Device for the low-deformation mounting of a rotationally asymmetric optical element

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 7,362,520
App. No.: 10/964,601
Granted: Apr 22, 2008
Kind: B2

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Abstract

A low-deformation mounting device of a rotationally asymmetric optical element, particularly an optical element in a projection lens used in semiconductor lithography. Said optical element is mounted in a frame and is provided with at least three connection surfaces that are positioned perpendicular to each other. Frame-connecting members are disposed in such a way that at least one but no more than two degrees of translational freedom and at least one but no more than two degrees of rotational freedom are obtained by means of said connecting members.

Claims (48)

1. Low-deformation mounting device of a rotationally asymmetric optical element, which is mounted in a frame, at least three attachment surfaces which are located in an angle in relation to one another being provided on the optical element, and wherein attachment members for attachment to the frame being arranged such that in each case at least one but no more than two degrees of translational freedom and degrees of rotational freedom are provided by the attachment members, wherein at least one attachment member is configured to provide two degrees of rotational freedom;

wherein said attachment members are designed as solid-state articulations;

wherein said solid-state articulations form part of the frame;

wherein said solid-state articulations comprise leaf-spring-like elastic elements;

wherein each attachment member is provided with at least two leaf-spring-like elastic elements, which are arraigned perpendicularly to one another; and

wherein said mutually perpendicular arrangement of the leaf-spring-like elastic elements is provided by a widening of the frame in U-profile form, two legs of the U-profile forming the leaf-spring-like elastic elements.

2. Low-deformation mounting device of a rotationally asymmetric optical element, which is mounted in a frame, at least three attachment surfaces which are located orthogonally in relation to one another being provided on the optical element, and wherein attachment members for attachment to the frame being arranged such that in each case at least one but no more than two degrees of translational freedom and degrees of rotational freedom are provided by the attachment members;

wherein said attachment members are designed as solid-state articulations;

wherein said solid-state articulations form part of the frame;

wherein said solid-state articulations comprise leaf-spring-like elastic elements;

wherein each attachment member is provided with at least two leaf-spring-like elastic elements, which are arranged perpendicularly to one another; and

3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein said attachment members are each provided with a connecting member fixing said optical element to the frame.

4. The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the lines of effect of the possible lateral translational movements intersect one another at a point (P).

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said attachment members slant in relation to edges of said attachment surfaces of said optical element, the lines of effect of the possible lateral translational movements intersecting one another at a corner (P) of said optical element.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the connection to the optical element taking place between the at least two leaf-spring-like elastic elements.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein each attachment member is arranged between four leaf-spring-like, elastic elements, in each case two leaf-spring-like elastic elements which are arranged perpendicularly to one another being provided on each side of the attachment member.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7 , wherein in each case one of the two leaf-spring-like elastic element which are located on one side of an attachment member is formed by a cut-out in the frame.

9. The device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said connecting members are designed as screws which are mounted in the frame and are screwed into the optical element.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein said optical element is a beam splitter cube.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein said optical element is a prism.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 , wherein said optical element is a double mirror.

13. The device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one attachment member is arranged to provide two degrees of translational freedom.

14. The device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein at least one attachment member is arranged to provide two degrees of rotational freedom.

15. Low-deformation mounting device of a rotationally asymmetric optical element, which is mounted in a frame, at least three attachment surfaces which are located in an angle in relation to one another being provided on the optical element, and wherein attachment members for attachment to the frame being arranged such that in each case at least one but no more than two degrees of translational freedom and degrees of rotational freedom are provided by the attachment members;

wherein said attachment members are designed as solid-state articulations;

wherein said solid-state articulations form part of the frame;

wherein said solid-state articulations comprise leaf-spring-like elastic elements;

wherein each attachment member is provided with at least two leaf-spring-like elastic elements, which are arranged perpendicularly to one another; and

16. Low-deformation mounting device of a rotationally asymmetric optical element, which is mounted in a frame, at least three attachment surfaces which are located in an angle in relation to one another being provided on the optical element, and wherein attachment members for attachment to the frame being arranged such that in each case at least one but no more than two degrees of translational freedom and degrees of rotational freedom are provided by the attachment members;