LITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION APPARATUS

• Main Authors: JACOBS HERNES, COX HENRIKUS HERMAN MARIE, VOSTERS PETRUS MATTHIJS HENRICS
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 15.02.2007
• Subjects: ACCESSORIES THEREFOR; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS EMPLOYING ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USINGWAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; APPARATUS OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR TAKING PHOTOGRAPHS OR FORPROJECTING OR VIEWING THEM; APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED THEREFOR; BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; BLASTING; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; ELECTROGRAPHY; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; HOLOGRAPHY; LIGHTING; MATERIALS THEREFOR; MEANS FOR DAMPING VIBRATION; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; ORIGINALS THEREFOR; PHOTOGRAPHY; PHOTOMECHANICAL PRODUCTION OF TEXTURED OR PATTERNED SURFACES,e.g. FOR PRINTING, FOR PROCESSING OF SEMICONDUCTORDEVICES; PHYSICS; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES; SHOCK-ABSORBERS; SPRINGS; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a support means simple in structure, low in cost and usable in a vacuum to support a balance mass for nullifying vibration caused by reaction force when moving a substrate table in a lithographic projection apparatus. SOLUTION: The balance mass of the lithographic projection apparatus is supported on a base frame by at least one flexible support element mechanically mounted to the balance mass and the base frame and having at least two pivot points. Since the support element has at least two pivot points, the support means hardly shows resistance to the horizontal motion of the balance mass BM to allow the balance mass BM to freely move in a horizontal direction, and is usable in the vacuum because of not using an air bearing. COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT