080151213 - Bearing device, stage device, and exposure apparatus: A sufficient moving stroke can be secured without connecting a tube, etc. for supply of air. A movable body (3) having a pad part (73) and a fixed body (2) are provided. The movable body (3) is movably supported by the fixed body (2) by supplying the medium to the... Agent: Miles & Stockbridge Pc

20080151212 - Lithographic apparatus, a substrate table and a method for releasing a wafer: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arranged to condition a radiation beam, and a support constructed and arranged to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080151214 - Position measurement method, position control method, measurement method, loading method, exposure method and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: A part of a plate of a predetermined shape detachably mounted on a moving body is detected by an alignment system while the position of the moving body is measured by a measurement unit that sets a movement coordinate system of the movement body, and based on the detection results... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080151215 - Patterning device, method of providing a patterning device, photolithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A patterning device for a photolithographic apparatus is used to form a patterned radiation beam, by imparting a cross-sectional pattern to the radiation beam during reflection from the patterning device. The patterning device comprises a layer of phase-change material that is capable of locally undergoing an induced structural phase change... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080143980 - Substrate processing method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device: Disclosed is a substrate processing method which includes an exposure step wherein an immersion area of a first liquid is formed on a substrate and the substrate is exposed by being irradiated with an exposure light through the first liquid, and an immersion step wherein the substrate is immersed in... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080143981 - Optical arrangement and euv lithography device with at least one heated optical element, operating methods, and methods for cleaning as well as for providing an optical element: An optical arrangement, in particular a projection system, illumination system or beam shaping system for EUV lithography, including at least one optical element that is arranged in a beam path of the optical arrangement and that reflects radiation in the soft X-ray- or EUV wavelength range, wherein at least during... Agent: Sughrue Mion, Pllc

20080143982 - Lithographic system, device manufacturing method, setpoint data optimization method, and apparatus for producing optimized setpoint data: An iterative method of producing optimized setpoint data for controlling the actuation of elements of an array of individually controllable elements in a maskless system and systems therefore. The optimization is based on estimation of a device structure that can utilizes one or more of the following factors: the low-pass... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080143985 - 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

20080143983 - Methods and apparatus for multi-exposure patterning: In some aspects, a reticle is provided for use in forming a patterned region on a substrate using a multi-pattern, multi-exposure process. The reticle includes (a) a first pattern for the multi-pattern, multi-exposure process formed on a first region of the reticle; and (b) a second pattern for the multi-pattern,... Agent: Dugan & Dugan, Pc

20080143984 - Projection method including pupillary filtering and a projection lens therefor: A catadioptric lens with optical elements, which are arranged along an optical axis and with at least one concave mirror located in the vicinity of a pupillar surface of the projection lens. The concave mirror is sub-divided into a number of annular or honeycomb mirror segments, which can be displaced... Agent: Sughrue Mion, Pllc

20080143986 - Auto-adjust of imaging module mechanical setup: An imaging member adjustment system for an imaging module includes an imaging field opposing the imaging module and positioning targets provided in connection with the imaging field. The imaging module includes an optical source generating an optical path, an imaging member responsive to input from the optical source, and a... Agent: Mh2 Technology Law Group, LLP (cust. No. W/xerox)

20080143987 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: An exposure apparatus comprises an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle arranged on a surface to be illuminated with a light beam from a light source, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, and a stage configured to drive the... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080143988 - System for calculating transmission utility factor value of photo energy for exposure and method for calculating transmission utility factor value of photo energy utilizing the calculation system: Disclosed is a system for calculating transmission utility factor value of photo energy for exposure and a method for calculating transmission utility factor value of photo energy utilizing the calculation system in which the photo energy generated from an excimer laser generator passes various optical systems (which include a lens... Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch

20080143990 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate to radiant energy is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a holder configured to hold the substrate, a shutter for regulating exposure time for the substrate, and a controller configured to control an operation of the shutter, wherein the controller is configured to control the... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080143989 - Method and arrangement for stabilizing the average emitted radiation output of a pulsed radiation source: The invention is directed to a method and an arrangement for stabilizing the average emitted radiation output of a pulsed radiation source. It is the object of the invention to find a novel possibility for stabilizing the average emitted radiation output of a pulsed radiation source which enables a reliable... Agent: Gerald H. Kiel, Esq. Reed Smith LLP

