Optical apparatus with adjustable action of force on an optical module
First Claim
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1. An optical apparatus, comprising:
- an optical module;
a support structure; and
a connection apparatus, comprising;
a connection unit, comprising;
a first connector part connected to the optical module;
a second connector part connected to the support structure; and
at least a portion of a positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector parts,wherein;
the connection unit has an adjustment state and an installed state;
the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis;
the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis;
the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature;
in the installed state of the connection unit, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface;
in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion;
the positioning device comprises a force generation device, a detection device and a control device connected with the force generation device and the detection device;
the detection device is configured to detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the narrow gap and to pass on a corresponding measurement signal to the control device;
the control device is configured to generate from the measurement signal and a setpoint value a control signal and to pass the control signal on to the force generation device;
the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector parts as a function of the control signal to maintain the narrow gap between the first and second connector parts; and
the optical apparatus is configured to be used in microlithography.
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Abstract
The disclosure pertains to an optical apparatus, in particular for microlithography, that includes an optical module, a support structure and a connection apparatus. The connection apparatus includes at least one connection unit which includes a first connector part and a second connector part. The first connector part is connected to the optical module, and the second connector part is connected to the support structure.
15 Citations
38 Claims
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1. An optical apparatus, comprising:
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an optical module; a support structure; and a connection apparatus, comprising; a connection unit, comprising; a first connector part connected to the optical module; a second connector part connected to the support structure; and at least a portion of a positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector parts, wherein; the connection unit has an adjustment state and an installed state; the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis; the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis; the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature; in the installed state of the connection unit, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface; in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; the positioning device comprises a force generation device, a detection device and a control device connected with the force generation device and the detection device; the detection device is configured to detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the narrow gap and to pass on a corresponding measurement signal to the control device; the control device is configured to generate from the measurement signal and a setpoint value a control signal and to pass the control signal on to the force generation device; the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector parts as a function of the control signal to maintain the narrow gap between the first and second connector parts; and the optical apparatus is configured to be used in microlithography. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method, comprising:
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using a connection apparatus to connect a support structure with an optical module configured for use in microlithography, wherein; the connection apparatus comprises a connection unit comprising a first connector part and a second connector part, the first connector part is connected to the optical module and the second connector part is connected to the support structure, the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis, the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis, the first main curvature axis matches to the second main curvature, in an installed state, the method comprises bringing the optical module and the support structure closer to each other so that the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface in an installed state, and in an adjustment state, the method comprises maintaining a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; detecting a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the gap between the first and second connector parts; generating a control signal from the measurement signal and a setpoint value; passing the control signal to a force generation device; and using the force generation device to generate an action of force between the first and second connector parts as a function of the control signal to maintain the narrow gap generates. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. An optical apparatus, comprising:
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an optical module; a support structure; and a connection apparatus, comprising; a connection unit, comprising; a first connector part connected to the optical module; a second connector part connected to the support structure; and at least a portion of a positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector parts, wherein; the connection unit has an adjustment state and an installed state; the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis; the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis; the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature; in the installed state of the connection unit, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface; in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; the positioning device comprises a force generation device; and in the adjustment state of the connection unit, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces by applying a force of attraction between the optical module and the support structure; and the optical apparatus is configured to be used in microlithography. - View Dependent Claims (33)
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34. An optical apparatus, comprising:
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an optical module; a support structure; and a connection apparatus, comprising; a connection unit, comprising; a first connector part connected to the optical module; a second connector part connected to the support structure; and at least a portion of a positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector parts, wherein; the connection unit has an adjustment state and an installed state; the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis; the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis; the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature; in the installed state of the connection unit, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface; in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; the connection apparatus comprises a further connection unit, the further connection unit comprising a third connector part connected with the optical module and a fourth connector part connected with the support structure; the third connector part has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis; the fourth connector part has a fourth contact surface with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis; the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature; in the installed state of the connection unit, the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface in the installed state; the connection apparatus comprises at least part of the positioning device configured to act on the third and fourth connector parts; and in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a narrow gap between the third and fourth contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the third and fourth contact surfaces about the third main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the third and fourth connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; and the optical apparatus is configured to be used in microlithography. - View Dependent Claims (35)
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36. A method, comprising:
using a connection apparatus to connect a support structure with an optical module configured for use in microlithography, wherein; the connection apparatus comprises a connection unit comprising a first connector part and a second connector part, the first connector part is connected to the optical module and the second connector part is connected to the support structure, the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis, the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis, the first main curvature axis matches to the second main curvature, in an installed state, the method comprises bringing the optical module and the support structure closer to each other so that the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface in an installed state, in an adjustment state, the method comprises maintaining a narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces in a non-contact manner so that a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion, the connection apparatus comprises a third connector part connected to the optical module and a fourth connector part connected to the support structure, the third connector part has a fifth contact surface with a fifth main curvature, which defines a fifth main curvature axis, the fourth connector part has a sixth contact surface with a sixth main curvature matched to the fifth main curvature, which defines a sixth main curvature axis, the optical module and the support structure are brought closer to one another so that the fifth contact surface contacts the sixth contact surface in the installed state, in the adjustment state a third narrow gap between the fifth contact surface and the sixth contact surface is maintained in a non-contact manner so that a third compensating motion between the fifth contact surface and the sixth contact surface about the fifth main curvature axis is possible without the occurrence of any action of force between the third connector part and the fourth connector part resulting from the third compensating motion. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
Specification