Thermal regulation of vibration-sensitive objects with conduit circuit having liquid metal, pump, and heat exchanger
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
G03F-007/20
F28D-015/00
F28D-015/02
G02B-007/00
H02J-050/10
F24J-002/46
F28F-013/00
G03B-027/54
H02J-007/02
출원번호
US-0699767
(2010-02-03)
등록번호
US-10054754
(2018-08-21)
발명자
/ 주소
Sogard, Michael R.
출원인 / 주소
Nikon Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Klarquist Sparkman, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
6
초록▼
An exemplary thermally regulated component is an optical element or chuck for holding an optical element, or a stage for same, or combination thereof. The component has first and second heat-transfer zones. The first has a first component surface that receives a heating influence such as incident el
An exemplary thermally regulated component is an optical element or chuck for holding an optical element, or a stage for same, or combination thereof. The component has first and second heat-transfer zones. The first has a first component surface that receives a heating influence such as incident electromagnetic radiation. The second has a second component surface. A conduit circuit extends in the component serially through the first and second heat-transfer zones, back to the first heat-transfer zone, and contains an electrically conductive liquid (e.g., liquid metal). A vibration-free pump (e.g., MFD pump) coupled to the conduit circuit induces flow of the liquid through the circuit. A heat-exchanger is in thermal contact, but not actual contact, with the second component surface. Thus, heat delivered to the second heat-transfer zone by the liquid flowing in the conduit circuit flows from the second component surface to the heat-exchanger. The pump can be powered by a periodically remotely charged power source.
대표청구항▼
1. A thermally regulated component, comprising: a first heat-transfer zone including a first component surface that receives a heating influence;a second heat-transfer zone including a second component surface;a conduit circuit extending in the component through the first heat-transfer zone, continu
1. A thermally regulated component, comprising: a first heat-transfer zone including a first component surface that receives a heating influence;a second heat-transfer zone including a second component surface;a conduit circuit extending in the component through the first heat-transfer zone, continuing in the component through the second heat-transfer zone, and returning to the first heat-transfer zone, the conduit circuit containing an electrically conductive liquid that includes at least one metal;a substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the conduit circuit and inducing flow of the electrically conductive liquid through the conduit circuit; anda heat-exchanger situated in thermal contact with the second component surface but separated from the second component surface by a continuous gap that isolates the second component surface from the heat exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat-exchanger to the thermally regulated component is substantially prevented. 2. The component of claim 1, wherein: the heating influence heats the component in the first heat-transfer zone; andthe liquid flowing in the conduit circuit absorbs the heat in the first heat-transfer zone and delivers the heat to the second heat-transfer zone, in which zone the heat flows from the liquid to the heat-exchanger. 3. The component of claim 1, wherein: the component conducts the heat, received from the heating influence in the first heat-transfer zone, to the liquid in the conduit circuit;the liquid in the conduit circuit delivers the heat from the first heat-transfer zone to the second heat-transfer zone; andthe component conducts the heat from the liquid to the heat-exchanger in the second heat-transfer zone. 4. The component of claim 1, wherein the electrically conductive liquid comprises liquid metal. 5. The component of claim 1, wherein: the conduit circuit comprises a first conduit portion in the first heat-transfer zone and a second conduit portion in the second heat-transfer zone; andthe pump, the first conduit portion, and the second conduit portion are connected together in series in the conduit circuit. 6. The component of claim 5, wherein the heating influence comprises electromagnetic radiation impinging on the first component surface and being absorbed, at least in part, by the component sufficiently to heat the component. 7. The component of claim 6, configured as a reflective optical element. 8. The component of claim 7, wherein the second component surface is obverse to the first component surface. 9. The component of claim 7, wherein: the liquid in the first conduit portion is heated by absorption of heat from the component in the first heat-transfer zone;the pump and the conduit circuit circulate the heated liquid from the first heat-transfer zone to the second heat-transfer zone; andthe heat-exchanger absorbs at least a portion of the heat in the liquid in the second conduit portion in the second heat-transfer zone. 10. The component of claim 9, wherein the heat-exchanger is separated from the second component surface by the continuous gap occupied by a thermally conductive fluid. 11. The component of claim 10, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is a gas. 12. The component of claim 11, wherein the gas flows in the continuous gap. 13. The component of claim 10, wherein the continuous gap is situated between a substantially planar surface of the heat-exchanger and the substantially planar second component surface. 14. The component of claim 10, wherein the continuous gap is situated between a surface of the heat-exchanger and the second component surface that are mutually convoluted to increase respective surface areas of the surfaces compared to otherwise similar planar surfaces. 15. The component of claim 5, wherein: in the component the first conduit portion is separated from the first component surface by a respective defined first distance;in the component the second conduit portion is separated from the second component surface by a respective defined second distance; andat least one of the first and second distances is through material of the component. 16. The component of claim 1, wherein: in the second heat-transfer zone the heat-exchanger is separated from the second component surface by the continuous gap occupied by a thermally conductive gas flowing in the gap;the continuous gap is situated between a surface of the heat-exchanger and the second component surface; andthe continuous gap is bounded, at least in part, by a labyrinth seal. 17. The component of claim 1, wherein: in the second heat-transfer zone the heat-exchanger is separated from the second component surface by the continuous gap occupied by a thermally conductive gas flowing in the gap;the continuous gap is situated between a surface of the heat-exchanger and the second component surface; andthe continuous gap is bounded, at least in part, by at least one differential pumping groove. 18. The component of claim 1, wherein: in the second heat-transfer zone the heat-exchanger is separated from the second component surface by the continuous gap occupied by a thermally conductive gas flowing in the gap;the continuous gap is situated between a surface of the heat-exchanger and the second component surface; andthe continuous gap is bounded, at least in part, by at least one proximity seal. 19. The component of claim 18, wherein the proximity seal is an active seal. 20. The component of claim 1, wherein: the electrically conductive liquid comprises a liquid metal; andthe pump is an MFD pump. 21. The component of claim 20, wherein: the component comprises a component body extending between the first and second surfaces;the conduit circuit is situated inside the body; andthe pump is located, at least in part, inside the body. 22. The component of claim 1, further comprising conductors delivering electrical current to the pump from a source separate from the component, the conductors being electrically connected to the pump without directly contacting the component or the pump. 23. The component of claim 22, further comprising a respective liquid-metal connection for each conductor, each connection comprising a well containing liquid metal and the conductor contacting the liquid metal but not the well. 24. The component of claim 1, further comprising a vibration-isolation mounting coupling the component to a support. 25. The component of claim 1, configured as a movable member of a stage. 26. The component of claim 25, wherein: the movable member comprises a first member portion and a second member portion coupled to the first member portion;the conduit circuit is situated in the first and second member portions;the first heat-transfer zone is associated with the first member portion; andthe second heat-transfer zone is associated with the second member portion. 27. The component of claim 26, wherein: the heat-exchanger comprises a longitudinally extended body;the second heat-transfer zone comprises a fluid bearing associated at least with the second member portion and configured to move, with the first and second member portions, relative to the longitudinally extended body;the fluid bearing includes the continuous gap, occupied by a thermally conductive fluid, situated between the bearing and the longitudinally extended body; andthe thermally conductive fluid conducts heat from the second heat-transfer portion across the continuous gap to the body. 28. The component of claim 27, wherein the longitudinally extended body is actively cooled. 29. The component of claim 27, wherein the fluid bearing is situated within the second member portion. 30. The component of claim 27, wherein the second member portion is arranged to conduct flow of the liquid in the second heat-transfer zone as the liquid releases heat in the second heat-transfer zone across the continuous gap to the longitudinally extended body. 31. The component of claim 27, wherein the longitudinally extended body is a guide defining a direction of motion of the movable member. 32. The component of claim 1, wherein the heat-exchanger further comprises: a heat-exchanger body having a third heat-transfer zone and a fourth heat-transfer zone, the third heat-transfer zone including a third surface, and the fourth heat-transfer zone including a fourth surface;a second conduit circuit extending in the body through the third heat-transfer zone, continuing in the body through the fourth heat-transfer zone, and returning to the third heat-transfer zone, the second conduit circuit containing the electrically conductive liquid; anda second substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the second conduit circuit and inducing flow of the electrically conductive fluid through the second conduit circuit. 33. The component of claim 32, wherein: the third surface is situated adjacent to, but separated by a defined first gap from, the second component surface; andthe fourth surface is situated adjacent to, but separated by a defined second gap from, a temperature-regulated surface. 34. The component of claim 33, wherein the first and second gaps contain respective thermally conductive gases. 35. The component of claim 32, wherein the first and second conduit circuits contain liquid metal. 36. The component of claim 32, further comprising at least one vibration-attenuating device situated between the heat-exchanger body and the component. 37. The component of claim 32, wherein the temperature-regulated surface is of a member arranged to guide movement of the heat-exchanger and component relative to the member. 38. The component of claim 1, further comprising at least one electrical conductor connected to a power source and to the pump, the connection to the pump being made without the conductor directly contacting the pump. 39. The component of claim 38, wherein: the connection to the pump comprises a volume of liquid metal; andthe electrical conductor contacts the liquid metal to complete an electrical connection to the pump. 40. The component of claim 1, further comprising: an on-board power supply connected to the pump to run the pump;an on-board inductor connected to the power supply, the inductor being configured to receive inductive energy from an external AC signal source whenever the inductor is inductively coupled to the external AC signal source. 41. The component of claim 40, wherein the external AC signal source comprises an inductor. 42. The component of claim 40, wherein the external AC signal source comprises a transformer including a ferromagnetic yoke relative to which the on-board inductor can be inductively coupled. 43. The component of claim 40, wherein the external AC signal source comprises an array of magnets of alternating polarity positioned relative to the on-board inductor to excite the on-board inductor whenever the on-board inductor moves relative to the magnet array. 44. The component of claim 43, further comprising an on-board switch connected to the inductor and controlled to open during an acceleration of the component relative to the magnet array. 45. The component of claim 1, configured as a movable reticle chuck mounted to a reticle stage. 46. The component of claim 45, wherein the conduit circuit extends through the reticle chuck and at least a portion of the reticle stage. 47. The component of claim 45, wherein: the reticle stage comprises a fine stage and a coarse stage;the fine stage includes the reticle chuck through which the conduit circuit extends;the fine stage with the reticle chuck is movable relative to the coarse stage; andthe heat-exchanger is associated with the coarse stage. 48. The component of claim 47, wherein: the coarse stage includes a second conduit circuit and pump;the second conduit circuit is in thermal contact with the first conduit circuit;the second conduit circuit contains an electrically conductive liquid that includes at least one metal; andthe second conduit circuit is in thermal contact with the heat-exchanger. 49. The component of claim 48, wherein the heat-exchanger comprises a stationary body relative to which the coarse stage is movable. 50. The component of claim 49, wherein: the fine stage is separated from the coarse stage by a first gap occupied by a thermally conductive gas; andthe coarse stage is separated from the stationary body by a second gap occupied by a thermally conductive gas. 51. The component of claim 49, wherein the stationary body comprises a guide bar situated to guide motion of the coarse stage. 52. A precision system, comprising a component as recited in claim 1. 53. The precision system of claim 52, wherein the component comprises a movable body configured to hold an element situated to receive incident radiation that causes heating of the element and thus of the movable body. 54. The component of claim 1, wherein the second component surface is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 55. The component of claim 1, wherein the continuous gap is occupied by a thermally conductive fluid other than the electrically conductive liquid such that heat, delivered to the second heat-transfer zone by the electrically conductive liquid flowing in the conduit circuit, flows via the thermally conductive fluid from the second component surface across the continuous gap to the heat-exchanger. 56. A mounted optical element, comprising: an element body having an incidence surface that receives electromagnetic radiation causing heating of the element body at the incidence surface;a thermally regulated mounting body comprising a first heat transfer zone including a first surface and a second heat transfer zone including a second surface, the element body being mounted to the first surface such that heat conducts from the element body to the first surface;a conduit circuit comprising a first conduit portion extending in the first heat transfer zone of the mounting body adjacent, but separated from, the first surface, and comprising a second conduit portion extending in the second heat transfer zone of the mounting body adjacent, but separated from, the second surface, and returning to the first heat transfer zone;an electrically conductive liquid metal contained in the conduit circuit and in a condition in which the liquid metal can flow in the conduit circuit;a substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the conduit circuit, the pump being configured to induce flow of the liquid metal through the conduit circuit, from the first conduit portion to the second conduit portion and from the second conduit portion to the first conduit portion; anda heat-exchanger situated in thermal contact with, but not contacting, the second surface, the heat-exchanger being separated from the second surface by a continuous gap that isolates the second surface from the heat-exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat-exchanger to the mounting body is substantially prevented, and such that heat delivered to the second surface from the first surface by flow of the liquid metal in the conduit circuit conducts from the second surface to the heat-exchanger. 57. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein the optical element is a reflective optical element. 58. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein the continuous gap is occupied by a thermally conductive fluid. 59. The mounted element of claim 58, wherein the thermally conductive fluid is a gas flowing in the gap. 60. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein the pump is an MFD pump. 61. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein: the optical element comprises a reflective reticle; andthe mounting body comprises a portion of a chuck configured to hold the reticle. 62. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein the pump is electrically connected to a power source without physically contacting the power source. 63. The mounted element of claim 56, further comprising an on-board power source that is rechargeable by a recharging circuit not in physical contact with either the element body or the mounting body. 64. The mounted element of claim 63, wherein the charging circuit is inductively coupled to the on-board power source. 65. An optical system, comprising: a support; andan optical element as recited in claim 56 mounted to the support. 