With Temperature Or Foreign Particle Control Patents (Class 355/30)
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Patent number: 10120292Abstract: A support apparatus for a lithographic apparatus has an object holder and an extraction body radially outward of the object holder. The object holder is configured to support an object. The extraction body includes an extraction opening configured to extract fluid from a top surface of the support apparatus. The extraction body is spaced from the object holder such that the extraction body is substantially decoupled from the object holder. The extraction body comprises a projection configured such that it surrounds the object holder and such that, in use, a layer of liquid is retained on the projection and in contact with an object supported on the object holder.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2016Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS, B.V.Inventors: Raymond Wilhelmus Louis Lafarre, Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Menno Fien, Antonius Franciscus Johannes De Groot, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Johannes Henricus Wilhelmus Jacobs, Nicolaas Ten Kate, Martijn Houben, Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken, Jim Vincent Overkamp, Maarten Van Beijnum
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Patent number: 10107943Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an optical arrangement for use in an optical imaging process. The optical arrangement includes an optical element, an immersion zone and a liquid repelling device. During the optical imaging process, the immersion zone is located adjacent to the optical element and is filled with an immersion liquid. The optical element has a first surface region and a second surface region. During the optical imaging process, the first surface region is wetted by the immersion liquid. At least temporarily during the optical imaging process, the liquid repelling device generates an electrical field in the region of the second surface. The electrical field being is adapted to cause a repellent force on parts of the immersion liquid which are responsive to the electrical field and inadvertently contact the second surface region. The repellent force has a direction to drive away the parts of the immersion liquid from the second surface region.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2017Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventor: Stephan Six
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Patent number: 10108097Abstract: The disclosure relates to arrangements for manipulating the position of an element. An arrangement according has at least one actuator for each degree of freedom of the positional manipulation for exerting adjustable forces on the element, at least one position sensor for each degree of freedom of the positional manipulation for generating in each case a sensor signal that is characteristic of the position of the element, and at least one position controller, which in a position control circuit controls a force exerted on the element by the at least one actuator for the positioning of the element in dependence on the at least one sensor signal. At least one actuator and at least one position sensor are mounted on a common module frame.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2017Date of Patent: October 23, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Ulrich Schoenhoff, Eylem Bektas, Markus Hauf
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Patent number: 10095128Abstract: A method of thermally conditioning a physical object, includes guiding a two-phase cooling medium through a cooling duct of the physical object, wherein the guiding includes: guiding the two-phase cooling medium in a liquid phase via a pre-heating duct of the physical object from a supply side of the physical object at least partly towards a discharging side of the physical object, the two-phase cooling medium being pre-heated in the pre-heating duct; guiding the two-phase cooling medium from the pre-heating duct to a phase transitioning duct of the physical object, the two-phase cooling medium at least partly transitioning from the liquid phase towards a gas phase in the phase transitioning duct; guiding the two-phase cooling medium from the phase transitioning duct to a discharging duct of the physical object; and discharging at the discharging side the two-phase cooling medium from the discharging duct.Type: GrantFiled: November 24, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Theodorus Petrus Maria Cadee, Benjamin Joseph De Smet, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Adrianus Marinus Verdonck
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Patent number: 10095130Abstract: An apparatus has a first component with a first surface and a second component with a second surface, wherein the first and second components can undergo relative movement. The first surface and the second surface face each other. The first surface accommodates a barrier system to provide a barrier to reduce or prevent an inflow of ambient gas into a protected volume of gas between the first and second surfaces. The barrier system includes a curtain opening adapted for a flow of curtain gas therefrom for establishing a gas curtain enclosing part of the protected volume, and an inner entrainment opening, located inward of the curtain opening with respect to the protected volume, adapted for a flow of inner entrainment gas therefrom for being entrained into the flow of curtain gas. The apparatus is configured such that the inner entrainment gas flow is less turbulent than the curtain gas flow.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Johannes Pieter Kroes, Kevin Nicolas Stephan Couteau, Rachid El Boubsi, Rob Johan Theodoor Rutten, Patrick Johannes Cornelus Hendrik Smulders, Martijn Lambertus Peter Visser, Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken
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Patent number: 10095129Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a projection system configured to project a patterned radiation beam onto a substrate and a fluid confinement structure configured to confine immersion fluid in a localized region between a final element of the projection system and a surface of the substrate. The lithographic apparatus is configured to have a space bounded on one side by a surface of the projection system and/or a component of the lithographic apparatus at least partially surrounding the final element of the projection system, and on the other side by a surface of the fluid confinement structure. The apparatus is configured to increase the humidity of the gas within the space.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2015Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Giovanni Luca Gattobigio, Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Ruud Olieslagers, Gerben Pieterse, Cornelius Maria Rops, Laurentius Johannes Adrianus Van Bokhoven
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Patent number: 10088760Abstract: An exposure apparatus (EX) is an apparatus which exposes a substrate (P) by irradiating exposure light (EL) onto the substrate (P) via a projection optical system (PL) and a liquid (1). The exposure apparatus (EX) has a substrate table (PT) for holding the substrate (P), and a plate member (30) having a liquid repellent flat surface (30A) is replaceably provided to the substrate table (PT) to prevent the liquid from remaining, maintaining excellent exposure accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2015Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroyuki Nagasaka, Hiroaki Takaiwa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Ryuichi Hoshika, Hitoshi Ishizawa
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Patent number: 10091892Abstract: A laser direct imaging system includes a stage, a laser device and an oxygen-reducing device. The stage is subjected to an atmospheric pressure. The laser device is configured to provide a laser beam to scan across the substrate. The oxygen-reducing device operates simultaneously with the laser device for outputting an inert gas only to a specific area where the laser beam is being aimed such that any portion of the substrate, if enters the specific area, will be exposed to the laser beam under a low-oxygen environment.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2016Date of Patent: October 2, 2018Assignee: SHUZ TUNG MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.Inventors: Chun-Chih Chuang, Yung-Peng Hu
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Patent number: 10061207Abstract: A method for preventing or reducing contamination of an immersion type projection apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes at least one immersion space that is at least partially filled with a liquid when the apparatus projects a beam of radiation onto a substrate. The method includes rinsing at least part of the immersion space with a rinsing liquid before the apparatus is used to project the beam of radiation onto a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2015Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventor: Jan Cornelis Van Der Hoeven
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Patent number: 10054860Abstract: A projection apparatus for microlithography for imaging an object field includes an objective, one or a plurality of manipulators for manipulating one or a plurality of optical elements of the objective, a control unit for regulating or controlling the one or the plurality of manipulators, a determining device for determining at least one or a plurality of image aberrations of the objective, a memory comprising upper bounds for one or a plurality of specifications of the objective, including upper bounds for image aberrations and/or movements for the manipulators, wherein when determining an overshooting of one of the upper bounds by one of the image aberrations and/or an overshooting of one of the upper bounds by one of the manipulator movements by regulation or control of at least one manipulator within at most 30000 ms, or 10000 ms, or 5000 ms, or 1000 ms, or 200 ms, or 20 ms, or 5 ms, or 1 ms, an undershooting of the upper bounds can be effected.Type: GrantFiled: May 9, 2016Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Boris Bittner, Holger Walter, Matthias Roesch
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Patent number: 10048602Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by irradiating exposure light on the substrate through liquid. The exposure apparatus has a substrate holder for holding the substrate, a substrate stage capable of moving the substrate held by the substrate holder, and a temperature adjusting system for adjusting the temperature of the substrate holder. The temperature of the substrate is controlled so that there is no difference in temperature between the substrate and the liquid, thereby preventing a reduction in exposure accuracy resulting from variation in temperature of the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: April 8, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Naoyuki Kobayashi, Soichi Owa, Shigeru Hirukawa, Yasuhiro Omura
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Patent number: 10049854Abstract: Provided is a charged particle beam lens apparatus having a small size and high resolution, and a charged particle beam column and a charged particle beam exposure apparatus. A charged particle beam lens apparatus includes a lens unit positioned around a through hole through which a charged particle beam travels, where the lens unit is configured to converge or diffuse the charged particle beam, and a supporting unit surrounding the lens unit. Here, at least one of an outer peripheral portion of the lens unit that is in contact with the supporting unit and an inner peripheral portion of the supporting unit that is in contact with the lens unit includes a groove through which a coolant fluid flows along an outer periphery of the lens unit. In this way, the charged particle beam lens apparatus can achieve a small size and high resolution.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2016Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: INTEL CORPORATIONInventors: Tomohiko Abe, Shinichi Kojima
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Patent number: 10048593Abstract: In immersion exposure, a resist pattern forming method suppressing resist pattern defects comprises mounting a substrate formed a resist film thereon and a reticle formed a pattern thereon onto an exposure apparatus, supplying a first chemical solution onto the resist film to selectively form a first liquid film in a local area on the resist film and draining the solution, the first liquid film having a flow and being formed between the resist film and a projection optical system, transferring the pattern of the reticle to the resist film through the first liquid film to form a latent image, supplying a second chemical solution onto the resist film to clean the resist film, heating the resist film, and developing the resist film to form a resist pattern from the resist film.Type: GrantFiled: June 30, 2017Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignee: Toshiba Memory CorporationInventor: Shinichi Ito
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Patent number: 10031428Abstract: A system is disclosed for reducing overlay errors by controlling gas flow around a patterning device of a lithographic apparatus. The lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam. The lithographic apparatus further includes a movable stage comprising a support structure that may be configured to support a patterning device. The patterning device may be configured to impart the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. In addition, the lithographic apparatus comprises a plate (410) positioned between the movable stage (401) and the projection system (208). The plate includes an opening (411) that comprises a first sidewall (411a) and a second sidewall (411b). The plate may be configured to provide a gas flow pattern (424) in a region between the movable stage and the projection system that is substantially perpendicular to an optical axis of the illumination system.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2014Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignees: ASML Netherlands B.V., ASML Holding N.V.Inventors: Koen Cuypers, Marcelo Henrique De Andrade Oliveira, Marinus Jan Remie, Chattarbir Singh, Laurentius Johannes Adrianus Van Bokhoven, Henricus Anita Jozef Wilhemus Van De Ven, José Nilton Fonseca Junior, Frank Johannes Jacobus Van Boxtel, Daniel Nathan Burbank, Erik Roelof Loopstra, Johannes Onvlee, Mark Josef Schuster, Robertus Nicodemus Jacobus Van Ballegoij, Christopher Charles Ward, Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken
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Patent number: 10031476Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms a toner image on a recording medium includes an image forming unit that forms an unfixed toner image on a recording medium; a fixing unit that heats the recording medium bearing the unfixed toner image and fixes the unfixed toner image onto the recording medium at a nip portion; a heating member and a pressurizing member that touches the heating member and forms the nip portion therebetween; a blower having a fan and duct, that blows air to a non-sheet-passing area of a small-size recording medium in the heating member; wherein the duct includes a second opening through which airflow from the fan is directed to the conveyance roller pair, and wherein the second opening of the duct is configured not to overlap with the non-sheet-passing area of the heating member in a longitudinal direction of the heating member.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2016Date of Patent: July 24, 2018Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Taisuke Minagawa, Satoru Izawa, Takahiro Uchiyama, Jun Asami, Toshiya Kaino, Wataru Uchida, Ken Murooka, Yasuhiko Fuse, Masatoshi Yoshida, Tomooku Koyama
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Patent number: 10025190Abstract: A substrate treatment system for treating a substrate, includes: a treatment station in which a plurality of treatment apparatuses which treat the substrate are provided; an interface station which directly or indirectly delivers the substrate between an exposure apparatus which is provided outside the substrate treatment system and performs exposure of patterns on a resist film on the substrate, and the substrate treatment system; a light irradiation apparatus which performs post-exposure using UV light on the resist film on the substrate after the exposure of patterns is performed; and a post-exposure station which houses the light irradiation apparatus and is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere, wherein the post-exposure station is connected to the exposure apparatus directly or indirectly via a space which is adjustable to a reduced pressure or inert gas atmosphere.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2014Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignees: TOKYO ELECTRON LIMITED, OSAKA UNIVERSITYInventors: Seiji Nagahara, Gousuke Shiraishi, Satoru Shimura, Kousuke Yoshihara, Shinichiro Kawakami, Masaru Tomono, Seiichi Tagawa, Akihiro Oshima
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Patent number: 10025196Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus has adaptations to prevent or reduce bubble formation in one or more gaps in the substrate table by preventing bubbles escaping from the gap into the beam path and/or extracting bubbles that may form in the gap.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 2017Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Bob Streefkerk, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Roelof Frederik De Graaf, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria Mertens, Michel Riepen
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Patent number: 10025194Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes an optical member that can be provided on a stage. The optical member has a first surface contacting a liquid when moved to face a projection system, and a second surface contacting a gas and transmitting light having come from the projection system via the liquid and the first surface. The optical member is configured such that at least a large-angle ray of the light, which has an angle with an optical axis of the projection system sufficiently large to undergo total reflection at an end surface of the projection system when the liquid is absent, travels from the projection system to the second surface without passing through gas. The second surface transmits the large-angle ray, which is received by the light-receiving surface.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2016Date of Patent: July 17, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hisashi Nishinaga, Ikuo Hikima, Mitsunori Toyoda, Masahiro Nakagawa, Tsuneyuki Hagiwara, Yasushi Mizuno, Naonori Kita, Osamu Tanitsu, Nozomu Emura