20080143991 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: A scan exposure apparatus includes first and second light-shielding plates arranged within an illumination optical system for illuminating an original, the plates defining a region of the original to be illuminated in a direction of the scan. The scan exposure apparatus further includes a rotation mechanism that rotates at least... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080143993 - Illumination optical system and exposure apparatus: An illumination optical system that is used for an exposure apparatus that includes a mirror and exposes an object, illuminates a surface to be illuminated using light from a light source, and includes a filter member arranged at a position that substantially has a Fourier transform relationship with the surface... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080143992 - Polarized radiation in lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus uses polarized light to improve the imaging properties such as exposure latitude, while maintaining and extending the lifetime of an illumination system in a lithographic apparatus.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080143994 - Drive method of moving body, stage unit, and exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus that comprises a stage (28) that moves in the X-axis direction, an X-axis linear motor (80) that drives the stage, a counter mass (30) that moves in a direction opposite to the stage due to the action of the reaction force of the drive force of the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080143995 - Moving apparatus: A moving apparatus includes a movable body movable in at least one direction; an electromagnet configured to drive a movable body and including a coil; an electromagnet control system configured to perform feedback control of the electromagnet on the basis of a command value input to the electromagnet control system;... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080143996 - Processing apparatus: A processing apparatus comprises a unit processing an object, a first conveyer to perform conveyance of the object between the unit and a station arranged between an external apparatus and the unit, the external apparatus including a second conveyer to hold the object with a hand thereof to perform conveyance... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080137043 - Exposure apparatus, exposure and developing system, and method of manufacturing a device: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate coated with a photosensitive material to radiant energy comprises a first controller and a second controller. The first controller is configured to control a process of exposing the substrate. The second controller is configured to generate a control signal corresponding to a time... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080137046 - Apparatus and method for exposing substrate: A substrate exposing apparatus includes an immersion exposure unit, disposed between a projection optical system and a substrate, including a vessel disposed on an optical path and filled with a liquid, a supply line connected to one side of the vessel to supply the liquid to the vessel, a first... Agent: Mills & Onello LLP

20080137047 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus is provided with a first stage and a second stage. A maintenance apparatus carries out maintenance on the second stage during exposure processing of a wafer held on the first stage.... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080137045 - Liguid immersion exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes: a first optical member having an exit surface via which an exposure beam exits; a first movable body movable with respect to the first optical member while holding a substrate; a cover member movable with movement of the first movable body and capable of... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080137044 - Systems and methods for thermally-induced aberration correction in immersion lithography: Immersion lithography aberration control systems and methods that compensate for a heating effect of exposure energy in an immersion fluid across an exposure zone are provided. An aberration control system includes actuators that adjust optical elements within the immersion lithography system and a fluid heating compensation module coupled to the... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080137048 - Exposure apparatus, operation apparatus, computer-readable medium, and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus configured to measure a position of at least one of a mark formed on an original plate and a mark formed on a substrate and to expose the substrate to radiant energy based on the measured position includes a stage configured to hold one of the original... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080137049 - Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing methods, mask and method of characterizing a mask and/or pellicle: A thick pellicle is allowed to have a non-flat shape and its shape is characterized to calculate corrections to be applied in exposures to compensate for the optical effects of the pellicle. The pellicle may be mounted so as to adopt a one-dimensional shape under the influence of gravity to... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080137051 - Lithography and associated methods, devices, and systems: An apparatus for forming an energy pattern on a target, comprising a projector including a first row of spaced-apart energy outlets arranged in a first pattern, a second row of spaced apart energy outlets arranged in a second pattern, wherein the first pattern is different than the second pattern, and... Agent: Dickie, Mccamey & Chilcote, P.c. Intellectual Property Department

20080137050 - Plasma radiation source for a lithographic apparatus: A radiation source is disclosed that includes an anode and a cathode that are configured and arranged to create a discharge in a substance in a discharge space between the anode and the cathode and to form a plasma so as to generate electromagnetic radiation, the anode and the cathode... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080137052 - Measuring apparatus, projection exposure apparatus having the same, and device manufacturing method: A measuring apparatus measures a substrate on which a registration mark is formed. The measuring apparatus includes an acquisition unit which acquires the edge interval information of an image of the registration mark sensed under a measurement condition which is changed to make the edge interval of the image of... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080137053 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A system and method are used to direct a radiation beam to illuminate non-perpendicularly a patterning array of individually controllable elements used for patterning the radiation beam. The individually controllable elements can change a telecentricity of the radiation beam. Projection of the radiation beam onto the individually controllable elements can... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080137054 - Image exposure apparatus: An image exposure apparatus of a different angle incident type is provided having a single optical sensor unit for determining the timing for start point synchronization along the main scanning direction, an output level detecting device determining the output level of each beam of light which can be detected by... Agent: Smith Patent Office

