Abstract: There is provided a cell structure of a fuel cell which does not require a bolt, a seal member, or the like for fastening components of the fuel cell by a staked body, which can apply a stable fastening pressure to the entire surfaces of the components to reduce a contact resistance, and which can realize the down-sizing of the fuel cell; and a fuel cell stack.

Abstract: A synchrotron exposure includes a synchrotron radiation source for generating a synchrotron radiation beam, and exposure unit having a mask stage for holding a mask and a wafer stage for holding a waver, a beam port for directing the radiation beam to the exposure unit, a mirror unit having a mirror for reflecting the radiation beam, a pre-alignment system for aligning the wafer relative to the wafer stage, a fine-alignment system for aligning the wafer held by the wafer stage relative to the mask held by the mask stage, a mask storage apparatus for storing the mask, a wafer storage apparatus for storing the wafer, a mask conveying apparatus for conveying the mask between the mask storage apparatus and the mask stage and a wafer conveying apparatus for conveying a wafer between the wafer storage apparatus and the wafer stage.

Abstract: A method of supporting or mounting a precision instrument for supporting a mask and a wafer in a vacuum container is disclosed. The method is particularly applicable to an SOR X-ray exposure apparatus wherein the mask and the wafer are disposed in a desired level of the reduced pressure, and exposure energy such as X-rays contained in synchrotron radiation is projected onto the wafer through the mask to print the pattern of the mask onto the wafer. In x-y-z coordinates with the x direction being vertical, the precision instrument is hung at at least two points which are spaced in the x direction, to the inside wall of the vacuum container. At one of the supporting points, the precision instrument is given latitude of x, y and z direction movement, and at the other supporting point, the precision instrument is fixed or is given latitude only in the x direction.

Abstract: A method of controlling a conveying device having a gripping hand for gripping an article to be conveyed and a conveying mechanism for conveying the gripping hand, wherein a pressing force applied to the gripping hand through the article being conveyed is detected and the conveying operation of the conveying mechanism is stopped when the pressing force exceeds a predetermined force.

Abstract: A temperature controlling device suitably usable in a semiconductor microcircuit manufacturing exposure apparatus exposes a semiconductor wafer to a mask to print a pattern of the mask on the wafer. The device includes a constant-temperature liquid medium supplying system for controlling temperature of a liquid at high precision, a distributing system for distributing the supplied liquid medium into plural flow passages, to supply the liquid medium to plural subjects of control such as, for example, a mask stage, a wafer stage and the like. The device further includes a plurality of temperature controls each being provided in corresponding one of the flow passages, for correction of any variance in temperature of the distributed liquid medium, resulting from pressure loss energies in the respective flow passages. Thus, temperatures of plural subjects of control can be controlled efficiently and with a simple structure.

Abstract: A gate valve device which includes a partition wall having an opening, a valve member movable along the partition wall to open or close the opening, a driving system for moving the valve member, and a pressing mechanism for pressing the valve member toward the partition wall. The pressing mechanism has a pressing member projectable toward and retractable from the valve member, wherein the pressing mechanism presses the valve member against the partition wall when the valve member is in a position closing the opening.

Abstract: A semiconductor device manufacturing SOR X-ray exposure apparatus wherein, after a mask and a semiconductor wafer are aligned, and SOR X-ray is used to transfer a semiconductor device pattern on the mask onto a resist on the semiconductor wafer. The apparatus includes a mirror unit and an exposure unit for exposing the wafer through the mask to the X-ray from the mirror unit. The mirror unit includes an X-ray mirror for diverging the X-ray in a desired direction, a first chamber for providing a desired vacuum ambience around the X-ray mirror and a first supporting device for supplying the X-ray mirror. The exposure unit includes a shutter for controlling the exposure, a mask stage for holding the mask, a wafer stage for holding the wafer, a second chamber for providing a desired He ambience around the mask stage and the wafer stage, a frame structure for mounting the mask stage and the wafer stage and a second supporting device for supporting the frame structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing of semiconductor devices, includes exposing different portions of a semiconductor substrate with a first exposure apparatus having a first exposure range; placing and aligning the semiconductor substrate with respect to a second exposure range of a second exposure apparatus, which range is larger than the first exposure range of the first exposure apparatus; detecting an alignment error of each of the portions of the semiconductor substrate as covered by the second exposure range of the second exposure apparatus; calculating an overall alignment error of those portions of the semiconductor substrate with respect to the entire second exposure range of the second exposure apparatus, on the basis of the detected alignment errors; and controlling the exposure operation of the second exposure apparatus on the basis of the calculated overall alignment error.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for exposing a semiconductor wafer to a semiconductor device pattern formed in a mask. The exposure energy is, for example, X-rays contains in synchrotron orbit radiation. A blade for limiting the area irradiated with the exposure energy on a mask or wafer is integrally movable in an alignment detecting unit for detecting the alignment mark. Four of such blades are provided to provide a square exposure area. The blades are movable independently by the associated alignment detecting units. Each of the blades is finely movable relative to the associated alignment detecting unit. The shape or size or the like of the blade is determined in consideration of the position of the blade in the direction of the exposure energy irradiation, and the maximum and minimum exposure view angle. The blade is cooled. The exposure area can be changed highly accurately and efficiently with a simple structure.

