Patents by Inventor Kenichi Shiraishi

Kenichi Shiraishi 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).

  • Publication number: 20090244503
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus can prevent disadvantages of supplying liquid of reduced cleanliness and formation of watermarks. The exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid, and includes a liquid supply mechanism for supplying the liquid, and a measuring device which measures a time during which the supply of the liquid from the liquid supply mechanism is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20090225286
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus forms an immersion area of a liquid on the side of the image plane of a projection optical system and performs exposure of a substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid of the immersion region. The exposure apparatus has an optical cleaning unit which irradiates a predetermined irradiation light, having an optical cleaning effect, onto, for example, the upper surface of the substrate stage which makes contact with the liquid for forming the immersion area. Thus, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the exposure accuracy and measurement accuracy due to pollution of the member in contact with the liquid in the immersion region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20090218653
    Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a part having a photocatalytic coating. The lithography apparatus can be an extreme ultraviolet lithography apparatus or an immersion lithography apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 7557900
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus can prevent disadvantages of supplying liquid of reduced cleanliness and formation of watermarks. The exposure apparatus (EX) exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (LQ), and includes a liquid supply mechanism (10) for supplying the liquid (LQ), and a measuring device (60) which measures a time during which the supply of the liquid from the liquid supply mechanism is stopped (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20090153813
    Abstract: An exposure condition is determined in accordance with a moving condition of a substrate (P) relative to a projection optical system so that a pattern image is projected on the substrate (P) in a desired projection state, and the substrate (P) is exposed in the determined exposure condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20090115977
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an immersion space forming member (70) which fills an optical path space (K1) for exposure light (EL) with a first liquid (LQ) to form an immersion space, and a temperature regulating mechanism (60) which suppresses a change in the temperature of the immersion space forming member (70) accompanying deactivation of formation of the immersion space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Tomoharu Fujiwara, Soichi Owa, Akihiro Miwa
  • Patent number: 7529321
    Abstract: A digital satellite broadcast receiver capable of an optimum signal reception even when an arbitrary outdoor unit is connected. Please noise characteristics of an outdoor unit connected to a digital satellite broadcast receiver when receiving a burst symbol is estimated based on a bit error rate of an 8PSK modulation signal determined by a trellis decoder (7) when a CNR measured by a CNR measurement circuit (5) is equal to a preset value, and, based on the estimated phase noise characteristics of the outdoor unit, a filter factor of a loop filter (9) inserted into a carrier regenerative loop is set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Kenwood, Leader Electronics Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Shoichi Suzuki, Akihiro Horii, Shoji Matsuda, Takahiro Wada
  • Patent number: 7489424
    Abstract: An image reading device is provided with a guide member having a light-blocking portion with its upper surface positioned above an extended surface of a reading surface of an optical reader. The device is also provided with a slant surface between the reading surface of the optical reader and the light-blocking portion. The device is further provided with upper guide surfaces facing the light-blocking portion and the slant surface respectively, at a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2009
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Hideyuki Miyake, Takashi Suda
  • Publication number: 20090015808
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate through a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which the pattern image is projected onto the substrate, and a movable member which is movable relative to the projection optical system. A liquid-repellent member, at least a part of a surface of which is liquid-repellent, is provided detachably on the movable member, the liquid-repellent member being different from the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Owa, Nobutaka Magome, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yoshihiko Kudo, Jiro Inoue, Hirotaka Kohno, Masahiro Nei, Motokatsu Imai, Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Yasufumi Nishii, Hiroaki Takaiwa
  • Publication number: 20090015816
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate through a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which the pattern image is projected onto the substrate, and a movable member which is movable relative to the projection optical system. A liquid-repellent member, at least a part of a surface of which is liquid-repellent, is provided detachably on the movable member, the liquid-repellent member being different from the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Soichi Owa, Nobutaka Magome, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yoshihiko Kudo, Jiro Inoue, Hirotaka Kohno, Masahiro Nei, Motokatsu Imai, Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Yasufumi Nishii, Hiroaki Takaiwa
  • Publication number: 20080252865
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus forms an immersion area of a liquid on the side of the image plane of a projection optical system and performs exposure of a substrate via the projection optical system and the liquid of the immersion region. The exposure apparatus has an optical cleaning unit which irradiates a predetermined irradiation light, having an optical cleaning effect, onto, for example, the upper surface of the substrate stage which makes contact with the liquid for forming the immersion area. Thus, it is possible to prevent deterioration of the exposure accuracy and measurement accuracy due to pollution of the member in contact with the liquid in the immersion region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20080239260
    Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of accurately performing an exposure process and a measurement process based on a liquid immersion method. The exposure apparatus (EX), which forms a liquid immersion area (AR2) of a liquid (LQ) on an image surface side of a projection optical system (PL), and exposes a substrate (P) via the projection optical system (PL) and the liquid (LQ) of the immersion area (AR2), is provided with a measuring device (60) which measures at least one of a property and composition of the liquid (LQ) for forming the liquid immersion area (AR2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventor: Kenichi SHIRAISHI
  • Publication number: 20080231825
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate through exposure liquid filled in a space between the optical element and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a member having a flow passage in which exposure liquid flows, the flow passage being in fluidic communication with the space. The apparatus also includes a cleaning system which cleans the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Akikazu Tanimoto, Yasushi Mizuno, Kenichi Shiraishi, Katsushi Nakano, Soichi Owa
  • Publication number: 20080225250
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate in an exposure operation, a liquid supply system having a supply port from which exposure liquid is supplied, and a member which has a surface and which is different from the substrate. In the exposure operation, the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the substrate. In a cleaning operation, the member is moved to a position at which the surface of the member faces the optical element, and the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the surface of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Akikazu Tanimoto, Yasushi Mizuno, Kenichi Shiraishi, Katsushi Nakano, Soichi Owa
  • Publication number: 20080225249
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate through exposure liquid filled in a space between the optical element and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a member having a surface and movable to a position at which the surface of the member faces the optical element. The apparatus also includes a cleaning system which cleans the surface of the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Akikazu Tanimoto, Yasushi Mizuno, Kenichi Shiraishi, Katsushi Nakano, Soichi Owa
  • Publication number: 20080212056
    Abstract: An exposure method includes a first step for measuring position information of a substrate while controlling a substrate stage to move the substrate stage in a state that an optical path space is filled with a liquid under a predetermined condition; a second step for obtaining a movement control accuracy of the substrate stage based on a result of the measurement; a third step for determining an exposure condition, for exposing the substrate, based on the obtained movement control accuracy; and a fourth step for exposing the substrate based on the determined exposure condition. This makes it possible to satisfactorily expose the substrate at the time of exposing the substrate based on the liquid immersion method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2006
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20080215295
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of analysis enabling easy and suitable analysis of measurement data relating to the production of devices and dependent on the recipe or combination of processing units. According to the method, for example the line width precision, overlay precision, and other characteristics of the results of exposure are detected from the results of exposure for different lots and those characteristics are classified linked with for example the recipes at the time of the exposure processing exhibiting those characteristics and the processing units or combinations thereof in the exposure apparatus or track. Further, based on the classified results, whether the characteristics of the results of exposure are dependent on the specific recipe or processing units is judged. When there is dependency, when a lot using that recipe or processing unit is subsequently loaded, a warning is issued or automatic correction is performed to prevent processing with poor precision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Patent number: 7388649
    Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2008
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Akikazu Tanimoto, Yasushi Mizuno, Kenichi Shiraishi, Katsushi Nakano, Soichi Owa
  • Publication number: 20080100810
    Abstract: The present invention provides an exposure apparatus that can prevent the degradation of exposure and measurement accuracies. An exposure apparatus (EX) exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating the substrate (P) with exposure light (EL) through a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (LQ), and comprises: a liquid supply mechanism (10) that supplies the liquid (LQ) between an optical element (2) at the image plane side tip part of the projection optical system (PL) and a substrate (P) that opposes the optical element (2); a timer (60) that measures the time that has elapsed since the supply of the liquid by the liquid supply mechanism (10) was started; and a control apparatus (CONT) that determines, based on a measurement result of the timer (60), whether a space(SP), which is between the optical element (2) and the substrate (P) and includes at least an optical path of the exposure light (EL), is filled with the liquid (LQ).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2005
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Inventor: Kenichi Shiraishi
  • Publication number: 20080030696
    Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Akikazu Tanimoto, Yasushi Mizuno, Kenichi Shiraishi, Katsushi Nakano, Soichi Owa