Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the indirect determination of local irradiance in an optical system; wherein the optical system comprises optical elements between which an illuminated beam path is formed and a measurement object which absorbs the radiation in the beam path at least partially is positioned in a partial region of the beam path selected for the locally-resolved determination of the irradiance and the temperature distribution of at least one part of the measurement object is determined by means of a temperature detector.

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller carriage for a sliding bow roof for a truck or truck trailer. The roof encompasses guidance and runner rails, extending on the cargo surface of the truck along the longitudinal sides of the cargo surface. Roller carriages, which comprise rollers and on which retaining bows, embodied in gantry fashion and having a roof tarpaulin mounted thereon, are displaceably guided. At least one roller carriage is equipped with a securing device for preventing inadvertent shifting of the roller carriage along the rails. The securing device encompasses a wedge element associated with a roller, which element is shiftable between a release position and a secured position. In its release position it has no contact with the roller. In its secured position a portion of the wedge element is between the roller and the corresponding guidance and runner rail.

Abstract: Illumination systems for microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes one or more scattering structures and an optical integrator that produces a plurality of secondary light sources.

Abstract: An illumination system for microlithography serves to illuminate an illumination field with illumination light of a primary light source. A first raster arrangement has bundle-forming first raster elements which are arranged in a first plane of the illumination system or adjacent to the plane. The first raster arrangement serves to generate a raster arrangement of secondary light sources. A transmission optics serves for superimposed transmission of the illumination light of the secondary light sources into the illumination field. The transmission optics has a second raster arrangement with bundle-forming second raster elements. In each case one of the raster elements of the first raster arrangement is allocated to one of the raster elements of the second raster arrangement for guiding a partial bundle of an entire bundle of illumination light. The first raster arrangement for example has at least two types (I, II, III) of the first raster elements which have different bundle-influencing effects.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure step-and-scan apparatus has a light source, a first optical raster element and a second optical raster element. The first optical raster element extends in a first pupil plane of the illumination system and is designed such that the geometrical optical flux of the system is increased perpendicular to a scan direction of the projection exposure apparatus. The second optical raster element extends in a second pupil plane of the illumination system, which is not necessarily different from the first pupil plane, and is designed such that the geometrical optical flux of the system is increased in the scan direction and perpendicular thereto. This makes it possible to improve the irradiance uniformity in a reticle plane.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure step-and-scan apparatus has a light source, a first optical raster element and a second optical raster element. The first optical raster element extends in a first pupil plane of the illumination system and is designed such that the geometrical optical flux of the system is increased perpendicular to a scan direction of the projection exposure apparatus. The second optical raster element extends in a second pupil plane of the illumination system, which is not necessarily different from the first pupil plane, and is designed such that the geometrical optical flux of the system is increased in the scan direction and perpendicular thereto. This makes it possible to improve the irradiance uniformity in a reticle plane.

Abstract: A transmission filter apparatus for spatially dependent intensity filtering of an incident light distribution, and illumination systems containing the same. The light transmission filter apparatus contains at least one retardation device (23) that can be operated in transmission for the purpose of producing a spatially dependent retarding effect on the light of the incident light distribution, it being possible to drive the retardation device (23) in order to produce a temporally variable, spatially dependent retarding effect, and also contains at least one polarization filter arrangement (24) arranged in the light path downstream of the retardation device. An exposure method for a substrate can advantageously be carried out with the aid of an illumination system having such a transmission filter apparatus.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical integrator configured to produce a plurality of secondary light sources in an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing an array of elongated microlenses for use in such an illumination system. Arrays of elongated microlenses are often contained in optical integrators or scattering plates of such illumination systems.

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: The invention relates to a roller carriage for a sliding bow roof for a truck or truck trailer. The roof encompasses guidance and runner rails, extending on the cargo surface of the truck along the longitudinal sides of the cargo surface. Roller carriages, which comprise rollers and on which retaining bows, embodied in gantry fashion and having a roof tarpaulin mounted thereon, are displaceably guided. At least one roller carriage is equipped with a securing device for preventing inadvertent shifting of the roller carriage along the rails. The securing device encompasses a wedge element associated with a roller, which element is shiftable between a release position and a secured position. In its release position it has no contact with the roller. In its secured position a portion of the wedge element is between the roller and the corresponding guidance and runner rail.

Abstract: A clamping device for sliding roofs is provided in the region of the guidance and runner rail. An actuation lever is pivotable between locking and release positions. A clamping element is modifiable in its position by means of the actuation lever, which coacts with a countermember of the end carriage and moves the end carriage to the end of the guidance and runner rail. The clamping element is aligned with the guidance and runner rail, and is shiftable in a longitudinal direction, between a locking position retaining the end carriage, and a release position. The guide comprises in a subregion on the underside an open space such that upon shifting of the actuation lever into the release position, the clamping element is at least partly lowerable sufficiently that the end carriage can be displaced away from the end of the guidance and runner rail.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical integrator configured to produce a plurality of secondary light sources in an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing an array of elongated microlenses for use in such an illumination system. Arrays of elongated microlenses are often contained in optical integrators or scattering plates of such illumination systems.

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: An illumination system for illuminating a reticle that moves along a scanning direction in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has an optical axis and an optical component producing an illumination angle distribution of the projection light. In accordance with the illumination angle distribution, a plurality of poles is illuminated in a pupil plane of the illumination system. The poles form an arrangement that is only mirror-symmetrical with respect to an axis that is orthogonal to the optical axis of the illumination, but neither parallel nor perpendicular to the scanning direction.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the indirect determination of local irradiance in an optical system; wherein the optical system comprises optical elements between which an illuminated beam path is formed and a measurement object which absorbs the radiation in the beam path at least partially is positioned in a partial region of the beam path selected for the locally-resolved determination of the irradiance and the temperature distribution of at least one part of the measurement object is determined by means of a temperature detector.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for the indirect determination of local irradiance in an optical system; wherein the optical system comprises optical elements between which an illuminated beam path is formed and a measurement object which absorbs the radiation in the beam path at least partially is positioned in a partial region of the beam path selected for the locally-resolved determination of the irradiance and the temperature distribution of at least one part of the measurement object is determined by means of a temperature detector.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical integrator configured to produce a plurality of secondary light sources in an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing an array of elongated microlenses for use in such an illumination system. Arrays of elongated microlenses are often contained in optical integrators or scattering plates of such illumination systems.

Abstract: Illumination systems for microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related systems, components and methods are disclosed. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes one or more scattering structures and an optical integrator that produces a plurality of secondary light sources.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system that includes (a) a light source that emits light having a wavelength ?193 nm, where the light provides a predetermined illumination in a plane distant from the light source and defines a used area in the plane, and (b) a sensor, situated in or near the plane, for detecting light outside the used area.

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.