Method and device for replacing objective parts

Abstract

A method and a device for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography in which an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein is provided. At least one objective part is replaceably accommodated in the objective. Immediately prior to installation in the objective, the replaceable objective part is cleaned outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. Immediately after cleaning, the replaceable objective is installed in the objective without contact with the normal ambient atmosphere.

1 . Method for replacing objective parts comprising:
 providing an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein, at least one objective part being replaceably accommodated in the objective,   cleaning the replaceable objective part outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere and,   immediately after the cleaning, installing the replaceable objective part in the objective without contact with the ambient atmosphere.   
     
     
         2 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the objective part is selected from the group consisting essentially of optical lenses, mirrors, mirror elements, filters, diaphragms, membranes and other elements inside the objective interior.   
     
     
         3 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere has a cleaning atmosphere differing from the ambient atmosphere.   
     
     
         4 . Method in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein
 the cleaning atmosphere is selected from the group consisting essentially of vacuum, dry air, nitrogen, dry nitrogen, argon, oxygen, helium, hydrogen, at least one inert gas, at least one noble gas and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         5 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 ,
 wherein the cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere is provided in local proximity to the objective interior, and   further comprising moving the replaceable objective part, through at least one of a geometrically simple and a temporally short movement, from the cleaning room into the objective interior.   
     
     
         6 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaning room is detachably coupled to the objective interior so as to be gastight.   
     
     
         7 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 ,
 further comprising
 providing at least one further cleaning room, the cleaning rooms being respectively connected to each other, and 
 passing the replaceable objective part through the cleaning rooms in succession. 
   
     
     
         8 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaning in the cleaning room comprises at least one of: cleaning by irradiation with electromagnetic waves, ultraviolet irradiation, plasma cleaning, oxygen plasma cleaning, hydrogen plasma cleaning, evaporation, gas cleaning, liquid cleaning, ultrasonic cleaning, dipping in at least one bath, mechanical cleaning, and wiping.   
     
     
         9 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the cleaning in the cleaning room comprises at least one of elimination of particles, elimination of hydrocarbons, elimination of water monolayers and combinations thereof in an order as listed here.   
     
     
         10 . Method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein
 the elimination of particles comprises at least one of utilizing an ultrasonic bath, utilizing a dipping bath in an optics-cleaning mixture, and wiping.   
     
     
         11 . Method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein
 the elimination of hydrocarbons comprises at least one of utilizing irradiation, utilizing irradiation with broadband ultraviolet light, gas flushing, gas flushing with dry nitrogen, gas flushing with dry nitrogen and a low quantity of admixed oxygen, gas flushing with dry nitrogen and a low quantity of admixed dry air, plasma cleaning, and plasma cleaning with an oxygen plasma excited by microwave energy in vacuum conditions with simultaneous suction of the cleaning room.   
     
     
         12 . Method in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein
 the elimination of water monolayers comprises at least one of evaporation, heating with an infrared lamp, heating with a heating wire, plasma cleaning, flushing with dry nitrogen, flushing with dry air, and flushing with helium.   
     
     
         13 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising
 providing a magazine for replaceable objective parts.   
     
     
         14 . Method in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein
 the magazine facilitates clean storage and rapid replacement of objective parts via the cleaning room.   
     
     
         15 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the replaceable objective part is a part of an optical system for one of ultraviolet and extreme ultraviolet lithography.   
     
     
         16 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising
 completely removing the objective part from the objective interior.   
     
     
         17 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising
 bringing the objective part from a position spaced apart from the objective interior into the objective interior.   
     
     
         18 . Method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the objective is an objective of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography.   
     
     
         19 . Cleaning device for at least one replaceable objective part, comprising:
 a cleaning device for cleaning the replaceable objective part,   a cleaning room for accommodating the replaceable objective part during the cleaning, and   a connecting part for gastight connection to an objective housing.   
     
     
         20 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising
 at least one connecting element for gastight connection of at least one of a transport channel and at least one further cleaning device.   
     
     
         21 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 20 , wherein
 the connecting part and the connecting element are at least one of identical to and compatible with each other.   
     
     
         22 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising
 a transport channel comprising the connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing.   
     
     
         23 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein
 the connecting part comprises a device mechanically decoupling the connecting part from the objective housing.   
     
     
         24 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 22 , wherein
 the connecting part comprises a device mechanically decoupling the connecting part from the objective housing.   
     
     
         25 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 23 , wherein
 the mechanical decoupling device comprises at least one of an air bearing, an elastic bearing and a bellows.   
     
     
         26 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein
 the mechanical decoupling device comprises at least one of an air bearing, an elastic bearing and a bellows.   
     
     
         27 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 ,
 wherein the cleaning room is either sealed gastight or provided with excess pressure, and wherein at least one sealing element comprising at least one of an elastic element and a leaky seal with the excess pressure is provided for at least one of the connecting part, an inlet opening for the objective part and a connecting element to either a transport channel or a further cleaning device.   
     
     
         28 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising
 a handling device configured and arranged to move the replaceable objective part in the cleaning device.   
     
     
         29 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein
 the handling device is configured and arranged to move the objective part between the cleaning device and the objective housing.   
     
     
         30 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein
 the handling device comprises kinematic parts at least partially arranged within the housing of at least one of the cleaning room and a transport channel interposed between the cleaning device and the objective housing.   
     
     
         31 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein
 the handling device comprises a linear motor.   
     
     
         32 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 28 , wherein
 the handling device is mechanically decoupled from a housing of at least one of the cleaning room and a transport channel interposed between the cleaning device and the objective housing.   
     
     
         33 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising
 at least one of a gas supply, a gas evacuator, a pump, and a vacuum pump.   
     
     
         34 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein
 the cleaning device comprises at least one of an irradiation device utilizing electromagnetic waves, an irradiation devices utilizing ultraviolet radiation, a plasma cleaning device, a microwave plasma device, an evaporator, an infrared lamp, a heating wire, a gas-flushing device, a liquid-flushing device, an ultrasonic cleaner, a dipping bath, a mechanical cleaning device, and a wiping device.   
     
     
         35 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , further comprising
 a magazine for replaceable objective parts, connected to the cleaning room such that the objective part is transferred between the cleaning room and the magazine.   
     
     
         36 . Cleaning device in accordance with  claim 19 , wherein
 the connecting part comprises a quick-coupling mechanism for rapid connection to and disconnection from the objective housing.   
     
     
         37 . Objective for at least one of a projection device or an illumination device for microlithography, comprising:
 an objective housing that houses at least one replaceable objective part wherein, in the region of the replaceable objective part, the objective housing comprises at least one coupling element for coupling a cleaning device, the cleaning device comprising a cleaning room for accommodating and cleaning the replaceable objective part and a connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing.   
     
     
         38 . Objective in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein
 the objective is an optical system configured for use with ultraviolet or extreme ultraviolet light.   
     
     
         39 . Objective in accordance with  claim 37 , further comprising
 at least one additional housing arranged at least partially inside the objective housing, the objective housing and the additional housing each having a respective opening for accessing a respective replaceable objective part.   
     
     
         40 . Objective in accordance with  claim 39 , further comprising
 a vacuum-tight transport channel between the objective housing and the additional housing.   
     
     
         41 . System comprising:
 at least one cleaning device, and   at least one objective comprising an objective housing, in which at least one replaceable objective part is housed,   wherein, in the region of the replaceable objective part, the objective housing comprises at least one coupling element for coupling the cleaning device, and   wherein the cleaning device comprises a cleaning room for accommodating and cleaning the replaceable objective part and a connecting part for gastight connection to the objective housing.