Lithographic appararus and method
View Patent ↗A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate. The projection system includes a first gas-conditioned sub-environment and a second gas-conditioned sub-environment. The apparatus includes a gas control unit configured to control the feeding of conditioned gas into the first sub-environment and into the second sub-environment via the first sub-environment so as to prevent contamination from the second sub-environment to the first sub-environment. The apparatus includes a gate configured to leak the conditioned gas at a rate from the second sub-environment to ambient atmosphere, and a detector configured to detect at least one property of the second gas-conditioned environment.
1. A method for operating a detector in a gas-conditioned environment comprising:
flowing a conditioned gas from a first gas-conditioned sub-environment to a second gas-conditioned sub-environment to prevent contamination from the second sub-environment to the first sub-environment;
leaking conditioned gas at a rate from the second sub-environment to ambient atmosphere through at least one gate; and
detecting at least one property of the second sub-environment with the detector, wherein the detector is arranged in the second sub-environment.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is a pressure detector.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is a temperature sensor.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is an oxygen sensor.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is a water sensor.
6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is an intensity detector.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is a relief valve.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the detector is a flow sensor.
9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the rate is predetermined.
10. A lithographic apparatus comprising:
a projection system configured to project a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, the projection system comprising a first gas-conditioned sub-environment and a second gas-conditioned sub-environment;
a gas control unit configured to control the feeding of conditioned gas into the first sub-environment and into the second sub-environment via the first sub-environment to prevent contamination from the second sub-environment to the first sub-environment;
a gate configured to leak the conditioned gas at a rate from the second sub-environment to ambient atmosphere; and
a detector arranged in the second sub-environment and configured to detect at least one property of the second gas-conditioned environment.
11. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is a pressure detector.
12. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is a temperature sensor.
13. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is an oxygen sensor.
14. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is a water sensor.
15. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is an intensity detector.
16. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is a relief valve.
17. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the detector is a flow sensor.
18. The lithographic apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the rate is predetermined.