Patents by Inventor Yasuhiro Omura
Yasuhiro Omura 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).
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Patent number: 10156792Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: December 18, 2018Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Publication number: 20180348653Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating an exposure beam on the substrate through liquid. The apparatus has a substrate stage which is provided with a substrate holding portion on which the substrate is held and is provided with a stage member having an upper surface. The upper surface of the stage member is provided adjacent to the upper surface of the held substrate with a gap between the held substrate and the stage member. A temperature adjustment system, a part of which is provided under the upper surface of the stage member, performs temperature adjustment for the stage member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Naoyuki KOBAYASHI, Soichi OWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Yasuhiro OMURA
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Publication number: 20180299785Abstract: A catadioptric projection optical system for forming a reduced image of a first surface (R) on a second surface (W) is a relatively compact projection optical system having excellent imaging performance as well corrected for various aberrations, such as chromatic aberration and curvature of field, and being capable of securing a large effective image-side numerical aperture while suitably suppressing reflection loss on optical surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2018Publication date: October 18, 2018Applicant: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro OMURA
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Patent number: 10048602Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9933705Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9904174Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Publication number: 20180052398Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion 5 liquid), The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis of a circle corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y˜axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2017Publication date: February 22, 2018Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro OMURA, Takaya OKADA, Hiroyuki NAGASAKA
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Patent number: 9891539Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion 5 liquid), The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY·axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y˜axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Takaya Okada, Hiroyuki Nagasaka
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Patent number: 9846366Abstract: A catadioptric projection objective images a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective. The projection objective includes first, second and third objective parts. The first objective part images the pattern into a first intermediate image. The second objective part images the first intermediate image into a second intermediate image. The third objective part images the second intermediate image onto the image plane. A first concave mirror having a first continuous mirror surface and at least one second concave mirror having a second continuous mirror surface are arranged upstream of the second intermediate image. Pupil surfaces are formed between the object plane and the first intermediate image, between the first and the second intermediate images and between the second intermediate image and the image plane. All concave mirrors are arranged optically remote from a pupil surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2006Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9823588Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion 5 liquid), The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY·axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y˜axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: GrantFiled: May 10, 2016Date of Patent: November 21, 2017Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Takaya Okada, Hiroyuki Nagasaka
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Patent number: 9791781Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: October 17, 2017Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9606443Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9568834Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2014Date of Patent: February 14, 2017Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9500943Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9470968Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: October 18, 2016Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 9442360Abstract: A projection objective includes at least four curved mirrors, which include a first curved mirror that is a most optically forward mirror and a second curved mirror that is a second most optically forward mirror, as defined along a light path. In addition, an intermediate lens element is disposed physically between the first and second mirrors, the intermediate lens element being a single pass type lens. The objective forms an image with a numerical aperture of at least substantially 1.0 in immersion.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Yasuhiro Omura
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Publication number: 20160252828Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 8, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Naoyuki KOBAYASHI, Soichi OWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Yasuhiro OMURA
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Publication number: 20160252825Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion 5 liquid), The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y˜axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2016Publication date: September 1, 2016Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro OMURA, Takaya OKADA, Hiroyuki NAGASAKA
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Patent number: 9429851Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion liquid). The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY-axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y-axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2013Date of Patent: August 30, 2016Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Takaya Okada, Hiroyuki Nagasaka
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Patent number: 9360763Abstract: An immersion projection optical system having, for example, a catadioptric and off-axis structure, reduces the portion of an image space filled with liquid (immersion liquid). The projection optical system, which projects a reduced image of a first plane onto a second plane through the liquid, includes a refractive optical element (Lp) arranged nearest to the second plane. The refractive optical element includes a light emitting surface (Lpb) shaped to be substantially symmetric with respect to two axial directions (XY-axes) perpendicular to each other on the second plane. The light emitting surface has a central axis (Lpba) that substantially coincides with a central axis (40a) of a circle (40) corresponding to a circumference of a light entering surface (Lpa) of the refractive optical element. The central axis of the light emitting surface is decentered in one of the two axial directions (Y-axis) from an optical axis (AX).Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2014Date of Patent: June 7, 2016Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Takaya Okada, Hiroyuki Nagasaka