Patents by Inventor Hironori Ikezawa

Hironori Ikezawa has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7978310
    Abstract: A liquid immersion type projection optical system that can stably prevent the outflow of immersion liquid into inside of an optical system and can maintain good imaging performance. In the projection optical system of the present invention, an optical path between a light transmitting member (Lp) disposed closest to a second surface (W) side and the second surface is filled with a liquid (Lm1) having a refractive index greater than 1.1, and a light shielding film (36) for shielding the passing of light is formed on the side surfaces (41, 42) of the light transmitting member. When D is a space between the second surface and the light shielding film, ? is a maximum incident angle of an image forming beam which reaches the second surface, and Ym is a maximum image height on the second surface, the condition of 0.25<D/Ym×tan ?<1.7 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Ikezawa, Yuji Kudo, Yasuhiro Omura
  • Publication number: 20100159401
    Abstract: A liquid immersion type projection optical system that can stably prevent the outflow of immersion liquid into inside of an optical system and can maintain good imaging performance. In the projection optical system of the present invention, an optical path between a light transmitting member (Lp) disposed closest to a second surface (W) side and the second surface is filled with a liquid (Lm1) having a refractive index greater than 1.1, and a light shielding film (36) for shielding the passing of light is formed on the side surfaces (41, 42) of the light transmitting member. When D is a space between the second surface and the light shielding film, ? is a maximum incident angle of an image forming beam which reaches the second surface, and Ym is a maximum image height on the second surface, the condition of 0.25<D/Ym×tan ?<1.7 is satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hironori IKEZAWA, Yuji KUDO, Yasuhiro OMURA
  • Patent number: 7710653
    Abstract: A liquid immersion type projection optical system that can stably prevent the outflow of immersion liquid into inside of an optical system and can maintain good imaging performance. In the projection optical system of the present invention, an optical path between a light transmitting member (Lp) disposed closest to a second surface (W) side and the second surface is filled with a liquid (Lm1) having a refractive index greater than 1.1, and a light shielding film (36) for shielding the passing of light is formed on the side surfaces (41, 42) of the light transmitting member. When D is a space between the second surface and the light shielding film, ? is a maximum incident angle of an image forming beam which reaches the second surface, and Ym is a maximum image height on the second surface, the condition of 0.25<D/Ym×tan ?<1.7 is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Ikezawa, Yuji Kudo, Yasuhiro Omura
  • Patent number: 7701640
    Abstract: An immersion optical system includes a plurality of lenses disposed along a light beam path of the immersion optical system. The plurality of lenses include a liquid immerged lens which is contactable with a liquid layer. An optically conjugate point of an object surface is formed in the light beam path of the immersion optical system. The object surface is contactable with a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, David M. Williamson
  • Patent number: 7688422
    Abstract: An imaging optical system is a system of a liquid immersion type permitting a plane-parallel plate in liquid to be replaced with another, without substantial degradation of imaging performance, while ensuring sufficiently high laser resistance of a boundary lens. The imaging optical system is provided with a first optically transparent member located nearest to a second plane, and a second optically transparent member located adjacent to the first optically transparent member. An optical path between the first optically transparent member and the second plane is fillable with a first liquid and an optical path between the first optically transparent member and the second optically transparent member is fillable with a second liquid. The imaging optical system satisfies the condition of 1<D1/(M1+M2)<20, where D1 is a center thickness of the first optically transparent member, M1 a center thickness of a layer of the first liquid, and M2 a center thickness of a layer of the second liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hironori Ikezawa, Yasuhiro Omura
  • Patent number: 7688517
    Abstract: An optical system for ultraviolet light includes a plurality of optical elements made of a material transparent to ultraviolet light. At least two of the optical elements are utilized for forming at least one liquid lens group that has a first delimiting optical element, a second delimiting optical element, and a liquid lens, which is arranged in an interspace between the first delimiting optical element and the second delimiting optical element and contains a liquid transparent to ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7619827
    Abstract: A projection lens of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a final lens element and a terminating element having no overall refractive power that is positioned between, but spaced apart from, the final lens element and an image plane of the projection lens. The image plane is adjustably positioned such that a position of the image plane with respect to the final lens element is adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7609455
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system and has a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid. An element of the projection system through which the pattern is projected has, on a surface configured to be in contact with the liquid, a protective coating which is SiO2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7580197
    Abstract: A liquid immersion optical system includes a first optically transparent member and a second optically transparent member, arranged in an optical path between the first optically transparent member and an object. A first space between the first optically transparent member and the second optically transparent member is fillable with a first liquid. A second space between the second optically transparent member and the object is fillable with a second liquid. The second optically transparent member is detachably arranged in the optical path between the first optically transparent member and the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7557997
