Abstract:
The invention relates to a projection lens of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, for imaging an object plane illuminated during the operation of the projection exposure apparatus into an image plane, wherein the projection lens comprises at least one mirror segment arrangement (100, 200, 400) composed of a plurality of separate mirror segments (111, 112, 113, 211, 311, 411, 412, 413,...), and wherein the optically usable area of at least one individual mirror segment (111, 112, 113, 211, 311, 411, 412, 413,...) in said mirror segment arrangement amounts to at most 10% of the maximum subaperture on the mirror segment arrangement that occurs during the operation of the projection exposure apparatus.
Abstract:
A method of operating a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprising the steps of : providing an illumination system (12) having an illumination pupil plane (38); providing a projection objective (18) having an objective pupil plane (58), which is optically conjugate to the illumination pupil plane (38); providing a mask (14) containing structures (15); determining a target spatial irradiance distribution of projection light (28) in the illumination pupil plane (38); illuminating a portion of the mask (14) with projection light that produces in the illumination pupil plane (38) a modified spatial irradiance distribution, wherein there is an excess area (70) in the illumination pupil plane which is irradiated in the modified spatial irradiance distribution, but is not irradiated in the target spatial irradiance distribution; and stopping those light rays (36c), which pass the excess area (70) in the illumination pupil plane (38), from reaching a light sensitive surface (20) by using a stop (66; 166; 266) that is arranged in the projection pupil plane (58).
Abstract:
An imaging optical system (10), in particular a projection objective, for microlithography, comprises optical elements (M1-M6) configured to guide electromagnetic radiation (19) with a wavelength λ in an imaging beam path for imaging an object field (13) into an image plane (14), and a pupil (24), having coordinates (p, q) which, together with the image field (16), having coordinates (x, y), of the optical system (10), spans an extended 4-dimensional pupil space, having coordinates (x, y, p, q) as a function of which a wavefront W(x, y, p, q) of the radiation (19) passing through the optical system is defined. At least a first of the optical elements (M1-M6) has a non-rotationally symmetrical surface (26) having a respective surface deviation in relation to every rotationally symmetrical surface (28), which two-dimensional surface has a difference between its greatest elevation and its deepest valley of at least λ. A sub-aperture ratio of the non- rotationally symmetrical surface deviates at every point (Ο 1 , O 2 ) of the object field (13) by at least 0.01 from the sub-aperture ratio of every other surface of the optical elements, which is located in the imaging beam path, at the respective point (O 1 , O 2 ) of the object field (13). Furthermore, the surface (26) of the first optical element (M4) is configured such that by displacing the first optical element relative to the other optical elements a change to the wavefront of the optical system (10) can be brought about which has a portion with at least 2-fold symmetry, the maximum value of the wavefront change in the extended 4- dimensional pupil space being at least 1 x 10 -5 of the wavelength λ.
Abstract:
Die Erfindung betrifft einen Spiegel für eine mikrolithographische Projektionsbelichtungsanlage sowie ein Verfahren zur Bearbeitung eines Spiegels. Ein erfindungsgemäßer Spiegel weist eine optische Wirkfläche, ein Spiegelsubstrat und ein Vielfachschichtsystem zur Reflexion von auf die optische Wirkfläche auftreffender elektromagnetischer Strahlung einer Arbeitswellenlänge der Projektionsbelichtungsanlage auf, wobei das Vielfachschichtsystem eine Mehrzahl von Reflexionsschichtstapeln (16a, 16b, 16c, 26a, 26b) aufweist, zwischen denen jeweils eine Trennschicht (15a, 15b, 15c, 25a, 25b) angeordnet ist, und wobei diese Trennschicht aus einem Material hergestellt ist, welches eine Schmelztemperatur besitzt, die wenigstens 80°C beträgt und kleiner als 300°C ist.
Abstract:
A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a wavefront correction device (42) comprising a refractive optical element (44; 44a, 44b) that has two opposite optical surfaces (46, 48), through which projection light passes, and a circumferential rim surface (50) extending between the two optical surfaces (46, 48). A first and a second optical system (OS1, OS2) are configured to direct first and second heating light (HL1, HL2) to different portions of the rim surface (50) such that at least a portion of the first and second heating light enters the refractive optical element (44; 44a, 44b). A temperature distribution caused by a partial absorption of the heating light (HL1, HL2) results in a refractive index distribution inside the refractive optical element (44; 44a, 44b) that corrects a wavefront error. At least the first optical system (OS1) comprises a focusing optical element (55) that focuses the first heating light in a focal area (56) such that the first heating light emerging from the focal area (56) impinges on the rim surface (50).
Abstract:
An imaging optical system (10), in particular a projection objective, for microlithography, comprises optical elements (M1-M6) configured to guide electromagnetic radiation (19) with a wavelength ? in an imaging beam path for imaging an object field (13) into an image plane (14), and a pupil (24), having coordinates (p, q) which, together with the image field (16), having coordinates (x, y), of the optical system (10), spans an extended 4-dimensional pupil space, having coordinates (x, y, p, q) as a function of which a wavefront W(x, y, p, q) of the radiation (19) passing through the optical system is defined. At least a first of the optical elements (M1-M6) has a non-rotationally symmetrical surface (26) having a respective surface deviation in relation to every rotationally symmetrical surface (28), which two-dimensional surface has a difference between its greatest elevation and its deepest valley of at least ?. A sub-aperture ratio of the non- rotationally symmetrical surface deviates at every point (?1, O2) of the object field (13) by at least 0.01 from the sub-aperture ratio of every other surface of the optical elements, which is located in the imaging beam path, at the respective point (O1, O2) of the object field (13). Furthermore, the surface (26) of the first optical element (M4) is configured such that by displacing the first optical element relative to the other optical elements a change to the wavefront of the optical system (10) can be brought about which has a portion with at least 2-fold symmetry, the maximum value of the wavefront change in the extended 4- dimensional pupil space being at least 1 x 10-5 of the wavelength ?.
Abstract:
A projection objective comprising a plurality of optical elements arranged to image a pattern from an object field in an object surface of the projection objective to an image field in an image surface of the projection objective with electromagnetic operating radiation from a wavelength band around an operating wavelength λ includes an optical correction plate. The optical correction plate has a body made from a material transparent to the operating radiation, the body having a first optical surface, a second optical surface, a plate normal substantially perpendicular to the first and second optical surface, and a thickness profile. The first surface profile and the second surface profile are similar in that the first optical surface has a non-rotationally symmetric aspheric first surface profile with a first peak-to-valley value PV1>λ; the second optical surface has a non-rotationally symmetric aspheric second surface profile with a second peak-to-valley value PV2>λ; and the plate thickness varies by less than 0.1 * (PV1+PV2V2 across the optica! correction piate. The first and second optical surface in combination may induce or correct for a dominant field aberration if the optical correction plate is installed at a position far from the object plane of the projection objective.