Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus includes a phase grating, an absorption grating, a detector, and an arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit executes a Fourier transform step of performing Fourier transform for an intensity distribution of a Moiré acquired by the detector, and acquiring a spatial frequency spectrum. Also, the arithmetic unit executes a phase retrieval step of separating a spectrum corresponding to a carrier frequency from a spatial frequency spectrum acquired in the Fourier transform step, performing inverse Fourier transform for the separated spectrum, and acquiring a differential phase image.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a pinhole mask, located on an object plane of an optical system to be measured, and having a plurality of pinholes for generating a spherical wave from a measuring light beam, and a diffraction grating for splitting the measuring light beam that has passed the pinhole mask and the optical system, in which Lg=m·Pg2/? is met, where Pg is a grating pitch of the diffraction grating, ? is a wavelength of the measuring light beam, m is an integer other than zero, and Lg is a distance between the diffraction grating and an image plane of the optical system. The measuring apparatus detects an interferogram formed by interference between a plurality of the measuring light beams split by the diffraction grating. The plurality of measuring light beams includes an aberration of the optical system.

Abstract: An imaging apparatus analyzes a periodic pattern of a Moiré due to Talbot interference by the Fourier transform method and forms an image. The imaging apparatus includes a first grating having a structure that transmits light beams from a beam source to refract or diffract the light beams and forms a self image based on a first periodic pattern by the Talbot interference at a predetermined position; a second grating that absorbs part of the first periodic pattern and causes a Moiré to be generated based on a second periodic pattern when the second grating is arranged at a position at which the self image is formed. All cross sections of the Moiré with axes in differential directions of a wavefront for the analysis by the Fourier transform method have a two-dimensional periodic structure in which periods of patterns in the second periodic pattern are the same.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a first mask that is arranged on an object plane of a target optical system, and has a window that transmits measurement light, a second mask that has a reflection surface for reducing coherence of the measurement light, and a diffraction grating configured to split the measurement light that has been reflected on the second mask, has passed the first mask and the target optical system, wherein a distance Lg between the diffraction grating and an image plane of the target optical system satisfies Lg=m·Pg2/? where Pg is a grating pitch of the diffraction grating, ? is a wavelength of the measurement light, and m is an integer except for 0.

Abstract: An X-ray imaging apparatus includes a phase grating, an absorption grating, a detector, and an arithmetic unit. The arithmetic unit executes a Fourier transform step of performing Fourier transform for an intensity distribution of a Moiré acquired by the detector, and acquiring a spatial frequency spectrum. Also, the arithmetic unit executes a phase retrieval step of separating a spectrum corresponding to a carrier frequency from a spatial frequency spectrum acquired in the Fourier transform step, performing inverse Fourier transform for the separated spectrum, and acquiring a differential phase image.

Abstract: A Talbot interferometer includes a diffraction grating, an image pickup device, a moving unit configured to move at least one of the diffraction grating and the image pickup device in an optical axis direction of the test object, and a computer configured to adjust a position of the at least one of the diffraction grating and the image pickup device using the moving unit so that a Talbot condition can be met, based on a spatial frequency spectrum obtained from a plurality of interference fringes captured by the image pickup device while moving the at least one of the diffraction grating and the image pickup device using the moving unit.

Abstract: An absolute position measurement apparatus measures an absolute position of an object to be measured using a first light source and a second light source which has coherency lower than that of the first light source. The absolute position measurement apparatus includes a measurement part which measures a point where phases of interference signals from the first and the second light sources coincide with each other or a point where an intensity of the interference signal from the second light source is maximized, an origin defining part which defines the point measured by the measurement part as an origin position, a phase storing part which stores the phase of the interference signal from the first light source at the origin position, an origin redefining part which redefines the origin position, and a position calculating part which calculates the absolute position of the object to be measured.

Abstract: A measurement apparatus includes a first mask that is arranged on an object plane of a target optical system, and has a window that transmits measurement light, a second mask that has a reflection surface for reducing coherence of the measurement light, and a diffraction grating configured to split the measurement light that has been reflected on the second mask, has passed the first mask and the target optical system, wherein a distance Lg between the diffraction grating and an image plane of the target optical system satisfies Lg=m·Pg2/? where Pg is a grating pitch of the diffraction grating, ? is a wavelength of the measurement light, and m is an integer except for 0.

Abstract: A wavefront-aberration-measuring device measures wavefront aberration of a to-be-tested optical system and includes a diffraction grating that splits light transmitted through the optical system, a detecting unit that detects interference fringes produced by beams of the split light, an arithmetic unit that calculates the wavefront aberration from the detected interference fringes, an image-side mask insertable into and retractable from an image plane of the optical system, and an illuminating unit that incoherently illuminates the image-side mask. The image-side mask has an aperture with a diameter larger than ?/2NA, where ? denotes a wavelength of the illuminating unit and NA denotes a numerical aperture of the to-be-tested optical system. The arithmetic unit calculates the wavefront aberration of the optical system from the interference fringes detected with the image-side mask being retracted from the image plane and the interference fringes detected with the image-side mask being in the image plane.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus includes a pinhole mask, located at an object plane of an optical system to be measured, and having a plurality of pinholes for generating a spherical wave from a measuring light beam, and a diffraction grating for splitting the measuring light beam that has passed the pinhole mask and the optical system, wherein Lg=m·Pg2/? is met, where Pg is a grating pitch of the diffraction grating, ? is a wavelength of the measuring light beam, m is an integer other than zero, and Lg is a distance between the diffraction grating and an image plane of the optical system. The measuring apparatus calculates a wavefront aberration of the optical system from an interferogram formed by causing interference of the measuring light beams split by the diffraction grating.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system. The illumination optical system includes a first member configured to define an illuminated region of a reflective mask having a pattern to be projected onto a substrate; a second member configured to define an illuminated region in which a measurement pattern used in measuring wavefront aberration of a projection optical system is illuminated, the second member being able to be inserted into and removed from an optical path of the illumination optical system; and a condensing mirror configured to condense light from the first member on the pattern to be projected onto the substrate and light from the second member on the measurement pattern. The illuminated region defined by the second member is smaller than the illuminated region defined by the first member.

Abstract: A wavefront aberration measuring device includes a mask placed in an object plane of a to-be-tested optical system and having a pattern including a pinhole producing a spherical wave and adjoining diffraction gratings each ruled with lines oriented in a direction different from the other; an illumination optical system that illuminates an area of the mask with light emitted from a light source; a light splitter that splits the light from the pattern transmitted through the to-be-tested optical system; an image pickup unit that takes an image of interference fringes produced by the split light, the image being used in measuring wavefront aberration of the to-be-tested optical system; a detector that detects respective light quantities of respective diffracted beams from the respective illuminated diffraction gratings; and a control unit that controls alignment of the illuminated area of the mask and the pattern in accordance with a detection result.

Abstract: A measuring method for measuring a wave front of light, which has passed through a target optical system. The method includes the steps of dividing the light that passes the target optical system into a first wave front and a second wave front made by offsetting the first wave front by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, obtaining information concerning an interference fringe using shearing interference with divided light, calculating a differential wave front between the first wave front and the second wave front by using the information concerning the interference fringe obtained in the obtaining step, and correcting the differential wave front based on the predetermined amount and a wave number in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A wavefront measuring device is disclosed which is capable of measuring an average wavefront and the retardation of a lens including birefringence. The measuring device includes a light source for emitting a linearly polarized light; a polarization orientation setting member for switching the polarization orientation of the light flux from the light source between at least two orientations; a light synthesizing member for synthesizing the light flux after passing the light fluxes through an object to be measured and a reference surface; an analyzer for switching the polarization orientation so as to pass only the same polarized component as the polarized light incident on the object to be measured; an image pickup member for detecting interference information of the light flux obtained through the analyzer; and a calculating section for calculating the average wavefront and/or the retardation of the object to be measured.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with a pattern of an original includes a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the original onto the substrate with light from a light source, and an interferometer for measuring an optical characteristic of the projection optical system by use of the light from the light source, which passes a pinhole and the projection optical system. The pinhole has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of an Airy disc.

Abstract: A measuring method for measuring wave front of light, which passed through a target optical system includes the steps of, generating an interference fringe using a shearing interference with light that passes a target optical system, calculating a differential wave front between a first wave front of the light that passes the target optical system and a second wave front made by offsetting the first wave front by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction, and correcting the differential wave front based on the predetermined amount and the wave number in the predetermined direction.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a continuous emission excimer laser for providing laser light having a predetermined wavelength, an illumination optical system for illuminating a pattern of a reticle with laser light having the predetermined wavelength, a projection optical system for projecting the illuminated pattern of the reticle onto a substrate, wherein the projection optical system is provided by a lens system made of a substantially single glass material, a laser for injecting light having the predetermined wavelength into a resonator of the continuous emission excimer laser, a wavemeter for measuring the wavelength of the laser light from the continuous emission excimer laser, and a changing device for changing a resonator length of the continuous emission excimer laser on the basis of a signal from the wavemeter so that the wavelength of the laser light from the continuous emission excimer laser becomes equal to the predetermined wavelength.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system for illuminating a pattern of a reticle with laser light outputted from a continuous emission laser, a projection optical system for projecting the illuminated pattern onto a subject to be exposed, and an interferometer, of a Fizeau type, being operable while using laser light outputted from the continuous emission laser.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate with a pattern of an original includes a projection optical system for projecting the pattern of the original onto the substrate with light from a light source, and an interferometer for measuring an optical characteristic of the projection optical system by use of the light from the light source, which passes a pinhole and the projection optical system. The pinhole has a diameter which is smaller than a diameter of an Airy disc.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the surface shape of the surface to be measured of an optical system to be measured includes a rotary stage holding the optical system to be measured thereon and rotatable about the optical axis of the optical system to be measured, a device for detecting the rotation azimuth of the rotary stage, an irradiating optical system for sequentially applying a coherent light beam to the plurality of measuring diameter positions of the surface to be measured of the optical system to be measured held on the rotary stage, a light receiving element for detecting the reflected light of the coherent light beam from the surface to be measured as an interference signal, and a calculating system for effecting the measurement of the surface shape of the surface to be measured on the basis of the result of the detection of the interference signal at each of the plurality of measuring diameter positions of the surface to be measured and the result of the detection by the rotation azimuth detecting dev