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Photocopying January recently filed with US Patent Office 01/12

20120019792 - Liquid jet and recovery system for immersion lithography: A liquid immersion lithography apparatus includes a stage on which a wafer is held. A projection system projects a pattern image to an exposure region through an immersion liquid to expose the wafer on the stage. A plurality of supply openings are arranged to surround the exposure region, via which... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120019793 - Exposure apparatus including the exposure head and control method thereof: According to example embodiments, a method of operating an exposure apparatus including a stage having a plurality of beam measurement devices, and an exposure head unit having a first set of exposure heads and a second set of exposure heads includes measuring a position of a first exposure head of... Agent: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

20120019796 - Illumination system for microlithography: An illumination system for microlithography serves to illuminate an illumination field with illumination light of a primary light source. A first raster arrangement has bundle-forming first raster elements which are arranged in a first plane of the illumination system or adjacent to the plane. The first raster arrangement serves to... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120019795 - Lithographic apparatus, computer program product and device manufacturing method: Disclosed is a device manufacturing method and associated apparatus, the method comprising transferring a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate. The method relates to the alignment of said patterning device and said substrate, and comprises imparting a radiation beam onto an alignment structure on said patterning device so... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120019800 - Lithography projection objective, and a method for correcting image defects of the same: A lithography projection objective for imaging a pattern to be arranged in an object plane of the projection objective onto a substrate to be arranged in an image plane of the projection objective comprises a multiplicity of optical elements that are arranged along an optical axis of the projection objective.... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120019799 - Optical assembly: An optical assembly has at least one mirror with a mirror body. The latter is carried by a support body, which has a first support body portion and a second support body portion. An at least thermally separating region is arranged between the two support body portions. At least one... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120019798 - Positioning unit and alignment device for an optical element: The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element.... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120019797 - Reflective optical element for euv lithography: A stress-reduced reflective optical element for a working wavelength in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range includes a first multilayer system (4) of at least two alternating materials (41, 42) having different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength on a substrate (2), which exerts... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120019794 - Variable reluctance device, stage apparatus, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A variable reluctance device includes first and second magnetic members, a coil, a measurement coil, and a control unit. The first and second magnetic members are displaceable relative to each other to provide a magnetic circuit having a variable reluctance. The coil for, in use, receiving a current for generating... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120019801 - Position control system, lithographic apparatus, and method to control a position of a movable object: A position control system to control the position of a movable object, including a position measurement system configured to determine an actual position related quantity of the movable object; a set-point generator to provide a position related set-point signal of the movable object; a comparator to provide an error signal... Agent: Aswl Netherlands B.v.

20120019805 - Calculation method, generation method, program, exposure method, and mask fabrication method: The present invention provides a calculation method of calculating, by a computer, a light intensity distribution formed on an image plane of a projection optical system, comprising a step of dividing an effective light source formed on a pupil plane of the projection optical system into a plurality of point... Agent: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

20120019804 - Cleaning method, cleaning apparatus, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: A liquid immersion member cleaning method used in an immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with exposure light that transits an exposure liquid, wherein the liquid immersion member is disposed at least partly around an optical member and an optical path of the exposure light, which passes through the exposure... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120019802 - Cleaning method, immersion exposure apparatus, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: An immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate with exposure light that transits an exposure liquid. A liquid immersion member has a first recovery port, which is capable of recovering the exposure liquid, and is disposed at least partly around an optical member and an optical path of the exposure light... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120019803 - Cleaning method, liquid immersion member, immersion exposure apparatus, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: A liquid immersion member in an immersion exposure apparatus, which exposes a substrate with exposure light which transits an exposure liquid, has a first recovery port, which is capable of recovering the exposure liquid and that is disposed at least partly around an optical member and an optical path of... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013859 - Coating and developing apparatus and method: In one embodiment, a coating and developing apparatus includes a processing block having two early-stage coating unit blocks, two later-stage coating unit blocks and two developing unit blocks, each unit blocks being vertically stacked on each other. The apparatus has at least two operation modes M1 and M2 adapted for... Agent: Tokyo Electron Limited

