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:
Sep. 10, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2000
Marc Spinali, Danville, CA (US);
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
A catadioptric lens barrel structure for a projection exposure apparatus includes a pair of lens barrels. Each lens barrel has an optical axis and comprises a plurality of sub-barrels which are serially aligned along the corresponding optical axis. The optical axes of the lens barrels run substantially parallel to each other. A reticle is placed in front of an entrance end of a first one of the lens barrels and a wafer is placed in front of an exit end of the second lens barrel. A support structure supports each sub-barrel. A plurality of adjustment articles may be provided to correct the substantially parallel alignment of the optical axes. Each sub-barrel is spaced apart from the others in the series so that each sub-barrel can slide in and out of alignment with the corresponding optical axis and each sub-barrel can be individually attached to or detached from the support structure. The support structure is made of a material having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and is designed to minimize errors due to temperature changes, vibrational motion, or other external forces.