Lithography device with eddy-current brake
A lithography device includes an eddy-current brake for damping the movement of a structural element of the lithography device. The eddy-current brake includes a plurality of magnets disposed in an arc-shaped arrangement, and a plurality of electrically conductive sheets arranged respectively between adjacent ones of the magnets. A relative movement between the magnets and the electrically conductive sheets in a direction to be damped inducing eddy currents in the electrically conductive sheets.
1. A device, comprising:
a structural element; and
an eddy-current brake, comprising:
a plurality of magnets disposed in an arc-shaped arrangement; and
a plurality of electrically conductive sheets arranged so that an electrically conductive sheet is between adjacent magnets,
wherein:
the structural element and the eddy-current brake are configured so that a relative movement between the magnets and the electrically conductive sheets in a direction induces eddy currents in the electrically conductive sheets to dampen movement of the structural element in the direction;
the device further comprises a holder configured to hold the magnets;
the holder comprises a base section interconnected to a receptacle section by spring elements;
the receptacle section is connected to the structural element; and
the device is a lithography device.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one magnet of the plurality of magnets, the at least one magnet comprises a stack of magnets.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein adjacent magnets in the stack of magnets are arranged so that opposing poles of the magnets are next to one another.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein the stack of magnets comprises an even number of magnets.
5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the magnets of the stack of magnets are separated from each other along a direction of an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement.
6. The device of claim 2 , wherein the magnets of the stack of magnets are separated from each other along a direction perpendicular to a direction of an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein, for at least two magnets of the plurality of magnets, each of the at least two magnets comprises a stack of magnets.
8. The device of claim 1 , wherein an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement extends over an angle of 360°.
9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of magnets is disposed in a circular arc-shaped arrangement.
10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnets are trapezoidal.
11. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the plurality of magnets is configured to generate a magnetic field that extends in a plane that includes an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement; and
the direction extends at an angle that is not greater than 45° with respect to a normal to the plane.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein the direction extends substantially parallel to a normal to the plane.
13. The device of claim 1 , wherein:
the eddy-current brake comprises a plurality of sets of magnets;
the magnets of each set are disposed in an arc-shaped arrangement within a predetermined plane; and
planes of adjacent sets of magnets are tilted with respect to each other so that the sets are disposed along a trajectory of the structural element.
14. The device of claim 13 , wherein the trajectory of the structural element is arc-shaped.
15. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive sheets are attached to the structural element.
16. The device of claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive sheets are coupled to a moving part of an actuator configured to position the structural element.
17. The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnets are attached to the structural element.
18. The device of claim 1 , wherein the structural element is arranged in a moveable fashion relative to the magnets.
19. The device of claim 1 , wherein the magnets are arranged in a cylindrical magnet arrangement attached to a cylinder coil of an actuator configured to position the structural element.
20. The device of claim 1 , wherein the structural element comprises an optical element.
21. The device of claim 1 , wherein the structural element comprises a reaction mass.
22. The device of claim 1 , wherein, for at least one of the electrically conductive sheets, the electrically conductive sheet is between its adjacent magnets along a direction of an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement.
23. The device of claim 1 , wherein the spring elements comprise webs.
24. The device of claim 23 , wherein the webs extend radially between the receptacle section and the base section.
25. The device of claim 1 , wherein an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement extends over an angle of at least 30°.
26. A device, comprising:
a structural element; and
an eddy-current brake, comprising:
a plurality of magnets disposed in an arc-shaped arrangement; and
a plurality of electrically conductive sheets arranged so that an electrically conductive sheet is between adjacent magnets,
wherein:
the structural element and the eddy-current brake are configured so that a relative movement between the magnets and the electrically conductive sheets in a direction induces eddy currents in the electrically conductive sheets to dampen movement of the structural element in the direction;
the plurality of magnets is configured to generate a magnetic field that extends in a plane that includes an arc defined by the arc-shaped arrangement; and
the direction extends at an angle that is not greater than 45° with respect to a normal to the plane; and
the device is a lithography device.
27. The device of claim 26 , wherein the direction extends substantially parallel to a normal to the plane.