Optical apparatus with adjustable action of force on an optical module

1. An optical apparatus, comprising:

an optical module;

a support structure; and

a connection apparatus which comprises first and second connection units,

wherein:

each of the first and second connection units comprises:

a first connector part connected to the optical module, the first connector part comprising a contact surface;

a second connector part connected to the support structure, the second connector part comprising a contact surface that matches the contact surface of the first connector part; and

a positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector parts;

for each of the first and second connection units:

the connection unit has an adjustment state and an installed state;

in the installed state, the matching contact surfaces contact each other;

in the adjustment state, a narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner to allow a compensating motion between the matching contact surfaces without an action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; and

the positioning device is configured to substantially synchronously reduce the narrow gap between the connector parts of the first and the second connection unit; and

the optical apparatus is configured to be used in microlithography.

2. The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the positioning device comprises a force generation device; and

in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces by applying a force of attraction between the optical module and the support structure.

3. The optical apparatus of claim 2 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units, in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces by applying the force of attraction between the first and second connector parts.

4. The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the positioning device comprises a force generation device; and

in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces by applying a force of repulsion between the optical module and the support structure.

5. The optical apparatus of claim 4 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units, in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces by applying the force of repulsion between the first and second connector parts.

6. The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the positioning device comprises a force generation device; and

in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces by applying an action of force between the optical module and the support structure.

7. The optical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units, in the adjustment state, the force generation device maintains the narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces by applying the action of force between the first and second connector parts.

8. The optical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the action of force is an electromagnetic force;

a member has an electrically conducting section that can be impinged upon by electrical current; and

the member is selected from the group consisting of the optical module, the support structure and combinations thereof.

9. The optical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the action of force is an electrostatic force;

a member has an electrically conducting section that can be impinged upon by electrical charge; and

the member is selected from the group consisting of the optical module, the support structure and combinations thereof.

10. The optical apparatus of claim 6 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the action of force is a fluidic force; and

at least one of the first and second connector parts comprises a feed device configured to provide a fluid in the narrow gap.

11. The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the positioning device comprises a force generation device, a detection device and a control device connected with the force generation device and the detection device;

the detection device is configured to detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the narrow gap and to pass on a corresponding measurement signal to the control device;

the control device is configured to generate from the measurement signal and a setpoint value a control signal and to pass the control signal on to the force generation device; and

the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector parts as a function of the control signal to maintain the narrow gap between the first and second connector parts.

12. The optical apparatus of claim 1 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis;

the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis;

the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature;

in the installed state of the connection unit, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface;

in the adjustment state, the narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner to allow a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis without an action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion.

13. The optical apparatus of claim 12 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the first connector part comprises first and second connector element;

the first connector element has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis;

the second connector element has a fourth contact surface with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis;

in the installed state, the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature and the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface;

the connection apparatus comprises at least part of the positioning device configured to act on the first and second connector elements; and

in the adjustment state, a narrow gap between the third and fourth contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner to allow a compensating motion between the third and fourth contact surfaces about the third main curvature axis without an action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion.

14. The optical apparatus of claim 12 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the positioning device comprises a force generation device, a detection device and a control device connected with the force generation device and the detection device;

the detection device is configured the detect a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the second gap between the first and second connector elements and to pass on a corresponding second measurement signal to the control device;

the control device is configured to generate from the second measurement signal and a second setpoint value a second control signal and to pass the second control signal on to the force generation device; and

the force generation device is configured to generate an action of force between the first and second connector elements as a function of the second control signal to maintain the narrow gap between the first and second connector parts.

15. A method, comprising:

using a connection apparatus to connect a support structure with an optical module configured for use in microlithography, wherein:

the connection apparatus comprises first and second connection units,

each of the first and second connection unit comprises first and second connector parts;

for each of the first and second connection units:

the first connector part is connected to the optical module and the second connector part is connected to the support structure;

the first connector part has a contact surface;

the second connector part has a contact surface matching the contact surface of the first connector part;

the method further comprises bringing the optical module and the support structure closer to each other so that the matching contact surfaces contact in an installed state; and

in an adjustment state, the method further comprises maintaining a narrow gap between the matching contact surfaces in a non-contact manner to allow a compensating motion between the matching contact surfaces without an action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion; and

the method further comprises substantially synchronously reducing the narrow gaps between the first and second connector parts.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying a force of action between the optical component and the support structure to maintain the narrow gap.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the force of action comprises a force selected from the group consisting of an electrical force, a magnetic force, a fluidic force and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

detecting a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the gap between the first and second connector parts;

generating a control signal from the measurement signal and a setpoint value; and

passing the control signal to a force generation device; and using the force generation device to generate an action of force between the first and second connector parts as a function of the control signal to maintain the narrow gap.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the first connector part has a first contact surface with a first main curvature defining a first main curvature axis;

the second connector part has a second contact surface with a second main curvature defining a second main curvature axis;

the second main curvature is matched to the first main curvature;

in the installed state, the first contact surface contacts the second contact surface;

in the adjustment state, the narrow gap between the first and second contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner to allow a compensating motion between the first and second contact surfaces about the first main curvature axis without an action of force between the first and second connector parts resulting from the compensating motion.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein for each of the first and second connection units:

the first connector part comprises a first connector element and a second connector element;

the first connector element has a third contact surface with a third main curvature defining a third main curvature axis;

the second connector element has a fourth contact with a fourth main curvature defining a fourth main curvature axis;

the fourth main curvature is matched to the third main curvature;

the method comprises bringing the optical module and the support structure closer to one another so that the third contact surface contacts the fourth contact surface in the installed state; and

in the adjustment state, a narrow gap between the third and fourth contact surfaces is maintained in a non-contact manner to allow a second compensating motion between the third and fourth contact surfaces about the third main curvature axis without an action of force between the first and second connector elements resulting from the second compensating motion.

21. The method of claim 20 , comprising:

detecting a value of a variable representative of a dimension of the second gap between the first and second connector elements;

passing a corresponding second measurement signal to a control device;

generating a second control signal from the second measurement signal and a second setpoint value;

passing the second control signal to the force generation device; and

using the force generation device to maintain the second narrow gap generates an action of force between the optical module and the support structure as a function of the second control signal.

22. The method of claim 15 , further comprising reducing the narrow gaps so that the matching contact surfaces of the connector parts of the first and the second connection unit contact each other substantially simultaneously.

23. The method of claim 15 , wherein the adjustment state compensates motions in at least two degrees of freedom without a force of action between the components of the connection unit resulting from the compensating motions.