SEARCH:      Monitor Keywords |  Custom RSS

Photocopying August inventions list 08/09

20090213344 - Lithographic apparatus with temperature sensor and device manufacturing method: In an embodiment, a lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, wherein the lithographic apparatus includes an air shower and a temperature sensor positioned near the air shower for measuring the temperature of an air stream in the air shower. The temperature... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090213342 - Projection exposure apparatus for microlithography: The invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus with a projection objective that serves to project a structure onto a substrate coated with a light-sensitive resist, wherein an immersion liquid is arranged between an optical element of the projection objective and the resist-coated substrate. As an immersion liquid saturated cyclic... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20090213343 - Re-flow and buffer system for immersion lithography: A system is disclosed to isolate an environmental chamber of an immersion lithographic apparatus, to which an immersion fluid comprising liquid, is provided from an external environment. Further, there is disclosed a system for measuring flow rate and/or vapor concentration of a gas using a transducer to send and/or receive... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090213347 - Article loading/unloading method and article loading/unloading device, exposure method and exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing device: A loading/unloading apparatus and method to perform quickly exchanging article to be loaded on a placing table. A first step determines a position of a placing table where articles to be unloaded is loaded to a second position that is different from a first position within said predetermined plane, a... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090213346 - Immersion lithography using hafnium-based nanoparticles: Method, apparatus, and composition of matter suited for use with, for example, immersion lithography. The composition of matter includes hafnium dioxide nanoparticles having diameters less than or equal to about 15 nanometers. The apparatus includes the composition of matter, a light source, a platform for supporting a work piece, and... Agent: Fulbright & Jaworski L.l.p.

20090213345 - Microlithography exposure apparatus using polarized light and microlithography projection system having concave primary and secondary mirrors: The present invention relates to a microlithography projection exposure apparatus for wavelengths ≦100 nm, in particular for EUV lithography using wavelengths <50 nm, preferably <20 nm having an illumination system which illuminates a field in an object plane using light of a defined polarization state and an objective which projects... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20090213348 - Exposure apparatus: A scanning exposure apparatus has plural projection optical systems having plural mirrors configured to form an optical-axis shift vector. Its component in a direction orthogonal to a scanning direction is set so that adjacent areas in plural areas on the original can adjoin each other when viewed from the direction... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090213350 - Coherence-reduction devices and methods for pulsed lasers: Devices and methods are disclosed for reducing coherence, and thus speckle, of a coherent beam of light. An exemplary illumination device includes a source emitting a pulsed coherent light beam having a transverse spatial coherence length. A deflector positioned in the path spatially displaces a first portion of a beam... Agent: Klarquist Sparkman, LLP

20090213353 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: Provided is a method and system for facilitating use of a plurality of individually controllable elements to modulate the intensity of radiation received at each focusing element of an array of focusing elements to control the intensity of the radiation in the areas on the substrate onto which the focusing... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090213351 - Lithographic method to apply a pattern to a substrate and lithographic apparatus: A slit shaped area of a patterning device is illuminated to impart a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section. A projection system projects the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate. As the radiation beam is scanned across the target portion of the substrate, a... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090213352 - Method for improving the imaging properties of an optical system, and such an optical system: The disclosure relates to a method for improving the imaging properties of an optical system, such as a projection objective for microlithography. The disclosure also relates to an optical system, such as a projection objective for microlithography.... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20090213349 - System and method for an adjusting optical proximity effect for an exposure apparatus: A method for matching a first OPE curve (700) for a first exposure apparatus (10A) used to transfer an image to a wafer (28) to a second OPE curve (702) of a second exposure apparatus (10B). The method can include the step of adjusting a tilt of a wafer stage... Agent: Roeder & Broder LLP

20090213355 - Illumination optical system, exposure apparatus using the same and device manufacturing method: An illumination optical system includes a pair of fly-eye mirrors configured to receive light from a light source, a first condenser configured to condense light from the pair of fly-eye mirrors, a reflection type integrator configured to receive light from the first condenser, the reflection type integrator including a plurality... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090213356 - Illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus: An illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an EUV light source which generates an emission beam of linearly polarized EUV illumination light. An illumination optics guides the emission beam along an optical axis which causes an illumination field in a reticle plane to be illuminated by the... Agent: Fish & Richardson Pc

20090213354 - Method and apparatus for projection printing: A method, apparatus for and a device manufactured by the same, for printing a microlithographic pattern with high fidelity and resolution using simultaneously optimized illuminator and pupil filters having semi-continuous transmission profiles. The optimization can be further improved if the illuminator and pupil filters are polarization selective. The optimization method... Agent: Haynes Beffel & Wolfeld LLP

20090213357 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus equipped with a measurement stage that is provided with various measuring instruments disposed in a relationship wherein measurement accuracy is not lowered, and a device manufacturing method using the exposure apparatus are provided. An exposure apparatus according to the present invention is equipped with a measurement stage... Agent: Miles & Stockbridge Pc

20090207387 - Fiber optic imaging apparatus: A fiber optic imaging apparatus includes a light source (12); at least one optical fiber (47) for transmitting light from the light source; a mechanical assembly for supporting at least one optical fiber; a detector (41) which measures light transmitted by at least one optical fiber; and a controller for... Agent: David A. Novais Patent Legal Staff

20090207389 - Active mask variable data integral imaging system and method: A system for forming an integral image includes an optics system spaced between an active digital mask and the first side of an integral lens array, where the integral lens array has a light sensitive material layer spaced relative to the second side of the integral lens array. The active... Agent: Fitch Even Tabin & Flannery

20090207390 - Adhesion promoting process, adhesion promoting device, coating and developing system and storage medium: The adhesion promoting process includes the steps of: placing a workpiece on a support table disposed in a processing space defined by a processing vessel; adjusting the temperature of the workpiece placed on the support table to a first temperature at which an adhesion promoting gas does not condense on... Agent: Oblon, Spivak, Mcclelland Maier & Neustadt, P.C.

20090207391 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus 1 that includes a projection optical system 30 and that exposes the substrate 41 and 42 via immersion liquid 35 supplied between the projection optical system 30 and the substrates 41 and 42, the exposure apparatus 1 comprising substrate stages 45 and 46 which is movable independently... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090207392 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is configured to transfer a pattern from a patterning structure, held by a patterning structure holder, onto a substrate that is held by a substrate holder. The apparatus includes a first object holder configured to hold an object, and an object temperature conditioner configured to condition a... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090207393 - Damping arrangement, active damping system, lithographic apparatus, and projection assembly: An active damping system assembly is configured to dampen a vibration of at least part of a structure. The assembly includes a plurality of active dampers each including a sensor configured to measure a position quantity of an interface mass mounted on the structure; and an actuator configured to exert... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090207394 - Stage device, exposure apparatus and method of producing device: A stage device is provided with a mobile body retaining a mask illuminated with exposure light and moving along a predetermined plane, and a flow control section moving substantially together with the movement of the mobile body so as to control the flow of gas in proximity to the mask... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090207397 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is provided between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate. The use of both liquidphobic and liquidphilic layers on various elements of the apparatus is provided to help prevent formation of bubbles in the liquid and to help... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090207396 - Optical system for semiconductor lithography: An optical system for semiconductor lithography including a plurality of optical components, as well as related components and methods, are disclosed. The apparatus can include an optical component that can be moved by a distance along a straight line within a time of between 5 ms and 500 ms. The... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090207395 - Recording apparatus, recording control signal generating apparatus, method of manufacturing imprint mold, imprint mold, and magnetic disc: Blanking by a blanking control unit is eliminated by making the tangential direction movement velocity of the substrate and the deflection velocity of the beam faster in the segment, in which the recording pattern is sparse, and making and slower in segments, in which it is dense. In this case,... Agent: Young & Thompson

20090207398 - Near field exposure that reduces scatter of a surface plasmon polariton wave going around a light blocking member: An exposure mask in which exposure of an exposure object is carried out on the basis of near field light leaking from a plurality of openings provided in a light blocking member in a mutually adjoining relation, in which the spacing between adjacent openings is not greater than the wavelength... Agent: Fitzpatrick Cella Harper & Scinto

