Thermal Insulation Liners for Lithographic Support Apparatus
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Lithographic apparatuses face challenges with temperature variations in support apparatuses due to liquid handling, leading to distortion and errors in substrate positioning during immersion lithography processes.
Innovation Solution
A support apparatus with thermally insulating passageway liners and channels to decouple the support body from fluid in the passageways, reducing thermal effects and maintaining substrate stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the substrate and support apparatus are immersed in liquid for immersion lithography, then imaging precision is improved due to shorter wavelength and increased numerical aperture, but temperature variations occur in the support apparatus causing distortion and positioning errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces thermal insulation elements as intermediary components between the liquid environment and the support apparatus. These elements act as a mediator that blocks thermal energy transfer from the liquid to the support apparatus, preventing temperature variations while allowing the immersion lithography process to continue with its precision benefits
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs disposable thermal insulation elements that can be easily replaced. These elements are designed to be cost-effective and short-lived, absorbing thermal effects during the immersion lithography process and then being discarded rather than requiring complex recovery or regeneration systems
2Adaptability or versatility
If liquid is handled in large quantities for substrate immersion, then immersion lithography functionality is achieved, but additional powerful motors are required and turbulence occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the thermal management function from the main liquid handling system. By separating the thermal insulation function into distinct elements, the system avoids the need to move large quantities of liquid for thermal control purposes, thereby reducing the power requirements and eliminating turbulence issues
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively minimizes temperature-induced distortions and errors in substrate positioning, enhancing the precision and reliability of immersion lithography processes.
Implementation Method 1
a passageway liner mounted in at least one of the plurality of passageways, the passageway liner being thermally insulating substantially to thermally decouple the support body from fluid in the at least one of the plurality of passageways
Data Source
AI summary
A support apparatus configured to support an object, the support apparatus includes a support body including an object holder to hold an object; an opening in the support body adjacent to an edge of the object holder; a channel in fluid communication with the opening via each of a plurality of passageways in the support body; and a passageway liner mounted in at least one of the plurality of passageways, the passageway liner being thermally insulating to substantially thermally decouple the support body from fluid in the at least one of the plurality of passageways.