Abstract: There is provided a calcium fluoride optical member formed from monocrystalline calcium fluoride and having a tubular shape. A {110} crystal plane or a {111} crystal plane of the monocrystalline calcium fluoride is orthogonal to a center axis of the tube.

Abstract: There is provided a calcium fluoride optical member formed from monocrystalline calcium fluoride and having a tubular shape. A {110} crystal plane or a {111} crystal plane of the monocrystalline calcium fluoride is orthogonal to a center axis of the tube.

Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel comprising a lens holding member that holds a lens; a guide bar that has a magnetic pattern in which a pair of magnetic poles repeat in a longitudinal direction and that has the longitudinal direction thereof oriented in a direction of an optical axis of the lens to guide the lens holding section to move in the direction of the optical axis; a control portion that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the lens holding member and that includes a magnetic body generating magnetic force between itself and the magnetic pattern of the guide bar; and a drive coil that is arranged in a manner to not contact the guide bar and that generates magnetic drive force between itself and the guide bar.

Abstract: Provided is a lens barrel comprising a lens holding member that holds a lens; a guide bar that has a magnetic pattern in which a pair of magnetic poles repeat in a longitudinal direction and that has the longitudinal direction thereof oriented in a direction of an optical axis of the lens to guide the lens holding section to move in the direction of the optical axis; a control portion that is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the lens holding member and that includes a magnetic body generating magnetic force between itself and the magnetic pattern of the guide bar; and a drive coil that is arranged in a manner to not contact the guide bar and that generates magnetic drive force between itself and the guide bar.

Abstract: Magnetically shielded enclosures (e.g., rooms) and associated methods are disclosed for containing and magnetically shielding a field-sensitive system such as a charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography system without having to make the enclosure excessively large. The CPB microlithography system includes a lens column and substrate chamber collectively forming an internal shielding barrier. The shielded enclosure is in external surrounding relationship to the internal shielding barrier. The shielded enclosure includes a wall that defines an aperture through which some of the stray external magnetic field can penetrate to inside the enclosure. Some of the external magnetic field also leaks through the enclosure walls.

Abstract: X-ray-reflective mirrors are disclosed, each including a thermal-transfer device that conducts heat (caused by absorption by the mirror of incident X-ray radiation) away from the mirror without imparting stress to the mirror. As a result, each such mirror exhibits, compared to conventional X-ray-reflective mirrors, reduced deformation and greater thermal stability during use of the mirror. A typical X-ray-reflective mirror is formed from a mirror substrate and has an “effective region” on which X-rays are incident. At least the effective region includes an X-ray-reflective coating (e.g., multilayer coating). Attached to the mirror are thermal-transfer members that function to conduct heat away from the mirror. Each thermal-transfer member is attached to a respective location outside the effective region of the mirror so as not to obstruct reflection of X-rays incident to the effective region. Distal ends of the thermal-transfer members are connected to a suitable cooling mechanism.

Abstract: Magnetically shielded enclosures (e.g., rooms) and associated methods are disclosed for containing and magnetically shielding a field-sensitive system such as a charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography system without having to make the enclosure excessively large. The CPB microlithography system includes a lens column and substrate chamber collectively forming an internal shielding barrier. The shielded enclosure is in external surrounding relationship to the internal shielding barrier. The shielded enclosure includes a wall that defines an aperture through which some of the stray external magnetic field can penetrate to inside the enclosure. Some of the external magnetic field also leaks through the enclosure walls.

Abstract: Magnetically shielded enclosures are provided that house charged-particle-beam (CPB) systems (e.g., CPB microlithography apparatus) having active-canceler coils. The enclosures have outer walls comprised of anisotropic magnetic materials or of magnetically divided plates. The magnetically divided plates may be made of Permalloy or other similar material. The anisotropic or magnetically divided outer walls may be configured to align the external magnetic field in the direction of the magnetic field produced by the active canceler. Thus, controlling the electrical current in the active-canceler coils to cancel the external magnetic field is simplified, even if the CPB microlithography apparatus has a complex shape or is in an environment with a non-uniform magnetic field.

Abstract: Shielding devices and methods are disclosed for canceling the effects of external magnetic fields that otherwise would interfere with proper functioning of a charged-particle-beam (CPB) optical system inside a column. In one embodiment, openings and other disruptions in the continuity of the column are flanked by respective coil sets. Each coil set includes multiple coils that are individually electrically energized. The coils can be inside the column, outside the column, or both inside and outside. The magnitude and direction of the respective composite magnetic fields generated by the coil sets can be changed by adjusting the respective electrical currents flowing through the individual coils. Thus, the magnitude and direction of the composite magnetic field can be manipulated as required to cancel the effects of the interfering magnetic field. In addition, the column can be situated within a shield of an anisotropic magnetic material in which the magnetic flux most readily flows in selected directions.