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:
May. 13, 2003
Filed:
May. 11, 2000
Masashi Okada, Ibaraki, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Apparatus are disclosed for evaluating a thin film of a sample such as a reticle blank. A representative embodiment includes a chamber defining an opening over which the sample, mounted in the sample-support mechanism, is placed such that a pneumatic pressure established in the chamber is transmitted to the thin film of the sample. A deflection-measuring device measures an amount of deflection exhibited by the thin film whenever the pressure is being applied from the chamber to the sample. An optical system irradiates the thin film of the sample, mounted to the chamber, with light to cause light reflected from the thin film to be incident on the deflection-measuring device. The sample-support mechanism includes a substrate that contacts the sample in a manner allowing access of a desired region of the thin film to the pressure, and a retainer that secures the sample and substrate to the opening in the chamber in a manner such that substrate and sample are sandwiched between the retainer and the chamber.