Abstract: A method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, a method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a measuring apparatus for interferometrically measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus contains a projection objective, whose last optical element on the image side is a dry terminating element that has no refractive power and is designed for dry operation of the projection objective. According to the invention, the projection exposure apparatus furthermore contains an immersion terminating element that has no refractive power and is designed for immersed operation of the projection objective. The immersion terminating element is replaceable with the dry terminating element. Preferably, the dry terminating element and/or the immersion terminating element is composed of a plurality of plates, which are made of materials having different refractive indices.

Abstract: An illuminator for a lithographic apparatus, the illuminator including an illumination mode defining element and a plurality of polarization modifiers, the polarization modifiers being moveable into or out of partial intersection with a radiation beam having an angular and spatial distribution as governed by an illumination mode defining element.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus has a projection lens with an object plane, an image plane, an optical axis and a non-telecentric entrance pupil. The apparatus further comprises an illumination system having an intermediate field plane and a field stop. The field stop is positioned in or in close proximity to the intermediate field plane and defines an illuminated field in the object plane that does not contain the optical axis of the projection lens. The illumination system is configured such that, in the object plane, a mean of the angles formed between all principal rays emanating from the intermediate field plane on the one hand and the optical axis of the projection lens on the other hand differs from 0°.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus for illuminating an illumination field with the light from an assigned light source includes a pupil shaping unit for receiving light from the assigned light source and for generating a predeterminable basic light distribution in a pupil plane of the illumination system, and a transmission filter assigned to the pupil shaping unit and having at least one array of individually drivable individual elements for the spatially resolving transmission filtering of the light impinging on the transmission filter in or in proximity to a pupil plane of the illumination system. The transmission filter generates a predetermined correction of the basic light distribution. An illumination system of this type can generate a multiplicity of location-dependent intensity distributions in a pupil plane of the illumination system, and ensure a high transmittance.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for microlithographic projection exposure, which includes: an optical system (18) for imaging mask structures (16) onto a surface (21) of a substrate (20) by projecting the mask structures (16) with imaging radiation (13), the optical system (18) being configured to operate in the EUV and/or higher frequency wavelength range, and various structure defining a measurement beam path (36) for guiding measurement radiation (34), the measurement beam path (36) extending within the optical system (18) such that the measurement radiation (34) only partially passes through the optical system (18) during operation of the apparatus (10).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an EUV (extreme ultraviolet) illumination system. The system can include at least one EUV light source, and an aperture stop and sensor arrangement for the measurement of intensity fluctuations and/or position changes of the EUV light source, in particular in the range of the effectively utilized wavelengths, or of one of the intermediate images of the EUV light source. The aperture stop and sensor arrangement can include an aperture stop and an EUV position sensor. The aperture stop and sensor arrangement can be arranged in such a way that the aperture stop allows a certain solid angle range of the radiation originating from the EUV light source or from one of its intermediate images to fall on the EUV position sensor.

Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9), including a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17) and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field (7). The second partial objective (15) has exactly one concave mirror (21) and at least one lens (23). The minimum distance between an optically utilized region of the concave mirror (21) and an optically utilized region of a surface (25)—facing the concave mirror—of a lens (23) adjacent to the concave mirror is greater than 10 mm.

Abstract: In an exposure method for exposing a substrate which is arranged in the area of an image plane of a projection objective as well as in a projection exposure system for performing that method, output radiation directed at the substrate and having an output polarization state is produced. Through variable adjustment of the output polarization state with the aid of at least one polarization manipulation device, the output polarization state can be formed to approach a nominal output polarization state. The polarization manipulation can be performed in a control loop on the basis of polarization-optical measuring data.

Abstract: Components (30) in the interior of an EUV lithography device for extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelength range are cleaned by igniting a plasma, adjacent to the component (30) to be cleaned, using electrodes (29), wherein the electrodes (29) are adapted to the form of the component (30) to be cleaned. The residual gas atmosphere is measured spectroscopically on the basis of the plasma. An emission spectrum is preferably recorded in order to monitor the degree of cleaning. An optical fiber cable (31) with a coupling-in optical unit (32) is advantageously used for this purpose. Moreover, in order to monitor the contamination in the gas phase within the vacuum chambers during the operation of an EUV lithography device, it is proposed to provide modules configured to initiate a gas discharge and to detect radiation emitted on account of the gas discharge. The contamination in the gas phase can be deduced from the analysis of the measured spectrum.

