Abstract: A moving grating is arranged on a side of a wafer stage, a light source irradiates a light to the moving grating, diffracted lights generated from the moving grating are interfered by fixed scales and an index scale of which positional relation with the light source is fixed, and a detection instrument detects the interfered light. In this case, since the moving grating is arranged on a side of the wafer stage, upsizing of the entire wafer stage can be suppressed. Further, since interference occurs between a plurality of diffracted lights (e.g., the ±1st-order diffracted light) passing extremely close optical paths, influence caused by a fluctuation of ambient atmosphere becomes less in comparison to conventional interferometers, and thus, a high-precision measurement of positional information of the movable body is possible.

Abstract: A light via first and second index scales is split by a beam splitter, and one of the split lights is received by a first light-receiving element via a movable scale and also the other of the split lights is received by a second light-receiving element via a reference scale, and therefore by computing positional information of the movable scale using an output of the first light-receiving element (a first output) and an output of the second light-receiving element (a second output), movement information of the movable scale can be measured with high precision without being affected by drift of the modulation center (the oscillation center) of the beam.

Abstract: An illumination light to be used for position measurement of a movable scale is spatially (or physically) split into a first illumination light and a second illumination light using a triangle prism, and the first and second illumination lights are made to be incident on the same position on the movable scale, so that positional information of the movable scale is detected by utilizing interference of the first and second illumination lights. The spatially split first and second illumination lights interfere with each other even when they are made to be incident on the same position of the movable scale and are completely overlapped with each other, which is different, for example, from the case of the ±1st order diffracted lights that are generated by an illumination light being ±1st order diffracted by a diffraction grating. Therefore, wasted illumination lights that do not contribute to the interference can be minimized and the use efficiency of illumination lights can be improved.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder includes a light source of an illumination light beam. The encoder also includes a movable grating which has grating lines and which is displaceable in a direction intersecting the grating lines. An index grating serves as a reference for displacement of the movable grating. A light-receiver receives the illumination light beam via the movable grating and the index grating. A modulator periodically changes a light beam outgoing from the index grating. A displacement detector detects the displacement of the movable grating based on the illumination light beam received by the light-receiver. Accordingly, a signal representing the displacement of a movable body can be accurately generated even when fluctuation of the attitude of the grating occurs.

Abstract: When an incident light is obliquely incident on an index scale, the optical path length of light A becomes longer than the optical path length of light B and an optical path length difference occurs, which causes a phase difference in both of the diffracted lights incident on a photodetection element. According to the phase difference, intensity of a photoelectric detection signal output from the photodetection element changes. That is, due to a periodic change in the incident angle of the incident light, the phase difference between light A and light B is modulated, and the interference signal becomes greatly modulated.

Abstract: A photoelectric encoder includes a light source of an illumination light beam; a movable grating which has grating lines and which is displaceable in a direction intersecting the grating lines; an index grating which serves as a reference for displacement of the movable grating; a light-receiver which receives the illumination light beam via the movable grating and the index grating; a modulator which periodically changes a light beam outgoing from the index grating; and a displacement detector which detects the displacement of the movable grating based on the illumination light beam received by the light-receiver. Accordingly, a signal representing the displacement of a movable body can be accurately generated even when the attitude of the grating occurs.

Abstract: An exposure system is provided which can maintain a predetermined performance of the exposure apparatus stably by maintaining a cooling capacity by preventing a negative pressure from being generated in a circulation path of the liquid and preventing the back pressure from increasing even if at least a part of a temperature adjusting device is disposed under a disposition surface of the exposure apparatus due to the disposition area. A sealed tank which stores the cooling agent which is circulated in the circuiting systems and a pump, etc., which circulates the cooling agent are disposed under the disposition surface FL of the exposure system. The reticle stage and the wafer stage which are objects of which the temperature is supposed to be controlled are disposed above the disposition surface FL. A tank which open to air is provided so as to prevent the negative pressure from being generated in the reticle stage, etc. such that the tank and the tank are connected by a connecting piping arrangement.