20090207399 - Lithographic method: A method of calibrating a front to backside alignment capable lithographic apparatus. The method includes attaching a substrate having a plurality of alignment marks to a carrier, the substrate being arranged such that the alignment marks face towards the carrier; reducing the thickness of the substrate; using an alignment system... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090207400 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including a measuring unit which includes an imaging optical system configured to guide light having propagated through a projection optical system to an image sensor, and is configured to measure the overall birefringence of the imaging optical system and the projection optical system,... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090201472 - Liquid immersion exposure apparatus and method of liquid immersion exposure: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus has a stage on which a substrate to be processed is disposed and that moves based on a position control signal, a projection unit that projects a beam onto the substrate to be processed, a liquid supply unit that supplies liquid between the substrate to... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20090201471 - Vacuum system for immersion photolithography: A vacuum system for extracting a stream of a multi-phase fluid from a photo-lithography tool comprises a pumping arrangement for drawing the fluid from the tool, and an extraction tank located upstream from the pumping arrangement for separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases. The... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201473 - Method for determining exposure settings, lithographic exposure apparatus, computer program and data carrier: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for determining exposure settings for a target field on a substrate in a lithographic exposure process, including providing calibration data by determining the position of a calibration field in a first direction at a plurality of calibration positions in a second and... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090201476 - Lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed where at least part of a space between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate is filled with a liquid by a liquid supply system. The projection system is separated into two separate physical parts. With substantially no direct connection between the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201477 - Movable support, position control system, lithographic apparatus and method of controlling a position of an exchangeable object: A movable support is configured to hold an exchangeable object. The support includes a movable structure movably arranged with respect to a reference object, an object holder movably arranged with respect to the movable structure and configured to hold the exchangeable object, an actuator configured to move the movable structure... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201474 - Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, structures thereof, methods of fabricating lithography masks, and lithography masks and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece, the workpiece comprising a first thickness in a first region and at least one second thickness in... Agent: Slater & Matsil LLP

20090201475 - Stepper system for ultra-high resolution photolithography using photolithographic mask exhibiting enhanced light transmission due to utilizing sub-wavelength aperture arrays: A stepper system for ultra-high resolution nano-lithography employs a photolithographic mask which includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material in which periodic arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the photolithographic mask exposed to the light of the wavelength in the range of 197... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20090201480 - Evaluation method, adjustment method, exposure apparatus, and memory medium: A method evaluating an imaging performance of a projection optical system according to a polarization state of light in a pupil of an illumination optical system for an exposure apparatus, comprises a representation step of numerically representing the polarization state in the pupil of the illumination optical system, an assumption... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090201479 - Laser light source control method, laser light source device, and exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus includes a laser light source that emits a laser beam as an exposure beam by pulse oscillation; a detection system that detects a rotation angle of an external shape of the laser beam emitted by the pulse oscillation from a corresponding laser light source; and a control... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090201481 - Optical element and illumination optics for microlithography: The disclosure relates to an optical element and illumination optics for microlithography. The optical element can be configured to influence a nominal beam angle, preset over a beam cross-section, of a radiation beam hitting the optical element. Moreover, the disclosure relates to an illumination optics for the microlithography with at... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090201478 - Transmitting optical element and objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: A transmitting optical element (33, 37) adapted for use in an objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is composed of a polycrystalline material (100), with the polycrystalline material (100) having crystallites (102) with a cubic crystal structure, and with the mean crystallite size of these crystallites (102) being at... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090201482 - Exposure method and apparatus: A photosensitive material (for example, a glass substrate coated with a photoresist) is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern by illuminating the photosensitive material with exposure light by an exposure head which emits light that has been modulated by a spatial light modulation device. The exposure head and the... Agent: Mcginn Intellectual Property Law Group, PLLC

