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US 6,603,130 B1Granted
Gas bearings for use with vacuum chambers and their application in lithographic projection apparatuses
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsTheodorus H. J. Bisschops, Jakob Vijfvinkel, Hermanus M. J. R. Soemers, Johannes C. Driessen, Michael J. M. Renkens, Adrianus G. Bouwer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A bearing for use in a vacuum chamber comprises a gas bearing discharging pressurised gas into a gap between two members to maintain a predetermined separation between those members. To avoid the gas forming the gas bearing being an unacceptable leak into the vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump is provided between the vacuum chamber and the gas bearing.
Claims25
A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
- a radiation system constructed to supply a projection beam of radiation;
- a first object table provided with a mask holder to hold a mask;
- a second object table provided with a substrate holder to hold a substrate;
- a projection system constructed and arranged to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;
- a vacuum chamber having a wall enclosing at least one of said first and second object tables, said vacuum chamber wall having an aperture therein;
- a moveable sealing member constructed and arranged to seal said aperture;
- a bearing constructed and arranged to bear said sealing member and maintain a gap between said sealing member and said vacuum chamber wall, said bearing comprising:
- a gas bearing adapted to provide pressurized gas into said gap thereby to generate forces tending to hold said sealing member away from said vacuum chamber wall;
- and
- an evacuation system spaced apart from said gas bearing constructed and arranged to remove said gas from said gap.
7 more elements
A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
- a radiation system constructed to supply a projection beam of radiation;
- a first object table provided with a mask holder to hold a mask;
- a second object table provided with a substrate holder to hold a substrate;
- a projection system constructed and arranged to image an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;
- a vacuum chamber having a wall enclosing at least one of said first and second object tables, said at least one object table being movable;
- and
- a bearing adapted to displaceably bear said at least one object table against a bearing surface within said vacuum chamber and maintaining a gap therebetween, the bearing comprising:
- a gas bearing adapted to provide pressurised gas into said gap thereby to generate forces tending to separate said at least one object table from said bearing surface;
- and
- an evacuation system spaced apart from said gas bearing constructed and arranged to remove gas from said gap, said evacuating system being provided to surround said gas bearing.
7 more elements
A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
- supplying a projection beam of radiation;
- holding a mask with a mask holder of a first object table;
- holding a substrate with a substrate holder of a second object table;
- imaging an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;
- sealing an aperture defined by a wall of a vacuum chamber of said lithographic projection apparatus with a movable sealing member, said wall of said vacuum chamber enclosing at least one of said first and second object tables;
- providing pressurized gas into a gap between said sealing member and said vacuum chamber wall to generate forces tending to hold said sealing member away from said vacuum chamber wall;
- removing said gas from said gap;
- and
- exposing said substrate to an image of said mask.
6 more elements
A method of manufacturing a device using a lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
- supplying a projection beam of radiation;
- holding a mask with a mask holder of a first object table;
- holding a substrate with a substrate holder of a second object table;
- imaging an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate;
- displaceably bearing at least one of said first and second object tables, in a vacuum chamber, against a bearing surface;
- providing pressurised gas into a gap between said bearing surface and said at least one object table to generate forces tending to separate said at least one object table from said bearing surface and maintaining the gap therebetween;
- removing gas from said gap;
- and
- exposing said substrate to an image of said mask.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.