The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 20, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 12, 1996
Tsuneo Miyai, Tokyo, JP;
Yuji Imai, Omiya, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Disclosed is an exposure apparatus comprising a substrate holder washing unit and a substrate holder storing unit. While a substrate holder exported from an exposure stage is washed in the washing unit, a clean holder previously stored in the storing unit is transported to an X stage by using a robot hand and a transport arm, and it is installed to the X stage by using an attaching/detaching mechanism. The holder can be always maintained in a clean state without stopping the apparatus for a long period of time, resulting in improvement in throughput. Also disclosed is an exposure apparatus comprising a mechanism for cleaning a substrate holder by transporting a whetstone onto the holder, engaging the whetstone with an engaging member, and rotating the whetstone by using a rotary driving unit. The exposure apparatus is provided with a unit for drawing dust emerged upon cleaning with the whetstone.