Gas bearings for use with vacuum chambers and their application in lithographic projection apparatuses
US6603130B1 · kind B1 · utility
483Cited by
11References
25Claims
0Family size
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 17, 2000 |
| Grant date | Aug 5, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 17, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF16C2300/62
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A bearing for use in a vacuum chamber comprises a gas bearing discharging pressurised gas into a gap between two members to maintain a predetermined separation between those members. To avoid the gas forming the gas bearing being an unacceptable leak into the vacuum chamber, a vacuum pump is provided between the vacuum chamber and the gas bearing.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.