20120013861 - Apparatus and method for providing fluid for immersion lithography: An apparatus and method provide fluid for immersion lithography. A nozzle member that can move in a direction, is arranged to encircle a space under the optical element. The nozzle member can have an input to supply the immersion liquid to the space under the optical element during the exposure,... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013862 - Liquid immersion member, immersion exposure apparatus, liquid recovering method, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: A liquid immersion member is disposed inside an immersion exposure apparatus and at least partly around an optical member and around an optical path of exposure light that passes through a liquid between the optical member and an object. The liquid immersion member comprises: a first member, which has a... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013863 - Liquid immersion member, immersion exposure apparatus, liquid recovering method, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: A liquid immersion member is disposed inside an immersion exposure apparatus and at least partly around an optical member and an optical path of exposure light that passes through a liquid between the optical member and an object. The liquid immersion member comprises: a first member, which has a recovery... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013864 - Liquid immersion member, immersion exposure apparatus, liquid recovering method, device fabricating method, program, and storage medium: A liquid immersion member is disposed inside an immersion exposure apparatus and at least partly around an optical member and around an optical path of exposure light that passes through a liquid between the optical member and an object. The liquid immersion member comprising: a first member, which has a... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013860 - 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: Nikon Corporation

20120013867 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A substrate table of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed which comprises a barrier configured to collect liquid. The barrier surrounds the substrate and is spaced apart from the substrate. In this way any liquid which is spilt from the liquid supply system can be collected to reduce the risk... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013868 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed for use with an immersion liquid positioned between the projection system and a substrate. Several methods and mechanism are disclosed to protect components of the projection system, substrate table and a liquid confinement system. These include providing a protective coating on a final element... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013869 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: Liquid is supplied to a space between the projection system and the substrate by an inlet. In an embodiment, an overflow region removes liquid above a given level. The overflow region may be arranged above the inlet and thus the liquid may be constantly refreshed and the pressure in the... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013870 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a liquid supply system maintains liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate. The liquid supply system may further include a de-mineralizing unit, a distillation unit, a de-hydrocarbonating unit, a UV radiation source, and/or a filter configured to purify the liquid. A... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013871 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: An immersion lithographic apparatus has adaptations to prevent or reduce bubble formation in one or more gaps in the substrate table by preventing bubbles escaping from the gap into the beam path and/or extracting bubbles that may form in the gap.... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013872 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method makes use of a liquid confined in a reservoir between the projection system and the substrate. Bubbles forming in the liquid from dissolved atmospheric gases or from out-gassing from apparatus elements exposed to the liquid are detected and/or removed so that they do... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013873 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: An immersion lithographic apparatus has adaptations to prevent or reduce bubble formation in one or more gaps in the substrate table by preventing bubbles escaping from the gap into the beam path and/or extracting bubbles that may form in the gap.... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013874 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: In a lithographic projection apparatus, a liquid supply system maintains liquid in a space between the projection system and the substrate. The liquid supply system may further include a de-mineralizing unit, a distillation unit, a de-hydrocarbonating unit, a UV radiation source, and/or a filter configured to purify the liquid. A... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013865 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A substrate table to support a substrate on a substrate supporting area, the substrate table having a heat transfer fluid channel at least under the substrate supporting area, and a plurality of heaters and/or coolers to thermally control the heat transfer fluid in the channel at a location under the... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013866 - Lithographic apparatus, fluid combining unit and device manufacturing method: A system for tuning the refractive index of immersion liquid in an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. Two or more immersion liquids of different refractive index are mixed together in order to achieve a desired refractive index. Further, the fluids may be conditioned and treated to maintain optical characteristics.... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013875 - Calibration method and inspection apparatus: A method of calibrating an inspection apparatus. Obtaining a surface level measurements (LS) at respective level sensing locations LS(x,y). Determining focus settings (LPA, LPB) for exposure field regions (EFA, EFB) in accordance with surface level measurements (LSA, LSB) having level sensing locations corresponding to the respective exposure field region. Exposing... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013876 - Exposure apparatus and exposure method using the same: Provided are an exposure apparatus and an exposure method using the same. The exposure apparatus includes: a light source unit configured to emit light; a substrate stage supporting a substrate, the substrate comprising an exposure area and a non-exposure area; and a prism unit disposed between the light source unit... Agent:

