# US 2009/0260654 A1 · Method and device for replacing objective parts > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260654 A1 - Document ID: US20090260654A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/430,633 - Filed: 2009-04-27 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2006-10-27 - Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH - Inventors: Bernhard Geuppert; Guido Limbach; Harald Woelfle; Peter Deufel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260654A1 ## CPC - G03F 7/70925: {Cleaning, i.e. actively freeing apparatus from pollutants, e.g. using plasma cleaning} - B08B 3/12: by sonic or ultrasonic vibrations - B08B 7/0035: {by radiant energy, e.g. UV, laser, light beam or the like} - B23P 6/00: Restoring or reconditioning objects (straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10) - G03F 7/70808: {Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus} - G03F 7/70825: {Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports (workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707)} - G03F 7/70833: {Mounting of optical systems, e.g. mounting of illumination system, projection system or stage systems on base-plate or ground} - G03F 7/70916: {Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps} - G03F 7/70975: {Assembly, maintenance, transport or storage of apparatus} - Y10T 29/49723: including reconditioning of part - G03F: PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES, e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; MATERIALS THEREFOR; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; (phototypographic composing devices B41B; photosensitive materials or processes for photographic purposes G03C; electrophotography, sensitive layers or processes therefor G03G) - B08B: CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A method and a device for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography in which an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein is provided. At least one objective part is replaceably accommodated in the objective. Immediately prior to installation in the objective, the replaceable objective part is cleaned outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. Immediately after cleaning, the replaceable objective is installed in the objective without contact with the normal ambient atmosphere. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for replacing objective parts comprising: providing an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein, at least one objective part being replaceably accommodated in the objective, cleaning the replaceable objective part outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere and, immediately after the cleaning, installing the replaceable objective part in the objective without contact with the ambient atmosphere. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the objective part is selected from the group consisting essentially of optical lenses, mirrors, mirror elements, filters, diaphragms, membranes and other elements inside the objective interior. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere has a cleaning atmosphere differing from the ambient atmosphere. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) Method in accordance with claim 3, wherein the cleaning atmosphere is selected from the group consisting essentially of vacuum, dry air, nitrogen, dry nitrogen, argon, oxygen, helium, hydrogen, at least one inert gas, at least one noble gas and combinations thereof. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere is provided in local proximity to the objective interior, and further comprising moving the replaceable objective part, through at least one of a geometrically simple and a temporally short movement, from the cleaning room into the objective interior. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning room is detachably coupled to the objective interior so as to be gastight. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing at least one further cleaning room, the cleaning rooms being respectively connected to each other, and passing the replaceable objective part through the cleaning rooms in succession. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning in the cleaning room comprises at least one of: cleaning by irradiation with electromagnetic waves, ultraviolet irradiation, plasma cleaning, oxygen plasma cleaning, hydrogen plasma cleaning, evaporation, gas cleaning, liquid cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning, dipping in at least one bath, mechanical cleaning, and wiping. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning in the cleaning room comprises at least one of elimination of particles, elimination of hydrocarbons, elimination of water monolayers and combinations thereof in an order as listed here. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) Method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the elimination of particles comprises at least one of utilizing an ultrasonic bath, utilizing a dipping bath in an optics-cleaning mixture, and wiping. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) Method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the elimination of hydrocarbons comprises at least one of utilizing irradiation, utilizing irradiation with broadband ultraviolet light, gas flushing, gas flushing with dry nitrogen, gas flushing with dry nitrogen and a low quantity of admixed oxygen, gas flushing with dry nitrogen and a low quantity of admixed dry air, plasma cleaning, and plasma cleaning with an oxygen plasma excited by microwave energy in vacuum conditions with simultaneous suction of the cleaning room. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) Method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the elimination of water monolayers comprises at least one of evaporation, heating with an infrared lamp, heating with a heating wire, plasma cleaning, flushing with dry nitrogen, flushing with dry air, and flushing with helium. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing a magazine for replaceable objective parts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Method in accordance with claim 13, wherein the magazine facilitates clean storage and rapid replacement of objective parts via the cleaning room. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the replaceable objective part is a part of an optical system for one of ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet lithography. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising completely removing the objective part from the objective interior. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising bringing the objective part from a position spaced apart from the objective interior into the objective interior. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) Method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the objective is an objective of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography. ### Claim 19 Cleaning device for at least one replaceable objective part, comprising: a cleaning device for cleaning the replaceable objective part, a cleaning room for accommodating the replaceable objective part during the cleaning, and a connecting part for gastight connection to an objective housing. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising at least one connecting element for gastight connection of at least one of a transport channel and at least one further cleaning device. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 20, wherein the connecting part and the connecting element are at least one of identical to and compatible with each other. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a transport channel comprising the connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, wherein the connecting part comprises a device mechanically decoupling the connecting part from the objective housing. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 22, wherein the connecting part comprises a device mechanically decoupling the connecting part from the objective housing. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 23, wherein the mechanical decoupling device comprises at least one of an air bearing, an elastic bearing and a bellows. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 24, wherein the mechanical decoupling device comprises at least one of an air bearing, an elastic bearing and a bellows. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, wherein the cleaning room is either sealed gastight or provided with excess pressure, and wherein at least one sealing element comprising at least one of an elastic element and a leaky seal with the excess pressure is provided for at least one of the connecting part, an inlet opening for the objective part and a connecting element to either a transport channel or a further cleaning device. ### Claim 28 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a handling device configured and arranged to move the replaceable objective part in the cleaning device. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the handling device is configured and arranged to move the objective part between the cleaning device and the objective housing. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the handling device comprises kinematic parts at least partially arranged within the housing of at least one of the cleaning room and a transport channel interposed between the cleaning device and the objective housing. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the handling device comprises a linear motor. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 28, wherein the handling device is mechanically decoupled from a housing of at least one of the cleaning room and a transport channel interposed between the cleaning device and the objective housing. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising at least one of a gas supply, a gas evacuator, a pump, and a vacuum pump. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, wherein the cleaning device comprises at least one of an irradiation device utilizing electromagnetic waves, an irradiation devices utilizing ultraviolet radiation, a plasma cleaning device, a microwave plasma device, an evaporator, an infrared lamp, a heating wire, a gas-flushing device, a liquid-flushing device, an ultrasonic cleaner, a dipping bath, a mechanical cleaning device, and a wiping device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, further comprising a magazine for replaceable objective parts, connected to the cleaning room such that the objective part is transferred between the cleaning room and the magazine. ### Claim 36 (depends on 19) Cleaning device in accordance with claim 19, wherein the connecting part comprises a quick-coupling mechanism for rapid connection to and disconnection from the objective housing. ### Claim 37 Objective for at least one of a projection device or an illumination device for microlithography, comprising: an objective housing that houses at least one replaceable objective part wherein, in the region of the replaceable objective part, the objective housing comprises at least one coupling element for coupling a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a cleaning room for accommodating and cleaning the replaceable objective part and a connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) Objective in accordance with claim 37, wherein the objective is an optical system configured for use with ultraviolet or extreme ultraviolet light. ### Claim 39 (depends on 37) Objective in accordance with claim 37, further comprising at least one additional housing arranged at least partially inside the objective housing, the objective housing and the additional housing each having a respective opening for accessing a respective replaceable objective part. ### Claim 40 (depends on 39) Objective in accordance with claim 39, further comprising a vacuum-tight transport channel between the objective housing and the additional housing. ### Claim 41 System comprising: at least one cleaning device, and at least one objective comprising an objective housing, in which at least one replaceable objective part is housed, wherein, in the region of the replaceable objective part, the objective housing comprises at least one coupling element for coupling the cleaning device, and wherein the cleaning device comprises a cleaning room for accommodating and cleaning the replaceable objective part and a connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing.