IP Library Granted Patent US 7,961,294
Granted Patent B2
US 7,961,294 · App. 12/247,597 · Granted Jun 14, 2011

Imaging device in a projection exposure facility

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,961,294
App. No.
12/247,597
Granted
Jun 14, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

An imaging device in a projection exposure machine for microlithography has at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, having a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element. The linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis. The subregions are interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements with an active axis and via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis.

Claims (30)

1. An imaging device, comprising:

at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, comprising a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element,

wherein the linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis, the subregions being interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately perpendicular to the movement axis and via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis, and

wherein the imaging device is configured to be used in a projection exposure machine for microlithography.

2. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the functional elements are designed as piezoelectric elements.

3. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the two subregions are interconnected via guide means.

4. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by virtue of the fact that the optical element is permanently connected to a movable part that is connected via at least one of the linear drives to a fixed part that is permanently connected to the imaging device.

5. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors, and it being possible to control the manipulation as a pure movement in the direction of the optical axis.

6. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors at being possible to control the manipulation as a tilting movement.

7. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by at least two of the linear drives whose movement axes lie in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element, the manipulation of the optical element being performed in a plane identical or parallel to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

8. The imaging device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the optical element can be rotated via at least one the linear drive about a point or an axis at which the optical element is mounted.

9. An imaging device, comprising:

at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, comprising a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element,

wherein the linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis, the subregions being interconnected at least temporarily via piezoelectric elements with an active direction at least approximately perpendicular to the movement axis and via piezoelectric elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis, wherein the two subregions are interconnected via guide means, and

wherein the imaging device is configured to be used in a projection exposure machine for microlithography.

10. The imaging device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by virtue of the fact that the optical element is permanently connected to a movable part that is connected via at least one of the linear drives to a fixed part that is permanently connected to the imaging device.

11. The imaging device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors, and it being possible to control the manipulation as a pure movement in the direction of the optical axis.

12. The imaging device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors at being possible to control the manipulation as a tilting movement.

13. The imaging device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by at least two of the linear drives whose movement axes lie in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element, the manipulation of aid optical element being performed in a plane identical or parallel to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

14. The imaging device as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the optical element can be rotated via at least one the linear drive about a point or an axis at which the optical element is mounted.

15. An imaging device, comprising:

at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, comprising a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element,

wherein the linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis, the subregions being interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately perpendicular to the movement axis and via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis, wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors, and it being possible to control the manipulation as a pure movement in the direction of the optical axis, and

wherein the imaging device is configured to be used in a projection exposure machine for microlithography.

16. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the functional elements are designed as piezoelectric elements.

17. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the two subregions are interconnected via guide means.

18. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by virtue of the fact that the optical element is permanently connected to a movable part that is connected via at least one of the linear drives to a fixed part that is permanently connected to the imaging device.

19. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the manipulator has three of the linear drives whose movement axes run at least approximately parallel to the optical axis of the optical element, the position of the optical element being detected by at least three sensors at being possible to control the manipulation as a tilting movement.

20. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the manipulation of the optical element is performed by at least two of the linear drives whose movement axes lie in a plane perpendicular to the optical axis of the optical element, the manipulation of the optical element being performed in a plane identical or parallel to the plane perpendicular to the optical axis.

21. The imaging device as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the optical element can be rotated via at least one the linear drive about a point or an axis at which the optical element is mounted.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 30, 2011
From: HUMMEL, WOLFGANG; FISCHER, JUERGEN; AUBELE, KARL-EUGEN; MERZ, ERICH; REINER, RAOUL; RIEF, KLAUS; SCHOENGART, STEFAN; NEUMAIER, MARKUS; TROSSBACH, BAERBEL; WEBER, ULRICH; MUEHLBEYER, MICHAEL; HOLDERER, HUBERT; KOHL, ALEXANDER; WEBER, JOCHEN; LIPPERT, JOHANNES; RASSEL, THORSTEN
To: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
Reel/Frame 026046/0690 →
A MODIFYING CONVERSION Recorded Jan 18, 2011
From: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
To: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBH
Reel/Frame 025763/0367 →