Abstract: A photomask including a light-transmissible base member; and a light-blocking film provided thereon. The film has a micro-aperture adapted to expose an object to near-field light seeping out from the micro-aperture. The photomask further includes a periodic structure with a pitch and a phase comprising recesses or projections so as to make uniform an intensity distribution of the optical near-field in the micro-aperture and directly under the micro-aperture on the object.

Abstract: A near-field exposure method in which a light blocking film with an opening having an opening width not greater than a wavelength size of exposure light is contacted to an object to be exposed and in which light from an exposure light source is projected on the light blocking film so that a pattern based on the opening of the light blocking film is formed on the object to be exposed, by use of near-field light produced at the opening, wherein the object to be exposed is prepared by a process that includes (i) a step of providing, upon a substrate having surface irregularity, a shape buffering layer so as to fill the surface irregularity thereof to thereby flatten the surface of the substrate, (ii) a step of providing, upon the shape buffering layer, a light reflecting layer for reflecting the exposure light, and (iii) a step of providing a photosensitive resist layer upon the light reflecting layer, and wherein the exposure is carried out to the object so prepared.

Abstract: A tightly adhering state between an elastically deformable first substrate deformed and made to tightly adhere to an elastically undeformable second substrate is detected by way of displacement of the light receiving position of a light receiving section adapted to receive light emitted from a light source for the first substrate and reflected by the first substrate.

Abstract: A near-field exposure method includes closely contacting an exposure mask having a light blocking film with small openings of a size not greater than a wavelength of exposure light of an exposure light source, to a photoresist layer formed on a substrate having surface unevenness, and projecting the exposure light of the exposure light source onto the exposure mask so that the photoresist is exposed based on near-field light escaping from the small openings, wherein the near-field exposure is carried out while keeping both a contact region in which the light blocking film and the photoresist layer are in contact with each other and a liquid region in which an interspace between the light blocking film and the photoresist layer is filled with a liquid, coexisting between the light blocking film and the photoresist layer, whereby fluctuation of exposure state of the near-field exposure due to surface unevenness of the substrate is reduced effectively.

Abstract: There is provided a positive photoresist for near-field exposure excellent in light utilization efficiency even with small layer thickness of the photoresist layer for image formation, and allowing for reduced pattern edge roughness, and a photolithography method including a step of exposing by the near-field exposure the photoresist layer for image formation made thereof. In a positive photoresist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinone diazide compound, the film thickness of the photoresist at the time of exposure is not larger than 100 nm, and the absorption coefficient of the photoresist ? (?m?1) for the exposure light is such that 0.5???7.

Abstract: Provided are a photosensitive silane coupling agent for forming a low-defect microparticle pattern, dot array pattern, or hole array pattern through fewer steps, and a method of forming a pattern using such photosensitive silane coupling agent. Used is a photosensitive silane coupling agent comprising a 1,2-naphthoquinone-2-diazido-5-sulfonyl group or a 1,2-naphthoquinone-2-diazido-4-sulfonyl. group.

Abstract: Provided is a photosensitive silane coupling agent for forming a low-defect microparticle pattern, dot array pattern, or hole array pattern with a smaller number of process steps, and a method of forming a pattern using such photosensitive silane coupling agent. Used is a photosensitive silane coupling agent having a secondary amino group protected by an o-nitrobenzyloxycarbonyl group.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting a relative positional deviation between first and second objects. In one preferred form of the invention, the detecting method includes the steps of (i) providing the first and second objects with diffraction gratings, respectively, each having a grating pitch larger than a wavelength of a light source used, (ii) placing the first and second objects so that a dielectric material layer having a thickness smaller than the wavelength of the light source used is interposed between the first and second objects, and so that the diffraction gratings of the first and second objects are opposed to each other, (iii) projecting light from the light source onto the diffraction gratings of the first and second objects, and (iv) detecting the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects on the basis of diffraction light projected from the diffraction gratings to a space.

Abstract: Disclosed is an exposure apparatus, an exposure method and an exposure mask, for improved optical lithography. Specifically, in accordance with one preferred form of the invention, the exposure apparatus is arranged to be used with an exposure mask having an elastically deformable holding member and a light blocking film provided on the holding member and being formed with an opening pattern, wherein for exposure the exposure mask is flexed to be brought into contact with an object to be exposed. The exposure apparatus includes a distance detecting system for detecting a distance between the exposure mask before being flexed and the object to be exposed, and a distance controlling system for controlling the distance between the exposure mask before being flexed and the object to be exposed, on the basis of a signal from the distance detecting system.

Abstract: An exposure method for exposing a workpiece on the basis of near-field light escaping from an opening of a mask. The method includes projecting non-polarized exposure light having a predetermined wavelength, emitted from a laser light source and passed through a depolarization device and a diffusion device, onto an exposure mask having a light blocking film formed with a plurality of rectangular openings therein, the openings having (i) a width in a widthwise direction not greater than one-third of the wavelength of the exposure light and (ii) two or more lengthwise directions extending along the mask surface, so that near-field light escaping from the openings performs exposure of a pattern on the basis of the openings.

