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. 15, 2009
Filed:
Jun. 23, 2006
Masahiro Nei, Yokohama, JP;
Naoyuki Kobayashi, Fukaya, JP;
Dai Arai, Kita-ku, JP;
Soichi Owa, Kumagaya, JP;
Masahiro Nei, Yokohama, JP;
Naoyuki Kobayashi, Fukaya, JP;
Dai Arai, Kita-ku, JP;
Soichi Owa, Kumagaya, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An exposure apparatus exposes a substrate P by locally filling a side of an image plane of a projection optical system PL with a liquidand projecting an image of a pattern onto the substrate P through the liquidand the projection optical system PL. The exposure apparatus includes a recovery unitwhich recovers the liquidoutflowed to the outside of the substrate P. When the exposure process is performed in accordance with the liquid immersion method, the pattern can be transferred accurately while suppressing any environmental change even when the liquid outflows to the outside of the substrate.