Actuated photolithography reticle stage
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsCharles Byron Seaberg, David L. Trumper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A reticle stage for a photolithography scanner having a pneumatic actuation system is disclosed. The pneumatic actuation system may provide a restoring force to a long-stroke stage during scan and turnaround operations. The reticle stage may have or define dual-chamber pneumatic pistons as energy storage devices to create turnaround forces for stage acceleration. As the long-stroke stage is driven by a linear motor a pressure differential is formed between the two pistons providing a net force opposing the direction of the long-stroke stage movement.
Claims25
A reticle stage system comprising:
- a first stage;
- a linear motor coupled to the first stage and adapted to drive the first stage in a first direction;
- at least two pneumatic devices coupled to opposing sides of the first stage;
- wherein in response to the driving of the first stage in the first direction, a pressure differential is formed between the at least two pneumatic device creating a net force opposing the first direction.
A system comprising:
- a long-stroke stage;
- a linear motor coupled to the long-stroke stage and adapted to drive the long-stroke stage in a first direction;
- and
- at least two pistons coupled to opposing sides of the long-stroke stage;
- wherein in response to the driving of the long-stroke stage in the first direction, a pressure differential is formed between the at least two pistons creating a net force opposing the first direction.
A system comprising:
- a wafer stage configured to support a wafer during a photolithography operation;
- a reticle actuation system configured to support a reticle, the reticle actuation system including:
- a first stage;
- a linear motor coupled to the first stage and adapted to drive the first stage in a first direction;
- and
- at least two pneumatic devices coupled to opposing sides of the first stage;
- wherein in response to the driving of the first stage in the first direction, a pressure differential is formed between the at least two pneumatic devices creating a net force opposing the first direction;
- and
- an optical system including an illumination source and at least one optical element configured to optically couple a signal from the illumination source to the reticle actuation system and the wafer stage during the photolithography operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.