Abstract: A table for a lithographic apparatus, the table having an encoder plate located on the table, a gap between the encoder plate and a top surface of the table, the gap located radially inward of the encoder plate relative to the periphery of the table, and a fluid extraction system with an opening in the surface of the gap to extract liquid from the gap.

Abstract: A fluid handling structure for a lithographic apparatus, the fluid handling structure successively having, at a boundary from a space configured to comprise immersion fluid to a region external to the fluid handling structure: an extractor having at least one opening arranged in a first line that, in use, is directed towards a substrate and/or a table; and a liquid manipulator on a surface that, in use, faces the substrate and/or table to reduce the chance of droplets on the surface from coalescing.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cleaning a contaminated surface of a lithographic apparatus are provided. A liquid confinement structure comprises at least two openings used to supply and extract liquid to a gap below the structure. The direction of flow between the openings can be switched. Liquid may be supplied to the gap radially outward of an opening adapted for dual flow. Supply and extraction lines to respectively supply liquid to and extract liquid from the liquid confinement structure have an inner surface that is resistant to corrosion by an organic liquid. A corrosive cleaning fluid can be used to clean photo resist contamination.

Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus that includes a substrate table, a fluid handling structure and a swap table. The substrate table is configured to support a substrate. The fluid handling structure is configured to supply and confine immersion liquid to a space defined between a projection system and the substrate table, the substrate, or both. The swap table has a shutter surface configured to be under the fluid handling structure during, for example, swap of the substrate on the substrate table. In use, a transfer surface between a surface of the substrate table and a surface of the swap table is moved under the fluid handling structure to help stop escaping immersion liquid. A shutter member and a method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A downstream side fin group is formed by a plurality of fins. Among these fins, end fins positioned at both ends in an arranging direction are arranged near second wall portions. Each end fin has an extension portion which is bent at upstream end thereof and extends toward the corresponding second wall portion. A space is provided near each second wall portion in the ventilation passage. Each space is closed by the corresponding extension portion at a time when the corresponding end fin is arranged at a maximum inclined position at which the end fin is most away from the second wall portion, and the extension portion enters the space at a time when the end fin is arranged at a different position from the maximum inclined position.

Abstract: A calibration method for the position calibration of secondary alignment heads with a primary alignment head in a multi-head alignment system, such as that used for the measurement of markers on the surface of a wafer, as carried out during a lithographic process in the formation of circuits in or on the wafer includes making a plurality of offset measurements for at least one of the secondary alignment heads, so that the offset of the secondary alignment heads with respect to the primary alignment head can be measured, and used as correction data in subsequent wafer measurement calculations.

Abstract: A fluid handling system for an immersion lithographic apparatus that has a fluid removal device to remove immersion liquid from an immersion space, and a droplet removal device to remove a droplet of immersion liquid, wherein: the droplet removal device is located further from an optical axis than the fluid removal device, and the droplet removal device comprises a porous member which faces, e.g., the substrate being exposed and/or the substrate table.

Abstract: A bearing unit (90) for rotatably supporting a shaft (100) comprises a seamless holding member (120) with a gap allowing a shaft to run through and extend to the outside, a bearing (130) arranged in the inside of the holding member to rotatably support the shaft so as to make it radially revolvable, an anti-shaft-release member (115) fitted to the shaft so as to abut the bearing in order to prevent the shaft from slipping away in the thrusting direction and a space-forming member (113) arranged in the inside of the holding member so as to secure a space around the anti-shaft-release member. A bearing unit may further comprise an lubricating oil seal member and the space-forming member may be used to form a passage way for lubricating oil to prevent lubricating oil from leaking.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp 1 is constructed in which more than two lead wires (5), (6), (11) and (12) are connected to respective electrodes (3) and (4) of both end portions of a glass tube (2), the glass tube (2) having a uniform diameter of less than 6.5 mm. Also, when the fluorescent lamp 1 is manufactured, an electrode assembly in which two glass beads are fixed to more than two lead wires extended from the electrodes, mercury amalgam being welded to the lead wires is used, the electrode assembly is temporarily fastened by welding the inside glass bead to the glass tube, mercury is evaporated by heating the mercury amalgam and the inside of the glass tube is sealed by welding the outside glass bead to the glass tube.

Abstract: A fluorescent lamp 1 is constructed in which more than two lead wires (5), (6), (11) and (12) are connected to respective electrodes (3) and (4) of both end portions of a glass tube (2), the glass tube (2) having a uniform diameter of less than 6.5 mm. Also, when the fluorescent lamp 1 is manufactured, an electrode assembly in which two glass beads are fixed to more than two lead wires extended from the electrodes, mercury amalgam being welded to the lead wires is used, the electrode assembly is temporarily fastened by welding the inside glass bead to the glass tube, mercury is evaporated by heating the mercury amalgam and the inside of the glass tube is sealed by welding the outside glass bead to the glass tube.

Abstract: Left and right sides of the mesh sandwiching the placing region therebetween are set as left and right to-be-fixed portions to be fixed to sample holder separation portions respectively to be moved in a stretch direction. A slit for dividing use is formed from a portion of the periphery of the mesh disposed between the left and right to-be-fixed portions thereof toward the rubber slice-placing position of the mesh in a direction orthogonal to the stretch direction of the rubber slice or a direction inclined thereto. When the to-be-fixed portions are moved in a separation direction by moving the sample holder separation portions, the mesh is divided into left and right parts by the slit for dividing use so that the rubber slice fixed to the left and right sides of the mesh is stretched.

