Patents by Inventor Takehito Kudo

Takehito Kudo 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: 20190137886
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito KUDO, Shigeru HIRUKAWA
  • Patent number: 9885959
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9857691
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9785053
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20170248853
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito KUDO, Shigeru HIRUKAWA
  • Patent number: 9684242
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9678437
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator, a polarization member arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light, and a distribution changing member arranged in the optical path between the polarization member and the optical integrator, which can change a light amount distribution of the illumination light on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus. The polarization member changes the polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light, which is distributed away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus on the pupil plane, is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis on the pupil plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20170146913
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito KUDO, Shigeru HIRUKAWA
  • Patent number: 9625826
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9625825
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator, a polarization member arranged in an optical path of the illumination light on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light, and a distribution changing member arranged in the optical path between the polarization member and the optical integrator, which can change a light amount distribution of the illumination light on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus. The polarization member changes the polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light, which is distributed away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus on the pupil plane, is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis on the pupil plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9588432
    Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus illuminates a pattern on a mask with illumination light. The illumination optical apparatus includes an optical integrator arranged in an optical path of the illumination light, a deflecting member arranged in the optical path on an incidence side of the optical integrator, which deflects the illumination light, a lens element arranged in the optical path between the deflecting member and the optical integrator, which distributes the illumination light in a region, on a pupil plane of the illumination optical apparatus, away from an optical axis of the illumination optical apparatus, and a polarization member arranged in the optical path between the lens element and the optical integrator, which changes a polarization state of the illumination light so that a polarization direction of the illumination light in the region is substantially coincident with a circumferential direction about the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9164393
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on the same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9146474
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus that illuminates a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system are provided. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light having a light amount distribution, which is set such that an amount of light is larger in an on-axis area substantially including an optical axis and in a plurality of off-axis areas arranged out of the optical axis than in an area other than the on-axis area and the plurality of off-axis areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The polarization states of the illumination light are different between the on-axis area and the off-axis areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 8675177
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus simultaneously transfer patterns with various pitches with high resolution. On the pupil surface of an illumination system, at least first and second pairs of areas are set. The distribution of intensity of light over the pupil surface is set so that the intensities of light of the second pair of areas is smaller than that of the first pair of areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20130308114
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito KUDO, Shigeru HIRUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20130308113
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on ten same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito KUDO, Shigeru HIRUKAWA
  • Publication number: 20120236285
    Abstract: An illumination optical system illuminates an irradiated surface with light supplied from a light source. The illumination optical system includes a diffractive optical element disposed in an optical path of linearly polarized light supplied from the light source. The diffractive optical element forms a multipole illumination field. including a plurality of illumination fields. The illumination optical system also includes an optical integrator that forms a multipole light source including a plurality of planar light sources with light that has passed through the multipole illumination field. The illumination optical system also includes a polarization optical member disposed in an illumination optical path and that sets a polarization direction of light that has passed through the multipole light source to a predetermined polarization direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu TANITSU, Hirohisa TANAKA, Kenichi MURAMATSU, Norio KOMINE, Hisashi NISHINAGA, Tomoyuki MATSUYAMA, Takehito KUDO
  • Publication number: 20100225895
    Abstract: An illumination optical system and method illuminates an irradiated surface based on linearly polarized light supplied from a light source. The illumination optical system includes a depolarizer which is selectively positioned between a first position in an optical path of the illumination optical system and a second position outside of the optical path, and has a crystal member whose thickness in a direction along an optical axis of the illumination optical system varies in a direction crossing the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Tanitsu, Hirohisa Tanaka, Kenichi Muramatsu, Norio Komine, Hisashi Nishinaga, Tomoyuki Matsuyama, Takehito Kudo
  • Publication number: 20100149511
    Abstract: An illumination optical system illuminates an irradiated surface with light supplied from a light source. The illumination optical system includes a diffractive optical element disposed in an optical path of linearly polarized light supplied from the light source. The diffractive optical element forms a multipole illumination field including a plurality of illumination fields. The illumination optical system also includes an optical integrator that forms a multipole light source including a plurality of planar light sources with light that has passed through the multipole illumination field. The illumination optical system also includes a polarization optical member disposed in an illumination optical path and that sets a polarization direction of light that has passed through the multipole light source to a predetermined polarization direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Osamu Tanitsu, Hirohisa Tanaka, Kenichi Muramatsu, Norio Komine, Hisashi Nishinaga, Tomoyuki Matsuyama, Takehito Kudo
  • Publication number: 20090185156
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus simultaneously transfer patterns with various pitches with high-resolution. On the pupil surface of an illumination system, at least first and second pairs of areas are set. The distribution of intensity of light over the pupil surface is set so that the intensities of light of the second pair of areas is smaller than that of the first pair of areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa