Abstract: A near-field exposure apparatus including a light source, a stage on which an object to be exposed to light is placed, and a photomask with a deformable membrane portion having on a first surface a light shielding membrane that has a micro aperture and a substrate for supporting a peripheral region of a second surface of the deformable membrane portion. Exposure is conducted with the deformable membrane portion in a sagged condition. The photomask has a stress relieving structure to relieve stress that is generated at a border between the deformable membrane portion and the substrate when the deformable membrane portion sags. The stress relieving structure is one of: a reinforcing member placed at the border, the substrate being partially thinned near the border, and an intermediate layer that is formed between the substrate and the second surface of the deformable membrane portion.

Abstract: There is provided a positive photoresist for near-field exposure excellent in light utilization efficiency even with small layer thickness of the photoresist layer for image formation, and allowing for reduced pattern edge roughness, and a photolithography method including a step of exposing by the near-field exposure the photoresist layer for image formation made thereof. In a positive photoresist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinone diazide compound, the film thickness of the photoresist at the time of exposure is not larger than 100 nm, and the absorption coefficient of the photoresist ? (?m?1) for the exposure light is such that 0.5???7.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a pattern by using a photomask including both a minute aperture where a main component of a transmitted light is an evanescent light and an aperture where a main component of a transmitted light is a propagating light. The apparatus includes a sample stand for placing a substrate to be processed on which a photoresist with a film thickness equal to or smaller than a width of the minute aperture is formed, a stage for placing the photomask, a light source for generating light for exposure, and a device for controlling a distance between the substrate to be processed and the photomask.

Abstract: An alignment method for an exposure mask and an object to be exposed, wherein exposure is carried out while the exposure mask having a light blocking film formed at a membrane portion thereof is closely contacted to the object to be exposed and light from a light source is projected to the object to be exposed, through the exposure mask, and wherein alignment of the exposure mask and the object to be exposed is carried out prior to the exposure, the method comprising the steps of preparing an exposure mask having a light blocking film provided on a base material constituting the membrane portion and having a structure for performing position detection, flexing the membrane portion and detecting, by use of the structure, a relative position of the exposure mask and the object to be exposed, in a state in which the exposure mask is contacted to the object to be exposed, and aligning the exposure mask and the object to be exposed, with each other, on the basis of a result of the position detection.

Abstract: A near-field photoresist for formation of a fine pattern with by near-field exposure includes an alkali-soluble novalac resin, a diazyde-type photosensitizer which is photoreactive by near-field exposure, a photoacid generator which generates acid by the near-field exposure, and a solvent.

Abstract: A near-field photoresist for formation of a fine pattern with by near-field exposure includes an alkali-soluble novalac resin, a diazyde-type photosensitizer which is photoreactive by near-field exposure, a photoacid generator which generates acid by the near-field exposure, and a solvent.

Abstract: A communication terminal having one or more one-touch-dial buttons simplifies operations needed for registration of destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses. A communication terminal (e.g., a cellular phone) having one or more one-touch-dial buttons includes a destination-data registration unit (e.g., a phone-directory database) that allows destination data such as phone numbers or mail addresses to be registered therein, a one-touch-dial registration unit that allows destination data to be registered therein so as to be associated with the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, and a control unit that, in response to an operation of the one or more one-touch-dial buttons, determines whether destination data has been registered in the one-touch-dial registration unit or the destination-data registration unit, and that outputs a result of the determination and a query message regarding registration of the destination data.

Abstract: The present invention relates to massage control of a terminal device provided with a messaging function and acts to enhance the display function for new and old events such as reception of plural pieces of mail. The terminal device provided with a messaging function that indicates an event comprises a first display mark (unread-mail icon) indicative of an event; and a second display mark (newly-incoming-mail icon) indicative of a new event generated while the first display mark is being displayed, the second display mark indicating the new event in a different form from that of the first display mark, wherein an old and the new events are respectively indicated by the first and second display marks.

Abstract: Disclosed is a resist pattern forming method wherein an exposure mask with a light blocking film having a fine opening not greater than a wavelength of exposure light is placed close to a resist layer provided on a substrate and wherein exposure light is projected to the resist layer through the exposure mask, whereby the resist layer is exposed with near-field light leaking from the fine opening such that a pattern of the exposure mask is transferred to the resist layer. The method includes a resist layer forming step for forming, on the substrate, a negative type resist layer with a thickness not less than a leakage depth of the near-field light, an exposure step for exposing the negative type resist layer with the near-field light, and a development step for developing the exposed negative type resist layer by use of a developing liquid to form a pattern in a region being shallower than the thickness of the negative type resist layer.

