Intermediate Frame and Bellows Seal for Lithography Vibration Isolation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Lithographic apparatuses operating in vacuum environments face challenges in minimizing vibration transfer between separated chambers, leading to contamination issues that affect the quality and expense of device manufacturing due to the difficulty in preventing molecular particles from crossing vacuum seals.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of an intermediate frame coupled to the base frame, which supports a bellows to minimize the sealing length between the noisy and silent worlds, reducing vibration transfer and contamination by optimizing the bellows shape and material to prevent unwanted vibrations from reaching the silent world.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a contact-less seal is used to separate the noisy world and silent world, then vibration transfer is minimized, but molecular particles can still travel from one chamber to the other and contaminate the optics
Solution Approach 1:
A bellows is introduced as an intermediary component between the noisy world and silent world. The bellows serves dual functions: it acts as a vibration isolation element to minimize vibration transfer while simultaneously serving as a physical barrier that prevents molecular particles from traveling between chambers. This resolves the contradiction by finding a component that addresses both vibration isolation and contamination prevention.
Solution Approach 2:
The bellows is implemented as a flexible shell structure that can deform to accommodate vibration while maintaining its sealing function. The flexible nature of the bellows allows it to isolate vibrations from the noisy environment while its continuous structure prevents particle leakage between chambers, thus resolving the contradiction between vibration isolation and contamination prevention.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a bellows seal is used to prevent particle contamination, then molecular particles are blocked from traveling between chambers, but dynamic contact between noisy and silent worlds generates unwanted vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The bellows is designed as a flexible shell that can dynamically deform to absorb and isolate vibrations while maintaining its sealing function. The flexibility of the bellows allows it to accommodate vibrational movements without transmitting them, while its continuous structure prevents particle leakage. This resolves the contradiction by using the flexible shell's dual capability to simultaneously address vibration isolation and contamination prevention.
Data Source
AI summary
A lithographic apparatus includes a projection system configured to project an image onto a substrate, a substrate table configured to support the substrate, a first chamber that at least partially surrounds the projection system, and a second chamber that at least partially surrounds the substrate table and a first frame. The apparatus includes a base frame configured to support the second chamber, and an intermediate frame coupled to the base frame. The intermediate frame is configured to separate the first chamber and the second chamber. The apparatus includes a support coupled to the first frame. The support is configured to support the first chamber through a coupled opening in the intermediate frame and the second chamber.