Abstract: There is disclosed an evaluation method for evaluating a one-dimensional illumination distribution using polynomials, the method comprising steps of: setting up, as the polynomials, one-dimensional power polynomials which are orthogonal in a closed interval; and approximating the one-dimensional illumination distribution with the power polynomials to obtain the coefficients of respective terms of the power polynomials.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus including a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a reticle onto a plate to be exposed, via a liquid that is filled in a space between the projection optical system and the plate, a supply pipe for supplying the liquid to the space between a final surface in the projection optical system and the plate, a recovery pipe for recovering the liquid from the space between the final surface in the projection optical system and the plate, and a measuring apparatus for measuring a refractive index of the liquid. The measuring apparatus includes (i) a cell for accommodating the liquid and transmitting light, wherein the cell is connected to one of the supply pipe and the recovery pipe, and (ii) a detector for detecting an incident position of the light refracted by the liquid in the cell.

Abstract: A double processing technique for device manufacture includes performing a first patterning step to form apertures in a resist layer which apertures are filled before the first resist layer is stripped and replaced by a second resist layer to be used in the second exposure.

Abstract: An optical system and method of increasing the contrast of a projected image. The optical system (1800) comprises a combination of aperture stops (1810, 1812) in at least one of the illumination and projection paths to filter scattered light and/or light prone to scatter into the projection aperture.

Abstract: A maskless lithography system for transferring a pattern onto the surface of a target. At least one beam generator for generating a plurality of beamlets. A plurality of modulators modulate the magnitude of a beamlet, and a control unit controls of the modulators. The control unit generates and delivers pattern data to the modulators for controlling the magnitude of each individual beamlet. The control unit includes at least one data storage for storing the pattern data, at least one readout unit for reading out the data from the data storage, at least one data converter for converting the data that is read out from the data storage into at least one modulated light beam, and at least one optical transmitter for transmitting the at least one modulated light beam to the modulation modulators.

Abstract: A projector including a shiftable projection lens unit is disclosed. The projector includes an illumination unit adapted to emit generated light, a micro device adapted to receive the light from the illumination unit, and to produce an image using the received light, a projection lens unit adapted to emit the image produced by the micro device, a reflector arranged at a downstream end of the projection lens unit, and adapted to change a direction of the light incident from the projection lens unit on the reflector such that the image is externally emitted, and a driving unit adapted to shift the projection lens unit and the reflector, thereby adjusting an emission direction of the externally-emitted image.

Abstract: A projection lens unit and a thin projector using the same are disclosed. The projection lens unit includes a plurality of lens sets for emitting light carrying an image, and a reflector arranged between adjacent ones of the lens sets or at a downstream end of the lens sets, and adapted to change a direction of light incident on the reflector.

Abstract: A document camera has an image processing apparatus, which acquires the contour of an image of an original by means of a Roberts filter. The image processing apparatus detects straight lines as candidates for forming an image of the original from the acquired contour and acquires the shape of a quadrangle of the original. The image processing apparatus determines the projection parameters showing the relationship between the shape of the image of the original and the shape of the actual original from the positions of the corners of the quadrangle and executes an operation of projection/transformation on the image of the original. The document camera outputs the image data of the image to a projector, which projects an image of the original on a screen according to the image data.

Abstract: The backprojection and/or projection screen comprises at least a first substrate joined to a scattering layer producing a subsurface effect, which offers a resolution of at least 5×103 dpi, the image being able to be displayed without blurring at a viewing angle of 180° on both faces of the screen.

