Abstract: A confocal measuring apparatus serves for 3D measurement of an object surface. The measuring apparatus has a light source for measuring light, a lens array having a plurality of array lenses, a chromatic telescope, multiplexer optics, collimation optics and spatially resolved detection device. The chromatic telescope images an object plane into an arrangement plane of the lens array. The multiplexer optics is arranged at a distance of a total of a focal length of the array lenses on the one hand and a focal length of the multiplexer optics, downstream of the lens array. A single pinhole aperture is arranged at a distance of the focal length of the multiplexer optics. The collimation optics is arranged downstream of the pinhole aperture. A confocal measuring apparatus results, which has a simplified design and at the same time a high measurement throughput.

Abstract: An illumination system for illuminating a mask in a scanning microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has an objective with an object plane, at least one pupil surface and an image plane in which a mask can be arranged. A beam deflection array of reflective or transparent beam deflection elements is provided, where each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light ray by a deflection angle that is variable in response to a control signal. The beam deflection elements are arranged in or in close proximity to the object plane of the objective.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: A microlithography projection exposure apparatus includes illumination optics configured to illuminate object field points of an object field in an object plane, and projection optics configured to image the object field onto an image field in an image plane. The illumination optics includes a multi-mirror array which includes a plurality of mirrors configured to adjust an intensity distribution in exit pupils associated with the object field points. The illumination optics also includes an optical system configured to produce, via an incoherent superposition of illumination rays, a temporal modification of a temporal stabilization of an illumination of the multi-mirror array. The optical system includes a mirror which includes a mirror surface. In addition, the optical system includes an actuator configured to produce a tilt of at least a portion of the mirror surface.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: An illumination system and a projection objective of a mask inspection apparatus are provided. During operation of the mask inspection apparatus, the illumination system illuminates a mask with an illumination bundle of rays having a centroid ray that has a direction dependent on the location of the incidence of the illumination bundle of rays on the mask.

Abstract: Microlithographic illumination system includes individually drivable elements to variably illuminate a pupil surface of the system. Each element deviates an incident light beam based on a control signal applied to the element. The system also includes an instrument to provide a measurement signal, and a model-based state estimator configured to compute, for each element, an estimated state vector based on the measurement signal. The estimated state vector represents: a deviation of a light beam caused by the element; and a time derivative of the deviation. The illumination system further includes a regulator configured to receive, for each element: a) the estimated state vector; and b) target values for: i) the deviation of the light beam caused by the deviating element; and ii) the time derivative of the deviation.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: A microlithography illumination optical system is used to guide illumination light from a primary light source to an object field. A mirror array of the illumination optical system has a plurality of individual mirrors, which can be tilted independently of one another by actuators and are connected to associated tilting actuators. A controller is used to activate the actuators. A raster module of the illumination optical system has a plurality of raster elements to produce a spatially distributed arrangement of secondary light sources.

Abstract: Microlithographic illumination system includes individually drivable elements to variably illuminate a pupil surface of the system. Each element deviates an incident light beam based on a control signal applied to the element. The system also includes an instrument to provide a measurement signal, and a model-based state estimator configured to compute, for each element, an estimated state vector based on the measurement signal. The estimated state vector represents: a deviation of a light beam caused by the element; and a time derivative of the deviation. The illumination system further includes a regulator configured to receive, for each element: a) the estimated state vector; and b) target values for: i) the deviation of the light beam caused by the deviating element; and ii) the time derivative of the deviation.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: A mirror for EUV radiation comprises a total reflection surface, which has a first EUV-radiation-reflecting region and at least one second EUV-radiation-reflecting region, wherein the EUV-radiation-reflecting regions are structurally delimited from one another, wherein the first region comprises at least one first partial reflection surface which is surrounded along a circumference in each case by the at least one second region, and wherein the at least one second EUV-radiation-reflecting region comprises at least one second partial reflection surface which is embodied in a path-connected fashion and which is embodied in a continuous fashion.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

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: Microlithographic illumination system includes individually drivable elements to variably illuminate a pupil surface of the system. Each element deviates an incident light beam based on a control signal applied to the element. The system also includes an instrument to provide a measurement signal, and a model-based state estimator configured to compute, for each element, an estimated state vector based on the measurement signal. The estimated state vector represents: a deviation of a light beam caused by the element; and a time derivative of the deviation. The illumination system further includes a regulator configured to receive, for each element: a) the estimated state vector; and b) target values for: i) the deviation of the light beam caused by the deviating element; and ii) the time derivative of the deviation.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: A microlithographic illumination system can include a light distribution device that can generate a two-dimensional intensity distribution in a first illumination plane. A first raster array of optical raster elements can generates a raster array of secondary light sources. A device with an additional optical effect can be disposed spatially adjacent to the two raster arrays. The device can be configured as an illumination angle variation device. The device can influence the intensity and/or the phase and/or the beam direction of the illumination light. The influence can be such that an intensity contribution of raster elements to the total illumination intensity can vary across the illumination field. This can enable the illumination intensity to be influenced across the illumination field in a defined manner with respect to the total illumination intensity and/or with respect to the intensity contributions from different directions of illumination.

Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.

Abstract: A component for setting a scan-integrated illumination energy in an object plane of a microlithography projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The component includes a plurality of diaphragms which are arranged alongside one another with respect to a direction perpendicular to the scan movement and which differ in their form and the position of which can be altered approximately in the scan direction so that a portion of the illumination energy can be vignetted by at least one diaphragm. The form of the individual diaphragm is specifically adapted to the form of the illumination in a diaphragm plane in which the component is arranged. This has the effect that at least parts of the delimiting edges of two diaphragms always differ in the case of an arbitrary displacement of the diaphragms.

Abstract: An illumination system for EUV microlithography includes an EUV light source which generates EUV illumination light with an etendue that is higher than 0.01 mm2. The EUV light source generates a sequence of EUV light pulses having a pulse sequence frequency. An illumination optics of the illumination system is used to guide the illumination light from the light source to an object field. At least one optical modulation component of the illumination system is preferably modulatable synchronously with the pulse sequence frequency. The result is an illumination system where a homogeneity of an object field illumination is improved.