Nikon Corporation

Katsura Otaki

Takashi Gemma

Katsumi Sugisaki

Soichi Owa

Daniel Gene Smith

Eric Peter Goodwin

Goldie Goldstein

Shunsuke Kibayashi

Hidemitsu Toba

A system for measuring a target grating includes an illumination source, a reference transmission grating, a pupil filter, and a detector. The illumination source is disposed to generate an incident light beam that illuminates the reference transmission grating. The reference transmission grating splits the incident light beam into a plurality of diffraction orders. The plurality of diffraction orders interrogates a target grating. The reference transmission grating and the target grating are parallel. The pupil filter allows transmission of a subset of diffraction orders of light that has been diffracted and/or reflected from the target grating after being split again by passing through the reference transmission grating. The detector takes a measurement of the subset of diffraction orders of light after transmission through the pupil filter.

Spatially filtered talbot interferometer for wafer distortion measurement

A wavefront measuring device and method obtain wavefront information of an optical system. The method including: irradiating the optical system with a light beam; allowing the light beam passed via the optical system to come into a diffraction grating having periodicity in a first direction; and obtaining the wavefront information based on an interference fringe formed by light beams generated from the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating including: first portions which allow light to pass therethrough; and second portions which shield light, each of the second portions being provided between two of the first portions. A ratio between a width of one of the first portions in the first direction and a width of one of the second portions in the first direction is changed in the first direction, the one of the first portions and the one of the second portions being adjacent to each other.

Method and device for measuring wavefront using diffraction grating, and exposure method and device

There is provided a wavefront measuring method for obtaining wavefront information of an optical system. The method including: irradiating the optical system with a light beam; allowing the light beam passed via the optical system to come into a diffraction grating having periodicity in a first direction; and obtaining the wavefront information based on an interference fringe formed by light beams generated from the diffraction grating. The diffraction grating including: first portions which allow light to pass therethrough; and second portions which shield light, each of the second portions being provided between two of the first portions. A ratio between a width of one of the first portions in the first direction and a width of one of the second portions in the first direction is changed in the first direction, the one of the first portions and the one of the second portions being adjacent to each other.

Method and device for measuring wavefront using light-exit section causing light amount distribution in at least one direction

There is provided a template inspection apparatus which inspects a replica template, manufactured by an imprinting method from a master template having a depression/protrusion pattern, the template inspection apparatus including: an inspection light source part which radiates inspection light of plane waves; a stage configured to dispose the master template and the replica template so as to be in close proximity with each other and be irradiated by the inspection light; and a detection part which detects light of a component transmitting through the master template and the replica template and different from the plane waves. Accordingly, a template can be inspected in a short time.

Template manufacturing method, template inspecting method and inspecting apparatus, nanoimprint apparatus, nanoimprint system, and device manufacturing method

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Kamakura, Japan

Katsura Otaki