Abstract: A fixing device and an image forming apparatus to pass a paper through a nip portion between a fixing roller and a pressure roller and fix a toner image on the paper. The image forming apparatus includes a first spring and a second spring to press the pressure roller against the fixing roller and an operation lever to change a pressing state of the springs. The operation lever has two positions of: a first position in which pressing of the pressure roller by the first spring is made active and pressing by the second spring is made inactive; and a second position in which the pressing by the second spring is made active and the pressing by the first spring is made inactive. A contact pressure of the pressure roller against the fixing roller is differentiated in the first position and in the second position.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises image forming sections for each color, each including a pressure receiving parts pair in a first outer region of a first rotary body and a second rotary body as an image carrier and a developing roller. A first image forming section includes a first pressure receiving part of the first rotary body and a second pressure receiving part of the second rotary body as the pressure receiving parts pair. A second image forming section includes a third pressure receiving part of the first rotary body and a fourth pressure receiving part of the second rotary body as the pressure receiving parts pair. A protruding distance of the first pressure receiving part is smaller than a protruding distance of the third pressure receiving part. A protruding distance of the second pressure receiving part is larger than a protruding distance of the fourth pressure receiving part.

Abstract: To provide a mask blank for EUVL wherein the incident angle dependence of EUV reflectivity and the film stress in a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film are improved, and a reflective layer-equipped substrate for such a mask blank. The reflective layer-equipped substrate for EUV lithography (EUVL), comprises a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, formed on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer comprises a second multilayer reflective film having a Mo layer and a Si layer alternately stacked plural times on the substrate, an adjustment layer stacked on the second multilayer reflective film, and a first multilayer reflective film having a Mo layer and a Si layer alternately stacked plural times on the adjustment layer.

Abstract: A process for producing a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), which comprises forming a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light on a film-forming surface of a substrate, then forming a protective layer for protecting the multilayer reflective film, on the multilayer reflective film, and forming an absorber layer for absorbing EUV light, on the protective layer, to produce a reflective mask blank for EUVL, wherein the multilayer reflective film is a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is a Ru layer or a Ru compound layer, the absorber layer is a layer containing at least Ta and N, and after forming the Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is formed, and after forming a Si thin film or Si oxide thin film having a thickness of at most 2 nm on the protective layer, the absorber layer is formed.

Abstract: A toner resupply device includes a detector plate for detecting a surface of toner stored in a hopper; a douser that moves together with the detector plate; a fixing plate for fixing the detector plate and the douser integrally; and a toner sensor for detecting a phase of the douser. The douser has a light-blocking surface that blocks light to be detected by the toner sensor, and a shaft extending in an axial direction crossing the light-blocking surface, the shaft being inserted in a hole made in the detector plate. The shaft has a groove in which the fixing plate is locked, the groove extending in a direction crossing the axial direction. The fixing plate in a state of being locked in the groove pushes the shaft in the axial direction, thereby fixing the detector plate and the douser to each other.

Abstract: A glass substrate-holding tool employed during the production of a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes an electrostatic chuck and a mechanical chuck. A caught and held portion of a glass substrate caught and held by the electrostatic chuck, and pressed portions of the glass substrate pressed by the mechanical chuck are located outside a quality-guaranteed region on each of a film deposition surface and a rear surface of the glass substrate. The sum of a catching and holding force applied to the glass substrate by the electrostatic chuck and a holding force applied to the glass substrate by the mechanical chuck is at least 200 kgf. A pressing force per unit area applied to the glass substrate by the mechanical chuck is at most 25 kgf/mm2.

Abstract: A glass substrate-holding tool, adapted to be employed during the production of a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), includes an electrostatic chuck and a supporting member. The chuck attracts a rear surface of a glass substrate in a non-contact manner by electrostatic attractive force. The supporting member partly supports the rear surface. An area ratio of a projected area of an active surface of the chuck for providing the electrostatic force to an area of a quality-guaranteed region of the rear surface is from 0.5 to 1.0. The active surface is apart from the rear surface by more than 20 ?m. The supporting member is configured to support only a region including at least two of four sides defining an outer portion outside the quality-guaranteed region.

Abstract: To provide an EUV mask blank whereby deterioration in reflectance due to oxidation of a Ru protective layer is suppressed, a functional film-attached substrate to be used for the production of the EUV mask blank, and a process for producing the functional film-attached substrate. A substrate with a reflective layer for EUV lithography, comprising a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light and a protective layer for protecting the reflective layer formed in this order on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer is a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is a Ru layer or a Ru compound layer, between the reflective layer and the protective layer, an interlayer is formed which is composed of a first layer containing from 0.5 to 25 at % of nitrogen and from 75 to 99.5 at % of Si, and a second layer containing from 60 to 99.8 at % of Ru, from 0.1 to 10 at % of nitrogen and from 0.1 to 30 at % of Si and which has a total thickness of the first and second layers being from 0.

Abstract: To provide a mask blank for EUVL wherein the incident angle dependence of EUV reflectivity and the film stress in a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film are improved, and a reflective layer-equipped substrate for such a mask blank. The reflective layer-equipped substrate for EUV lithography (EUVL), comprises a substrate, and a reflective layer for reflecting EUV light, formed on the substrate, wherein the reflective layer comprises a second multilayer reflective film having a Mo layer and a Si layer alternately stacked plural times on the substrate, an adjustment layer stacked on the second multilayer reflective film, and a first multilayer reflective film having a Mo layer and a Si layer alternately stacked plural times on the adjustment layer.

