Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Nobuyoshi Deguchi

Shigeyuki Uzawa

Kazunori Iwamoto

Mitsuya Sato

Yukio Takabayashi

Tetsuya Mori

Hiromichi Hara

Yukio Tokuda

Shunzo Imai

A scan type exposure for transferring a pattern onto a substrate by scan exposure. The apparatus includes a stage for moving the substrate in a Y direction corresponding to a scan direction, and in an X direction intersecting the scan direction, an alignment scope for performing measurement for alignment of the substrate, at a position spaced, in the Y direction, from a position where the exposure of the substrate is to be carried out, an X measuring device for performing yaw measurement of said stage by use of an X reflection surface provided on said stage along the Y direction, a Y measuring device for performing yaw measurement of the stage by use of a Y reflection surface provided on the stage along the X direction, and a controller being operable to select yaw measurement information of the X measuring device for an alignment operation including the alignment measurement using the alignment scope, and being operable to select yaw measurement information of the Y measuring device for the scan exposure.

Scanning exposure method and apparatus, and device manufacturing method using the same

A photolithographic apparatus in which a light source exposes a substrate for patterning includes an enclosure having a controllable internal ambient for transferring the substrate in and out of the apparatus, a gate valve through which the substrate is transferred into or out of the enclosure, and a gas ejection unit for ejecting a gas into a region in close proximity to the gate valve, and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the substrate as it is transferred into or out of the enclosure. A gas curtain is formed by the gas ejected by the gas ejection unit, such that an opening of the gate valve is shielded by the gas curtain, thereby suppressing intrusion or leakage of an ambient gas which can occur when the substrate is transferred in or out of the apparatus.

Exposure apparatus, coating/developing apparatus, method of transferring a substrate, method of producing a device, semiconductor production factory, and method of maintaining an exposure apparatus

A reference plate used with an exposure apparatus that emits an exposure beam to irradiate a reference mark pattern with observation light, to detect the reflected light, and to obtain a position of the reference mark pattern. A respective reference plate is fixed on a mask stage and a wafer stage of the exposure apparatus for exposing a wafer on the wafer stage to a mask pattern on the mask stage, and a surface of the reference mark pattern, which is an observation light irradiation surface side of the exposure apparatus, is not directly exposed to the surrounding atmosphere.

Reference plate, exposure apparatus, device manufacturing system, device manufacturing method, semiconductor manufacturing factory, and exposure apparatus maintenance method

A driving apparatus for moving an object has a stage which moves the object mounted thereon, a base member supporting the stage, a reaction force reception structure for receiving a reaction force generated upon driving the stage, a damp member for damping transmission of vibration with a predetermined frequency range from the reaction force reception structure to a floor and an actuator for generating a force between the base member and the reaction force reception structure.

Driving apparatus and exposure apparatus

A wafer chuck for releasably holding a wafer, includes a base member having an upper surface for carrying and holding thereon the wafer, a lift mechanism operative on the wafer when it rests on the base member to move the wafer relative to the base member in a direction away from the base member, the lift mechanism having an operative member extending substantially in a direction to a radially inward position from a radially outward position of the base member, the operative member having an end portion movable, relative to the base member, between a first position at which it is retracted from the upper surface of the base member and a second position at which it is protrudent from the upper surface of the base member so as to engage with the wafer to move the same relative to the base member, and driving means for moving, relative to the base member, the end portion of the operative member between the first and second positions.

Growing community of inventors

Tochigi-ken, Japan

Nobuyoshi Deguchi