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:
Aug. 23, 2011
Filed:
Oct. 12, 2005
Koji Shigematsu, Kawasaki, JP;
Koji Shigematsu, Kawasaki, JP;
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
An illumination optical apparatus is able to accomplish desired annular illumination, circular illumination, and so on, without substantial influence of the zero-order light from a diffractive optical element. The illumination optical apparatus comprises a diffractive optical element () which converts a light beam from a light source () into a light beam with a predetermined light intensity distribution; an optical integrator () disposed between the diffractive optical element and a surface to be illuminated (M) and adapted for forming a substantial surface illuminant on an illumination pupil plane on the basis of the light beam from the diffractive optical element; a shaping optical system () disposed between the diffractive optical element and the optical integrator and adapted for changing a size and shape of the substantial surface illuminant; and a preventing device disposed at a position substantially in the relation of Fourier transform with the diffractive optical element in an optical path of the shaping optical system, and adapted for preventing the zero-order light from the diffractive optical element from traveling along an illumination light path.