Abstract: There is provided an exposure method that includes the steps of forming a phase shift mask having a desired pattern and a cyclic dummy pattern overlaid onto the desired pattern, a part of the desired pattern to be resolved by effects of the dummy pattern being thicker than the dummy pattern's line width, illuminating the phase shift mask by using illumination light having a peak near or on an optical axis in an intensity distribution to transfer the desired pattern onto the exposure plane by projecting light having passed through the phase shift mask onto the exposure plane.

Abstract: A mask manufacturing method suitable for an exposure method wherein a mask on which a desired pattern and a supplementary pattern with formations smaller than those of the desired pattern are arrayed is illuminated, and the light which passed through the mask onto a member to be exposed is projected via a projection optical system, said method comprising a selecting step for selecting one of the following three supplementary patterns, a first supplementary pattern wherein said supplementary pattern is disposed at a position where a line extending in the vertical direction as to the pitch direction from a certain desired pattern hole of said desired pattern, and a line connecting the supplementary pattern hole closest to said certain desired pattern hole in the vertical direction with said certain desired pattern hole, intersect at an angle of 0°, a second supplementary pattern wherein said angle is 0° or more but less than 45°, and a third supplementary pattern wherein said supplementary pattern supplementary

Abstract: An illumination device has a corner cube member disposed at the opposite side of a light source with respect to an object to be illuminated. With this feature, efficient illumination of the object to be illuminated is achieved without need for high precision in positioning.

Abstract: An illuminating apparatus includes a light source including a cylindrical light-emitting tube, a first optical system, a second optical system, and a third optical system. The first optical system has an incident surface on which light emitted from the light source to the object side are incident and an emergent surface from which the light passing through the incident surface are emitted. The second optical system has a reflecting surface from which light emitted from the light source to a first side are reflected. The third optical system has a reflecting surface from which light emitted from the light source to a second side opposite to the first side are reflected. The first to third optical systems each illuminate the entire illumination area of the object with light emitted from the light source and incident on the optical systems.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an illuminating apparatus, configured to uniformly illuminate a surface of an object, and includes a light-guiding member configured to guide light emitted from a source to a surface to be illuminated, and a reflecting member disposed between the light-guiding member and the surface to be illuminated. The reflecting member includes a pair of reflection surfaces disposed so as to face each other in a long side direction of the surface to be illuminated, and reflects light emitted from the light-guiding member in directions having directional components parallel to a short side direction of the surface to be illuminated toward the surface to be illuminated.

Abstract: Provided is an image pickup optical system capable of performing focusing in a wide region without a large increase in tilt angle in the case where an image of an object is picked up from a low angle. The image pickup optical system includes a first optical system and a second optical system, for enlarging an image formed by the first optical system and forming the enlarged image. A principal plane of the first optical system is tilted relative to an image plane of the second optical system.

Abstract: An image processing system or image processing method for performing image sensing by an image sensing unit having plural image sensing devices then outputting plural image data, wireless-transmitting the plural image data, and generating a combined image based on the wireless-transmitted plural image data.

Abstract: An exposure method comprising the steps of forming onto a mask that arranges a pattern of a contact hole and a plurality of patterns each being smaller than the contact hole pattern, and illuminating the mask using plural kinds of light so as to resolve the desired pattern without the smaller patterns on a target via a projection optical system.

Abstract: A mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice.

Abstract: A method for setting a mask pattern and an illumination condition suitable for an exposure method for using plural kinds of light to illuminate a mask that arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern, so as to resolve the predetermined pattern without resolving the auxiliary pattern on a target via a projection optical system includes the steps of forming data for the predetermined pattern, forming data for the auxiliary pattern, and setting the illumination condition for defining an effective light source of illumination using the plural kinds of light.

Abstract: A wireless communication apparatus and method is provided which makes discrete functional elements perform a cooperative work without various limitations caused by a wired configuration. The wireless communication apparatus has a plurality of fine functional elements 3 each having a communication unit for data transmission and reception by using radio waves or light and one or more unit other than the communication unit, and a base station 4 for controlling and collectively managing the fine functional elements through communications with the fine functional elements, wherein one or more units other than the communication unit are activated through communications of one of the fine functional elements 3 received control information from the base station 4 with another of the fine functional elements 3 via the communication units, to thereby make the discrete functional elements 3 perform a cooperative work.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure method that includes the steps of forming a phase shift mask having a desired pattern and a cyclic dummy pattern overlaid onto the desired pattern, a part of the desired pattern to be resolved by effects of the dummy pattern being thicker than the dummy pattern's line width, illuminating the phase shift mask by using illumination light having a peak near or on an optical axis in an intensity distribution to transfer the desired pattern onto the exposure plane by projecting light having passed through the phase shift mask onto the exposure plane.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure method that includes the steps of forming a phase shift mask having a desired pattern and a cyclic dummy pattern overlaid onto the desired pattern, a part of the desired pattern to be resolved by effects of the dummy pattern being thicker than the dummy pattern's line width, illuminating the phase shift mask by using illumination light having a peak near or on an optical axis in an intensity distribution to transfer the desired pattern onto the exposure plane by projecting light having passed through the phase shift mask onto the exposure plane.

Abstract: A mask manufacturing method suitable for an exposure method wherein a mask on which a desired pattern and a supplementary pattern with formations smaller than those of the desired pattern are arrayed is illuminated, and the light which passed through the mask onto a member to be exposed is projected via a projection optical system, said method comprising a selecting step for selecting one of the following three supplementary patterns, a first supplementary pattern wherein said supplementary pattern is disposed at a position where a line extending in the vertical direction as to the pitch direction from a certain desired pattern hole of said desired pattern, and a line connecting the supplementary pattern hole closest to said certain desired pattern hole in the vertical direction with said certain desired pattern hole, intersect at an angle of 0°, a second supplementary pattern wherein said supplementary pattern is disposed at a position where said angle is 0° or more but less than 45°, and a third supplementa

Abstract: There is provided an interferometer for measuring a surface shape of an optical element using interference, including a reference wave-front deformation system for deforming a wave front of reference light.

Abstract: A method for forming, on a mask, a mask pattern used for exposure. The mask pattern includes a first pattern that blends plural types of patterns, and second pattern that is smaller in size than the first pattern. The mask pattern is arranged on the mask so that the first pattern may be resolved and the second pattern is restrained from being resolved.

Abstract: A method of producing a semiconductor chip includes (1) a first exposure step for exposing a device range inside a chip on a substrate, to a repetition pattern including a line and a space, wherein an exposure region of the repetition pattern has a size greater than the device range inside the chip, and (2) a second exposure step for exposing the device range inside the chip on the substrate, to a pattern which includes (i) a first line being parallel to the line of the repetition pattern and having substantially the same linewidth as that of the line or a first space being parallel to the space of the repetition pattern and having substantially the same width, and (ii) a second line of a width larger than the line of the repetition pattern or a second space of a width larger than the space of the repetition pattern. The first line overlaps with a portion of lines of the repetition pattern, or the first space overlaps with a portion of spaces of the repetition pattern.

Abstract: An optical system for forming an image of an object. The optical system includes an optical element, which is deformed by the weight thereof, and at least one optical member for preventing a change in optical performance of the optical system due to deformation of the optical element, when the optical element is provided in the optical system.

Abstract: An image processing system or image processing method for performing image sensing by an image sensing unit having plural image sensing devices then outputting plural image data, wireless-transmitting the plural image data, and generating a combined image based on the wireless-transmitted plural image data.

Abstract: A mask arranges a predetermined pattern and an auxiliary pattern smaller than the predetermined pattern so that where a virtual lattice is assumed which has a lattice point located at a center of the predetermined pattern, a center of the auxiliary pattern is offset from the lattice point of the virtual lattice.