Abstract: An exposure system is provided which can maintain a predetermined performance of the exposure apparatus stably by maintaining a cooling capacity by preventing a negative pressure from being generated in a circulation path of the liquid and preventing the back pressure from increasing even if at least a part of a temperature adjusting device is disposed under a disposition surface of the exposure apparatus due to the disposition area. A sealed tank which stores the cooling agent which is circulated in the circuiting systems and a pump, etc., which circulates the cooling agent are disposed under the disposition surface FL of the exposure system. The reticle stage and the wafer stage which are objects of which the temperature is supposed to be controlled are disposed above the disposition surface FL. A tank which open to air is provided so as to prevent the negative pressure from being generated in the reticle stage, etc. such that the tank and the tank are connected by a connecting piping arrangement.

Abstract: When a reticle stage capable of moving while holding a reticle is at a predetermined unloading position, an unloading arm performs unloading of a reticle. Also, the instant or immediately after the reticle is separated from the reticle stage by the unloading arm, the reticle stage is moved to a predetermined loading position where a reticle is loaded onto the reticle stage by a loading arm. This allows the reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage before the unloading arm completely withdraws from the unloading position, which reduces the downtime between the retile unloading and the reticle loading. Accordingly, the throughput of the exposure apparatus can be improved, since the time required for reticle exchange is reduced.

Abstract: When a reticle stage capable of moving while holding a reticle is at a predetermined unloading position, an unloading arm performs unloading of a reticle. Also, the instant or immediately after the reticle is separated from the reticle stage by the unloading arm, the reticle stage is moved to a predetermined loading position where a reticle is loaded onto the reticle stage by a loading arm. This allows the reticle to be loaded onto the reticle stage before the unloading arm completely withdraws from the unloading position, which reduces the downtime between the retile unloading and the reticle loading. Accordingly, the throughput of the exposure apparatus can be improved, since the time required for reticle exchange is reduced.

Abstract: Reticle-holding devices (reticle “pods”) are disclosed for holding circular reticles as used microlithography systems that use circular reticles. An exemplary reticle pod includes a base and cover. Mounted to the base are multiple (desirably three) reticle-support blocks providing three respective, equally spaced, reticle-contact surfaces that support a reticle in the peripheral “handling zone” of the reticle. Mounted to the inside surface of the cover are corresponding compliant pressure-application members (desirably respective flat springs terminating with respective reticle-contact members) that apply a holding force to the reticle. A respective portion of the reticle is situated between each pressure-application member and a respective reticle-support surface. Thus, the reticle, configured as a SEMI standard wafer, is stably held at three points in the handling zone of the reticle without damaging the reticle.

Abstract: Disclosed is a single plate projection type display apparatus which is capable of achieving a high luminance without an increase in an output of a light source. A first lens plate having a plurality of lenses divides a light from a light source into a plurality of light beams. A second lens plate having a plurality of lenses superposes the divided plurality of light beams on a light valve, thereby performing an illumination. A color separation optical system composed of dichroic mirrors which are perpendicular to an XY plane and form predetermined angles to each other, performs a color separation for the light beams from the second lens plate. The light valve modulates R, G and B light beams which are incident thereonto. The modulated lights are projected by a projection lens. The whole shape of the second lens plate is a rectangle.

Abstract: A camera including a body unit and a top cover unit configured to be mounted on the body unit. The body unit has a body section that defines a space within the camera. The camera also includes a component disposed on the top cover unit and a control unit disposed in the space defined within the camera. The control unit controls the component. The camera also includes a connection unit that electrically connects the component and the control unit. The connection unit is disposed proximately close to the space defined within the camera, thereby allowing the top cover unit to be removed from the body unit without disconnecting the component and the control unit and thereby allowing diagnostic operations to be performed within the camera.