| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 355073000 | Including vacuum or fluid pressure | 30 |
| 20080239275 | Substrate holding apparatus, exposure apparatus, exposing method, and device fabricating method - The some aspects of the present invention provides a substrate holding apparatus that comprises: a base part; a support part that is formed on the base part and supports a rear surface of the substrate; a first circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a first upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part; and surrounds a first space that is between the substrate, which is supported by the support part, and the base part; a second circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a second upper surface that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part, with a gap interposed therebetween; and surrounds the first circumferential wall; a third circumferential wall that: is formed on the base part; has a third upper sure that opposes the rear surface of the substrate, which is supported by the support part; and surrounds the support part and the second circumferential wall; a fluid flow port that is capable of supplying gas to a second space that is between the first circumferential wall and the second circumferential wall; and a first suction port that suctions fluid from a third space that is between the second circumferential wall and the third circumferential wall. | 10-02-2008 |
| 20080273189 | Sheet Body Holding Mechanism and Lithography Apparatus Using Same - Highly accurate lithography is performed by maintaining planarity without generating a suction mark on a sheet body. Since a counterbore for storing the head of a screw member for fixing a suction plate on a supporting table communicates with the atmosphere through a long hole and communicating path, inside of the counterbore is never under a negative pressure at the time of sucking the sheet body through a hole section of the suction plate, and the substrate can be held by suction on the suction plate by highly accurately maintaining planarity. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080316461 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - The present invention relates to a clamping device configured to clamp an object on a support, comprising a first device configured to exert an attracting force on said object, and a second device configured to exert a rejecting force on said object, wherein said first device and second device are configured to simultaneously exert an attracting and a rejecting force on said object to shape said object to a desired shape before clamping of said object on said support. The invention further relates to a method for loading an object on a support, comprising the steps of shaping said object in a desired shape spaced from said support, wherein said shaping comprises subjecting said object simultaneously to an attracting force pulling said object towards said support and a rejecting force pushing said object away from said support, and clamping said object on said support. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090027649 | Lithography system, method of clamping and wafer table - The invention relates to a lithography system, for example for projecting an image or an image pattern on to a target ( | 01-29-2009 |
| 20090059199 | Method of loading a substrate on a substrate table and lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - The invention relates to a method of loading a first object on a second object in a lithographic apparatus. The method includes: a) loading the first object on the second object, b) waiting a predetermined time interval and c) performing a relaxation action. The first object may be a substrate and the second object a substrate table. The first object may also be a substrate table and the second object a support structure, supporting the substrate table. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090086187 | Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method - A clamping device can be configured to clamp an object on a support. The clamping device can include a first device configured to exert an attracting force on the object, and a second device configured to exert a rejecting force on the object. The first device and second device can be configured to simultaneously exert an attracting and a rejecting force on the object to shape the object to a desired shape before clamping of the object on the support. A method is provided for loading an object on a support, comprising the steps of shaping the object in a desired shape spaced from the support. The shaping can include subjecting the object simultaneously to an attracting force pulling the object toward the support and a rejecting force pushing the object away from the support, and clamping the object on the support. | 04-02-2009 |
