Optical element unit for exposure processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10203607-B2
Application number	US-201414560756-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 4, 2014
Priority date	Sep 13, 2005
Publication date	Feb 12, 2019
Grant date	Feb 12, 2019

Abstract

An optical element unit including a first optical element module and a sealing arrangement is disclosed. The first optical element module occupies a first module space and includes a first module component of a first component type and an associated second module component of a second component type. The first component type is optical elements and the second component type being different from the first component type. The sealing arrangement separates the first module space into a first space and a second space and substantially prevents, at least in a first direction, the intrusion of substances from one of the first space and the second space into the other one of the first space and the second space. The first module component at least partially contacts the first space and, at least in its area optically used, not contacting the second space. The second module component at least partially contacts the second space.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An optical element unit, comprising:
a first part;
a second part; and
a viscous fluid,
wherein:
the first part is adjacent to the second part so that a slot is between the first part and the second part;
a first space is at a first side of the slot;
a second space is at a second side of the slot;
the slot is between a recessed section defining a recess and a protrusion extending into the recess;
the slot defines a passageway between the first space and the second space;
the viscous fluid at least partially obstructs the passageway;
the passageway is at least partially defined by a first slot and a second slot sequentially arranged on a way from the first space to the second space;
each of the first and second slots is between a recessed section defining a recess and a protrusion extending into the recess; and
each recess are at least partially filled with the viscous fluid; and
each protrusion extends into the viscous fluid to define an obstruction.

2. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein the first part comprises an optical element, and the second part comprises an element of a support structure supporting the optical element.

3. The optical element unit of claim 1 , further comprising a first optical element and a second optical element, wherein the first part is an element of a support structure supporting the first optical element, and the second part is an element of a support structure supporting the second optical element.

4. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein the viscous fluid substantially prevents fluid exchange between the first space and the second space via the passageway.

5. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein:
the first part is selected from the group consisting of a first component and a first element mechanically connected to the first component; and
the second part is selected from the group consisting of a second component and a second element mechanically connected to the second component.

6. The optical element unit of claim 5 , wherein a position of the first element with respect to the first component is adjustable, and/or a position of the second element with respect to the second component is adjustable.

7. The optical element unit of claim 5 , wherein:
the obstruction is adapted to substantially prevent, in a first direction and/or a second direction running transverse to the first direction, the introduction of forces of an inadmissible force level into the first component via the obstruction;
the inadmissible force level is a function of an intended field of use of the first component;
the field of use defines a maximum admissible deformation of the first component; and
the inadmissible force level is a function of the maximum admissible deformation.

8. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is on the first part or the second part, the recessed section is formed on the other one of the first part and the second part.

9. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein at least one slot selected from the group consisting of the first slot and the second slot is narrow in a direction running transverse to the passageway defined by the at least one slot.

10. The optical element unit of claim 9 , wherein:
the at least one slot has a dimension in the direction; and
the dimension is configured so that, due to capillary effects, substantially no fluid leaks from the slot upon a pressure difference between the first space and the second space.

11. The optical element unit of claim 9 , wherein the at least one slot has a dimension of less than 200 μm in the direction.

12. The optical element unit of claim 9 , wherein the at least one slot has a dimension in the direction, and the dimension increases toward an end section of the at least one slot.

13. The optical element unit of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid buffer connected to the passageway so that the fluid the obstruction of the passageway.

14. The optical element unit of claim 1 , wherein the viscous fluid has a viscosity that is adjustable via an external field.

15. The optical element unit of claim 14 , wherein the external field comprises at least one field selected from the group consisting of a magnetic field, an electric field, a thermal field and a gravitational field.

16. The optical element unit of claim 14 , further comprising a device configured to provide the external field in a region of the obstruction.

17. The optical element unit of claim 1 , further comprising an exhaust device comprising an inlet spatially associated to the obstruction, wherein the exhaust device is configured to draw off via the inlet gaseous substances emitted by the viscous fluid.

18. An apparatus, comprising:
an optical element unit according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus is an optical exposure apparatus configured to transfer an image of a pattern on a mask onto a substrate along a light path, and the optical element unit is in the light path between the mask location and the substrate.

19. A method, comprising:
providing an optical element unit comprising a first part and a second part, the first part being located adjacent to the second part to define a slot between the first part and the second part, the first space being at a first side of the slot, and the second space being at a second side of the slot, the slot being between a recessed section defining a recess and a protrusion extending into the recess to define a passageway between the first space and the second space; and
using a viscous fluid to provide an obstruction of at least a part of the passageway,
wherein:
the passageway is at least partially defined by a first slot and a second slot sequentially arranged on a way from the first space to the second space;
each of the first and second slots is between a recessed section defining a recess and a protrusion extending into the recess;
each recess is at least partially filled with the viscous fluid; and
each protrusion extends into the viscous fluid to define the obstruction.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the first part is a first element mechanically connected to a first component;
the second part is a second element mechanically connected to the second component; and
a position of the first element with respect to the first component is adjusted, and/or a position of the second element with respect to the second component is adjusted.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein:
the slot has a dimension in a direction running transverse to the passageway; and
the dimension is configured so that, due to capillary effects, substantially no fluid leaks from the slot upon a pressure difference between the first space and the second space.

22. The method of claim 19 , further comprising a fluid buffer connected to the passageway to provide the fluid to the passageway to maintain the obstruction of the passageway.

23. The method of claim 19 , further comprising using an external field in a region of the obstruction to adjust a viscosity of the viscous fluid.

24. The method of claim 19 , further comprising drawing off gaseous substances emitted by the fluid in the region of the obstruction.

25. The method of claim 19 , further comprising using the optical element unit to transfer an image of a pattern on a mask onto a substrate.

26. An optical element unit, comprising:
a first part;
a s

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Schwertner Tilman
• Bingel Ulrich
• Limbach Guido
• Kaller Julian
• Scherle Hans-Juergen
• Kugler Jens
• Schaffer Dirk
• Gellrich Bernhard

Classifications

• G03F7/7015 Primary

  Details of optical elements · CPC title

• G03F7/70916

  Pollution mitigation, i.e. mitigating effect of contamination or debris, e.g. foil traps · CPC title

• G03F7/70908

  Hygiene, e.g. preventing apparatus pollution, mitigating effect of pollution or removing pollutants from apparatus · CPC title

• G02B27/0006

  with means to keep optical surfaces clean, e.g. by preventing or removing dirt, stains, contamination, condensation (G02B1/18 takes precedence; cleaning in general B08B) · CPC title

• G03F7/70808 Primary

  Construction details, e.g. housing, load-lock, seals or windows for passing light in or out of apparatus · CPC title