US 2017/0361359 A1Published application

Controlled fluid flow for cleaning an optical element

AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.

InventorsSilvia De Dea, Chunguang Xia, Gregory James Wilson, Brandon Wilson Verhoff

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Abstract

A fluid is directed toward a surface of an optical element based on a first flow pattern, the surface of the optical element including debris and the fluid directed based on the first flow pattern moving at least some of the debris to a first stagnation region at the surface of the optical element; and the fluid is directed toward the optical element based on a second flow pattern, the fluid directed based on the second flow pattern moving at least some of the debris to a second stagnation region on the surface of the optical element, the second stagnation region and the first stagnation region being different locations at the surface of the optical element. Directing the fluid toward the surface of the optical element based on the second flow pattern removes at least some of the debris from the first stagnation region.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A system comprising:

a conduit comprising a sidewall, the sidewall comprising at least one opening that passes from an interior of the conduit to an exterior of the conduit, the conduit configured to transport free radicals in the interior of the conduit and to pass the free radicals through the at least one opening that passes through the sidewall;
and
a control system comprising an electronic storage coupled to one or more electronic processors, the electronic storage comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the one or more electronic processors to:
select a flow pattern from a plurality of flow patterns stored on the electronic storage, each of the flow patterns comprising information sufficient to describe a flow of the free radicals through the at least one opening, the information sufficient to describe the flow of the free radicals through the at least one opening comprising at least a flow rate of the free radicals over a time period, and
apply the selected flow pattern to a flow controller of the system to cause the free radicals to pass through the at least one opening at a flow rate for the time period indicated by the selected flow pattern.

2 more elements

A system for an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source, the system comprising:

a fluid transport system comprising:
at least a first conduit and a second conduit, the first conduit being configured to receive free radicals and gas from a first supply, and the second conduit being configured to receive free radicals and gas from a second supply, the first conduit comprising a sidewall that defines an interior space configured to transport free radicals and gas from the first supply, and the second conduit comprising a side wall that defines an interior space configured to transport free radicals and gas from the second supply, the sidewalls of the first conduit and the second conduit defining at least one opening that passes from the interior space of the respective conduit to an exterior of the respective conduit, the at least one opening being configured to pass free radicals and gas, wherein
the first conduit comprises a main branch, a first branch, and a second branch, the first branch and the second branch being in fluid communication with the main branch and the first supply, each of the first branch and the second branch being positionable to follow different portions of a perimeter of an optical element in a vacuum chamber of the EUV light source, and
the second conduit is positionable to follow a different portion of the perimeter of the optical element than the first branch and the second branch of the first conduit;
and
a control system configured to control the transport of free radicals and gas in the first conduit and the second conduit.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/690,707Filed 30 Aug 2017
Priority: 6 Aug 2015
Published: 21 Dec 2017
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

B08B 5/02
Cleaning by methods involving the use of air flow or gas flow: cleaning by the force of jets, e.g. blowing-out cavities
G01F 1/00
Measuring the volume flow or mass flow of fluid or fluent solid
G03F 7/70925
Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus: cleaning, i.e. actively…
G03F 7/70933
Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus: purge, e.g. exchanging fluid…

Family

Application62/201,955Us provisional application · filed 6 Aug 2015
Application14/937,973Division · filed 11 Nov 2015
Application15/690,707Division
US 10,232,413 B2Related patent
US 2017/0036252 A1Published application
US 9,776,218 B2Related patent
US 2017/0361359 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.