Interviews > Mirror Projection Aligners
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There is a corner of Canon's Ami plant, located in the north of Tokyo, that is called "Canon Heavy Industries." It's the section where mirror projection aligners, or projection aligners used to expose patterns on substrates to create liquid crystal display (LCD), are manufactured. This system is so enormous that it's like an elephant house. However, inside is a world of micro-level precision. Canon has a reputation as a "precision digital manufacturer" of such ultraprecise equipment as digital cameras and inkjet printers. But the meaning of "precision" knows no limits. This section of the Ami plant, akin to a shipbuilding yard in size, is about to reshape the world of displays.
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| Hiroyuki Ito coordinated the design of such areas as the optical system, drive system and projection system, while reflecting the demands of LCD panel manufacturers in each unit's design. | Haruna Kawashima was responsible for the illumination system. When he joined Canon, he was assigned to development of an illumination system for mirror projection aligners. This was followed by a stint working on auto focus systems for semiconductor exposure equipment. Since 1998, he has been developing illumination systems for mirror projection aligners and semiconductor exposure equipment. | Hisashi Yamazaki was in charge of the drive system. Since joining Canon, he has been engaged in electrical design for mirror projection aligners, mainly control technology for the substrate stage. |
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Nobuyuki Sakamoto
Born in 1954 in Aichi Prefecture, Japan. After working as editor of a computer magazine, Nobuyuki Sakamoto became a freelance writer. He continues to cover topics related to technological development, education and the SOHO (small office home office) trend, as well as the growing adoption of information technology at venture companies. He has authored "The Marvel of Micro Machines." His hobby is ice hockey (for real).