Abstract: The disclosure concerns a projection objective, which can include an object plane in which an object field is formed, an entry pupil, a mirrored entry pupil (RE) in a mirrored entry pupil plane obtained by mirroring the entry pupil (VE) at the object plane, an image plane, an optical axis, at least a first mirror and a second mirror. The projection objective can have a negative back focus of the entry pupil, and a principal ray originating from a central point of the object field and traversing the objective from the object plane to the image plane can intersect the optical axis in at least one point of intersection, wherein the geometric locations of all points of intersection lie between the image plane and the mirrored entry pupil plane.

Abstract: An optical element module comprising a plurality of module components is provided. The module components comprise an optical element, an optical element holder and a contact element. The optical element has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The optical element holder holds the optical element via the first contact element and has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, the second coefficient of thermal expansion being different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion. At least one of the module components is adapted to provide at least a reduction of forces introduced into the optical element upon a thermally induced position change in the relative position between the optical element and the optical element holder, the position change resulting from a temperature situation variation in a temperature situation of the plurality of module components.

Abstract: An optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, and a microlithographic exposure method are disclosed. An optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination device, which has a mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements which are adjustable independently of one another for altering an angular distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement, and at least one polarization state altering device like, e.g., a photoelastic modulator.

Abstract: An optical module includes an aperture device and a support structure supporting the aperture device. The aperture device defines an aperture edge and an aperture plane. The aperture edge is adapted to define a geometry of a light beam passing the aperture device along an optical axis. The support structure is adapted to hold the aperture device in a defined manner when the aperture plane is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane. A temperature distribution prevails within the aperture device and at least one of the aperture device and the support structure is adapted to maintain at least one of a relative position of the aperture edge with respect to the optical axis and a geometry of the aperture edge substantially unaltered upon an introduction of a thermal energy into the aperture device, where the thermal energy being adapted to cause an alteration in the temperature distribution.

Abstract: An optical composite material comprises an amorphous optical material (6) with a first refractive index (na), into which crystalline nanoparticles (7) having a second, higher refractive index (nn) are embedded, wherein the amorphous material (6) and the nanoparticles (7) are resistant to UV radiation. A microlithography projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection objective (2) with at least one optical element (3) which is, in particular, operated in transmission and consists of an optical composite material of this type. In a method for producing the optical composite material, crystalline nanoparticles are introduced into the amorphous optical material during flame deposition in a soot or direct process.

Abstract: A cleaning module for an EUV lithography device with a supply (206) for molecular hydrogen, a heating filament (210) and a line (212) for atomic and/or molecular hydrogen. The line (212) has at least one bend with a bending angle of less than 120 degrees, and has a material on its inner surface which has a low recombination rate for atomic hydrogen. The supply (206) is of flared shape at its end, which faces the heating filament (210). A gentler cleaning of optical elements is achieved with such a cleaning module, or also by exciting a cleaning gas with a cold cathode or a plasma, or by filtering out charged particles via of electrical and/or magnetic fields.

Abstract: The invention relates to a lens comprising several optical elements that are disposed in a lens housing. At least one sensor array encompassing at least one capacitive sensor unit and/or at least one inductive sensor unit is provided for determining the relative position between a first optical element and a second optical element or between a load-bearing structural element of the lens and a second optical element.

Abstract: In order to clean optical components (35) inside an EUV lithography device in a gentle manner, a cleaning module for an EUV lithography device includes a supply line for molecular hydrogen and a heating filament for producing atomic hydrogen and hydrogen ions for cleaning purposes. The cleaning module also has an element, (33) arranged to apply an electric and/or magnetic field, downstream of the heating filament (29) in the direction of flow of the hydrogen (31, 32). The element can be designed as a deflection unit, as a filter unit and/or as an acceleration unit for the ion beam (32).

Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus for illuminating an illumination field with the light from an assigned light source includes a pupil shaping unit for receiving light from the assigned light source and for generating a predeterminable basic light distribution in a pupil plane of the illumination system, and a transmission filter assigned to the pupil shaping unit and having at least one array of individually drivable individual elements for the spatially resolving transmission filtering of the light impinging on the transmission filter in or in proximity to a pupil plane of the illumination system. The transmission filter generates a predetermined correction of the basic light distribution. An illumination system of this type can generate a multiplicity of location-dependent intensity distributions in a pupil plane of the illumination system, and ensure a high transmittance.