Abstract: A method for sinter coating a work-piece is disclosed, the work-piece having at least two sections of different surface-related heat capacities. The method includes a first step of pre-heating the work-piece to a first temperature that is higher than a fusion temperature of a sinter coating material. The method also includes a step of rapidly heating of the work-piece to a second temperature that is higher than the first temperature. However, the rapid heating step is halted before the temperature of the work-piece section with the greater surface-related heat capacity matches the second temperature. The work-piece then has a subsequent step of application of the sinter material to the work-piece.

Abstract: An optical system for radiation in the EUV wavelength range, in particular a projection exposure apparatus, having at least one vacuum vessel, including: at least one EUV-reflective optical element arranged in an optical path, and a holder which includes at least one sample element, the sample element having an optical surface which is exposed to incident EUV-radiation outside of the optical path, the sample element being sensitive to chemical alterations under influence of the incident EUV-radiation which also affect the optical element. The optical system further includes at least one detection unit for online detection of the contamination status of the sample element during exposure of the sample element to the incident EUV-radiation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring an outgassing in a EUV lithography apparatus. The method includes activating a surface within the EUV lithography apparatus, inducing the outgassing, analyzing a residual gas. Defining a maximum partial pressure, recording a mass spectrum of the residual gas, converting the highest-intensity peaks of the mass spectrum into sub-partial pressures, summing the sub-partial pressures, and comparing the summed result with the defined maximum partial pressure. An EUV lithography apparatus includes a residual gas analyzer and a stimulation unit comprised of at least on of an electron source, an ion source, a photon source, and a plasma source. A measurement setup for measuring the outgassing from components by analyzing the residual gas includes a residual gas analyzer, a vacuum chamber, and a stimulation unit comprised of at least on of an electron source, an ion source, a photon source, and a plasma source.

Abstract: Elevator comprising a car, a drive motor driving the car, a motor drive unit for controlling the drive motor and supplying power thereto, an encoder for sensing movement of the car, and an elevator rescue system for rescue operation in case of an emergency situation, wherein the elevator comprises one single encoder only for normal and rescue operation.

Abstract: Inside a vacuum chamber 200 a cleaning unit 204 provides atomic hydrogen or atomic deuterium for cleaning a surface 202 at a pressure of less than 10?4 Torr or of more than 10?3 Torr. The surface 202 is heated by the heating unit 203 to a temperature of at least 50° C. This allows achieving cleaning rates of more than 60 ?/h. Preferably, the surface 202 is the surface of a multilayer mirror 201 as used in an EUV lithography apparatus.

Abstract: Method for performing an elevator rescue run in an emergency situation, the elevator comprising and elevator car, a counter weight, a rope suspending the car and the counterweight, a drive motor, an emergency brake for stopping the car in an emergency situation, and a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor, having the following rescue run sequence steps: (a) operating the motor drive unit in a zero speed demand mode for holding the car at its present position; (b) lifting the brake, while holding the car in the zero speed demand mode; (c) determining the preferred movement direction of the car based on the power data as obtained by the motor drive unit; and (d) performing the rescue run in the direction of the determined preferred movement direction.

Abstract: A method to clean optical elements of an apparatus, the apparatus being configured to project a beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, the apparatus comprising a plurality of optical elements arranged in sequence in the path of the radiation beam, wherein the cleaning method comprises: cleaning one or more second optical elements of the sequence, which receive one or more relatively low second radiation doses during operation of the apparatus, utilizing cumulatively shorter cleaning periods than one or more first optical elements of the sequence that receive one or more first radiation doses during operation of the apparatus, a second radiation dose being lower than each relatively high first radiation dose.

Abstract: The invention relates to an EUV lithography apparatus with at least one EUV-reflective optical surface and a cavity ringdown reflectometer adapted to determine the contamination status of the EUV-reflective optical surface for at least one contaminating substance by determining the reflectivity of the EUV-reflective optical surface for radiation at a measuring wavelength (?m). The invention further relates to a method for determining the contamination status of at least one EUV-reflective optical surface arranged in an EUV lithography apparatus for at least one contaminating substance comprising determining the reflectivity of the EUV-reflective optical surface for radiation at a measuring wavelength (?m) using a cavity ringdown reflectometer.

Abstract: Components (30) in the interior of an EUV lithography device for extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelength range are cleaned by igniting a plasma, adjacent to the component (30) to be cleaned, using electrodes (29), wherein the electrodes (29) are adapted to the form of the component (30) to be cleaned. The residual gas atmosphere is measured spectroscopically on the basis of the plasma. An emission spectrum is preferably recorded in order to monitor the degree of cleaning. An optical fiber cable (31) with a coupling-in optical unit (32) is advantageously used for this purpose. Moreover, in order to monitor the contamination in the gas phase within the vacuum chambers during the operation of an EUV lithography device, it is proposed to provide modules configured to initiate a gas discharge and to detect radiation emitted on account of the gas discharge. The contamination in the gas phase can be deduced from the analysis of the measured spectrum.

Abstract: A method and an optical arrangement for removing contamination on optical surfaces (26), which are arranged in a vacuum environment in an optical arrangement, preferably in a projection exposure apparatus (1) for EUV lithography. The method includes generating a residual gas atmosphere containing molecular hydrogen (18) and at least one inert gas (17) in the vacuum environment, generating inert gas ions (21) by ionization of the inert gas (17), preferably with EUV radiation (20), and generating atomic hydrogen (27) by acceleration of the inert gas ions (21) in the residual gas atmosphere, to remove the contamination.

