Imaging device in a projection exposure facility

• US 20040263812A1
• Filed: 08/20/2004
• Published: 12/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CARL Zeiss SMT GmbH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Carl Zeiss AG (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Holderer, Hubert, Weber, Jochen, Hummel, Wolfgang, Lippert, Johannes, Weber, Ulrich, Reiner, Raoul, Neumaier, Markus, Rassel, Thorsten, Merz, Erich, Kohl, Alexander, Aubele, Karl-Eugen, Fischer, Jurgen, Rief, Klaus, Muhlbeyer, Michael, Schongart, Stefan, Trossbach, Barbel
• Granted Patent: US 7,304,717 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 355/53
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70258 Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70825 Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707

Abstract

An imaging device (7) in a projection exposure machine (1) for microlithography has at least one optical element (10, 33, 34) and at least one manipulator (9, 36, 41), having a linear drive (11), for manipulating the position of the optical element (10, 33, 34). The linear drive (11) has a driven subregion (14) and a nondriven subregion (15), which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis (17). The subregions (14, 15) are interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements (18) with an active axis (17) [sic] and via functional elements (19) with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis (17).

Claims

1. An imaging device in a projection exposure machine for microlithography, comprising at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, having a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element, characterized in that the linear drive (11) has a driven subregion (14) and a nondriven subregion (15), which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis (17), the subregions (14, 15) being interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements (18) with an active direction at least approximately perpendicular to the movement axis (17) and via functional elements (19) with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis (17).

2. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the functional elements (18, 19) are designed as piezoelectric elements.

3. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the two subregions (14, 15) are interconnected via guide means (bar 20).

4. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the manipulation of the optical element (10) is performed by virtue of the fact that the optical element (10) is permanently connected to a movable part (12) that is connected via at least one of the linear drives (11) to a fixed part (13) that is permanently connected to the imaging device (7).

5. The imaging device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the manipulator (9) has three of the [sic] linear drives (11) whose movement axes (17) run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis (21) of the optical element (10), the position of the optical element (10) being detected by at least three sensors (24), and it being possible to control the manipulation as a pure movement in the direction of the optical axis (21).

6. The imaging device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the manipulator (9) has three of the [sic] linear drives (11) whose movement axes (17) run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis (21) of the optical element (10), the position of the optical element (10) being detected by at least three sensors (24) at being possible to control the manipulation as a tilting movement.

7. The imaging device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the manipulation (9) of the optical element (10) is performed by at least two linear drives (11) whose movement axes (17) lie in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (21) of the optical element (10), the manipulation of the optical element (10) being performed in a plane identical or parallel to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis (21).

8. The imaging device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the optical element (10) can be rotated via at least one linear drive (11) about a point or an axis (bearing points 33 or 35) at which the optical element (10) is mounted.