Nikon Corporation

Kazuhiro Nakagawa

Hiroyuki Hiraiwa

Hiroki Jinbo

Seishi Fujiwara

Norio Komine

Shouji Yajima

Jun Takano

Kazumasa Endo

Issey Tanaka

Masaaki Mochida

Norihisa Yamaguchi

Optical member for photolithography and method of evaluating the same

A silica glass member manufacturing method of the present invention includes the steps of making a silicon compound react in oxyhydrogen flame using a burner having a multi-tubular structure to obtain fine silica glass particles, depositing the fine silica glass particles on a support rotating and placed to oppose the burner to obtain a silica glass ingot with a temperature distribution in at least one plane perpendicular to a rotational axis of the silica glass ingot, the temperature distribution being symmetrical with respect to the rotational axis and having a maximal value between a center and a peripheral portion of the plane, and obtaining a distribution of signed birefringence values on the basis of birefringence values and directions of phase advance axes measured at a plurality of points in the plane perpendicular to the rotational axis of the silica glass ingot and cutting, from the silica glass ingot, a silica glass member whose signed birefringence values monotonously increase from the center to the peripheral portion of the plane.

Method of manufacturing silica glass member and silica glass member obtained by the method

Liquid material supplying apparatus and liquid material supplying method

An apparatus is provided for synthesizing a silica glass ingot. The appartus includes a stage having a target plate thereover, the target plate being rotatable relative to the stage around a predetermined vertical axis, and a furnace for reacting material gas with combustion gas to synthesize the silica glass ingot on the target plate; the furnace having an opening at its bottom. The appratus further includes an elevation system that moves the stage in a vertical direction parallel to the predetermined vertical axis so as to vertically move the target plate through the opening of the furnace, the elevation system supporting the stage from at least one side of the stage and lacking a structure directly below the stage that would substantially interfere with the vertical movement of the stage.

Synthetic silica glass manufacturing apparatus

The invention relates to fluorine-containing silica glasses, and methods of their production. The silica glass may be used for an ultraviolet light optical system in which light in a wavelength region of 200 nm or less, such as an ArF (193 nm) excimer laser, is used. The invention also relates to a projection exposure apparatus containing fluorine-containing glass of the invention.

Fluorine-containing silica glass

Recent UV-lithography is required to provide a fine and sharp pattern with a line width of 0.5 .mu.m or less. A silica glass member adapted for use as an optical element for UV-lithography, by giving consideration to the RMS value of wave front aberration and the slant element of refractive index, which have not been considered in the art. Also there is provided a silica glass member excellent in durability to the ultraviolet irradiation, by introduction of hydrogen molecules at the synthesis of the silica glass, instead of using a secondary treatment for hydrogen introduction.

Silica glass member for UV-lithography, method for silica glass

Recent UV-lithography is required to provide a fine and sharp pattern with a line width of 0.5 .mu.m or less. The present invention provides a silica glass member adapted for use as an optical element for UV-lithography, by giving consideration to the RMS value of wave front aberration and the slant element of refractive index, which have not been considered in the art. Also, there is provided a silica glass member excellent in durability to the ultraviolet irradiation, by introduction of hydrogen molecules at the synthesis of the silica glass, instead of using a secondary treatment for hydrogen introduction.

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Kazuhiro Nakagawa