Photocopying inventions 08/08

20080204675 - Coating/developing apparatus and pattern forming method: A coating/developing apparatus includes a process section including processing units to perform a series of processes for resist coating and development; an interface section disposed between the process section and immersion light exposure apparatus; and a drying section disposed in the interface section to dry the substrate immediately after the... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.c.

20080204676 - Image forming apparatus and method: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member; charging means for charging a surface of the image bearing member; image exposure means for exposing the surface of the image bearing member charged by the charging means to light to form an electrostatic image on the surface of the image... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080204677 - Pattern forming method: In a pattern forming method of forming a desired pattern on a resist film on a substrate, the surface of a substrate is subjected to a surface hydrophobizing process to form a processed film for improving the adhesion of the surface of the substrate to resist, a coating film including... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20080204679 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: Liquid is supplied to a space between the projection system of a lithographic apparatus and a substrate. A flow of gas towards a vacuum inlet prevents the humid gas from escaping to other parts of the lithographic apparatus. This may help to protect intricate parts of the lithographic apparatus from... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080204680 - Purge system for a substrate container: A purging station with a substrate container receiving zone having at least one upwardly extending purging nozzle. The nozzle has a circular engaging lip. The substrate container has support means for at least one substrate and a purge port assembly that includes an externally facing sealing flange facing downward from... Agent: Patterson, Thuente, Skaar & Christensen, P.a.

20080204678 - Temperature effects on overlay accuracy: A method for reducing overlay error in a photolithographic process, by providing a substrate having a permanent layer with a first pattern disposed therein, coating the substrate with photoresist, exposing the photoresist to a second pattern, while measuring temperatures at a plurality of different first positions across the substrate, developing... Agent: Lng/kla Joint Customer C/o Luedeka, Neely & Graham, P.c.

20080204681 - Image forming apparatus: An image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention includes: an image generating unit configured to generate an image to be printed on a recording paper; a paper type designating unit configured for a user to directly designate a type of the recording paper or to designate automatic... Agent: Amin, Turocy & Calvin, LLP

20080204682 - Exposure method and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: By the combination of adjusting optical properties of an optical system by an irradiation unit irradiating non-exposure light on an optical element, which is movable, and adjusting the optical properties of the optical system with an optical properties adjustment unit by moving the optical element, for example, the change in... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080204687 - Exposing method, exposure apparatus, device fabricating method, and substrate for immersion exposure: An exposing method which exposes a substrate through a liquid, the pH value of the liquid is adjusted in accordance with a material of a surface layer of the substrate that contacts the liquid.... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080204685 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method and lithography system: An exposure apparatus includes a first exposure apparatus used for exposing a peripheral portion of a wafer in maskless manner, the first exposure apparatus including a light source configured to emit light, a stage on which the wafer is to be placed, and a light controller configured to control the... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20080204683 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system constructed and arrange to condition a beam of radiation, a patterning device constructed and arranged to pattern the beam of radiation, a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, a substrate... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080204686 - Mask structure for manufacturing an integrated circuit by photolithographic patterning: Photolithography using polarized light is disclosed. For example, a method includes transmitting the light through a mask having a first area with a first class of patterns and a second area with a second class of patterns thereby generating a virtual image. The virtual image is exposed into a resist... Agent: Slater & Matsil, L.l.p.

20080204684 - Process and apparatus for ultraviolet nano-imprint lithography: A process and an apparatus for performing a UV nano-imprint lithography are provided. The process uses a polymer pad which allows a uniform application of pressure to a patterned template and an easy removal of a residual resin layer. The apparatus includes a tilt and decentering corrector which allows an... Agent: Sughrue Mion, Pllc

20080204691 - Exposure apparatus, manufacturing system, and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus of the present invention includes: an exposure unit configured to expose photoresist coated on a substrate to light to transfer a pattern of a mask to the photoresist with respect to each of shot regions; and a controller configured to obtain a dose of light for each... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.l.p.

20080204690 - Method, program product and apparatus for generating a calibrated pupil kernel and method of using the same in a lithography simulation process: A method of generating a model for simulating the imaging performance of an optical imaging system having a pupil. The method includes the steps of defining the optical imaging system and a process to be utilized by the optical imaging system; and defining a model equation representing the imaging performance... Agent: Mcdermott Will & Emery LLP

20080204688 - Methodology for implementing enhanced optical lithography for hole patterning in semiconductor fabrication: System and method for enhancing optical lithography methodology for hole patterning in semiconductor fabrication are described. In one embodiment, a photolithography system comprises an illumination system for conditioning light from a light source, the illumination system producing a three-pore illumination pattern; a reticle comprising at least a portion of a... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20080204689 - Optical module with minimized overrun of the optical element: There is provided an optical module for microlithography. The optical module includes an optical element and a retaining device for holding the optical element. The optical element has (a) a main extension plane, in which it defines a radial direction R and a circumferential direction U, and (b) a free... Agent: Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, LLP

20080204692 - Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and method for producing microstructured components: A method for producing microstructured components in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The method includes imaging a pattern of structures into an image plane of a projection objective. The dose distribution of projection light in the image plane can be influenced so that the image of a structure... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080204693 - Substrate support method: The present invention includes a method for supporting a substrate that features a chuck body having a body surface with a pin extending therefrom having a contact surface lying in a plane, with the pin being movably coupled to the chuck body to move with respect to the plane. To... Agent: Board Of Regents, The University Of Texas System

20080204694 - Controlling shape of a reticle with low friction film coating at backside: In an embodiment of the invention, an apparatus includes a reticle having a frontside including a pattern to be imaged onto a semiconductor wafer, a thin film located over a backside of the reticle to form a global convex shape and to reduce friction when sliding on a chuck, and... Agent: Trop Pruner & Hu, Pc

20080204695 - Euv lithography system and chuck for releasing reticle in a vacuum isolated environment: A method for providing a vacuum isolated environment in a lithography system is disclosed. The method for dechucking a reticle includes providing a mask chamber having one or more vacuum valves for isolating the mask chamber from the lithography system. The one or more vacuum valves are closed to isolate... Agent: Slater & Matsil, L.l.p.

20080204696 - Method of alignment: The invention provides an alignment method for applying a one layer of shot exposure on and throughout a substrate, wherein a shot exposure area throughout the substrate is divided into N block areas Bi (i=1 to N), each having multiple one-shot areas joined to one another in an adjoining state;... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.c.

20080198341 - Substrate processing apparatus with integrated cleaning unit: In a substrate processing apparatus, an indexer block, a resist film processing block, a cleaning/drying processing block, a development processing block, and an interface block are provided side by side in this order. An exposure device is arranged adjacent to the interface block. The exposure device subjects a substrate to... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20080198342 - Substrate processing apparatus with integrated top and edge cleaning unit: A substrate processing apparatus arranged adjacent to an exposure device includes a processing section that subjects a substrate to processing and an interface provided adjacent to one end of the processing section configured to transfer and receive the substrate between the processing section and the exposure device. The processing section... Agent: Townsend And Townsend And Crew, LLP

20080198348 - Apparatus and methods for minimizing force variation from immersion liquid in lithography systems: A lithographic projection apparatus includes an optical assembly that projects an image onto a workpiece, and a containment member disposed adjacent to a lower end of the optical assembly. The containment member has an aperture through which an exposure beam passes from the optical assembly to the workpiece. The lithographic... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080198346 - Exposure apparatus and method for manufacturing device: An exposure apparatus, exposing a substrate via liquid, includes a projection optical system that projects a pattern of an original onto the substrate and a substrate stage that holds and moves the substrate. The substrate stage includes a chuck that holds the substrate, a top plate that surrounds the substrate... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080198345 - Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device: An exposure apparatus having a stage configured to hold a substrate and to be moved, and a projection optical system configured to project light from a reticle to the substrate held by the stage, and exposing the substrate to light via liquid filled in a gap between the substrate and... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20080198347 - Immersion exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device: An immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate via liquid is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a projection optical system configured to project an image of a pattern of a reticle onto the substrate, a first recovery nozzle arranged at a periphery of a final optical element of the projection optical... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20080198344 - Lithographic apparatus and method of removing liquid: A method of removing liquid from a substrate supported on a substrate table and from a gap between the substrate and the substrate table includes: providing a liquid removal device with at least one outlet connected to an under pressure source, the outlet forming an elongated extractor of a predetermined... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080198343 - Systems and methods for insitu lens cleaning in immersion lithography: An immersion lithography apparatus is provided that includes an energy source, a projection optical system, a stage, a showerhead including an immersion liquid supply device and an immersion liquid discharge device that produces a flow of liquid within an exposure zone, and a cleaning device that cleans a portion of... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080198349 - Film printing head having hybrid lenses: There are provided film printing systems and methods for printing images on one of two different width film stocks. A method for printing images on one of two different width film stocks includes the step of combining each of three different color light streams into a combined color stream. The... Agent: Joseph J. Laks Thomson Licensing LLC