Abstract: A light deflector includes a substrate; a plurality of control members provided at edge parts of the substrate, the control members having upper parts where stoppers are situated; a fulcrum member provided on an upper surface of the substrate, the fulcrum member having a top part; a plate-shaped member movably provided in a space formed by the substrate, the fulcrum member and the stopper, the plate-shaped member having a light reflection area, no fixed end, and a conductive layer; and a plurality of electrodes provided on the substrate, the electrodes facing the conductive layer of the plate-shaped member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reticle container that is equipped with a secondary container which houses the reticle and is housed in the primary container. The secondary container is held within the primary container with shock and vibration isolation members so that the secondary container has multiple degrees of freedom of motion within the primary container. The reticle is secured inside the secondary container such that shock and vibration transmission from the reticle container to the reticle is substantially attenuated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described employing a first lens array and a second lens array that are separated by one focal length that receives a plurality of colors signals from an X-prism and transmits to a condenser for overlapping lenslet images onto a display panel, such as a LCOS or LCD display panel. The first lens array includes a plurality of lenslets where each lenslet in the first lens array corresponds with each lenslet in a plurality of lenslets in the second lens array. The lenslets can be either refractive, defractive, or a combination of refractive and defractive.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes a displacement measuring system to measure a position of a moveable object with respect to a reference frame of the lithographic apparatus, in at least three coplanar degrees of freedom (x, y, Rz) of an orthogonal x-y-z coordinate system centered in the center of the moveable object. The moveable object includes a support structure configured to support a patterning device or a substrate table configured to support a substrate. The displacement measuring system includes at least three sensor heads, each sensor head being positioned with a measuring direction substantially coplanar with the x-y plane of the coordinate system and each sensor head being furthermore positioned with the measuring direction substantially perpendicular to a connection line connecting the sensor head with the center of the movable object and extending coplanar with the x-y plane.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an illumination optical system adapted to illuminate a reflection mask with light from an exposure light source, and a projection optical system adapted to project a pattern image of the reflection mask disposed in an object plane onto a substrate disposed in an image plane. The illumination optical system includes a reflection integrator adapted to form a plurality of secondary light sources with the light from the exposure light source, a condenser unit adapted to superimpose beams of light from the secondary light sources with one another on the reflection mask, and a mirror capable of being disposed in an optical path instead of the reflection integrator. When the mirror is disposed in the optical path, an illuminated area formed in the object plane of the projection optical system is reduced in comparison with that formed when the reflection integrator is disposed in the optical path.

Abstract: A reflection optical system placed between a light valve 5 and a screen 4, wherein curved surfaces are only three reflection surfaces of first to third mirrors 1 to 3, and satisfies the following: (1) ?L<20 degrees, (2) 25 degrees<?UL<55 degrees, (3) 20 degrees<?M1<55 degrees, (4) 15 degrees<?M2<50 degrees, (5) 8 degrees<?M3<30 degrees, (6) ?L<15 degrees, (7) 30 degrees<?UL and (8) 7.5 degrees<|?F|, where ?L: minimum angle which a light beam of pupil center forms with respect to the enlargement side image surface; ?UL: difference between maximum and minimum angles which a light beam of pupil center forms with respect to the enlargement side image surface; ?M1, ?M2 and ?M3: deviation angles of the light beam of pupil center passing the center of the reduction-side image surface in first to third mirrors 1 to 3; and ?F: reduction-side pupil divergent angle.

Abstract: An article support constructed to support an article for lithographic processing purposes is described. The article support includes a channel configuration arranged to guide thermally stabilizing media in the article support to provide thermal stabilization to the article, wherein the channel configuration comprises an input channel structure and an output channel structure, the input and output channel structures arranged in a nested configuration and connected to each other by a fine grid structure provided at or near a surface of the article support. A lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing incorporating the article support is also described.

Abstract: A wall panel has a glass outer face which in turn is provided with a decorative design, for example by painting, mirroring, partial mirroring, coating, printing or else placing an inlay or the like behind it. In addition, this wall panel is designed to cooperate with a flat screen in such a way that the decorative design forms a cut-out adapted to the flat screen, through which cut-out the image display can then be viewed on the user side.

Abstract: A projector includes: a light source unit; an optical apparatus including, an optical device, a holding frame for holding a periphery of the optical device, a cooling tube that is provided in the holding frame along the periphery of the optical device and in which a cooling fluid flows, wherein a gap between the holding frame and the cooling tube is filled with a thermally conductive material; a cooling unit for circulating the cooling fluid in the optical apparatus; and a projection optical apparatus for enlarging and projecting an optical image formed by means of the optical apparatus.

Abstract: A projection screen using light control layers having high light diffusion and further providing an image with high image quality over a wide angle range without deteriorating light transmittance is provided. A plural number of light control layers in which a haze value of the layer is dependent on an angle and a light scattering angle region showing a haze value of 60% or more is in the range of 30° or more when light is injected on the surface of the layer at an angle of 0 to 180° are laminated to obtain a screen.

Abstract: Provided are an illumination system capable of eliminating laser speckle and a projection system employing the illumination system. The illumination system includes a laser light source having at least one laser, and a first diffractive optical element to divide a laser beam emitted from the laser light source into a plurality of partial beams and to time-average the partial beams through a periodical movement to eliminate speckle. Accordingly, the illumination system can eliminate speckle of the beams emitted from the laser light source and the projection system employing the illumination system can achieve a high quality image.