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US4603968A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Device for exchanging masks

Assignee: US Philips Corp
•
Filing: 1985-05-07
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Granted: 1986-08-05
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Expires: 2005-05-07
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Abstract

Abstract A device for exchanging masks used in the photolithographic treatment of semiconductor devices comprises a rotatable disk (1), on which supporting places for a number of masks (5,6) are present, which disk can be arranged by rotation in a position in which one of the mask supporting places is in a position desired for photolithographic treatment, said position can be determined by means of a detector (19), which, after a position-servo-system has been switched into circuit, supplies a detector signal to this system and thus controls the adjustment of the disk. For rotation of the disk (1), two electromagnetic movement systems (7,13; 8,14) are present each comprising a magnet and a coil, wherein either the pair of magnets or the pair of coils is fixedly arranged and the other pair is provided on the turntable and is rotatable therewith, a current connection for the coils being present to supply a constant current to the coils.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert H. Munnig Schmidt

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-28 17:05
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03F; G03F7/00; G03F7/70; G03F7/70691; G03F7/70733; G03F7/70741; B; B23; B23Q; B23Q1/00; B23Q1/25; B23Q1/64; B23Q1/66

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 147 words
A device for exchanging masks used in the photolithographic treatment of semiconductor devices, in which device supporting places for a number of masks are present on a rotatable disk, the disk bringing one of the mask supporting places in a position desired for photolithographic treatment, which position can be determined by means of a detector, which, after a position-servo-system has been switched into circuit, supplies a detector signal to this system and thus controls the adjustment of the disk, characterized in that for rotation of the disk two electromagnetic movement systems are present each comprising a magnet and a coil, wherein either the pair of magnets or the pair of coils is fixedly arranged and the other pair is provided on the turntable and is rotatable therewith, a current connection is present for the coils and means is provided for supplying a constant current to the coils.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 147 words
A device for exchanging masks used in the photolithographic treatment of semiconductor devices, in which device supporting places for a number of masks are present on a rotatable disk, the disk bringing one of the mask supporting places in a position desired for photolithographic treatment, which position can be determined by means of a detector, which, after a position-servo-system has been switched into circuit, supplies a detector signal to this system and thus controls the adjustment of the disk, characterized in that for rotation of the disk two electromagnetic movement systems are present each comprising a magnet and a coil, wherein either the pair of magnets or the pair of coils is fixedly arranged and the other pair is provided on the turntable and is rotatable therewith, a current connection is present for the coils and means is provided for supplying a constant current to the coils.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 20 words
A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the electromagnetic movement systems are constructed as immersion coil magnets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 52 words
A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that both coils are mounted on a support and their windings are connected in series in a manner such that upon connection to a current source a force is produced which attempts to move a coil away from its associated magnet.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4194836A Cited
US4477182A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1989-08-04 1990-02-03 1990-08-05 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1993-08-04 1994-02-03 1994-08-05 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1997-08-04 1998-02-03 1998-08-05 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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