Patents Examined by Colin Kreutzer
  • Maskless nanoimprint lithography
    Patent number: 9321214
    Abstract: A method for creating a nanoimprint lithography template includes exposing (600) a mass transport layer of material adjacent to a support substrate to electromagnetic radiation in a predetermined pattern to form a nanoimprint lithography template in the mass transport layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Rajesh Menon, Nicole Brimhall
  • Processing apparatus and article manufacturing method using same
    Patent number: 9310688
    Abstract: A processing apparatus configured to conduct a prescribed processing on an object to be processed in a specific environment, the processing apparatus comprising: a chamber configured to have an aperture and an interior accommodated to a specific environment; a mechanism of which at least a portion is contained within the chamber interior, while a remaining portion passes through the aperture without contacting the chamber; at least one support member configured to support the mechanism; a sealing member that configures a boundary of the specific environment and an atmospheric environment by connecting one end to the aperture and connecting the other end to the support member; and a rotary member configured to allow relative rotation around a vertical axis between the support member and a structure that supports the support member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Iwase, Nobushige Korenaga
  • Self-aligned dynamic pattern generator device and method of fabrication
    Patent number: 9312103
    Abstract: A dynamic pattern generator (DPG) device and method of making a DPG device are disclosed. The DPG device is used in semiconductor processing tools that require multiple electron-beams, such as direct-write lithography. The device is a self-aligned DPG device that enormously reduces the required tolerances for aligning the various electrode layers, as compared to other design configurations including the non-self-aligned approach and also greatly simplifies the process complexity and cost. A process sequence for both integrated and non-integrated versions of the self-aligned DPG device is described. Additionally, an advanced self-aligned DPG device that eliminates the need for a charge dissipating coating or layer to be used on the device is described. Finally, a fabrication process for the implementation of both integrated and non-integrated versions of the advanced self-aligned DPG device is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CORPORATION FOR NATIONAL RESEARCH INITIATIVES
    Inventors: Michael A. Huff, Michael Pedersen
  • Projection objective for microlithography
    Patent number: 9304408
    Abstract: A projection objective for microlithography is used for imaging an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. The projection objective comprises at least six mirrors of which at least one mirror has a freeform reflecting surface. The ratio between an overall length (T) of the projection objective and an object image shift (dOIS) can be smaller than 12. The image plane is the first field plane of the projection objective downstream of the object plane. The projection objective can have a plurality of mirrors, wherein the ratio between an overall length (T) and an object image shift (dOIS) is smaller than 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Johannes Zellner, Hans-Juergen Mann, Martin Endres
  • Apparatus and method of direct writing with photons beyond the diffraction limit
    Patent number: 9304410
    Abstract: Direct-write lithography apparatus and methods are disclosed in which a transducer image and an image of crossed interference fringe patterns are superimposed on a photoresist layer supported by a substrate. The transducer image has an exposure wavelength and contains bright spots, each corresponding to an activated pixel. The interference image has an inhibition wavelength and contains dark spots where the null points in the crossed interference fringes coincide. The dark spots are aligned with and trim the peripheries of the corresponding bright spot to form sub-resolution photoresist pixels having a size smaller than would be formed in the absence of the dark spots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Periodic Structures Inc.
    Inventors: David A. Markle, Rudolf H. Hendel, John S. Petersen, Hwan J. Jeong
  • Measurement of the position of a radiation beam spot in lithography
    Patent number: 9304401
    Abstract: A radiation spot measurement system for a lithographic apparatus, the system having a target onto which a radiation system of the lithographic apparatus may project spots of radiation for a measurement process, the target having a measurement target. The system further includes a radiation detector to detect radiation from one of the spots, and a controller to receive information from the radiation detector and to determine the position of the spot of radiation relative to an intended position of the spot of radiation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Felix Godfried Peter Peeters, Jozef Petrus Henricus Benschop, Michael Jozef Mathijs Renkens, Gregor Edward Van Baars, Jeroen Dekkers
  • Developing treatment apparatus and developing treatment method
    Patent number: 9304398
    Abstract: The present invention is a developing treatment apparatus for performing development by supplying a developing solution to a substrate having a front surface coated with a positive resist or a negative resist and then subjected to exposure wherein a movable cup is raised to introduce one of scattering developing solutions for the positive and negative resists into an inner peripheral flow path of a cup and the movable cup is lowered to introduce the other of scattering developing solutions for the positive and negative resists into an outer peripheral flow path of the cup, and the developing solution introduced into the inner peripheral flow path and the developing solution introduced into the outer peripheral flow path are separately drained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: Tokyo Electron Limited
    Inventors: Yasushi Takiguchi, Taro Yamamoto, Yoshinori Ikeda, Koki Yoshimura, Yoshiki Okamoto, Masahiro Fukuda
  • Optical apparatus, method of scanning, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 9303978
    Abstract: An apparatus measures positions of marks on a lithographic substrate. A measurement optical system comprises illumination subsystem for illuminating the mark with a spot of radiation and a detecting subsystem for detecting radiation diffracted by the mark. A tilting mirror moves the spot of radiation relative to the reference frame of the measurement optical system synchronously with a scanning motion of the mark itself, to allow more time for accurate position measurements to be acquired. The mirror tilt axis is arranged along the intersection of the mirror plane with a pupil plane of the objective lens to minimize artifacts of the scanning. The same geometrical arrangement can be used for scanning in other types of apparatus, for example a confocal microscope.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventor: Arie Jeffrey Den Boef
  • Exposure apparatus and exposure method thereof
    Patent number: 9298099
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided for performing an unidirectional scan-exposure. The exposure apparatus includes a base and a wafer stage group having a plurality of wafer stages on the base for holding wafers and successively moving from a first position to a second position of the base cyclically. The exposure apparatus also includes an alignment detection unit above the first position for detecting wafer stage fiducials at the first position and alignment marks on a wafer on the wafer stage to align the wafer. Further, the exposure apparatus includes a reticle stage on the second position for loading a cylindrical reticle and causing the cylindrical reticle to rotate around the center axis of the reticle stage and an optical projection unit between the reticle stage and the base for projecting light passing through the cylindrical reticle onto exposure regions on a wafer on the wafer stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Qiang Wu, Yanlei Zu, Huayong Hu, Yiming Gu
  • Reaction assembly for a stage assembly
    Patent number: 9298077
    Abstract: A reaction assembly 18 for a stage assembly 10 that moves a device 26 along a first axis includes a base countermass 40 and a first transverse countermass 42. The stage assembly 10 includes a stage 14 and a stage mover 16 that includes a moving component 38 that is coupled to the stage 14 and a reaction component 36 that is secured to the base countermass 40. The first transverse countermass 42 is guided to allow for movement along a first transverse axis 50 and the first transverse countermass 42 is coupled to the base countermass 40 so that movement of the base countermass 40 along the first axis causes the first transverse countermass 42 to move along the first transverse axis 50.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Douglas C. Watson
  • Cylindrical reticle system, exposure apparatus and exposure method
    Patent number: 9298103
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided for performing a unidirectional scan-exposure. The exposure apparatus includes a base and a plurality of wafer stages on the base for loading/unloading wafers and successively moving from a first position to a second position of the base cyclically. The exposure apparatus also includes alignment detection units above the first position of the base for detecting alignment marks on the wafer and aligning the wafers and a cylindrical reticle system above the second position of the base. Further, the exposure apparatus includes an optical projection unit between the cylindrical reticle system and the base for projecting light onto the wafers for an exposure. Further, the exposure apparatus also includes an illuminator box and a main control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: SEMICONDUCTOR MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (SHANGHAI) CORPORATION
    Inventors: Qiang Wu, Chang Liu, Jing'an Hao
  • Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing article
    Patent number: 9291912
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical system configured to expose a substrate. The optical system includes an optical member, a holding portion which holds the optical member, a pressing portion which presses the holding portion and the optical member against each other, and a sealed adhesive material which is filled in a space formed by the optical member and the holding portion pressed against each other, and adheres the optical member and the holding portion to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Mochizuki, Yuji Maehara
  • Exposure apparatus and method of manufacturing device
    Patent number: 9285688
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including a stage control system configured to control a stage for holding a substrate in accordance with a command value, a specifying unit configured to specify an exposure start time at which exposure on the substrate starts upon detecting exposure light illuminated on the substrate, and a main control system configured to calculate positions of the stage at a plurality of times in an exposure period for the substrate based on position information of the stage at an exposure start time specified by the specifying unit, obtain an average position of the stage in at least a partial period in the exposure period from the calculated positions of the stage at the plurality of times, and give a command value for matching the average position of the stage with a target position to the stage control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro Harayama, Kouji Yoshida, Mitsuo Hirata
  • Projection objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
    Patent number: 9280058
    Abstract: A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus contains a plurality of optical elements arranged in N>?2 successive sections A1 to AN of the projection objective which are separated from one another by pupil planes or intermediate image planes. According to the invention, in order to correct a wavefront deformation, at least two optical elements each have an optically active surface locally reprocessed aspherically. A first optical element is in this case arranged in one section Aj, j=1 . . . N and a second optical element is arranged in another section Ak, k=1 . . . N, the magnitude difference |k?j| being an odd number.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Wabra, Robert Eder
  • Substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 9280063
    Abstract: A substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method are disclosed. The substrate table assembly includes a substrate table to support a substrate; and a gas handling system to provide a gas to a region between the substrate table and a substrate mounted on the substrate table, wherein the gas provided by the gas handling system has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 100 mW/(m·K) at 298 K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Johan Gertrudis Cornelis Kunnen, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Johannes Henricus Wilhelmus Jacobs, Martijn Houben, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Frank Johannes Jacobus Van Boxtel, Sander Catharina Reinier Derks
  • Substrate table, a lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 9268238
    Abstract: A table for a lithographic apparatus, the table having a catchment opening formed in an upper surface of the table, the catchment opening in fluid communication through the table with the environment of the table at a drain opening in a surface of the table other than the upper surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Nicolaas Ten Kate, Raymond Wilhelmus Louis Lafarre
  • Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
    Patent number: 9261695
    Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a spatial light modulator which is arranged between a light source and a pupil plane. The spatial light modulator includes an array of micromirrors or other light deflecting elements each being capable of individually deflecting impinging projection into various directions. An irradiance distribution on the mirror array or its envelope has, along a direction X an increasing slope and a decreasing slope. The control unit controls the mirrors in such a way that a first mirror, which is located at the increasing slope, and a second mirror, which is located at the decreasing slope, deflect impinging projection light so that it at least partly overlaps in the pupil plane. This ensures that the angular irradiance distribution at mask level is substantially independent from beam pointing fluctuations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Patra
  • Lithographic apparatus and surface cleaning method
    Patent number: 9261796
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a contaminated surface of a lithographic apparatus are provided. A liquid confinement structure comprises at least two openings used to supply and extract liquid to a gap below the structure. The direction of flow between the openings can be switched. Liquid may be supplied to the gap radially outward of an opening adapted for dual flow. Supply and extraction lines to respectively supply liquid to and extract liquid from the liquid confinement structure have an inner surface that is resistant to corrosion by an organic liquid. A corrosive cleaning fluid can be used to clean photo resist contamination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.
    Inventors: Takeshi Kaneko, Kornelis Tijmen Hoekerd
  • Substrate, a method of measuring a property, an inspection apparatus and a lithographic apparatus
    Patent number: 9255892
    Abstract: A second set of superimposed gratings are superposed over a first set of superimposed gratings. The second set of gratings have a different periodicity from the first set of gratings or a different orientation. Consequently the first order diffraction pattern from the second set of superimposed gratings can be distinguished from the first order diffraction pattern from the first set of superimposed gratings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Marcus Adrianus Van De Kerkhof, Maurits Van Der Schaar, Hendrik Jan Hidde Smilde
  • Exposure apparatus, device manufacturing method using same, and gas supply device
    Patent number: 9256141
    Abstract: The exposure apparatus includes a purge member that includes a humidifier that humidifies supplied gas; a first regulator that regulates a flow rate of first gas which passes through the humidifier; a second regulator that regulates a flow rate of second gas which does not pass through the humidifier; a variable instrument that varies a humidifying performance of the humidifier; a sensor; and a controller. Here, the controller controls the first and the second regulators to adjust a flow rate ratio of the first gas and the second gas on the basis of the humidity of the humidified gas detected by the sensor and a pre-set target humidity, and controls the variable instrument to keep the flow rate of the first gas constant on the basis of an amount of operation of the first regulator and an amount of pre-set target operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Yamaguchi, Yuuhei Matsumura