Abstract: A reticle stage having a range of motion sufficient to scan at least two distinct reticles. In a photolithographic process, a reticle stage having an extended range of motion and containing at least two reticles, preferably a phase shift reticle and a trim reticle, is used. The reticle stage scans the two reticles across an illumination field. The image of each reticle is projected by projection optics onto a photosensitive substrate on a wafer stage. The field on the photosensitive substrate is exposed with the image of the first reticle and subsequently exposed with the image of the second reticle. The projection of an image of a first and second reticle onto the same field in a scanning operation greatly facilitates throughput of the photolithographic tool or device. Reticle changes are eliminated when at least two reticles are needed to expose a single field. The use of multiple reticles to expose a single field is necessary when a phase shift mask and related trim mask are used.

Abstract: To provide a projection type illuminating device which can clearly form a silhouette, a projected figure or the like at a projecting position by a lighted electric lamp, and is safely used without damaging an eye even when the light accidentally enters the eye of a person.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for double-sided imaging of a plurality of photoresist-coated substrates is provided. The apparatus includes a first and second substrate holder comprising at least three extendable chucks, each adapted to hold the substrate. The first substrate holder is mounted about a first axis and the second substrate holder is mounted about a second axis such that the at least three chucks are capable of rotation about the first axis between at least a first, second and third chuck positions. A first transfer arm is disposed adjacent the first substrate holder and adapted to transfer the substrate to a chuck of the first substrate holder when the chuck is in the first chuck position. A first mask is positioned adjacent the chuck in the second chuck position of the first substrate holder. A second mask is provided adjacent the chuck in the second chuck position of the second substrate holder.

Abstract: An optical exposure method carried out on a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material, the method comprising: providing a plurality of projection beams of radiation; a first irradiating step of irradiating a peripheral annulus of the layer of radiation-sensitive material with a first one of said projection beams; and a second irradiating step of irradiating at least one inner portion of the radiation-sensitive material situated nearer the center of the substrate than the inner periphery of the outer region with a second one of said projection beams; wherein said first and second irradiating steps are carried out with the substrate positioned at the same location. The method can be used for edge bead removal (both coarse and fine detail) and marker clearout at a single station. Stencils can be used to modify the shape and size of the irradiating steps. Such a method can be incorporated as a part of a device manufacturing method but can be used as an single method.

Abstract: With respect to exposure apparatus, apparatus and methods are disclosed for compensating for lateral shift of a leveling table caused by a tilt (&thgr;) of the leveling table. One embodiment includes a wafer-stage-position loop servo, a leveling-table tilt-position loop servo, and a first feed-forward loop from the leveling-table tilt-position loop servo to the wafer-stage-position loop servo. The first feed-forward loop converts a torque-control signal for the leveling table to a linear-acceleration-control signal for the wafer stage. Thus, the wafer stage moves laterally to compensate for lateral shift of the leveling table. If the exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage controlled by a reticle-stage-position loop servo, then the subject apparatus can include (in addition to or in place of the first feed-forward loop) a second feed-forward loop from the leveling-table tilt-position loop servo to the reticle-stage-position loop servo.

Abstract: Contaminant particles travelling with a projection beam in a lithographic projection apparatus are ionized. A purge gas may be attracted towards getter plates provided upstream of the purge gas supply. A magnetic field traps electrons generated by the ionizer to improve the ionization of the purge gas. The contaminant particles can be ionized by generating a plasma in a tube having a greater length than width.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for simultaneously imaging at least two reticles onto a substrate. According to the present invention, the wafer is passed through the exposure sequence once with images from the reticles being exposed simultaneously onto the wafer. The throughput of the system is effectively maintained at the standard single pass throughput level or twice that of conventional systems. In one embodiment, the present invention produces two reticle images side-by-side in the exit pupil of the optics of a step and scan wafer exposure system. The scanning action of the exposure tool then effectively superimposes the two images during the exposure of the wafer. Each image exposes the photoresist as the wafer is scanned through the image field synchronously with the scanning of the reticles. According to one embodiment, the image scanning is synchronized so that two required images are superimposed.

