Positioning system for use in lithographic apparatus
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsYim Bun P. Kwan, Serge F. C. L. Wetzels, Gerjan P. Veldhuis
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Abstract
A positioning system, such as may be used to position a moveable object table in three degrees of freedom. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of the positioning system in a lithographic projection apparatus including an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation, a first object table for holding a mask, a second, movable object table for holding a substrate, and a projection system for imaging an irradiated portion of the mask onto a target portion of the substrate.
Claims16
A lithographic projection apparatus for imaging of a mask pattern in a mask onto a substrate provided with a radiation sensitive layer, the apparatus comprising:
- an illumination system for supplying a projection beam of radiation;
- a first object table for holding a mask;
- a second object table for holding a substrate;
- a mask imaging projection system that images irradiated portions of the mask onto target portions of the substrate;
- an object table positioning system constructed and arranged to position at least one of said object tables in a plane, said object table positioning system including:
- first and second generally parallel side-beams having respective first and second sliders mounted thereon;
- first and second motors that move said first and second sliders longitudinally of their respective side beams;
- a cross-beam mounted near first and second ends thereof to said first and second sliders respectively and having a third slider mounted thereon, said cross-beam and said first and second sliders being mounted together so as to form a body that is substantially rigid in translation in said plane and in rotation about an axis normal to said plane;
- a third motor that moves said third slider longitudinally of said cross-beam, said third slider having an object holder for holding said one object table;
- a thrust bearing pivotally mounted to said first slider said thrust bearing transmitting forces in said plane and perpendicular to said first side beam between said cross-beam and said first side beam.
A method of manufacturing a device comprising:
- irradiating portions of a mask and imaging said irradiated portions of the mask onto target portions of a substrate;
- and
- positioning one of a mask bearing moveable object table and a substrate bearing movable object table prior to or during said irradiating and imaging with a positioning apparatus including:
- first and second generally parallel side-beams having respective first and second sliders mounted thereon;
- first and second motors that move said first and second sliders longitudinally of their respective side beams;
- a cross-beam mounted near first and second ends thereof to said first and second sliders respectively and having a third slider mounted thereon, said cross-beam and said first and second sliders being mounted together so as to form a body that is substantially rigid in translation in said plane and in rotation about an axis normal to said plane;
- a third motor that moves said third slider longitudinally of said cross-beam, said third slider having an object holder for holding said one object table;
- a thrust bearing pivotally mounted to said first slider said thrust bearing transmitting forces in said plane and perpendicular to said first side beam between said cross-beam and said first side beam.
A positioning apparatus for positioning a moveable object translationally and rotationally in a plane, the apparatus comprising:
- first and second generally parallel side-beams having respective first and second sliders mounted thereon;
- first and second motors that move said first and second sliders longitudinally of their respective sides beams;
- a cross-beam mounted near first and second ends thereof to said first and second sliders respectively and having a third slider mounted thereon, said cross-beam and said first and second sliders being mounted together so as to form a body that is substantially rigid in translation in said plane and in rotation about an axis normal to said plane;
- a third motor that moves said third slider longitudinally of said cross-beam, said third slider having an object holder for holding said one object table;
- a thrust bearing pivotally mounted to said first slider said thrust bearing transmitting forces in said plane and perpendicular to said first side beam between said cross-beam and said first side beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.