Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
- an illuminator;
a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator;
a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table;
a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table;
a base frame;
a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and
at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame,wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points,wherein at least one of said pivot points includes a flexible material, andwherein a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes one of said at least two pivot points is rotatable relative to a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes another of said at least two pivot points.
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Abstract
A lithographic projection apparatus in which a balance mass is supported by a base frame using at least one supporting member which is coupled to both the base frame and balance mass. Free horizontal movement is provided by providing the supporting member with at least two pivot points.
17 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, wherein at least one of said pivot points includes a flexible material, and wherein a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes one of said at least two pivot points is rotatable relative to a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes another of said at least two pivot points. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, and wherein said at least one supporting member is disposed such that on displacement of said balance mass from an equilibrium position in which said pivot points align vertically, a horizontal force in the direction of the displacement is generated by the action of gravity, wherein said at least one supporting member is disposed to provide a compensating force opposing said horizontal force. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, and wherein said at least one supporting member is disposed such that on displacement of said balance mass from an equilibrium position in which said pivot points align vertically, a horizontal force in the direction of the displacement is generated by the action of gravity, further comprising elastic structure coupled to the balance mass, wherein said elastic structure is disposed to provide a compensating force opposing said horizontal force. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, and wherein said supporting member comprises; a middle section; at least two base frame connecting members pivotally attached at one end to said middle section and at an other end to said base frame; and at least two balance mass connecting members pivotally attached at one end to said middle section and at an other end to said balance mass. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein across an entire cross-section of said at least one supporting member, said at least one supporting member is disposed to be under tension in a direction parallel to a principal axis of the at least one supporting member, the cross-section being in a plane perpendicular to the principal axis, and wherein said at least one supporting member is attached to the base frame above the balance mass.
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18. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
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an illuminator; a substrate table disposed in a path of a radiation beam from said illuminator; a patterning device support disposed to hold a patterning device in the path of the radiation beam between said illuminator and said substrate table; a projection system disposed in a path of the radiation beam between said patterning device support and said substrate table; a base frame; a balance mass supported by and moveable relative to said base frame and coupled to at least one of said substrate table and said patterning device support; and at least one supporting member attached to said balance mass and to said base frame, wherein across an entire cross-section of said at least one supporting member, said at least one supporting member is disposed to be under tension in a direction parallel to a principal axis of the at least one supporting member, the cross-section being in a plane perpendicular to the principal axis, and wherein said at least one supporting member includes a cable.
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19. A device manufacturing method comprising:
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providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate table positioned on a base frame; projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto the layer of radiation-sensitive material; moving said substrate table relative to said base frame by generating a force between said substrate table and a balance mass; and supporting said balance mass using at least one supporting member coupled between said balance mass and said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, wherein said at least one supporting member includes an end portion at one end of the stiff portion and another end portion at an other end of the stiff portion, wherein the stiff portion is more stiff than at least one of the end portions, and wherein a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes one of said at least two pivot points is rotatable relative to a portion of said at least one supporting member that includes another of said at least two pivot points. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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21. A device manufacturing method comprising:
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providing a substrate that is at least partially covered by a layer of radiation-sensitive material on a substrate table positioned on a base frame; projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto the layer of radiation-sensitive material; moving said substrate table relative to said base frame by generating a force between said substrate table and a balance mass; and supporting said balance mass using at least one supporting member coupled between said balance mass and said base frame, wherein said at least one supporting member has a stiff portion and at least two pivot points, wherein at least one supporting member is disposed such that on displacement of said balance mass from an equilibrium position in which said pivot points align vertically, a horizontal force in the direction of the displacement is generated by the action of gravity, and wherein said supporting said balance mass includes using elastic structure coupled to the balance mass to provide a compensating force opposing the horizontal force.
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Specification