Abstract: An exposure method for manufacture of semiconductor devices, includes moving a shutter having an edge so that the edge is related to a predetermined exposure region; projecting an exposure beam to the edge of the shutter and to at least a portion of the exposure region; determining a position of a shadow of the edge of the shutter formed by the exposure beam with respect to a predetermined coordinate system related to movement of a movable chuck; adjusting the shutter in accordance with the determination; placing a substrate on the chuck; moving the chuck so that the substrate is related to the exposure region; and controlling the exposure of the substrate with the exposure beam through the shutter.

Abstract: An X-ray mask structure includes a mask substrate having a pattern; a supporting frame for carrying and supporting the mask substrate; and an adhesive material for fixing the mask substrate to the supporting frame; wherein a stress releasing groove is formed in at least one of the mask substrate and the supporting frame.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus and method for exposing a workpiece to a pattern of an original with radiation includes a masking device having movable blades for variably defining an aperture to selectively block and transmit the radiation to define on the workpiece a desired exposure zone corresponding to the aperture, the masking device having a window, and a detector for detecting the positional deviation between the original and the workpiece by using light passing through the window of the masking device.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an exposure beam source for projecting a beam flux for exposure, having a non-uniform intensity distribution, toward a range including an exposure zone, set with respect to a main body of the exposure apparatus; illuminance detectors disposed at least at two points inside the exposure beam flux but outside the exposure zone; and a detecting device for detecting a change in intensity of the exposure beam and a change in relative position of the exposure zone and the exposure beam flux, on the basis of detected illuminances at the two points.

Abstract: A substrate conveying apparatus usable with a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus wherein a pattern of a mask is transferred onto a semiconductor wafer by exposing the semiconductor wafer to synchrotron orbital radiation or other exposure energy through a mask. The conveying apparatus transfers the semiconductor wafer to and from a wafer chuck while the surface thereof extends vertically, and/or transfers the wafer to and from a wafer cassette which contains a plurality of wafers horizontally. The apparatus includes a conveying hand having a gimbal mechanism for supporting the semiconductor wafer to assure the semiconductor wafer transfer to and from the wafer chuck while the wafer is vertical. When the semiconductor wafer is transferred to and from a wafer cassette, the apparatus is provided with a correcting mechanism for correcting the attitude of the conveying hand to prevent the semiconductor wafer from contacting the wafer cassette.

Abstract: An X-ray exposure apparatus for exposing a semiconductor wafer to a mask with X-rays, to print a pattern of the mask onto the wafer, is disclosed. The ambience within a stage accommodating chamber, accommodating a mask, a semiconductor wafer, and the like, is replaced by helium. Thereafter, a predetermined quantity of helium is supplied into the stage accommodating chamber. This effectively prevents degradation of the purity of helium due to air leakage into the chamber. Therefore, any undesirable decrease in the quantity of X-ray transmission can be avoided. Thus, high-precision and high-throughput exposure is ensured.

Abstract: A conveying apparatus includes a plurality of position limiting devices provided along the direction of conveyance and a selecting device operable to select one of or those of the plurality of position limiting devices which are effective in view of a target position, before a start of conveyance. The selecting device is further operable to select, again, one of or those of the plurality of position limiting devices which are effective in view of the current position of an article being conveyed, after a start of conveyance.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus for printing a pattern of a mask to a wafer includes a mask moving mechanism for moving the mask; a wafer moving mechanism or moving the wafer along a predetermined movement coordinate; a measuring system for measuring an error with respect to the movement coordinate, resulting from the movement of the mask by the mask moving mechanism; and a memorizing device for memorizing a data table prepared on the basis of the error measured by the measuring system; wherein the wafer moving mechanism uses the data in the data table when it moves the wafer for positioning of the wafer with respect to the mask.

Abstract: An X-ray exposure apparatus for transferring a pattern of a mask to a wafer includes an X-ray source accommodating chamber; a mask chuck for supporting the mask; a wafer chuck for supporting the wafer; a stage for moving the wafer chuck; a stage accommodating chamber for accommodating therein the mask chuck, the wafer chuck and the stage; a barrel for coupling the X-ray source accommodating chamber with the stage accommodating chamber, to define an X-ray projection passageway; a blocking window provided in the X-ray projection passageway, for isolating the ambience in the X-ray accommodating chamber and the ambience in the stage accommodating chamber from each other; and a gas supply port contributable to fill the stage accommodating chamber with a gas ambience of low X-ray absorption, the gas supply port opening to the X-ray projection passageway, at a position between the blocking window and the mask supported by the mask chuck.

Abstract: An exposure method for manufacture of semiconductor devices, includes moving a shutter having an edge so that the edge is related to a predetermined exposure region; projecting an exposure beam to the edge of the shutter and to at least a portion of the exposure region; determining a position of a shadow of the edge of the shutter formed by the exposure beam with respect to a predetermined coordinate system related to movement of a movable chuck; adjusting the shutter in accordance with the determination; placing a substrate on the chuck; moving the chuck so that the substrate is related to the exposure region; and controlling the exposure of the substrate with the exposure beam through the shutter.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of semiconductor devices wherein a radiation beam including first and second beams is projected from a synchrotron orbit radiation source into an ambience maintained substantially at a vacuum, includes the steps of directing the radiation beam to a wafer through a window effective to isolate the ambience to thereby print a circuit pattern on an X-ray sensitive layer on the wafer with the first beam, providing a support for supporting the window having an opening, extracting the second beam through the opening, and detecting and correcting any deviation of the first beam with respect to the wafer.