20080198350 - Multiple exposure method: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a predetermined mask, a projection optical system for projecting light from the mask to a predetermined exposure region, a first exposure device for illuminating the mask with a first sigma and for projecting light from the mask to the exposure... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20080198351 - Lithography scanner throughput: A method for use in the manufacture of a microelectronic apparatus, the method comprising exposing a dummy field on a substrate by utilizing a lithographic scanner at a first speed, and exposing a production field on the substrate by utilizing the lithographic scanner at a second speed, where the first... Agent: Haynes And Boone, LLP

20080198352 - Optical module for an objective: There is provided an optical module for an objective. The optical module includes (a) a first holding device with an inner circumference, which extends in a first circumferential direction, (b) at least one first supporting device for supporting a first optical element and being fixed at said inner circumference of... Agent: Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, LLP

20080198354 - Optical system and method for illuimination of reflective spatial light modulators in maskless lithography: An illuminator for a lithography system is provided. The illuminator includes a mask positioned along an optical axis and first and second refractive groupings positioned along the axis in cooperative arrangement with the mask. Also included are first and second reflecting devices for reflecting an image output from the first... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20080198353 - Projection objective, projection exposure apparatus and reflective reticle for microlithography: A projection objective for microlithography serves for imaging a pattern of a mask arranged in its object surface into an image field arranged in its image surface with a demagnifying imaging scale. It has a multiplicity of optical elements arranged along the optical axis of the projection objective, the optical... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC

20080192214 - Lithographic apparatus, a dryer and a method of removing liquid from a surface: Lithographic Apparatus, a Dryer and a Method of Removing Liquid from a Surface A new way of drying and/or wetting a surface, such as a top surface of a substrate, is disclosed which is useful in immersion lithography. The surface is placed under a single phase extractor and a priming... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080192215 - Optical element unit for exposure processes: An optical element unit is provided comprising an optical element group; a housing receiving said optical element group and having an inner housing part and an exit end; and a purge unit connected to said housing and providing a purge medium to said inner housing part. The optical element group... Agent: Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, LLP

20080192216 - Exposure apparatus, optical projection apparatus and a method for adjusting the optical projection apparatus: An apparatus includes a plurality of projection optical systems, each including optical elements arranged in an optical path between a first plane and a second plane and forming a radiation pattern from the first plane onto an exposure field on the second plane via the optical elements. A movable portion... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080192218 - Apparatus with plasma radiation source and method of forming a beam of radiation and lithographic apparatus: An apparatus for forming a beam of electromagnetic radiation includes a plasma radiation source, and a foil trap provided with a plurality of thin foils that extend substantially parallel to the direction of radiation from the plasma source. A grid is disposed between the plasma radiation source and the foil... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080192217 - Device manufacturing method, computer program and lithographic apparatus: In a lithographic projection apparatus, adjustment of the projection system, e.g. to compensate for lens heating effects, is performed by determining a region of interest for a given pattern and illumination arrangement, the region of interest being a non-circular region of a pupil plane of the projection system through which... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080192219 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and method, in an embodiment for immersion lithography, are disclosed with a single stage in which leveling and exposure are performed simultaneously.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080192220 - Method for adjusting a projection objective: A projection objective having a number of adjustable optical elements is optimized with respect to a number of aberrations by specifying a set of parameters describing imaging properties of the objective, each parameter in the set having an absolute value at each of a plurality of field points in an... Agent: Gray Robinson, P.a.

