Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a processor including a CPU formed with a plurality of cores, the CPU performing processes, wherein a CPU core managing unit operates at least one predetermined core by a first control method involving relatively frequent process switching through task switching, and operates the other one or more cores than the at least one predetermined core by a second control method involving relatively less frequent process switching, and when a first process requiring communication with a device outside the processor and a second process not requiring communication with a device outside the processor are performed in parallel, the CPU core managing unit causes the at least one predetermined core to perform the first process, and causes the at least one predetermined core and the other one or more cores to perform the second process.

Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.

Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include: a chamber having an opening through which a laser beam is introduced into the chamber; a reference member on which the chamber is mounted; a target supply unit for supplying a target material to be irradiated by the laser beam to a predetermined region inside the chamber; a laser beam focusing optical system for focusing the laser beam in the predetermined region inside the chamber to turn the target material into plasma; and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light emitted from the plasma.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a processor including a CPU formed with a plurality of cores, the CPU performing processes, wherein a CPU core managing unit operates at least one predetermined core by a first control method involving relatively frequent process switching through task switching, and operates the other one or more cores than the at least one predetermined core by a second control method involving relatively less frequent process switching, and when a first process requiring communication with a device outside the processor and a second process not requiring communication with a device outside the processor are performed in parallel, the CPU core managing unit causes the at least one predetermined core to perform the first process, and causes the at least one predetermined core and the other one or more cores to perform the second process.

Abstract: A mirror device may include: a mirror including a base plate, a reflective film on a first surface of the base plate, and a plurality of first protrusions on a second surface of the base plate; a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove formed therein for guiding the first protrusion; and a plurality of clamps for respectively pressing the plurality of the first protrusions against the respective grooves in the plurality of the support parts.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include a reference member, a chamber fixed to the reference member, the chamber including at least one window, a laser beam introduction optical system configured to introduce an externally supplied laser beam into the chamber through the at least one window, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the laser beam introduction optical system to the reference member.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus for supplying extreme ultraviolet light to a processing unit for performing processing by using the extreme ultraviolet light. The extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which the extreme ultraviolet light to be supplied to the processing unit is generated; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light generated in the chamber to output the extreme ultraviolet light to the processing unit; and an optical path connection module for defining a route of the extreme ultraviolet light between the chamber and the processing unit and isolating the route of the extreme ultraviolet light from outside.

Abstract: A photodetection apparatus includes an objective lens element (17) that collects light from a measurement object (16) and a photodetection element that detects the light collected by the objective lens element (17). The objective lens element (17) includes a center portion (28) that collects the light through refraction and a peripheral portion (29) located around the center portion (28) that collects the light through reflection. Thus, light at a large emission angle which may not be collected in a normal convex lens can also be collected, and thus collecting efficiency can be improved and the sensitivity of the photodetection element can be increased.

Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.

Abstract: A mirror device may include: a mirror including a base plate, a reflective film on a first surface of the base plate, and a plurality of first protrusions on a second surface of the base plate; a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove formed therein for guiding the first protrusion; and a plurality of clamps for respectively pressing the plurality of the first protrusions against the respective grooves in the plurality of the support parts.

Abstract: An EUV light source apparatus by which detachment of a chamber or a part of the chamber, movement to a maintenance area, and highly accurate placement relative to projection optics can be performed easily for maintenance of the EUV light source apparatus. The EUV light source apparatus is an apparatus for generating plasma by applying a laser beam to a target material within a chamber and entering EUV light radiated from the plasma into projection optics of exposure equipment, and includes a positioning mechanism for positioning the chamber or a maintenance unit of the chamber in a predetermined location where an optical axis of the collected extreme ultraviolet light and an optical axis of the projection optics of the exposure equipment are aligned, and a movement mechanism for moving the chamber or the maintenance unit of the chamber between the predetermined location and a maintenance area.

Abstract: A mirror device may include: a mirror including a base plate, a reflective film on a first surface of the base plate, and a plurality of first protrusions on a second surface of the base plate; a plurality of support parts for respectively supporting the plurality of the first protrusions, each support part having a groove formed therein for guiding the first protrusion; and a plurality of clamps for respectively pressing the plurality of the first protrusions against the respective grooves in the plurality of the support parts.

Abstract: A first lens configured to convert light from the objective lens into parallel light includes a concave lens part having a concave curved face in a center portion of a flat face, and a convex lens part having a convex curved face around a flat face. Further, the first lens includes first and second regions configured to diverge light through the flat face and the concave curved face and a third region configured to collect light through the convex curved face and the concave curved face. When the sample is on a sample table and sealed in a two-dimensional electrophoresis substrate, light totally reflected by a side surface of the objective lens enters the second region. In contrast, when the sample is directly on the sample table, the light enters the third region.

Abstract: Even when the distance from an objective lens to a sample differs, the distribution of light from the sample can be detected accurately. A first lens 23 for converting light from the objective lens into parallel light is composed of a concave lens part 32 having a concave curved face 32c in a center portion of a flat face 32a, and a convex lens part 33 having a convex curved face 33c around a flat face 33b. Further, the first lens 23 includes first and second regions for diverging light through the flat face 33b and the concave curved face 32c and a third region for collecting light through the convex curved face 33c and the concave curved face 32c. When the sample is placed on a sample table while being sealed in a two-dimensional electrophoresis substrate, light totally reflected by a side surface of the objective lens is caused to enter the second region. In contrast, when the sample is directly placed on the sample table, the light is caused to enter the third region.

Abstract: Sensitivity is increased by enhancing the fluorescence collection efficiency while suppressing the increase in size of an objective lens. An objective lens 17 is structured to have a convex lens part 26 in a center portion and to have a truncated conical cylindrical body 27 around the convex lens part 26. Therefore, a fluorescence component b having too wide an emission angle to fit in the convex lens part 26, of fluorescence emitted from a sample 16, can be collected by total reflection on an outer peripheral surface 27b of the cylindrical body 27. Thus, even light having too wide an emission angle to be collected by a normal convex lens can be collected. As a result, it is possible to suppress the increase in size of the objective lens, to enhance the fluorescence collection efficiency, and to prevent the S/N ratio from being decreased by the existence of undetected fluorescence that is blocked by a prism 20. This can realize a fluorescence information reading device having high sensitivity.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating extreme ultraviolet light may include a reference member, a chamber fixed to the reference member, the chamber including at least one window, a laser beam introduction optical system configured to introduce an externally supplied laser beam into the chamber through the at least one window, and a positioning mechanism configured to position the laser beam introduction optical system to the reference member.

Abstract: A temperature controller for a gas laser which controls temperatures of a plurality of temperature-controlled apparatuses including a first temperature-controlled portion requiring a high-precision temperature-control and a second temperature-controlled portion requiring a low-precision temperature-control as compared with the first temperature-controlled portion and allowing a temperature-control with a low or high temperature as compared with the first temperature-controlled portion, comprises a first temperature control portion generating a cooling agent or a heating agent for adjusting a temperature of each first temperature-controlled portion, a second temperature control portion generating a cooling agent or a heating agent for adjusting a temperature of each second temperature-controlled portion, a first piping system connecting the first temperature control portion and each first temperature-controlled portion in parallel, and a second piping system connecting the second temperature control portion an