Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical fiber for amplification, an optical amplifying apparatus, and so on, having a structure for enabling increase of power of output light, suppression of occurrence of nonlinear optical phenomena, and compact storage all together. The optical amplifying apparatus comprises an optical fiber for amplification amplifying input light inputted together with pumping light from a pumping light source. The optical fiber for amplification comprises a core region doped with a rare-earth element, and a cladding region provided on an outer periphery of the core region and having a refractive index lower than that of the core region. The core region has an outer diameter of 10 ?m or more but 30 ?m or less, and has a relative refractive index difference of 0.5% or more but 2.0% or less with respect to the cladding region. The cladding region has an outer diameter of 75 ?m or more but 200 ?m or less.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus is provided with a projection optical system, and the projection optical system includes a first optical element disposed most closely to an image plane of the projection optical system. The exposure apparatus includes a first liquid immersion mechanism which forms a first liquid immersion area of a first liquid between the first optical element and an upper surface of a transparent member provided on a side of the image plane of the projection optical system, and an observation unit which observes a state of the first liquid immersion area. It is possible to grasp the state of the liquid immersion area of the liquid, thereby executing optimum liquid immersion exposure.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: A catadioptric optical system forms an image of a first surface onto a second surface. The system includes a first lens having a first optical axis, a combination of a concave mirror and a second lens, the combination having a second optical axis, a third lens having a third optical axis, a first reflection plane that is arranged in an optical path between the first lens and the combination, and a second reflection plane that is arranged in an optical path between the combination and the third lens. An intersection line of an extension plane of the first reflection plane and an extension plane of the second reflection plane is set up so that the first optical axis, the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect at one point. In addition, at least one of the first lens and the third lens is movable.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system, which is arranged in an optical path between a first surface and a second surface, projects a pattern on a negative plate arranged on the first surface onto a workpiece arranged on the second surface and exposes the pattern thereon. The projection optical system includes a first imaging optical subsystem having a dioptric imaging optical system; a second imaging optical subsystem having a concave reflecting system; a third imaging optical subsystem having a dioptric imaging optical system; a first folding mirror arranged in an optical path between the first imaging optical subsystem and the second imaging optical subsystem; and a second folding mirror arranged in an optical path between the second imaging optical subsystem and the third imaging optical subsystem. The first imaging optical subsystem forms a first intermediate image and the second imaging optical subsystem forms a second intermediate image.

Abstract: A catadioptric optical system forms an image of a first surface onto a second surface. The system includes a first lens having a first optical axis, a combination of a concave mirror and a second lens, the combination having a second optical axis, a third lens having a third optical axis, a first reflection plane that is arranged in an optical path between the first lens and the combination, and a second reflection plane that is arranged in an optical path between the combination and the third lens. An intersection line of an extension plane of the first reflection plane and an extension plane of the second reflection plane is set up so that the first optical axis, the second optical axis and the third optical axis intersect at one point. In addition, at least one of the first lens and the third lens is movable.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate, a liquid supply mechanism which has a supply flow passage through which the liquid is supplied onto the substrate, and a liquid recovery mechanism which has a recovery flow passage through which the supplied liquid is recovered. At least one of the supply flow passage and the recovery flow passage is formed in a stacked member in which a plurality of plate members are stacked.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus successively exposes a plurality of shot areas on a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate, and a liquid supply mechanism which supplies the liquid from a supply port arranged opposite to the substrate to form a liquid immersion area on a part of the substrate including a projection area of the projection optical system. The liquid supply mechanism continuously supplies the liquid from the supply port during a period in which an exposure process is performed for the plurality of shot areas on the substrate.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate, and a liquid supply mechanism which supplies the liquid onto the substrate to form a liquid immersion area on a part of the substrate including a projection area of the projection optical system. The liquid supply mechanism is isolated from the projection optical system in terms of vibration.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate, a liquid supply mechanism which supplies the liquid onto the substrate to form a liquid immersion area on a part of the substrate including a projection area of the projection optical system, a liquid recovery mechanism which recovers the liquid on the substrate at a liquid recovery position apart from the projection area, and a trap member which is arranged outside the liquid recovery position of the liquid recovery mechanism with respect to the projection area and which is formed with a liquid trap surface for capturing the liquid.

Abstract: An exposure method exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate by using a projection optical system. The exposure method includes supplying the liquid onto a part of the substrate including a projection area of the projection optical system to form a liquid immersion area, the liquid having an affinity for a liquid contact surface disposed at an end of the projection optical system, the affinity being higher than an affinity for a surface of the substrate, and projecting the image of the predetermined pattern onto the substrate through the liquid supplied to the liquid immersion area.

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.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting an image of a predetermined pattern through a liquid onto the substrate. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system which projects the image of the pattern onto the substrate, a liquid supply mechanism which supplies the liquid onto the substrate to form a liquid immersion area on a part of the substrate including a projection area of the projection optical system, and a liquid recovery mechanism which recovers the liquid on the substrate simultaneously at a plurality of positions. The liquid recovery mechanism recovers the liquid with a recovery force which differs depending on the position for recovering the liquid.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: A laser apparatus including a laser generating portion that generates pulse light having a single wavelength within a range from an infrared band to a visible band. An optical amplifier is optically connected to the laser generating portion, and includes a plurality of fiber optical amplifiers to amplify the pulse light a plurality of times. A wavelength converting portion is optically connected to the optical amplifier, and includes cylindrical lenses and a plurality of non-linear optical crystals to wavelength-convert the amplified pulse light into ultraviolet light. The amplified pulse light is incident on the cylindrical lenses through one of the plurality of non-linear optical crystals and is incident on a different one of the plurality of non-linear optical crystals from the one non-linear optical crystal through the cylindrical lenses.

Abstract: A lens cleaning module is provided for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens. The system includes a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens. A cleaning module coupling with the lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus, wherein exposure is carried out while filling a space between a projection optical system and a substrate with a liquid, enables to suppress deterioration of a pattern image caused by any bubble in the liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a liquid supply unit 1 which fills at least a part of the space between the projection optical system and the substrate with a liquid 50, and exposes the substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate via the projection optical system. The liquid supply unit 1 includes a degassing unit 21 which suppresses the generation of the bubble in the liquid 50.

Abstract: An ultraviolet laser apparatus according to the present invention comprises a laser generating portion having a single-wavelength oscillating laser for generating laser light having a single wavelength falling within a wavelength range from an infrared band to a visible band, an optical amplifier having a fiber optical amplifier for amplifying the laser light generated by the laser generating portion, and a wavelength converting portion for wavelength-converting the amplified laser light into ultraviolet light by using a non-linear optical crystal, whereby ultraviolet light having a single wavelength is generated.