Abstract: A shutter for a photographic camera, having a first and a second pretensioned shutter curtain which are respectively retained in the tensioned state by a first and a second pivotably mounted retaining latch (7, 11) in interaction with a first and second curtain latch (3, 4), the first retaining latch (7) being coupled to a camera release for enabling release of the first curtain, and the second retaining latch (11) being coupled to a release device, which is controlled as a function of the release of the first curtain, for enabling release of the second curtain, wherein the first and second retaining latches (7, 11) are respectively assigned first and second movement-releasing active surfaces (9, 10; 13, 14) which are each coupled either to a mechanically controlled or an electronically controlled curtain-release enabling arrangement.

Abstract: A sliding seal system for providing a fluid seal that is slidable in two linear and one rotational degrees-of-freedom and that is flexible in one linear and two rotational degrees-of-freedom is disclosed. The sliding seal system includes a support member having a working surface arranged to provide a seal interface with a sealing surface on a first body. A flexible membrane is attached to the support member and coupled to a second body. A fluid supply system is provided to deliver a fluid to a region between the working surface of the support member and the sealing surface of the first body to provide buoyant flotation to the seal support member at the working surface. In a preferred embodiment, a fluid exhaust system is also provided to remove the fluid delivered by the fluid supply system. One particularly useful application of the described sliding seal system is in a photolithography system to provide a seal between an exposure apparatus and a wafer chamber.

Abstract: A three-degree-of-freedom guideless reticle stage is used with a reaction force-countermass assembly. An anti-gravity device such as a flexure is provided between the reticle stage and the reaction force-countermass assembly. The anti-gravity device offsets the weight of the stage to the reaction force-countermass assembly. Improved reticle-positioning is provided, with minimized distortion to the stage base, reduced forces on the frame, high servo bandwidth, three-degree-of-freedom positioning, high throughput, minimized geometry and low moving mass.

Abstract: A printer comprising a paper storage section provided at the lower portion of a printer body, a feed roller and a pinch roller for feeding paper being brought into contact with each other under pressure and positioned over the paper storage section inside the printer body, a thermal head and a platen capable of pressing and holding the paper therebetween and positioned at the downstream side of the feed roller in the paper feed direction, and a discharge tray for receiving the printed paper and positioned over the paper storage section at the downstream side of the thermal head in the paper feed direction.

Abstract: A multi-layer image display system and method thereof, in which liquid crystal type image display units for displaying the images according to depth necessary for obtaining the stereoscopic image are arranged according to layers at a predetermined interval without overlapping each other along the rotary axis and rotated as displayed the layer image corresponding to each image display unit, by which the screen is on to express the stereoscopic image when each image display unit arrives at the user's position; and another method in which the reflector or half mirror is installed instead of the image display unit and the layer image corresponding to the relative depth of the reflector or half mirror is synchronized with the rotation speed to express the stereoscopic image in the fixed high speed display device.

Abstract: A system for compensating for film flutter in a motion picture film projector during projection of a motion picture film comprising multiple film image frames is described, the system comprising sensing the position of film image frames in a film gate of the projector relative to the focal plane of the projection lens assembly of the projector as the film image frames are being projected, and correcting the position of the film in the film gate of the projector or the position of the focal plane of the projection lens assembly to reduce the distance between the film image and the focal plane of the projection lens assembly as the film image frames are being projected, wherein the correction of the position of an individual film image frame in the film gate or that of the position of the focal plane of the projection lens assembly during projection of the individual frame image is based on the actual sensed position of the individual film image frame in the film gate, or on the position of a previously project

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the manufacture of circuits for a large display device using stitch exposure. In the peripheral region of a circuit pattern on a mask, the method of stitch exposing provides for a joining of pairs of stitch regions in order to join in an interfitting state such that a smaller mask can be combined to form a larger display device. By causing the corresponding positional relationship of mask and plate to change in a direction in which a pair of stitch regions face each other, the arrangement of respectively formed pattern counterparts, after being placed in a mutually complementary interfitting relationship, are transferred so as to be joined to the respective stitch region of a circuit pattern region periphery already transferred onto the plate.