66. The mounted element of claim 56, wherein the second surface is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 67. A reflective optical element, comprising: a thermally regulated first body having a first heat transfer zone including a first surface and a second heat transfer zone including a second surface, the first surface being vulnerable to heating;a conduit circuit comprising a first conduit portion extending through the first heat transfer zone in the first body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the first body from, the first surface, and comprising a second conduit portion extending through the second heat transfer zone in the first body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the first body from, the second surface, and returning to the first heat transfer zone;an electrically conductive liquid metal contained in the conduit circuit and in a condition in which the liquid metal can flow in the conduit circuit;a substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the conduit circuit, the pump being configured to induce flow of the liquid metal through the conduit circuit, from the first conduit portion to the second conduit portion and from the second conduit portion to the first conduit portion; anda heat exchanger situated adjacent and in thermal contact with, but without contacting, the second surface, and separated from the second surface by a continuous gap that isolates the second surface from the heat exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat exchanger to the first body is substantially prevented, and such that heat delivered to the second surface from the first surface by flow of the liquid metal in the conduit circuit conducts from the second surface across the continuous gap to the heat-exchanger. 68. The optical element of claim 67, further comprising a second body, wherein: the second body comprises a radiation-incidence surface and a mounting surface;the mounting surface is mounted to the first surface of the first body; andthe radiation-incidence surface receives incident electromagnetic radiation, of which at least a portion is absorbed by the second body, causing heating of the second body and thus of the first surface. 69. An optical system, comprising: a support; andan optical element as recited in claim 67 mounted to the support. 70. The reflective optical element of claim 67, wherein the second surface is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 71. A stage, comprising: a thermally regulated movable body having a first heat transfer zone including a first surface, and a second heat transfer zone including a second surface, the first surface being susceptible to heating;a conduit circuit comprising a first conduit portion extending in the first heat transfer zone of the body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the body from, the first surface, and comprising a second conduit portion extending in the second heat transfer zone of the body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the body from, the second surface, and returning to the first heat transfer zone;an electrically conductive liquid metal contained in the conduit circuit and in a condition in which the liquid metal can flow in the conduit circuit;a substantially vibration-free pump mounted at least partially in the body and coupled to the conduit circuit, the pump being configured to induce flow of the liquid metal through the conduit circuit, from the first conduit portion to the second conduit portion and from the second conduit portion to the first conduit portion; anda heat exchanger arranged in thermal contact with, but not contacting the second surface;wherein the second surface comprises a respective portion of a gas bearing;wherein the heat exchanger comprises a respective portion of a longitudinally extended body relative to which the gas bearing is movable;wherein the gas bearing is defined, at least in part, by a continuous gap between the longitudinally extended body and the second surface, the continuous gap isolating the movable body from the heat exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat exchanger to the movable body is substantially prevented. 72. The stage of claim 71, wherein the gap is occupied by a flowing gas. 73. The stage of claim 71, wherein the longitudinally extended body is actively cooled. 74. The stage of claim 71, wherein the pump is an MFD pump. 75. The stage of claim 71, wherein the stage is configured to hold a pattern master on the first surface, the pattern master being susceptible to heating by electromagnetic radiation directed to and incident on the pattern master. 76. A precision system, comprising: a frame; anda stage as recited in claim 71 mounted to the frame. 77. The stage of claim 71, wherein the second surface is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 78. A method for cooling an object having first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface is subject to an external heating influence, the method comprising: flowing an electrically conductive liquid in a first path in the object adjacent, but separated by a first distance from, the first surface to allow the liquid in the first path to absorb heat conducted by the object across the first distance from the first surface;flowing the electrically conductive liquid from the first path to a second path adjacent, but separated by a second distance from, the second surface to allow the liquid in the second path to conduct heat across the second distance to the second surface; andas the heat is conducted to the second surface, conducting at least a portion of the heat from the second surface across a gap to the heat exchanger, without contacting the heat exchanger to the object, to remove heat from the second surface, the gap isolating the second surface from the heat exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat exchanger to the object is substantially prevented. 79. The method of claim 78, wherein the steps of flowing the electrically conductive liquid comprise flowing a liquid metal. 80. The method of claim 78, further comprising returning the liquid in the second path to the first path to continue flowing of the liquid in the first path. 81. The method of claim 78, wherein the steps of flowing the electrically conductive liquid comprises flowing the liquid in a substantially vibration-free manner. 82. The method of claim 78, wherein: the object comprises a reflective optical element having a radiation-incidence surface; andthe method further comprises conducting heat from the radiation-incidence surface to the first surface of the object. 83. The method of claim 82, further comprising mounting the reflective optical element to the first surface of the object. 