Extreme-UV lithography vacuum chamber zone seal

A photolithography system comprising:

• a housing having an outer enclosure that defines a cavity and an inner enclosure that defines a vacuum chamber wherein the inner enclosure is positioned within the cavity;
• a first tray situated within the vacuum chamber which is supported by at least one first support member, wherein the first tray separates the vacuum chamber into a first compartment and a second compartment which are at different pressures;
• a second tray that is spaced apart from the first tray and which is situated within the vacuum chamber and which is supported by at least one second support member, wherein the second tray defines a third chamber that is at a different pressure from that of the first chamber and second chamber;
• a reticle stage positioned within the first chamber that supports a reflective reticle;
• a wafer stage positioned within the third chamber that supports a wafer;
• a projection optics device positioned in the second chamber that projects extreme ultraviolet radiation toward the reflective reticle;
• a camera that collects extreme radiation reflected from the reflective reticle and directing the radiation toward the wafer;
• means for adjoining the perimeter of the first tray to a first inner surface of the inner enclosure wherein the first tray is decoupled from vibrations emanating from the inner enclosure;
• means for adjoining the perimeter of the second tray to a second inner surface of the inner enclosure wherein the second tray is decoupled from vibrations emanating from the inner enclosure;
• and
• means for releasably attaching the inner enclosure to the outer enclosure wherein the inner enclosure is decoupled from vibrations emanating from the outer enclosure.