1. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
a radiation system constructed and arranged to provide a pulsed beam of radiation;
a support structure constructed and arranged to support a patterning device, the patterning device constructed and arranged to pattern the pulsed beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate;
a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a barrier constructed and arranged to prevent at least one of gas and particle flow from a first part of the apparatus to a second part of the apparatus that is at a lower pressure than said first part, the barrier comprising:
a controlled aperture constructed and arranged to permit passage of pulses of the beam of radiation through the barrier when the controlled aperture is open and to substantially prevent one of gas and particle flow from the first to the second part of the apparatus when the controlled aperture is closed; and
a controller that operates the controlled aperture to open and close the controlled aperture in synchronism with the pulsed beam.
2. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlled aperture comprises:
a first stationary member, integral with or connected to the barrier, provided with an opening aligned with the beam of radiation; and
a first rotating member, at least a part of which is adjacent to the stationary member, wherein the rotating member has one or more openings arranged such that, as the member rotates, an opening in the rotating member is periodically aligned with the openings in the stationary member, providing an opening through the barrier; and, when said openings are not aligned, the rotating member substantially prevents gas flow through the barrier.
3. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a second stationary member, arranged such that at least a part of the rotating member is located between the first and second stationary members, and the second stationary member is also provided with an opening aligned with said beam of radiation.
4. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising a second rotating member at least a part of which is located between the first and second stationary members, wherein the second rotating member has one or more openings arranged such that, as the second rotating member rotates, an opening in the second rotating member is periodically aligned with the openings in the stationary members, providing an opening through the barrier if, simultaneously, an opening in the first rotating member is aligned with the openings in the stationary members; and when no opening in the second rotating member is aligned with the openings in the stationary member, the second rotating member substantially prevents gas and particle flow through the barrier.
5. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a space, containing a buffer gas, between the first and second rotating members.
6. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:
a buffer gas inlet constructed and arranged to supply buffer gas to the space between the first and second rotating members when an opening in one of the rotating members is aligned with the inlet; and
a buffer gas exhaust constructed and arranged to exhaust the buffer gas from the space when an opening in one of the rotating members is aligned with the exhaust.
7. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a tube that, at least when the controlled aperture is open, extends from an edge surrounding an opening on the first rotating member to an edge surrounding an opening on the second rotating member; and wherein the tube limits the space.
8. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the opening surrounded by the tube on the first rotating member is larger than the opening surrounded by the tube on the second rotating member and the tube is frustro-conical in shape.
9. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the tube is fixed in a position aligned with the openings on the stationary members.
10. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second rotating members rotate in unison and the tube is attached to the rotating members.
11. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising a third stationary member, at least a part of which is located between the first and second rotating members; the third stationary member also provided with an opening aligned with the beam of radiation.
12. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the first and second rotating members rotate in opposite directions.
13. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first stationary member further comprises:
a tube, extending from an edge surrounding the opening in the first stationary member, constructed and arranged to define a space that opens into the second part of the apparatus; and
a buffer gas inlet constructed and arranged to supply buffer gas to the space when an opening in the first rotating member is aligned with the inlet.
14. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the radiation system comprises a radiation source which is in the first part of the apparatus; and the second part of the apparatus is a substantially evacuated system.
15. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the substrate table is in the first part of the apparatus and the second part of the apparatus is the projection system.
16. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller is suitable for closing the controlled aperture so as to block at least one pulse of the beam of radiation.
17. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controlled aperture comprises at least one of a low-emissivity coating on a substrate facing side and an infrared reflective coating on another side.
18. A device manufacturing method for use with a lithographic projection apparatus, the method comprising:
providing a pulsed beam of radiation using a radiation system of the lithographic projection apparatus, the radiation system including a radiation source;
using a patterning device to endow the pulsed beam with a pattern in its cross-section;
projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a layer of radiation-sensitive material at least partially covering a substrate using a projection system of the lithographic projection apparatus;
opening and closing, in synchronism with the pulsed beam, a controlled aperture in a barrier for preventing gas and particle flow from a first part to a second part of the lithographic projection apparatus wherein the first part includes the radiation source and the second part includes a remainder of the lithographic projection apparatus;
the controlled aperture providing an opening through the barrier aligned with one of the beams of radiation during pulses of the pulsed beam and substantially preventing at least one of gas flow and particle flow from the first part to second part of the lithographic projection apparatus between the pulses.
19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first part includes the radiation source and the second part includes a remainder of the lithographic projection apparatus.
20. A method according to claim 18, wherein the first part includes the substrate and the second part includes the projection system.
21. A lithographic projection apparatus, comprising:
a radiation system constructed and arranged to provide a pulsed beam of radiation;
a support structure constructed and arranged to support a patterning device, the patterning device constructed and arranged to pattern the pulsed beam according to a desired pattern;
a substrate table constructed and arranged to hold a substrate;
a projection system constructed and arranged to project the patterned beam onto a target portion of the substrate; and
a barrier constructed and arranged to prevent at least one of gas and particle flow from a first part to a second part of the apparatus, the barrier comprising:
a controlled aperture constructed and arranged to permit passage of pulses of the beam of radiation through the barrier when the controlled aperture is open and to substantially prevent one of gas and particle flow from the first to the second part of the apparatus when the controlled aperture is closed; and
a controller that opens and closes operates the controlled aperture, to open and close the controlled aperture in synchronism with the pulsed beam so as to permit passage of pulses of the beam of radiation through the barrier,
wherein the radiation system is contained within a first compartment, a remainder of the apparatus is provided in a second compartment; and the barrier is between the first compartment and the second compartment.
22. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controlled aperture comprises:
a first stationary member, integral with or connected to the barrier, provided with an opening aligned with the beam of radiation; and
a first rotating member, at least a part of which is adjacent to the first stationary member, wherein the first rotating member has one or more openings arranged such that, as the first rotating member rotates, an opening in the first rotating member is periodically aligned with the opening in the first stationary member, providing an opening through the barrier and, when the openings are not aligned, the first rotating member substantially prevents gas and particle flow through the barrier.
23. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a second stationary member, arranged such that at least a part of the first rotating member is located between the first and second stationary members; and the second stationary member is also provided with an opening aligned with the beam of radiation.
24. A lithographic projection apparatus according to claim 23, further comprising a second rotating member at least a part of which is located between the first and second stationary members, wherein the second rotating member has one or more openings arranged such that, as the second rotating member rotates, an opening in the second rotating member is periodically aligned with the openings in the stationary members, providing an opening through the barrier if, simultaneously, an opening in the first rotating member is aligned with the openings in the stationary members; and when no opening in the second rotating member is aligned with the openings in the stationary members, the second rotating member substantially prevents gas and particle flow through the barrier.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A medical image processing apparatus, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive first data including at least a supported tag supported by the apparatus, individual data including patient information added to the supported tag, an unsupported tag which is not supported by the apparatus, and individual data to which the unsupported tag is added; and
a processor configured to
determine whether a tag included in the received first data is a supported tag or an unsupported tag;
divide the first data into second data including individual data added to the supported tag and excluding individual data added to the unsupported tag and third data including at least individual data added to the unsupported tag and store the second data in a first memory;
execute data processing concerning an image of an object by referring to the individual data included in the second data; and
generate fourth data by adding second data including the referred individual data to image data acquired by the processing and record the generated fourth data on the first memory.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:
add identical unique IDs (UIDs) to the second data and the third data,
store the third data in a second memory,
generate fifth data by combining the fourth data stored in the first memory with the third data stored in the second memory based on the UIDs,
the apparatus further comprising a transmitter configured to transmit the fifth data.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an unsupported tag list based on an unsupported tag included in third data stored in the second memory.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to determine whether a tag included in the received first data is a supported tag or an unsupported tag by referring to a supported tag list in which a supported tag is described.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to
image an object by referring to individual data included in the second data, and
generate the fourth data by adding the second data including the referred individual data to image data obtained by the imaging, and record the generated fourth data in the first memory.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to
generate data concerning the image of the object by referring to individual data included in the second data, and
generate the fourth data by adding second data including the referred individual data to the generated data, and record the generated fourth data in the first memory.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the receiver is configured to receive the first data, which exists for each patient.
8. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the processor is further configured to
associate the second data and the third data which are divided from same first data with each other by adding the UIDs,
search the second memory for the third data associated with second data included in the fourth data based on the UIDs, and
generate the fifth data by combining the third data acquired by the search with the fourth data.
9. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising a program used by a computer included in a medical image processing apparatus which receives first data including at least a supported tag supported by the apparatus, individual data including patient information added to the supported tag, an unsupported tag which is not supported by the apparatus, and individual data to which the unsupported tag is added, the program causing the computer to execute:
a determination process of determining whether a tag included in the received first data is a supported tag or an unsupported tag;
a dividing process of dividing the first data into second data including individual data added to the supported tag and excluding individual data added to the unsupported tag and third data including at least individual data added to the unsupported tag, identical unique IDs (UIDs) being added to the second data and the third data;
a first recording process of recording the second data in a first memory;
a second recording process of recording the third data in a second memory;
an execution process of executing data processing concerning an image of an object by referring to the individual data included in the second data recorded in the first memory;
a third recording process of generating fourth data by adding second data including the referred individual data to data acquired by the data processing and recording the generated fourth data in the first memory; and
a combining process of generating fifth data by combining the fourth data recorded in the first memory with the third data recorded in the second memory.
10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9, wherein the dividing process associates the second data and the third data divided from same first data with each other by adding the UIDs,
the program further causes the computer to execute a search process of searching the second memory for the third data associated with the second data included in the fourth data, and
the combining process generates the fifth data by combining the third data acquired by the search with the fourth data.
11. A medical apparatus, comprising:
a receiver configured to receive first data including at least a supported tag supported by the apparatus, individual data including patient information added to the supported tag, an unsupported tag which is not supported by the apparatus, and individual data added to the unsupported tag;
a first memory configured to store second data;
a second memory configured to store third data;
a processor configured to:
determine whether a tag included in the received first data is a supported tag or an unsupported tag;
divide the first data into second data including individual data of the supported tag and excluding individual data of the unsupported tag and third data including at least individual data of the unsupported tag, identical unique IDs (UIDs) being added to the second data and the third data;
store the second data in the first memory;
store the third data in the second memory;
search the second memory for the third data associated with the second data stored in the first memory based on the UIDs;
generate fifth data by combining the third data acquired by the search with the second data; and
a transmitter configured to transmit the fifth data.