Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system for projecting a pattern formed a mask onto an object to be exposed, a correction optical element, provided between the mask and the projection optical system, for reducing a deformation of the pattern, and a detector of an oblique light projection system, provided at a side of a pattern surface of the mask, for detecting a surface shape of the mask through the correction optical element.

Abstract: An end point detector for detecting the monitor light to control the operation of an etching process by the etching equipment based on changes in the monitor light supplied from plasma etching equipment. The end point detector includes a sensor body for detecting the monitor light and a collector barrel for guiding the monitor light from the etching equipment to the sensor body, wherein the collector barrel is detachable from the sensor body.

Abstract: Disclosed is a load-lock chamber for loading and unloading a reticle or a wafer into and out of an exposure apparatus, which includes a table having a slotted flat plane for carrying thereon one or more reticles or wafers, a combination of an elevation shaft and an elevation driving unit, for moving the table upwardly and downwardly, a receiving bore for receiving the table with a small clearance maintained between the bore and a side wall of the table, and a load-lock chamber main assembly operable to move the table into the bore and to accommodate or discharge the table with a reticle or a wafer being carried thereon.

Abstract: A chamber seal device is provided to seal a wafer stage chamber assembly to isolate semiconductor substrates, a wafer stage device, and the process of making semiconductor wafers from an atmospheric condition, so that the resulted wafers have an improved quality and meet certain wafer manufacturing specifications. The wafer stage chamber assembly includes a wafer stage chamber, a top wall and a base frame. The wafer stage chamber assembly is supported by an apparatus frame of an exposure apparatus via a plurality of body supports. The chamber seal device includes one or more o-ring seals positioned in between and surrounding the perimeter of the wafer stage chamber and the top wall, or the wafer stage chamber and the base frame to seal the wafer stage chamber assembly.

Abstract: To carry out measurements in the vacuum, for example for quality control in the production of semiconductors, conventional stand alone measuring machines are installed. They are very cost, space and time intensive. To enable a process oriented measurement under optimal conditions, a device with a two part case is proposed that can be moved in a vacuum chamber, whereby one part of the case projects into the vacuum chamber and the other part of the case is located outside the vacuum chamber. The case can receive a measurement system. In addition, an adjusting device, engaging with the case, and a counterpull device, engaging with the second part of the case, are provided.

Abstract: The present invention is a catadiopiric system having a reticle optical group, a beam splitter, an aspheric mirror, a baffle plate, a folding mirror and a semiconductor wafer optical group. The reticle optical group, the beam splitter and the semiconductor wafer optical group are placed on the same beam axis, different from aspheric mirror and folding mirror axis. The light passes through an image pattern on the reticle and is reflected by the beam splitter onto the aspheric mirror. The aspheric mirror reflects the light back through the beam splitter onto the folding mirror. The folding mirror reflects the light back to the beam splitter. The beam splitter reflects the light onto the semiconductor wafer optical group. A plurality of quarter wave plates can be placed in optical paths between optical elements of the present invention to change polarization of an incoming light.

Abstract: In the present invention, a substrate with exposure light from an exposure light source is irradiated before a projection exposure beforehand. A reflectance of this exposure light from the substrate is measured. An appropriate intensity of exposure light for the substrate is determined by referring to the reflectance. Then, a mask pattern is projected onto the substrate by irradiating with exposure light of the determined intensity.

Abstract: A fluid mount (10) for an exposure apparatus (32) includes a first subsystem (12) and a second subsystem (14). The first subsystem (12) includes a first cylinder (18) and a first piston (20). The first piston (20) moves within the first cylinder (18) along a first axis (26). The second subsystem (14) includes a second cylinder (22) and a second piston (24). The second piston (24) moves within the second cylinder (22) along a second axis (28). Importantly, (i) the second subsystem (14) is stacked on top of the first subsystem (12), (ii) the second axis (28) is substantially coaxial with the first axis (26), and (iii) the first piston (20) is connected to the second piston (24) with a piston connector (16). The resulting fluid mount (10) has a relatively high load carrying capacity and a relatively small footprint.

Abstract: In order to imprint wafer-identifying information on a wafer on which a plurality of thin-film devices are formed in a batch, utilizing a patterned resist layer, an exposure apparatus exposes a resist layer formed on the wafer to light for forming a latent image of the wafer-identifying information. The exposure apparatus allows a mask storage controller and a mask transfer device to select a mask, on which the pattern of a numeral or symbol to be imprinted is drawn, for each digit of the wafer-identifying information and carries out exposure. The exposure apparatus also allows a mask shift controller to change the positional relationship between the wafer and the mask for each digit of the wafer-identifying information so that the numeral or symbol of each digit of the wafer-identifying information is imprinted at a mutually different position.