    Abstract: In a liquid immersion type projection optical system for forming an image of a first plane on a second plane, an optical path between the optical system and the second plane is filled with a liquid having the refractive index larger than 1.5, and the optical system has a boundary optical element whose surface on the first plane side is in contact with a gas and whose surface on the second plane side is in contact with the liquid. The optical system satisfies the condition of 3.2<Nb·Eb/|Rb|<4.0, where Rb is a radius of curvature of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, Eb an effective diameter of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, and Nb a refractive index for used light, of an optical material forming the boundary optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7551362
    Abstract: An immersion optical system includes a liquid immerged optical element having an optical surface which is contactable with a liquid, a convex surface, and an optical axis. A side surface of the liquid immerged optical element is inclined with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7471374
    Abstract: A projection optical system and exposure method for forming a reduced image of a first surface on a second surface, including forming a projection exposure of a reduced image of a pattern formed on a mask on a photosensitive substrate, the optical path between the projection optical system and the second surface being filled with a medium having a refractive index larger than 1.1 where a refractive index of an atmosphere in the optical path of the projection optical system is 1, and the magnification of the projection optical system being not more than ?. In variations, the projection optical system is substantially telecentric on both the first surface side and the second surface side; every optical member having a power in the projection optical system is a transmitting optical member; and a projection exposure in a one shot-area can include a plurality of partial exposures in partial exposure regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, Kumiko Ishida
  • Publication number: 20080094696
    Abstract: An immersion optical system includes a liquid immerged optical element having an optical surface which is contactable with a liquid, a convex surface, and an optical axis. A side surface of the liquid immerged optical element is inclined with respect to the optical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Patent number: 7362508
    Abstract: Optical Projection System and Method for Photolithography. A lithographic immersion projection system and method for projecting an image at high resolution over a wide field of view. The projection system and method include a final lens which decreases the marginal ray angle of the optical path before light passes into the immersion liquid to impinge on the image plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, David M Williamson
  • Publication number: 20080080067
    Abstract: In a liquid immersion type projection optical system for forming an image of a first plane on a second plane, an optical path between the optical system and the second plane is filled with a liquid having the refractive index larger than 1.5, and the optical system has a boundary optical element whose surface on the first plane side is in contact with a gas and whose surface on the second plane side is in contact with the liquid. The optical system satisfies the condition of 3.2<Nb·Eb/|Rb|<4.0, where Rb is a radius of curvature of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, Eb an effective diameter of the surface on the first plane side of the boundary optical element, and Nb a refractive index for used light, of an optical material forming the boundary optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20080068724
    Abstract: A liquid immersion optical system includes a first optically transparent member and a second optically transparent member, arranged in an optical path between the first optically transparent member and an object. A first space between the first optically transparent member and the second optically transparent member is fillable with a first liquid. A second space between the second optically transparent member and the object is fillable with a second liquid. The second optically transparent member is detachably arranged in the optical path between the first optically transparent member and the object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, David Williamson
  • Publication number: 20080068573
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus is arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate using a projection system and has a liquid supply system configured to at least partly fill a space between the projection system and the substrate with a liquid. An element of the projection system through which the pattern is projected has, on a surface configured to be in contact with the liquid, a protective coating which is SiO2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20080068576
    Abstract: A projection lens of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a final lens element and a terminating element having no overall refractive power that is positioned between, but spaced apart from, the final lens element and an image plane of the projection lens. The image plane is adjustably positioned such that a position of the image plane with respect to the final lens element is adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2007
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa
  • Publication number: 20080049306
    Abstract: An optical system for ultraviolet light includes a plurality of optical elements made of a material transparent to ultraviolet light. At least two of the optical elements are utilized for forming at least one liquid lens group that has a first delimiting optical element, a second delimiting optical element, and a liquid lens, which is arranged in an interspace between the first delimiting optical element and the second delimiting optical element and contains a liquid transparent to ultraviolet light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, David Williamson
  • Publication number: 20080049336
    Abstract: An immersion optical system includes a plurality of lenses disposed along a light beam path of the immersion optical system. The plurality of lenses include a liquid immerged lens which is contactable with a liquid layer. An optically conjugate point of an object surface is formed in the light beam path of the immersion optical system. The object surface is contactable with a liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2007
    Publication date: February 28, 2008
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Omura, Hironori Ikezawa, David Williamson