Abstract: A photo mask includes a transparent substrate and a mask pattern. The mask pattern is disposed on the transparent substrate. The mask pattern includes a blocking portion for blocking light and a transmitting portion for transmitting the light. The transmitting portion is adjacent to the blocking portion. The blocking portion includes a first blocking layer, a photo guide layer and a second blocking layer. The first blocking layer is disposed on the transparent substrate. The first blocking layer transmits a portion of the light. The first blocking layer includes a plurality of blocking patterns including a first blocking material. The photo guide layer is disposed on the first blocking layer. The photoguide layer guides the transmitted portion of the light to a side surface of the photoguide layer. The second blocking layer reflects the transmitted portion of the light.

Abstract: An extraction system, including a pump to pump gas along a conduit to a check valve configured to open at an upstream pressure over a certain magnitude, a pressure sensor to generate a signal indicative of a pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve, and a controller configured to generate a stop signal if a signal from the pressure sensor indicates that the pressure of gas between the pump and the check valve is below a certain magnitude.

Abstract: The imprint apparatus of the present invention includes a holding unit configured to hold a mold; a particle inspection unit configured to inspect whether or not particle is present on an imprint area, in which the resin pattern is formed, of the substrate; a dispenser configured to apply an uncured resin to the imprint area; a movable unit configured to move the imprint area with respect to the holding unit; and a controller. The movable unit is capable of moving the imprint area to each of an inspection position by means of the inspection unit, an application position by means of the dispenser, and a contacting position by means of the holding unit. Also, the controller causes the inspection unit to perform inspection of the imprint area in association with the movement of the imprint area by means of the movable unit.

Abstract: A photoresist composition comprising a resin having an acid-labile group; a salt represented by the formula (I); and a salt represented by the formula (B1).

Abstract: Embodiments in accordance with the present invention encompass negative-tone, solvent developable, self-imageable polymer compositions useful for forming films that can be patterned to create structures for microelectronic devices, microelectronic packaging, microelectromechanical systems, optoelectronic devices and displays.

Abstract: Provided is a photosensitive resin composition which comprises: (A-1) a resin containing a structure represented by general formula (1); and (B) a photo-acid generating agent. In general formula (1), X, R1 to R7, m1 to m4, n1, n2, Y and W are each as defined in the description.

Abstract: A developing apparatus includes: a substrate holder that hold a substrate horizontally; a developer nozzle that supplies a developer onto the substrate to form a liquid puddle; a turning flow generation mechanism including a rotary member that rotates about an axis perpendicular to the substrate while the rotary member is being in contact with the liquid puddle thereby to generate a turning flow in the liquid puddle of the developer formed on the substrate; and a moving mechanism for moving the turning flow generation mechanism along a surface of the substrate. The line-width uniformity of a pattern can be improved by forming turning flows in a desired region of the substrate and stirring the developer.

Abstract: A method and system for adjusting exposure intensity to reduce unwanted lithographic effects is disclosed. In some exemplary embodiments, the method of photolithography includes receiving a mask and a workpiece. An orientation of an illumination pattern relative to the mask is determined, and an intensity profile of the illumination pattern is adjusted according to the orientation. The mask is exposed to radiation according to the illumination pattern and the intensity profile. Radiation resulting from the exposing of the mask is utilized to expose the workpiece. In some such embodiments, the intensity profile includes an intensity that varies across an illuminated region of the illumination pattern.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus sequentially performs exposure in each of a plurality of underlying shot regions formed on a substrate and includes a controller. The controller is configured to judge, for each of the plurality of shot regions, whether to perform one-shot exposure without dividing the shot region or divided exposure, based on information of respective shapes of the plurality of shot regions, determine a shape of each partial region in the shot region in which the divided exposure is to be performed, and control the exposure so as to perform the one-shot exposure or the divided exposure in each of the plurality of shot regions based on a result of the judgment and the determined shape of each partial region.