20120013877 - Illumination optical system, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: According to one embodiment, an illumination optical system comprises an optical integrator which forms a secondary light source on an illumination pupil plane in an illumination optical path of the illumination optical system with incidence of exposure light from a light source device thereinto; a first transmission filter arranged in... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120013882 - Illumination system, lithographic apparatus and method of forming an illumination mode: An illumination system of a lithographic apparatus includes a plurality of reflective elements arranged to receive radiation from a radiation source, the reflective elements being movable between different orientations. In the different orientations, the reflective elements direct radiation towards different locations at a reflective component in a pupil plane of... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013879 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: The invention provides a level sensor configured to determine a height level of a surface of a substrate supported on a movable substrate support, the level sensor including multiple projection units, multiple detection units, and a processing unit to calculate a height level for each of a plurality of measurement... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013881 - Method and apparatus for determining an overlay error: A method of determining an overlay error. Measuring an overlay target having process-induced asymmetry. Constructing a model of the target. Modifying the model, e.g., by moving one of the structures to compensate for the asymmetry. Calculating an asymmetry-induced overlay error using the modified model. Determining an overlay error in a... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013883 - Method of reducing noise in an original signal, and signal processing device therefor: In a method and apparatus for reducing noise in an original signal which contains a linear time varying signal and the noise, the original signal is differentiated to obtain a differentiated original signal. The differentiated original signal is Fourier transformed to obtain power spectral densities of the differentiated original signal.... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120013884 - Metrology systems and methods for lithography processes: Metrology systems and methods for lithography processes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a semiconductor device includes providing a mask having a plurality of corner rounding test patterns formed thereon. A first semiconductor device is provided, and a layer of photosensitive material of the first semiconductor device... Agent: Infineon Technologies Ag

20120013880 - Optical device and exposure apparatus including the same: An optical device for splitting a single beam to a plurality of beams and an exposure apparatus including the optical device are disclosed. The optical device includes a first DOE lens array including a plurality of first diffractive optical element (DOE) lenses that are two-dimensionally arranged on a first plane... Agent:

20120013878 - Projection exposure system, beam delivery system and method of generating a beam of light:

20120008111 - Exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method: A support structure of a lithographic projection apparatus is configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. A substrate table is configured to hold a substrate. A projection system is configured to project the patterned beam... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120008114 - 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: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008115 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed wherein a liquid supply system is configured to at least partly fill a region between a substrate and a projection system of the lithographic apparatus with a liquid and having a liquid confinement structure fixed in a plane substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008116 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A liquid supply system for an immersion lithographic apparatus provides a laminar flow of immersion liquid between a final element of the projection system and a substrate. A control system minimizes the chances of overflowing and an extractor includes an array of outlets configured to minimize vibrations.... Agent: Asml Neterlands B.v.

20120008117 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method makes use of a liquid confined in a reservoir between the projection system and the substrate. Bubbles forming in the liquid from dissolved atmospheric gases or from out-gassing from apparatus elements exposed to the liquid are detected and/or removed so that they do... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008118 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A liquid supply system for an immersion lithographic apparatus provides a laminar flow of immersion liquid between a final element of the projection system and a substrate. A control system minimizes the chances of overflowing and an extractor includes an array of outlets configured to minimize vibrations.... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008119 - Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method: A method and apparatus for cleaning the inside of an immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed. In particular, a liquid supply system of the lithographic apparatus may be used to introduce a cleaning fluid into a space between the projection system and the substrate table of the lithographic apparatus. Additionally or... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008113 - Lithographic apparatus, control system and device manufacturing method: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed that has a measurement system or a prediction system for measuring and/or predicting, respectively, an effect associated with a temperature fluctuation of the immersion liquid, and a control system for controlling the or another effect associated with the temperature of the immersion liquid, on... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008112 - Substrate processing method, exposure apparatus, and method for producing device by immersing substrate in second liquid before immersion exposure through first liquid: An immersion type lithographic apparatus includes at least one immersion space and an immersion system configured to at least partially fill the immersion space with a liquid. The apparatus is configured to rinse at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120008121 - Actuator including magnet for a projection exposure system and projection exposure system including a magnet: The present disclosure relates to an actuator for projection exposure systems that include a magnet. The magnet is encapsulated and/or supported in a magnet holding plate that is produced by microtechnical production methods so that a moving manipulator surface is held in the magnet holding plate via monolithic or bonded... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120008120 - Exposure method, color filter manufacturing method, and exposure device: An exposure method is provided, in which when exposure is performed using a photomask having a plurality of mask patterns, various mask patterns corresponding to various different color filters are exposed in different regions on a substrate, without moving the photomask to an irradiation area in an exposure device. A... Agent:

20120008122 - Exposure apparatus and device fabrication method: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including an obtaining unit configured to obtain data of a first imaging position at which light from a first pattern having, as a longitudinal direction thereof, a first direction perpendicular to an optical axis of a projection optical system forms an image via... Agent: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

20120008123 - Method of measuring aerial image of euv mask: An apparatus for measuring an image of a pattern to be formed on a semiconductor by scanning the pattern using a scanner, the apparatus including an EUV mask including the pattern, a zoneplate lens on a first side of the EUV mask and adapted to focus EUV light on a... Agent: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

20120008124 - Imaging optical system and projection exposure installation for microlithography with an imaging optical system of this type: An imaging optical system has a plurality of mirrors, which via a beam path for imaging light, image an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. The imaging optical system has an exit pupil obscuration. At least one of the mirrors has no... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120008125 - Imaging optics and projection exposure installation for microlithography with an imaging optics: An imaging optics has at least six mirrors, which image an object field in an object plane in an image field in an image plane. An entry pupil of the imaging optics is arranged in the imaging beam path in front of the object field. At least one of the... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120008126 - Lithographic apparatus with multiple alignment arrangements and alignment measuring method: A lithographic apparatus has a plurality of different alignment arrangements that are used to perform an alignment measurement on the same mark(s) by: detecting a first alignment mark located on an object and producing a first alignment signal by a first detector; detecting the first mark and producing a second... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120008127 - Method of calibrating a lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and associated data processing apparatus and computer program product: A lithographic apparatus is calibrated by reference to a primary reference substrate. Using an apparatus which need not be the same as the one being calibrated, there is obtained an apparatus-specific fingerprint of the primary reference substrate. Using the same set-up there is then obtained an apparatus-specific fingerprint of a... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120002181 - Exposure control system and exposure control method: According to one embodiment, an exposure control system includes an overlap judgment unit that judges whether a position of a foreign matter that adheres to a back surface of a photomask overlaps a position of a chuck that holds the photomask when the photomask is held by the chuck, and... Agent:

20120002182 - Lithographic apparatus and method: A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate. The projection system being provided with an opening through which the patterned beam of radiation may pass. At least part of the opening comprises a sloped surface of a wall of the... Agent: Asml Netherlands B.v.

20120002184 - Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a light source configured to produce projection light that propagates along a light path. The illumination system also includes a beam deflection array of reflective or transmissive beam deflection elements. Each beam deflection element is configured to deflect an impinging... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120002183 - Local exposure apparatus, local exposure method and storage medium: A local exposure apparatus for performing exposure processing on a specific area of a photosensitive film formed on a substrate includes a substrate conveyor configured to define a substrate conveying path and to horizontally convey the substrate along the substrate conveying path, a chamber configured to define an exposure processing... Agent: Tokyo Electron Limited

20120002185 - Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an optical surface, which may be formed by a plurality of micro-mirrors, and a measurement device which is configured to measure a parameter related to the optical surface at a plurality of locations. The measurement device includes an illumination unit with a plurality of... Agent: Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

20120002186 - Projection optical system, exposure apparatus, and exposure method: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion liquid). The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element... Agent: Nikon Corporation

20120002187 - Reticle clamping system: A support structure for positioning an exchangeable object (e.g., patterning device) in a lithographic apparatus. The support structure has a chuck and at least two clamp mechanisms spaced from one another in a first direction. Each clamp mechanism has a plurality of vacuum sections to support the object and apply... Agent: Asml Holding N.v.