Patents by Inventor Takahiro Masada

Takahiro Masada 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: 20190155168
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes (i) a projection optical system, (ii) a substrate stage having a substrate holder on which a substrate is held, which is movable while holding the substrate with the substrate holder, and (iii) a reference member having a first reference and a second reference for performing an alignment process, the reference member being provided on the substrate stage. At least part of an upper surface of the reference member includes a liquid repellent material. The substrate is aligned based on information obtained from the alignment process. The substrate is exposed through liquid in a liquid immersion area formed locally on an upper surface of the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko YASUDA, Takahiro MASADA, Yuho KANAYA, Tadashi NAGAYAMA
  • Patent number: 10209623
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a movable stage, an alignment system and a measurement member. The projection system has a last optical element, and projects a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid. The movable stage has a holder by which the substrate is held. The alignment system detects an alignment mark on the substrate not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member is provided on the movable stage, and has a reference mark to be detected by the alignment system not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member has a material to form the reference mark, the material being covered with a light-transmissive material. The movable stage is movable to a position so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Yasuda, Takahiro Masada, Yuho Kanaya, Tadashi Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20160313650
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a movable stage, an alignment system and a measurement member. The projection system has a last optical element, and projects a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid. The movable stage has a holder by which the substrate is held. The alignment system detects an alignment mark on the substrate not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member is provided on the movable stage, and has a reference mark to be detected by the alignment system not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member has a material to form the reference mark, the material being covered with a light-transmissive material. The movable stage is movable to a position so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko YASUDA, Takahiro MASADA, Yuho KANAYA, Tadashi NAGAYAMA
  • Patent number: 9383656
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a movable stage, an alignment system and a measurement member. The projection system has a last optical element, and projects a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid. The movable stage has a holder by which the substrate is held. The alignment system detects an alignment mark on the substrate not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member is provided on the movable stage, and has a reference mark to be detected by the alignment system not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member has a material to form the reference mark, the material being covered with a light-transmissive material. The movable stage is movable to a position so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Yasuda, Takahiro Masada, Yuho Kanaya, Tadashi Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20150227058
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system, a movable stage, an alignment system and a measurement member. The projection system has a last optical element, and projects a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid. The movable stage has a holder by which the substrate is held. The alignment system detects an alignment mark on the substrate not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member is provided on the movable stage, and has a reference mark to be detected by the alignment system not through the immersion liquid. The measurement member has a material to form the reference mark, the material being covered with a light-transmissive material. The movable stage is movable to a position so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventors: Masahiko YASUDA, Takahiro MASADA, Yuho KANAYA, Tadashi NAGAYAMA
  • Patent number: 9063438
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a last optical element, the projection system projecting a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid; a movable stage having a holder by which the substrate is held; a measurement member provided on the movable stage, the measurement member having a measurement portion covered with a light-transmissive material; a first alignment system by which an alignment mark is detected not through the immersion liquid; and a second alignment system which optically obtains, using the measurement member, first positional information of the beam projected by the projection system through the immersion liquid. In order to obtain the first positional information, the movable stage is moved so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Yasuda, Takahiro Masada, Yuho Kanaya, Tadashi Nagayama
  • Publication number: 20120120381
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a projection system having a last optical element, the projection system projecting a beam onto a substrate through an immersion liquid; a movable stage having a holder by which the substrate is held; a measurement member provided on the movable stage, the measurement member having a measurement portion covered with a light-transmissive material; a first alignment system by which an alignment mark is detected not through the immersion liquid; and a second alignment system which optically obtains, using the measurement member, first positional information of the beam projected by the projection system through the immersion liquid. In order to obtain the first positional information, the movable stage is moved so that the measurement member is under the projection system and a gap between the projection system and the measurement member is filled with the immersion liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko YASUDA, Takahiro MASADA, Yuho KANAYA, Tadashi NAGAYAMA, Kenichi SHIRAISHI
  • Patent number: 8130361
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage movable while holding a substrate, a substrate alignment system which detects an alignment mark (1) on the substrate held by the substrate stage and detects a reference mark (PFM) provided on the substrate stage, and a mask alignment system which detects, via a projection optical system, a reference mark (MFM) provided on the substrate stage. The reference mark (PFM) on the substrate stage is detected without a liquid by using the substrate alignment system, and the reference mark (MFM) on the substrate stage is detected using the mask alignment system via the projection optical system and the liquid. Then, a positional relationship between a detection reference position of the substrate alignment system and a projection position of an image of a pattern is obtained, thereby accurately performing alignment processing in the liquid immersion exposure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Yasuda, Takahiro Masada, Yuho Kanaya, Tadashi Nagayama, Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20060187432
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a substrate stage movable while holding a substrate, a substrate alignment system which detects an alignment mark (1) on the substrate held by the substrate stage and detects a reference mark (PFM) provided on the substrate stage, and a mask alignment system which detects, via a projection optical system, a reference mark (MFM) provided on the substrate stage. The reference mark (PFM) on the substrate stage is detected without a liquid by using the substrate alignment system, and the reference mark (MFM) on the substrate stage is detected using the mask alignment system via the projection optical system and the liquid. Then, a positional relationship between a detection reference position of the substrate alignment system and a projection position of an image of a pattern is obtained, thereby accurately performing alignment processing in the liquid immersion exposure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiko Yasuda, Takahiro Masada, Yuho Kanaya, Tadashi Nagayama, Kenichi Shiraishi