Photocopying inventions 07/08

20080180645 - Immersion photolithography system and method using microchannel nozzles: A liquid immersion photolithography system includes an exposure system that exposes a substrate with electromagnetic radiation and includes a projection optical system that focuses the electromagnetic radiation on the substrate. A liquid supply system provides liquid flow between the projection optical system and the substrate. An optional plurality of micronozzles... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080180644 - Light source apparatus: The present invention provides a light source apparatus capable of preventing supercooling of a light source and adhesion of extraneous matter to a reflecting surface of a reflecting mirror. In a light source apparatus 1, ultraviolet light emitted from a mercury xenon lamp 3 is reflected on a reflecting surface... Agent: Drinker Biddle & Reath (dc)

20080180646 - Imprint reference template for multilayer or multipattern registration and method therefor: A method (and resultant structure) of forming a plurality of masks, includes creating a reference template, using imprint lithography to print at least one reference template alignment mark on all of a plurality of mask blanks for a given chip set, and printing sub-patterns on each of the plurality of... Agent: Mcginn Intellectual Property Law Group, PLLC

20080180647 - Focus monitor mark, focus monitoring method, and device production method: The focus monitor mark of the present invention includes two dot groups formed with a plurality of dots comprising a resist that is formed in a protruding manner with respect to a wafer surface, and a measurement region. The mark includes a dot pattern mark in which dot groups are... Agent: Young & Thompson

20080180648 - Divided sub-image array scanning and exposing system: An “image writing” and “image reading” system and method for providing a pattern to a subject such as a wafer is provided or an image to an image sensor such as CCD. The system includes a pixel panel, such as a digital mirror device or a liquid crystal display or... Agent: Wenhui Mei

20080180649 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: By proper selection of illumination configuration, mask transmission, and mask bias, complex patterns of contact holes may be imaged with sufficient latitude for manufacturing at minimum half-pitches of k1=0.40 or below. In an embodiment, a method of transferring an image of a mask pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080174750 - Apparatus configured to position a workpiece: An apparatus is configured to position a workpiece. The apparatus includes a planar base, and a movable stage configured to support the workpiece. The stage is configured to be moved over the planar base. The apparatus also includes an actuator configured to move the stage, a contactless position measurer configured... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080174751 - Contamination barrier and lithographic apparatus: A rotatable contamination barrier for use with an extreme ultraviolet radiation system includes a blade structure configured to trap contaminant material coming from a radiation source, and an eccentric mass element displaced relative to a central axis of rotation to balance the blade structure when the blade structure is rotated... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080174749 - In-tool and out-of-tool protection of extreme ultraviolet (euv) reticles: A reticle carrier for an Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) reticle may include nested grids of electret fibers to provide active protection from contamination without a power supply. The reticle carrier may include in-line sensors for in-situ monitoring of contamination. Grids of electret fibers may also be used in an EUV pellicle.... Agent: Fish & Richardson, Pc

20080174748 - Liquid recovery system, immersion exposure apparatus, immersion exposing method, and device fabricating method: A liquid recovery system is used by an immersion exposure apparatus. The liquid recovery system is provided with: a first opening; a gap portion that is provided so that a liquid on an object that opposes the first opening can flow into the gap portion through the first opening; a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080174752 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus for immersion lithography is disclosed in which a seal between different parts of the substrate table may be arranged to reduce the transmission of forces between the different parts.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080174753 - Method of measurement, an inspection apparatus and a lithographic apparatus: Radiation is projected onto a plurality of targets on a substrate. By assuming that the overlay error derivable from asymmetry varies smoothly across the substrate, the number of targets measured can be reduced. This may result in a smaller area of the scribe lane being used by targets for each... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080174754 - Photo-masks and methods of fabricating periodic optical structures: Improved photo-masks for use in fabricating periodic structures are disclosed herein. Methods of making periodic structures, as well as the periodic structures fabricated therefrom, are also disclosed. The photo-mask can include a body element and one or more sets of diffractive elements and/or refractive elements disposed on the body element... Agent: Troutman Sanders LLP

20080174755 - Movable stage apparatus: This invention aims at preventing a space including the guide surface of a reticle stage from interfering with an exposure light beam. In order to achieve this object, in a movable stage apparatus having a reticle stage on which a reflecting reticle is to be mounted, when the space is... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080174757 - Imaging device in a projection exposure machine: An imaging device in a projection exposure machine for microlithography has at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, having a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element. The linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080174758 - Replacement device for an optical element: Replacement devices for at least one replaceable optical element mounted at least indirectly in a lithographic projection exposure apparatus are disclosed. Lithography objectives and illumination systems are also disclosed. Methods for positioning a replaceable optical element within a lithographic projection exposure apparatus of this type, and methods for replacing a... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080174756 - Source optimization for image fidelity and throughput: A system and method for optimizing an illumination source to print a desired pattern of features dividing a light source into pixels and determining an optimum intensity for each pixel such that when the pixels are simultaneously illuminated, the error in a printed pattern of features is minimized. In one... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

