The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 09, 2008
Filed:
Jul. 20, 2004
Bastiaan Lambertus Wilhelmus Marinus Van DE Ven, 'S-Hertogenbosch, NL;
Gert-jan Heerens, Schoonhoven, NL;
Robert Gabriël Maria Lansbergen, Schiedam, NL;
Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Rotterdam, NL;
Erik Roelof Loopstra, Heeze, NL;
Bastiaan Lambertus Wilhelmus Marinus Van De Ven, 'S-Hertogenbosch, NL;
Gert-Jan Heerens, Schoonhoven, NL;
Robert Gabriël Maria Lansbergen, Schiedam, NL;
Martinus Hendrikus Antonius Leenders, Rotterdam, NL;
Erik Roelof Loopstra, Heeze, NL;
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
The invention pertains to a lithographic apparatus that includes a docking system for positioning a patterning device, such as a reticle, relative to the reticle stage. The lithographic projection apparatus has an operational cycle that includes a projection phase, in which the reticle stage carries the patterning device and an exchange phase, in which the patterning device is exchanged and the docking system positions the patterning device relative to the reticle stage. The docking system is configured to be spaced from the patterning device during the projection phase in order to ensure that a higher accuracy of the projected image is obtained.