Patents by Inventor Yasuhisa Tani

Yasuhisa Tani has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Projection exposure apparatus, cleaning and maintenance methods of a projection exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 8724076
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Tani, Masaki Shiozawa
  • Projection exposure apparatus, cleaning and maintenance methods of a projection exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 8035797
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Tani
  • Projection exposure apparatus, cleaning and maintenance methods of a projection exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Publication number: 20110170080
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Tani, Masaki Shiozawa
  • Projection exposure apparatus, cleaning and maintenance methods of a projection exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Patent number: 7932992
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Nikon Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Tani
  • OPTICAL MEMBER, LIGHT ROUTING UNIT, AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20090244507
    Abstract: Embodiment of the present invention is to provide an optical member composed of calcium fluoride (fluorite) and being capable of preventing deterioration and demonstrating a long life even in use under severe conditions. An optical member of a preferred embodiment has a base material having an entrance face into which light is incident, a total reflection face totally reflecting the incident light, and an exit face from which the totally reflected light emerges to the outside, and made of a calcium fluoride crystal; and a protecting layer to control deterioration of the total reflection face by the light, which is provided on a surface outside the total reflection face in this base material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa TANI, Shunsuke NIISAKA
  • Surface treatment method and surface treatment apparatus, exposure method and exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Publication number: 20080117401
    Abstract: A surface treatment method includes an operation which imparts energy to the object in a state where the surface of the object has been brought into contact with a prescribed fluid in order to reduce the surface energy of the object which has liquid repellency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yasuhisa Tani
  • Projection exposure apparatus, cleaning and maintenance methods of a projection exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method
    Publication number: 20060232757
    Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus that exposes a substrate with a liquid interposed between a surface of the substrate and an optical element on the substrate side of a projection optical system; includes liquid supply and discharge mechanisms, which supply the liquid via a liquid supply tube as they recover the liquid via a liquid recovery tube, and an adhesion preventing mechanism that prevents an adhesion of impurities on member forming a flow path for the liquid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Applicant: NIKON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhisa Tani, Masaki Shiozawa