Support for a component of an optical device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10078270-B2
Application number	US-201514929614-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 2, 2015
Priority date	Mar 30, 2007
Publication date	Sep 18, 2018
Grant date	Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

The disclosure provides an arrangement for an optical device including a component of the optical device and a support structure supporting the component. The support structure includes at least one locking device connected to the component and including a first fixation device and an associated second fixation device. The first fixation device and the second fixation device are adapted to be, in a movable state, movable with respect to each other along a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom into a final position. The first fixation device and the second fixation device are further adapted to be, in a locked state, fixed in the final position by at least one locking device contacting the first fixation device and the second fixation device. In the movable state, the first fixation device and the second fixation device are movable, up to the final position, in a manner free from a mutual pre-stress resulting from a restoring force exerted by at least a part of one of the first fixation device and the second fixation device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement, comprising:
a component of an optical device; and
a support structure supporting the component; and
at least one locking device connected to the component and the support structure, the at least one locking device comprising a first fixation device and an associated second fixation device,
wherein:
the first fixation device and the second fixation device are adapted to be, in a movable state, movable with respect to each other along a first degree of freedom and a second degree of freedom into a final position;
the first fixation device and the second fixation device are adapted to be, in a locked state, fixed in the final position by at least one locking member in direct contact with the first fixation device and the second fixation device;
in the movable state, the first fixation device and the second fixation device are movable, up to the final position, in a manner free from a mutual pre-stress resulting from a restoring force exerted by at least a part of the first fixation device or the second fixation device;
the first fixation device comprises a first fixation element and a monolithic second fixation element;
the second fixation device comprises a third fixation element;
in a support force path from the support structure to the component, the second fixation element is located between the first fixation element and the third fixation element;
in the movable state, the first fixation device is connected to a member selected from the group consisting of the component and the support structure;
the first fixation element is coupled to the second fixation element so that, in the movable state, the first fixation element is: a) in contact with the second fixation element; and b) movable with respect to the second fixation element along the first degree of freedom; and
the second fixation element is coupled to the third fixation element so that, in the movable state, the second fixation element is movable with respect to the third fixation element along the second degree of freedom.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein, in the movable state, the first fixation device and the second fixation device are movable, up to the final position, in a manner free from a mutual pre-stress resulting from an elastic deformation of at least a part of the first fixation device or the second fixation device.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first fixation device and the second fixation device, in the movable state, are movable with respect to each other along at least one further degree of freedom into the final position.

4. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first degree of freedom and the second degree of freedom are of the same type of degree of freedom.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the first fixation element comprises a pin-shaped section, and the second fixation element comprises a coupling recess receiving the pin-shaped section so as to allow relative movement between the first fixation element and the second fixation element along the first degree of freedom.

6. The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein the pin-shaped section has a cylindrical surface or a barrel-shaped surface.

7. The arrangement according to claim 5 , wherein:
the at least one locking member is adapted to exert a first locking force on a first location on the first fixation element and a second locking force on a second location on the first fixation element;
each of the first and second locations is adjacent to the second fixation element;
the first locking force and the second locking force mutually balance each other; and
the at least one locking member is adapted to produce substantially no alteration in a relative position of the first fixation element and the second fixation element between a state prior to appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force and a state after appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein:
the first locking force is exerted by a first amount of an adhesive; and
the second locking force is exerted by a second amount of the adhesive; and
at least one of:
the first and second amounts of adhesive are adapted to produce substantially no alteration in the relative position of the first fixation element and the second fixation element between the state prior to appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force and the state after appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force; and
shrinkage of the first and second amounts of adhesive is adapted to produce substantially no alteration in the relative position of the first fixation element and the second fixation element between the state prior to appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force and the state after appliance of the first locking force and the second locking force.

9. The arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein:
the first locking force and the second locking force act on opposite sides of the first fixation element; and
the first locking force and the second locking force are substantially collinear and are substantially the same size but opposite directions.

10. The arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein:
the pin-shaped section has a defined first locking recess and a defined second locking recess, or the coupling recess has a defined first locking recess and a defined second locking recess;
the first locking recess and the second locking recess are located on opposite sides of the first fixation element; and
the first locking recess and the second locking recess are adapted to receive a defined amount of an adhesive.

11. The arrangement according to claim 10 , wherein the first locking recess and the second locking recess are adapted to draw in the defined amount of adhesive by capillary action.

12. The arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the second fixation element comprises a block-shaped section, and the third fixation element comprises a further coupling recess receiving the block-shaped section so as to allow relative movement between the second fixation element and the third fixation element along the second degree of freedom.

13. An arrangement, comprising:
a component of an optical device and
a support structure supporting the component; and
at least one locking device connected to the component and the support structure, the at least one locking device comprising a first fixation device and an associated second fixation device,
wherein:
the first fixation device comprises a first fixation element and a monolithic second fixation element;
in a movable state, the first fixation element is connected to a member selected from the group consisting of the component and the support structure;
the second fixation device comprises a third fixation element;
in a support force path from the support structure to the component, the second fixation element is located between the first fixation element and the third fixation element;
the first fixation device and the second fixation device are adapted to be fixed in a final position by at least one locking member that directly contacts the first fixation device and the second fixation device;
the at least one locking member is adapted to exert a first locking force on a first location on the first fixation element along a first direction and to exert a second locking force on a second location on the first fixation element along the first direction;
each of the first and second locations is adjacent to the second fixation element;
the first loc

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Bischoff Thomas
• Feucht Joachim
• Wieland Jochen
• Mueller Stefan

Classifications

• G03F7/7015 Primary

  Details of optical elements · CPC title

• G03F7/70258

  Projection system adjustments, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of projection system · CPC title

• G03F7/70141

  Illumination system adjustment, e.g. adjustments during exposure or alignment during assembly of illumination system · CPC title

• G02B7/025 Primary

  using glue · CPC title

• G03F7/70825

  Mounting of individual elements, e.g. mounts, holders or supports (workpiece or mask holders G03F7/707) · CPC title