Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus using a spectrum purity filter capable of obtaining EUV light with high spectrum purity. The apparatus includes a chamber; a target supply unit for supplying a target material; a driver laser using a laser gas containing a carbon dioxide gas as a laser medium, for applying a laser beam to the target material to generate plasma; a collector mirror for collecting and outputting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a spectrum purity filter provided in an optical path of the extreme ultraviolet light, for transmitting the extreme ultraviolet light and reflecting the laser beam, the spectrum purity filter including a mesh having electrical conductivity and formed with an arrangement of apertures having a pitch not larger than a half of a shortest wavelength of the laser beam applied by the driver laser.

Abstract: The invention provides a light-transfer imager that can be incorporated into a hyperspectral line-scanner, a spectrograph or a non-diffractive image relay device, and more particularly, to a design having a simpler optical design that is easier to fabricate, and has superior imaging quality than most previous designs. The invention includes a generic first optical assembly to deliver incoming light onto a slit or pinhole, a second optical assembly operating as a refractive corrector that directs incoming light onto a curved reflective diffraction grating or curved mirror such that the spectrally dispersed or reflected light (dependent upon the particular embodiment) passes back through the same second optical assembly which focuses that light onto a focal plane array (FPA) in approximately the same plane as the slit. The slit and the FPA are preferably displaced symmetrically on opposite sides of the optical axis of the refractive corrector.

Abstract: An optical apparatus capable of illuminating an irradiation surface under a required illumination condition capable of achieving a high light efficiency while keeping a small light loss due to, for example, the overlap error of illuminating fields. The optical apparatus, which illuminates a first area with light from a light source while the first area is longer in a second direction intersecting a first direction than in the first direction, includes a collector optical member which is arranged in an optical path between the light source and the first area, and condenses the light from the light source to form a second area in a predetermined plane, the second area being longer in a fourth direction intersecting a third direction than in the third direction; and a first fly's eye optical member which is provided within the predetermined plane including the second area, and has a plurality of first optical elements guiding the light of the collector optical member to the first area.

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: The invention provides improved fiber optic probe assemblies which utilize a configuration of gradient index (GRIN) lenses to deliver light to a focal point and collect light for analysis from the same focal point. Also provided are methods for manufacturing the probe assemblies and related methods of spatially precise spectroscopy using the probe assemblies.

Abstract: A dual pulsed light generation apparatus including a polarization beam splitter (PBS), a first polarization reflector, and a second polarization reflector is provided. The PBS has a first plane, a second plane, and a dividing interface located between the first plane and the second plane. The PBS is located in the transmission path of an incident pulsed light and used for dividing the incident pulsed light into a first polarization pulsed light reflected by the dividing interface and a second polarization pulsed light passing through the dividing interface. The first polarization reflector is disposed opposite to the first plane and transforms the first polarization pulsed light into a third polarization pulsed light passing through the dividing interface. The first polarization reflector is disposed opposite to the second plane.

Abstract: A metrology system serves to examine an object arranged in an object field using EUV illumination light. An illumination optics of the metrology system has a collector mirror which is arranged in the beam path directly downstream of an EUV light source. Downstream of the collector mirror, less than three additional illumination mirrors are arranged in the beam path between the collector mirror and the object field. An intermediate focus is arranged in the beam path between the collector mirror and the additional illumination mirror. The metrology system further includes a magnifying imaging optics for imaging the object field into an image field in an image plane. As a result a metrology system is obtained which comprises an illumination optics that ensures an efficient illumination of the object field by means of illumination parameters which are well adapted to the illumination situation of current EUV projection exposure apparatuses.

Abstract: An optical system is disclosed that includes a plurality of elements arranged to image radiation at a wavelength ? from an object field in an object surface to an image field in an image surface. The elements include mirror elements have a reflective surface formed by a reflective coating positioned at a path of radiation. At least one of the mirror elements has a rotationally asymmetrical reflective surface deviating from a best-fit rotationally symmetric reflective surface by about ? or more at one or more locations. The elements include an apodization correction element effective to correct a spatial intensity distribution in an exit pupil of the optical system relative to the optical system without the apodization correcting element. The apodization correction element can be effective to increase symmetry of the spatial intensity distribution in the exit pupil relative to the optical system without the apodization correcting element.

