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. 12, 2006
Filed:
Oct. 22, 2004
Toshihiko Tsuji, Saitama, JP;
Yoshitomo Nagahashi, Takasaki, JP;
Manabu Fujii, Natori, JP;
Hironori Murakami, Sendai, JP;
Toshihiko Tsuji, Saitama, JP;
Yoshitomo Nagahashi, Takasaki, JP;
Manabu Fujii, Natori, JP;
Hironori Murakami, Sendai, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Sendai Nikon Corporation, Natori, JP;
Abstract
An exposure system is provided which can maintain a predetermined performance of the exposure apparatus stably by maintaining a cooling capacity by preventing a negative pressure from being generated in a circulation path of the liquid and preventing the back pressure from increasing even if at least a part of a temperature adjusting device is disposed under a disposition surface of the exposure apparatus due to the disposition area. A sealed tank which stores the cooling agent which is circulated in the circuiting systems and a pump, etc., which circulates the cooling agent are disposed under the disposition surface FL of the exposure system. The reticle stage and the wafer stage which are objects of which the temperature is supposed to be controlled are disposed above the disposition surface FL. A tank which open to air is provided so as to prevent the negative pressure from being generated in the reticle stage, etc. such that the tank and the tank are connected by a connecting piping arrangement. Also, the piping arrangement which eliminates the bubbles which are contained in the cooling agent which is circulated in the circulating systems are connected to the circulating systems.