Patents by Inventor Minoru Onda

Minoru Onda 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: 20160363870
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes. A projection system includes a first element closest to an image surface and a second element which is second closest to the image surface. The first element has a first surface facing the image surface, a second surface facing a lower surface of the second element, an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface. A support member supports the flange portion of the first element. A substrate stage has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: December 15, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Minoru ONDA
  • Patent number: 9411247
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes. A projection system includes a first element closest to an image surface and a second element which is second closest to the image surface. The first element has a first surface facing the image surface, a second surface facing a lower surface of the second element, an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface. A support member supports the flange portion of the first element. A substrate stage has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Minoru Onda
  • Publication number: 20140043593
    Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member having a recovery port and an opening via which an exposure beam passes. A projection system includes a first element closest to an image surface and a second element which is second closest to the image surface. The first element has a first surface facing the image surface, a second surface facing a lower surface of the second element, an inclined outer surface extending upwardly and radially outwardly from the first surface and facing an inner surface of the nozzle member, and a flange portion provided above the inclined outer surface. A support member supports the flange portion of the first element. A substrate stage has a holder for holding a substrate to be exposed and moves the substrate below and relative to the nozzle member and the projection system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Minoru ONDA
  • Publication number: 20080068567
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus has a projection optical system. The projection optical system has a first optical element closest to an image plane thereof and a second optical element which is second closest to the image plane with respect to the first optical element. The first optical element has a lower surface arranged opposite to a surface of a substrate and an upper surface arranged opposite to the second optical element. A space between the second optical element and the upper surface of the first optical element is filled with a second liquid so that a liquid immersion area is formed in an area of the upper surface, the area including an area through which an exposure light beam passes. The substrate is exposed by radiating the exposure light beam onto the substrate through a first liquid on a side of the lower surface of the first optical element and the second liquid on a side of the upper surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Publication date: March 20, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Minoru Onda
  • Publication number: 20070222959
    Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus projects a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate through a liquid confined to a space adjacent the substrate. The space is smaller in plan than the substrate. The apparatus includes a plate substantially parallel to the substrate to divide the space into two parts, the plate having an aperture to allow transmission of the pattern onto the substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2007
    Publication date: September 27, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Minoru Onda
  • Patent number: 6522390
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask on a photosensitive substrate; a plane-parallel plate disposed on a side of the photosensitive substrate of the projection optical system, almost perpendicularly to an optical axis of the projection optical system; and a adjustment device for adjusting at least one of an inclination angle of a normal line of the plane-parallel plate relative to the optical axis of the projection optical system and an inclination angle of the plane-parallel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2003
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Suzuki, Minoru Onda
  • Publication number: 20020012109
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask on a photosensitive substrate; a plane-parallel plate disposed on a side of the photosensitive substrate of the projection optical system, almost perpendicularly to an optical axis of the projection optical system; and a adjustment device for adjusting at least one of an inclination angle of a normal line of the plane-parallel plate relative to the optical axis of the projection optical system and an inclination angle of the plane-parallel plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Kousuke Suzuki, Minoru Onda
  • Patent number: 6235438
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a mask on a photosensitive substrate; a plane-parallel plate disposed on a side of the photosensitive substrate of the projection optical system, almost perpendicularly to an optical axis of the projection optical system; and a adjustment device for adjusting at least one of an inclination angle of a normal line of the plane-parallel plate relative to the optical axis of the projection optical system and an inclination angle of the plane-parallel plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kousuke Suzuki, Minoru Onda