Abstract: An illumination optical apparatus is able to individually illuminate two regions separate from each other, under required illumination conditions. The illumination optical apparatus comprises a first illumination system to illuminate a illumination region and a second illumination region to illuminate a second illumination region. The first illumination system includes a first variable system which varies a shape or size of a light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil of the first illumination system and the second illumination system includes a second variable system which varies a shape or size of a light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil of the second illumination system. The first variable system and the second variable system vary the light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil of the first illumination system and the light intensity distribution on the illumination pupil of the second illumination system independently of each other.

Abstract: There are provided an indirect internal reforming-type SOFC in which a reformer is heated by radiation heat from a SOFC, wherein the heat receiving area of a reformer can be easily made large and stable operation is possible without decreasing the efficiency, and a reformer suitable to the SOFC. The indirect internal reforming-type solid oxide fuel cell comprising a reformer capable of reforming kerosene and a solid oxide fuel cell which uses as a fuel a reformed gas obtained by the reformer is characterized in that the indirect internal reforming-type solid oxide fuel cell comprises a plurality of solid oxide fuel cell stacks; the reformer comprises a plurality of reaction tubes packed with a reforming catalyst capable of steam-reforming kerosene; and the reaction tubes are arranged in two rows with the tubes spaced from each other and form a staggered arrangement in a location interposed between the stacks.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate through exposure liquid filled in a space between the optical element and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a member having a flow passage in which exposure liquid flows, the flow passage being in fluidic communication with the space. The apparatus also includes a cleaning system which cleans the member.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate through exposure liquid filled in a space between the optical element and the substrate. The apparatus also includes a member having a surface and movable to a position at which the surface of the member faces the optical element. The apparatus also includes a cleaning system which cleans the surface of the member.

Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes an optical element via which a patterned beam is projected onto a substrate in an exposure operation, a liquid supply system having a supply port from which exposure liquid is supplied, and a member which has a surface and which is different from the substrate. In the exposure operation, the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the substrate. In a cleaning operation, the member is moved to a position at which the surface of the member faces the optical element, and the liquid supply system supplies the exposure liquid from the supply port to a space between the optical element and the surface of the member.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: An optical property measurement apparatus is equipped with an optical system unit that selectively places an opening section for passing illumination light, a microlens array for measuring wavefront aberration, and a polarization detection system for measuring a polarization state of the illumination light on an optical path of the illumination light. Accordingly an illumination shape and a size of an illumination optical system, wavefront aberration of a projection optical system and a polarization state of the illumination light can be measured together. Therefore, for example, even when exposure is performed with polarized illumination that is a type of modified illumination, highly-accurate exposure can be achieved by adjusting various optical systems based on the measurement results.

Abstract: A sensor is used at a substrate level in a lithographic projection apparatus having a projection system with a numeric aperture that is greater than 1 and is configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate The sensor includes a radiation-detector; a transmissive plate having a front surface and a back surface, the transmissive plate being positioned such that radiation projected by the projection system passes into the front surface of the transmissive plate and out of the back surface thereof to the radiation detector; and a luminescent layer provided on the back surface of the transmissive plate, the luminescent layer absorbing the radiation and emitting luminescent radiation of a different wavelength, wherein the back surface is rough.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: A lens cleaning module is provided for a lithography system having an exposure apparatus including an objective lens. The system includes a scanning stage for supporting a wafer beneath the objective lens. A cleaning module coupling with the lithography system is provided for cleaning the objective lens in a non-manual cleaning process.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a variable slit apparatus, which can rapidly change the shape of the slit width of the illumination light while finely controlling the shape of the slit-shaped illumination light, an illumination apparatus that uses such, an exposure apparatus, and the like. The variable slit apparatus for forming a slit-shaped illumination light comprises: a first light-shielding mechanism that comprises a plurality of blades for defining one long side of the illumination light; a second light-mechanism configured to define another long side of the illumination light; and a drive mechanism that changes the width of the illumination light in the latitudinal direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction by driving the first light-shielding mechanism and the second light-shielding mechanism.

Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.

Abstract: A part of exposure beam through a liquid via a projection optical system enters a light-transmitting section, enters an optical member without passing through gas, and is focused. The exposure apparatus receives the exposure light from the projection optical system to perform various measurements even if the numerical aperture of the projection optical system increases.

Abstract: An image sensor has a CdTe plate, a plurality of hole-type electrodes, and a voltage-applying unit. The hole-type electrodes are arranged at predetermined intervals in the direction of thickness. The voltage-applying unit applies a voltage to the hole-type electrodes. One of the electrodes is not adjacent to any other electrode and is used as an anode. The remaining electrodes are used as cathodes. A sensor-element array is provided on the detecting surface of the image sensor. The array comprises a plurality of sensor elements arranged in the form of a matrix. Each sensor element comprises an anode, a plurality of cathodes, and CdTe lying between the anode and the cathodes.

Abstract: There is provided an exposure apparatus capable of forming a desirable device pattern by removing unnecessary liquid when performing exposure by projecting a pattern onto the substrate via a projection optical system and the liquid. The exposure device projects an image of the pattern onto the substrate P via the projection optical system and the liquid so as to expose the substrate P. The exposure device includes a liquid removing mechanism 40 which removes the liquid remaining on a part 7 arranged in the vicinity of the image plane of the projection optical system.

Abstract: Before measuring a wavefront aberration of a projection optical system, an image formation position of an image of a pattern of a test reticle which is formed on a predetermined surface is detected by an AF sensor. Based on a result of this detection, the position of an incident surface of a wavefront aberration measurement unit is adjusted, and a position of an image of the pattern with respect to the incident surface is adjusted. After this adjustment, the image of the pattern formed through the projection optical system is detected by the wavefront aberration measurement unit, and a wavefront aberration detection section is used to obtain wavefront aberration information of the projection optical system based on a result of this detection.

Abstract: A stitch balancing thread tension 11 of a sewing machine 1 includes a rotary disk 17 having a surface extending perpendicular to an axial direction of a shaft 16 on which the rotary disk 17 is mounted. The thread breakage detection device includes a permanent magnet member 21 attached to the surface of the rotary disk 17, a hole element 22 that detects a magnetic field generated at the permanent magnet member 21 and outputs detection signals, and a detection unit that detects the thread breakage based on the detection signals from the hole element 22. Because the thread breakage detection device is integrally formed to the stitch balancing thread tension 11, the thread breakage detection device can be provided to the sewing machine 1 without increasing a number of components and the size of the sewing machine 1.