Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a chamber which incorporates an optical element and surrounds a predetermined region, a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber, and a pump for reducing the internal pressure of the chamber. The pressure of the closed vessel is also reduced when the internal pressure of the chamber is reduced.

Abstract: An X-ray projection exposure apparatus includes a mask chuck for holding a reflection X-ray mask having a mask pattern thereon, a void being formed between the mask and the mask chuck, a wafer chuck for holding a wafer onto which the mask pattern is transferred, an X-ray illuminating system for illuminating the reflection X-ray mask, held by the mask chuck, with X-rays, an X-ray projection optical system for projecting the mask pattern of the reflection X-ray mask onto the wafer held by the wafer chuck with a predetermined magnification and a supply for supplying the void formed between the mask and the mask chuck with a cooling gas for cooling the mask.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory production system is provided, capable of holding the data necessary for process analysis for each lot in chronological order using a small amount of information, and which enables production management based on data that has been stored previously without performing new measurements. The semiconductor memory production system comprises: an LSI tester 1 that tests semiconductor memory and outputs the addresses of memory cells for each chip and a pass/fail bitmap corresponding to these addresses, and a process defect estimating device 34 that extracts the bit addresses of fail bits from the bitmap, and determines replacement addresses of word lines and bit lines to be replaced by redundant word lines and redundant bit lines in the redundant memory section, and estimates process defects from statistical analysis of the distribution condition of each chip on each wafer.

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: An apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask onto a substrate with radiation light from a synchrotron radiation light source, includes a first mirror for collectively reflecting radiation light from the synchrotron radiation light source, and a second mirror for reflecting radiation light from the first mirror and for projecting the same to the mask.

Abstract: An exposure method includes the steps of transferring, by exposure, a pattern formed on an original to different shot regions on a substrate sequentially, and performing, during exposure of a certain shot, at least one of (i) adjusting a relative positional relation between the original and the substrate, with respect to a direction effective to correct translation of a transfer region of the substrate due to thermal distortion thereof, and (ii) adjusting a transfer magnification of the pattern of the original to the substrate so as to correct enlargement of the transfer region due to thermal distortion of the substrate. In one preferred form, the adjustment is made in accordance with a correction table related to thermal expansion of the substrate during exposure and being prepared on the basis of one of a calculation and a preparatory exposure experiment.

Abstract: An X-ray projection exposure apparatus includes a mask chuck, a wafer chuck, an X-ray illuminating system, and an X-ray projection system. The masks chuck holds a reflection X-ray mask having a mask pattern thereon. The wafer chuck holds a wafer onto which the mask pattern is transferred. The X-ray illuminating system illuminates the reflection X-ray mask, held by the mask chuck, with X-rays. The X-ray projection optical system projects the mask pattern of the reflection X-ray mask onto the wafer held by the wafer chuck with a predetermined magnification. The mask chuck includes a mechanism for generating static electricity for attracting and holding the reflection X-ray mask by an electrostatic force. The invention also includes a device manufacturing method using such an X-ray projection exposure apparatus to transfer a mask pattern onto the wafer using the X-ray projection exposure apparatus.

Abstract: A mask holding system includes a chucking mechanism for holding a mask structure including a frame and a mask substrate having a rectangular window with a mask pattern, and a load mechanism for applying, at a position along an extension of a diagonal of the rectangular window, a load to the frame in a direction along the plane of the mask, whereby the mask pattern can be distorted isotropically with the application of the load along the mask plane.

Abstract: A communication control apparatus includes a master communication control unit for performing communication control for a plurality of slave units, and an intermediate communication control unit which performs the communication control for each slave unit instead of the master communication control unit. The intermediate communication control unit includes a memory section for holding transmission data necessary for slave unit communication processing and response data, which is a response to the transmission data, a transmission/reception section for sending the transmission data and for receiving the response data, and a communication processing control section.

