Safety mechanism for a lithographic patterning device
First Claim
1. A mechanism for containing displacement of a patterning device connected to a movable support structure, comprising:
- at least one x-directed stopping structure and at least one y-directed stopping structure, said x-directed stopping structure and said y-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to the support structure along the xy plane of said patterning device; and
at least one z-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to said support structure along a direction out of the xy plane of said patterning device,wherein the x-directed stopping structure, or the y-directed stopping structure, or the z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, is moveable to allow movement of said patterning device during an exchange of said patterning device, andwherein the x-directed stopping structure, or y-directed stopping structure, or z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, substantially does not contact the patterning device when the patterning device occupies its nominal position relative to the support structure.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lithographic apparatus equipped with a patterning device safety mechanism, is presented herein. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises an illumination system for providing a beam of radiation, a support structure for supporting a patterning device that serves to impart the beam of radiation with a pattern in its cross-section, a substrate holder for holding a substrate having a plurality of target portions, a projection system for projecting the patterned beam onto the substrate target portions, a connector for securing the patterning device relative to the support structure, and a safety mechanism configured to reduce uncontrolled displacement of the patterning device in case of failure of the connector.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A mechanism for containing displacement of a patterning device connected to a movable support structure, comprising:
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at least one x-directed stopping structure and at least one y-directed stopping structure, said x-directed stopping structure and said y-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to the support structure along the xy plane of said patterning device; and at least one z-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to said support structure along a direction out of the xy plane of said patterning device, wherein the x-directed stopping structure, or the y-directed stopping structure, or the z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, is moveable to allow movement of said patterning device during an exchange of said patterning device, and wherein the x-directed stopping structure, or y-directed stopping structure, or z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, substantially does not contact the patterning device when the patterning device occupies its nominal position relative to the support structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A method for containing displacement of a patterning device connected to a movable support structure, comprising:
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containing said patterning device relative to the support structure along an xy plane of said patterning device using a x-directed stopping structure and a y-directed stopping structure; containing said patterning device relative to said support structure along a direction out of the xy plane of said patterning device using a z-directed stopping structure; and moving the x-directed stopping structure, or the y-directed stopping structure, or the z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, to allow movement of said patterning device during an exchange of said patterning device, wherein the x-directed stopping structure, or y-directed stopping structure, or z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, substantially does not contact the patterning device when the patterning device occupies its nominal position relative to the support structure. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A mechanism for containing displacement of a patterning device connected to a movable support structure, comprising:
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a x-directed stopping structure and a y-directed stopping structure, said x-directed stopping structure and said y-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to the support structure along the xy plane of said patterning device; and a z-directed stopping structure configured to contain said patterning device relative to said support structure along a direction out of the xy plane of said patterning device; and a connector configured to secure said patterning device relative to the support structure, wherein the z-directed stopping structure is moveable to allow movement of said patterning device during an exchange of said patterning device and configured to contain displacement of said patterning device in case of failure of said connector, wherein the x-directed stopping structure, or y-directed stopping structure, or z-directed stopping structure, or any combination thereof, substantially does not contact the patterning device when the patterning device occupies its nominal position relative to the support structure.
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Specification