Abstract: A light source capable of operating third and fourth reflection mirrors included in a beam splitting device in conjunction with movements of first and second reflection mirrors included in a beam transfer device and an optical assembly, respectively. The third and fourth reflection mirrors are disposed on optical paths of a pre-pulse and a main pulse emitted from first and second pulse generators, respectively. The light source operates the third and fourth reflection mirrors to offset an excessive compensation of the main pulse caused in a process of compensating for an optical path error of the pre-pulse. The light source may be included in an extreme ultraviolet light source system.

Abstract: A laser beam delivery apparatus of an extreme ultra violet light source may include a high power seed module configured to generate a laser beam, a power amplifier configured to amplify the laser beam generated by the high power seed module, a beam transfer module configured to collect and move the laser beam amplified by the power amplifier, a final focusing assembly optical platform configured to adjust focus of the laser beam collected and moved by the beam transfer module, and a focusing unit configured to focus the laser beam with the focus adjusted by the final focusing assembly optical platform to a target droplet. The power amplifier may include a position adjuster configured to adjust a position of the laser beam. The position adjuster may include a refraction plate having a flat surface. The power amplifier may include a pointing adjuster, which may include a mirror.

Abstract: A ball screw device includes: a screw shaft the outer peripheral surface of which has a first thread groove; a nut the inner peripheral surface of which is provided with a second thread groove that matches the first thread groove, and the outer peripheral surface of which is provided with a through hole; a plurality of balls that roll between the first thread groove and the second thread groove; a circulation component including a main body part and a pair of leg parts provided on both ends of the main body part, and that is provided on the nut; and a pin component that fixes the circulation component to the nut. Each of the leg parts is inserted into the through hole, the pin component is provided on the leg part in an overlapping manner, and the leg part is retained in the through hole by the pin component.

Abstract: A light source capable of operating third and fourth reflection mirrors included in a beam splitting device in conjunction with movements of first and second reflection mirrors included in a beam transfer device and an optical assembly, respectively. The third and fourth reflection mirrors are disposed on optical paths of a pre-pulse and a main pulse emitted from first and second pulse generators, respectively. The light source operates the third and fourth reflection mirrors to offset an excessive compensation of the main pulse caused in a process of compensating for an optical path error of the pre-pulse. The light source may be included in an extreme ultraviolet light source system.

Abstract: A ball screw device includes: a screw shaft the outer peripheral surface of which has a first thread groove; a nut the inner peripheral surface of which is provided with a second thread groove that matches the first thread groove, and the outer peripheral surface of which is provided with a through hole; a plurality of balls that roll between the first thread groove and the second thread groove; a circulation component including a main body part and a pair of leg parts provided on both ends of the main body part, and that is provided on the nut; and a pin component that fixes the circulation component to the nut. Each of the leg parts is inserted into the through hole, the pin component is provided on the leg part in an overlapping manner, and the leg part is retained in the through hole by the pin component.

Abstract: A laser beam delivery apparatus of an extreme ultra violet light source may include a high power seed module configured to generate a laser beam, a power amplifier configured to amplify the laser beam generated by the high power seed module, a beam transfer module configured to collect and move the laser beam amplified by the power amplifier, a final focusing assembly optical platform configured to adjust focus of the laser beam collected and moved by the beam transfer module, and a focusing unit configured to focus the laser beam with the focus adjusted by the final focusing assembly optical platform to a target droplet. The power amplifier may include a position adjuster configured to adjust a position of the laser beam. The position adjuster may include a refraction plate having a flat surface. The power amplifier may include a pointing adjuster, which may include a mirror.

Abstract: A ball screw in the present invention includes a nut (1) having a spiral groove formed in an inner peripheral surface; a screw shaft (2) having a spiral groove formed in an outer peripheral surface; balls arranged between a raceway formed by the spiral groove of the nut and the spiral groove of the screw shaft; and a ball return passage for returning the balls from an end point of the raceway to a start point. The nut (1) includes a protruding portion (13) protruding from an axial end surface, and the ball return passage is a recessed portion formed in the inner peripheral surface of the nut. Deviation of the center of gravity of the nut (1) from a rotational center line caused by the protruding portion (13) is made smaller by the configuration of the recessed portion.

Abstract: A surface examining method and a surface examining apparatus, in which a large-sized lens of an object-side telecentric optical system is not required and which can observe a surface to be examined in a wide region. A surface examining method for examining a surface of an object to be measured, by observing a light reflected from the object through an object-side telecentric optical system or an image-object-side telecentric optical system, comprises the steps of; arranging the object-side telecentric optical system or the image-object-side telecentric optical system so that an optical axis thereof is inclined with respect to a direction normal to the object to be measured, and observing the light reflected from the object to be measured.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light illuminating method, a surface examining method using the light illuminating method, and apparatuses for performing these methods. In the surface illuminating apparatus for illuminating an object with a light beam from a light source through a lens member for illumination, the lens member for illumination has a characteristics with respect to a longitudinal aberration caused by a spherical aberration in the light source side of the lens for illumination, that an amount of shift from a paraxial image surface to image formation points gradually increase or decrease, with an increase in height of light incidence into the lens; and the light source is set at a position in an outside of a group of the image formation points.

Abstract: A method enables measurement of the configuration of a pattern with irregularity in a wide surface region with a high accuracy and in a single operation. The surface inspecting method includes irradiating a measurement objective region with an illuminating light in an oblique direction thereto; forming an image of reflected light from the measurement objective region, the formed image of reflected light having points with luminance corresponding to the incident angle of the illuminating light at respective points on the measurement objective region picking up the formed image to collect luminance data of respective points in the measurement objective region; analyzing spatial frequencies of the luminance data with respect to positions in a desired direction to make a plurality of spatial frequency data; and extracting a desired frequency component from the plurality of spatial frequency data.

Abstract: The present invention enables measurement of the configuration of a pattern with irregularity in a wide surface region with a high accuracy and in a single operation by using an apparatus having relatively simple construction.

Abstract: There is provided an inspection apparatus which illuminates at least part of a sample with diffused light from a diffused light source and inspects the sample based on light reflected from the sample. An illuminating chamber is defined by a wall member. The wall member has an inner wall surface for reflecting diffused light from the diffused light source, a sample-inserting opening formed through the wall member for inserting the at least part of the sample into the illuminating chamber therethrough, and a sample-observing opening formed through the wall member for permitting light reflected from the at least part of the sample to be emitted out of the illuminating chamber. The sample is observed by the use of an object-side telecentric optical system having a lens system for collecting parallel light from the light emitted from the sample-observing opening, and an aperture stop arranged at or in the vicinity of a back focal point of the lens system.

Abstract: The method comprises the steps of: irradiating an objective region to be measured with an illuminating light in an oblique direction thereto; forming an image of reflected light from the objective region by member of an object-side telecentric optical system or an image-object-side telecentric optical system, which has an optical axis coinciding with an incident direction of the illuminating light to the objective region and has a object-side angular aperture against a point on the objective region, which is set at a predetermined angle; picking up the formed image to collect luminance data of respective points in the objective region; and processing the luminance data to recognize bright and dark portions and thereby determining the presence or absence of an irregular portion and a shape of the irregular portion, in the objective region.