Abstract: Illumination systems for microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes one or more scattering structures and an optical integrator that produces a plurality of secondary light sources.

Abstract: A method includes loading a wafer onto a wafer stage of a lithography system, the wafer stage comprising a heating component and a temperature sensing component. The method further includes controlling the heating component such that a temperature of the wafer stage approaches a desired point. The controlling step comprises use of a characterization curve associated with the heating component.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a moveable object (WT) and a displacement measuring system arranged to determine a position quantity of the moveable object. The displacement measuring system includes an encoder (BC) and a grid structure. One of the encoder and the grid structure is connected to the moveable object. The grid structure includes a high precision grid portion (HG) and a low precision grid portion (LG). The encoder is arranged to cooperate with the high precision grid portion to determine the position quantity relative to the grid structure with a high precision. The encoder is arranged to cooperate with the low precision grid portion to determine the position quantity relative to the grid structure with a low precision.

Abstract: An exposure apparatus which transfers a pattern formed on a mask onto a photosensitive substrate placed in proximity to the mask, the apparatus including an illumination optical device which illuminates the mask with an energy beam, a mask holding device which holds a periphery area of a pattern area of the mask from above, and makes a force at least within a plane parallel to a predetermined plane act on the mask and a substrate holding device which moves along the predetermined plane holding the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus for transferring a target, such as a substrate or a substrate support structure onto which a substrate has been clamped, from a substrate transfer system to a vacuum chamber of a lithography system. The apparatus comprises a load lock chamber for transferring the target into and out of the vacuum chamber. The load lock chamber comprises a first wall with a first passage providing access between a robot space and the interior of the load lock chamber, a second wall with a second passage providing access between the interior of the load lock chamber and the vacuum chamber, and plurality of handling robots for transferring the targets comprising: a first handling robot movable within the robot space to access the substrate transfer system and the first passage; and a second handling robot movable within the load lock chamber to access the first passage and the second passage.

Abstract: A support table for a lithographic apparatus, the support table having a support section and a conditioning system, wherein the support section, the conditioning system, or both, is configured such that heat transfer to or from a substrate supported on the support table, resulting from the operation of the conditioning system, is greater in a region of the substrate adjacent an edge of the substrate than it is in a region of the substrate that is at the center of the substrate.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus includes a cleaning unit configured to perform cleaning of a substrate holder, a detector configured to detect a foreign substance by observing a substrate held by the substrate holder, and a controller configured to control execution of a pattern forming operation on the substrate and a cleaning operation. The controller operates such that, if a foreign substance is detected out of a predetermined area including a position at which a foreign substance was previously detected after a predetermined number of executions of the cleaning operation, a next pattern forming operation is performed after executing the cleaning operation. Otherwise, a next pattern forming operation is performed without executing the cleaning operation.

Abstract: An apparatus for protecting an extreme ultra violet (EUV) mask includes an EUV pellicle that allows EUV light to be radiated through the EUV pellicle onto the EUV mask, the EUV pellicle having a size corresponding to a size of a slit limiting the EUV light to a predetermined portion of the EUV mask, a flexible blocking film at opposite sides of the EUV pellicle in a first direction, the first direction being a scan direction of an exposure apparatus, and a roller unit including a first roller and a second roller, a first portion of the flexible blocking film being wound around the first roller at a first side of the EUV pellicle, and a second portion of the flexible blocking film being wound around the second roller at a second side of the EUV pellicle.

Abstract: Provided are a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member, particularly, a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member and an organic device by which, in a method of forming a charge transporting layer, the stability of an application liquid for the layer after long-term storage is improved while the usage of an organic solvent in the application liquid is curtailed, and the layer having high uniformity is formed. The method is a method of producing an electrophotographic photosensitive member which includes a support and a charge transporting layer formed thereon, the method including: preparing a solution including: a first liquid whose solubility in water under 25° C. and 1 atmosphere is 1.0 mass % or less; a second liquid whose solubility in water under 25° C. and 1 atmosphere is 5.

Abstract: An electrophotographic photosensitive member has a photosensitive layer. The photosensitive layer is a multi-layer photosensitive layer having a charge transport layer being an outermost layer or a single-layer photosensitive layer. The amount of silica particles contained in the photosensitive layer is at least 0.5 parts by mass and no greater than 15 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of a binder resin contained in the photosensitive layer.

Abstract: A toner particle production method has an annealing step that is performed after the preparation of a resin solution by the dissolution or dispersion, in an organic solvent, of a binder resin having a polyester resin as its major component and a block polymer having a polyester segment and a vinyl polymer segment, and the preparation of a resin particle dispersion in which resin particles are dispersed by a dissolution suspension method, wherein, in this annealing step, the temperature of the obtained resin particle dispersion is held for at least 60 minutes in the temperature range from TgA-15 (° C.) to TmA (° C.), and under the conditions of a temperature variation range of not more than 20° C. and a temperature variation rate of not more than 0.35° C./minute.

Abstract: A toner is provided including large particle-diameter external additives with sweep to the concaves of a toner particle suppressed, so that the large particle-diameter external additives function as spacer particles for a long period. The toner includes toner particles which contain a binder resin and magnetic material, and organic-inorganic composite fine particles having a structure including inorganic fine particles embedded in a vinyl resin particle. The presence state of the magnetic material on the toner particle surface satisfies specific conditions and the presence state of the organic-inorganic composite fine particles on the toner surface satisfies specific conditions.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner capable of being fixed at low energy and forming an image with high resistance to external forces, such as rubbing and scratching. The object is achieved by a toner including toner particles that contain a binder resin and a colorant, a sea-island structure including a sea portion composed of the crystalline resin C serving as a main component and island portions composed of the amorphous resin A serving as a main component is observed at the observation of a cross section of each of the toner particles.

Abstract: A toner includes a crystalline polyester resin in an amount equal to or greater than 25% by mass. The toner satisfies the following formula when the toner is tested using a capillary rheometry measurement during which a pellet of the toner is pressed by a member while being heated: 0.3?(first temperature?second temperature)/(second temperature?third temperature)?1, where the first temperature is a temperature at which the member falls 4 mm, the second temperature is a temperature at which the member falls 2 mm, and the third temperature is a temperature at which the member starts to fall.

Abstract: An electrostatic-image developing toner contains toner particles. The toner particles contain a binder resin, a release agent, and a styrene-(meth)acrylic resin. The binder resin contains a polyester resin. About 70% or more of all release agent is present within about 800 nm from surfaces of the toner particles. The styrene-(meth)acrylic resin is present in an amount of about 5 to about 25 atomic percent of the resin components in the surfaces of the toner particles as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS).

Abstract: An apparatus forms a patch for gray with toners of CMY for each density region of an image for image formation, acquires a chromaticity value of the patch for gray, determines whether a chroma value obtained from the chromaticity value of the patch for gray for each density region is equal to or greater than a threshold value, generates, for a first density region corresponding to a patch with respect to which a chroma value determined to be neither equal to nor greater than the threshold value is obtained, using the obtained chroma value, a correction value for decreasing the chroma value, and generates, for a second density region corresponding to a patch with respect to which a chroma value determined to be equal to or greater than the threshold value is obtained, a correction value by performing interpolation calculation using the correction value generated for the first density region.

Abstract: The optical scanning apparatus correctly measures a gap between the laser beams of a plurality of the laser beams even when the scanning speed is changed and when the variation is caused, rightly corrects the variation. Thus, the optical scanning apparatus inputs detection signal BD_IN to the edge detecting unit at timing at which the laser beam is detected. During the enable gating, the count value representing the distance between the head laser beam and the end laser beam is counted in the counting unit. A plurality of speed ratio parameters according to the degree of changes in the scanning speed is input in the selector. The selector selects any one of the speed ratio parameters and multiplies by the count value by the multiplier, it is controlled to obtain the same multiplication result whichever scanning speed may be selected.

