Patents Examined by Alan A. Mathews
  • Patent number: 7471375
    Abstract: A method for configuring the optical transfer of a patterning device pattern onto a substrate with a lithographic apparatus is presented. The method includes adjusting an intensity of a first illumination shape relative to a second illumination shape, the first and the second illumination shapes defining respectively a first illumination area and a second illumination area within a pupil plane of an illumination system of the lithographic apparatus, while maintaining the first and second illumination areas substantially constant, and illuminating the patterning device pattern with the first and second illumination shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jozef Maria Finders, Luis Alberto Colina Santamaria Colina, Steven George Hansen
  • Patent number: 7471373
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a radiation system for supplying a beam of radiation, and a support structure for supporting a patterning device. The patterning device serves to pattern the beam of radiation according to a desired pattern. The apparatus also includes a projection system for projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, and an assembly for determining a spatial position of the patterning device relative to the projection system. The assembly includes a measuring unit that has a plurality of sensors that are mounted on the projection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Petrus Rutgerus Bartray, Wilhelmus Josephus Box, Dominicus Jacobus Petrus Adrianus Franken, Bernardus Antonius Johannes Luttikhuis, Engelbertus Antonius Franciscus Van Der Pasch, Marc Wilhelmus Maria Van Der Wijst, Marc Johannes Martinus Engels
  • Patent number: 7467901
    Abstract: A substrate heat treatment apparatus for heat-treating a substrate includes a bake plate for supporting the substrate, and a cover disposed above the bake plate and temperature-controlled for securing a heat-treating atmosphere of the bake plate. An adjusting device adjusts a space between the cover and the bake plate. A control device adjusts the space, through the adjusting device, successively to a transport space for allowing transport of the substrate, a transitional space smaller than the transport space and close to the bake plate, and a steady space smaller than the transport space and larger than the transitional space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Dainippon Screen Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kenji Kamei
  • Patent number: 7468779
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which measures are taken to prevent or reduce the presence of bubbles in liquid through which the projection beam radiates. This may be done, for example, by ensuring that a gap between a substrate and a substrate table is filled with immersion liquid or by causing a localized flow radially outwardly from the optical axis in the vicinity of the edge of the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Roelof Frederik De Graaf, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Hans Jansen, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria Mertens, Bob Streefkerk, Jan-Gerard Cornelis Van Der Toorn, Michel Riepen
  • Patent number: 7465108
    Abstract: A surveillance system is provided including a platform having a plurality and variety of cameras or sensors mounted thereto, and a base enclosure adapted to accommodate a power supply, a variety of electronics and other equipment for controlling and providing power to the surveillance equipment. The base is constructed to be tamper resistant and immovable by manual means. A substantially hollow support pole includes a lower portion detachably mounted to the base, and an upper portion mounted to the platform. Wires and cables for connecting the surveillance equipment with the electronics and power supply are run through the support pole. Power to the system may be supplied through existing power sources, for example a 120V power source. A current breaker secured in an environmentally protected housing on the exterior of the surveillance system connected to the power supply and the electronics and surveillance equipment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: Cam Guard Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Stephen F. Brown
  • Patent number: 7463334
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is disclosed. The exposure apparatus has a projection optical system, aligns a reticle and a substrate and projects a pattern of the reticle to the substrate via the projection optical system to expose the substrate to light. The apparatus comprises a measuring device configured to perform measurement for the alignment, a first support configured to support the measuring device; and a second support configured to support the projection optical system. The first support and the second support are isolated from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Tokuda
  • Patent number: 7463332
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus of the invention packs a plurality of image prints in a bag as finished prints corresponding to an order a user made and outputting the bag containing the plurality of image prints. At first, the apparatus records each of the plurality of images on a recording medium based on image data which is reproduced corresponding to each of the plurality of images, thereby to produce the image prints on an image-by-image basis. Next, it judges whether the bag needs to be sealed or not when the plurality of image prints thus produced are packed in the bag as the finished prints corresponding to the order. Next, it packs the plurality of image prints in the bag as the finished prints corresponding to the order and seals the bag containing the plurality of image prints based on a result of the judging. Thereby it outputs the plurality of image prints contained in the sealed bag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichi Kito
  • Patent number: 7463335
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus for illuminating an original through an illumination system and for transferring a pattern of the original onto a substrate. The apparatus includes a movable element having a blade, the blade being provided in the illumination system and blocking at least a portion of illumination light, a stator configured to relatively move the movable element, and a resilient supporting member configured to resiliently support the stator without contacting the stator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabuhsiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Miyajima, Takashi Meguro
  • Patent number: 7446850
    Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having comprising a pump and buffer volume configured to remove remaining liquid from a substrate, the pump and the buffer volume configured to generate a vacuum cleaning gas flow near the substrate by gas suction into the buffer volume. In an embodiment, since gas flow is needed only a limited amount of time (ordinarily less than 5%), evacuation may be performed using only a moderately powered vacuum pump. In addition or alternatively, the buffer volume may be used as a backup volume buffer configured to provide gas vacuum suction, e.g., in case of a vacuum supply outage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Ronald Johannes Hultermans, Ton De Groot, Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus Verspay, Gerardus Everardus Marie Hannen
  • Patent number: 7446851