Abstract: A bearing unit and a rotating apparatus which prevent leakage of lubricating oil to the utmost and which are superior in reliability are disclosed. A radial bearing and a thrust bearing support a shaft for rotation, and a path forming member and a path forming member lid form a communicating path having a function of short-circuiting pressure generated when the shaft and the radial bearing rotate relative to each other. A housing has a function of covering and holding the members mentioned while the housing is open at one end of the shaft with a small void left therebetween. Lubricating oil is filled in the void. The path forming member and the path forming member lid fully cover the members mentioned, except a shaft opening side portion of the radial bearing. The housing is made of a molded resin material.

Abstract: A bearing unit (90) for rotatably supporting a shaft (100) comprises a seamless holding member (120) with a gap allowing a shaft to run through and extend to the outside, a bearing (130) arranged in the inside of the holding member to rotatably support the shaft so as to make it radially revolvable, an anti-shaft-release member (115) fitted to the shaft so as to abut the bearing in order to prevent the shaft from slipping away in the thrusting direction and a space-forming member (113) arranged in the inside of the holding member so as to secure a space around the anti-shaft-release member. A bearing unit may further comprise an lubricating oil seal member and the space-forming member may be used to form a passage way for lubricating oil to prevent lubricating oil from leaking.

Abstract: A bearing unit (90) for rotatably supporting a shaft (100) comprises a seamless holding member (120) with a gap allowing a shaft to run through and extend to the outside, a bearing (130) arranged in the inside of the holding member to rotatably support the shaft so as to make it radially revolvable, an anti-shaft-release member (115) fitted to the shaft so as to abut the bearing in order to prevent the shaft from slipping away in the thrusting direction and a space-forming member (113) arranged in the inside of the holding member so as to secure a space around the anti-shaft-release member. A bearing unit may further comprise an lubricating oil seal member and the space-forming member may be used to form a passage way for lubricating oil to prevent lubricating oil from leaking.

Abstract: A bearing unit comprises a shaft, a radial bearing for supporting the shaft in a peripheral rotation direction of the shaft, a thrust bearing supporting an end of the shaft in a thrust direction of the shaft, a housing made of a molded body of a synthetic resin, inside of which housing the radial bearing and the thrust bearing are arranged, the housing having a sealed configuration except for a shaft insertion hole, through which the shaft is inserted, a slip-out preventing member provided on an end side of the radial bearing at which the thrust bearing is provided, the slip-out preventing member preventing the shaft from slipping out from the radial bearing, and a viscous fluid filled in the housing. The slip-out preventing member is made of a material having a thermal deformation temperature higher than a temperature applied to the slip-out preventing member upon molding of the housing.

Abstract: A bearing unit comprises a cylindrical oil-impregnated bearing, in which a bearing bore to support a turning shaft is formed so as to enable the turning shaft to turn; a bearing holder, in which the oil-impregnated bearing is fixed by an inner bore; a first groove being formed in an axial direction on an inner circumferential surface of the oil-impregnated bearing; and a second groove being formed in an axial direction on at least one of an outer circumferential surface of the oil-impregnated bearing and an inner circumferential surface of the bearing holder. The second groove is formed so as to have a greater depth than that of the first groove. The second groove is also formed so as to have a larger cross section than that of the first groove.

Abstract: Left and right sides of the mesh sandwiching the placing region therebetween are set as left and right to-be-fixed portions to be fixed to sample holder separation portions respectively to be moved in a stretch direction. A slit for dividing use is formed from a portion of the periphery of the mesh disposed between the left and right to-be-fixed portions thereof toward the rubber slice-placing position of the mesh in a direction orthogonal to the stretch direction of the rubber slice or a direction inclined thereto. When the to-be-fixed portions are moved in a separation direction by moving the sample holder separation portions, the mesh is divided into left and right parts by the slit for dividing use so that the rubber slice fixed to the left and right sides of the mesh is stretched.

Abstract: A downstream side fin group is formed by a plurality of fins. Among these fins, end fins positioned at both ends in an arranging direction are arranged near second wall portions. Each end fin has an extension portion which is bent at upstream end thereof and extends toward the corresponding second wall portion. A space is provided near each second wall portion in the ventilation passage. Each space is closed by the corresponding extension portion at a time when the corresponding end fin is arranged at a maximum inclined position at which the end fin is most away from the second wall portion, and the extension portion enters the space at a time when the end fin is arranged at a different position from the maximum inclined position.

Abstract: A bearing mechanism having a sleeve including at an inner circumferential surface thereof a first bearing surface and a relief portion including a diameter greater than that of the first bearing surface is used in a spindle motor. An axial length of the first bearing surface is between approximately 1.2 mm and 1.8 mm. By virtue of such configuration, characteristics of the spindle motor are improved and an operating life of the spindle motor is extended.

Abstract: The bearing unit of the present invention has: a shaft; a radial bearing which supports the shaft in a circumferential direction of the shaft; a thrust bearing which supports an end of the shaft in a thrust direction of the shaft; a housing having a closed structure except for a shaft insertion hole in which the shaft is inserted, with the radial bearing and the thrust bearing being provided inside the housing; a stopper member which prevents the shaft from being pulled out of the radial bearing; and viscous liquid filled in the housing. The stopper member is made of an elastic member which is elastically deformed only in the radial direction and is hardly deformed in the axial direction. Hence, the shaft is prevented from being pulled out from the housing, and shortage of the lubrication oil around bearing surfaces is prevented from being caused by lifting of the shaft.