Abstract: A process for producing a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), which comprises forming a multilayer reflective film for reflecting EUV light on a film-forming surface of a substrate, then forming a protective layer for protecting the multilayer reflective film, on the multilayer reflective film, and forming an absorber layer for absorbing EUV light, on the protective layer, to produce a reflective mask blank for EUVL, wherein the multilayer reflective film is a Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is a Ru layer or a Ru compound layer, the absorber layer is a layer containing at least Ta and N, and after forming the Mo/Si multilayer reflective film, the protective layer is formed, and after forming a Si thin film or Si oxide thin film having a thickness of at most 2 nm on the protective layer, the absorber layer is formed.

Abstract: A toner resupply device having: a detector plate for detecting a surface of toner stored in a hopper; a douser that moves together with the detector plate; a fixing plate for fixing the detector plate and the douser integrally; and a toner sensor for detecting a phase of the douser. The douser has a light-blocking surface that blocks and transmits light to be detected by the toner sensor, and a shaft extending in an axial direction crossing the light-blocking surface, the shaft being inserted in a hole made in the detector plate. The shaft has a groove in which the fixing plate is locked, the groove extending in a direction crossing the axial direction. The fixing plate in a state of being locked in the groove pushes the shaft in the axial direction, thereby fixing the detector plate and the douser to each other.

Abstract: A developing unit is pivotally supported by a pivot pin so as to be swingable, and a forcing lever forces a developing roller towards a photosensitive drum so that an outer circumferential surface of a DS roller makes contact with an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. This maintains, at a specified value, a developing gap between the photosensitive drum and the developing roller. A sympathetic vibration prevention member in which an elastic member is provided on an upper surface of the base member is inserted between a lower portion of a housing of the developing unit and a guide rail provided under the lower portion. This prevents the developing unit from vibrating in sympathetic with vibration during the transportation of the image forming apparatus, which prevents the toner from spilling out.

Abstract: A glass substrate-holding tool, adapted to be employed during the production of a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography (EUVL), includes an electrostatic chuck and a supporting member. The chuck attracts a rear surface of a glass substrate in a non-contact manner by electrostatic attractive force. The supporting member partly supports the rear surface. An area ratio of a projected area of an active surface of the chuck for providing the electrostatic force to an area of a quality-guaranteed region of the rear surface is from 0.5 to 1.0. The active surface is apart from the rear surface by more than 20 ?m. The supporting member is configured to support only a region including at least two of four sides defining an outer portion outside the quality-guaranteed region.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor unit having a photoreceptor drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum; a developing unit supporting shaft for rotatably supporting the developing unit; a pressing lever for pushing and rotating the developing unit to press the developing unit against the photoreceptor unit; a rotatable pressing lever shaft for supporting the pressing lever; and a holding member for holding the developing unit supporting shaft and the pressing lever shaft to maintain a fixed distance between the developing unit supporting shaft and the pressing lever shaft.

Abstract: A glass substrate-holding tool employed during the production of a reflective mask blank for EUV lithography includes an electrostatic chuck and a mechanical chuck. A caught and held portion of a glass substrate caught and held by the electrostatic chuck, and pressed portions of the glass substrate pressed by the mechanical chuck are located outside a quality-guaranteed region on each of a film deposition surface and a rear surface of the glass substrate. The sum of a catching and holding force applied to the glass substrate by the electrostatic chuck and a holding force applied to the glass substrate by the mechanical chuck is at least 200 kgf. A pressing force per unit area applied to the glass substrate by the mechanical chuck is at most 25 kgf/mm2.

Abstract: To provide an EUV mask of which a decrease in the contrast of reflected light at the mask pattern boundary, particularly a decrease in the contrast of reflected light at the boundary on the mask pattern outer edge, is suppressed, and an EUV mask blank to be used for production of the EUV mask. A reflective mask blank for EUV lithography, comprising: a substrate, and a reflective layer to reflect EUV light, and an absorber layer to absorb EUV light, formed in this order over the substrate, a step on at least a part of the substrate being provided between a first portion where the absorber layer is removed at the time of patterning, and a second portion where the absorber layer is not removed at the time of patterning, adjacent to the first portion where the absorber layer is removed.

Abstract: Provision of a process for producing an EUV mask blank wherein formation of scars of a glass substrate surface or a chuck surface due to sandwiching of foreign objects such as particles between an electrostatic chuck and the glass substrate, is suppressed. A process for producing an EUV mask blank wherein an electrostatic chuck for clamping a glass substrate has a main body and a lower dielectric layer made of an organic polymer film, and electrode portion made of an electrically conductive material and an upper dielectric layer made of an organic polymer film provided in this order on the main body, wherein the upper dielectric layer includes an anode and a cathode.

Abstract: A developing unit is pivotally supported by a pivot pin so as to be swingable, and a forcing lever forces a developing roller towards a photosensitive drum so that an outer circumferential surface of a DS roller makes contact with an outer circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum. This maintains, at a specified value, a developing gap between the photosensitive drum and the developing roller. A sympathetic vibration prevention member in which an elastic member is provided on an upper surface of the base member is inserted between a lower portion of a housing of the developing unit and a guide rail provided under the lower portion. This prevents the developing unit from vibrating in sympathetic with vibration during the transportation of the image forming apparatus, which prevents the toner from spilling out.

Abstract: To provide an EUV mask of which a decrease in the contrast of reflected light at the mask pattern boundary, particularly a decrease in the contrast of reflected light at the boundary on the mask pattern outer edge, is suppressed, and an EUV mask blank to be used for production of the EUV mask.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a photoreceptor unit having a photoreceptor drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; a developing unit for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum; a developing unit supporting shaft for rotatably supporting the developing unit; a pressing lever for pushing and rotating the developing unit to press the developing unit against the photoreceptor unit; a rotatable pressing lever shaft for supporting the pressing lever; and a holding member for holding the developing unit supporting shaft and the pressing lever shaft to maintain a fixed distance between the developing unit supporting shaft and the pressing lever shaft.