Abstract: A holding mechanism includes a box body for providing a space for accommodating an X-ray mask, at least one opening formed at the side of the box body and a holding mechanism for holding the X-ray mask within the space by a kinematic mount system.

Abstract: A substrate holding device includes a vacuum supplying device for supplying a vacuum to a holding surface to hold a substrate, a hollow member surrounding at least a portion of the holding surface and movable between a position in which the holding member protrudes from the holding surface and a position in which the hollow member does not protrude from the holding surface, and a moving mechanism for relatively moving between the hollow member and the holding surface.

Abstract: A scanning exposure method includes steps of relatively scanning a mask and a wafer relative to exposure light of a slit beam, to transfer a pattern of the mask onto the wafer and applying a relative speed between the mask and the wafer in a scan direction, during the scan exposure in one shot area, wherein the relative speed is changed in accordance with thermal distortion of the mask pattern caused during the scan exposure.

Abstract: An air cleaning apparatus for vehicles includes an ozone generator, diffusing plate, and activated charcoal filter, which are disposed sequentially from the upstream side of air flow in an air cleaning duct. The activated charcoal filter contains acid treated activated charcoal and alkali treated activated charcoal. Thus, in the air cleaning apparatus for vehicles, the ozone generator oxidizes ammonia and acetaldehyde and then absorbs and removes the products by acid activated charcoal and alkali activated charcoal. As a result, ammonia, acetaldehyde and acetic acid which are bad odor components of cigarette smoke can be removed sufficiently and effectively.

Abstract: The survival and proliferation of Schwann cells can be promoted by culturing such cells in the presence of peptides derived from the EGF-like domain of proteins from the NDF/heregulin family. Colon epithelial cells can be stimulated to multiply and differentiate by culturing such cells in the presence of the same peptides.

Abstract: A substrate holding apparatus in which first and second vacuum clamping devices each have a holding surface for holding a portion of a substrate, a first driving device for rotating the first vacuum clamping device relative to the second vacuum clamping device, and a second driving device for reciprocally moving the first vacuum clamping device between a position in which it protrudes by a predetermined amount from the holding surface of the second vacuum clamping device and a position in which it does not protrude from that holding surface. Also disclosed is a substrate holding device in which a vacuum clamping device creates a vacuum clamp force on the holding surface thereof, a cylindrical delivering member surrounds at least a portion of the holding surface and is reciprocally movable between a position in which it protrudes by a predetermined amount from the holding surface and a position in which it does not protrude from the holding surface, and a driving device for moving the delivering member.

Abstract: There is disclosed a mask supporting device comprising a chuck mechanism for supporting a mask substrate provided with a rectangular window in which a mask pattern is formed, and a frame for reinforcing the mask substrate, and a mechanism for applying, to said frame of the mask, loads from mutually orthogonal directions. The mechanism for applying loads includes a fixed reference contacting two positions on the external periphery of the mask frame and two pressing mechanism for applying loads to the mask frame from two directions respectively opposed to the two contact positions.

Abstract: Schwann cells can be treated in vivo to survive longer and to proliferate by contacting them with peptides derived from the EGF-like domain of proteins of the NDF/heregulin family.

Abstract: A mask and a mask supporting mechanism wherein the outside periphery of a mask frame, having a rectangular shape, which supports the mask, is supported at three supporting points which are substantially the same distance from the center line of a mask membrane, whereby the mask frame is positioned with respect to X, Y and .theta. directions. Two pressing mechanisms press the mask frame at two points substantially opposed to two of the supporting points. The mask is supported at three points on the bottom surface thereof for positioning in the Z direction.

Abstract: Colon epithelial cells are stimulated to multiply, grow and mature by contacting them in vivo with peptides derived from the EGF-like domain of proteins of the NDF/heregulin family.

Abstract: Novel peptides are described which are biologically active derivatives of the EGF-like domain of NDF/heregulins and which stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of colon epithelial cells and support the survival and growth of Schwann cells.