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 first gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner via a fluidic force 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 first gap is narrow;
the first connector part comprises a first connector element and a second connector element;
the first connector element has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis;
the second connector element has a fourth contact surface with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis;
in the installed state of the connection unit, the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature and the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface;
the connection apparatus comprises at least part of the positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector elements;
in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a second 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;
the second gap is narrow;
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 the detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the second gap and to pass on a corresponding second gap measurement signal to the control device;
the control device is configured to generate from the second gap measurement signal and a second gap setpoint value a second gap control signal and to pass the second gap control signal on to the force generation device; and
the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector elements as a function of the second gap control signal to maintain the second gap; 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.
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Citations
27 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 first gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner via a fluidic force 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 first gap is narrow; the first connector part comprises a first connector element and a second connector element; the first connector element has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis; the second connector element has a fourth contact surface with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis; in the installed state of the connection unit, the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature and the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface; the connection apparatus comprises at least part of the positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector elements; in the adjustment state of the connection unit, a second 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; the second gap is narrow; 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 the detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the second gap and to pass on a corresponding second gap measurement signal to the control device; the control device is configured to generate from the second gap measurement signal and a second gap setpoint value a second gap control signal and to pass the second gap control signal on to the force generation device; and the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector elements as a function of the second gap control signal to maintain the second gap; 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)
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16. 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; the first connector part comprises a first connector element and a second connector element; the first connector element has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis; the second connector element has a fourth contact with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis; the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature; the method comprises; a) bringing the optical module and the support structure closer to each other so that the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface and so that the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface in an installed state; and b) in an adjustment state before a), maintaining a first gap between the first and second contact surfaces in a non-contact manner via a fluidic force 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, and maintaining a second gap between the third and fourth contact surfaces in a non-contact manner so that a second 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 first and second connector elements resulting from the second compensating motion, the method further comprises; detecting a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the second gap; passing a corresponding second gap measurement signal to a control device; generating a second gap control signal from the second gap measurement signal and a second gap setpoint value; passing the second gap control signal to the force generation device; and using the force generation device to maintain the second gap generates an action of force between the first and second connector elements as a function of the second control signal; the first gap is narrow; and the second gap is narrow. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
Specification