Abstract: A reduction objective, a projection exposure apparatus with a reduction objective, and a method of use thereof are disclosed. The reduction objective has a first set of multilayer mirrors in centered arrangement with respect to a first optical axis, a second set of multilayer mirrors in centered arrangement with respect to a second optical axis, and an additional mirror disposed at grazing incidence, such that said additional mirror defines an angle between the first optical axis and said second optical axis. The reduction objective has an imaging reduction scale of approximately 4× for use in soft X-ray, i.e., EUV and UV, annular field projection applications, such as lithography.

Abstract: The invention regards to a microlithography projection objective for short wavelengths, preferably ≦193 nm, with an entrance pupil and an exit pupil for the imaging of an object field in an image field, which represents a segment of a ring field, wherein the segment has an axis of symmetry and an extension perpendicular to the axis of symmetry, and the extension is at least 20, and preferably 25 mm.