Mirror assembly with heat transfer mechanism

Abstract

A mirror assembly (32) for directing a beam (28) includes a base (450), and an optical element (454) that includes (i) a mirror (460), (ii) a stage (462) that retains the mirror (460), (iii) a mover assembly (464) that moves the stage (462) and the mirror (460) relative to the base (450), and (v) a thermally conductive medium (466) that is positioned between the stage (462) and the base (450) to transfer heat between the stage (462) and the base (450). The thermally conductive medium (466) has a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of air. The thermally conductive medium (466) can include an ionic fluid or a liquid metal.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . An optical element assembly for directing a beam, the optical element assembly comprising:
 a base including a plurality of recesses formed as indentations in the base; and   a plurality of elements, each of the plurality of elements including (i) an optical element, (ii) a stage that retains the optical element, the stage including a transfer region that is sized and shaped to fit within one of the plurality of recesses with a gap therebetween, (iii) a mover assembly that moves the optical element and the stage about a first axis and about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis relative to the base while maintaining the transfer region spaced apart the gap from the base, the mover assembly being secured in direct contact with one of the optical element and the stage, and (iv) a thermally conductive medium positioned within the gap between the transfer region and the base;   wherein the optical elements are arranged in a patterned array such that the optical elements are adjacent to one another and are positioned in approximately the same plane.   
     
     
         22 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein for each of the plurality of elements the mover assembly includes (i) a first axis movement assembly that moves the optical element about the first axis, the first axis movement assembly including a first flexure so that movement of the optical element about the first axis with the first axis movement assembly is decoupled from the movement of the optical element about the second axis; and (ii) a second axis movement assembly that moves the optical element about the second axis, the second axis movement assembly including a second flexure so that movement of the optical element about the second axis with the second axis movement assembly is decoupled from the movement of the optical element about the first axis. 
     
     
         23 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein the mover assembly moves the optical element approximately about a movement point on a reflective surface of the optical element, the movement point being in a movement plane defined by the first axis and the second axis; wherein the mover assembly includes a linkage that is coupled to the optical element, and a mover that pivots the linkage about a pivot axis; and wherein the pivot axis is not in the movement plane. 
     
     
         24 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein the base includes at least one fluid passageway for directing a circulation fluid through the base. 
     
     
         25 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  further comprising a fluid system that circulates the thermally conductive medium for each of the plurality of elements within the gap between the transfer region and the base to transfer heat between the transfer region and the base, and wherein the thermally conductive medium has a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of air. 
     
     
         26 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein for each of the plurality of elements the transfer region includes a surface that is shaped somewhat similar to a truncated sphere; and wherein each of the indentations in the base is shaped somewhat similar to a truncated sphere. 
     
     
         27 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein the stage includes a connector region that is connected to and extends between the optical element and the transfer region such that the transfer region is rigidly connected to the optical element. 
     
     
         28 . The optical element assembly of  claim 27  wherein the transfer region and the connector region of the stage are made of a continuous piece. 
     
     
         29 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein the optical element and the stage are made of a continuous piece. 
     
     
         30 . The optical element assembly of  claim 21  wherein the mover assembly is secured in direct contact with the stage. 
     
     
         31 . An exposure apparatus for transferring an image to a wafer, the exposure apparatus comprising: a wafer stage that retains and positions the wafer; an illumination source that generates a beam; and the optical element assembly of  claim 21  that directs the beam. 
     
     
         32 . An optical element assembly for directing a beam, the optical element assembly comprising:
 a base including a recess;   an optical element that includes a movement point that is positioned in a movement plane defined by a first axis and a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;   a stage that retains the optical element, the stage including a transfer region that is sized and shaped to fit within the recess with a gap therebetween;   a thermally conductive medium positioned within the gap between the transfer region and the base; and   a mover assembly that is coupled to the optical element, the mover assembly moving the optical element about the first axis, about the second axis, and approximately about the movement point while maintaining the gap, the mover assembly including a linkage that is coupled to the optical element, and a mover that pivots the linkage about a pivot axis; wherein the pivot axis is not in the movement plane.   
     
     
         33 . The optical element assembly of  claim 32  wherein the mover assembly is secured in direct contact with one of the optical element and the stage. 
     
     
         34 . The optical element assembly of  claim 32  wherein the mover assembly includes (i) a first axis movement assembly that moves the optical element about the first axis, the first axis movement assembly including a first flexure so that movement of the optical element about the first axis with the first axis movement assembly is decoupled from the movement of the optical element about the second axis; and (ii) a second axis movement assembly that moves the optical element about the second axis, the second axis movement assembly including a second flexure so that movement of the optical element about the second axis with the second axis movement assembly is decoupled from the movement of the optical element about the first axis. 
     
     
         35 . The optical element assembly of  claim 32  wherein the base includes at least one fluid passageway for directing a circulation fluid through the base. 
     
     
         36 . The optical element assembly of  claim 32  further comprising a fluid system that circulates the thermally conductive medium within the gap between the transfer region and the base to transfer heat between the transfer region and the base, and wherein the thermally conductive medium has a thermal conductivity that is greater than the thermal conductivity of air. 
     
     
         37 . The optical element assembly of  claim 32  wherein the transfer region includes a surface that is shaped somewhat similar to a truncated sphere; and wherein the recess in the base is shaped somewhat similar to a truncated sphere. 
     
     
         38 . An exposure apparatus for transferring an image to a wafer, the exposure apparatus comprising: a wafer stage that retains and positions the wafer; an illumination source that generates a beam; and the optical element assembly of  claim 32  that directs the beam. 
     
     
         39 . A method for directing a beam, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a base including a plurality of recesses formed as indentations in the base;   positioning a plurality of optical elements in a path of the beam, the plurality of optical elements being arranged in a patterned array such that the plurality of optical elements are adjacent to one another and are positioned in approximately the same plane;   retaining each of the plurality of optical elements with a corresponding stage, the stage including a transfer region that is sized and shaped to fit within one of the plurality of recesses with a gap therebetween;   moving each of the plurality of optical elements with a corresponding mover assembly about a first axis and about a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis relative to the base while maintaining the corresponding transfer region spaced apart the gap from the base, the corresponding mover assembly being secured in direct contact with one of the optical element and the corresponding stage; and   transferring heat between the transfer region and the base for each stage with a thermally conductive medium positioned within the gap between the transfer region and the base.   
     
     
         40 . A method for directing a beam, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a base including a recess;   positioning an optical element in a path of the beam, the optical element including a movement point that is positioned in a movement plane defined by a first axis and a second axis that is orthogonal to the first axis;   retaining the optical element with a stage, the stage including a transfer region that is sized and shaped to fit within the recess with a gap therebetween;   transferring heat between the transfer region and the base with a thermally conductive medium positioned within the gap between the transfer region and the base; and   moving the optical element with a mover assembly about the first axis, about the second axis, and approximately about the movement point while maintaining the gap, the mover assembly including a linkage that is coupled to the optical element, and a mover that pivots the linkage about a pivot axis that is not in the movement plane.