Support elements for an optical element

Abstract

Support elements for an optical element and a method for supporting an optical element are disclosed. The disclosure can be used in connection with arbitrary optical apparatuses or optical imaging methods. In particular, the disclosure can be used in connection with the microlithography employed in the manufacture of microelectronic circuits.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . An optical module, comprising:
 an optical element;   a support unit;   a bipod supporting the optical element on the support unit; and   an elongated lever having a longitudinal axis, a first lateral side and a second lateral side, wherein:
 the bipod comprises two bipod braces; 
 each of the two braces has a first end defining a brace foot and a second end defining a brace head; 
 each brace foot is connected to the support unit and each brace head is connected to the optical element so that at least one of brace heads and a connecting line connecting the brace feet span a bipod plane; 
 the first and second lateral sides extend along the longitudinal axis; 
 the lever is connected to the support unit via a bearing; 
 the engages one of the two brace feet via a brace joint unit; 
 a space between the brace feet along the connecting line is adjustable by a motion of the lever defined by the bearing; and 
 along the longitudinal axis, an inner support part of the support unit extends between the optical element and the first lateral side. 
   
     
     
         31 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the inner support part extends on the first lateral side up to an area of the brace joint unit. 
     
     
         32 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the support unit surrounds the lever. 
     
     
         33 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein a support joint is connected to the inner support part and the lever in an area of the brace joint unit. 
     
     
         34 . The optical module of  claim 33 , wherein the support joint is connected to a free end of the inner support part. 
     
     
         35 . The optical module of  claim 33 , wherein the support joint is located closer to the brace joint unit than to the bearing. 
     
     
         36 . The optical module of  claim 33 , wherein:
 the brace joint unit engages the lever at a first location;   the bearing engages the lever at a second location;   the support joint engages the lever at a third location; and   a minimum distance between the first and third locations is less than a minimum distance between the first and second locations.   
     
     
         37 . The optical module of  claim 33 , wherein the support joint comprises a flexure device. 
     
     
         38 . The optical module of  claim 37 , wherein the support joint comprises a plurality of support joint flexures arranged kinematically in series in a force flux between the at least one lever and the support unit. 
     
     
         39 . The optical module of  claim 37 , wherein the support joint is configured as a substantially U-shaped support arm with three support joint flexures. 
     
     
         40 . The optical module of  claim 39 , wherein the bearing comprises a bearing flexure defining a bearing flexure bending axis, and each support joint flexure defines a support joint flexure bending axis running substantially parallel to the bearing flexure bending axis. 
     
     
         41 . The optical module of  claim 33 , wherein the bearing defines a plane of motion of the lever, and the support joint is configured to substantially prevent tilting of the lever about a tilting axis lying in the plane of motion of the lever. 
     
     
         42 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the bearing defines a direction of motion of the lever, and the direction of motion is transverse to the bipod plane. 
     
     
         43 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein, with respect to the brace joint unit, a free end of the inner support part is opposite to the bearing. 
     
     
         44 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the bearing is connected to an outer support part of the support unit, and the lever is between the inner and outer support parts. 
     
     
         45 . The optical module of  claim 44 , wherein the support unit comprises a substantially ring shaped element forming the inner support part and the outer support part. 
     
     
         46 . The optical module of  claim 44 , wherein the inner support part is supported by the outer support part via a reinforcing element. 
     
     
         47 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the brace joint unit comprises a brace joint unit flexure with precisely one bending axis so that the flexure has a rigid configuration in the direction of the bending axis. 
     
     
         48 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the direction of motion of the lever is in a motion plane that is perpendicular to the bipod plane, and the bending axis of the brace joint unit flexure is parallel to the bipod plane. 
     
     
         49 . The optical module of  claim 48 , wherein the brace joint unit comprises a further brace joint unit flexure with a further bending axis. 
     
     
         50 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the bearing of the at least one lever assigned to the respective bipod is configured as a bearing flexure which connects the at least one lever to the support unit. 
     
     
         51 . The optical module of  claim 50 , wherein the bearing flexure has precisely one bending axis, so that the bearing flexure has a rigid configuration along its bending axis. 
     
     
         52 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the bearing comprises a plurality of bearing flexures defining a center of rotation. 
     
     
         53 . The optical module of  claim 30 , wherein the lever comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of a pre-tensioning device and an adjusting device. 
     
     
         54 . The optical module of  claim 30 , further comprising two further bipods are provided to form a hexapod structure configured to hold and/or position the optical element relative to the support unit, wherein the two further bipods are configured substantially identically to the bipod, and each brace of each further bipod is assigned a further lever corresponding to the lever, and each brace of each further bipod is assigned a further brace joint unit corresponding to the brace joint unit.