Patents by Inventor Markus Hauf

Markus Hauf has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9874819
    Abstract: A mirror array includes a multiplicity of displaceable individual mirrors which are subdivided into at least two groups. The individual mirrors of the first group are displaceable in a very precise manner, and the individual mirrors of the second group are displaceable in a very quick manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Stig Bieling, Markus Hauf, Lars Wischmeier, Fabian Haacker, Martin Endres, Johannes Eisenmenger
  • Publication number: 20170363861
    Abstract: A displacement device for pivoting a mirror element with two degrees of freedom of pivoting includes an electrode structure including actuator electrodes. The actuator electrodes are comb electrodes. All actuator electrodes are arranged in a single plane. The actuator electrodes form a direct drive for pivoting the mirror element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Yanko Sarov
  • Patent number: 9846370
    Abstract: A support device for an optical apparatus is disclosed. The support device includes first and second support elements. The support device also includes first and second flexure bearings. The first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing each connect the first support element and the second support element to one another in a thermally conductive manner and hold the first support element in a manner movable in at least one first direction relative to the second support element. Spring forces generated by the first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing partly or completely cancel one another out in the case of a movement of the first support element relative to the second support element in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Henner Baitinger, Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20170329238
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to arrangements for manipulating the position of an element. An arrangement according has at least one actuator for each degree of freedom of the positional manipulation for exerting adjustable forces on the element, at least one position sensor for each degree of freedom of the positional manipulation for generating in each case a sensor signal that is characteristic of the position of the element, and at least one position controller, which in a position control circuit controls a force exerted on the element by the at least one actuator for the positioning of the element in dependence on the at least one sensor signal. At least one actuator and at least one position sensor are mounted on a common module frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2017
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Inventors: Ulrich Schoenhoff, Eylem Bektas, Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20170315449
    Abstract: A projection lens of an EUV-lithographic projection exposure system with at least two reflective optical elements each comprising a body and a reflective surface for projecting an object field on a reticle onto an image field on a substrate if the projection lens is exposed with an exposure power of EUV light, wherein the bodies of at least two reflective optical elements comprise a material with a temperature dependent coefficient of thermal expansion which is zero at respective zero cross temperatures, and wherein the absolute value of the difference between the zero cross temperatures is more than 6K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Norman Baer, Ulrich Loering, Oliver Natt, Gero Wittich, Timo Laufer, Peter Kuerz, Guido Limbach, Stefan Hembacher, Holger Walter, Yim-Bun-Patrick Kwan, Markus Hauf, Franz-Josef Stickel, Jan Van Schoot
  • Patent number: 9798254
    Abstract: The disclosure provides an arrangement for the thermal actuation of a mirror, in particular in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related methods and systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20170276842
    Abstract: A mirror device includes at least one electrically conductive shielding element, which forms a mechanism for producing an electric field in a region adjacent to at least one side surface and/or a rear side of a mirror body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Inventors: Yanko Sarov, Markus Holz, Fabian Haacker, Christof Wengler, Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20170261859
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for actuating an element in an optical system, in particular an optical system of a projection exposure apparatus, wherein the optical element is tiltable about at least one tilting axis via at least one joint having a joint stiffness, comprising at least one actuator for exerting a force on the optical element, wherein the actuator has an actuator stiffness which at least partly compensates for the joint stiffness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Alexander Vogler
  • Patent number: 9746778
    Abstract: A projection lens of an EUV-lithographic projection exposure system with at least two reflective optical elements each comprising a body and a reflective surface for projecting an object field on a reticle onto an image field on a substrate if the projection lens is exposed with an exposure power of EUV light, wherein the bodies of at least two reflective optical elements comprise a material with a temperature dependent coefficient of thermal expansion which is zero at respective zero cross temperatures, and wherein the absolute value of the difference between the zero cross temperatures is more than 6K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Norman Baer, Ulrich Loering, Oliver Natt, Gero Wittich, Timo Laufer, Peter Kuerz, Guido Limbach, Stefan Hembacher, Holger Walter, Yim-Bun-Patrick Kwan, Markus Hauf, Franz-Josef Stickel, Jan Van Schoot
  • Patent number: 9665011
    Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for actuating an element in an optical system, in particular an optical system of a projection exposure apparatus, wherein the optical element is tiltable about at least one tilting axis via at least one joint having a joint stiffness, comprising at least one actuator for exerting a force on the optical element, wherein the actuator has an actuator stiffness which at least partly compensates for the joint stiffness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Alexander Vogler
  • Patent number: 9651772
    Abstract: An arrangement for the actuation of an element in an optical system. The arrangement includes first actuation and second actuation units for tilting the element about at least two different tilting axes. The first and second actuation units respectively include a flexure unit arranged outside an area defined by the element. Each flexure unit includes a first flexing element, rotatable with respect to a first axis of rotation, and a second flexing element, rotatable with respect to a second axis of rotation. For each flexure unit, the two associated axes of rotation intersect at a virtual connecting point of the flexure unit concerned to the optical element. The virtual connecting point is arranged in the area defined by the element and defines a rotating point for the element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Martin Latzel, Edwin Johan Buis
  • Patent number: 9593733
    Abstract: The invention relates to a damping arrangement for dissipating oscillation energy of an element in a system, more particularly in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, comprising an absorber mass, which is mounted via a stable mounting with respect to the element, wherein the absorber mass is arranged in a cavity present within the element and is at least partly surrounded by a fluid situated in the cavity, wherein a mass-spring system is formed by the absorber mass, the system damping a translational movement component of an oscillation of the element that exists at the linking point of the absorber mass, and wherein the stable mounting is formed by a rheological fluid that is electrically controllable or controllable via electric or magnetic fields.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Hauf
  • Patent number: 9581912
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method of determining an actual input value of an input variable for a control unit of a microlithography imaging device. The actual input value is assigned to a first location of the microlithography optical imaging device. The method includes: a) detecting, at a second location of the microlithography optical imaging device, an actual detection value of a detection variable of a detection device of the microlithography optical imaging device; b) using a second relation to computationally ascertain an actual computational value of the detection variable at the second location; c) comparing the actual computational value of the detection variable with the actual detection value of the detection variable to provide a result; and d) based on the result in c), using a relationship between a first predefinable relation and the second relation to correct the predefinable first relation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Markus Hauf, Gerald Rothenhoefer
  • Publication number: 20160342095
    Abstract: A mirror array includes a multiplicity of displaceable individual mirrors which are subdivided into at least two groups. The individual mirrors of the first group are displaceable in a very precise manner, and the individual mirrors of the second group are displaceable in a very quick manner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Stig Bieling, Markus Hauf, Lars Wischmeier, Fabian Haacker, Martin Endres, Johannes Eisenmenger
  • Publication number: 20160342094
    Abstract: A method for illuminating an object field of a projection exposure apparatus includes providing a subset of first facets to be positioned in park positions, which are each spaced apart from an associated target position, but at most by a maximum distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Martin Endres, Johannes Eisenmenger, Stig Bieling, Markus Hauf, Lars Wischmeier, Fabian Haacker
  • Patent number: 9448490
    Abstract: An EUV lithography system 1 comprises an EUV beam path and a monitor beam path 51. The EUV beam path comprises a mirror system 13, which has a base and a multiplicity of mirror elements 17 having concave mirror surfaces, the orientation of which relative to the base is respectively adjustable. The monitor beam path 51 comprises at least one monitor radiation source 53, a screen 71, the mirror system 13, which is arranged in the monitor beam path 51 between the monitor radiation source 53 and the screen 71, and a spatially resolving detector 77. In this case, each of a plurality of the mirror elements generates an image of the monitor radiation source in an image plane assigned to the respective mirror elements, distances B between the image planes assigned to the mirror elements and the screen have a maximum distance, distances A between each of the plurality of mirror elements and the image plane assigned to it have a minimum distance, and the maximum distance B is less than half of the minimum distance A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Udo Dinger, Lars Wischmeier, Markus Hauf, Stephan Kellner, Igor Gurevich, Markus Deguenther
  • Patent number: 9442397
    Abstract: A device serves for controlling temperature of an optical element provided in vacuum atmosphere. The device has a cooling apparatus having a radiational cooling part, arranged apart from the optical element, for cooling the optical element by radiation heat transfer. A controller serves for controlling temperature of the radiational cooling part. Further, the device comprises a heating part for heating the optical element. The heating part is connected to the controller for controlling the temperature of the heating part. The resulting device for controlling temperature in particular can be used with an optical element in a EUV microlithography tool leading to a stable performance of its optics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventor: Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20160259249
    Abstract: A support device for an optical apparatus is disclosed. The support device includes first and second support elements. The support device also includes first and second flexure bearings. The first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing each connect the first support element and the second support element to one another in a thermally conductive manner and hold the first support element in a manner movable in at least one first direction relative to the second support element. Spring forces generated by the first flexure bearing and the second flexure bearing partly or completely cancel one another out in the case of a movement of the first support element relative to the second support element in the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Inventors: Henner Baitinger, Markus Hauf
  • Publication number: 20160195818
    Abstract: A projection lens of an EUV-lithographic projection exposure system with at least two reflective optical elements each comprising a body and a reflective surface for projecting an object field on a reticle onto an image field on a substrate if the projection lens is exposed with an exposure power of EUV light, wherein the bodies of at least two reflective optical elements comprise a material with a temperature dependent coefficient of thermal expansion which is zero at respective zero cross temperatures, and wherein the absolute value of the difference between the zero cross temperatures is more than 6K.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Inventors: Norman Baer, Ulrich Loering, Oliver Natt, Gero Wittich, Timo Laufer, Peter Kuerz, Guido Limbach, Stefan Hembacher, Holger Walter, Yim-Bun-Patrick Kwan, Markus Hauf, Franz-Josef Stickel, Jan Van Schoot
  • Patent number: 9316929
    Abstract: A projection lens of an EUV-lithographic projection exposure system with at least two reflective optical elements each comprising a body and a reflective surface for projecting an object field on a reticle onto an image field on a substrate if the projection lens is exposed with an exposure power of EUV light, wherein the bodies of at least two reflective optical elements comprise a material with a temperature dependent coefficient of thermal expansion which is zero at respective zero cross temperatures, and wherein the absolute value of the difference between the zero cross temperatures is more than 6K.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, ASML Netherlands B.V.
    Inventors: Norman Baer, Ulrich Loering, Oliver Natt, Gero Wittich, Timo Laufer, Peter Kuerz, Guido Limbach, Stefan Hembacher, Holger Walter, Yim-Bun-Patrick Kwan, Markus Hauf, Franz-Josef Stickel, Jan Van Schoot