Facet mirror device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9645388-B2
Application number	US-201314047192-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 7, 2013
Priority date	Apr 14, 2011
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

There is provided a facet mirror device comprising a facet element and a support unit, the support unit supporting the facet element. The support unit comprises a first support element and a second support element, the second support element being connected to the facet element to support the facet element. The first support element is connected to the second support element to support the second support element, the first support element being connected to the second support element via at least one flexure unit, the flexure unit comprising at least one flexure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A facet mirror device, comprising:
a facet element; and
a support unit, comprising:
a first support element;
a second support element;
a flexure unit comprising flexure; and
a connector element,

wherein:
the second support element is connected to the facet element to support the facet element;
the first support element is connected to the second support element to support the second support element;
the first support element is connected to the second support element via the flexure unit;
the first support element is between the flexure unit and the connector element;
the flexure unit is between the first and second support elements; and
the first support element is connected to the second support element via the connector.

2. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the flexure unit defines a guiding unit configured to guide the facet element in an adjustment motion;
the flexure unit restricts relative motion between the first and second support elements in at least two degrees of freedom;
the flexure unit restricts relative motion between the first and second support elements in exactly three degrees of freedom; and
the flexure unit restricts relative motion between the first and second supports element in two translational degrees of freedom and one rotational degree of freedom.

3. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the flexure unit restricts relative motion between the first and second support elements in two translational degrees of freedom, and the flexure unit comprises a flexure element mainly extending in a plane defined by the two translational degrees of freedom.

4. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the flexure unit comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of an elastic hinge element, a leaf spring element, and a membrane element.

5. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the flexure unit is monolithic with the first support element; and
the flexure unit is monolithic with the second support element.

6. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the second support element extends within a recess of the first support element.

7. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment device, wherein:
the second support element has an adjustment interface configured to be contacted by the adjustment device; and
at least one of the following holds:
the adjustment device is configured to adjust a relative position between the facet element and the support unit; and
the adjustment device is configured to adjust a relative orientation between the facet element and the support unit.

8. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second support elements are connected together at an interface so that, during operation of the facet mirror device, fluid leakage through the interface between the first and second support elements is prevented.

9. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the second support element extends through an opening within the support element, and the connector element is located at a rear side of the first support element facing away from the facet element.

10. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the connector element is connected via an adhesive bond to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element.

11. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the connector element is bonded to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element.

12. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the connector is glued to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element;
the connector is soldered to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element;
the connector is laser welded to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element; and
the connector is diffusion bonded to at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first support element and the second support element.

13. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the support unit comprises a cooling duct configured to receive a cooling medium during operation of the facet mirror device; and
a cooling cavity is disposed at a rear side of the first support element facing away from the facet element, and the cooling cavity is configured to be filled with a cooling medium.

14. The facet mirror device according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the support unit comprises a plurality of support sections, and each support section is connected to the first support element and supporting a further facet element; and
the support unit supports at least 1000 facet elements.

15. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment device, wherein the second support element extends through an opening within the first support element, and an adjustment interface for the adjustment device is formed at a rear end of the second support element facing away from the facet element.

16. The facet mirror device of claim 15 , wherein:
the second support element has an adjustment interface configured to be contacted by the adjustment device; and
at least one of the following holds:
the adjustment device is configured to adjust a relative position between the facet element and the support unit; and
the adjustment device is configured to adjust a relative orientation between the facet element and the support unit.

17. The facet mirror device of claim 1 , wherein the facet mirror device comprises a plurality of facet elements.

18. An optical imaging arrangement, comprising:
an illumination unit configured to illuminate an object in a first plane; and
an optical projection unit configured to transfer an image of the pattern onto a second plane,
wherein:
at least one unit selected from the group consisting of the illumination unit and the optical projection unit comprises a facet mirror device; and
the facet mirror device comprises:
a facet element; and
a support unit comprising first and second support elements;
a flexure unit comprising a flexure; and
a connector element;

the second support element is connected to the facet element to support the facet element;
the first support element is connected to the second support element to support the second support element;
the first support element is connected to said the support element via the flexure unit;
the first support element is between the flexure unit and the connector element;
the flexure unit is between the first and second support elements; and
the first support element is connected to the second support element via the connector element.

19. The optical imaging arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the illumination unit comprises the facet mirror device.

20. The optical imaging arrangement of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the following holds:
the flexure unit defines a guiding unit configured to guide the facet element in an adjustment motion;
the flexure unit restricts relative motion between the first and second support elements in at least two degrees of freedom;
the flexure unit rest

Assignees

• Zeiss Carl Smt Gmbh

Inventors

• Ziegler Gerhard-Wilhelm
• Bischoff Thomas

Classifications

• Y10T29/49826

  Assembling or joining · CPC title

• G02B7/1822 Primary

  comprising means for aligning the optical axis (G02B7/1821 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G03F7/70058

  Mask illumination systems · CPC title

• G02B26/0833

  the reflecting element being a micromechanical device, e.g. a MEMS mirror, DMD (G02B26/0825 takes precedence; micromechanical devices in general B81B) · CPC title

• G02B26/0816 Primary

  by means of one or more reflecting elements · CPC title