Abstract: Provided is an optical scanning apparatus which can achieve high resolution while reducing detection errors in the synchronous detection of a plurality of light fluxes by temperature fluctuations. An optical scanning apparatus according to this invention includes a light source having a plurality of light-emitting points, a deflection unit configured to deflect a plurality of light fluxes emitted by the plurality of light-emitting points, a scanning optical system configured to guide the plurality of light fluxes deflected by the deflection unit onto a scanned surface, and a synchronous detection unit configured to detect light fluxes from at least two light-emitting points of the plurality of light-emitting points. The synchronous detection unit includes a plurality of imaging elements. The first imaging element, of the plurality of imaging elements, which exhibits the smallest change in refractive index with respect to temperatures has the largest refractive power in a main scanning section.

Abstract: Laser driver ICs each drive different light-emitting portions and supply a driving current to one or more light-emitting portions among light-emitting portions included in a semiconductor laser. An image forming apparatus controls the laser driver ICs such that the light-emitting portions, which are each driven by a different laser driver IC, emit light beams in sequence, and measures a time interval between two BD signals generated by a BD sensor due to the light beams being incident thereon. Furthermore, based on the measured value, the image forming apparatus controls relative timings according to which the light-emitting portions emit the light beams based on image data.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developing apparatus having a container for storing a developer, a developer carrier in which a surface that carries the developer is configured so that a plurality of dielectric portions is interspersed on a surface formed of a conductor portion, and a regulating member that regulates a layer thickness of the developer that is carried on the developer carrier. In addition, a voltage applying unit applies voltages to the developer carrier and the regulating member.

Abstract: Provided is a remanufacturing method of a developer accommodating unit including a flexible container provided with an opening and configured to accommodate developer, and a frame member configured to accommodate the flexible container. The remanufacturing method includes refilling the developer into the frame member.

Abstract: An outer sleeve of a magnetic roll for a dual component development electrophotographic image forming device according to one example embodiment includes a series of grooves in an outer surface of the outer sleeve. The grooves extend along an axial length of the sleeve and are spaced circumferentially from each other around the outer sleeve. The outer sleeve has a diameter of between 15 mm and 30 mm, inclusive. The grooves are present on the outer surface of the outer sleeve at a groove density of at least 1.91 grooves/mm of the circumference of the outer surface of the outer sleeve and a total indicated runout of the outer sleeve is 0.05 mm or less.

Abstract: A digital printing system includes a development member in rotational contact with a further member for imagewise transferring liquid toner from the development member optionally via the further member to a substrate. The system is such that toner residue remains on the development member after the transfer. A treatment device is present for patternwise treatment of the toner residue on the development member, especially by addition of a dispersing agent to facilitate removal of the toner residue. A controller is present for controlling the patternwise treatment. A system is used for robust and continuous printing and is suitable for recycling of the toner residue into liquid toner.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner image carrying drum; and an image transfer unit including an endless belt, first and second belt stretching rollers, and an adjusting unit for adjusting belt movement in a widthwise direction by inclining the first roller relative to the second roller. The adjusting unit includes a contacting member provided between the first roller and the drum and contacting with an inner surface of the belt. The contacting member contacts the inner surface of the belt at a position in a drum side across a common internal tangent between the drum and such a portion of a surface of the first roller as is moved closest to the drum by the adjusting unit, the common internal tangent being the one contacting a portion of the drum adjacent to a drum-belt contact position and contacting a portion of the first roller adjacent to a first-roller-belt contact position.

Abstract: An image forming device includes: an image carrier on which a toner image is formed; and a cleaning blade which removes a residual material on the image carrier after the toner image is transferred to a transferred body, wherein the image carrier includes an elastic layer, the cleaning blade is a metallic plate spring, and a tip end of the cleaning blade is pressed against the image carrier by restoring force of the plate spring.