| 20090103071 | DRIVING APPARATUS AND EXPOSURE APPARATUS, AND DEVICE FABRICATION METHOD - A guide includes a brittle material layer and a magnetically attracting magnetic body, e.g., a metal layer. A recess and a projection are formed on the metal layer. The brittle material layer is made of, e.g., a sprayed ceramic material and covers the recess formed on the magnetically attracting metal layer. A movable body moves as it levitates above the surface of the brittle material layer. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090122293 | Stage device, exposure apparatus, and method of manufacturing devices - A stage device includes a stage and a frame-shaped member that move in three degrees of freedom directions in a two-dimensional plane while floating above a surface plate. The stage also holds an object. First fixed elements and second fixed elements are fitted to the frame-shaped member, and cooperate with first movable elements and second movable elements to generate drive forces to drive the stage in the two-dimensional plane. A reaction force generated by the driving of the stage acts on the first and/or second fixed elements, and causes the frame-shaped member to move in the two-dimensional plane. Because the reaction force caused by the movement of the stage is substantially completely cancelled, and because the movement of a center of gravity of a system including the stage and the frame-shaped member does not occur, no unbalanced load acts on the surface plate. | 05-14-2009 |
| 20090168042 | Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method - An immersion lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a substrate table for holding a substrate, the substrate table being constructed and arranged to allow liquid to flow off the substrate and over an edge of a top surface of the substrate table, and a gutter for collecting the liquid flow under the edge. Several features for improving liquid retrieval are described. | 07-02-2009 |
| 20100045961 | DUAL STAGE POSITIONING AND SWITCHING SYSTEM - The present invention has disclosed a dual stage positioning and switching system, which comprises at least a base, a first object stage positioning unit disposed on the base for a first workstation, and a second object stage positioning unit for a second workstation. Each of the object stage positioning units comprises at least a supporting structure, an X-direction guide bar, a Y-direction guide bar, and a motion positioning detector, wherein, the supporting structure comprises an object stage, and an object stage connector moving relative to the object stage. The object stage positioning unit further comprises a driver connecting to the object stage connector and driving the connector to move along the X-direction guide bar. The X-direction guide bars are positioned on and movable along the Y-direction guide bars. The system further comprises an object stage connector for transitional use during the switching process, which is positioned at the center of the Y-direction guide bar located on one side of the base. The present system does not include a cable stage, so that the structure of the system is simplified. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100149515 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - An immersion lithographic apparatus has a barrier member surrounding a space between the projection system and the substrate so as to at least partly confine liquid in the space. A jet of liquid is directed radially inwardly in a gap between the barrier member and the substrate and/or between the barrier member and the projection system, to help prevent escape of liquid. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100157277 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A liquid confinement structure configured to contain a liquid in a space between a projection system and a substrate has a recess in its lower surface which is open to both a relatively low pressure source and a relatively high pressure source and through which liquid and/or gas from between the liquid confinement structure and the substrate is extracted. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100195083 | Automatic substrate transport system - An automatic substrate transport system having adjustable mechanisms to guide and float substrates on a film of air along a sloped path, permits smooth movement with significantly reduced contact and abrasion damage to imaged surfaces on the substrates. This allows for the transportation of any substrates including those coated with somewhat tacky coatings, thus reducing machine downtime associated with clearing line blockages, as well as transport mechanism cleaning. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100195084 | Substrate holding platen with high speed vacuum - A substrate holding platen has a top surface having a plurality of openings, an enclosed plenum area below the top surface, and a large orifice valve connecting the plenum area to a high flow vacuum pump. The plurality of openings may include snubber slots on the top surface, and/or openings for automatic shims. The high flow vacuum pump preferably pulls between 100-150 cubic feet per minute (cfm) of air from the plenum through the large orifice valve. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20110032505 | Robot For In-Vacuum Use - A robot positions a workpiece within a vacuum chamber of a lithographic apparatus. A first component of the robot is located within a vacuum chamber to position a workpiece along a translational axis. A shaft supports the first component such that an axis of symmetry of the shaft is perpendicular to the translational axis, and a second component rotates the shaft about the axis of symmetry and moves the shaft in a direction parallel to the axis of symmetry. The second component includes a gas bearing configured to introduce gas along a circumferential surface of the shaft and a scavenging seal configured to evacuate the gas introduced by the second component gas bearing. The robot substantially reduces, or eliminates the out-gassing of hydrocarbon molecules in a range from about 0 to 200 a.m.u., thus rendering the robot suitable for use in extreme ultra-violet (EUV) photolithography applications. | 02-10-2011 |
| 20110051115 | Substrate Holding Apparatus, Mask Alignment Method, and Vacuum Processing Apparatus - The present invention provides a mask alignment mechanism which reduces the occurrence of particles and which aligns a mask with high accuracy, and a vacuum processing apparatus including such a mask alignment mechanism. A mask alignment mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate holder which is movable up and down when a substrate is transferred and on which four taper pins are formed, and a mask in which grooves are formed. The taper pins can be inserted into the grooves, respectively. The taper pins include a pair of long taper pins and a pair of short taper pins. The taper pins in each pair are disposed to face each other across the substrate. Tapered surfaces formed in the long taper pins and tapered surfaces formed in the short taper pins are located at different heights. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20120002187 | RETICLE CLAMPING SYSTEM - A support structure for positioning an exchangeable object (e.g., patterning device) in a lithographic apparatus. The support structure has a chuck and at least two clamp mechanisms spaced from one another in a first direction. Each clamp mechanism has a plurality of vacuum sections to support the object and apply a localized clamping force to the object to hold the object. The separation between the vacuum sections is in a second direction different from the first direction. The support structure may have a chuck and a clamp mechanism having a plurality of clamp sections to support the object and apply a clamping force to the object. The sections may move relative to each other. Each section may include a channel to communicate a low pressure to hold the object. The stiffness of the clamp mechanism(s) reduces and/or avoids stress and/or slip at the interface of the chuck/clamp and object. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120300188 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS COMPRISING A SUBSTRATE TABLE - A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam and a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The lithographic apparatus further includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate; a positioner constructed to position the substrate table; a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate; a substrate surface actuator arranged to engage a part of a surface of the substrate facing the projection system, and a position controller configured to control a position of the substrate table, the position controller being arranged to drive the positioner and the substrate surface actuator. | 11-29-2012 |
| 20130038854 | SUBSTRATE TABLE ASSEMBLY, AN IMMERSION LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND A DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A substrate table assembly, an immersion lithographic apparatus and a device manufacturing method are disclosed. The substrate table assembly includes a substrate table to support a substrate; and a gas handling system to provide a gas to a region between the substrate table and a substrate mounted on the substrate table, wherein the gas provided by the gas handling system has a thermal conductivity greater than or equal to 100 mW/(m.K) at 298 K. | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130107241 | LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND SUBSTRATE HANDLING METHOD | 05-02-2013 |
| 20130120732 | CYLINDRICAL MAGNETIC LEVITATION STAGE AND LITHOGRAPHY - The present invention provides a cylindrical magnetic levitation stage and an exposure apparatus, which can form a nanoscale pattern of a large area directly on the surface of a large cylinder. The present invention provides an exposure apparatus including a new type of cylindrical magnetic levitation stage, which can levitate, rotate, and move a cylinder in the axial direction by the principle of magnetic levitation in a non-contact manner and form a nanoscale pattern on the surface of the cylinder, and a light source for irradiating light on the surface of the cylinder, thereby reducing the position error of the cylindrical magnetic levitation stage to a nanoscale size and correcting the error caused by mechanical processing in real time. Moreover, the present invention provides an exposure apparatus, which includes a differential vacuum means combined with the cylindrical magnetic levitation stage to create a partial vacuum environment between the light source and the surface of the cylinder, and thus it is possible to employ light sources such as X-rays, electron beams, extreme ultraviolet (EUV) rays, etc. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130250271 | STAGE ASSEMBLY WITH SECURE DEVICE HOLDER - A stage assembly ( | 09-26-2013 |
| 20130258309 | SUBSTRATE HOLDING DEVICE, LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS USING SAME, AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - The substrate holding device of the present invention includes a holding unit that adsorbs and holds the substrate, a measuring section that measures a physical quantity relating to a adsorption force of the holding unit with the substrate mounted on the holding unit; and a control section that carries out a first determination based on a first condition and a measurement result obtained by the measuring section and a second determination based on a second condition that is different from the first condition and a measurement result obtained by the measuring section to select one of at least three preset operations based on the result of first and second determinations to thereby execute processing depending on the selected operation. | 10-03-2013 |
