Patents by Inventor Ryuichi Hoshika

Ryuichi Hoshika 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: 20180364581
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with light via liquid includes a stage which holds the substrate and is movable relative to a projection system; and a liquid supply system which supplies liquid onto the substrate held on the stage to form a liquid immersion area on part of the substrate The stage includes a substrate holder arranged in a recess of the stage to hold the substrate inside the recess so that an upper surface of the substrate is substantially flush with an upper surface of the stage around the recess; a flow passage connected to an internal space of the recess to remove liquid from the internal space; and a sensor which receives light from the projection optical system and is arranged so that an upper surface of the sensor is substantially flush with the upper surface of the stage around the recess.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: December 20, 2018
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Hiroaki TAKAIWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Ryuichi HOSHIKA, Hitoshi ISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 10088760
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
  • Patent number: 9618854
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Hoshika, Tomoharu Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20160246184
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2016
    Publication date: August 25, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi SHIRAISHI, Ryuichi HOSHIKA, Tomoharu FUJIWARA
  • Patent number: 9335639
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Hoshika, Tomoharu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9182685
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus has a stage which includes a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a detachable member detachably disposed on the stage so that its upper surface contacts an immersion region, and a sensor having a light transmissive member. The detachable member, on which an opening is formed in the upper surface, is disposed on the stage so that the light transmissive member is arranged within the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
  • Publication number: 20150286151
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Hiroaki TAKAIWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Ryuichi HOSHIKA, Hitoshi ISHIZAWA
  • Patent number: 9019469
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
  • Patent number: 8724075
    Abstract: An optical element includes a base material, a liquid-repellent member provided on at least a part of a surface of the base material, and a light-reducing member provided between the base material and the liquid-repellent member to protect the liquid-repellent member from radiation of light by reducing the light. The optical element is usable for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a liquid. It is possible to avoid any inflow of the liquid in a liquid immersion area into an unexpected place via the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Kokubun, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20140022523
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light onto the substrate via a projection optical system and a liquid. The exposure apparatus has a stage which includes a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a detachable member detachably disposed on the stage so that its upper surface contacts an immersion region, and a sensor having a light transmissive member. The detachable member, on which an opening is formed in the upper surface, is disposed on the stage so that the light transmissive member is arranged within the opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 23, 2014
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Hiroaki TAKAIWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Ryuichi HOSHIKA, Hitoshi ISHIZAWA
  • Publication number: 20120307220
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus irradiates an exposure light beam EL in a state that a space KS, between predetermined optical elements LS1 and LS2 among a plurality of optical elements included in a projection optical system, is filled with a liquid LQ. When the exposure light beam EL is not irradiated during, for example, the maintenance or the like, the liquid LQ in the space KS is substituted by a functional fluid LK different from the liquid LQ. This makes it possible to reduce any influence exerted by the liquid LQ on the exposure apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki NAGASAKA, Takaya Okada, Motoi Ueda, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20120044469
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: February 23, 2012
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Hoshika, Tomoharu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8064039
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Hoshika, Tomoharu Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 8054447
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
  • Publication number: 20110013160
    Abstract: An optical element includes a base material, a liquid-repellent member provided on at least a part of a surface of the base material, and a light-reducing member provided between the base material and the liquid-repellent member to protect the liquid-repellent member from radiation of light by reducing the light. The optical element is usable for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a liquid. It is possible to avoid any inflow of the liquid in a liquid immersion area into an unexpected place via the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Kokubun, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Patent number: 7812926
    Abstract: An optical element includes a base material, a liquid-repellent member provided on at least a part of a surface of the base material, and a light-reducing member provided between the base material and the liquid-repellent member to protect the liquid-repellent member from radiation of light by reducing the light. The optical element is usable for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a liquid. It is possible to avoid any inflow of the liquid in a liquid immersion area into an unexpected place via the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Kokubun, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20070285634
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus irradiates an exposure light beam a state that a space, between predetermined optical elements and among a plurality of optical elements included in a projection optical system, is filled with a liquid. When the exposure light beam is not irradiated during, for example, the maintenance or the like, the liquid in the space is substituted by a functional fluid different from the liquid. This makes it possible to reduce any influence exerted by the liquid on the exposure apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Takaya Okada, Motoi Ueda, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20070242242
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: October 18, 2007
    Applicant: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
  • Publication number: 20070201011
    Abstract: An optical element includes a base material, a liquid-repellent member provided on at least a part of a surface of the base material, and a light-reducing member provided between the base material and the liquid-repellent member to protect the liquid-repellent member from radiation of light by reducing the light. The optical element is usable for a liquid immersion exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate through a liquid. It is possible to avoid any inflow of the liquid in a liquid immersion area into an unexpected place via the optical element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takao Kokubun, Ryuichi Hoshika
  • Publication number: 20070139632
    Abstract: A liquid immersion device that has an mixing mechanism that mixes and dissolves a predetermined substance for adjusting specific resistance of the liquid, which is supplied onto a liquid repellent film on the surface of an object (member) of a projection optical system placed on the light emitting side of projection optical system, and an liquid immersion area is formed by supplying the liquid in which the predetermined liquid is dissolved onto the liquid repellent film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Publication date: June 21, 2007
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Hoshika, Tomoharu Fujiwara