Nikon Corporation

Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.

Nippon Kogaku K.k.

Yoshihiko Kudo

Soichi Owa

Nobutaka Magome

Shigeru Hirukawa

Hiroyuki Nagasaka

Jiro Inoue

Kenichi Shiraishi

Hiroaki Takaiwa

Masahiro Nei

Yasufumi Nishii

Hirotaka Kohno

Motokatsu Imai

Hiroshi Shirasu

Yasuo Aoki

Shunichi Abe

Chiharu Kobayashi

Koji Ogawa

Mitsuo Akiyama

Masayuki Miyazaki

Akira Sawaki

Yoshihiko Ohtsuki

Hideo Maeda

Naoto Kihara

Seizi Takahashi

A substrate stage and an empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports an empty weight of the substrate stage are made up of separate bodies. Accordingly, the size and weight of the substrate stage (a structure including the substrate stage) can be reduced, compared with the case where the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are integrally configured. Further, due to movement of an X coarse movement stage and a Y coarse movement stage by an X drive mechanism and a Y drive mechanism, the substrate stage is driven in an XY plane and also the empty-weight canceling mechanism that supports the empty weight of the substrate stage is driven. With this operation, the substrate stage can be driven without difficulty even when the substrate stage and the empty-weight canceling mechanism are configured of separate bodies.

Movable body apparatus, pattern forming apparatus and pattern forming method, device manufacturing method, manufacturing method of movable body apparatus, and movable body drive method

An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate by projecting a pattern image onto the substrate through a liquid. The exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system by which the pattern image is projected onto the substrate, and a movable member which is movable relative to the projection optical system. A liquid-repellent member, at least a part of a surface of which is liquid-repellent, is provided detachably on the movable member, the liquid-repellent member being different from the substrate.

Exposure method, substrate stage, exposure apparatus, and device manufacturing method

In exposing substrate by projecting an image of a pattern onto substrate via projection optical system and liquid, side surface and underside surface of substrate are applied with liquid-repellent treatment. By such a configuration, an exposure method by which when exposing edge areas of the substrate, the exposure can be performed in a condition that a liquid immersion region is formed well and that flowing out of the liquid to the outside of the substrate stage are prevented is provided.

A projection type exposure apparatus for projecting an original pattern formed on a mask onto a substrate, which comprises a projection optical system, a lens tube member for holding the projection optical system, an alignment optical system and a battle wall member disposed along the path of the projection light beam in the space between the mask and the projection optical system for shutting the space from the flow of external air.

Air flow shielding attachment for use in projection type exposure

A copying apparatus which performs either of two scanning functions depending on the size of original documents. In case of a large-size document, a scanning operation therefor is carried out by moving the document relative to the stationary fixed optical system responsive to selection of such scanning operation. The selection is effective only when the large-size document is detected.

Method and mechanism for preventing misoperation of dual mode copying

An apparatus and method for stabilizing an output of a D.C. power source by using a micro-computer to regulate an input voltage to provide an output voltage according to a controlling signal. The invention further utilizes a periodic interruption process in the program sequence which moniters the output voltage, compares it to a predetermined level and regulates the output voltage in accordance with the monitered voltage.

Circuit for electric power source

A device for holding a sheet-like sample includes table means including a reference surface capable of intimately contacting the surface of the sample and a groove formed in the reference surface and capable of being covered by the surface of the sample during the intimate contact, the groove being formed in the shape of a continuous spiral having its center substantially at the center of the reference surface, and exhaust means for exhausting the air in the groove covered by the surface of the sample.

Device for holding a sheet-like sample

Growing community of inventors

Tokyo, Japan

Yoshihiko Kudo