Devices and methods for reducing residual reticle chucking forces
US8284379B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 3, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 9, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 29, 2031 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG03F7/707
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Devices and methods are disclosed for holding an object, particularly a planar object. An exemplary device has a chuck and pressure-changing device. The chuck has an object-mounting surface and a deformable membrane coupled to the object-mounting surface such that conformational changes in the membrane produce corresponding changes in the object-mounting surface. The chuck has a first cavity separated by the membrane from the chuck cavity. The pressure-changing device is coupled to the first cavity to change pressure in the first cavity, relative to outside it, sufficiently to produce a conformational change of the membrane and a corresponding change in the object-mounting surface sufficient to reduce the force with which the object is being held to the object-mounting surface. The pressure change can be a pressure increase or decrease. The change in the object-mounting surface can be, for example, a reduction in area of contact of the object-mounting surface with the object, thereby reducing the holding force.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.