Optical element module

US7859641B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Thomas C. Bischoff · Buxtehude, DE
• Hagen Federau · Augsburg, DE
• Willi Heintel · Aalen, DE
• Bernd Wuesthoff · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Jochen Wieland · Renningen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jan 17, 2008
• Grant date: Dec 28, 2010
• Expiry date: Nov 15, 2028

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G03F7/70825
• WIPO field: Optics
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An optical element module comprising a plurality of module components is provided. The module components comprise an optical element, an optical element holder and a contact element. The optical element has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The optical element holder holds the optical element via the first contact element and has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, the second coefficient of thermal expansion being different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion. At least one of the module components is adapted to provide at least a reduction of forces introduced into the optical element upon a thermally induced position change in the relative position between the optical element and the optical element holder, the position change resulting from a temperature situation variation in a temperature situation of the plurality of module components.