1. A surgical device for the correction of deformities of the spinal column comprising:
a spinal column straightener having two bone fixing elements each attachable to a vertebra of a spinal column, and a connection apparatus for connecting the two bone fixing elements, the connection apparatus including a stem and a female socket for connecting with at least one of said bone fixing elements, and a rotation controller for permitting relative rotation of the two bone fixing elements about a common axis, wherein the rotation controller includes a ratchet such that the two bone fixing elements are permitted to rotate about a common axis parallel to the intersection of the coronal and transverse planes substantially only in opposite rotational directions so that over a period of time following the installation of the two bone fixing elements into two substantially adjacent vertebra and the connection together of the two bone fixing elements with the connection apparatus, and effected by active and passive movements of the spinal column during normal daily activities and exercising, gradual correction of a deformity of the spinal column is achievable by substantially only permitting the anterior edges of the end plates of the two substantially adjacent vertebrae to move either closer to one another, or further apart from one another.
2. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the common axis, in use, is substantially perpendicular to the length of the spinal column.
3. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the bone fixing elements comprise substantially parallel longitudinal axes, in use, and the common axis is, in use, substantially perpendicular to said parallel longitudinal axes.
4. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the rotation controller is arranged to permit, in use, the relative rotation of the two said substantially adjacent vertebrae about an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axes of the bone fixing element.
5. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein one of the two said bone fixing elements comprises a bone fixing element socket and the stem is connectable with this bone fixing element socket.
6. The surgical device of claim 5, wherein the stem is rotatably andor slidably connectable with the bone fixing element socket.
7. The surgical device of claim 5, wherein either or both of the female socket and bone fixing element socket include a contoured surface for either permitting or restricting relative angular movement of any connected stem or bone fixing element.
8. The surgical device of claim 1, wherein the female socket is connectable with the bone fixing element in an adjacent vertebra.
9. The surgical device of claim 8, wherein the female socket is slidably andor rotatably connectable with the bone fixing element.
10. A method for surgically correcting deformities of the spinal column, the method comprising:
affixing two bone fixing elements to two adjacent vertebra of a spinal column;
connecting the two bone fixing elements with a connection apparatus, the connection apparatus including a stem and a female socket, and a rotation controller;
wherein the rotation controller includes a ratchet such that it permits relative rotation of the two bone fixing elements about a common axis parallel to the intersection of the coronal and transverse planes substantially only in opposite rotational directions so that over a period of time following the affixing of the two bone fixing elements and effected by active and passive movements of the spinal column during normal daily activities and exercising, gradual correction of a deformity of the spinal column is achievable by substantially only permitting the anterior edges of the end plates of the two substantially adjacent vertebrae to move either closer to one another, or further apart from one another.
11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:
providing one of the two said bone fixing elements with a bone fixing element socket;
connecting the stem with this bone fixing element socket; and
providing suitable contoured surfaces for either or both of the female socket and bone fixing element socket to either permit or restrict relative angular movement of any connected stem or bone fixing element.
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 lithographic apparatus comprising:
a support constructed to support a patterning device, the patterning device being capable of imparting a radiation beam with a pattern in its cross-section to form a patterned radiation beam;
a projection system configured to project the patterned radiation beam onto a target portion of a substrate;
a first vacuum environment that contains said projection system;
a second vacuum environment that contains said patterning device support; and
a separator that separates the first vacuum environment and the second vacuum environment, the separator comprising an aperture for passing said projection beam from the first vacuum environment towards the patterning device andor vice-versa, wherein said patterning device forms at least part of a seal for substantially sealing the aperture of the separator.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support is arranged to hold the patterning device at a certain small distance from the separator for sealing said aperture thereof.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the support is arranged to hold the patterning device at a distance of no more than about 1 mm from the separator for sealing said aperture thereof.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support forms at least part of the seal for substantially sealing the aperture of the separator.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the support comprises a sealing part which is located at a certain small distance from a sealing part of the separator.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the distance is no more than about 1 mm.
7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein blades for controlling the dimensions of said projection beam extend at least partially between said patterning device and the aperture of the separator, wherein said blades provide at least part of the sealing for substantially sealing the aperture of the separator.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said blades is located at a small distance from a sealing part of the separator for at least partially sealing the aperture of the separator.
9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein at least one of said blades is located at a small distance of not more than about 1 mm from the sealing part of the separator.
10. An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein at least one of said blades is located at a small distance from the patterning device andor the support for at least partially sealing the aperture of the separator.
11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the distance is no more than about 1 mm.
12. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one small gap extends between said patterning device and said separator, wherein the size of said gap is sufficiently small for limiting the gas conductance of water andor hydrocarbon from an outer side of the gap, said outer side joining the second vacuum environment towards an inner side of the gap, said inner side joining the aperture of the separator.
13. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said patterning device and said separator are arranged to cooperate for substantially sealing said aperture of said separator.
14. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said support and said separator are arranged to cooperate for substantially sealing said aperture of said separator.
15. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein, during use, the patterning device moves at least between a first and a second position with respect to the aperture of the separator for scanning the projection beam over the patterning device.
16. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support is arranged for moving the patterning device over a relatively short distance in a certain direction, wherein said relatively short distance is in the range of 0-0.4 m.
17. An apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said support, and a positioner thereof, are located substantially in said second vacuum environment.
18. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least a reticle stage actuation module that is arranged for moving the patterning device over a relatively long distance in a certain direction is located substantially in said second vacuum environment.
19. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said seal is arranged such that a conductance from the second vacuum environment to the first vacuum environment is lower than about 100 Ls, and wherein said conductance is the conductance of water andor hydrocarbons.
20. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said seal is arranged such that a conductance from the second vacuum environment to the first vacuum environment is lower than about 20 Ls, and wherein said conductance is the conductance of water andor hydrocarbons.
21. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said seal moves with respect to the separator during use.
22. An apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the moving part of said seal is movable over a distance in the range of 0-40 cm with respect to the separator during use.
23. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reticle handling system for handling the reticle is located at least partially in the second vacuum environment.
24. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22125 mbar or smaller, andor wherein the partial pressure of hydrocarbon in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22127 mbar or smaller.
25. An apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the total pressure in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22122 mbar or smaller.
26. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the total pressure in the first vacuum environment is about the same as the total pressure in the second vacuum environment, and wherein said total pressure is preferably about 10\u22122 mbar or smaller.
27. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22127 mbar or smaller, andor wherein the partial pressure of hydrocarbon in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22129 mbar or smaller.
28. An apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the total pressure in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22125 mbar or smaller.
29. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an illumination system configured to condition the radiation beam.
30. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a substrate table constructed to hold the substrate.
31. A lithographic apparatus comprising a first vacuum chamber, and a second vacuum chamber which is separated from said first vacuum chamber by a separator, wherein the first vacuum chamber comprises a projection system for projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate, and wherein the second vacuum chamber comprises a support for supporting and moving a patterning device in sight of the projection system.
32. An apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising an aperture extending between the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber for transmitting the projection beam of radiation, wherein said aperture is sealed from the second vacuum chamber by one or more small gaps which extend in parallel with the patterning device.
33. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein one or more of said small gaps extend between the patterning device and a surface of an opposite sealing member.
34. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said sealing member is at least one blade, said blade being constructed for controlling the dimensions of said projection beam of radiation.
35. An apparatus according to claim 33, wherein said sealing member is at least part of a separation wall extending between said vacuum chambers.
36. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein one or more of said small gaps extend between at least one blade, said blade being arranged for controlling the dimensions of said projection beam of radiation, and at least part of a separation wall extends between said vacuum chambers.
37. An apparatus according to claim 32, wherein one or more of said small sealing gaps extend between at least two of said blades, wherein a smallest distance between the blades is about 1 mm or less.
38. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the support is arranged to move the patterning device over a distance in the range of 0-40 cm with respect to the separator during use.
39. An apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the second vacuum chamber also comprises a first positioner for moving the patterning device in one or more directions, wherein the first positioner comprises a long stroke module and a short stroke module, a reticle handling system for handling the reticle, andor a positioning sensor of a reticle stage measurement system.
40. A lithographic projection apparatus arranged to project a pattern from a patterning device onto a substrate, the apparatus comprising a first vacuum chamber, a second vacuum chamber, and a moving seal for substantially sealing an aperture which extends between the first vacuum chamber and the second vacuum chamber in sight of the patterning device.
41. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein the patterning device is part of the moving seal.
42. An apparatus according to claim 40, wherein a support for supporting the patterning device is part of the moving seal.
43. An apparatus according to claim 41, wherein control members for controlling the dimensions of said projection beam are part of the seal of said aperture.
44. A device manufacturing method comprising projecting a patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate, wherein a first vacuum environment, containing a projection system, is held at a certain first pressure, wherein a second vacuum environment, containing a support for supporting a patterning device, is held at a certain second pressure, wherein said patterning device is held at least partially near an aperture extending between the first and second vacuum environment for sealing the aperture.
45. A method according to claim 44, wherein the patterning device is scanned along said aperture such that the patterning device always covers the aperture during the scanning.
46. A method according to claim 45, wherein the patterning device is held at a small distance from a separator that separates the first vacuum environment and the second vacuum environment, said separator comprising said aperture.
47. A method according to claim 44, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22125 mbar or smaller.
48. A method according to claim 44, wherein the partial pressure of hydrocarbon in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22127 mbar or smaller.
49. A method according to claim 44, wherein the total pressure in the first vacuum environment is about the same as the total pressure in the second vacuum environment, wherein said total pressure preferably is about 10\u22122 mbar or smaller.
50. A method according to claim 44, wherein the partial pressure of water vapor in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22127 mbar or smaller.
51. A method according to claim 44, wherein the partial pressure of hydrocarbon in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22129 mbar or smaller.
52. A device manufacturing method comprising:
patterning a beam of radiation with a patterning device; and
projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a substrate with a projection system,
wherein a first vacuum chamber that contains the projection system is separated from a second vacuum chamber that contains a support for the patterning device, wherein the beam of radiation is transmitted via at least one aperture from the first vacuum chamber to the patterning device, and from the patterning device to the first vacuum chamber, and wherein said at least one aperture is substantially sealed by a seal.
53. A method according to claim 52, wherein the patterning device is scanned with respect to said at least one aperture.
54. A method according to claim 53, wherein the patterning device is used as part of the seal for sealing said aperture.
55. A method according to claim 54, wherein the support is used as part of the seal for sealing said aperture.
56. A method according to claim 54, wherein control members for controlling the dimensions of said projection beam are used in sealing said aperture.
57. A method according to claim 52, wherein said aperture is being sealed by one or more small, vibration isolation gaps.
58. A device manufacturing method using a lithographic apparatus, the method comprising:
patterning a beam of radiation with a patterning device; and
projecting the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate with a projection system,
wherein a first part of the apparatus that comprises at least part of said projection system is disposed in a first vacuum environment, wherein a second part of said apparatus is disposed in a second vacuum environment, and wherein at least part of a surface of the patterning device is used for sealing an aperture extending between the first vacuum environment and the second vacuum environment.
59. A method according to claim 58, wherein the first vacuum environment and second vacuum environment have substantially the same total pressure, wherein the partial pressure of water andor hydrocarbon in the first vacuum environment is at least about 10 times lower than the partial pressure of water andor hydrocarbon in the second vacuum environment.
60. A method according to claim 58, wherein the first vacuum environment has a lower total pressure than the second vacuum environment, wherein the partial pressure of water andor hydrocarbon in the first vacuum environment is at least about 10 times lower than the partial pressure of water andor hydrocarbon in the second vacuum environment.
61. A method according to claim 44, wherein the total pressure in the first vacuum environment is about 10\u22125 mbar or smaller.
62. A method according to claim 44, wherein the total pressure in the second vacuum environment is about 10\u22122 mbar or smaller.
63. A device manufactured according to the method of claim 44.
64. A computer readable medium encoded with a sequence of programmed instructions which when executed by a processor are operable to:
pattern a beam of radiation with a patterning device; and
project the patterned beam of radiation onto a target portion of a substrate with a projection system,
wherein a first part of the apparatus that comprises at least part of said projection system is disposed in a first vacuum environment, wherein a second part of said apparatus is disposed in a second vacuum environment, and wherein at least part of a surface of the patterning device is used for sealing an aperture extending between the first vacuum environment and the second vacuum environment.