    Abstract: In a lithographic projection apparatus includes an illumination system arranged to condition a radiation beam, a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern, a substrate table configured to hold a substrate, and a projection system arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. In addition, a liquid supply system is configured to provide a liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate, the liquid supply system having a member extending along at least part of the boundary of the space, wherein the member has a liquid inlet which faces the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 7443482
    Abstract: A liquid jet and recovery system for an immersion lithography apparatus has arrays of nozzles arranged to have their openings located proximal to an exposure region through which an image pattern is projected onto a workpiece such as a wafer. These nozzles are each adapted to serve selectively either as a source nozzle for supplying a fluid into the exposure region or as a recovery nozzle for recovering the fluid from the exposure region. A fluid controlling device functions to cause nozzles on selected one or more sides of the exposure region to serve as source nozzles and to cause nozzles on selected one or more of the remaining sides to serve as recovery nozzles such that a desired flow pattern can be established for the convenience of immersion lithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: W. Thomas Novak, Andrew J. Hazelton, Douglas C. Watson
  • Patent number: 7440076
    Abstract: A lithographic apparatus arranged to transfer a pattern from a patterning structure onto a substrate is disclosed that includes a substrate holder configured to hold a substrate and a substrate temperature conditioner configured to condition a temperature of the substrate prior to, during, or both, a transfer of the substrate to the substrate holder to substantially match a temperature of the substrate holder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Jaap Kuit, Peter Schaap
  • Patent number: 7436491
    Abstract: An exposure system includes: an illumination optical system defining, in an effective illumination source plane, a center region forming a perpendicularly incident light and first and second eccentric regions forming obliquely incident lights having a perpendicular electric vector component perpendicular to a straight line connecting the first and second eccentric regions, the electric vector component being larger than a parallel electric vector component parallel to the straight line, and illuminating the mask pattern with the perpendicularly incident light and the obliquely incident lights; and a projection optical system projecting an image of the mask pattern to a processing object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kazuya Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 7436486
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes an illumination system arranged to condition a radiation beam, a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern, a substrate table configured to hold a substrate, and a projection system arranged to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. In addition, a liquid supply system is configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and an object on the substrate table, with a liquid, and a measurement device is configured to obtain a pressure of liquid in the space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 7429139
    Abstract: A surveillance system is provided including a platform having a plurality and variety of cameras or sensors mounted thereto, and a base enclosure adapted to accommodate a power supply, a variety of electronics and other equipment for controlling and providing power to the surveillance equipment. The base is constructed to be tamper resistant and immovable by manual means. A substantially hollow support pole includes a lower portion detachably mounted to the base, and an upper portion mounted to the platform. Wires and cables for connecting the surveillance equipment with the electronics and power supply are run through the support pole. Power to the system may be supplied through existing power sources, for example a 120V power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Cam Guard Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard H. Wesselink, Paul J. Wesselink, Stephen Fredrick Brown
  • Patent number: 7430035
    Abstract: The invention concerns an automatic device for turning the pages of a bound document comprising a support (11) whereon is arranged the document, means (14) for separating by suction one page from the other pages to be turned and for turning the separated page to bring it on a pile of turned pages. The support (11) consists of two mobile trays (16) mutually linked by a rod (17), each tray consisting of a box (26) whereof the upper side is provided with small holes (27) cooperating with the suction intake orifices (28). The means (14) for separating the document pages consist of suction means (34), displaced by the combination of a vertical movement and a horizontal movement, consisting of the perforated recessed element (36) provided with a diaphragm (37). Said perforated element (36) is provided with holes (38) and the diaphragm (37) comprises two mobile parts for orienting the direction of the suction flow and modify its flow rate and its speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Assy S.A.
    Inventors: Ivo Iossiger, Danick Bionda
  • Patent number: 7427168
    Abstract: In a developing method for performing developing treatment of a substrate by supplying a developing solution onto a resist film formed on a surface of the substrate, the present invention controls a zeta potential of the surface of the substrate at a predetermined potential in the same polarity as that of a zeta potential of insoluble substances floating in the developing solution, thereby preventing or reducing the adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate. This remedies the occurrence of development defects. The adhesion of the insoluble substances to the resist film and the substrate can also be prevented or inhibited by supplying an acid liquid to a liquid on the substrate, or controlling a pH value of the liquid on the substrate to control an absolute value of the zeta potential of the insoluble substances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yuko Ono, Junichi Kitano
  • Patent number: 7426013
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus illuminates a pattern on an original form, introduces light from the pattern to a plate, and exposes the plate. The exposure apparatus includes at least one optical element, and forcing member that applies a force to the at least one optical element in a non-contact manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshikazu Miyajima
  • Patent number: 7423720
    Abstract: In an immersion lithography apparatus in which immersion liquid is supplied to a localized space, the space is substantially polygonal in plan substantially parallel to the substrate. In an embodiment, two corners of the space have a radius of curvature no greater than the width of a transition zone between the space configured to contain liquid and a surrounding configured not to contain liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus Verspay, Hans Jansen, Marco Koert Stavenga
  • Patent number: 7420653
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a radiation system configured to provide a beam of radiation; a support configured to support a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern the beam according to the desired pattern; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; and a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate. A component of the lithographic projection apparatus is at least partially provided with a cap layer that includes aluminum nitride.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Ralph Kurt