Abstract: A mounting system for body mounted camera equipment includes a tube supported on a three-axis gimbal and having connector assemblies at each end for mounting the equipment. Each connector assembly is made up of two connectors which axially engage. One of the connectors includes grooves in the cylindrical sidewall to include radially extending pins in the other connector. The grooves each include an axial entry portion, a circumferential portion and an axial seating portion. The connectors further include an angular interlock with three pins and six sockets with the pins and sockets including mating conical surfaces. The axial pins and sockets, the grooves and the radial pins are all configured to define a locking system having an entry requiring separate axial and rotational motions of the connectors before the pins and sockets can be engaged.

Abstract: A photolithography imaging system and method that performs the tasks of mask alignment, panel recognition, establishing position offsets and adjusting mask rotation for accurate overlay imaging of the mask onto the panel, and correctly adjusting image magnification or reduction to properly size each stepped image to the panel distortion. This invention applies more directly to substrate panels whose dimensional stability is found difficult to control, repeatedly. More specifically, it applies to panels whose X axis distortion factor varies greatly from its Y axis distortion factor and the average adjustment of the image magnification or reduction does not satisfy tight registration requirements. What is new is that the calculation of the magnification or reduction adjustment is based on the mask image dimensions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shaping and/or orienting radiation irradiating a microlithographic substrate. The method can include directing a beam of radiation along a radiation path toward a reflective medium, with the beam having a first shape in a plane generally transverse to the radiation path. The shape of the radiation beam can be changed from the first shape to a second, different shape by inclining a first portion of the reflective medium relative to a second portion of the reflective medium and reflecting the radiation beam toward a microlithographic substrate. The beam can then impinge on the microlithographic substrate after changing the shape from the first shape to the second shape, and at least a portion of the radiation can be inclined relative to the radiation path, for example, to enhance the imaging of selected diffractive orders.

Abstract: A materials-processing system based on projection irradiation using a pulsed-laser source is disclosed. The salient features include a novel illumination system containing a homogenizer that produces a self-luminous light beam of selected cross-section, spatially uniform intensity, and selected numerical aperture, as well as a novel high-efficiency, energy-recycling exposure system that provides pulse-duration extension. The output of the pulsed-laser source is shaped, optionally attenuated, and homogenized, and the pulse duration is extended by the illumination system, including beam-shaping optics, homogenizer, and optionally a condenser lens or pulse-extender-plate (PEP). The illumination is imaged either onto the mask, which is in turn imaged onto the substrate, or the illumination is imaged onto the substrate directly. The high-fluence irradiation effects a desired physical change in the material, for example melting and solidification as required in the sequential lateral solidification (SLS) process.

Abstract: A position detection device for an illumination case is disclosed. It includes an illumination filmstrip, a grating plate, a transparent back plate, two step motors for driving the grating plate to move up and down, two sensors and a set of sensing elements, and a one-chip microcomputer. The illumination filmstrip overlays the transparent back plate and is fixed against it. The grating plate spreads out and nestles up to the illumination filmstrip by means of one or more stretch springs, and it links with the two step motors. The two sensors are fixed on the left side and the right side of the transparent back plate, respectively. The sensing elements are fitted on the grating plate corresponding to the sensors to set the starting point of the circular up-and-down movement of the grating plate. The current fixed position of the sensing element on the grating plate is taken as the benchmark, and the sensors detect a reference signal.

Abstract: Linewidth variations and bias that result from MEF changes and reticle linewidth variations in a printed. substrate are controlled by correcting exposure dose and partial coherence at different spatial locations. In a photolithographic device for projecting an image of a reticle onto a photosensitive substrate, an adjustable slit is used in combination with a partial coherence adjuster to vary at different spatial locations the exposure dose received by the photosensitive substrate and partial coherence of the system. The linewidth variance and horizontal and vertical or orientation bias are calculated or measured at different spatial locations with reference to a reticle, and a corrected exposure dose and partial coherence is determined at the required spatial locations to compensate for the variance in linewidth and bias on the printed substrate. Improved printing of an image is obtained, resulting in the manufacturer of smaller feature size semiconductor devices and higher yields.