20090201483 - Polarization control apparatus and method: Apparatus and methods are used to control a polarization state of a radiation beam. A polarization control unit is configured to modulate a polarization state of at least a part of a radiation beam. A determination arrangement is configured to subsequently determine the polarization state of the at least a... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090201484 - Utilities supply member connection apparatus, stage apparatus, projection optical system support apparatus and exposure apparatus: A connection apparatus for a utilities supply member, comprises: a holding part (41), a drive apparatus (43), a measuring apparatus (47), and a control apparatus. The holding part (41) is supported to freely move relative to a first member (CL) and holds a part of a utilities supply member (TB)... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090201485 - Method of preparing a substrate for lithography, a substrate, a device manufacturing method, a sealing coating applicator and a sealing coating measurement apparatus: A substrate for use in a lithographic projection apparatus. The substrate includes a sealing coating that covers at least a part of a first interface between two layers on the substrate, or between a layer and the substrate, and does not extend to a central portion of the substrate.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201472 - Liquid immersion exposure apparatus and method of liquid immersion exposure: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus has a stage on which a substrate to be processed is disposed and that moves based on a position control signal, a projection unit that projects a beam onto the substrate to be processed, a liquid supply unit that supplies liquid between the substrate to... Agent: Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner LLP

20090201471 - Vacuum system for immersion photolithography: A vacuum system for extracting a stream of a multi-phase fluid from a photo-lithography tool comprises a pumping arrangement for drawing the fluid from the tool, and an extraction tank located upstream from the pumping arrangement for separating the fluid drawn from the tool into gas and liquid phases. The... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201473 - Method for determining exposure settings, lithographic exposure apparatus, computer program and data carrier: Embodiments of the invention relate to a method for determining exposure settings for a target field on a substrate in a lithographic exposure process, including providing calibration data by determining the position of a calibration field in a first direction at a plurality of calibration positions in a second and... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090201476 - Lithographic projection apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed where at least part of a space between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate is filled with a liquid by a liquid supply system. The projection system is separated into two separate physical parts. With substantially no direct connection between the... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201477 - Movable support, position control system, lithographic apparatus and method of controlling a position of an exchangeable object: A movable support is configured to hold an exchangeable object. The support includes a movable structure movably arranged with respect to a reference object, an object holder movably arranged with respect to the movable structure and configured to hold the exchangeable object, an actuator configured to move the movable structure... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090201474 - Semiconductor devices and methods of manufacture thereof: Methods of manufacturing semiconductor devices, structures thereof, methods of fabricating lithography masks, and lithography masks and systems are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a workpiece, the workpiece comprising a first thickness in a first region and at least one second thickness in... Agent: Slater & Matsil LLP

20090201475 - Stepper system for ultra-high resolution photolithography using photolithographic mask exhibiting enhanced light transmission due to utilizing sub-wavelength aperture arrays: A stepper system for ultra-high resolution nano-lithography employs a photolithographic mask which includes a layer of an electrically conductive optically opaque material in which periodic arrays of sub-wavelength apertures are formed. The plasmonic excitation in the photolithographic mask exposed to the light of the wavelength in the range of 197... Agent: Rosenberg, Klein & Lee

20090201480 - Evaluation method, adjustment method, exposure apparatus, and memory medium: A method evaluating an imaging performance of a projection optical system according to a polarization state of light in a pupil of an illumination optical system for an exposure apparatus, comprises a representation step of numerically representing the polarization state in the pupil of the illumination optical system, an assumption... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090201479 - Laser light source control method, laser light source device, and exposure apparatus: An exposure apparatus includes a laser light source that emits a laser beam as an exposure beam by pulse oscillation; a detection system that detects a rotation angle of an external shape of the laser beam emitted by the pulse oscillation from a corresponding laser light source; and a control... Agent: Staas & Halsey LLP

