Victor Company of Japan, Limited

Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Hirohiko Shinonaga

Shintaro Nakagaki

Itsuo Takanashi

Tsutou Asakura

Masato Furuya

Tetsuji Suzuki

Hiromichi Tai

Hiroshi Sato

Takashi Kato

Kazuhiro Takahashi

Chiaki Terasawa

Makoto Iwahara

Eiichi Murakami

Tetsuya Mori

Hiroshi Morohoshi

Izumi Tsukamoto

An exposure apparatus for exposing a substrate by scanning a reticle and the substrate relative to each other includes a projection optical system configured to project a pattern of the reticle onto the substrate, and a field stop configured to define a slit-shaped exposure area, and to change a length of the exposure area in a scanning direction in accordance with a change of a length of the exposure area in a direction orthogonal to the scanning direction.

Exposure apparatus and method, and device manufacturing method

A catadioptric projection optical for forming an image of the intermediate image onto a second object, the catadioptric projection optical system include, a first dioptric group including a first lens group that has a positive refractive power and a second lens group that has a positive refractive power, a catadioptric group including a concave mirror and a third lens group that an incidence light and reflected light from the concave mirror pass, and a second dioptric group. A first deflective reflector is arranged between the first lens group and the second lens group. A second deflective reflector is arranged between the second lens group and the third lens group or between the third lens group and the second dioptric group. A first intermediate image is formed between the second lens group and the concave mirror. A second intermediate image is formed between the concave mirror and the second dioptric group.

Catadioptric projection optical system, exposure apparatus having the same, device fabrication method

In a projection exposure apparatus, two plane-parallel plates, which are equal in thickness and refractive index, are interposed between a projection optical system and a wafer. By tilting these two plane-parallel plates at the same angle in opposite directions with respect to the optical axis of the optical system by means of an adjusting device, astigmatism caused in the optical system by exposure is corrected. The amount of astigmatism is calculated by a calculating device based on the amount of light incident on the optical system per unit of time which is obtained according to the output of a light amount sensor.

Astigmatism-correcting optical system, projection exposure apparatus

A projection exposure apparatus including structure for supplying illumination light, using a projection optical system for projecting a pattern of a first object onto a second object in cooperation with the illumination light, the projection optical system having a refraction optical element, controlling a changing unit (for changing a wavelength of illumination light) on the basis of an output of a detecting unit (for detecting a change in pressure around the projection optical system) so as to compensate a change in ratio, or so as to maintain a constant ratio, of reflective index between an atmosphere and the refraction optical element due to a change in pressure, and correcting a change in optical characteristic of the projection optical system, due to a factor other than the pressure change, without use of the wavelength changing unit; and a device manufacturing method including a step of projecting and transferring a device pattern of a mask onto a substrate by using the projection exposure apparatus.

Exposure apparatus and method which changes wavelength of illumination

A method of detecting coma of a projection optical system includes receiving an image of a pattern projected by the projection optical system, at at least one position along an optical axis of the projection optical system, detecting a position of at least one received pattern image, with respect to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the projection optical system, and determining coma of the projection optical system on the basis of the detection.

Method of detecting coma of projection optical system

A position detecting method includes illuminating a grating mark of an object with monochromatic light; forming an interference image on an image pickup device by using .+-. n-th order light (n=1, 2, 3 . . . ) among reflective diffraction light from the grating mark; integrating an image signal produced by the image pickup device within a two-dimensional window of a predetermined size set with respect to the image signal and along one direction in two-dimensional coordinates, whereby a one-dimensional projection integration signal is produced; transforming, through rectangular transformation, the one-dimensional projection integration signal into a spatial frequency region; selecting, on the spatial frequency region and from the one-dimensional projection integration signal, a spatial frequency component which appears in the interference image due to the periodicity of the grating mark; and detecting the position of the grating mark on the basis of the selection.

Position detecting method and projection exposure apparatus using the

There is provided a photosensitive medium for recording a charge latent image, composed of a photo-conductive layer having an electrode and a protective layer at each surface thereof. There is further provided a charge latent image recording method. A photo-conductive layer and a charge holding layer, each having an electrode at a surface thereof, are arranged to face each other through a gap. A predetermined voltage is applied across the photo-conductive layer and the charge holding layer through the electrodes to cause discharge thereacross. At the time, an electro-magnetic wave corresponding to the charge latent image intended to be recorded is emitted to the photo-conductive layer. The impedance of the photo-conductive layer is thus varied to record the charge latent image on the charge holding layer. In the method, the rise time constant of the voltage applied across the electrodes is adjusted to that of the discharge or more, and the potential of the charge latent image is adjusted to a discharge starting voltage or less.

