公开(公告)号：US20240288784A1

公开(公告)日：2024-08-29

申请号：US18656908

申请日：2024-05-07

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Martin Martin von Hodenberg ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70891 ,  G03F7/7025 ,  G03F7/70266

Abstract: An optical system for a projection exposure apparatus comprises: an obscuration stop, a stop for the numerical aperture or an extraneous light stop, at least portions of which are arranged in a beam path of the optical system to shade at least portions of the beam path; a heating device for introducing heat into the stop, the stop being deformable from an initial geometry into a design geometry with the aid of the introduction of the heat; and a temperature sensor, a photo element and/or an infrared camera.

公开(公告)号：US20230236516A1

公开(公告)日：2023-07-27

申请号：US18296186

申请日：2023-04-05

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Toralf Gruner ,  Joachim Hartjes

IPC: G03F7/00

CPC classification number: G03F7/70725 ,  G03F7/70825 ,  G03F7/70758

Abstract: An optical assembly of a microlithography imaging device comprises a holding device for holding an optical element. The holding device has a holding element having first and second interface sections. The first interface section for a first interface connecting the holding element and the optical element in an installed state. The second interface section forms a second interface connecting the holding element and a support unit in the installed state. The support unit connects the optical element to a support structure to support the optical element on the support structure via a supporting force. The holding device comprises an actuator device engaging on the holding element between the first and second interfaces. The actuator device acts on the holding element via a controller so that a specifiable interface deformation and/or a specifiable interface force distribution acting on the optical element is set on the first interface.

公开(公告)号：US20230142187A1

公开(公告)日：2023-05-11

申请号：US18153640

申请日：2023-01-12

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Johannes Lippert ,  Toralf Gruner ,  Kerstin Hild ,  Hans-Michael Stiepan ,  Thilo Pollak ,  Jeffrey Cavaco

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G02B13/16 ,  G02B26/08 ,  H10N30/80 ,  H10N30/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70266 ,  G03F7/70891 ,  G02B13/16 ,  G02B26/0825 ,  H10N30/802 ,  H10N30/206

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection objective, and the projection objective comprises an optical device, wherein the optical device comprises an optical element having an optically effective surface and an electrostrictive actuator. The electrostrictive actuator is deformable by a control voltage being applied. The electrostrictive actuator is functionally connected to the optical element to influence the surface shape of the optically effective surface. A control device supplies the electrostrictive actuator with the control voltage. A measuring device is configured, at least at times while the electrostrictive actuator influences the optically effective surface of the optical element, to measure directly and/or to determine indirectly the temperature and/or a temperature change of the electrostrictive actuator and/or the surroundings thereof to take account of a temperature-dependent influence during driving of the electrostrictive actuator by the control device.

公开(公告)号：US20210405542A1

公开(公告)日：2021-12-30

申请号：US17354160

申请日：2021-06-22

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Marwène Nefzi ,  Ralf Zweering ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: An arrangement of a microlithographic optical imaging device includes first and second supporting structures. The first supporting structure supports at least one optical element of the imaging device via an active relative situation control device of a control device. The first supporting structure supports the second supporting structure via supporting spring devices of a vibration decoupling device. The supporting spring devices act kinematically parallel to one another. Each supporting spring device defines a supporting force direction and a supporting length along the supporting force direction. The second supporting structure supports a measuring device of the control device. The measuring device is connected to the relative situation control device. The measuring device outputs to the relative situation control device measurement information representative for the position and/or the orientation of the at least one optical element in relation to a reference in at least one degree of freedom in space.

公开(公告)号：US11003088B2

公开(公告)日：2021-05-11

申请号：US16840767

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Franz Sorg ,  Peter Deufel ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G03B27/68 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microlithography projection exposure system having optical corrective elements configured to modify the imaging characteristics, as well as related systems and component.

公开(公告)号：US20200233314A1

公开(公告)日：2020-07-23

申请号：US16840767

申请日：2020-04-06

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Franz Sorg ,  Peter Deufel ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G03F7/20

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microlithography projection exposure system having optical corrective elements configured to modify the imaging characteristics, as well as related systems and component.

