Position control and heat dissipation for photolithography systems
First Claim
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1. A photolithography system comprising:
- a stage suitable for supporting a patterned reticle or a semiconductor wafer;
a stage rib panel attached to a surface of said stage, said stage rib panel being magnetizable and having substantially parallel rows of ribs, said stage rib panel suitable for collecting heat generated from within said stage;
a frame having an internal slot wherein said stage is contained within said slot; and
a frame rib panel attached to a surface of said frame such that said stage rib panel and said frame rib panel face each other, said frame rib panel being magnetizable and having substantially parallel rows of ribs, wherein one or more magnetic fields are sequentially generated within said frame rib panel in order to impose electromagnetic forces upon said stage rib panel to move said stage with respect to said frame.
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Abstract
A photolithography system that uses a variable reluctance linear motor (VRLM) to move a reticle or wafer stage is described. In addition to moving the stage, one or more of the surfaces of the VRLM is formed on the reticle or wafer stage and serves as a heat dissipation surface. The surface(s) of the VRLM is in thermal communication with one or more heat generating devices within the stage so that the surface can collect and dissipate heat out of the stage. The VRLM can be used in combination with other types of motors such as Lorentz force linear motors.
31 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A photolithography system comprising:
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a stage suitable for supporting a patterned reticle or a semiconductor wafer;
a stage rib panel attached to a surface of said stage, said stage rib panel being magnetizable and having substantially parallel rows of ribs, said stage rib panel suitable for collecting heat generated from within said stage;
a frame having an internal slot wherein said stage is contained within said slot; and
a frame rib panel attached to a surface of said frame such that said stage rib panel and said frame rib panel face each other, said frame rib panel being magnetizable and having substantially parallel rows of ribs, wherein one or more magnetic fields are sequentially generated within said frame rib panel in order to impose electromagnetic forces upon said stage rib panel to move said stage with respect to said frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A photolithography system comprising:
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a stage suitable for supporting a patterned reticle or a semiconductor wafer, said stage having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a frame having an internal slot, said internal slot having a ceiling surface and a floor surface, wherein said stage is contained within said slot;
a variable reluctance electromagnetic motor that includes, at least two stage rib panels attached to each of said top and bottom surfaces of said stage, said stage rib panels being magnetizable and having parallel rows of ribs that are each separated by a recessed channel, said stage rib panels suitable for collecting heat generated from within said stage;
at least two frame rib panels attached to each of said ceiling and floor surfaces of said frame such that each stage rib panel faces an opposing frame rib panel, said frame rib panels being magnetizable and having parallel rows of ribs that are each separated by a recessed channel, wherein one or more magnetic fields are sequentially generated within said frame rib panel in order to impose electromagnetic forces upon said stage rib panel to accelerate said stage to a desire velocity with respect to said frame along a scanning axis; and
a first Lorentz force electromagnetic motor for adjusting the said velocity of said stage along said scanning axis, said first Lorentz force electromagnetic motor including, a row of opposing magnet pairs within said stage wherein each magnet of each magnet pairs has an opposite magnetic polarity and wherein a magnetic field is created between each opposing magnet pair, and a lengthwise coil assembly within said slot of said frame that extends through said stage and between said row of opposing magnets, said coil assembly having a plurality of wire coils, wherein a current within each wire coil and each of said magnetic fields generates an electromagnetic force suitable for adjusting the velocity of said stage. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A photolithography system comprising:
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an illumination source;
an optical system;
a reticle stage suitable for supporting a patterned reticle;
a working stage arranged to retain a workpiece;
an enclosure that surrounds at least a portion of the working stage, the enclosure having a sealing surface;
a stage rib panel attached to a surface of said stage, said stage rib panel being magnetizable and having parallel rows of ribs that are each separated by a recessed channel, said stage rib panel suitable for collecting heat generated from within said stage;
a frame having an internal slot wherein said stage is contained within said slot; and
a frame rib panel attached to a surface of said frame such that the stage rib panel and the frame rib panel face each other, said frame rib panel being magnetizable and having parallel rows of ribs that are each separated by a recessed channel, wherein one or more magnetic fields are sequentially generated within said frame rib panel in order to impose electromagnetic forces upon said stage rib panel to move said stage with respect to said frame. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification