US2016041475A1PendingUtilityA1

Replacement apparatus for an optical element

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Assignee: ZEISS CARL SMT GMBHPriority: Dec 23, 2003Filed: Jul 7, 2015Published: Feb 11, 2016
Est. expiryDec 23, 2023(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Jens KuglerFranz SorgAndreas WurmbrandThomas SchlettererThomas Ittner
G03F 7/70825G03F 7/70258G02B 13/14G02B 7/14G03F 7/70191G02B 7/023G02B 7/00G02B 7/02G03F 7/7015
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Claims

Abstract

A replacement apparatus for an optical element mounted between two adjacent optical elements in a lithography objective has a holder for the optical element to be replaced, which holder can be moved into the lithography objective through a lateral opening in a housing of the same.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a holder configured to hold an optical element,   wherein:
 the holder is configured to move between two adjacent optical elements within the interior of the lithography objective; and 
 the holder is movable between an interior of a lithography objective and an exterior of the lithography objective so that the holder is useable to do at least one of the following: a) remove the optical element from the interior of lithography objective; and b) position the optical element within the interior of the lithography objective. 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the holder is configured to move between the interior of the lithography objective and the exterior of the lithography objective via an opening in a housing of the lithography objective. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the opening is closeable via a seal. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical element is arranged between two non-replaceable optical elements. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical element is connected to a stiffening element. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the stiffening element comprises the same optical material as the optical element. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the stiffening element and the optical element are wrung together. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the stiffening element is connected to the optical element via an adhesive. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the holder comprises a guide for the optical element. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the optical element is a single optical element, and the holder is configured to position the single optical element within the interior of the housing between two non-replaceable optical elements. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a lithography objective comprising a housing; and   a holder configured to hold an optical element,   wherein:
 the holder is configured to move between two adjacent optical elements within the interior of the lithography objective; and 
 the holder is movable between an interior of the housing and an exterior of the housing so that the holder is useable to do at least one of the following: a) remove the optical element from the interior of the housing; and b) position the optical element within the interior of the housing. 
   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lithography objective comprises two adjacent optical elements, and the holder is configured to move between the two adjacent optical elements. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the housing has an opening, and the holder is configured to move between the interior of the housing and the exterior of the housing via the opening in the housing. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a seal configured to close the opening in the housing. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the seal comprises a solid material. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the seal comprises a gasket. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the seal is a gas seal. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical element is connected to a stiffening element. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lithography objective comprises a mount configured to hold the optical element. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical element is configured to be isostatically mounted within the interior of the housing. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lithography objective comprises a mount configured to hold a second optical element, and the mount is also configured to hold the optical element which is holdable by the holder. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lithography objective comprises a holding structure configured to hold the optical element in the housing. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the holding structure comprises an actuator. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 23 , wherein the lithography objective comprises a mount configured to hold the holding structure. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the lithography objective further comprises a spring element configured to act on the optical element in a direction of an optical axis of the lithography objective. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the holder is configured to position the optical element in a pupil region of the lithography objective. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the optical element is a single optical element, and the holder is configured to position the single optical element within the interior of the housing between two non-replaceable optical elements. 
     
     
         29 . A method, comprising:
 using an apparatus to make a microstructured component, the apparatus comprising:
 a lithography objective comprising a housing; and 
 a holder configured to hold an optical element, 
   wherein:
 the holder is configured to move between two adjacent optical elements within the interior of the lithography objective; and 
 the holder is movable between an interior of a lithography objective and an exterior of the lithography objective so that the holder is useable to do at least one of the following: a) remove the optical element from the interior of lithography objective; and b) position the optical element within the interior of the lithography objective. 
   
     
     
         30 . A method, comprising:
 providing a replacement apparatus for a lithography objective, the replacement apparatus comprising:
 a holder configured to be selectively securable to an optical element; and 
 an actuator configured to align the optical element within the lithography objective.

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