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Patent number: 10018926Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising: a channel (46) for the passage therethrough of a two phase flow, wherein the channel is formed within a block, the block being of a first material (100); a second material (160) between the first material and the channel, wherein the second material has a specific heat capacity higher than that of the first material; and a third material (90) between the second material and the channel, wherein the third material has a thermal conductivity higher than that of the second material.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 2015Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS, B.V.Inventors: Rogier Hendrikus Magdalena Cortie, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Andre Bernardus Jeunink, Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets, Jim Vincent Overkamp, Siegfried Alexander Tromp, Van Vuong Vy, Daniel Elza Roeland Audenaerdt
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Patent number: 10018923Abstract: The present invention provides a lithography apparatus that performs patterning on a substrate using an original, the apparatus including a supply device configured to supply a gas to a space between the substrate and the original, a chuck configured to hold the substrate, a movable device that holds the chuck and is movable, and a plate provided on the movable device and surrounding the chuck, wherein the chuck includes a first edge, on a side of the chuck facing the original, protruding toward the plate.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2017Date of Patent: July 10, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Shinji Uchida
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Patent number: 10001712Abstract: An immersion lithographic apparatus includes a projection system. The projection system is configured to project a patterned radiation beam through an immersion liquid onto a target portion of a substrate. An external surface of the projection system includes a first surface. The first surface has a non-planar shape. An element is attached to the first surface and positioned so that at least a portion of the element contacts the immersion liquid in use. The element includes a closed loop of continuously integral material in a preformed state and conforms to the non-planar shape of the first surface.Type: GrantFiled: June 26, 2015Date of Patent: June 19, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Theodorus Wilhelmus Polet, Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Willem Jan Bouman, Han Henricus Aldegonda Lempens, Theodorus Marinus Modderman, Cornelius Maria Rops, Bart Smeets, Koen Steffens, Ronald Van Der Ham
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Patent number: 9983470Abstract: The invention relates to a light source device including a solid-state light source, a collimator lens which a light beam emitted from the solid-state light source enters, an afocal optical system which includes a light collecting optical system and a collimating optical system and which the light beam having been transmitted through the collimator lens enters, a lens integrator which the light beam having been transmitted through the afocal optical system enters, a polarization splitting element which the light beam having been transmitted through the lens integrator enters, and a wavelength conversion element which a first polarization component split by the polarization splitting element from the light beam enters. At least one of the light collection optical system and the collimating optical system includes a lens formed of quartz.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2016Date of Patent: May 29, 2018Assignee: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATIONInventors: Koichi Akiyama, Akira Egawa
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Patent number: 9977338Abstract: A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus contains a plurality of optical elements arranged in N>?2 successive sections A1 to AN of the projection objective which are separated from one another by pupil planes or intermediate image planes. According to the invention, in order to correct a wavefront deformation, at least two optical elements each have an optically active surface locally reprocessed aspherically. A first optical element is in this case arranged in one section Aj, j=1 . . . N and a second optical element is arranged in another section Ak, k=1 . . . N, the magnitude difference |k?j| being an odd number.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2017Date of Patent: May 22, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Norbert Wabra, Robert Eder
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Patent number: 9971254Abstract: A sensor for use in lithographic apparatus of an immersion type and which, in use, comes into contact with the immersion liquid is arranged so that the thermal resistance of a first heat path from a transducer of the sensor to a temperature conditioning device is less than the thermal resistance of a second heat flow path from the transducer to the immersion liquid. Thus, heat flow is preferentially towards the temperature conditioning device and not the immersion liquid so that temperature-induced disturbance in the immersion liquid is reduced or minimized.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: ASML Netherlands B.V.Inventors: Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Johannes Henricus Wilhelmus Jacobs, Haico Victor Kok, Yuri Johannes Gabriël Van De Vijver, Johannes Antonius Maria Van De Wal, Bastiaan Andreas Wilhelmus Hubertus Knarren, Robbert-Jan Voogd, Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken, Johannes Hubertus Antonius Van De Rijdt, Allard Eelco Kooiker, Wilhelmina Margareta Jozef Hurkens-Mertens, Yohann Bruno Yvon Teillet
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Patent number: 9964860Abstract: An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate to light passing through liquid, and includes a stage that holds the substrate. The stage includes a substrate holder including a support member that supports a rear surface of the substrate and a first circumferential wall surrounding the support member. A second circumferential wall surrounds the substrate holder and forms a first groove between the second circumferential wall and the substrate holder, and a second groove on an outer side thereof. A plate member surrounds the substrate on the support member, and a recovery passage recovers liquid flowing from a liquid supply system to a gap between the plate member and the substrate. The second circumferential wall is under the gap so that part of an upper surface of the second circumferential wall faces the substrate rear surface and another part of the upper surface faces a rear surface of the plate member.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2017Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Makoto Shibuta
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Patent number: 9967159Abstract: A method and system for providing decision-time brokerage in a hybrid cloud ecosystem is disclosed. Disclosed embodiments may include receiving a workload input by a brokerage engine executing in a computing device communicably connected to at least one cloud computing node in a cloud platform of a cloud service provider, determining resource optimization for the workload input by the brokerage engine, monitoring the workload input for compliance with one or more audit and regulatory metrics, monitoring the cost consumption of the workload input, capturing non-functional context data associated with the workload input into a context repository database, applying one or more rules to the workload, deploying the workload across the one or more cloud platforms. In some embodiments, a deployment recommendation may be provided prior to deployment of the workload. In some embodiments, a social collaboration workflow may be triggered whereby one or more users are provided the deployment recommendation.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2013Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: Infosys LimitedInventors: Abhijit Shroff, Venkata Reddy Donthireddy, Santha Kumar Rajangam, Prasanna Raman Sridhar, Babu Jayaraj
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Patent number: 9958785Abstract: An exposure apparatus includes a nozzle member which has at least one of a supply port for supplying a liquid and a recovery port for recovering the liquid, and a nozzle adjusting mechanism which adjusts at least one of a position and a posture of the nozzle member depending on a position or a posture of a substrate. The exposure apparatus forms an immersion area of the liquid on the substrate, and performs exposure for the substrate through the liquid in the immersion area. Accordingly, the liquid is satisfactorily retained between the projection optical system and the substrate, thereby making it possible to realize the exposure highly accurately.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2013Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Takeyuki Mizutani
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Patent number: 9958786Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus and method places an object for a cleanup process on a holder of a movable stage of the immersion lithography apparatus, a wafer being held on the holder of the stage and exposed during a liquid immersion lithography process. During the liquid immersion lithography process, device pattern projection is performed and a device pattern image is projected onto the wafer held on the holder to fabricate semiconductor devices. During the cleanup process, a liquid is supplied via a supply port from above the stage holding the object on the holder. During the cleanup process, the object is held on the holder in place of the wafer and the object is used without performing device pattern projection.Type: GrantFiled: January 22, 2014Date of Patent: May 1, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventors: Hidemi Kawai, Douglas C. Watson
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Patent number: 9952514Abstract: An immersion lithography apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is supplied to a space between a projection system and a substrate, and a plate structure is provided to divide the space into two parts. The plate structure has an aperture to allow transmission of the projection beam, has through holes in it to reduce the damping effect of the presence of the plate and optionally has one or more inlets and outlets to provide various flows around the aperture in the plate. An embodiment of the invention may reduce the transportation of contaminants, stray light, temperature gradients, and/or the effect of bubbles on the imaging quality.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2014Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Bob Streefkerk, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders
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Patent number: 9952515Abstract: An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed in which liquid is provided between a projection system of the apparatus and a substrate. The use of both liquidphobic and liquidphilic layers on various elements of the apparatus is provided to help prevent formation of bubbles in the liquid and to help reduce residue on the elements after being in contact with the liquid.Type: GrantFiled: August 28, 2015Date of Patent: April 24, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Bob Streefkerk, Johannes Jacobus Matheus Baselmans, Richard Joseph Bruls, Marcel Mathijs Theodore Marie Dierichs, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Hans Jansen, Erik Roelof Loopstra, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria Mertens, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Ronald Walther Jeanne Severijns, Sergei Shulepov, Herman Boom, Timotheus Franciscus Sengers
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Patent number: 9947508Abstract: The present invention provides a lithography apparatus that forms a pattern on a substrate, the apparatus comprising a base, a stage configured to hold the substrate and be movable above the base with the stage supported by the base, a patterning device configured to perform patterning on the substrate held by the stage, a chamber housing the base and the stage, and supporting the patterning device, a detector configured to obtain information of relative positions between the patterning device and the base, a driving device configured to move the base, and a controller configured to control the driving device based on the information obtained by the detector such that the relative positions satisfy a predetermined condition.Type: GrantFiled: April 29, 2015Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Daisuke Iwase, Nobushige Korenaga
