Abstract:
An image forming apparatus is provided that includes: an image bearer; a charger; an irradiator; a developing device containing a toner; and a transfer device. The image bearer has a Martens hardness of from 185 to 250 N/m2. The toner satisfies a relation 0.13≤X/Dn≤0.16, where X [μm] represents an average value of an amount of deformation of the toner by micro-indentation at when a load reaches 3.00×10−4 N at a loading rate of 3.0×10−5 N/sec under an environment of 32 degrees C. and 40% RH, and Dn [μm] represents a number average particle diameter of the toner. The toner contains an external additive comprising silica particles and particles composed mainly of strontium titanate. The particles composed mainly of strontium titanate further contain a third element M selected from the group consisting of La, Mg, Ca, Sn, and Si.
Abstract:
A method of preparing carrier for electrophotography, which includes a core material and a coating material layer formed on the surface of the core material, including coating a coating material of the coating material layer on the core material; and burning the coating material by an induction heater, wherein the induction heater applies an alternative current to parallely-located plural coil circuits including a conductive wire including the shape of a coil to generate a magnetic line changing its direction and intensity for inductively heating the core material to heat the coating material.
Abstract:
An exposure apparatus is provided with an optical system including a liquid, a sensor system for acquiring energy information of an energy beam which is incident on the liquid, and a controller which predicts variation of optical properties of the optical system including the liquid due to energy absorption of the liquid based on the energy information acquired using the sensor system and controls exposure operation with respect to an object based on the prediction results. According to the exposure apparatus, exposure operation without being influenced by the variation of the optical properties of the optical system including the liquid due to the energy absorption of the liquid becomes possible.
Abstract:
A carrier contains a core; and a cover layer located overlying the core, wherein the cover layer comprises a binder resin, a first particulate material and a second particulate material, wherein the following relationships are satisfied: 1
Abstract:
An exposure apparatus includes a projection optical system, which projects a pattern of a mask onto a prescribed exposure area on a substrate at a prescribed projection magnification. The optical axis center of the projection optical system is set to a position different from that of the center of the projection area onto which the pattern is projected. The exposure apparatus further includes a magnification modification device, which modifies the projection magnification of the projection optical system; a calculation device, which calculates a shift length of the center of the projection area associated with modification of the projection magnification; and a correction device, which corrects the position information of the exposure area based on the shift length of the center of the projection area.
Abstract:
An exposure method of forming pattern on object via projection optical system, including deciding optimal adjustment amount of adjustment device which adjusts image forming property of the projection optical system to optimize the image forming property under pattern to be formed and exposure condition of the pattern, based on information related to wavefront aberration of the projection optical system, Zernike Sensitivity Chart corresponding to the pattern and the exposure condition, wavefront aberration variation table that denotes relation between adjustment amount of the adjustment device and change in coefficients of terms in the Zernike polynomial, and restraint condition with respect to the adjustment amount of the adjustment device, and exposing the pattern on the object under the exposure condition via the projection optical system of which the image forming property is adjusted by the adjustment device based on the decided optimal adjustment amount.
Abstract:
A carrier contains a core material; and a coated film containing a binder resin, and a particulate material, the coated film covering the core material, wherein a ratio (D/h) of an average particle diameter (D) of the particulate material to an average thickness (h) of the coated film is from 0.01 to 1, and wherein the carrier has concavities and convexities on the surface of the carrier, the concavities and convexities having a difference of elevation of from 0.05 to 2.0 μm.
Abstract:
A projection exposure apparatus has a light source for emitting illumination light, an illumination optical system for illuminating a mask, on which a predetermined pattern is formed, with the illumination light, and a projection optical system for forming an image of the pattern on a photosensitive substrate, and images the image of the pattern on the photosensitive substrate in a predetermined imaging state. The apparatus also includes a temperature measurement sensor for measuring a change in temperature of the mask, a control system for calculating the change amount of the imaging state caused by the change in temperature, and a correction system for correcting the change in imaging state.
Abstract:
A carrier for forming an electrophotographic image is provided. The carrier comprises a core particle and a coating layer coating the core particle. The coating layer contains chargeable particles and a dispersant. The carrier has an apparent density of from 2.0 g/cm3 or greater but less than 2.5 g/cm3.