公开(公告)号：US10684466B2

公开(公告)日：2020-06-16

申请号：US15872974

申请日：2018-01-16

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Wouter Bernardus Johannes Hakvoort ,  Richard Petrus Hogervorst ,  Petrus Theodorus Rutgers ,  Kerstin Hild ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G02B26/08 ,  G21K1/06 ,  G03F7/20

Abstract: Mirror elements (2a, 2b) include a substrate (4a, 4b) and a multilayer arrangement (5a, 5b). The multilayer arrangement includes a reflective layer system (6a, 6b) having a radiation entrance surface (7a, 7b) and a piezoelectric layer (8a, 8b) arranged between the radiation entrance surface and the substrate. Each mirror element includes an electrode arrangement (9a, 9b, 9c) associated with the piezoelectric layer. A layer thickness (tp) of the piezoelectric layer is controlled by the electric field generated. An interconnection arrangement (10) electrically interconnects adjacent electrodes of adjacent electrode arrangements. According to one formulation, the interconnection arrangement generates an electric field in a gap region (11) between the adjacent electrodes. According to another, an electric resistance (Ri) of the interconnection arrangement in the gap region is greater than an electric resistance (Rw) of the adjacent electrodes and less than an electric resistance (Rl) of the piezoelectric layers of adjacent electrode arrangements.

公开(公告)号：US10578976B2

公开(公告)日：2020-03-03

申请号：US16207460

申请日：2018-12-03

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Sascha Bleidistel ,  Toralf Gruner ,  Christoph Zaczek ,  Ralf Mueller

IPC: G03F7/20 ,  G02B13/14 ,  G02B17/08

Abstract: A catadioptric projection objective for images an object field onto an image field via imaging radiation. The projection objective includes at least one reflective optical component and a measuring device. The reflective optical component, during the operation of the projection objective, reflects a first part of the imaging radiation and transmits a second part of the imaging radiation. The reflected, first part of the imaging radiation at least partly contributes to the imaging of the object field. The transmitted, second part of the imaging radiation is at least partly fed to a measuring device. This allows a simultaneous exposure of the photosensitive layer at the location of the image field with the imaging radiation and monitoring of the imaging radiation with the aid of the measuring device.

公开(公告)号：US20190064676A1

公开(公告)日：2019-02-28

申请号：US16131326

申请日：2018-09-14

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Toralf Gruner ,  Ricarda Schoemer

IPC: G03F7/20

CPC classification number: G03F7/70191 ,  G02B5/208 ,  G02B5/22 ,  G02B27/0025 ,  G03F7/70091 ,  G03F7/70241 ,  G03F7/70308 ,  G03F7/70891 ,  G03F7/70958

Abstract: An attenuation filter is configured to define attenuation of the intensity of ultraviolet radiation with a specified working wavelength from a wavelength range of 150-370 nm according to a specifiable local distribution in a projection lens of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The attenuation filter has a substrate and an absorption layer on the substrate. The substrate is sufficiently transparent at the working wavelength. The absorption absorbs incident ultraviolet radiation of the working wavelength according to the specifiable local distribution at different locations of a used area to varying degrees. The attenuation filter reduces or avoids a thermally induced wavefront variation error in the ultraviolet radiation which has passed through the attenuation filter owing to locally varying heating of the substrate, which is caused by the absorption of the ultraviolet radiation that varies locally over the substrate. A thickness of the substrate is less than 100 um.

公开(公告)号：US10120176B2

公开(公告)日：2018-11-06

申请号：US15783482

申请日：2017-10-13

Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH

Inventor： Thomas Schicketanz ,  Toralf Gruner

IPC: G03B27/54 ,  G02B17/08 ,  G02B13/14 ,  G03F7/20 ,  G03F1/26

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an integrated circuit includes scanning a wafer with respect to a catadioptric projection objective and imaging a pattern on a mask onto a wafer while scanning the wafer. The imaging includes illuminating the mask with radiation; imaging, using the radiation, the pattern into a first intermediate image, the first intermediate image to a second intermediate image, and the second intermediate image into an image field arranged in an image surface where the wafer is arranged; and, manipulating one or more of optical elements while scanning the wafer to reduce errors in the image at the image field. A concave mirror arranged in a region of a pupil surface reflects the radiation. The projection objective also includes mirrors to deflect the radiation from the object field towards the concave mirror and to deflect the radiation from the concave mirror towards the image field. The deflection mirrors are mechanically coupled to a displacement device arranged to displace the first and second deflection mirrors.