Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method wherein a mask is illuminated with light and light one of transmitted through and reflected from the illuminated mask is imaged onto a substrate. At least during imaging transmission of light one of transmitted and reflected from the illuminated mask is partially inhibited. More particularly, a spatial filter is utilized for inhibiting at least a portion of O-order diffraction light.

Abstract: A method for irradiating a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate, coated with a photoresist, with light to measure variations in optical properties such as reflectivity, refractive index, transmittance, polarization, spectral transmittance, for determining an optimum photoresist coating condition, an optimum photoresist baking condition, an optimum developing condition or an optimum exposure energy quantity, and forming a photoresist pattern according to the optimum condition. A system for the exposure method, a controlling method of forming a photoresist film by use of the exposure method, and a system for the controlling method, are useful for stabilization of the formation or treatment of the photoresist film, and ensure less variations in the pattern size.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method wherein a mask is illuminated with light and light one of transmitted through and reflected from the illuminated mask is imaged onto a substrate. At least during imaging, transmission of light one of transmitted and reflected from the illuminated mask is partially inhibited. More particularly, a spatial filter is utilized for inhibiting at least a portion of O-order diffraction light.

Abstract: A method for irradiating a substrate such as a semiconductor substrate, coated with a photoresist, with light to measure variations in optical properties, such as reflectivity, refractive index, transmittance, polarization, spectral transmittance, for determining an optimum photoresist coating condition, an optimum photoresist baking condition, an optimum developing condition or an optimum exposure energy quantity, and forming a photoresist pattern according to the optimum condition. A system for the exposure method, a controlling method of forming a photoresist film by use of the exposure method, and a system for the controlling method, are useful for stabilization of the formation or treatment of the photoresist film, and ensure less variations in the pattern size.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method wherein a mask is illuminated with light and light one of transmitted through and reflected from the illuminated mask is imaged onto a substrate. At least during imaging, transmission of light one of transmitted and reflected from the illuminated mask is partially inhibited. More particularly, a spatial filter is utilized for inhibiting at least a portion of O-order diffraction light.

Abstract: A novel exposure system includes a reduced-projection lens optimized for a predetermined single exposure wavelength and a chromatic aberration correction system for TTL (Through The Lens) alignment with broadband light. The correction system includes a holographic lens which dispersion has a negative number in contrast to a conventional glass lens which has a positive dispersion number. By employing a holographic lens, the total optical length of an alignment system can be made short enough to avoid the necessity of installing a mirror therein, thus realizing a highly accurate alignment system.

Abstract: Using an optical pickup, recording/reproducing of information is performed by irradiating light beams to an optical recording medium to form light spots. The optical pickup includes means for generating plural light beams, an optical waveguide for guiding the plural light beams in a row into a flat space, and a light deflecting element for deflecting the light beams, which run in the optical waveguide, within a plane formed by a vector perpendicular to a plane of the optical waveguide and a directional vector of the light beams. The light deflecting element deflects the plural light spots, which are to be arranged in a row, in a direction perpendicular to the light spot row to perform micro seek.

Abstract: An optical waveguide is comprised of an optical substrate and an optical thin-film optical waveguide layer and formed such that ##EQU1## where .theta. is an output angle, n.sub.o1 is an ordinary refractive index of the optical substrate for an ordinary beam, n.sub.e1 is an extraordinary refractive index of the optical substrate for an extraordinary beam, n.sub.o2 is an ordinary refractive index of the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer for the ordinary beam and n.sub.e2 is an extraordinary refractive index of the optical thin-film optical waveguide layer for the extraordinary beam, and an electrode for generating a surface acoustic wave for diffracting light is formed on the optical waveguide to construct a collinear optical deflector.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface acoustic wave element comprising a substrate, an optical waveguide layer formed on the aforesaid substrate to guide laser light from a laser light source, a surface acoustic wave portion for deflecting or modulating the laser light traveling through the aforesaid optical waveguide layer, a comb-shaped SAW electrode provided on the aforesaid optical waveguide layer to cause the aforesaid surface acoustic wave portion to generate surface acoustic wave, and a terminal provided on the aforesaid optical waveguide layer and connected to the aforesaid SAW electrode to apply a high-frequency alternating voltage thereto, wherein a protection cover is bonded by a viscoelastic adhesive having a refractive index smaller than that of the aforesaid optical waveguide layer to cover the aforesaid SAW electrode and surface acoustic wave portion with air space in such a manner that the aforesaid terminal is positioned outside thereof, and the manufacturing method of the surface acoust

Abstract: A method and apparatus measures an image plane of a test pattern projected onto a surface of a sample disposed on a stage to precisely detect the image plane to thereby obtain a precise alignment therebetween for subsequent exposure. The test pattern is provided on a member having a conjugate surface with an upper surface of an illumination detecting unit having at least three optical sensors at different positions thereof and disposed on the stage. The upper surface of the illumination detecting unit has an analogous pattern to the test pattern on each optical sensor and, by moving the stage three dimensionally, outputs of the optical sensors are processed to obtain amounts of light and peak values thereof from which the image plane is obtained.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information detecting system of scanning type which comprises a substrate formed with an optical waveguide layer, a laser oscillator emitting a laser beam, a SAW type beam deflecting device formed on the optical waveguide layer, a beam irradiating section irradiating a specimen with the laser beam derived from the optical waveguide layer, a controller controlling the frequency of a high-frequency voltage applied to the SAW type beam deflecting device so as to scan the specimen with the laser beam directed from the beam irradiating section, and a detecting section detecting the position and/or the intensity of the laser beam scanning the specimen with respect to the SAW control signal controlled by the controller.

Abstract: An optical integrated circuit and an optical apparatus used in optical communication or an opto-electronics apparatus such as an optical disk recording apparatus, in which various kinds of aberration caused by wavelength variation of a light source when a semiconductor laser is used as the light source. An aberration correcting grating having such grating pitches as to nearly satisfy the Bragg condition preferably with respect to a certain wavelength of the semiconductor laser beam is used. As a result, lowering of incidence (entrance) and radiation (exit) coupling efficiencies of the grating coupler and aberration such as chromatic aberration can be prevented. Even if a multi-mode semiconductor laser is used as a light source, the characteristics of the optical integrated circuit and optical apparatus do not vary largely.

Abstract: An enlargement projection type exposure method includes the steps of deforming the shape of a substrate so as to eliminate distortion in an enlarged image of the pattern, which is formed on a mask and projected onto the substrate through an enlargement projection system. The pattern is exposed with the use of an enlargement projection optical system. An apparatus for the method comprises an enlargement projection optical system for enlarging the pattern formed on the mask, and a substrate deforming device for deforming by adsorption the substrate in shape so as to eliminate the distortion in the enlarged image of the pattern through the enlargement projection optical system.

Abstract: A method and a system for pattern detection are disclosed in which a laser beam high in directivity is emitted from a laser beam source, the laser beam emitted from the laser beam source is irradiated on an uneven pattern to be detected on an object, the light component of a frequency corresponding to the cut-off frequency of an objective lens is removed from the light reflected from the object when an image of the pattern on the object is formed through an objective lens, the optical image thus formed is received by a photoelectric converting device for producing a signal waveform representing the pattern free of a signal of the frequency corresponding to the cut-off frequency, and the pattern is detected from a signal produced from the photoelectric converting device.

Abstract: A projection alignment method of aligning a mask and a wafer with each other through an optical imaging system and an apparatus for performing the method are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an optical illumination system for illuminating with highly coherent illumination light an alignment pattern formed with a stepped pattern on the wafer and a flat or planar portion of the wafer in the vicinity of the alignment pattern, an optical interference system for making reflected light from the alignment pattern on the wafer and reflected light from the flat portion of the wafer illuminated by the optical illumination system interfere with each other while optically superimposing optical images of both the reflected lights obtained through the optical imaging system on each other.

Abstract: An illumination apparatus is disclosed which is suitable for use in a projection/exposure system for projecting an image of a circuit pattern of a reticle on a semiconductor wafer through a projection lens. The illumination apparatus includes an excimer laser for emitting a pulsed laser beam, an optical system for illuminating the reticle with a plurality of laser pulses emitted from the excimer laser so that laser pulses having passed through the reticle impinge on the semiconductor wafer in different directions through the projection lens, and a light intensity control device for controlling the light intensity of each of the laser pulses so that the laser pulses equally contribute to the reaction of a light sensitive material which is provided on the semiconductor wafer, with light.

Abstract: A reduction projection type aligner in a reduction projection exposing device for exposing a circuit pattern on a mask through a reduction projection lens onto a wafer by the step and repeat of the wafer, which comprises: a light source for irradiating coherent irradiation light, a reflection mirror for reflecting the coherent irradiation light irradiated from the light source, a detection optical system for detecting an interference pattern by optically causing interference between an alignment pattern reflection light obtained by entering the coherent irradiation light irradiated from the light source through the reduction projection lens to the alignment pattern portion of the wafer, which is then reflected at the alignment pattern portion and then passed through the reduction projection lens and a reflection light reflected at the reflection mirror, and means for aligning a mask and a wafer relatively by detecting the position of the wafer by the video image signals in the interference pattern detected by

Abstract: A pattern position detecting method and an apparatus comprises spatial coherence variable means for illuminating a two-dimensional pattern formed on a wafer and its vicinity through a projection lens under the state that spatial coherence of pattern illumination light is elevated in one direction with respect to said two-dimensional pattern and lowered in the other direction perpendicular to said one direction. Two-dimensional reflection images from the pattern and its vicinity obtained through the lens are image-formed by an image-formation optical system. The intensity distribution of the two-dimensional reflection light is detected by light-intensity-distribution detection means so that a detection signal produced from this detection means indicates the position of the two-dimensional pattern.

Abstract: An alignment method and apparatus for reduction projection type aligner in which the rough detection of reticle position in the reticle alignment process at the time of mounting a reticle and the fine detection of reticle position in the wafer alignment for the alignment between a wafer and the reticle are performed automatically by the same reticle alignment pattern and the same optical alignment detection system. A plurality of one- or two-dimensional Fresnel zone plates having different shapes of diffraction patterns formed outside of a reticle circuit pattern and arranged at a position outward of the entrance pupil of the reduction projection lens are used as a reticle alignment pattern to detect the absolute position of the reticle. The detection field of view of the optical alignment detection system is thus effectively widened to make pattern detection possible with high magnification for an improved detection accuracy.

Abstract: The foreign particle detecting method and apparatus are disclosed wherein a polarized laser beam emitted by a laser beam irradiating system from a direction inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the surface of a substrate is used by a scanning means to linearly scan the substrate surface from a direction approximately 90.degree. with respect to the laser light irradiating direction; and the laser light reflected from a foreign particle on the substrate surface is detected by a polarized light analyzer and a photoelectric conversion device from a direction set approximately equal to said scanning direction and inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the substrate surface.