OPTICAL ELEMENT HOLDING APPARATUS

• US 20070121224A1
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Published: 05/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Original Assignee: Nikon Corporation
• Inventors: Shibazaki, Yuichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,420,752 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/813
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 13/143 for use with ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/022 lens and mount having complementary engagement means, e.g. screw/thread
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/026 using retaining rings or springs G02B7/027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/70825 Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707

Abstract

An optical element holding apparatus provided with a holding portion for holding a flange portion of an optical element. The holding portion includes a bearing surface block having a bearing surface, which contacts the flange portion, and a bearing surface block support mechanism, which rotatably supports the bearing surface block about a tangential axis of the optical element. This structure holds the optical element with the optical element holding apparatus in a kinematical manner and maintains satisfactory imaging performance in the optical element.

Claims

1-41. -41. (canceled)

42. A holding apparatus comprising:

a holding mechanism communicated with a member to be held, wherein the holding mechanism includes;

a drive mechanism connected to the member to be held, wherein the drive mechanism provides the member to be held with three movements along three coordinate axes with an origin being substantially the center of the member to be held and two rotations about at least two coordinate axes of the three coordinate axes.

43. The holding apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the drive mechanism includes a plurality of flexure members.

44. The holding apparatus according to claim 43, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexure members includes:

a base portion;

a support member connected to the member to be held; and

a pair of link mechanism arranged between the base portion and the support member.

45. The holding apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the drive mechanism includes a displacement member connected to at least one of the plurality of flexure members, wherein the displacement member displaces the at least one of the plurality of flexure members to provide the member to be held with the three movements and the two rotations.

46. The holding apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the plurality of flexure members are consisted of the three flexure members which are arranged at predetermined intervals.

47. The holding apparatus according to claim 46, wherein the three flexure members are arranged at equal intervals around a peripheral portion of the member to be held.

48. The holding apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the pair of link mechanisms is connected to the base portion and the support member, wherein the pair of link mechanisms rotatably supports the support member about each of axes along a plurality of different directions and restricts movements of the support member relative to the base portion along a plurality of different directions.

49. The holding apparatus according to claim 48, wherein the pair of link mechanisms includes:

a horizontal restriction link rotatably supports the support member about a horizontal axis and restricts movement of the support member along a horizontal direction; and

an intersecting direction restriction link rotatably supports the support member about an axis in a direction inserting the horizontal direction and restricts movement of the support member along an intersecting direction.

50. The holding apparatus according to claim 48, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexure members includes rotational pivots that connect the base portion, the support member, and the pair of link mechanisms.

51. The holding apparatus according to claim 48, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexure members includes a conversion mechanism that converts drive force, which is applied to the displacement member in a predetermined direction, to drive force in a direction which differs from the predetermined direction.

52. The holding apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the conversion mechanism converts drive force, which is applied to the displacement member in a perpendicular direction, to drive force in a horizontal direction.

53. The holding apparatus according to claim 51, wherein the conversion mechanism converts drive force, which is applied to the displacement member in a first perpendicular direction, to drive force in a second perpendicular direction, with respect to the member to be held.

54. The holding apparatus according to claim 44, wherein the base portion, the support member and the pair of link mechanisms are formed of a single member.

55. The holding apparatus according to claim 54, wherein at least one of the plurality of flexure members includes a plurality of first notch springs, which are formed of the single member, to link the base portion, the support member, and the pair of link mechanisms.

56. The holding apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the conversion mechanism includes a plurality of second notch springs formed on the base portion, and wherein the plurality of first notch springs includes a plurality of link notch springs connected to the pair of link mechanisms, and the plurality of second notch springs includes a plurality of conversion notch springs used to convert drive force, which is applied to the drive mechanism in a predetermined direction with respect to the member to be held, to drive force in a direction which differs from the predetermined direction.

57. The holding apparatus according to claim 56, wherein the plurality of first notch springs and the plurality of second notch springs are arranged on the same plane.

58. The holding apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the displacement member is connected to the pair of link mechanisms, and wherein the displacement member transmits drive force to the pair of link mechanisms.

59. The holding apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the drive mechanism has an actuator.

60. The holding apparatus according to claim 45, wherein the displacement member includes first and second manipulators connected to at least one of the plurality of flexure members, and wherein the displacement member manipulates at least one of the plurality of flexure members, such that manipulation of the first manipulator causes at least one of the plurality of flexure members to move the member to be held in a first direction and such that manipulation of the second manipulator causes at least one of the plurality of flexure members to move the member to be held in a second direction that differs from the first direction.

61. The holding apparatus according to claim 60, wherein the member to be held is an optical element, and wherein the first direction is a tangential direction of the optical element, and the second direction is an optical axis direction of the optical element.

62. The holding apparatus according to claim 42, wherein the drive mechanism includes:

three flexure members arranged at predetermined intervals; and

a displacement member connected to at least one of the plurality of flexure members, wherein the displacement member displaces the flexure members to provide the member to be held with the three movements and the two rotations.

63. A holding apparatus comprising:

a holding mechanism communicated with a member to be held, wherein the holding mechanism includes;

three flexure members connected to the member to be held, wherein the three flexure members hold the member to be held at three locations; and

first and second manipulators connected to at least one of the three flexure members, wherein the first and second manipulators manipulate at least one of the three flexure members, such that manipulation of the first manipulator causes at least one of the three flexure members to move the member to be held in a first direction and such that manipulation of the second manipulator causes at least one of the three flexure members to move the member to be held in a second direction that differs from the first direction.

64. The holding apparatus according to claim 63, wherein at least one of the first and second manipulators has an actuator.

65. The holding apparatus according to claim 63, wherein the three flexure members are arranged at equal intervals.

66. The holding apparatus according to claim 63, wherein at least one of the first and second manipulators provides the member to be held with three movements along three coordinate axes with an origin being substantially the center of the member to be held and two rotations about at least two coordinate axes of the three coordinate axes.

67. The holding apparatus according to claim 65, wherein the three flexure members support the member to be held in a kinematical manner by the cooperative action of the three flexure members.