Frame Assembly, Lithographic Apparatus and Device Manufacturing Method

A frame assembly, comprising:

• a frame,
• first and a second pneumatic supports being arranged to control a position of the frame relative to a reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a first support location, the second pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a second support location, and the first and second pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber;
• a frame position control system comprising:
• a first position sensor device configured to generate measurement data relating to the position of the frame,
• a first pressure controller configured to control a pressure in a pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the first position sensor device,
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate measurement data relating to a difference between the pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in a pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device.

A frame assembly, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising a first pneumatic support comprising an actuator, the first pneumatic support being arranged to control a position of the first frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a first support location,
• a second frame, wherein the second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame, and
• a first frame position control system configured to receive the measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system and to control the actuator of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data.

A frame assembly, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising a first pneumatic support comprising an actuator and a pressure chamber, a first pneumatic support being arranged to control a position of the first frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a first support location, the first frame support further comprising a second pneumatic support, the second pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a second support location, the second pneumatic support accommodating a pressure chamber,
• a second frame, wherein the second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame,
• a first frame position control system configured to receive a measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system and to control the actuator of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data, and wherein the first frame position control system further comprises:
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate data relating to a difference between a pressure in a pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in a pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device.

A frame assembly, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising first and second pneumatic supports, the first and second pneumatic supports being arranged to control a position of the frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a first support location, the second pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a second support location, each of the pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber,
• a second frame, which second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame, and
• a first frame position control system configured to receive the measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system, the first frame position control system comprising:
• a first pressure controller is configured to control a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system,
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate data relating to a difference between a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device and/or based on measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a frame,
• first and second pneumatic supports, the first and second pneumatic supports being arranged to control a position of the frame relative to a reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a first support location, the second pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a second support location, each of the pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber, and
• a frame position control system comprising:
• a first position sensor device configured to generate measurement data relating to the position of the frame,
• a first pressure controller configured to control a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the first position sensor device,
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate data relating to a difference between the pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising a first pneumatic support comprising an actuator, the first pneumatic support being arranged to control a position of the first frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a first support location,
• a second frame, which second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame, and
• a first frame position control system configured to receive a measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system and to control the actuator of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising:
• a first pneumatic support comprising an actuator and a pressure chamber, the first pneumatic support being arranged to control a position of the first frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the first frame at a first support location, and
• a second pneumatic support, the second pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a second support location, the second pneumatic support accommodating a pressure chamber,
• a second frame, which second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame,
• a first frame position control system configured to receive a measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system and to control the actuator of the first pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data, and
• wherein the first frame position control system further comprises:
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate data relating to a difference between a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support on the basis of the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device.

A lithographic apparatus, comprising:

• a first frame,
• a first frame support comprising a first and a second pneumatic support, the first and second pneumatic supports being arranged to control a position of the frame relative to a first frame reference, the first pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a first support location, the second pneumatic support being connected to the frame at a second support location, each of the first and second pneumatic supports accommodating a pressure chamber,
• a second frame, which second frame is different from the first frame reference, the second frame being supported on the first frame by a second frame support,
• a second frame position measurement system configured to generate measurement data relating to a position of the second frame relative to the first frame, and
• a first frame position control system configured to receive a measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system, the frame position control system comprises:
• a first pressure controller configured to control a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system,
• a pressure differential sensor device configured to generate data relating to a difference between a pressure in the pressure chamber of the first pneumatic support and a pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support, and
• a second pressure controller configured to control the pressure in the pressure chamber of the second pneumatic support based on the measurement data generated by the pressure differential sensor device and/or based on the measurement data generated by the second frame position measurement system.