| 20140146301 | EXPOSURE MACHINE - Disclosed is exposure machine, comprising: a loading frame, for placing an object to be exposed; a light source device, located at one side of a plane where the loading frame is positioned, wherein the light emitting direction of the light source device is perpendicular to a plane where the object to be exposed is positioned. During exposure, the loading frame will not reflect the light transmitting through the object to be exposed, and thus the stage spots are avoided. Further, when the exposure machine is operated in a vertical manner, a bidirectional exposure may be achieved only by adding a single prism into the light source device in the prior art, and thus the exposure efficiency is greatly improved. | 05-29-2014 |
| 20140293257 | SUBSTRATE HOLDING APPARATUS AND METHOD - Provided are a substrate holding apparatus and a method of using the substrate holding apparatus. According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a substrate holding apparatus comprising a stage on which a substrate is placed, and at least one lift bar which separates the substrate from the stage by raising the substrate or placing the substrate on the stage by lowering the substrate. The lift bar comprises a body and a head. The head is connected to an end of the body, contacts the substrate, and is formed of a porous material. | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140320841 | HOLDING APPARATUS, PROCESSING APPARATUS, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLE - The present invention provides a holding apparatus for holding a substrate by an electrostatic force, the apparatus including a base including an electrode for generating the electrostatic force, a plurality of pins provided on the base, and a seal provided on the base and configured to seal a first space surrounding the plurality of pins, wherein a cavity and a first hole connecting the cavity and the first space is formed in the base, wherein a gas is sealed in the first space, the first hole and the cavity in a vacuum by holding the substrate on the pins and the seal by the electrostatic force. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20150109599 | SUPPORT APPARATUS, LITHOGRAPHIC APPARATUS AND DEVICE MANUFACTURING METHOD - A support apparatus for a lithographic apparatus has an object holder and an extraction body radially outward of the object holder. The object holder is configured to support an object. The extraction body includes an extraction opening configured to extract fluid from a top surface of the support apparatus. The extraction body is spaced from the object holder such that the extraction body is substantially decoupled from the object holder. The extraction body comprises a projection configured such that it surrounds the object holder and such that, in use, a layer of liquid is retained on the projection and in contact with an object supported on the object holder. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150109600 | LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS, DETERMINATION METHOD, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING ARTICLE - The present invention provides a lithography apparatus which forms a pattern on a substrate, including a stage configured to hold the substrate, a substrate transport system configured to transfer the substrate to the stage, an obtaining unit configured to obtain information about a holding state of the substrate on the stage, and a processor configured to perform processing of determining a transport position on the stage when the substrate transport system transfers the substrate to the stage, wherein based on information obtained by the obtaining unit when the stage holds the substrate at each of a plurality of positions on the stage, the processor determines the transport position at which the substrate transport system transfers the substrate to the stage. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150131072 | LOW CONTACT IMPRINT LITHOGRAPHY TEMPLATE CHUCK SYSTEM FOR IMPROVED OVERLAY CORRECTION - Imprint lithography template chucks and related systems and methods are provided that substantially maintain structural support functions while significantly enhancing imprint quality functions. The chucks incorporate dynamic vacuum seals to substantially reduce template contact during alignment and distortion correction while still providing good structural support upon separation. | 05-14-2015 |
| 20160004173 | Apparatus for transferring a substrate in a lithography system - An apparatus for transferring a target, such as a substrate or a substrate support structure onto which a substrate has been clamped, from a substrate transfer system to a vacuum chamber of a lithography system. The apparatus comprises a load lock chamber for transferring the target into and out of the vacuum chamber. The load lock chamber comprises a first wall with a first passage providing access between a robot space and the interior of the load lock chamber, a second wall with a second passage providing access between the interior of the load lock chamber and the vacuum chamber, and plurality of handling robots for transferring the targets comprising: a first handling robot movable within the robot space to access the substrate transfer system and the first passage; and a second handling robot movable within the load lock chamber to access the first passage and the second passage. | 01-07-2016 |
