Abstract: A projection exposure system, in particular for microlithography, serves to generate an image of an object disposed in an object plane in an image plane. For this purpose, use is made of a light source emitting projection light, illumination optics disposed in the beam path between the light source and the object plane and projection optics disposed in the beam path between the object plane and the image plane. Disposed in the vicinity of a field plane of the illumination optics is at least one optical element that changes the angular illumination distribution of the projection light passing through. The change, impressed by the optical element, in the angular illumination distribution is non-rotationally symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. The optical element can be disposed in various angular positions around an axis perpendicular to the field plane. Such an optical element makes it possible to modify the symmetry of the angular illumination distribution flexibly.

Abstract: An illumination system having a rod integrator and an objective for imaging an object field onto an image field, which has an entry surface, an exit surface, and reflecting side surfaces. A lens-free interspace with an axial size of at least 30 mm is in the objective. A plane within this interspace is optically conjugate to the plane of the entry surface. All rays starting from a central field within the entry surface that are not reflected at the side surfaces have smaller ray heights in the lens-free interspace in relation to the optical axis than all the rays starting from the central field that are reflected at the side surfaces; the ratio of the field width to the width of the entry surface is at most 0.7. The ratio of the field height to the height of the entry surface is at most 0.7.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure arrangement has an off-axis field and has a catoptric or catadioptric projection objective (P). In this arrangement, the illumination system (ILL) is made as small as possible in that a lateral offset (&Dgr;y) of the optical axes (OAI, OAP) is introduced relative to each other. A corrective element (AE) is arranged off-axis and functions to adapt the telecentry.

Abstract: The invention relates to an illuminating system of a microlithographic projection exposure arrangement having a light source (1), a first objective (7), a fly-eye-integrator (11), a diaphragm plane (13), a condenser optic (15), and an image plane (21) having a field to be illuminated. The fly-eye-integrator (11) includes at least a first one-dimensional array (39) of first cylinder lenses having first cylinder axes and a second one-dimensional array (47) of second cylinder lenses having second cylinder axes. The second cylinder axes are aligned perpendicularly to the first cylinder axes. A third one-dimensional array (35) of third cylinder lenses having third cylinder axes are mounted forward of the first array (39) to increase divergence. The third cylinder axes are aligned parallelly to the first cylinder axes and a fourth one-dimensional array (43) of fourth cylinder lenses having fourth cylinder axes is arranged forward of the second array (47) for increasing divergence.

Abstract: A projection exposure system, in particular for microlithography, serves to generate an image of an object disposed in an object plane in an image plane. For this purpose, use is made of a light source emitting projection light, illumination optics disposed in the beam path between the light source and the object plane and projection optics disposed in the beam path between the object plane and the image plane. Disposed in the vicinity of a field plane of the illumination optics is at least one optical element that changes the angular illumination distribution of the projection light passing through. The change, impressed by the optical element, in the angular illumination distribution is non-rotationally symmetrical with respect to the optical axis. The optical element can be disposed in various angular positions around an axis perpendicular to the field plane. Such an optical element makes it possible to modify the symmetry of the angular illumination distribution flexibly.

Abstract: An illumination system having a rod integrator and an objective for imaging an object field onto an image field, which has an entry surface, an exit surface, and reflecting side surfaces. A lens-free interspace with an axial size of at least 30 mm is in the objective. A plane within this interspace is optically conjugate to the plane of the entry surface. All rays starting from a central field within the entry surface that are not reflected at the side surfaces have smaller ray heights in the lens-free interspace in relation to the optical axis than all the rays starting from the central field that are reflected at the side surfaces; the ratio of the field width to the width of the entry surface is at most 0.7. The ratio of the field height to the height of the entry surface is at most 0.7.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure arrangement has an off-axis field and has a catoptric or catadioptric projection objective (P). In this arrangement, the illumination system (ILL) is made as small as possible in that a lateral offset (&Dgr;y) of the optical axes (OAI, OAP) is introduced relative to each other. A corrective element (AE) is arranged off-axis and functions to adapt the telecentry.