Patents by Inventor Shigeru Hirukawa

Shigeru Hirukawa 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).

  • Patent number: 9488920
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid. A projection optical system projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate. A recovery port recovers the liquid supplied onto the substrate. A temperature sensor measures a temperature of the liquid recovered via the recovery port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9448493
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid. A projection optical system projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate. A recovery port recovers the liquid supplied onto the substrate. A temperature sensor measures a temperature of the liquid recovered via the recovery port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20160252828
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki KOBAYASHI, Soichi OWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Yasuhiro OMURA
  • Patent number: 9316921
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yasuhiro Omura
  • Patent number: 9268237
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: 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
  • Patent number: 9235139
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: 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
  • 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: 20150301457
    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: April 27, 2015
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    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
  • Patent number: 9164393
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus for illuminating a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light with a light amount distribution in which an amount of light is larger in a pair of first areas and a pair of second areas than in an area other than the first and second areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The pair of the first areas being arranged outside an optical axis, the pair of the second areas being arranged on the same straight line as the pair of the first areas are arranged on, and the pair of the second areas being arranged outside the pair of the first areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • 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: 9146474
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus that illuminates a pattern with an illumination system to expose a substrate through a projection system are provided. The pattern is illuminated with illumination light having a light amount distribution, which is set such that an amount of light is larger in an on-axis area substantially including an optical axis and in a plurality of off-axis areas arranged out of the optical axis than in an area other than the on-axis area and the plurality of off-axis areas on a pupil plane of the illumination system. The polarization states of the illumination light are different between the on-axis area and the off-axis areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 9019467
    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: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: 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
  • 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: 8810767
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 8711324
    Abstract: An exposure method exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate through a liquid by using a projection optical system while moving the substrate in a predetermined direction. A temperature distribution of the liquid in a direction intersecting the predetermined direction is measured. A projection state of the image of the pattern is adjusted on the basis of information about the measured temperature distribution. The substrate is exposed to the image of the pattern in the projection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 8698998
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus EXS forms an immersion area AR2 of a liquid LQ on the side of the image plane of a projection optical system PL and performs exposure of a substrate P via the projection optical system PL and the liquid LQ of the immersion region AR2. The exposure apparatus EXS has an optical cleaning unit (80) which irradiates a predetermined irradiation light Lu, having an optical cleaning effect, onto, for example, the upper surface (31) of the substrate stage PST which makes contact with the liquid LQ for forming the immersion area AR2. 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: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Kenichi Shiraishi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Patent number: 8675177
    Abstract: An exposure method and apparatus simultaneously transfer patterns with various pitches with high resolution. On the pupil surface of an illumination system, at least first and second pairs of areas are set. The distribution of intensity of light over the pupil surface is set so that the intensities of light of the second pair of areas is smaller than that of the first pair of areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Takehito Kudo, Shigeru Hirukawa
  • Publication number: 20140055763
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naoyuki KOBAYASHI, Soichi OWA, Shigeru HIRUKAWA, Yasuhiro OMURA
  • 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
  • Patent number: 8605252
    Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yasuhiro Omura