Nikon Corporation

Shouji Yajima

Tetsuya Abe

Hiroki Jinbo

Hiroyuki Hiraiwa

Kazuhiro Nakagawa

Norio Komine

Seishi Fujiwara

Norihisa Yamaguchi

Yasuji Ishida

A production method of synthetic silica glass according to the present invention comprises a first step of ejecting a silicon compound and a combustion gas containing oxygen and hydrogen from a burner to effect hydrolysis of the silicon compound in oxyhydrogen flame to produce fine particles of silica glass, and thereafter depositing and vitrifying the fine particles of silica glass on a target opposed to the burner to obtain a synthetic silica glass ingot; a second step of heating the synthetic silica glass ingot or the like obtained in the first step up to a first retention temperature of not less than 900&deg; C., retaining the ingot or the like at the first retention temperature, and cooling the ingot or the like at a temperature decrease rate of not more than 10&deg; C./h down to a temperature of not more than 500&deg; C.; and a third step of heating the synthetic silica glass ingot or the like obtained in the second step up to a second retention temperature of not less than 500&deg; C. nor more than 1100&deg; C., retaining the ingot or the like thereat, and thereafter cooling the ingot or the like at a temperature decrease rate of not less than 50&deg; C./h down to a temperature 100&deg; C. lower than the second retention temperature.

Product method of synthetic silica glass and thermal treatment apparatus

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

A method for manufacturing quartz glass in a flame hydrolysis reaction inside a furnace, including the steps of mixing a gas containing Si, a combustion-supporting gas, and a combustible gas and discharging this mixed gas from a burner; producing a quartz glass powder by causing the mixed and discharged gases to react in a flame within the furnace while an opening area of an opening and shutting system of the furnace is controlled; and producing a quartz glass ingot by depositing and vitrifying the quartz glass powder on a target surface facing an interior of the furnace, wherein said producing step includes the step of controlling the opening area of the opening and shutting system of the furnace in accordance with the amount of growth of the ingot on the target surface.

Method for manufacturing quartz glass

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.

Growing community of inventors

Sagamihara, Japan

Shouji Yajima