Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hitachi, Ltd.

Adv Antest Corporation

Gen Nakamura

Yoshinori Nakayama

Hiroshi Nakazato

Yoichi Kuroki

Masaki Takakuwa

Ruri Onoda

Satoshi Yoshinari

An electron beam exposure apparatus for exposing wafer by using an electron beam includes: an electron beam generator for generating the electron beam; a wafer stage for holding the wafer to be exposed; a current detector, provided on the wafer stage, for detecting a current of the electron beam; and a storage unit, provided on the wafer stage, for storing information indicating the current detected by the current detector.

Electron beam exposure apparatus and electron beam measurement module

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a light source and a lighting device that lights the light the light source A connector connects the light source and the lighting device with a metal piece to provide control of generation of noise accompanying increased electrical power supplied to the lamp and control of the space required for installation in a single housing having outer walls with electromagnetic shielding. Temperature of the light source and the lighting device is adjusted using air of the ambient atmosphere from outside the housing.

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus

A semiconductor manufacturing apparatus operable with supply of an electric power from a main electric power source wherein, in response to actuation of an emergency-off switch, the main electric power source is disconnected and, before the disconnection, braking control is made to a member being driven, by use of an electric power from the main electric power source.

Semiconductor manufacturing apparatus and device manufacturing method

An exposure apparatus has a maintenance door for an exposure illumination lamp. The apparatus includes a detector for detecting temperature information of the lamp and for outputting the detected temperature information, a confirmation device for confirming a stop of an operation sequence of the exposure apparatus and for outputting a confirmation result and a controller for controlling a lock mechanism of the maintenance door on the basis of the temperature information and the confirmation result.

Exposure apparatus and device manufacturing method using the same in which a door lock mechanism is controlled on the basis of temperature and an operation sequence

An exposure apparatus includes a light supplying device for supplying exposure light, an optical system for directing the exposure light to a substrate to be exposed, a cover for covering a predetermined portion of the optical system, a gas supply device for supplying an inert gas to the inside of the cover, a detector for detecting a quantity of the inert gas inside the cover and a controller for controlling the light supplying device on the basis of an output of the detector.

Exposure apparatus

A conveying system for conveying a substrate is provided with a sensor for measuring information related to flexure of the substrate during conveyance or the vertical position of the substrate. Conveyance of the substrate is controlled on the basis of the measurement by the sensor, whereby correct conveyance of the substrate is accomplished without being influenced by dispersive flexure amount of substrate.

Substrate conveying system

A semiconductor device manufacturing apparatus and method includes a reticle library for accommodating therein a first reticle cassette, a cassette table for holding thereon a second reticle cassette of a shape different from that of the first reticle cassette, a first opening and closing mechanism for opening/closing the first reticle cassette in accordance with a predetermined first sequence, a second opening and closing mechanism for opening/closing the second reticle cassette in accordance with a predetermined second sequence different from the first sequence, a reticle stage for holding a reticle as unloaded from the first reticle cassette, for use of the reticle in the apparatus, a reticle hand for conveying a reticle as unloaded from the reticle stage, and a controller operable to discriminate one of the first and second reticle cassettes into which one cassette the reticle as unloaded from the reticle stage is to be accommodated, on the basis of reticle control information. The controller is also operable to move, through the reticle hand, the reticle into the first reticle cassette as being opened by the first opening and closing mechanism when the controller concludes that the reticle is to be accommodated in the first reticle cassette. The controller is also operable to move, through the reticle hand, the reticle into the second cassette as being opened by the second opening and closing mechanism when the controller concludes that the reticle is to be accommodate in the second reticle cassette.

Method and apparatus for manufacture of semiconductor devices

A container for containing therein a plate-like article, such as a reticle, includes a bottom member having a holding portion for holding the article in a substantially laid-down state; an upper member to be mated with the bottom member to define a space above the upper surface of the article; a pressing member for resiliently pressing in the space the article against the holding portion; and a fixing portion having an engaging member being supported by the upper member and being engageable with an end portion of the bottom member. The engaging member is effective to prevent upward opening motion of the upper member due to a reaction force of the pressing member. In addition, a releasing portion is partially projectable into the fixing portion to press the same in the same direction as the direction of the opening motion of the upper member to thereby release the engaging member.

Container for a plate-like article

A system for photoelectrically detecting a light reflected from an object, such as a semiconductor wafer, irradiated by a light beam supplied from a light source, wherein the amount of irradiation is controlled so as to obtain an optimum photoelectrically-converted signal. According to another aspect of the invention, the amount of irradiation is controlled automatically on the basis of a reflectance of the object which has been detected preparatively. According to another preferred form of the invention, the amount of irradiation is controlled in a time-sharing fashion so as to obtain optimum photoelectrically-converted signals from different portions of the object.

Growing community of inventors

Utsunomiya, Japan

Gen Nakamura