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Patent number: 9946172Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes: an object that is moveable in at least one direction; a control system to move the object in the at least one direction, wherein the control system is arranged to control movement of the object in the at least one direction in a frequency range of interest; and a conduit provided with a fluid, wherein the conduit is arranged on or in the object in a pattern, and wherein the pattern is such that an acceleration of the object in the at least one direction causes an acceleration pressure profile in the fluid along the conduit, the acceleration pressure profile not matching with a resonance pressure profile that corresponds to a standing wave mode in the fluid with a resonance frequency in the frequency range of interest.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2014Date of Patent: April 17, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Peter Paul Hempenius, Martijn Houben, Nicolaas Rudolf Kemper, Robertus Mathijs Gerardus Rijs, Paul Corné Henri De Wit, Stijn Willem Boere, Youssef Karel Maria De Vos, Frits Van Der Meulen
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Patent number: 9939740Abstract: A lithographic apparatus including a barrier system and a device manufacturing method using such a lithographic apparatus. The barrier system is used to maintain a protected volume of gas within a barrier. The protected volume may be maintained when different components of the lithographic apparatus move relative to each other. The barrier system may be used in different locations within the lithographic apparatus. The geometry of the barrier affects how efficiently the protected volume is maintained, especially at high speeds. The geometry reduces the amount of ambient gas entering the protected volume from outside the barrier.Type: GrantFiled: January 20, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Günes Nakiboglu, Martijn Van Baren, Frank Johannes Jacobus Van Boxtel, Koen Cuypers, Jeroen Gerard Gosen, Laurentius Johannes Adrianus Van Bokhoven
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Patent number: 9941093Abstract: The invention relates to a target processing unit (10) comprising a vacuum chamber (30) for accommodating a target to be processed, a projection column (46) within the vacuum chamber for generating a beam and projecting the beam towards the target, and a first conduit arrangement (26,36,37,60) for connecting the projection column to external equipment (22). The vacuum chamber can comprise a positioning system (114) for supporting the target, and a second conduit arrangement (110) distinct from the first conduit arrangement for connecting the positioning system to external equipment, wherein the positioning system is moveably arranged with respect to the projection column, and wherein the positioning system and the projection column occupy spatially distinct portions of the vacuum chamber. The first conduit arrangement extends through an upper side of the vacuum chamber, and the second conduit arrangement extends through a lower side of the vacuum chamber.Type: GrantFiled: January 11, 2016Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: MAPPER LITHOGRAPHY IP B.V.Inventors: Johan Joost Koning, David Johannes van den Bergen
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Patent number: 9939730Abstract: An optical assembly, in particular for a lithography system for imaging lithographic micro- or nanostructures, includes at least two optical elements arranged successively in a beam path of the optical assembly, an acquisition device designed to acquire radiation signals from marking elements on or at the at least two optical elements, and a control device coupled to the acquisition device and which is designed to determine the plurality of properties of the optically active surface of the at least two optical elements as a function of the information contained in the radiation signals originating from the marking elements. The disclosure also relates to a method for operating the optical assembly.Type: GrantFiled: December 8, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Walter Pauls, Hendrik Wagner, Florian Ahles, Christian Wald, Steffen Fritzsche, Norbert Wabra, Boris Bittner, Sonja Schneider, Ricarda Schoemer
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Patent number: 9939738Abstract: A lithographic apparatus comprising an object table which carries an object. The lithographic apparatus may further comprise at least one sensor as part of a measurement system to measure a characteristic of the object table, the environment surrounding the lithographic apparatus or another component of the lithographic apparatus. The measured characteristic may be used to estimate the deformation of the object due to varying loads during operation of the lithographic apparatus, for example varying loads induced by a two-phase flow in a channel formed within the object table. Additionally, or alternatively, the lithographic apparatus comprises a predictor to estimate the deformation of the object based on a model. The positioning of the object table carrying the object can be controlled based on the estimated deformation.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2015Date of Patent: April 10, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Adrianus Hendrik Koevoets, Christianus Wilhelmus Johannes Berendsen, Rogier Hendrikus Magdalena Cortie, Jim Vincent Overkamp, Patricius Jacobus Neefs, Putra Saputra, Ruud Hendrikus Martinus Johannes Bloks, Michael Johannes Hendrika Wilhelmina Renders, Johan Gertrudis Cornelis Kunnen, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent
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Patent number: 9933708Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus in which a substrate is exposed with an exposure beam, includes a projection optical system by which the substrate is exposed to the exposure beam, a first inlet disposed at a first position, which is capable of supplying a first liquid to a space adjacent to a bottom surface of the projection optical system, and a second inlet disposed at a second position which is different from the first position, the second inlet being capable of supplying a second liquid that is different from the first liquid to the space.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2016Date of Patent: April 3, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Hiroyuki Nagasaka
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Patent number: 9927716Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2017Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Takeshi Kaneko, Kornelis Tijmen Hoekerd
