Abstract: A cooling apparatus arranged in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere for use with an optical element having an illuminated area onto which light is irradiated concave part includes a temperature variation mechanism that changes a temperature of part of the cooling apparatus in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus for cooling an optical element provided in a vacuum atmosphere includes a radiational cooling part, arranged apart from the optical element, for cooling the optical element by radiation heat transfer, and a controller for controlling temperature of the radiation cooling part.

Abstract: A laser tracking interferometer; a carriage rotatable about a center of the reference sphere; a laser interferometer that provides a retroreflector displacement signal, and a displacement gage that provides a displacement signal. A data processing apparatus computes displacement of the retroreflector with respect to the reference sphere. A position sensitive detector provides a position signal corresponding to the amount of deviation of a laser beam when the laser beam is reflected off the retroreflector back into the laser interferometer and deviated in a direction orthogonal to its optical axis. A controller controls rotation of the carriage based on the position signal from the position detector so that the amount of deviation becomes zero.

Abstract: Disclosed is a holding system and an exposure apparatus having the same, wherein deformation of an optical member resulting from its thermal expansion and causing degradation of imaging performance can be reduced to assure desired imaging performance. The holding system for holding an optical member includes a barrel for at least partially surrounding the optical member and/or a heat source, an average of radiation coefficient of an inside surface of the barrel is not less than 0.8.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system configured to project an image of a pattern of a reticle onto a substrate. The exposure apparatus exposes the substrate via the projection optical system and a liquid that is disposed between the projection optical system and the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a top plate configured to hold the substrate, an auxiliary plate disposed around the substrate on the top plate and having a surface that is substantially flush with a surface of the substrate, and a mirror disposed on the top plate for use in measuring at least one of a position of the top plate and an orientation of the top plate. The auxiliary plate preferably is formed of a low-thermal-expansion material having a coefficient of linear expansion of no greater than 100 ppb.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus arranged in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere for use with an optical element having an illuminated area onto which light is irradiated concave part includes a temperature variation mechanism that changes a temperature of part of the cooling apparatus in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: Air conditioner pertaining to the present invention in which a synthetic polymer case, in which an antibacterial agent impregnated in a medium such as a porous body or water-absorbing polymer is sealed, is arranged in the upstream airflow side and/or downstream airflow side of an evaporator, which air conditioner is characterized in that the thickness of the wall of the case is formed to allow gas permeation of the antibacterial agent, and in that the thickness of the wall on the downstream airflow side is less than the thickness of the wall on the upstream airflow side.

Abstract: A cooling mechanism for cooling an optical element disposed in a vacuum atmosphere includes a support part for supporting the optical element, which has a channel having an inlet, into which gas is supplied, and an outlet, from which the gas is exhausted, and a decompression mechanism, connected to the channel, for reducing pressure of the gas to be supplied.

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical system for directing light from a light source to a predetermined plane, and it includes an optical element, a measuring mechanism for performing position measurement to a surface of the optical element, at plural measurement points on that surface, a first temperature controlling mechanism for controlling temperature of a first control region of the optical element, a second temperature controlling mechanism for controlling temperature of a second control region of the optical element, and a temperature controller for controlling the first and second temperature controlling mechanisms on the basis of the measurement made by the measuring mechanism. The proposed structure is very effective to prevent thermal deformation of the optical element due to irradiation with light, particularly in a case where only a portion of the optical element is locally irradiated with light.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus arranged in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere for use with an optical element having an illuminated area onto which light is irradiated concave part includes a temperature variation mechanism that changes a temperature of part of the cooling apparatus in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus having an exposure mode that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto an object, and a standby mode that waits for exposure includes an optical system for introducing the exposure light to the object in the exposure mode, and a mechanism for allowing the exposure light to enter the reticle and/or the optical system in the standby mode, and for preventing the exposure light from entering the object in the standby mode.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus having an exposure mode that transfers a pattern on a reticle onto an object, and a standby mode that waits for exposure includes an optical system for introducing the exposure light to the object in the exposure mode, and a mechanism for allowing the exposure light to enter the reticle and/or the optical system in the standby mode, and for preventing the exposure light from entering the object in the standby mode.

Abstract: A reflection type mask includes a substrate on which a multi-layered film for reflecting X-rays is provided, a mask pattern which is formed on the multi-layered film for absorbing the X-rays, and a cover for protecting the mask pattern. The cover is detachably attached to the substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed is a holding system and an exposure apparatus having the same, wherein deformation of an optical member resulting from its thermal expansion and causing degradation of imaging performance can be reduced to assure desired imaging performance. The holding system for holding an optical member includes a barrel for at least partially surrounding the optical member and/or a heat source, an average of radiation coefficient of an inside surface of the barrel is not less than 0.8.

Abstract: Disclosed is a holding system and an exposure apparatus having the same, wherein deformation of an optical member resulting from its thermal expansion and causing degradation of imaging performance can be reduced to assure desired imaging performance. The holding system for holding an optical member includes a barrel for at least partially surrounding the optical member and/or a heat source, an average of radiation coefficient of an inside surface of the barrel is not less than 0.8.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing system is provided in which chip position information is read without removing resin from a package so that the cause of a failure can be quickly identified and removed and the yield of chips can be rapidly improved. A replacement address reading device reads redundancy addresses from a semiconductor device which is determined as faulty in a test performed after the semiconductor device has been sealed into a package. A chip position analyzing device estimates, from the combination of these redundancy addresses, a lot number, a wafer number and a chip number of the faulty semiconductor device. A failure distribution mapping device maps the distribution of faulty chips in each wafer in the lot based on these numbers thus obtained. A failure cause determining device identifies which manufacturing device or processing step has caused the failures in the wafer process based on the above distribution.

Abstract: At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to an apparatus which includes an original stage, to hold an original, which moves in a scan direction, an illumination optical system configured to illuminate the original held by the original stage with exposure light, a substrate stage configured to hold a substrate and to move in a scan direction, a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the original onto the substrate with the exposure light, and an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the original held by the original stage. Irradiation by the irradiation unit and movement of the original stage in the scan direction are carried out substantially in parallel with each other so as to remove a contaminant on the original.

Abstract: A cooling apparatus arranged in a vacuum or reduced pressure atmosphere for use with an optical element having an illuminated area onto which light is irradiated concave part includes a temperature variation mechanism that changes a temperature of part of the cooling apparatus in a non-contact manner.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus of an exposure apparatus includes a chamber, a substituting unit for substituting a gas in the chamber from a first gas to a second gas, a static pressure gas bearing provided in the chamber, a gas supply unit for supplying the second gas to the static pressure gas bearing, a control unit for controlling the gas supply unit to supply the second gas to the static pressure gas bearing when the substituting unit substitutes the gas in the chamber from the first gas to the second gas, and a bearing exhaust unit for exhausting the gas of the static pressure gas bearing.

Abstract: A processing apparatus includes a sealed vacuum chamber which contains a processing portion; a pressure controlling system which keeps the internal pressure of the sealed vacuum chamber constant at a predetermined level by exhausting the ambient gas in the sealed vacuum chamber; and an ambient gas recirculating system which recirculates the ambient gas exhausted from the sealed vacuum chamber back into the sealed vacuum chamber; wherein the ambient as recirculated by the ambient gas recirculating system is blown into the sealed vacuum chamber so that a gas flow is generated in a predetermined direction along the processing portion.