Patent EP1075017A1 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP1075017A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
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Optical device and exposure system equipped with optical device
Assignee: Nikon Corp
•
Filing: 1999-03-26
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Granted: —
•
Expires: 2019-03-26
Abstract
Abstract An optical apparatus having at least one optical element arranged along an optical path of an irradiation light. A first hermetic chamber is defined along the optical path separating the optical path from ambient air and charged with a predetermined gas. A second hermetic chamber is located in the first hermetic chamber separating the optical path from the gas in the first hermetic chamber and retaining the optical elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Masayuki Nikon Corporation MURAYAMA
- 👤 Kyoji Nikon Corporation NAKAMURA
- 👤 Taro Nikon Corporation OGATA
- 👤 Susumu Nikon Corporation MORI
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 14:39
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70058; G03F7/7015; G03F7/70158; G03F7/70216; G03F7/70341; G03F7/708; G03F7/70808; G03F7/70825; G03F7/70858; G03F7/70883; G03F7/70908; G03F7/70933; G03F7/70983
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
An optical apparatus including at least one
optical element arranged along an optical path of an
irradiation light, the optical apparatus comprising: a first hermetic chamber defined along the optical path
separating the optical path from ambient air and charged
with a predetermined gas; and a second hermetic chamber located in the first hermetic
chamber separating the optical path from the gas in the
first hermetic chamber and retaining the optical elements.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
24 words
The optical apparatus according to claim 1,
characterized in that the second hermetic chamber includes a
section located between two of the optical elements.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
50 words
The optical apparatus according to any one of
claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the gas in the first
hermetic chamber is a gas that is more pure than the ambient
air, and the second hermetic chamber is charged with a gas
that is inert to the irradiation light.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The optical apparatus according to any one of
claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the gas in the first
hermetic chamber is a gas that is inert to the irradiation
light, and the second hermetic chamber is charged with a gas
that is inert to the irradiation light.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
The optical apparatus according to claim 3,
further characterized by a sensor for measuring the
concentration of a gas in the second hermetic chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
The optical apparatus according to any one of
claims 1 to 5, characterized by: a partition for defining the first hermetic chamber and
the second hermetic chamber, wherein the partition includes
a switch opening; an actuating mechanism for increasing and decreasing an
opened amount of the switch opening; at least one optical member arranged in the first
hermetic chamber or the second hermetic chamber through the
switch opening; and a controller for setting a first switch mode in which
movement of the optical member between the first hermetic
chamber and the second hermetic chamber is permitted by
increasing the opening amount of the switch opening with the
actuating mechanism, and a second switch mode in which
movement of the optical member between the first hermetic
chamber and the second hermetic chamber is prohibited by
decreasing the opened amount of the switch opening with the
actuating mechanism.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
58 words
The optical apparatus according to claim 6,
comprising a revolver that supports the optical member and
is rotatable about an axis, and a drive apparatus for
driving the revolver, wherein the controller controls the
drive apparatus to rotate the revolver, rotation of the
revolver moving the optical member between the first
hermetic chamber and the second hermetic chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
An exposure apparatus including an optical system
for irradiating a mask with exposure light and transferring
a pattern of the mask on a substrate with the exposure light
that has passed through the mask, wherein the optical system
includes the optical apparatus according to any one of
claims 1 to 7.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
95 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 8,
characterized in that the optical apparatus includes at
least one of a plurality of first optical element groups for
irradiating the mask with the exposure light and a plurality
of second optical element groups for guiding the exposure
light that has passed through the pattern of the mask to the
substrate; and the second hermetic chamber includes at least one of an
illumination lens barrel for encompassing and retaining the
first optical element groups and a projection lens barrel
for encompassing and retaining the first optical element
groups.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
An exposure apparatus for illuminating a pattern
formed on a mask with an exposure light from a light source
to project an image of the pattern on a substrate, the
exposure apparatus being characterized by: a first chamber disposed to encompass at least part of
an optical path of the exposure light and charged with a
first gas; and a second chamber disposed to encompass the first
chamber and charged with a second gas.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
characterized in that the first gas is a gas that is inert
to the exposure light, and the second gas is a gas that is
more pure than ambient air.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
characterized in that the first gas and the second gas are
gases that are inert to the exposure light.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
characterized in that the pressure in the first chamber is
set higher than the pressure in the second chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
characterized in that the pressure in the second chamber is
set higher than the ambient air pressure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
wherein at least part of the optical path is arranged
between the light source and the mask.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 15,
wherein an illumination optical system for illuminating the
mask with the exposure light from the light source is
disposed between the light source and the mask, and the
first chamber forms at least part of the illumination
optical system.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 10,
wherein at least part of the optical path is located between
the mask and the substrate.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
The exposure apparatus according to claim 15,
characterized in that a projection optical system for
projecting an image of the pattern to the substrate is
disposed between the mask and the substrate, and the first
chamber forms at least part of the projection optical
system.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
94 words
A method for assembling an exposure apparatus that
illuminates a pattern formed on a mask with an exposure
light from a light source, and projects an image of the
pattern on a substrate, the method being characterized by: forming a first chamber in an optical path of the
exposure light so as to encompass at least part of the
optical path; supplying the first chamber with a first gas; forming a second chamber so as to encompass the first
chamber; and supplying the second chamber with a second gas to
assemble the exposure apparatus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 19, characterized by
supplying an gas that is inert to the exposure light as the
first gas, and supplying a gas more pure than ambient air as
the second gas.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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