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Patent number: 9926152Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes first and second sheet storages, a sheet conveyer, an image reading unit configured to read a surface of a sheet conveyed from the first sheet storage by the sheet conveyer, an image forming unit configured to form an image on the sheet conveyed from the image reading unit, and a controller. The controller is configured to determine an amount of a color material appearing on the surface of the sheet based on image data generated by the image reading unit, determine one of the image forming unit and the second sheet storage as a sheet feeding destination, based on the determined amount of the color material and a threshold value that is associated with at least one of a type and content of an image to be formed on the sheet, and control the sheet conveyer to convey the sheet to the sheet feeding destination.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba TEC Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Ken Iguchi
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Patent number: 9927724Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus is disclosed. It includes a projection system having a final element and a liquid immersion member that in turn includes a first member, which surrounds the final element and has a liquid supply port and a liquid suction port, and a second member, which is movable with respect to the first member and has a lower part under which a portion of a liquid immersion space is formed. During exposure of a plurality of shot regions of a substrate, the immersion space covers a portion of a surface of the substrate, and the first shot region is exposed while moving the substrate in a first scanning direction. After the exposure of the first shot region, the second shot region is exposed while moving the substrate in a second scanning direction.Type: GrantFiled: December 29, 2016Date of Patent: March 27, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Shinji Sato
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Patent number: 9915876Abstract: An EUV mirror with a substrate and a multilayer arrangement including: a periodic first layer group having N1>1 first layer pairs of period thickness P1 and arranged on a radiation entrance side of the multilayer arrangement; a periodic second layer group having N2>1 second layer pairs of period thickness P2 and arranged between the first layer group and the substrate; and a third layer group having N3 third layer pairs arranged between the first and second layer groups. N1>N2. The third layer group has a third period thickness P3 which deviates from an average period thickness PM=(P1+P2)/2 by a period thickness difference ?P. ?P corresponds to the quotient of the optical layer thickness (?/4) of a quarter-wave layer and the product of N3 and cos(AOIM), AOIM being the mean incidence angle for which the multilayer arrangement is designed.Type: GrantFiled: July 10, 2015Date of Patent: March 13, 2018Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Thomas Schicketanz, Hans-Jochen Paul, Christoph Zaczek
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Patent number: 9910365Abstract: A liquid immersion member including first and second members forming the immersion space; first member having a first lower surface disposed at a portion of the optical member surrounding, second member having a second upper surface opposite to the first lower surface via a gap and a second lower surface opposing the substrate and second member disposed at a portion of exposure light optical path surrounding; driving apparatus to move the second member with respect to the first; controlling the driving apparatus so the second member's operation in the substrate first operation movement is between exposure termination and start of a first and second shot regions differently from a second member's operation in the substrate second movement period which is between exposure termination and start of a third and fourth shot regions; first and second shot regions are in the same row contrary to third and fourth shot regions.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 2017Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Shinji Sato
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Patent number: 9910369Abstract: A liquid immersion exposure apparatus includes a liquid-immersion-area-forming-member having an opening through which an exposure light is projected, the-liquid-immersion-area-forming-member having a first liquid supply inlet facing downward, a second liquid supply inlet provided opposite to an outer surface of the final optical element, and a first removal outlet facing downward. A liquid immersion area is formed on a portion of an upper surface of a substrate while performing a liquid supply via the first liquid supply inlet to a gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and the upper surface of the substrate, a liquid supply via the second liquid supply inlet to a gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and a final optical element of a projection system and a liquid removal via the first removal outlet from the gap between the liquid-immersion-area-forming-member and the upper surface of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2017Date of Patent: March 6, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Hiroyuki Nagasaka
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Patent number: 9904182Abstract: An exposure apparatus that can prevent disadvantages due to a leaked liquid is provided. The exposure apparatus includes a substrate holder that includes a peripheral wall portion and supporting portions located on an inside of the peripheral wall portion and that supports a substrate with the supporting portions by negatively pressurizing a space surrounded by the peripheral wall portion, and a recovery mechanism that includes a collection inlets provided on the inside of the peripheral wall portion and a vacuum system connected to the collection inlets, in which a liquid penetrated from an outer periphery of the substrate is sucked and recovered, in the state with an upper surface of the peripheral wall portion and a back surface of the substrate being spaced at a first distance.Type: GrantFiled: October 3, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: NIKON CORPORATIONInventor: Makoto Shibuta
