Abstract: A chamber system includes: a housing section that is surrounded by a bottom part, a side wall part, and a ceiling part and houses a processing apparatus; and a heat-insulating section that is provided in each of the bottom part, the side wall part, and the ceiling part, and regulates transfer of heat between the housing section and the outside of the housing section.

Abstract: A mask stage RS1 and a substrate stage WS1 are synchronously moved, and a mask stage RS2 and a substrate stage RS2 are synchronously moved, in a state in which a mask on the mask stage RS1 and a mask on the mask stage RS2 are irradiated with illumination light beams from illumination optical systems IOP1, IOP2 respectively. The reaction force on a base board due to the movement of the stages can be canceled to suppress the vibration of an exposure apparatus by moving the mask stage RS1 and the mask stage RS2 in mutually opposite directions. The throughput can be improved by performing alignment operation on substrate stages WS3, WS4 concurrently with the exposure operation.

Abstract: Charged-particle-beam (CPB) microlithography systems are disclosed that detect displacements of certain components and implement corrective countermeasures to the displacements so that pattern-exposure accuracy and precision are not compromised by the displacements. In an embodiment, displacement sensors and corrective actuators are installed at respective locations in or on the microlithography system. If the displacement sensors detect displacements at the respective locations, corresponding electrical signals produced by the sensors are fed-back or fed-forward to the corrective actuators. Alternatively, the electrical signals are routed directly to a beam-position-control system or routed indirectly to a displacement predictor. The displacement predictor calculates estimates of displacements based on data obtained previously concerning operation of certain displacement-generating components of the system.

Abstract: Stage devices are disclosed that include gas-actuation and reaction-force-canceling mechanisms. In an embodiment, an X-axis moving guide extending in the X direction engages a lower stage via a gas bearing. Y-axis sliders (movable elements) are provided at both ends of the X-axis moving guide. A Y-axis fixed guide 8 engages each Y-axis slider via a gas bearing. Each Y-axis slider and respective fixed guide constitute a respective pneumatic actuator. Respective mounting members are provided near the ends of each fixed guide, with interposed gas bearings, and each fixed guide is slidably affixed to a base plate. An actuator for stroke correction is provided in association with each mounting member.

Abstract: A mask stage RS1 and a substrate stage WS1 are synchronously moved, and a mask stage RS2 and a substrate stage RS2 are synchronously moved, in a state in which a mask on the mask stage RS1 and a mask on the mask stage RS2 are irradiated with illumination light beams from illumination optical systems IOP1, IOP2 respectively. The reaction force on a base board due to the movement of the stages can be canceled to suppress the vibration of an exposure apparatus by moving the mask stage RS1 and the mask stage RS2 in mutually opposite directions. The throughput can be improved by performing alignment operation on substrate stages WS3, WS4 concurrently with the exposure operation.

Abstract: Holding devices are disclosed that are configured to hold an optical component of an optical system without actually contacting the optical component. An embodiment of such a holding device is operable in a vacuum environment, such as used in an Extreme UV (EUV) optical system, and effectively holds the optical component without imposing stress on the optical component. The embodiment includes a receptacle configured to receive a mounting portion of the optical component. The receptacle includes at least one gas bearing. At least one exhaust groove (or analogous feature) is situated and configured to scavenge gas discharged by the gas bearing and to exhaust the scavenged gas so as to avoid burdening the vacuum chamber with the discharged gas. Desirably, the receptacle defines multiple gas bearings each including a respective air pad, each desirably including at least one respective exhaust groove.

Abstract: Stage devices are disclosed that include gas-actuation and reaction-force-canceling mechanisms. In an embodiment, an X-axis moving guide extending in the X direction engages a lower stage via a gas bearing. Y-axis sliders (movable elements) are provided at both ends of the X-axis moving guide. A Y-axis fixed guide 8 engages each Y-axis slider via a gas bearing. Each Y-axis slider and respective fixed guide constitute a respective pneumatic actuator. Respective mounting members are provided near the ends of each fixed guide, with interposed gas bearings, and each fixed guide is slidably affixed to a base plate. An actuator for stroke correction is provided in association with each mounting member.

Abstract: A support sheet for a photographic printing sheet having enhanced anti-fogging and anti-yellowing properties comprises a pulp paper substrate sheet, a front coating layer formed on a front surface of the substrate sheet and comprising a cured resinous material produced from electron beam-curable unsaturated organic compound by an electron beam irradiation thereto and mixed with a white pigment, and a back coating layer formed on a back surface of the substrate sheet and comprising a film-forming synthetic resinous material, in which a magnesium compound is contained, as an anti-fogging agent, in the substrate sheet and/or the front coating layer.

Abstract: The support sheet for photographic printing paper of the present invention includes a substrate paper sheet, a front surface composite resin coating layer formed on the front surface of the substrate paper sheet and including an inside cured resin layer and outermost cured resin layer including, as a main component, an electron beam-curing product of electron beam-curable unsaturated organic compound, and a back surface resin coating layer formed on the back surface of the substrate paper sheet and including a film-forming synthetic resin, and is produced by a process including the steps of forming at least one inside coating liquid layer including an electron beam-curable unsaturated organic compound on the front surface of the substrate paper sheet;separately forming an outermost coating liquid layer containing an electron beam-curable unsaturated organic compound on a shaping surface and applying thereto a first electron beam irradiation to provide an outermost cured resin layer;superimposing the outermost

Abstract: A support sheet for a photographic printing sheet having enhanced anti-fogging and anti-yellowing properties comprises a pulp paper substrate sheet, a front coating layer formed on a front surface of the substrate sheet and comprising a cured resinous material produced from electron beam-curable unsaturated organic compound by an electron beam irradiation thereto and mixed with a white pigment, and a back coating layer formed on a back surface of the substrate sheet and comprising a film-forming synthetic resinous material, in which magnesium hydroxide is contained, as an anti-fogging agent, in the substrate sheet.

Abstract: A thermal transfer image-receiving sheet for recording thereon colored dye images having a high clarity and color density and an excellent storage durability, comprises an image-receiving resinous layer formed on a substrate sheet and comprising a resinous material which is an actinic ray irradiation curable product of a precursory resinous composition comprising (A) an unsaturated acrylic or methacrylic ester compound having a rosin or modified rosin residue, (B) another acrylic or methacrylic ester compound having a bisphenol A residue, at least one ethylene glycol residue and at least two terminal acrylic or methacrylic ester residue, and optionally (C) still another unsaturated acrylic or methacrylic ester compound having a single terminal acrylic or methacrylic ester residue.

Abstract: A support sheet for photographic printing paper having an undercoat layer on which a photographic emulsion layer is to be formed, and which is free from foaming, contamination by foreign substances, and putrefaction and does not effect the photographic emulsion, by the steps of coating front and back surfaces of a substrate sheet with polyolefin resins; surface-activating the front coating layer; and extrusion coating the activated surface of the front coating layer with a coating liquid comprising gelatin, through a slit-shaped orifice, to form the undercoat layer.