Gas bearings for use with vacuum chambers and their application in lithographic projection apparatuses

Patent 6603130 Issued on August 5, 2003. Estimated Expiration Date:

April 17, 2020. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

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Inventors

Assignee

ASML Netherlands B.V.

Application

No. 551223 filed on 04/17/2000

US Classes:

250/492.1, IRRADIATION OF OBJECTS OR MATERIAL250/440.11, Analyte supports250/441.11, With air lock or evacuation means250/442.11, With object moving or positioning means250/492.2, Irradiation of semiconductor devices250/492.21, Ion bombardment250/492.22, Pattern control250/492.3, Ion or electron beam irradiation355/53, Step and repeat355/72, Detailed holder for photosensitive paper355/76Including vacuum, fluid or spring pressure

Examiners

Primary: Lee, John D.
Assistant: Vanore, David A.

Attorney, Agent or Firm

Pillsbury Winthrop LLP

Foreign Patent References

1 089 001 EP. 04/20/2013
98/28665 WO. 07/20/1998
98/40791 WO. 09/20/1998
99/66221 WO. 12/20/1999

International Class

H01J 037/20

Foreign Application Priority Data

1999-04-19 EP

Abstract

A bearing for use in a vacuum chamber comprises a gas bearing discharging pressurised gas into a gap between two members to maintain a predetermined separation between those members. To avoid the gas forming the gas bearing being an unacceptable leak into the vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump is provided between the vacuum chamber and the gas bearing.

Other References

Ceglio et al., "Front-end design issues in soft-x-ray projection lithography," Applied Optics, Optical Society of America, Washington, US, vol. 32, No. 34, Dec. 1, 1993, pp. 7050-7056 (Abstract No. XP000414608 ISSN: 0003-6935