Lithography apparatus and a method of manufacturing a device
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorGünes Nakiboglu
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A lithography apparatus includes: a projection system configured to project a desired image onto a substrate; an active module that generates a time-varying heat load; a temperature conditioning system configured to maintain a component of the lithography apparatus at a predetermined target temperature; and a heat buffer including a phase change material in thermal contact with the active module, the phase change material having a phase change temperature such that the phase change material is caused to undergo a phase change by the time-varying heat load, and wherein the phase change material is stationary relative to the projection system during critical operations of the lithography apparatus.
Claims21
A lithography apparatus comprising:
- a projection system configured to project a desired image onto a substrate;
- an active module configured to generate a time-varying heat load;
- a temperature conditioning system configured to maintain a component of the lithography apparatus at a predetermined target temperature;
- and
- a heat buffer comprising a structure separate from and in contact with the temperature conditioning system, the structure comprising a phase change material in thermal contact with the active module, the phase change material having a phase change temperature such that the phase change material is caused to undergo a phase change by the time-varying heat load,
- wherein the temperature conditioning system and heat buffer are configured such that heat is removed from the heat buffer at a lower rate than a peak heat generation rate of the active module.
A device manufacturing method using a lithography apparatus having a projection system and an active module, the method comprising:
- operating the active module so that a time-varying heat load is generated;
- absorbing the time-varying heat load in a heat buffer comprising a structure separate from and in contact with a temperature conditioning system, the structure comprising a phase change material, by the phase change material undergoing a phase change;
- removing heat from the heat buffer at a lower rate than a peak heat generation rate of the active module;
- and
- projecting a desired image onto a substrate using the projection system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.