Abstract: A method for exposing a workpiece on the basis of near-field light escaping from an exposure mask having a light blocking film with a plurality of rectangular openings. The method includes protecting non-polarized near-field exposure light from a light source through the openings of the exposure mask to perform exposure of a pattern on the workpiece. The widths of the rectangular openings are smaller than that at a cross-point between a first curve on a coordinate of widths of the openings versus a near-field light intensity for an incident-light electric-field direction perpendicular to a lengthwise direction of a small-opening pattern and a second curve on the same coordinate for an incident-light electric-field direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the small-opening pattern.

Abstract: A method of forming a latent image pattern in a photoresist film by providing a photomask for near-field light exposure that includes a transparent support and a shading member having a pattern of at least two apertures with different widths not greater than the wavelength of light from a light source. The shading member has a constant thickness that is set such that differences between light intensities directly below each of the apertures of different widths are 20% or less based on a largest light intensity of the light intensities directly below each of the apertures. The method includes placing the photomask on the photoresist film and irradiating with light from the light source. For manufacturing a semiconductor device, the method further includes developing a photoresist pattern from the latent image in the photoresist film on a silicon substrate and transferring the photoresist pattern onto the silicon substrate by etching.

Abstract: There is provided a positive photoresist for near-field exposure excellent in light utilization efficiency even with small layer thickness of the photoresist layer for image formation, and allowing for reduced pattern edge roughness, and a photolithography method including a step of exposing by the near-field exposure the photoresist layer for image formation made thereof. In a positive photoresist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinone diazide compound, the film thickness of the photoresist at the time of exposure is not larger than 100 nm, and the absorption coefficient of the photoresist ? (?m?1) for the exposure light is such that 0.5???7.

Abstract: A photomask for near-field light exposure includes a transparent substrate, and a shading member on the substrate, the shading member having a mask pattern including an aperture with a width not greater than the wavelength of light from a light source. The shading member has a thickness that provides a required light intensity right below the aperture in consideration of a relationship with the width of the aperture.

Abstract: A photomask for near-field light exposure includes a transparent substrate, and a shading member on the substrate, a mask pattern including at least two apertures with different widths not greater than the wavelength of light from a light source. The shading member has a constant thickness that is set such that differences between light intensities directly below each of the apertures of different widths is 20% or less based on a largest light intensity of the light intensities directly below each of the apertures of different widths. A near-field light exposure apparatus includes a stage that holds the photomask, a light source, a sample table that holds a work substrate provided with a photoresist having a thickness that is less than the wavelength of exposure light, and a means for controlling the distance between the work substrate and the photomask.

Abstract: A field effect transistor according to a preferable mode of the present invention employs an organic film, which is provided on an insulating layer having a plurality of insulating regions with different surface energy densities, and is aligned. Each of the plurality of insulating regions with different surface energy densities has a difference in surface energy density of preferably 10 dyne/cm or more, and a difference in height of preferably 0.5 nm or more and 100 nm or less. A compound constituting the organic film may have electrical conductivity, may be a polymer compound, and may exhibit liquid crystallinity. The preferable mode of the present invention provides a highly smooth organic film and a field effect transistor using the organic film.

Abstract: A near-field light exposure mask provided with a plurality of apertures each having a width smaller than the wavelength of light used for exposure. In the mask described above, among the plurality of apertures, apertures adjacent to each other are disposed at a necessary distance so that near-field light effused from one of the apertures adjacent to each other does not overlap that generated from the other aperture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for controlling close contact of a near-field exposure mask, which includes a pressure adjustable container for controllably closely contacting the near-field exposure mask to a substrate to be exposed, wherein the pressure adjustable container has a structure adapted to be tightly closed with the exposure mask being held mounted and wherein a pressure of the pressure adjustable container is adjustable through a change in capacity of the pressure adjustable container.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for detecting a relative positional deviation between first and second objects. In one preferred form of the invention, the detecting method includes the steps of (i) providing the first and second objects with diffraction gratings, respectively, each having a grating pitch larger than a wavelength of a light source used, (ii) placing the first and second objects so that a dielectric material layer having a thickness smaller than the wavelength of the light source used is interposed between the first and second objects, and so that the diffraction gratings of the first and second objects are opposed to each other, (iii) projecting light from the light source onto the diffraction gratings of the first and second objects, and (iv) detecting the relative positional deviation between the first and second objects on the basis of diffraction light projected from the diffraction gratings to a space.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photomask for near-field exposure, that includes a light blocking film having a group of small openings being arrayed and each having an opening width not greater than a wavelength of exposure light, wherein a shape and/or disposition of the small-opening group is set so that near-field light escaping from the small openings in response to projection of exposure light to the small openings has approximately even light intensity distributions.