20080174759 - Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: Microlithographic projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related components, subsystems and methods are disclosed.... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080170210 - Device manufacturing method and lithographic apparatus: A device manufacturing method includes bringing pressure within a vacuum chamber of a lithographic projection apparatus to a temperature stabilizing pressure range; keeping the pressure within the vacuum chamber within the temperature stabilizing pressure range for a period of time so as to stabilize the temperature in the vacuum chamber;... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080170211 - Immersion exposure technique: An exposure apparatus which has a projection optical system configured to project light from a reticle to a substrate to expose the substrate to light, with a first gap between a final surface of the projection optical system and the substrate being filled with liquid. A substrate stage is configured... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080170212 - Device manufacturing method, computer program product and lithographic apparatus: A method of optimizing adjustable settings of adjustable elements of a projection system in a lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes determining an object spectrum for a pattern and an illumination arrangement, determining a symmetry of the object spectrum, constructing a merit function for a wavefront in a pupil plane... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080170215 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: In an immersion lithography apparatus or device manufacturing method, the position of focus of the projected image is changed during imaging to increase focus latitude. In an embodiment, the focus may be varied using the liquid supply system of the immersion lithographic apparatus.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080170214 - Positioning apparatus, exposure apparatus using thereof and device manufacturing method: A positioning apparatus including a movable member having a plurality of magnets, and a plurality of coils arranged in X- and Y-axial directions, for displacing the movable member in the X- and Y-axial directions, and in a rotational direction around the Z-axis.... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080170213 - Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: A stage apparatus includes a stage, a repulsive force generating unit including a first magnet provided on the stage and a second magnet provided to face the first magnet at an end of the moving stroke of the stage, a driving unit which drives the stage within the moving stroke... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20080170216 - Projection optics for microlithography: A projection optics for microlithography, which images an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane, where the projection optics include at least one curved mirror and including at least one refractive subunit, as well as related systems, components, methods and products prepared by... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20080170217 - Optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: An optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus (10) contains a module (50; 150), which can be fitted in the optical system and removed from it as a unit. The module contains a cavity (42; 142) which can be completely filled with a liquid (34; 134) and hermetically sealed,... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20080165330 - Liquid removing apparatus, exposure apparatus and device fabricating method: A liquid removing apparatus (1) evacuates a gas present in a specified space formed on a rear surface (Pb) side of a substrate (P) taken out from a substrate holder (PH), to remove liquid adhered to the rear surface (Pb) of an exposure target substrate (P).... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20080165331 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a seal provided in a substrate table, the seal being actuatable from an open configuration to a closed configuration, the closed configuration being such that when a substrate is located on the substrate table, the seal closes a gap between the substrate and... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080165332 - Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and device: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a support for a patterning device, a substrate table for a substrate, a projection system, and a control system. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080165335 - Immersion lithography with equalized pressure on at least projection optics component and wafer: An immersion lithography apparatus and method, and a lithographic optical column structure are disclosed for conducting immersion lithography with at least the projection optics of the optical system and the wafer in different fluids at the same pressure. In particular, an immersion lithography apparatus is provided in which a supercritical... Agent: Hoffman, Warnick & D'alessandro LLC

20080165333 - Projection optical apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, photomask, and device and photomask manufacturing method: When forming a magnified image of a mask pattern on an object with a plurality of projection optical systems, the mask pattern is minimized in size. A projection exposure apparatus relatively moves a mask and a substrate and forms a magnified image of a pattern of the mask. The apparatus... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080165334 - Projection optical apparatus, exposure method and apparatus, photomask, and device and photomask manufacturing method: When forming a magnified image of a mask pattern on an object with a plurality of projection optical systems, projected images of the projection optical systems are formed to be accurately continuous to enable satisfactory pattern transfer. A first projection optical system directs light beam from point a on a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080165336 - Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method: An imaging optical system that has liquid interposed in an optical path to the image plane to achieve a large effective image-side numerical aperture larger than, for example, 1.4, while a relatively large effective imaging region can be achieved. The imaging optical system that projects an image of a first... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080165337 - Laser system: A method and apparatus may comprise a line narrowed pulsed excimer or molecular fluorine gas discharge laser system which may comprise a seed laser oscillator producing an output comprising a laser output light beam of pulses which may comprise a first gas discharge excimer or molecular fluorine laser chamber; a... Agent: William C. Cray Cymer, Inc., Legal Dept.

20080165338 - Self-aligned, sub-wavelength optical lithography: Embodiments of the invention provide a method and an apparatus for performing self-aligned, sub-wavelength optical lithography. One embodiment provides a region of photoresist above a conductive surface having a plurality of periodically arrayed openings extending therethrough. At least a portion of the region of photoresist is then exposed to a... Agent: Hewlett Packard Company

20080165339 - Spatial energy distribution by slit filter for step-and-scan system on multiple focus exposure: A radiation source directs radiation along a radiation path. An exposure slit positioned along the radiation path directs the radiation at the substrate. The exposure slit has center and edge portions. A lens positioned along the radiation path has an optimal focus position. A support stage supports and moves the... Agent: Akin Gump LLP - Silicon Valley

20080165340 - Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and computer program product: Additional vibrations are added during the exposure of a substrate so that vibrations occurring during exposure of a plurality of areas on the substrate are substantially uniform. This may improve CD uniformity.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080158526 - Substrate support and lithographic process: 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 positioned around the central part. The substrate support further includes a thermal decoupler arranged to decrease heat transport between the central part and the peripheral... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080158527 - Processor unit with provision for automated control of processing parameters: An imaging device for preparing a printing surface for a printing operation transfers information related to how the printing precursor should be processed to a processor. The processor is automated to make local adjustments according to the information provided. The information can be transferred for each printing precursor or only... Agent: Eastman Kodak Company Patent Legal Staff

20080158528 - Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and computer program product: In a lithographic apparatus, a corrective irradiation procedure is performed using an illumination mode arranged so as to heat a selected part of an element of the projection system near a pupil plane thereof that is relatively unheated during production exposure. The corrective irradiation procedure aims to improve uniformity of... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080158530 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus including a projection optical system and configured to expose a substrate to light via the projection optical system includes a support configured to support the projection optical system, an object supported by the support and movable relative the support, an actuator configured to drive the object, a... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080158531 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and method for producing device: An exposure apparatus includes a first optical member via which an exposure beam exits; a first movable body which is movable on a light-exit side of the first optical member; a measuring member which is provided on the first movable body and which has an inclined surface to which a... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080158529 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A method for configuring an illumination source of a lithographic apparatus is presented. The method includes dividing the illumination source into pixel groups, each pixel group including one or more illumination source points; selecting an illumination shape to expose a pattern, the illumination shape formed with at least one pixel... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080158532 - Image exposing apparatus and microlens array unit: In an image exposing apparatus that includes: a spatial optical modulation device having multitudes of pixel sections arranged two-dimensionally, each for modulating irradiated light; a light source for irradiating light on the spatial optical modulation device; and an image focusing optical system for focusing an image represented by the light... Agent: Sughrue Mion, Pllc

20080158534 - Assembly: An assembly includes a first element having a predetermined functionality that is to be positioned with respect to a second element. The elements are arranged in a spaced relationship on a support frame. The support frame is provided with an interface surface formed on or in the support frame for... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080158533 - Image-capturing unit and image-capturing apparatus: For an image-capturing unit having a light source and mirrors directing light reflected from a scanned document into a lens condensing the light onto a photoelectrically converting image sensor, a synthetic resin housing. The housing is composed of an open-ended upper frame having a top plate from which sidewalls extend,... Agent: Judge Patent Associates

20080158536 - Optical switching in lithography system: A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. At least one beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets. A plurality of modulators modulate the magnitude of a beamlet, and a control unit controls of the modulators. The control unit generates and delivers pattern... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20080158537 - Optical switching in lithography system: A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. At least one beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets. A plurality of modulators modulate the magnitude of a beamlet, and a control unit controls of the modulators. The control unit generates and delivers pattern... Agent: Blakely Sokoloff Taylor & Zafman

20080158535 - Pellicle, methods of fabrication & methods of use for extreme ultraviolet lithography: Embodiments of a pellicle, methods of fabrication and methods of use in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography are disclosed. The pellicle may include a wire mesh with a square or hexagonal geometric configuration. A thin film of a material with a high Young's modulus may be coated on at least one... Agent: Intel/blakely

20080158538 - Lithographic apparatus, substrate table, and method for enhancing substrate release properties: 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

20080158539 - Stage apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: This invention relates to a stage apparatus including a first stage, a second stage mounted on the first stage, a first actuator which drives the first stage in a first direction, and a second actuator which drives the second stage such that the second stage moves relative to the first... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.