US 12,287,570 B2
Pressure control valve, a fluid handling structure for lithographic apparatus and a lithographic apparatus
Stef Marten Johan Janssens, Eindhoven (NL); Koen Cuypers, Lommel (BE); Rogier Hendrikus Magdalena Cortie, Breda (NL); Sudhir Srivastava, Eindhoven (NL); Theodorus Johannes Antonius Renckens, Breda (NL); Jeroen Gerard Gosen, Mountain View, CA (US); Erik Henricus Egidius Catharina Eummelen, Veldhoven (NL); Hendrikus Johannes Schellens, Bergeijk (NL); Adrianus Marinus Wouter Heeren, Veldhoven (NL); and Bo Lenssen, Belfeld (NL)
Assigned to ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed by ASML NETHERLANDS B.V., Veldhoven (NL)
Filed on Nov. 12, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/524,816.
Application 17/524,816 is a continuation of application No. 16/339,402, granted, now 11,199,771, previously published as PCT/EP2017/073509, filed on Sep. 18, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. 16194817 (EP), filed on Oct. 20, 2016; and application No. 17167751 (EP), filed on Apr. 24, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0075264 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G03F 7/00 (2006.01); F16K 31/00 (2006.01); F16K 37/00 (2006.01); H01L 21/67 (2006.01)
CPC G03F 7/0002 (2013.01) [F16K 31/004 (2013.01); F16K 37/0041 (2013.01); F16K 37/005 (2013.01); H01L 21/67017 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A control valve comprising:
a passageway having a portion defining an opening for the flow of liquid and/or gas therethrough;
an obstructing structure displaceable relative to the opening for obstructing the opening by differing amounts to regulate a volumetric flow rate of liquid and/or gas through the opening;
a piezo actuator; and
a linkage mechanism configured to amplify a magnitude of a dimensional change in the piezo actuator and to use the amplified dimensional change to displace the obstructing structure relative to the opening,
wherein the linkage mechanism comprises a deformable member having a first end and a second end, the first end and the second end of the deformable member connected to opposite ends of the piezo actuator,
wherein, when the piezo actuator expands in a first direction due to a potential difference applied thereto and causes movement of a portion of the deformable member, a magnitude of movement of the portion of the deformable member in a second direction different from the first direction is greater than the amount of expansion of the piezo actuator itself, and
wherein an end of the piezo actuator is substantially restrained from being displaced.