Photosensitive medium for recording charge latent image and recording

A system for recording and reproducing a charge latent image in a recording medium has a transparent electrode (3), a photoconductive layer (4) on the electrode (3), a dielectric layer (8), a photoconductor layer (4) and a charge transfer suppressive layer (16). The system also includes a biasing element including a pair of electrodes (3, 19), a power source (10) for applying an electric field between the pair of electrodes, and an optical system (1) for directing an electro-magnetic radiation beam from an object (0) thereby forming an image thereof in the photoconductive layer (4). The reproducing system has a generating element (45, 48) for projecting the radiation beam toward the recording medium (41a, 41b), an element (20) for modulating the radiation beam, a first conversion element (55, 56) for converting the electro-magnetic radiation beam directed out of the path, an element (49a, 49b) for projecting the intensity modulated beam to an object, a second conversion element (57, 58) for converting the intensity modulated beam into an electrical signal, and an element (54) for directing the intensity modulated beam to the projecting element and the second conversion element.

System and medium for recording/reproducing charge latent image

A voltage is electrostatically induced at a sensing device in correspondence with a surface potential of a measured object. In the case where the sensing device uses a field effect transistor in transferring detected information, there are some factors decreasing the accuracy of detection. Various new arrangements prevent such decreases in the accuracy of detection. In the case of the surface potential of the measured object corresponds to an optical image, new arrangements ensure accurate detection of the optical image. In some cases, color component signals are obtained on the basis of a detection signal.

Apparatus for recording a charge latent image on a medium and for

Apparatus detecting distribution of surface potential on a medium

An apparatus for reproducing a charge latent image prerecorded on a charge holding layer of a recording medium as a series of frames aligned in a line. The apparatus contains a reproducing head means composed of an electrode without a photo-modulation layer, an enabling means enabling the reproducing head means to reproduce a charge latent image only when the reproducing head confronts a charge latent image. The enabling means displaces the series of frames of charge latent image intermittently to align one of the series of frames with the reproducing head means.

Apparatus for reproducing charge latent image having a recording medium

A charge latent image recording medium includes an electrode, a dielectric member, a member suppressing a transfer of charges, and a photoconductive member laminated in the order without any gaps therebetween. A system for reading a charge latent image recorded in a recording member includes means for projecting a first electromagnetic radiation beam along a path extending to the recording member, means projecting a second electromagnetic radiation beam approximately along the path for reading the charge latent image, guiding means disposed in the path changing electric resistance thereof along the path threthrough, in response to the first electromagnetic radiation beam projected thereto, for guiding an electric field of charges of the charge latent iamge.

Charge latent image recording medium and charge latent image reading out

A charge latent image is formed on a recording medium in response to information and a reference pattern so that the information and the reference pattern are recorded on the recording medium. During a reproducing process, the information is read out from the recording medium and an information signal representing the readout information is generated. In addition, the reference pattern is read out from the recording medium and a reference signal representing the reference pattern is generated. The information is demodulated from the information signal. The reference signal is used in the demodulation of the information from the information signal.

Compensating structure for position errors in apparatus for recording

A image pickup device having a rewritable recording member on which optical patterns are repeatedly recorded as electrostatic images using a writing head with an electric potential applied between the head and recording member. Each image recorded on the recording member is erased prior to recording a subsequent image by application of an alternating voltage or an electric potential of opposite polarity between the writing head and recording member.

Method and apparatus for repeatedly recording optical image information

An apparatus for processing information carried by an electro-magnetic radiation beam. The apparatus includes a charge holding member for storing a charge latent image, a generator for generating an electro-magnetic radiation beam which is a superimposition of a plurality of electro-magnetic radiation beams with different wavelength ranges, a filter for separating the superimposed beam into the plurality of electro-magnetic radiation beams and a photo-conductive member provided adjacent to the charge latent image holding member and having an impedance which varies according to the intensity of each of the plurality of beams separated by the filter. Charge latent images corresponding to each of the plurality of beams are thus recorded on the charge latent image holding member. The charge latent images thus recorded on the charge latent image holding member are reproduced by means of a photo-modulation member provided instead of a photo-conductive member.

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Yokohama, Japan

Hirohiko Shinonaga