Abstract: An optical arrangement, in particular a projection exposure apparatus (1) for EUV lithography, includes: a housing (2) that encloses an interior space (15); at least one, in particular reflective, optical element (4 to 10, 12, 14.1 to 14.6) that is arranged in the housing (2); at least one vacuum generating unit (3) for generating a vacuum in the interior space (15) of the housing (2); and at least one vacuum housing (18, 18.1 to 18.10) that is arranged in the interior space (15) of the housing (2) and that encloses at least the optical surface (17, 17.1, 17.2) of the optical element (4 to 10, 12, 14.1 to 14.5), wherein a contamination reduction unit is associated with the vacuum housing (18.1 to 18.10), which contamination reduction unit reduces the partial pressure of contaminating substances, in particular of water and/or hydrocarbons, at least in close proximity to the optical surface (17, 17.1, 17.2) in relation to the partial pressure of the contaminating substances in the interior space (15).

Abstract: Elevator (2) comprising a car (4), a counterweight (6), a hoisting rope (8) for suspending the car (4) and the counterweight (6), a drive motor (10), a motor drive unit (26) for supplying the power to the drive motor (10), and a brake (18) for stopping the movement of the car (4) in an emergency situation, the elevator (2) further comprising an elevator rescue system (40), comprising an emergency power supply (42), an emergency brake switch (44) for connecting and disconnecting the power of the emergency power supply (42) to the brake (18), and an emergency drive switch (46) for connecting and disconnecting the power of the emergency power supply (42) to the drive motor (10), characterised in that the elevator rescue system (40) further comprises the motor drive unit (26) and a power line (74) connecting the emergency power supply (42) with the motor drive unit (26) and including the emergency drive switch (46).

Abstract: An elevator car (2) comprises a cover (14; 40) extending over at least a portion of the top surface of the car (24). The cover (14; 40) is mounted on a resilient support (28, 42). The car (2) further comprises means (32; 44) for detecting displacement of the cover corresponding to the weight of a person being applied to the cover. If such displacement is detected, normal operation of the car (2) is prevented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pneumatic shock absorbing system (1) for a motor vehicle, comprising at least one pneumatic spring (18a, 18b, 18c, 18d) per motor vehicle wheel on at least one vehicle axle, at least one control device (36), at least one compressor (2), at least one pressure sensor (10), at least one on-off valve (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), and at least one connecting pipe (8, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 62, 64) which is connected to an external source (76) of compressed air. The control device (36) of the pneumatic shock absorbing system (1) receives a start signal for basic filling while at least one valve (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) is triggered by the control device (36) in such a way that at least one component (8, 16a, 16b, 16c, 16d, 18a, 18b, 18c, 18d, 62, 64) of the pneumatic shock absorbing system (1) is basically filled.

Abstract: An optical system for radiation in the EUV wavelength range, in particular a projection exposure apparatus, having at least one vacuum vessel, including: at least one EUV-reflective optical element arranged in an optical path, and a holder which includes at least one sample element, the sample element having an optical surface which is exposed to incident EUV-radiation outside of the optical path, the sample element being sensitive to chemical alterations under influence of the incident EUV-radiation which also affect the optical element. The optical system further includes at least one detection unit for online detection of the contamination status of the sample element during exposure of the sample element to the incident EUV-radiation.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a polyamide powder, which includes polyamide particles having a median grain size d 50 of from 20 to 90 ?m, a content of fines <5 ?m of below 1% by weight, and at least 75% by weight of spherical particles in which all three spatial axes x, y and z of the individual particles have the same dimensions to within ±10%. Other embodiments of the invention provide a process for making and using the powder, and articles coated articles obtained thereby.

Abstract: An elevator car (2) comprises a cover (14; 40) extending over at least a portion of the top surface of the car (24). The cover (14; 40) is mounted on a resilient support (28, 42). The car (2) further comprises means (32; 44) for detecting displacement of the cover corresponding to the weight of a person being applied to the cover. If such displacement is detected, normal operation of the car (2) is prevented.

Abstract: Method for performing an elevator rescue run in an emergency situation, the elevator comprising and elevator car, a counter weight, a rope suspending the car and the counterweight, a drive motor, an emergency brake for stopping the car in an emergency situation, and a motor drive unit for supplying drive power to and for controlling the drive motor, having the following rescue run sequence steps: (a) operating the motor drive unit in a zero speed demand mode for holding the car at its present position; (b) lifting the brake, while holding the car in the zero speed demand mode; (c) determining the preferred movement direction of the car based on the power data as obtained by the motor drive unit; and (d) performing the rescue run in the direction of the determined preferred movement direction.

Abstract: Elevator comprising a car, a drive motor driving the car, a motor drive unit for controlling the drive motor and supplying power thereto, an encoder for sensing movement of the car, and an elevator rescue system for rescue operation in case of an emergency situation, wherein the elevator comprises one single encoder only for normal and rescue operation.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus that includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam. The illumination system includes a plurality of optical components. The apparatus also includes a support constructed to support a patterning device. The patterning device is capable of imparting the radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam. The apparatus further includes a substrate table constructed to hold a substrate, and a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of the substrate. The projection system includes a plurality of optical components. The apparatus also includes a contamination measurement unit for measuring contamination of a surface of at least one of the optical components. The contamination measurement unit is provided with a radiation sensor constructed and arranged to measure an optical characteristic of radiation received from the surface.