Abstract: This specification discloses an exposure mask, a method of designing and manufacturing an exposure mask, an exposure method and apparatus, a pattern forming method, and a device manufacturing method. Specifically, the exposure mask is adapted to expose an image forming layer provided on a substrate, by use of near field light leaking from adjoining openings formed in a light blocking member, wherein the light blocking film has an opening interval that is determined so that an electric field distribution at the image forming layer side of the opening to be defined as exposure light is projected on the light blocking member has a correlation with an eccentric model of electric field distribution as determined by a linewidth and a height of a pattern to be produced.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pattern forming method for forming a resist pattern on a substrate to be processed. The method includes a resist layer forming step for forming a resist layer on the substrate, an exposure step for exposing the resist layer with near-field light, and a developing step for developing the exposed resist layer, wherein the resist layer is made of a resist material having an Y value calculated from a sensitivity curve, not less than 1.6.

Abstract: A photosensitive resin composition is constituted by a polymer, as a component (A), having a monodisperse molecular weight distribution; and a compound, as a component (B), first generating a functional group which is capable of being silylated by radiation irradiation.

Abstract: A near-field photoresist for formation of a fine pattern with by near-field exposure includes an alkali-soluble novalac resin, a diazyde-type photosensitizer which is photoreactive by near-field exposure, a photoacid generator which generates acid by the near-field exposure, and a solvent.

Abstract: A mask manufacturing method includes a first step of forming, on a workpiece substrate, a fine pattern on the basis of a pattern of a fine opening having a size of not more than a wavelength of exposure light by irradiating the workpiece substrate with the exposure light through a first mask provided with the fine opening and using near-field light leaking from the fine opening; and a second step of forming a second mask by processing the workpiece substrate on the basis of the fine pattern formed in the first step.

Abstract: There is provided a positive photoresist for near-field exposure excellent in light utilization efficiency even with small layer thickness of the photoresist layer for image formation, and allowing for reduced pattern edge roughness, and a photolithography method including a step of exposing by the near-field exposure the photoresist layer for image formation made thereof. In a positive photoresist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinone diazide compound, the film thickness of the photoresist at the time of exposure is not larger than 100 nm, and the absorption coefficient of the photoresist ? (?m?1) for the exposure light is such that 0.5???7.

Abstract: There is provided a positive photoresist for near-field exposure excellent in light utilization efficiency even with small layer thickness of the photoresist layer for image formation, and allowing for reduced pattern edge roughness, and a photolithography method including a step of exposing by the near-field exposure the photoresist layer for image formation made thereof. In a positive photoresist containing an alkali-soluble novolak resin and a quinone diazide compound, the film thickness of the photoresist at the time of exposure is not larger than 100 nm, and the absorption coefficient of the photoresist ? (?m?1) for the exposure light is such that 0.5???7.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to improve the position, shape, and size of a bump in order to realize highly reliable flip-chip mounting. In the case of the semiconductor device of this embodiment, a stacked bump 14 is provided on electrode pad 12 created on the main surface of semiconductor chip 10. That is, said bump 14 comprises columnar pedestal part 14a and columnar tail part 14b having a smaller diameter than that of pedestal part 14a. Peak plane of tail part 14b (peak plane of the bump) and the top surface of pedestal part 14a are both flat. Said bump 14 is created through gold plating, for example, using a resist (photolithography) technology and a plating technology.

Abstract: A near field light probe is capable of emanating a near field light having a sufficient intensity while allowing reduction of aperture size to improve resolution. The near field light probe can be incorporated in a near-field optical microscope, a near field light lithography apparatus, and a near field light storage apparatus. A near field light probe has a configuration in which a light-blocking film is formed with an aperture having slits surrounding the major opening. Light emitted from a light source is coupled into the probe from one side of the light-blocking film, the light being polarized in a predetermined direction with respect to the slits so that a near field light emanates from the major opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photomask for near-field exposure, including: a substrate; and a membrane portion supported by the substrate and having on one side thereof a shielding membrane that has a micro aperture, in which the photomask has such a structure as to relieve stress that is generated in the border between the membrane portion and the substrate when the membrane portion is sagged.

Abstract: A photolithography method using near-field light includes a step of controlling the position of an exposure mask and an object to be processed so as to make the object to be located in a region where near-field light is present, and a step of exposing the object to near-field light while controlling the intensity of such light as a function of the aperture density of the exposure mask. The intensity of near-field light is controlled by modifying the aperture width or modifying the transmissivity of the exposure mask depending on the aperture density.