Abstract: The illuminating optical system is divided into a first portion including movable blades moving during exposure, and a second portion not containing a movable portion moving over the movable blade during exposure. The second portion is installed on the exposure main portion, and the first portion, separately from the exposure main portion. The frames configuring the first and the second optical units, the second optical unit having optical elements of a smaller movable amount than the movable amount of the movable blades, are relatively displaceably connected via the bellows-shaped member. The frames configuring the second optical units are fixed to each other via the O-ring suppressing relative displacement. As a result, the effect of vibration of the illuminating optical system during exposure on the main portion can be reduced.

Abstract: Disclosed is an illumination system which includes a first optical system for combining plural light fluxes from plural light sources and for projecting the plural light fluxes to a surface to be illuminated, a second optical system for separating a portion of one of the combined plural light fluxes, and a first detecting system for detecting the light quantity of the portion separated by the second optical system.

Abstract: A stage assembly (10) for moving and positioning a device (30) includes a stage (14), a stage mover assembly (16), a device table (18), a table mover assembly (20) and a damping assembly (22). The table mover assembly (20) moves the device table (18) along a Z axis, about an X axis and about a Y axis relative to the stage (14) and generates reaction forces. The damping assembly (22) is coupled to the table mover assembly (20). Uniquely, the damping assembly (22) reduces the reaction forces created by the table mover assembly (20) that are transferred to the stage (14).

Abstract: The presentation support system comprises a projector that displays presentation images utilized in a presentation, a presentation support device that produces support information for supporting the presentation according to the progress status of the presentation, and a support information display device that displays the support information. The projector is equipped with a support controller that supplies the support information display device with the support information supplied from the presentation support device.

Abstract: A moving mechanism includes a reference structure having a guide surface, a movable portion being movable along the guide surface, and an actuator having movable elements, provided at opposite end portions of the stage, and at least two stators. The stators are separated from each other and each is movable in two-dimensional directions by a reaction force produced as the movable portion is driven.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a chamber which incorporates an optical element and surrounds a predetermined region, a mechanism for setting an inert gas atmosphere in the chamber, and a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber. The purity of inert gas in the chamber is higher than a purity of inert gas in the closed vessel.

Abstract: A detection apparatus for detecting information about a detection target by using light from the detection target. The detection apparatus includes a plurality of wedge optical members, wherein the plurality of wedge optical members have at least a pair of parallel wedge surfaces facing each other, the facing wedge surfaces are inclined at a predetermined angle from a plane perpendicular to an optical axis of the detection apparatus, and the plurality of wedge optical members are so arranged as to allow adjusting an interval between the facing wedge surfaces by moving at least one of the wedge optical members having the facing wedge surfaces in the optical axis.

Abstract: Alignment to buried marks is carried out by using electromagnetic radiation to induce waves in the layers covering the buried layer. The acoustic or thermal waves cause reflectivity changes and displacements in the surface whose position and/or time dependence reveals the true position of the buried alignment mark. The buried alignment mark may be revealed by mapping the thickness of covering layers in its vicinity, e.g. by measuring the time dependence of the decay of a standing wave induced in the covering layers or by measuring the delay time of echoes of a travelling wave created at interfaces between different ones of the covering layers. Alternatively, a travelling wave can be created over the whole area of the mark so that echoes off the top and bottom of the buried mark carry positive and negative images of the mark; these cause reflectivity differences and displacements when they reach the surface which can be aligned to.

Abstract: A target assembly is provided for use with a laser alignment system. The target assembly includes three light-sensitive target cells arranged to define corners of a triangle. The light-sensitive target cells are mounted to a support plate such that the three light-sensitive target cells face substantially in the same direction, and such that one axis of each light-sensitive target cell is substantially parallel to the plane of the support plate. The support plate may further include mounting structures for mounting the target assembly to an object that must be checked or aligned. Differences between readings can be used to check misalignment about two perpendicular axes, and averages of the respective readings can be used to check position or displacement. The laser alignment system can be employed to align the parallel rotational axes of a driven and driving sheave of an industrial machine.

Abstract: A device for projecting a color image upon a screen, including color image recording and color image reproduction with an enhanced color reproduction trueness in comparison to conventional processes. In the device two images are recorded in parallel, which separately detect the shorter and the longer wavelength parts of the individual principle color spectral regions. In image reproduction six primary valences are produced, which respectively comprise the image information of the shorter and the longer wavelength parts of each of the individual principle color spectral regions. In an alternative embodiment the device produces a full color, stereoscopic image reproduction, in which the three primary valences of the respective shorter wave part encode a stereoscopic half image and the three primary valences of the respective longer wavelength part encode the other stereoscopic half image.

Abstract: A laser exposure apparatus including a laser oscillator (1) for oscillating laser beam having a circular section, a beam expander (4) for enlarging the laser beam oscillated from the laser oscillator, a square mask (6) for shaping the laser beam having the circular section enlarged by the beam expander into a square section and an optical system for contracting the laser beam formed into the square section by the square mask. Even when a very small identification code is attached to a wafer, the identification code can be marked to improve reading recognizability of the identification code.