Patents by Inventor Ikuo Hikima
Ikuo Hikima 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).
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Publication number: 20180348643Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a sensor for detecting light arriving from a projection optical system via a liquid provided on an image plane side of the projection optical system. The sensor includes a light transmissive member provided on a stage and a light receiving element for receiving light arriving from the projection optical system via the light transmissive member. The light transmissive member includes a first surface and a second surface. The first surface is arranged on the stage, comes into contact with the liquid, and is a surface on which the light arriving from the projection optical system is incident via the liquid. At least one of the first and second surfaces diffuses or diffracts the light having arrived from the projection optical system. The light receiving element receives the light that has been diffused or diffracted.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2018Publication date: December 6, 2018Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi NISHINAGA, Ikuo HIKIMA, Mitsunori TOYODA, Masahiro NAKAGAWA, Tsuneyuki HAGIWARA, Yasushi MIZUNO, Naonori KITA, Osamu TANITSU, Nozomu EMURA
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Patent number: 10025194Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical member that can be provided on a stage. The optical member has a first surface contacting a liquid when moved to face a projection system, and a second surface contacting a gas and transmitting light having come from the projection system via the liquid and the first surface. The optical member is configured such that at least a large-angle ray of the light, which has an angle with an optical axis of the projection system sufficiently large to undergo total reflection at an end surface of the projection system when the liquid is absent, travels from the projection system to the second surface without passing through gas. The second surface transmits the large-angle ray, which is received by the light-receiving surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Publication number: 20170082925Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical member that can be provided on a stage. The optical member has a first surface contacting a liquid when moved to face a projection system, and a second surface contacting a gas and transmitting light having come from the projection system via the liquid and the first surface. The optical member is configured such that at least a large-angle ray of the light, which has an angle with an optical axis of the projection system sufficiently large to undergo total reflection at an end surface of the projection system when the liquid is absent, travels from the projection system to the second surface without passing through gas. The second surface transmits the large-angle ray, which is received by the light-receiving surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2016Publication date: March 23, 2017Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi NISHINAGA, Ikuo HIKIMA, Mitsunori TOYODA, Masahiro NAKAGAWA, Tsuneyuki HAGIWARA, Yasushi MIZUNO, Naonori KITA, Osamu TANITSU, Nozomu EMURA
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Patent number: 9513558Abstract: An exposure apparatus irradiates a substrate with light via a projection system and liquid, and includes a stage that moves below the projection system, and a light-receiving element having a light-receiving surface. An optical member provided on the stage has a first surface contacting the liquid when moved to face the projection system, and a second surface contacting a gas and transmitting light having come from the projection system via the liquid and the first surface. The optical member is configured such that at least a large-angle ray of the light, which has an angle with an optical axis of the projection system sufficiently large to undergo total reflection at an end surface of the projection system when the liquid is absent, travels from the projection system to the second surface without passing through gas. The second surface transmits the large-angle ray, which is received by the light-receiving surface.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2014Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Publication number: 20140240685Abstract: An exposure apparatus irradiates a substrate with light via a projection system and liquid, and includes a stage that moves below the projection system, and a light-receiving element having a light-receiving surface. An optical member provided on the stage has a first surface contacting the liquid when moved to face the projection system, and a second surface contacting a gas and transmitting light having come from the projection system via the liquid and the first surface. The optical member is configured such that at least a large-angle ray of the light, which has an angle with an optical axis of the projection system sufficiently large to undergo total reflection at an end surface of the projection system when the liquid is absent, travels from the projection system to the second surface without passing through gas. The second surface transmits the large-angle ray, which is received by the light-receiving surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: August 28, 2014Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi NISHINAGA, Ikuo HIKIMA, Mitsunori TOYODA, Masahiro NAKAGAWA, Tsuneyuki HAGIWARA, Yasushi MIZUNO, Naonori KITA, Osamu TANITSU, Nozomu EMURA
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Patent number: 8749759Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.Type: GrantFiled: October 2, 2012Date of Patent: June 10, 2014Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Patent number: 8305552Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid(LQ) via a projection optical system(PL) enters a light-transmitting section(44), enters an optical member(41) without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 2006Date of Patent: November 6, 2012Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda
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Patent number: 8139198Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2006Date of Patent: March 20, 2012Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Patent number: 7924416Abstract: A substrate stage holds a substrate irradiated with exposure light via a liquid. A measurement apparatus measures information on the exposure light and has a light receiving device detachable from the substrate stage. The light receiving device receives the exposure light while being held in the substrate stage.Type: GrantFiled: June 21, 2006Date of Patent: April 12, 2011Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Ikuo Hikima
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Publication number: 20080042068Abstract: A sensor is used at a substrate level in a lithographic projection apparatus having a projection system with a numeric aperture that is greater than 1 and is configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate The sensor includes a radiation-detector; a transmissive plate having a front surface and a back surface, the transmissive plate being positioned such that radiation projected by the projection system passes into the front surface of the transmissive plate and out of the back surface thereof to the radiation detector; and a luminescent layer provided on the back surface of the transmissive plate, the luminescent layer absorbing the radiation and emitting luminescent radiation of a different wavelength, wherein the back surface is rough.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 31, 2007Publication date: February 21, 2008Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Publication number: 20070097341Abstract: A substrate stage holds a substrate irradiated with exposure light via a liquid. A measurement apparatus measures information on the exposure light and has a light receiving device detachable from the substrate stage. The light receiving device receives the exposure light while being held in the substrate stage.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 21, 2006Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Ikuo Hikima
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Publication number: 20060238749Abstract: A flare measuring method and a flare measuring apparatus for measuring flaring occurring on optical systems, an exposure method and an exposure apparatus, and an exposure apparatus adjusting method capable of quantitatively measuring information regarding flare which occur on optical systems are to be provided. A flare measuring apparatus for measuring flare which occur on optical system is provided with a light source device for irradiating an optical path including the optical system with an exposure light, a substrate arranged on the optical path and provided with predetermined patterns, a detecting device arranged on the image plane of a projecting optical system and capable of detecting information on the luminous energy of the light, and a control device capable of controlling the irradiating range of the exposure light and acquiring information on flare on the basis of the result of detection of the exposure light by the detecting device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2006Publication date: October 26, 2006Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Ikuo Hikima
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Publication number: 20060181690Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2006Publication date: August 17, 2006Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Publication number: 20060170891Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 28, 2006Publication date: August 3, 2006Applicant: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Publication number: 20040021854Abstract: A flare measuring method and a flare measuring apparatus for measuring flaring occurring on optical systems, an exposure method and an exposure apparatus, and an exposure apparatus adjusting method capable of quantitatively measuring information regarding flare which occur on optical systems are to be provided. A flare measuring apparatus S for measuring flare which occur on optical system IL is provided with a light source device for irradiating an optical path including the optical system IL with an exposure light EL, a substrate M1 arranged on the optical path and provided with predetermined patterns C and T, a detecting device DT arranged on the image plane of a projecting optical system PL and capable of detecting information on the luminous energy of the light, and a control device CONT capable of controlling the irradiating range of the exposure light EL and acquiring information on flare on the basis of the result of detection of the exposure light EL by the detecting device DT.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Inventor: Ikuo Hikima
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Patent number: 4952945Abstract: An exposure apparatus comprises a projection optical system, to project the image of an object on a first plane onto a second plane, a laser means for outputting a light beam to the projection optical system for projection, a measuring device for detecting a fluctuation of the optical characteristic of the projection optical system attributable to deviation of the wavelength of the light beam output from the laser and a control device responsive to the measuring device to adjust the wavelength of the light beam.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 1988Date of Patent: August 28, 1990Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventor: Ikuo Hikima
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Patent number: 4820899Abstract: A laser working system comprises supplying means for supplying a laser beam, a working unit which includes a stage for supporting a workpiece and means for exposing the workpiece to the laser beam, and a room unit which includes wall means for surrounding the working unit and accomodates the working unit to spatially isolate it from outside of the wall means. The supplying means is arranged outside the room unit and includes first and second laser units each for generating the laser beam.The laser working system further comprises beam guiding means which creates first light path for optically communicating the first laser unit with the working unit through the wall means, and second light path for optically communicating the second laser unit with the working unit through the wall means, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 1988Date of Patent: April 11, 1989Assignee: Nikon CorporationInventors: Ikuo Hikima, Akira Miyaji, Saburo Kamiya, Akikazu Tanimoto