Abstract:
An imaging optics (1) having a plurality of mirrors (M1-M6) that image an object field (3) in an object plane (5) into an image field (7) in an image plane (9), comprising a first partial objective (11) that images the object field onto an intermediate image (15), and a second partial objective (13) that images the intermediate image onto the image field, and that comprises a penultimate mirror (M5) in the beam path of imaging light (17) between the object field and the image field, and a last mirror (M6) in the beam path. Here, the penultimate mirror (M5) images the intermediate image onto a further intermediate image (19), and the last mirror images the further intermediate image onto the image field.
Abstract:
An imaging optics (16) for lithographic projection exposure for guiding a bundle of imaging light (3) with a wavelength shorter than 193 nm by means of a plurality of mirrors (M1 to M6) for beam-splitter-free imaging of a reflective object (12) in an object field (4) in an object plane (5) into an image field (17) in an image plane (18), an object field point having a central ray angle (a) which is smaller than 3°. At least one of the mirrors (M1 to M6) is a near-field mirror. The result is an imaging optics which allows for high-quality imaging of a reflective object.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus (16) for semiconductor lithography comprising a device for the thermal manipulation of an optical element (1,100), wherein the optical element (1,100) has a front side (2) for the reflection of electromagnetic radiation and a rear side (3,103), and wherein thermal actuators (4) for influencing the optical properties of the optical element (1,100) are present, which act on the optical element (1,100) from the rear side (3,103) thereof.
Abstract:
The invention concerns a projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus, said projection exposure apparatus having a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength
Abstract:
A catoptric microlithography projection optical system (300) comprises a plurality of reflective optical elements (310, 320, 330, 340, 350, 360) arranged to image radiation having a wavelength λ from an object field in an object plane (103) to an image field, having a size of at least 1 mm x 1 mm, in an image plane (102). This optical system has an object-image shift (OIS) of about 75 mm or less. In this case, metrology and testing can be easily implemented despite rotations of the optical system about a rotation axis.
Abstract:
In general, in one aspect, the invention features a microlithography projection optical system (101) that includes a plurality of elements (310-360) arranged to image radiation from an object plane (103) to an image plane (102), at least one of the elements being a reflective element that has a rotationally asymmetric surface positioned in a path of the radiation. The rotationally asymmetric surface deviates from a rotationally symmetric surface by about 10 nm or more and the optical system is a microlithography projection optical system.
Abstract:
An imaging optical system (9) for a projection exposure system has at least one anamorphically imaging optical element (M1 to M6). This allows a complete illumination of an image field in a first direction with a large object-side numerical aperture in this direction, without the extent of the reticle to be imaged having to be enlarged and without a reduction in the throughput of the projection exposure system occurring.
Abstract:
An imaging optical system has a plurality of mirrors, which image an object field (9) in an object plane (11) into an image field (13) in an image plane (14). A reflection face of at least one of the mirrors is configured as a free form face which cannot be described by a rotationally symmetrical function. The object field has an aspect ratio (x/y), which is greater than 1, a ratio of a minimal and a maximal transverse dimension of the object field being smaller than 0.9. In a further aspect, the object field (9) and/or the image field (13) deviate from a mirror-symmetrical field form. An illumination optical system (10) for illuminating the object field (9) has components guiding illumination light (3) which are designed to illuminate a correspondingly formed object field (9). The result is an imaging optical system, an illumination optical system and a projection exposure system equipped therewith, with which increased demands on the correction of imaging errors are taken into account over the field imaged by the imaging optical system.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a microlithography projection exposure apparatus for producing microelectronic components having at least two operating states. The microlithography projection exposure apparatus comprises a reflective mask in an object plane. In the first operating state a first partial, region of the mask is illuminated by a first radiation, which has an assigned first centroid direction having a first centroid direction vector at each point of the first partial region. In the second operating state a second partial region of the mask is illuminated by a second radiation, which has an assigned second centroid direction having a second centroid direction vector at each point of the second partial region. The first and the second partial region have a common overlap region. The microlithography projection exposure apparatus is configured in such a way that at each point of at least one partial region of the overlap region the scalar triple product of the normalized first centroid direction vector, the normalized second centroid direction vector and a normalized vector that is perpendicular to the mask is less than 0.05.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method for producing an element having at least one arbitrarily freely formed surface (freeform surface) with high dimensional accuracy and low surface roughness, and to an optical element having an optical freeform surface and a projection exposure system for microlithography having a corresponding optical element, wherein the freeform surface is obtained by means of at least one first processing step using a forming material processing method, in which at least an approximation of the desired freeform surface (target shape) occurs, and at least one second step using a surface-smoothing material processing method, wherein at least during a second processing step for smoothing material processing the element (1) to be processed is elastically stressed by applying a force such that the freeform surface to be smoothed can be processed using smoothing processes for spherical, planar or aspherical surfaces. The invention further relates to a corresponding device for smoothing an arbitrarily freely formed surface (freeform surface) of an element with high dimensional accuracy and low surface roughness having a holder for receiving the element to be processed and a smoothing tool for the smoothing processing of the freeform surface, wherein the receptacle has at least one actuator (6) for applying a force to the element to be processed, so that the element to be processed is elastically stressed into an intermediate shape (2''), so that the freeform surface to be smoothed can be processed by means of the smoothing tool using smoothing processes for spherical, planar or aspherical surfaces.