Systems and apparatus for performing photolithography processes are described. The system and apparatus may comprise a slab, at least one stage disposed on the slab, and a vibration damping system disposed on the slab, the vibration damping system comprising a weight that is substantially equal to a weight of one of the at least one stage and a substrate that moves simultaneously with movement of the one of the at least one stage.

There is provided method for controlling radiation emitting from one or more tubular lamps in an exposure apparatus for exposing a photosensitive element to the radiation. The method involves adjusting an adjustable ballast connected to the one or more lamps thereby adjusting the power received by the one or more lamps, wherein adjusting the ballast of the one or more lamps is based on the actual temperature and radiation of the one or more lamps.

A substrate processing apparatus includes: a rotary cylindrical member (DR) that includes a cylindrical supporting surface curved with a constant radius from a predetermined center line (AX2) and that feeds a substrate (P) in a length direction of the substrate; a processing mechanism that performs a predetermined process on the substrate at a specific position (PA, EL2) of a part of the substrate; a scale member (SD) that rotates about the center line along with the rotary cylindrical member so as to measure a displacement in a circumferential direction of the supporting surface of the rotary cylindrical member or a displacement in a direction of the center line of the rotary cylindrical member and that includes a scale portion (GP) carved in a ring shape; and a reading mechanism (EN1, EN2) that faces the scale portion, that is disposed in substantially a same direction as the specific position when viewed from the center line, and that reads the scale portion.

An exposure apparatus has a substrate holding member, a first supporting member, a second supporting member, and a driving system. The first supporting member supports the substrate holding member from below. The second supporting member supports the first supporting member from below such that the first supporting member and the second supporting member are capable of moving relative to each other. The driving system moves the substrate holding member, the first supporting member and the second supporting member. The driving system includes a first driving device and a second driving device, the first driving device moving the substrate holding member and the first supporting member in a direction along a predetermined axis, and the second driving device moving the second supporting member in the direction along the predetermined axis.

A catadioptric projection objective has a multiplicity of lenses and at least one concave mirror, and also two deflection mirrors in order to separate a partial beam path running from the object field to the concave mirror from the partial beam path running from the concave mirror to the image field. The deflection mirrors are tilted relative to the optical axis of the projection objective about tilting axes running parallel to a first direction (x-direction). The first deflection mirror is arranged in optical proximity to a first field plane and the second deflection mirror is arranged in optical proximity to a second field plane, which is optically conjugate with respect to the first field plane. A displacement device for the synchronous displacement of the deflection mirrors is provided. The deflection mirrors have different local distributions of their reflection properties in first and second reflection regions, respectively.

A pattern forming photo-curing layer is heated, thereby enabling quick shaping. A pattern manufacturing apparatus (100) includes a controller (101), a laser projector (102), and a heater (103). The controller (101) controls the laser projector (102) to form a pattern on a pattern forming sheet (130) placed on a stage (140). The laser projector (102) includes an optical engine (121), and the controller (101) controls the laser projector (102) to irradiate the pattern forming sheet (130) with a light beam from the optical engine (121). The heater (103) heats the pattern forming sheet (130).

The invention is directed to a device for exposure control in photolithographic direct exposure processes for two-dimensional structures in photosensitive coatings and to a method for converting registration data into direct exposure data. The object of the invention, to find an improved exposure control in direct exposure methods for two-dimensional structures in photosensitive layers which permits a registration of target marks independent from defined locations of the target marks, is met according to the invention in that a plurality of entocentric cameras are arranged in a registration unit (1) in linear alignment transverse to the one-dimensional movement of the substrate (2) to form a gapless linear scanning area (23) over a predetermined width of the substrate (2). The angles of view of adjacent entocentric cameras have an overlapping region along the linear scanning area (23) in which redundant image captures of the substrate (2) of the adjacent cameras (11) are detectable, and the computing unit (5) has means for calculating the position of the target marks from the redundant image captures of the adjacent entocentric cameras additionally using a height position of the target marks which is determined by triangulation of a distance of the substrate surface (21).

A substrate supporting member and a substrate processing apparatus including the same are provided. The substrate supporting member includes a plate having at least one heating zone. A heating member is on a first surface of the plate and located in the at least one heating zone. The heating member extends along a circumferential direction of the plate and is configured to heat a substrate supported by the plate. A first electrode is on the first surface of the plate and is connected to an inner side surface of the heating member. A second electrode is on the first surface of the plate and is connected to an outer side surface of the heating member. The heating member has a stair-step configuration such that a thickness of the heating member increases from the second electrode toward the first electrode.

A projection exposure apparatus includes a catadioptric projection objective, an illumination system, a stage, and a control unit. The catadioptric projection objective includes multiple objective parts, and one or more active manipulators coupled to one or more optical elements of the projection objective. The control unit is programmed to cause the one or more active manipulators to act on one or more corresponding optical elements while the stage scans a wafer with respect to an image field to reduce errors in the image at the image field.

An optical apparatus and a manufacturing method using the optical apparatus are disclosed. The optical apparatus includes a stage supporting a substrate, first optical systems providing a first light onto the substrate, a gantry supporting the first optical systems to transfer them on the stage, and second optical systems disposed between the gantry and the stage and detecting displacement of the first optical systems. Each of the second optical systems includes a beam source generating a second light different with the first light, and sensor arrays for sensing the second light provided to the first optical systems to detect displacement of the first optical systems.