20080137055 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A substrate support constructed to support a substrate for immersion lithographic processing is disclosed. The substrate support has a central part and a peripheral part, the peripheral part comprising an extraction duct configured to extract a liquid from a top surface of the substrate support, the extraction duct connected to... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080137056 - Method for processing substrate, exposure method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device: In a substrate-processing method including a step of forming a liquid immersion area of a liquid on a substrate and performing exposure for the substrate by irradiating an exposure light beam onto the substrate through the liquid in the liquid immersion area, a liquid contact time, during which the substrate... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080137057 - Film holder for supporting positive film or negative film: The present invention relates to a film holder for supporting at least one positive film or negative film. The film holder includes a rectangular base member and a rectangular cover member. The rectangular base member includes two long edges and two short edges. The rectangular base member further includes a... Agent: Kirton And Mcconkie

20080129968 - Coating and developing system, coating and developing method and storage medium: A buffer module is installed in a coating film forming unit block of a coating and developing system to reduce the number of interface arms needed by an interface block, and the manufacturing cost and footprint of the coating and developing system. For example, buffer modules BF31 to BF34 capable... Agent: Smith, Gambrell & Russell

20080129971 - Exposure apparatus and method for manufacturing device: An exposure apparatus used to expose a substrate includes an optical system which includes two optical elements and which is configured to guide light emitted from a light source to the substrate, gas supply sections configured to supply gas to a space between the optical elements, and gas exhaust sections... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080129970 - Immersion exposure system, and recycle method and supply method of liquid for immersion exposure: An immersion exposure system 1 performs an exposure process through a liquid 301 provided between an optical element of a projection optical means 121 and a substrate 111. The immersion exposure system 1 includes a liquid supply section 80 which supplies the liquid 301, an exposure section to which the... Agent: Merchant & Gould Pc

20080129969 - System and method for improving immersion scanner overlay performance: System and method for improving immersion scanner overlay performance are described. One embodiment is a method of improving overlay performance of an photolithography immersion scanner comprising a wafer table having lens cooling water (“LCW”) disposed in a water channel therein, the wafer table having an input for receiving the LCW... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20080129972 - Exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus exposes each of a plurality of regions arranged on a substrate. The apparatus includes a processor configured to i) cause a measurement device to acquire an image signal of an alignment mark formed in each of plural regions which are at least a part of the plurality... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080129974 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus configured to expose a substrate via a reticle includes a light source emitting light, a measuring device performing measurement of a wavelength spectrum of the light emitted from the light source, and a controller. The controller calculates a central wavelength of the light emitted from the light... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080129973 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is presented. The lithographic apparatus includes a beam splitter configured to split a radiation beam into a plurality of radiation beams; a substrate stage configured to support a substrate; a beam combiner adapted to redirect and combine at least a portion of the plurality of radiation beams... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080129975 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: An exposure apparatus comprising an illumination optical system configured to illuminate a reticle with a light beam from a light source, and a projection optical system configured to project a pattern image of the reticle onto a substrate, the illumination optical system including a light-shielding member which is arranged near... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080129976 - Shutter blade apparatus, shutter unit, image pickup apparatus, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device: A shutter blade apparatus includes a shutter blade; a first pushing member including two first pushing portions configured to push a first surface of the shutter blade; and a second pushing member including a second pushing portion configured to push a second surface of the shutter blade, the second surface... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080129977 - Exposure apparatus, control method for the same, and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus which can change a reticle efficiently with a simple arrangement is provided. When changing the reticle, a table is moved to a predetermined change operation position. At this time, a second magnet is retreated to a position where a repulsion force generated by a first magnet and... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080129978 - Exposure apparatus and exposure method: According to an exposure apparatus and an exposure method in the present invention, based on a focus value and a leveling value in each exposure shot calculated based on measurements by a focus sensor, differential absolute values for respective values are calculated. The differential absolute values for the focus value... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP