Patents by Inventor Naoki Murasato

Naoki Murasato has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20230256664
    Abstract: In an imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of a curable composition on a substrate using a mold, an air flow is generated between a mold holding unit holding a member and the member to remove foreign particles, in a state where the member held by the mold holding unit is deformed in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventor: NAOKI MURASATO
  • Patent number: 11656547
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold including a pattern formation area, the imprint apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect a contact state of the imprint material on the substrate with the mold, a light modulation element configured to control an intensity distribution of irradiation light irradiating the substrate, and a control unit configured to control a timing of irradiating the substrate with the irradiation light having the intensity distribution controlled by the light modulation element based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Takafumi Miyaharu
  • Patent number: 11426906
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material by irradiating the imprint material with light while the imprint material on a substrate is in contact with a pattern region of a mold. The imprint apparatus includes a first supply unit configured to supply a first gas to a gap between the substrate and the mold, the first gas accelerating filling of recessed portions of the pattern region with the imprint material, and a second supply unit configured to supply a second gas to the gap, the second gas inhibiting curing of the imprint material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Ken Minoda
  • Patent number: 11187977
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material on a shot region of a substrate by light irradiation and forms a pattern on the shot region in a state in which a mold is in contact with the imprint material. The apparatus includes a shutter mechanism including a shutter plate configured to control light irradiation to the imprint material on the shot region and an actuator configured to drive the shutter plate, and a driving mechanism configured to change relative positions of the substrate and the mold. The shutter plate includes a first passing portion configured to irradiate a part out of a whole of the imprint material on the shot region with light and a second passing portion configured to irradiate the whole of the imprint material on the shot region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Ken Minoda
  • Patent number: 10828805
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate using an original as a mold, comprises an ultraviolet light generation device which irradiates with ultraviolet light which is curing light for curing the imprint material, and a control unit which controls a light amount of the ultraviolet light which is curing light. The control unit configured to perform a control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light acquires data of a defect distribution of the pattern formed on the substrate by the mold, and performs the control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light in a plurality of shot areas on the substrate based on the acquired data of the defect distribution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20200310247
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern of an imprint material on a substrate by using a mold including a pattern formation area, the imprint apparatus includes a detection unit configured to detect a contact state of the imprint material on the substrate with the mold, a light modulation element configured to control an intensity distribution of irradiation light irradiating the substrate, and a control unit configured to control a timing of irradiating the substrate with the irradiation light having the intensity distribution controlled by the light modulation element based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Takafumi Miyaharu
  • Patent number: 10409156
    Abstract: A mold includes a pattern portion in which a pattern is formed, and a concave portion formed in the back surface of the pattern portion and having a size to include the pattern portion in a planar view. The edge of the pattern portion has an almost rectangular shape in the planar view. The concave portion has an almost rectangular shape with four rounded corners in the planar view. The shortest distance from each point on a side of the edge of the pattern portion to the edge of the concave portion is constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Mahadevan Ganapathisubramanian, Naoki Murasato, Yoshikazu Miyajima
  • Publication number: 20190263031
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material by irradiating the imprint material with light while the imprint material on a substrate is in contact with a pattern region of a mold. The imprint apparatus includes a first supply unit configured to supply a first gas to a gap between the substrate and the mold, the first gas accelerating filling of recessed portions of the pattern region with the imprint material, and a second supply unit configured to supply a second gas to the gap, the second gas inhibiting curing of the imprint material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Ken Minoda
  • Publication number: 20190086796
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus cures an imprint material on a shot region of a substrate by light irradiation and forms a pattern on the shot region in a state in which a mold is in contact with the imprint material. The apparatus includes a shutter mechanism including a shutter plate configured to control light irradiation to the imprint material on the shot region and an actuator configured to drive the shutter plate, and a driving mechanism configured to change relative positions of the substrate and the mold. The shutter plate includes a first passing portion configured to irradiate a part out of a whole of the imprint material on the shot region with light and a second passing portion configured to irradiate the whole of the imprint material on the shot region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Inventors: Naoki Murasato, Ken Minoda
  • Publication number: 20180067392
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus performs an imprint process of bringing a mold into contact with an imprint material on a substrate and curing the imprint material by light irradiation. The apparatus includes a light source which emits light to irradiate the imprint material that is in contact with the mold, a light blocking portion which defines an irradiation region of the light emitted by the light source, a driver which drives the light blocking portion, an image capture which has a field of view capable of capturing a region irradiated with the light emitted by the light source, and a controller which generates, based on an image of the mold provided from the image capture, controls information which controls driving of the light blocking portion by the driver.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20170217054
    Abstract: An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate using an original as a mold, comprises an ultraviolet light generation device which irradiates with ultraviolet light which is curing light for curing the imprint material, and a control unit which controls a light amount of the ultraviolet light which is curing light. The control unit configured to perform a control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light acquires data of a defect distribution of the pattern formed on the substrate by the mold, and performs the control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light in a plurality of shot areas on the substrate based on the acquired data of the defect distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20160236400
    Abstract: A mold includes a pattern portion in which a pattern is formed, and a concave portion formed in the back surface of the pattern portion and having a size to include the pattern portion in a planar view. The edge of the pattern portion has an almost rectangular shape in the planar view. The concave portion has an almost rectangular shape with four rounded corners in the planar view. The shortest distance from each point on a side of the edge of the pattern portion to the edge of the concave portion is constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Byung-Jin Choi, Mahadevan Ganapathisubramanian, Naoki Murasato, Yoshikazu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7907358
    Abstract: A holding apparatus includes a holding member configured to hold an optical element, the holding member having an internal space that extends in a circumferential direction and has different sectional shapes perpendicular to the circumferential direction on at least two locations, a fixing member arranged outside of the holding member and configured to fix the holding member from an outside of the holding member, and a pressing member configured to press the internal space by supplying a fluid to the internal space, and to deform the holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20100053783
    Abstract: A holding apparatus includes a holding member configured to hold an optical element, the holding member having an internal space that extends in a circumferential direction and has different sectional shapes perpendicular to the circumferential direction on at least two locations, a fixing member arranged outside of the holding member and configured to fix the holding member from an outside of the holding member, and a pressing member configured to press the internal space by supplying a fluid to the internal space, and to deform the holding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Patent number: 7345834
    Abstract: A holding system for holding an optical element. The holding system includes a ring-like inner holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the optical element, for supporting the optical element by use of at least a pair of pieces, and a ring-like outer holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the inner holding member and connected to the inner holding member at plural points. The inner holding member has at least a pair of driving units with an actuator, for supporting the optical element through the actuators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Patent number: 7116500
    Abstract: A holding system for holding an optical element. The holding system includes a ring-like inner holding member, disposed at an outer periphery of the optical element, for supporting the optical element by use of at least a pair of pieces, in which the inner holding member has at least a pair of driving units with an actuator, for supporting the optical element through the actuators, a ring-like outer holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the inner holding member and connected to the inner holding member at plural points, and three elastic members for supporting the holding member. The inner holding member supports the optical element by use of one pair of the pieces, which are disposed opposed to each other, in which one pair of the driving units of the inner holding member is disposed opposed to each other and provided on the inner holding member at two points. Each point is defined between the one pair of opposed pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20060198036
    Abstract: A holding system for holding an optical element. The holding system includes a ring-like inner holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the optical element, for supporting the optical element by use of at least a pair of pieces, and a ring-like outer holding member disposed at an outer periphery of the inner holding member and connected to the inner holding member at plural points. The inner holding member has at least a pair of driving units with an actuator, for supporting the optical element through the actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20060082907
    Abstract: Disclosed in this specification are an optical element holding system, a barrel usable therewith, and an exposure apparatus and an exposure method usable therewith. In one preferred form, the optical element holding system includes a ring-like inner holding member which is disposed at an outer periphery of the optical element, for supporting the optical element by use of at least a pair of pieces. The optical element holding system further includes a ring-like outer holding member which is disposed at an outer periphery of the inner holding member and is connected to the inner holding member at plural points. The inner holding member has at least a pair of driving units with an actuator, for supporting the optical element through the actuators.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Patent number: 7031082
    Abstract: A retainer for holding an optical element includes a detector for detecting a deformation amount of the optical element, and an adjustment unit for adjusting the deformation of the optical element based on the deformation amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato
  • Publication number: 20040165287
    Abstract: A retainer for holding an optical element includes a detector for detecting a deformation amount of the optical element, and an adjustment unit for adjusting the deformation of the optical element based on the deformation amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventor: Naoki Murasato