Abstract: Provided a transfer member for electrophotography of a multilayer structure including a surface layer having a surface for carrying toner is provided. The surface layer contains a graft type copolymer comprising a polymer having a structure represented by formula (1) as a main chain, and a group containing a structure represented by formula (2) and a group containing a structure represented by formula (3) each bonded to the main chain as a side chain.

Abstract: A transfer device includes a conveyance belt, a transfer roller, and a stretch roller. The conveyance belt is in contact with an image carrier that carries a toner image, and conveys a sheet via a contact position with the image carrier. A voltage having a polarity opposite to a charging polarity of toner that forms the toner image is applied to the transfer roller, and the transfer roller transfers the toner image carried by the image carrier onto the sheet at the contact position. The stretch roller stretches the conveyance belt at a separation position in which the sheet is separated from the conveyance belt and which is downstream of the contact position in a conveyance direction in which the sheet is conveyed by the conveyance belt, and the voltage having the polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner is applied to the stretch roller.

Abstract: An image forming system includes a post-processing unit capable of performing a post-processing on the sheet on which the toner image is formed. The image forming system is capable of executing a transfer cleaning operation to move toner from a transfer member to an image bearer by electrostatic force caused by cleaning bias applied by a bias applying unit in a state where the image bearer and the transfer member are rotated, to clean the transfer member, as an inter-sheet operation performed when at least one of inter-sheet areas that exist on the image bearer during a successive image forming period. The image forming system is capable of executing a rotation stop operation to stop rotation of the image bearer and the transfer member, as the inter-sheet operation when the post-processing is performed, in addition to the transfer cleaning operation, before or after the transfer cleaning operation is executed.

Abstract: An image fixing apparatus includes: a heater for heating and fixing a toner image formed on a recording material; a thermosensitive element for sensing heat from the heater; and a tension spring for urging the thermosensitive element toward the heater.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus having a part of a current detecting circuit configured to detect current to a heater in a fixing unit so that a main body of the image forming apparatus may have one configuration for 100 V and 200 V and provides an equal resolution of current detection for an apparatus for 100 V and an apparatus for 200 V.

Abstract: A fixing device in an image forming apparatus includes a rotatable fixing member; a plurality of heat sources to heat each area of the fixing member in a longitudinal direction thereof; a pressure member configured to contact the fixing member and forming a nip in association with the fixing member; a nip forming member disposed inside the fixing member and opposite the pressure member to form a fixing nip; a temperature controller to detect temperature at each area of the fixing member and control the temperature via lighting control performed by the heat sources; and a plurality of temperature sensors to detect temperature of the fixing member or the pressure member in each heating area heated by the plurality of heat sources. When a sheet size set by the image forming apparatus and an actually conveyed sheet size are different, operating speed of the device is adjusted.

Abstract: An image formation device includes a power controller that controls transition to an energy-saving mode to reduce power consumption in a standby state and starts up out of the energy-saving mode and a timer in which a timing schedule that starts up the device out of the energy-saving mode is set. The power controller controls the surface temperature of the fixing roller of the image generator to be a temperature lower than the fixing temperature that enables image formation when the image formation device is started up out of the energy-saving mode according to the timing schedule set in the timer.

Abstract: Provided is a fixing device including an endless belt that rotates around an axis, and transmits light, a lens that includes a curved surface having a top portion closest to an inner peripheral surface of the belt formed at one end when viewed in the axial direction, and concentrates light incident on the curved surface on a fixed object, and a light source that allows the light concentrated on the fixed object to be incident on a portion of the belt, which is different from a portion facing the top portion and has an amplitude smaller than an amplitude of the portion facing the top portion.

Abstract: A fixing device includes a nip formation pad to form a fixing nip between a first fixing rotator and a second fixing rotator, through which a recording medium bearing a toner image is conveyed. The nip formation pad includes a first planar face, a second planar face disposed downstream from the first planar face in a recording medium conveyance direction and being parallel to the first planar face, and a joint face bridging the first planar face and the second planar face. The joint face includes a first curved portion adjoining the first planar face and having a first curvature in a first direction in which a circumferential face of the second fixing rotator is curved and a second curved portion adjoining the second planar face and having a second curvature in a second direction opposite the first direction.

