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US 10,095,126 B2Granted
Moveably mounted component of projection exposure system, as well as device and method for movement limitation for same
AssigneeCarl Zeiss SMT GmbH
InventorsJens Prochnau, Marwene Nefzi, Dirk Schaffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present application discloses a component having a movably mounted component element of a projection exposure apparatus and in particular a movement limiting apparatus, and a method for limiting the movement of movable component elements of a component of a projection exposure apparatus.
Claims21
A method of limiting movement of a movably mounted component element of a component of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, the component comprising the movably mounted component element and a bearing element supporting the movably mounted component element and defining a position of the movably mounted component element within a permissible range of movement, the method comprising:
- providing a movement limiting apparatus which limits for changes in a position of the movably mounted component element outside a permissible range of movement, the movement limiting apparatus comprising a field generating device comprising first and second members, the first member being arranged on the movably mounted component element, the second member arranged on a supporting structure with respect to which the movement of the movably mounted component element is intended to be limited, the first and the second members are at a distance from each other and a magnetic and/or electric field is generated by each of the first and the second members so that a force field is formed between the first and the second components;
- setting the force field so that, when the position of the movably mounted component changes beyond the permissible range of movement as a result of undesired external forces, the change in position is counteracted by the force acting between the first and second members,
- wherein:
- the movement limiting apparatus has a first operation state and a second operation state;
- in the first operation state of the movement limiting apparatus:
- a) the projection exposure apparatus is operated to image structures of a reticle;
- and b) the movably mounted component element is movable in the permissible range of movement;
- and
- in the second operation state of the movement limiting apparatus:
- a) the projection exposure apparatus is not operated to image structures of a reticle;
- and b) the movement limiting apparatus is used to lock the movably mounted component element.
8 more elements
A component of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, comprising:
- a movably mounted component element;
- a bearing element supporting the component element and defining a position of the component element within a permissible range of movement;
- and
- a movement limiting apparatus configured to limit possibilities for changes in position of the component element outside a permissible range of movement,
- wherein:
- the movement limiting apparatus comprises a field generating device comprising first and second members;
- the first member is arranged on the movably mounted component element;
- the second member is arranged on a supporting structure with respect to which the movement of the movably mounted component element;
- the first and second members are a distance from each other;
- and
- the first and second members are configured so that a magnetic and/or electric field is generatable by each of the first and second members so that a force field is present between the first and second members so that the force field counteracts the change in position of the movably mounted component element at least outside the permissible range of movement;
- the force field is set so that the force exerted on the movably mounted component element by the movement limiting apparatus is less than or equal to a limit value in normal operation;
- the limit value is less than a bearing force of the bearing element for the movably component element;
- the force field is switchable between first and second operating state;
- in the first operating state, the movably mounted component element is movably in the permissible movement range;
- and
- in the second operating state, the movably mounted component element has restricted movement.
14 more elements
A component, comprising:
- a movably mounted component element;
- a bearing element supporting the movably mounted component element and defining a position of the movably mounted component element within a permissible range of movement;
- and
- a movement limiting apparatus configured to limit possibilities for changes in the position of the movably mounted component element outside a permissible range of movement,
- wherein:
- the movement limiting apparatus comprises a magnetic field generating device comprising first and second permanent magnets;
- the first permanent magnet is arranged on the movably mounted component element;
- the second permanent magnet is arranged on a supporting structure with respect to which movement of the movably mounted component element is to be limited;
- the first and second permanent magnets are configured so that they are orientable with like magnetic poles pointing toward one another.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.