Abstract: A collimator lens 13 converts a light transmitted from a light source 11 into an almost parallel light. A light receiving lens 14 receives the almost parallel light including a shadow 24 of a measurement object 23. A one-dimensional image sensor 17 receives a light passing through a diaphragm 15. A two-dimensional image sensor 19 receives a light split by a beam splitter 16 through a second diaphragm 18. A signal processing section 20 obtains an outside dimension and a monitor image of a measured portion of the measurement object 23 by processing electric signals sent respectively from the image sensors 17 and 19. A display section 21 displays the outside dimension and the monitor image of the measured portion of the measurement object 23.

Abstract: An improved technique of exposing a photoresist through a grating mask reduces the occurrence of overlapping gratings and also avoids distortions in the exposed mask when there is a gap between the contact mask and the photoresist layer. The technique is particularly well suited to forming Bragg gratings on semiconductors and other materials that are used for wavelength selection in, for example, optical communications applications. The technique employs a phase grating held close to, but out of contact with, the photoresist layer. Amongst the advantages provided by the present invention is that the requirements of the permissible thickness of the photoresist layer suitable for writing high visibility gratings are relaxed, thus reducing the complexity and costs for processing the substrate.

Abstract: A photon sorting spectroscopic microscope system focuses light from an excitation source onto a specimen through a microscope objective lens to excite fluorescence in the specimen. The fluorescent light is passed back through the objective on a beam path and is directed by a dichroic mirror on a second beam path to a spectral dispersive element which spreads the light according to its spectral content. A multi-channel detector with multiple detector elements receives the light spread by the spectral dispersive element and provides output signals indicative of photon events. The photon events in each channel may be counted to provide the spectral content of the fluorescent signal as the excitation beam is scanned in a raster fashion over the sample.

Abstract: An evaluation mask for evaluating a projection-type exposure apparatus, the mask including at least one diffraction grating pattern for producing a diffracted light of the positive first-order and a diffracted light of negative first-order, diffraction efficiencies of the diffracted lights being different respectively, one of the diffracted lights having a magnitude that is zero, and an image of the at least one diffraction grating pattern being projected onto a test substrate by the projection-type exposure apparatus, and a reference pattern for obtaining a reference image to measure a displacement of the image of the diffraction grating pattern, and an image of the reference pattern being projected onto the test substrate or the image detector by the projection-type exposure apparatus, wherein the images of the diffraction grating pattern and the reference pattern projected onto the test substrate or the image detector are used for evaluating the projection-type exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a master onto each of a plurality of shot regions defined on a substrate, while synchronously scanning the master and the substrate. The apparatus includes a master stage for moving the master, a substrate stage for moving the substrate, and a controller for controlling movement of the substrate stage during scanning exposure of the plurality of shot regions so as to assure that a setting distance in which the substrate stage is moved guarantees that a synchronization error between the master stage and the substrate stage falls within an allowable range after the substrate stage is accelerated up to a scan speed for the scanning exposure. The controller controls the movement of the substrate stage such that a setting distance for first shot region, which is exposed first upon a change in a row to which a shot region to be exposed belongs, is set to be longer than a setting distance for other shot regions.

Abstract: A projection engine having a first kernel for modulating light of a first polarization, and a second kernel for modulating light of a second polarization, and a polarization combiner for merging light from the kernels into a dual polarization modulated output beam.

Abstract: A projection display system includes: two light sources (102, 105); a condenser (103, 106) for condensing the light from the light sources; a time-division color separating optical system (108) for temporally switching the incident light into a first, second, or third color of light to be emitted; a light valve (118) capable of modulating the incident light individually for each pixel; a lighting optical system (111, 112, 114) for directing the light from the time-division color separating optical system onto the light valve, and a projection optical system (123) for magnifying and projecting a pixel on the light valve. The light from the two light sources (102, 105) is condensed on the time-division color separating optical system or its vicinity by the condenser (103, 106), and then superimposed. This can provide a projection display system that performs time-division driving and can achieve high-brightness projection images without increasing the size and cost of a system.

Abstract: A scan type exposure apparatus for transferring an image of a pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate by synchronously scanning the mask and the substrate in a scanning direction. The apparatus includes a movable stage for holding a substrate thereon, an optical system through which an exposure light path extends, a cover member for encircling the exposure light path, from an end of the optical system toward the stage, and a gas supplying port for discharging an inactive gas into the cover member, wherein the gas is supplied at a predetermined angle with respect to the scan direction.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which has a stage for aligning a substrate surface to an imaging plane on the basis of a detection signal from a focus sensor, moves the substrate by the stage, transfers a projection pattern, and exposes the substrate. The apparatus includes a controller for, when an exposure shot region on the substrate cannot converge to a predetermined precision, determining the exposure shot as an error, and controlling the stage so as to move the substrate to a predetermined position upon determination of the error, and an exposure unit for forcibly transferring the projection pattern onto the substrate at the predetermined position in the exposure shot and exposing the substrate.

Abstract: Computerized method, processor and computer-readable medium are provided for stereoscopically and seamlessly imaging on a generally cylindrical screen. The method allows to configure imaging data for a plurality of selectable sub-screens encompassing the cylindrical screen. Each sub-screen includes a plurality of selectable strips axially extending relative to a corresponding sub-screen in the cylindrical screen. The method further allows to render two channels imaging data increments for each strip based on a parallax model with a reference line selectively rotatable to be in parallel alignment relative to each respective plane defined by each strip. The method allows to combine each imaging data increment corresponding to each strip in a respective sub-screen to generate stereoscopic imaging data for that respective sub-screen, and further combines each sub-screen imaging data to generate stereoscopic imaging data substantially encompassing the angular span of the cylindrical screen.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for projecting and exposing through a projection optical system a transfer pattern formed on a master onto a substrate placed on a movable stage. The apparatus includes a mark placed on the movable stage and imparting a phase difference to incident light, based on an incident position, and then outputting the light, an image reception section, wherein the mark is imaged on the image reception section, using light of an exposure wavelength through the projection optical system, and a data processing section for calculating an imaging performance of the projection optical system on the basis of image data obtained by the image reception section.