Abstract: In a fixing device including a pressure roller brought into press-contact with a fixing belt, a cylindrical part arranged to cover an outer peripheral surface of an end portion of the fixing belt in a rotation shaft direction, a rotation transfer member formed in an approximately annular shape by allowing two facing end edges of a rectangular sheet material to be brought close to each other, and held between an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part and an outer peripheral surface of the fixing belt, a bonding material for bonding the rotation transfer member to the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part, and a rotation detection unit that detects rotation of the cylindrical part, the cylindrical part is formed at the inner peripheral surface thereof with a storage recessed portion that stores an end edge of the rotation transfer member, positioned at a downstream side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fixing member having high abrasion resistance and being excellent in toner releasability, and a method of manufacturing the fixing member. The fixing member according to the present invention includes: a base member; an elastic layer formed on a surface of the base member; and a surface layer, in which the surface layer contains a tetrafluoroethylene-hexafluoropropylene copolymer having a specific partial structure and has a surface that forms a contact angle of 65° or more with respect to a wetting tension test mixture having a wetting tension of 31.0 mN/m.

Abstract: A sheet type detection device includes an image reading circuit, a surface property determination circuit, a thickness determination circuit, and a sheet type identifying circuit. The image reading circuit reads a document image to generate image data. The surface property determination circuit determines a sheet surface condition of a sheet type detection target based on the image data generated by the image reading circuit. The thickness determination circuit determines a sheet thickness of the sheet based on the image data generated by the image reading circuit. The sheet type identifying circuit identifies a sheet type based on the determination result of the surface property determination circuit and the determination result of the thickness determination circuit.

Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet storage unit configured to enable itself to be opened and closed and a display unit configured to display a screen for setting an attribute of a sheet stored in the sheet storage unit. Whether or not to display the screen for setting the sheet attribute is determined based on a remaining number of sheets obtained before the sheet storage unit is opened and a remaining number of sheets obtained after the sheet storage unit is closed. The setting screen is displayed on the display unit based on a result of determination.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a photosensitive drum, a light exposure device, a developing device, a fixing unit disposed opposite to the light exposure device relative to the developing device, a sheet supply tray disposed below the developing device, an ejection tray disposed above the developing device and having a sheet receiving surface inclined downward, relative to a horizontal direction, toward the charger, and a sheet conveying path through which a sheet is conveyed from the sheet supply tray to the ejection tray. A lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface is disposed below an upper end of the charger in the vertical direction. The charger is disposed opposite to the developing device relative to the lowest end portion of the sheet receiving surface.

Abstract: A media path assembly in an imaging device includes a media guide positioned adjacent and transverse to a media path between a first and a second nip, and having a surface forming a bubble chamber across the media path. A bubble sensor and a narrow media sensor are positioned adjacent to the bubble chamber transverse to the media path and aligned with each other. The bubble sensor is operative to indicate formation in the bubble chamber of a bubble in a media sheet exiting the first nip. The narrow media sensor is operative to indicate media size of the media sheet and, when the media sheet is wide media, provide a balancing force to the media sheet relative to a force applied by the bubble sensor to the media sheet so that a leading edge of the media sheet substantially aligns with the second nip when entering the second nip.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an input unit that receives specifications of a color, a type of a surface effect that is a visual or a tactile effect, and a region to which the surface effect is applied, with respect to input image data; a generating unit that generates color data and gloss control data based on the specifications, the gloss control data being data which is used for generating clear toner data and in which a gloss control value is specified for identifying the type of the surface effect applied to the recording medium and for identifying a region to which the surface effect is applied in the recording medium; and a sending unit that sends the color data and the gloss control data to a print control apparatus.