Abstract:
The actuator (1) according to the invention comprises a housing (2) and a rotor (3) that can be moved in relation to the housing (2) in the effective direction of the actuator, wherein the actuator (1) comprises an advancing unit that is connected to the rotor (3) at least part of the time. The advancing unit comprises at least one deformation unit (6) and at least one deformer (5) for deforming the deformation unit (6). The at least one deformer (5) is suited to deform the deformation unit (6) perpendicular to the effective direction of the actuator (1) such that the total length of the deformation unit (6) changes in the effective direction as a result of the deformation. The invention further relates to a projection exposure system (310) for semiconductor lithography comprising an actuator (1) according to the invention, and to a method for operating an actuator (1) according to the invention.
Abstract:
A lithographic apparatus (1) includes a source module (SO) including a collector (CO) and a radiation source (105), the collector (CO) configured to collect radiation from the radiation source (105); an illuminator (IL) configured to condition the radiation, collected by the collector (CO) and to provide a radiation beam; and a detector (301) disposed in a fixed positional relationship with respect to the illuminator (IL), the detector (301) configured to determine a position of the radiation source (105) relative to the collector (CO) and a position of the source module (SO) relative to the illuminator (IL).
Abstract:
Optical element, comprising first regions which reflect or transmit the light falling on the optical element, and further comprising at least second regions which are in each instance separated by a distance from the first region and which at least partially surround the first region, wherein the second regions are designed to be at least in part electrically conductive and are electrically insulated from the first regions, and wherein the optical element comprises a carrier element (60) and at least two first regions in the form of mirror facets which are arranged on the carrier element, and the respective second regions (61) which are arranged with a separation from the mirror facets on the carrier element (60) are electrically insulated against the carrier element as well as against the mirror facet, and at least one mirror facet is surrounded by an electrically conductive second region.
Abstract:
An illumination optical system which illuminates a surface to be illuminated on the basis of light from a light source (1) has a first optical path in which a diffractive optical element (6) can be arranged at a first position thereof; a second optical path in which a spatial light modulator (3) with a plurality of optical elements (3a) arrayed two-dimensionally and controlled individually can be arranged at a second position thereof; and a third optical path which is an optical path of light having passed via at least one of the first optical path and the second optical path and in which a distribution forming optical system (11) is arranged. The distribution forming optical system (11) forms a predetermined light intensity distribution on an illumination pupil located in the third optical path, based on the light having passed via at least one of the first and second optical paths.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) illumination system with at least one EUV light source (3) ; with an aperture stop and sensor arrangement (1) for the measurement of intensity fluctuations and/or position changes of the EUV light source (3), in particular in the range of the effectively utilized wavelengths, or of one of the intermediate images of the EUV light source (3) , wherein the aperture stop and sensor arrangement (1) includes an aperture stop (2.1) and an EUV position sensor (2.3) ; wherein the aperture stop and sensor arrangement (1) is arranged in such a way that the aperture stop (2.1) allows a certain solid angle range of the radiation originating from the EUV light source (3) or from one of its intermediate images (7) to fall on the EUV position sensor.
Abstract:
A projection exposure apparatus has a projection lens (10) with an object plane (34), an image plane, an optical axis (28) and a non-telecentric entrance pupil (32). The apparatus further comprises an illumination system (12) having an intermediate field plane (80) and a field stop (36; 36'). The field stop is positioned in or in close proximity to the intermediate field plane (80) and defines an illuminated field (14) in the object plane (34) that does not contain the optical axis (28) of the projection lens (24). The illumination system (12) is configured such that, in the object plane (34), a mean of the angles formed between all principal rays (42) emanating from the intermediate field plane (80) on the one hand and the optical axis (28) of the projection lens (24) on the other hand differs from 0 ° .
Abstract:
An illumination system (ILL) for an EUV projection exposure apparatus (WSC) is designed for receiving EUV radiation (LR) of an EUV radiation source (LS) and for shaping illumination radiation (ILR) from at least one portion of the received EUV radiation, wherein the illumination radiation is directed into an illumination field in an exit plane (ES) of the illumination system during exposure operation, wherein the EUV radiation source is arranged in a source module (SM) separate from the illumination system, said source module generating a secondary radiation source (SLS) at a source position (SP) in an entrance plane (IS) of the illumination system. For determining an alignment state of the secondary radiation source in relation to the illumination system, the illumination system comprises an alignment state determining system (ADS), wherein the alignment state determining system comprises an alignment detector (AD) configured to receive a portion of the EUV radiation emerging from the secondary radiation source and to generate therefrom an alignment detector signal (AS) representative of the alignment state. Furthermore, the illumination system comprises a mirror module (MM) comprising a used mirror element (UM) and an alignment mirror element (AM), wherein during exposure operation the used mirror element contributes to the shaping of the illumination radiation incident on the illumination field and the alignment mirror element reflects a portion of the EUV radiation of the secondary radiation source in the direction of the alignment detector. The mirror module is embodied as a structurally exchangeable mirror module, and an optical alignment auxiliary component (AAC) is assigned to the illumination system, wherein with the aid of the optical alignment auxiliary component an alignment auxiliary signal (AAS, AAS') is generatable which allows a checking of the alignment state of the secondary radiation source or of an alignment state of an alignment mirror element after an exchange of the mirror module.