Abstract: A substrate conveying system for conveying a substrate contained in an accommodating container having a supporting member for supporting the substrate. The system includes a hand for holding the substrate, a driving mechanism for moving the hand toward and away from the container, along a direction approximately parallel to the surface of the substrate, the driving mechanism being operable to move the hand to below the substrate, an elevation mechanism for moving the hand relative to the container, along a direction approximately perpendicular to the surface of the substrate, the elevation mechanism being operable to move the hand upwardly relative to the supporting member, for transfer of the substrate from the supporting member to the hand, and an obstacle detecting system for detecting the presence/absence of an obstacle within a movement range of the hand defined by the driving mechanism.

Abstract: A scanning exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with a pattern formed on an original while scanning the original and the substrate. The apparatus includes a chuck for holding a substrate, a stage for moving the chuck to align the substrate, a mechanism for purging an exposure optical path near the stage with inert gas, the mechanism having a cover covering the exposure optical path between a substrate-side lower end of an optical system and a vicinity of the stage, and a supply port for supplying inert gas into the cover, and a top plate which is mounted on the stage and has a surface substantially flush with a surface of the substrate. The top plate is arranged to form a gap between the top plate and a side surface of the substrate, a depth of the gap is not less than a width of the gap, and a dimension from the side surface of the substrate to an outer edge of the top plate is larger than that of a substrate-side opening of the cover in a scanning direction.

Abstract: A position measuring method and a position measuring system using the same are disclosed. Plural marks of different linewidths are formed at different locations on an object to be measured, and the plural marks are detected, at the different locations and with different focus states. For determination of a measurement mark, such a mark among the plural marks as having a linewidth with which a change in focus characteristic, at the different locations, is smallest, is selected, and then the position measurement is performed to the object by using the determined measurement mark.

Abstract: Parallelism of a pellicle membrane surface of a pellicle 11 and a mask surface is adjusted and secured during light exposure. A light exposure apparatus is characterized in that it is provided with a mask holding part 8 and a pellicle holding part 9 or a pellicle supporting part. As another means, in a pellicle for lithography utilizing a glass plate as a pellicle membrane, the glass plate is formed beforehand to have warpage and adhered on a pellicle frame so that a convex surface of the glass plate should become an upper surface. A pellicle in which a glass plate is adhered to a preliminarily deformed pellicle frame on which the glass plate is to be placed, so that the glass plate should be given tension by stress obtained by resilience of the pellicle frame, and a pellicle in which a space surrounded by a pellicle comprising a glass plate and a pellicle frame and a photomask is decompressed. According to the present invention, resolution of lithography utilizing a pellicle is improved.

Abstract: A refracting optical lens 15 is provided to project light from transmitting means onto a convex mirror 16 to correct for pincushion distortion of the convex mirror 16.

Abstract: A projection optical system according to the present invention whose image side numerical aperture is greater than or equal to 0.75, and which forms an image of a first object upon a second object using light of a predetermined wavelength less than or equal to 300 nm, comprises: a first lens group G1 of positive refractive power; a second lens group G2 of negative refractive power; a third lens group G3 of positive refractive power; and a fourth lens group G4 of positive refractive power, and: the first lens group G1, the second lens group G2, the third lens group G3 and the fourth lens group G4 are arranged in order from a side of the first object; and a distance D in mm along an optical axis between an optical surface of the fourth lens group G4 closest to the second object, and the second object, satisfies a condition of 0.1<D<5.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for ensuring the proper handling of reticles in the manufacturing of microdevices are disclosed. The methods and apparatus employ one or more reticle stop blocks fixed to a reticle handling arm. The one or more reticle stop blocks are designed and arranged to engage an edge of the reticle in order to place the reticle in a desired position on the reticle handling arm should the reticle be improperly arranged in a cassette in which the reticle is stored. By ensuring proper placement of the reticle on the reticle handling arm when the reticle is removed from the cassette, the likelihood of a subsequent fault in handling the reticle is greatly reduced.

Abstract: The invention concerns an apparatus for developing films, particularly movie films, comprising a plurality of substantially vertical frames (1), for supporting and winding the film (3), placed within the different treatment rooms, each one of said frames (1) providing a plurality of transmission turns for the film, each one of said turns substantially comprising an upper pulley (2) and a lower pulley (4), and tensioning means of the film acting on the lower pulley (4), said apparatus being characterized in that said tensioning means of the film (3) in the single turns are comprised of piston means (11), provided under the lower pulley (4) of said turn, a single feeding system being provided for the piston means (11) of each frame (1).

Abstract: An illumination system used in photolithography for the manufacture of semiconductors having an array optical element with different illumination regions corresponding or matched to different line width variations printed on a photosensitive substrate. The array optical element may be a filter, diffractive optical element, or micro lens array having illumination.regions producing different types of illumination properties or characteristics. Each of the illumination regions are matched or correspond to a respective region on the reticle to provide optimized exposure of a photosensitive resist covered wafer. The optical element of the present invention may be used to tailor a conventional illumination system to the unique characteristics of the projection optics used in the photolithographic system, thereby compensating for vertical and horizontal bias or variations in line width for features oriented in the vertical and horizontal direction.