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Patent number: 9904177Abstract: A fluid handling structure, lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method are disclosed. According to a disclosed embodiment, the fluid handling structure is configured to confine an immersion fluid in a space between a final element of a projection system and a facing surface during movement of the facing surface relative to the structure, wherein the structure has at least one heater to heat a portion of the facing surface adjacent to the heater, the at least one heater having a fluid heater to heat fluid flow from the structure onto the facing surface, the heater thereby heating the portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2012Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Ivo Adam Johannes Thomas, Coen Cornelis Wilhelmus Verspaget, Ronald Van Der Ham, Thibault Simon Mathieu Laurent, Gregory Martin Mason Corcoran, Ruud Hendrikus Martinus Johannes Bloks, Gerben Pieterse, Pieter Lein Joseph Gunter
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Patent number: 9904185Abstract: A porous member is used in a liquid removal system of an immersion lithographic projection apparatus to smooth uneven flows. A pressure differential across the porous member may be maintained at below the bubble point of the porous member so that a single-phase liquid flow is obtained. Alternatively, the porous member may be used to reduce unevenness in a two-phase flow.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignees: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., ASML HOLDINGS N.V.Inventors: Nicolaas Rudolf Kemper, Henrikus Herman Marie Cox, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Roelof Frederik De Graaf, Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Nicolaas Ten Kate, Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Jeroen Johannes Sophia Maria Mertens, Frits Van Der Meulen, Joost Jeroen Ottens, Franciscus Johannes Herman Maria Teunissen, Jan-Gerard Cornelis Van Der Toorn, Martinus Cornelis Maria Verhagen, Marco Polizzi, Edwin Augustinus Matheus Van Gompel, Johannes Petrus Maria Smeulers, Stefan Philip Christiaan Belfroid, Herman Vogel
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Patent number: 9904183Abstract: A coarse motion and fine motion integrated reticle stage driven by a planar motor comprises a movable platform (100) of the reticle stage, a balance mass (200), a drive motor, a mask plate (101, 102), a base (001), a vibration isolation system (500), and a measuring system, wherein, the vibration isolation system is located between the balance mass and the base, and the mask plate is mounted on the movable platform. The drive motor of the movable platform is a moving-iron type planar motor (300). The reticle stage can lower the design complexity of the drive motor of the movable platform. Compared with a linear motor, the planar motor can provide push forces in more directions, the number of motors is reduced, the structure of the movable platform is more compact, the inherent frequency and the control bandwidth of the movable platform are improved, and thus control precision is improved.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2015Date of Patent: February 27, 2018Assignees: TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, BEIJING U-PRECISION TECH CO., LTD.Inventors: Yu Zhu, Ming Zhang, Fan Zhi, Zhao Liu, Rong Cheng, Kaiming Yang, Li Zhang, Huichao Qin, Yanpo Zhao, Li Tian, Weinan Ye, Jin Zhang, Wensheng Yin, Haihua Mu, Jinchun Hu
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Patent number: 9891542Abstract: A lithographic apparatus having a first outlet to provide a thermally conditioned fluid with a first flow characteristic to at least part of a sensor beam path, and a second outlet associated with the first outlet and to provide a thermally conditioned fluid with a second flow characteristic, different to the first flow characteristic, adjacent the thermally conditioned fluid from the first outlet.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2016Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Jan Steven Christiaan Westerlaken, Gerardus Arnoldus Hendricus Franciscus Janssen, Peter Paul Steijaert, Engelbertus Antonius Fransiscus Van Der Pasch, Franciscus Van De Mast
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Patent number: 9893023Abstract: A structure and a method. The structure includes a semiconductor substrate; a stack of wiring levels from a first wiring level to a last wiring level, the first wiring level closest to the semiconductor substrate and the last wiring level furthest from the semiconductor substrate, the stack of wiring levels including an intermediate wiring level between the first wiring level and the last wiring level; active devices contained in the semiconductor substrate and the first wiring level, each wiring level of the stack of wiring levels comprising a dielectric layer containing electrically conductive wire; a trench extending from the intermediate wiring level, through the first wiring level into the semiconductor substrate; and a chemical agent filling the trench, portions of at least one wiring level of the stack of wiring levels not chemically inert to the chemical agent or a reaction product of the chemical agent.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2017Date of Patent: February 13, 2018Assignee: International Business Machines CorporationInventors: Edward C. Cooney, III, Fen Chen, Jonathan M. Pratt, Jason P. Ritter, Patrick S. Spinney, Anna Tilley
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Patent number: 9885965Abstract: A lithographic projection apparatus includes a support structure configured to hold a patterning device, the patterning device configured to pattern a beam of radiation according to a desired pattern; a substrate table configured to hold a substrate; a projection system configured to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a liquid supply system configured to provide liquid to a space between the projection system and the substrate; and a shutter configured to isolate the space from the substrate or a space to be occupied by a substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2017Date of Patent: February 6, 2018Assignee: ASML NETHERLANDS B.V.Inventors: Christiaan Alexander Hoogendam, Antonius Theodorus Anna Maria Derksen, Sjoerd Nicolaas Lambertus Donders, Joeri Lof, Erik Roelof Loopstra, Johannes Catharinus Hubertus Mulkens, Hans Jansen, Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus Verspay, Alexander Straaijer, Bob Streefkerk