A protective apparatus for lines between two components of a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography is firmly connected to the two components. the protective apparatus includes first and second partial regions which are configured to protect against mechanical damage to the lines. The first partial region is at least temporarily configured to mechanically decouple the first component from the second component.

An actuator for an optic mount in a vacuum environment includes a bellows around an actuator compartment. The bellows provides a seal around the actuator. A filter assembly is positioned between the actuator compartment and an interior of a vacuum chamber. The filter assembly includes a first particle filter, a second particle filter, and a purifier medium between the first particle filter and the second particle filter. Vacuum conditions in the actuator compartment can be achieved with a pump for the vacuum chamber, but particles and contaminants from the actuator or actuator compartment are captured by the filter assembly.

An EUV light source including a vacuum chamber, a droplets injector operatively connected to the vacuum chamber for directing the droplets into the vacuum chamber, droplets produced by the droplets injector wherein the droplets have one side and another side opposite the one side, the droplets including a solid higher Z bead in a low Z liquid, and at least one laser beam directed onto the one side of the droplets.

Methods and apparatus for detecting ultraviolet light are provided herein. For example, an ultraviolet (UV) process chamber includes a vacuum window or a transparent showerhead; a UV light source disposed above one of the vacuum window or the transparent showerhead and configured to generate and transmit UV light into a process volume of the UV process chamber; and a first UV sensor configured to measure at least one of emissivity from the UV light source or irradiance of the UV light transmitted into the process volume and to transmit a signal corresponding to a measured at least one of emissivity from the UV light source or irradiance of the UV light to a controller coupled to the UV process chamber during operation.

A reticle holding tool is provided. The reticle holding tool includes a housing, a reticle chuck, and a gas delivery assembly. The housing includes an opening, a top housing member, and a lateral housing member extending from the top housing member and terminating at a lower edge which is located on a predetermined plane. The reticle chuck is positioned in the housing and has an effective surface configured to secure a reticle. The effective surface is located between the predetermined plane and the top housing member. The reticle chuck is movable between two boundary lines that are perpendicular to the effective surface. A width of the opening is greater than a distance between the two boundary lines. The gas delivery assembly is positioned within the housing and configured to supply gas into the housing.

A vibration isolation system including a support, a forward actuator and a return device. The support is for supporting the body on a base. The support has a body engaging surface and a base engaging surface. The base engaging surface is arranged to couple to the base. The support couples the body engaging surface to the body in a coupled state. The support uncouples the body engaging surface from the body in an uncoupled state. The forward actuator moves the body and the body engaging surface together relatively to the base in a first direction from a first initial position to an end position in the coupled state. The return device is configured to move the body engaging surface relatively to the body opposite to the first direction from the end position to a second initial position in the uncoupled state.

A substrate treating apparatus for treating substrates includes a plurality of substrate treatment lines arranged vertically for carrying out plural types of treatment on the substrates while transporting the substrates substantially horizontally, and a controller for changing processes of treatment carried out on the substrates for each of the substrate treatment lines. By changing the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates for each substrate treatment line, the processes of treatment carried out for the substrates can be changed for each substrate conveniently. Thus, a plurality of different processes of treatment corresponding to the number of substrate treatment lines can be carried out in parallel for the respective substrates.

A method of controlling a temperature of the semiconductor device includes operating an semiconductor apparatus; maintaining a temperature of a vessel of the semiconductor apparatus with a first cooling output by a cooling controller; heating the vessel for removing a material on the vessel; transferring a first signal, by a converter, to the cooling controller when heating the vessel; and reducing the first cooling output to a second cooling output by the cooling controller base on the first signal.

An objective lens protection device, objective lens system and lithographic device. The objective lens protection device includes a main structure provided with, oppositely disposed, an air supply unit and extraction unit. The air supply unit is used to output air. The extraction unit extracts air output by the air supply unit to form at least one layer of air curtain between the air supply unit and extraction unit. The objective lens protection device can effectively control the flow rate of wind discharge, controlling wind in a laminar flow state and ensuring uniform flow field of the air curtain, and can effectively block organic matters volatilized from the bottom up, eliminate opportunity for a direct contact of the organic matters with the lens, and prevent objective lens from contamination by the volatilization of the organic matters of photoresist, thus ensuring the imaging quality of the objective lens.

A system includes optics for ultraviolet light or electrons. The optics are situated in a chamber and include a surface to control a path of photons or electrons. The system also includes a lubricated component that is distinct from the surface and is situated in the chamber. The lubricated component is lubricated with a lubricant that includes an ionic liquid having a cation and an anion, wherein at least one of the cation or the anion is organic.