Back to results
US 6,714,277 B2Granted
Exposure apparatus, gas replacement method, semiconductor device manufacturing method, semiconductor manufacturing factory and exposure apparatus maintenance method
AssigneeCanon Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsShinichi Hara, Yutaka Tanaka, Kazuyuki Kasumi, Toru Hirabayashi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An exposure apparatus includes a chamber which incorporates an optical element and surrounds a predetermined region, a mechanism for setting an inert gas atmosphere in the chamber, and a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber. The purity of inert gas in the chamber is higher than a purity of inert gas in the closed vessel.
Claims52
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element and surrounds a predetermined region;
- a mechanism for setting an inert gas atmosphere in said chamber;
- and
- a closed vessel which surrounds said chamber,
- wherein a purity of inert gas in said chamber is higher than a purity of inert gas in said closed vessel.
2 more elements
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element and surrounds a predetermined region;
- a mechanism for setting an inert gas atmosphere in said chamber;
- and
- a closed vessel which surrounds said chamber,
- wherein an internal pressure of said chamber is higher than an internal pressure of said closed vessel.
2 more elements
A gas replacement method comprising the steps of:
- supplying inert gas into a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- supplying inert gas into a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber;
- and
- controlling a purity of the inert gas in the chamber to be higher than a purity of the inert gas in the closed vessel.
1 more element
A gas replacement method comprising the steps of:
- supplying inert gas into a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- supplying inert gas into a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber;
- and
- controlling a pressure of the inert gas in the chamber to be higher than a pressure of the inert gas in the closed vessel.
1 more element
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- a closed vessel which surrounds said chamber;
- and
- a pump for reducing an internal pressure of said chamber,
- wherein a pressure of said closed vessel is reduced when the internal pressure of the camber is reduced,
- wherein said chamber is supported by a member which supports a lens barrel that holds the optical element, and
- wherein said closed vessel is coupled to the surface plate via a movable displacement adjusting member.
4 more elements
A gas replacement method comprising the steps of:
- reducing an internal pressure of a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- reducing a pressure of a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber;
- and
- supplying inert gas into the chamber,
- whererin a displacement is generated between the chamber and the closed vessel.
2 more elements
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- a closed vessel which surrounds said chamber;
- and
- a pump for reducing an internal pressure of said chamber,
- wherein said chamber is supported by a supporting member and said closed vessel is coupled to the supporting member via a movable displacement adjusting member for absorbing a displacement,
- wherein the movable displacement adjusting member includes a bellows.
3 more elements
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- a closed vessel which surrounds said chamber;
- and
- a pump for reducing an internal pressure of said chamber,
- wherein said chamber is supported by a supporting member, and said closed vessel is coupled to the supporting member via movable displacement adjusting member for absorbing a displacement,
- wherein the apparatus further comprises a second movable displacement adjusting member for adjusting deformation of said closed vessel, and
- said second movable displacement adjusting member holds a transmission window, said transmission window being held at a predetermined positional relationship with respect to the optical element in the chamber.
4 more elements
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber;
- and
- a member which supports the chamber,
- wherein the member is coupled to the vessel via a deformable member, and
- wherein the member has a portion which passes through the closed vessel.
3 more elements
An exposure apparatus comprising:
- a chamber which incorporates an optical element;
- a closed vessel which surrounds the chamber;
- and
- a member which supports the chamber,
- wherein the supporting member is coupled to the closed vessel via a bellows.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.