20090201481 - Optical element and illumination optics for microlithography: The disclosure relates to an optical element and illumination optics for microlithography. The optical element can be configured to influence a nominal beam angle, preset over a beam cross-section, of a radiation beam hitting the optical element. Moreover, the disclosure relates to an illumination optics for the microlithography with at... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090201478 - Transmitting optical element and objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: A transmitting optical element (33, 37) adapted for use in an objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is composed of a polycrystalline material (100), with the polycrystalline material (100) having crystallites (102) with a cubic crystal structure, and with the mean crystallite size of these crystallites (102) being at... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090201482 - Exposure method and apparatus: A photosensitive material (for example, a glass substrate coated with a photoresist) is exposed to light in a predetermined pattern by illuminating the photosensitive material with exposure light by an exposure head which emits light that has been modulated by a spatial light modulation device. The exposure head and the... Agent: Mcginn Intellectual Property Law Group, PLLC

20090201483 - Polarization control apparatus and method: Apparatus and methods are used to control a polarization state of a radiation beam. A polarization control unit is configured to modulate a polarization state of at least a part of a radiation beam. A determination arrangement is configured to subsequently determine the polarization state of the at least a... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090201484 - Utilities supply member connection apparatus, stage apparatus, projection optical system support apparatus and exposure apparatus: A connection apparatus for a utilities supply member, comprises: a holding part (41), a drive apparatus (43), a measuring apparatus (47), and a control apparatus. The holding part (41) is supported to freely move relative to a first member (CL) and holds a part of a utilities supply member (TB)... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090201485 - Method of preparing a substrate for lithography, a substrate, a device manufacturing method, a sealing coating applicator and a sealing coating measurement apparatus: A substrate for use in a lithographic projection apparatus. The substrate includes a sealing coating that covers at least a part of a first interface between two layers on the substrate, or between a layer and the substrate, and does not extend to a central portion of the substrate.... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090195760 - Lithographic apparatus, method and device manufacturing method: In an embodiment, a lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam; a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam; a substrate table constructed... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.

20090195762 - Cleanup method for optics in immersion lithography: An immersion lithography apparatus and a cleanup method used for the immersion lithography apparatus in which an immersion liquid is supplied from a liquid supply member to a gap between an optical element of a projection optics and a workpiece during an immersion lithography process. A surface of an object,... Agent: Oliff & Berridge, PLC

20090195761 - Lithographic apparatus and in-line cleaning apparatus: An immersion type lithographic apparatus includes an immersion system configured to at least partially fill an immersion space with an immersion liquid. The apparatus also includes an indicator configured to indicate whether a part of the immersion system should be cleaned and a cleaning liquid supply system configured to supply... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090195764 - Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device: An exposure apparatus comprises a measurement system which measures an aberration of a projection optical system. The measurement system includes a first pattern positioned on an original stage, a second pattern positioned on a substrate stage, a third pattern positioned on the original stage to align the first and second... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090195763 - Lithographic apparatus: A lithographic apparatus is arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The lithographic apparatus includes an acoustical sensor to measure a first acoustic vibration in a sensor measurement area in the lithographic apparatus. An actuator is provided to generate a second acoustic vibration in at... Agent: Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, LLP

20090195765 - Projection lens unit with focus and level control, related exposure apparatus and method: A projection lens unit, related exposure apparatus and control method are disclosed in which measurement light irradiates a semiconductor substrate after passing through lenses in the projection lens unit and reference light irradiates the semiconductor substrate without passing through the lenses in the projection lens unit are used to derive... Agent: Volentine & Whitt PLLC

20090195766 - Illumination system or projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: The disclosure relates to an optical system, such as an illumination system or a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including such an optical system having a polarization-influencing optical arrangement which permits enhanced flexibility in affording a desired polarization distribution.... Agent: Fish & Richardson PC

20090195767 - Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method: An exposure apparatus comprises a component configured to project a pattern of an original onto a substrate, a structure configured to support the component, a support configured to support the structure, a gas spring which is located between the structure and the support and configured to support the structure, and... Agent: Canon U.s.a. Inc. Intellectual Property Division

20090195768 - Alignment mark and a method of aligning a substrate comprising such an alignment mark: An alignment mark comprising a periodic structure formed by mark lines is described. In an embodiment, the alignment mark is formed in a scribe lane of a substrate, the scribe lane extending in a scribe lane direction. The alignment mark includes: a first area including a first periodic structure formed... Agent: Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.l.l.c.