20080192221 - Method for determining lithographic focus and exposure: A method for determining one or more process parameter settings of a photolithographic system is disclosed.... Agent: Weaver Austin Villeneuve Sampson LLP Kla Tencor

20080192222 - Exposure apparatus, exposure method, and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus irradiates a substrate with exposure light via a projection optical system to expose the substrate. The projection optical system has a first optical element nearest to an image plane of the projection optical system and a second optical element second nearest to the image plane after the... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080192223 - Method of producing a diffractive optical element and diffractive optical element produced by such a method: In some embodiments, a microlithography projection exposure system has an illumination system with an illumination optical system. The latter can have at least one diffractive optical element, which is divided into multiple adjacently arranged individual elements, each of which has one specified bundle-forming and polarizing effect. The at least one... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080192224 - Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: A projection exposure apparatus has a projection lens (10) with an object plane (34), an image plane, an optical axis (28) and a non-telecentric entrance pupil (32). The apparatus further comprises an illumination system (12) having an intermediate field plane (80) and a field stop (36; 36). The field stop... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080192225 - Projection exposure system, method for manufacturing a micro-structured structural member by the aid of such a projection exposure system and polarization-optical element adapted for use in such a system: The invention relates to a projection exposure system, in particular for micro-lithography. The projection exposure system according to the invention comprises a light source (18) for producing light in the EUV region. The projection exposure system further comprises a first optical system (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) for illuminating... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20080192226 - Stage unit, exposure apparatus, and exposure method: A power usage supply unit that supplies power usage to a stage which moves on a movement surface has a first axis section, first support sections, a second axis section, and a second support section. The first axis section is movably supported by the first support section in a direction... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, Plc

20080186463 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask onto a substrate, a holder for holding the substrate and having a first channel for the fluid to flow, and a fluid supply unit for supplying the fluid from the first channel of the holder... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20080186462 - Immersion exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device: An immersion exposure apparatus has a projection optical system and a substrate stage. The substrate stage includes a chuck and a top plate located around the substrate held by the chuck. The top plate includes a measurement reference member. A liquid contacting area, on the surface of the top plate,... Agent: Morgan & Finnegan, L.L.P.

20080186461 - Liquid sealing unit and immersion photolithography apparatus having the same: A liquid sealing unit is provided. The liquid sealing unit includes a storage vessel for containing a liquid and having an optical nozzle hole through which light can be transmitted, and a sealing part for containing a fluid in contact with the liquid contained in the optical nozzle hole. An... Agent: Mills & Onello LLP

20080186459 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A liquid supply system for an immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which a space is defined between the projection system, a barrier member and a substrate. The barrier member is not sealed such that, during use, immersion liquid is allowed to flow out the space and between the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080186460 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed that includes a substrate table holding a substrate, a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto the substrate, a liquid supply system configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate table, and a ring... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20080186465 - Coupling apparatus, exposure apparatus, and device fabricating method: An exposure apparatus is an exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate by filling a liquid between a projection optical system and the substrate, and projecting a pattern image onto the substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid, wherein the projection optical system has a first group comprising an... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20080186464 - Processing apparatus and device manufacturing method: A processing apparatus including a processing unit configured to process an object includes a conveying unit configured to convey an object between a transfer portion provided between an external apparatus and the processing unit, and the processing unit, a controller configured to output a request signal requesting the external apparatus... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20080186466 - Element for defocusing tm mode for lithography: A method for imaging a mask pattern with small features through a lithographic system includes an illumination source and providing a uniaxial material having an ordinary index of refraction and a different extraordinary index of refraction. The extraordinary mode is modified such that the extraordinary mode is defocused relative to... Agent: Foley & Lardner LLP

20080186468 - 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

20080186467 - Optical imaging device: There is provided an optical imaging device, in particular for microlithography, comprising at least one optical element and at least one holding device associated to the optical element (109), wherein the holding device holds the optical element and a first part (109.1) of the optical element contacts a first atmosphere... Agent: Ohlandt, Greeley, Ruggiero & Perle, LLP

20080186469 - Polarization rotator and a crystalline-quartz plate for use in an optical imaging system: A polarization rotator and crystalline quartz plate for use with an optical imaging system. The system has several imaging optical components (L1-L16) sequentially arranged along an optical axis (16), a means for creating radially polarized light arranged at a given location in that region extending up to the last of... Agent: Sughrue Mion, PLLC