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:
Nov. 04, 2008
Filed:
Dec. 03, 2004
Ronald Johannes Hultermans, Utrecht, NL;
Ton DE Groot, Someren, NL;
Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus Verspay, Thorn, NL;
Gerardus Everardus Marie Hannen, Echt, NL;
Ronald Johannes Hultermans, Utrecht, NL;
Ton De Groot, Someren, NL;
Jacobus Johannus Leonardus Hendricus Verspay, Thorn, NL;
Gerardus Everardus Marie Hannen, Echt, NL;
ASML Netherlands B.V., Veldhoven, NL;
Abstract
An immersion lithographic apparatus is disclosed having comprising a pump and buffer volume configured to remove remaining liquid from a substrate, the pump and the buffer volume configured to generate a vacuum cleaning gas flow near the substrate by gas suction into the buffer volume. In an embodiment, since gas flow is needed only a limited amount of time (ordinarily less than 5%), evacuation may be performed using only a moderately powered vacuum pump. In addition or alternatively, the buffer volume may be used as a backup volume buffer configured to provide gas vacuum suction, e.g., in case of a vacuum supply outage.