84. The method of claim 78, further comprising: powering the pump from an on-board power source; andwithout contacting the object, charging the on-board power source as required to maintain an ability of the power source to power the pump. 85. The method of claim 84, wherein the charging step comprises: connecting an inductor to the on-board power source; andinductively coupling the inductor to a remote charging circuit without contacting inductor to the remote circuit. 86. The method of claim 78, further comprising flowing a thermally conductive fluid, different from the electrically conductive liquid, in the gap. 87. A lithography system, comprising: a frame;an optical system mounted to the frame and comprising at least one optical component;a stage comprising a stage platform situated relative to the optical system;wherein at least one of the optical component and the stage platform is a thermally regulated component that comprises (a) first and second heat-transfer zones, the first heat-transfer zone including a first component surface that receives a heating influence, the second heat-transfer zone including a second component surface; (b) a conduit circuit extending in the component through the first heat-transfer zone and the second heat-transfer zone, and returning to the first heat-transfer zone; (c) an electrically conductive liquid, comprising at least one metal, contained in the conduit circuit; (d) a substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the conduit circuit and operable to induce flow of the liquid through the conduit circuit; and (e) a heat-exchanger situated in thermal contact with, but not contacting, the second component surface, the heat-exchanger and the second component surface being separated by a continuous gap that isolates the second component surface from the heat-exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat-exchanger to the thermally regulated component is substantially prevented. 88. The system of claim 87, wherein: the thermally regulated component is a reflective optical element irradiated with a beam of extreme-UV radiation;the stage platform is thermally regulated; andthe stage platform comprises a chuck configured to hold the reflective optical element on the stage platform. 89. The system of claim 88, wherein the reflective optical element is a reflective reticle. 90. The system of claim 87, configured as an extreme UV lithography system. 91. The system of claim 87, wherein the second heat-transfer zone is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 92. A device for cooling a component, comprising: a movable body to which the component is mountable, the body having first and second surfaces, wherein the first surface is susceptible to heating;a conduit circuit comprising a first conduit portion extending in the body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the body from, the first surface, and comprising a second conduit portion extending in the body adjacent, but separated by a defined distance of the body from, the second surface;a liquid metal contained in the conduit circuit and in a condition in which the liquid metal can flow in the conduit circuit;a substantially vibration-free pump mounted at least partially in the body and coupled to the conduit circuit, the pump being configured to induce flow of the liquid metal through the conduit circuit, from the first conduit portion to the second conduit portion and from the second conduit portion to the first conduit portion; anda heat exchanger separated by a gap from the second surface so as to be arranged in thermal contact with, but not contacting the second surface, the gap isolating the second surface from the heat exchanger such that transmission of vibration from the heat exchanger to the body is substantially prevented. 93. The device of claim 92, further comprising an on-board power supply that is mounted to the movable body, movable with the movable body, and electrically connected to the pump. 94. The device of claim 93, further comprising a first inductor connected to the on-board power supply and configured to receive inductive energy from an external AC signal source whenever the first inductor is inductively coupled to the external AC signal source, the inductive energy being used for charging the on-board power supply. 95. The device of claim 94, wherein the external AC signal source comprises a second inductor relative to which the first inductor can be inductively coupled as needed to receive electrical energy from the external AC signal source via the second inductor. 96. The device of claim 95, wherein the movable body is selectively positionable to couple the first inductor to the second inductor at selected times during motion of the movable body. 97. The device of claim 94, wherein the external AC signal source comprises an array of magnets of alternating polarity positioned relative to the first inductor to excite the first inductor whenever the first inductor moves relative to the magnet array. 98. The device of claim 92, wherein the second surface is movable relative to the heat-exchanger. 99. The device of claim 92, further comprising an actuator connected to the movable body, the actuator moving the second surface relative to the heat exchanger. 100. The device of claim 92, further comprising a thermally conductive fluid, different from the liquid metal, contained in the gap in a condition in which the fluid can flow in the gap. 101. A thermally regulated component, comprising: a first heat-transfer zone including a first component surface that receives a heating influence;a second heat-transfer zone including a second component surface;a conduit circuit extending in the component through the first heat-transfer zone, continuing in the component through the second heat-transfer zone, and returning to the first heat-transfer zone, the conduit circuit containing an electrically conductive liquid that includes at least one metal;a substantially vibration-free pump coupled to the conduit circuit and inducing flow of the electrically conductive liquid through the conduit circuit; anda heat-exchanger situated in thermal contact with the second component surface but detached and separated from the second component surface by a continuous gap that substantially prevents transmission of vibrations across the continuous gap.
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