Abstract: Disclosed are internal reflection elements (IREs) for attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy with an IR beam. The IREs include a lens element having opposed first and second surfaces converging at the edges of the lens element and a layer of a reflective material coated over the first surface. The layer defines an entrance aperture through which an IR beam enters into the lens element and an exit aperture through which the IR beam exits the lens element. The entrance aperture is configured to block a fraction of the IR beam from entering the lens element. The IREs are capable of exhibiting high energy throughputs and providing better quality IR spectra.

Abstract: A continuous zoom lens arrangement can image MWIR and LWIR spectral bands to a common image plane. Such an exemplary optical system comprises eight infrared imaging lenses that all transmit over the wavelengths 3.5-11.0 microns and form a collocated image plane for the MWIR and LWIR spectral bands. The lens has six stationary lenses, and two lenses that move in arm axial fashion. A cold stop inside the dewar can act as the aperture stop of the system and control the stray light from reaching the FPA. The pupil is reimaged from the cold stop to near the first lens of the system to minimize the size of the lens. The optic is designed to operate at an f/number of 3.0 and provides a focal length range from 38 mm to 130 mm for a 640×480 element focal plane array with 20 micron square pixels. This has an equivalent image plane diameter of 16 mm. Such an optical system can work with a cold shield height of about 29.46 mm. The range in focal length result in an overall zoom change of 3.42×.

Abstract: An optical system has a plurality of elements arranged to image radiation at a wavelength ? from an object surface to an image surface, the elements include mirror elements having a reflective surface positioned at a path of radiation. At least one of the mirror elements is a pupil mirror having a pupil mirror surface arranged at or near to a pupil surface of the optical system. At least one of the remaining mirror elements is a highly loaded mirror having a mirror surface arranged at a position where at least one of a largest value of a range of angles of incidence and a largest value of an average angle incidence of all remaining mirrors occurs, where the remaining mirrors include all mirrors except for the pupil mirror.

Abstract: An infrared retroreflecting device used for a high-aspect-ratio optical touch panel, comprising an infrared retroreflecting stripe having a front surface, a back side and an elongated axis; the stripe being formed of a cube-corner retroreflecting structure having a primary groove and at least two secondary grooves; the primary groove being perpendicular to the elongated axis; and the stripe reflecting infrared emitted toward the front surface when an infrared incident angle is ranged from about 0° to about 61°. A method of manufacturing an infrared retroreflecting device used for a high-aspect-ratio optical touch panel, comprising forming a cube-corner retroreflecting sheet having a front surface, a back side, a first direction and a second direction, said first direction being perpendicular to the second direction, and cutting a retroreflecting stripe from said cube-corner retroreflecting sheet in the second direction.

Abstract: An optical body including an optical layer having a belt-like or rectangular shape and having an incident surface on which light is incident, and a reflective layer formed in the optical layer and having a corner cube shape, wherein the reflective layer directionally reflects the light incident on the incident surface at an incident angle (?, ?), and a direction of a ridge of the corner cube shape is substantially parallel to a lengthwise direction of the belt-shaped or rectangular optical layer. ? is an angle formed by a perpendicular line with respect to the incident surface and the incident light incident on the incident surface or reflected light emerging from the incident surface, and ? is an angle formed by the ridge of the corner cube shape and a component resulting from projecting the incident light or the reflected light to the incident surface).

Abstract: A two fields-of-view system has both fields of view imaged simultaneously to the same image plane. For example, an optical system comprising of two or more FOV where a common dual band focal plane array is used in order to image both spectral bands independently. Each spectral band is passed through a common imager, but split off by a beam splitter so that each spectral band sees a different field of view centered at the same point. The two fields of view are separated spectrally but enabled to be imaged simultaneously due to the spectral separation of the focal plane array and the use of a beam splitter. Such a system allows viewing two fields of view simultaneously.

Abstract: Device for collecting a flux of electromagnetic radiation in the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emitted by a source, including a main, first collector stage, with a concave collector mirror placed in front of the source at a distance of greater than 250 mm and pierced by a central hole, and a convex mirror placed behind the concave mirror level with the source and pierced by a central hole, and at least a second collector stage with a concave collector mirror placed in front of the stage and pierced by a central hole and a convex mirror placed behind the concave mirror.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system in space for reinforcing photosynthesis on earth, comprising a satellite with at least one first optical assembly intended for collecting sunlight, the position of which is stationary; a second optical assembly, smaller in size and with less inertia than the first optical element, intended for retransmitting the collected light with higher density of the retransmitted flux density than the collected flux density, and with an adjustable orientation; a remotely controllable means capable of adjusting the orientation of the second optical assembly; and a light-transmitting means which transmits the collected light from the first optical assembly to the second optical assembly. The second optical assembly retransmits light only in specified frequency hands around 450 nm and 660 nm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a projection system for guiding light with wavelengths ?193 nm from an object plane to an image plane, comprising at least a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a fourth mirror, a fifth mirror and a sixth mirror centered around an optical axis and being arranged along the optical axis, with the light traveling from the object plane to the first mirror, then from the first mirror to the second mirror, then from the second mirror to the third mirror, then from the third mirror, the fourth mirror, then from the fourth mirror to the fifth mirror and then from the fifth mirror to the sixth mirror, The invention is characterized in that the first mirror is arranged along the optical axis geometrically between the fifth mirror and the sixth mirror, and the third mirror is a convex mirror.

Abstract: A projection objective, such as for EUV lithography, for imaging a pattern arranged in an object plane into an image plane with the aid of electromagnetic radiation from the extreme ultraviolet range is provided. The projection objective includes a plurality of mirrors provided with reflective coatings and arranged between the object plane and the image plane. At least one of the mirrors includes a graded reflective coating with a rotationally-asymmetric coating thickness profile in the mirror plane on a substrate with a rotationally-asymmetric or rotationally-symmetric surface profile. The projection objective can exhibit increased overall transmission.

Abstract: A projection objective for a microlithographic EUV projection exposure apparatus includes a first mirror and a second mirror. The first mirror includes a mirror substrate and a reflective coating carried by the mirror substrate. The second mirror includes a mirror substrate and a reflective coating carried by the mirror substrate. The first and second mirrors are configured so that, with otherwise equal irradiation by EUV light, the mirror substrate of the first mirror compacts less than the mirror substrate of the second mirror under the effect of the EUV light.

Abstract: A catadioptric objective includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical axis to image a pattern from an object field in an object surface of the objective to an image field in an image surface region of the objective at an image-side numerical aperture NA with electromagnetic radiation from a wavelength band around a central wavelength ?<300 nm. The optical elements include a concave mirror and a plurality of lenses. The projection objective forms an image of the pattern in a respective Petzval surface for each wavelength ? of a wavelength band, the Petzval surfaces deviating from each other for different wavelengths. The plurality of lenses include lenses made from different materials having substantially different Abbe numbers.

Abstract: A relatively high NA objective employed for use in imaging a specimen is provided. The objective includes a lens group having at least one focusing lens configured to receive light energy and form an intermediate image, at least one field lens oriented to receive the intermediate image and provide intermediate light energy, and a Mangin mirror arrangement positioned to receive the intermediate light energy and apply light energy to the specimen. One or more elements may employ an aspheric surface. The objective may provide an uncorrected spectral bandwidth up to approximately 193 to 266 nanometers and numerical apertures in excess of 0.9. Elements are less than 100 millimeters in diameter and may fit within a standard microscope. The field lens may include more than one lens and may be formed of a material different from at least one other lens in the objective.

Abstract: An imaging optical system includes three reflecting mirrors having first to third reflection surfaces and is configured, such that in an XYZ orthogonal coordinate system using an optical axis at the center of the field of view as Z-axis, the optical axis at the center of the field of view and an optical axis of an image plane are in parallel to each other by changing orientation of the optical axis in a YZ section while maintaining the orientation of the optical axis in an XZ section. At least one of the three reflection surfaces is rotationally asymmetric. Assuming that along the path of the beam traveling along the optical axis at the center of the field of view a distance between the second reflection surface and the third reflection surface is L2, a distance between the third reflection surface and the image plane is L3 and fy1 and an equivalent F-number of the imaging optical system is represented as Fno, the relational expression 0.5<Fno(L2/L3)<1.3 is satisfied.

Abstract: An optical system having an optical axis, the optical system comprising: (I) a light source; (II) a reflector; (III) a lens component situated between the light source and the reflector; (IV) a receiver, wherein the light source and the receiver are situated substantially symmetrically and are decentered with respect to the optical axis, and are separated by a distance d from one another; wherein: (a) the lens component is positioned to provide a collimated beam when intercepting light from the light source, and (b) the reflector is situated to intercept the collimated beam and to reflect the collimated beam to the receiver through the lens; and such that the collimated beam is at an angle ?? to the optical axis; and (c) the lens component is structured to provide on the receiver an image of the light source, the image characterized by (i) astigmatism of more than 0.05 waves RMS, and less than 0.

Abstract: An objective lens assembly suitable for use in helmet-mounted applications. The objective lens assembly comprises two prisms that collectively are configured, oriented and bonded relative to each other to separate and allow simultaneous imaging of two separate spectral bands (such as VNIR and LWIR bands) received from the same object scene via a common window such that the object scene may be viewed from the same perspective without the effects of parallax.

Abstract: An ultra-broadband ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging microscope system with wide-range zoom capability. The microscope system, which includes a catadioptric lens group and a zooming tube lens group, has high optical resolution in the deep UV wavelengths, continuously adjustable magnification, and a high numerical aperture. The system integrates microscope modules such as objectives, tube lenses and zoom optics to reduce the number of components, and to simplify the system manufacturing process. The preferred embodiment offers excellent image quality across a very broad deep ultraviolet spectral range, combined with an all-refractive zooming tube lens. The zooming tube lens is modified to compensate for higher-order chromatic aberrations that would normally limit performance.

Abstract: A reflective optical system, in which radiation from a radiation source is directed to an image focus or intermediate focus, including one or more mirrors (symmetric about the optical axis). Each mirror has at least first and second reflective surfaces, whereby radiation from the source undergoes successive grazing incidence reflections in an optical path at first and second reflective surfaces. The first and second reflective surfaces are formed such that the angles of incidence of the successive grazing incidence reflections at the first and second reflective surfaces are substantially equal. Each mirror may be formed as an electroformed monolithic component, wherein the first and second reflective surfaces are each provided on a respective one of two contiguous sections of the mirror. The reflective optical system may be embodied in a collector optical system for EUV lithography, or in an EUV or X-ray telescope or imaging optical system.

Abstract: A relatively high spectral bandwidth objective employed for use in imaging a specimen and method for imaging a specimen is provided. The objective includes a lens group having at least one focusing lens configured to receive light energy and form an intermediate image, at least one field lens oriented to receive the intermediate image and provide intermediate light energy, and a Mangin mirror arrangement positioned to receive the intermediate light energy and apply light energy to the specimen. The objective may provide, in certain instances, a spectral bandwidth up to approximately 193 to 266 nanometers and can provide numerical apertures in excess of 0.9. Elements are less than 100 millimeters in diameter and may fit within a standard microscope. The field lens may include more than one lens and may be formed of a material different from at least one other lens in the objective.

Abstract: There is provided a multi-mirror-system for an illumination system, especially for lithography with wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes light rays traveling along a light oath from an object plane to an image plane, and an arc-shaped field in the image plane, whereby a radial direction in the middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first mirror and the second mirror are arranged in the light path in such a position and having such a shape, that the edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field in the image plane is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Furthermore, the light rays are impinging on the first mirror and the second mirror with incidence angles ?30° or ?60° relative to a surface normal of the first and second mirror.

Abstract: A lighting assembly topology that utilizes spectrum controlling materials to render the illumination compatible with night vision imaging systems. The lighting assembly can be used as either a general illumination source or can be used as a backlight for a transmissive display such as a liquid crystal display. The lighting assembly makes use of spectral filtering which is both transmissive and absorptive for specific spectral regions. The exit port of the lighting assembly is completely filtered with a red and near infrared reflective filter. The absorption of the near infrared spectrum to which NVIS are sensitive is reflected by the typical near infrared reflective filter covering the exit port and absorbed within the material lining the housing of the lighting assembly.

Abstract: An optical sighting device such as a spotting scope, riflescope or binocular having optics that direct the desired visible wavelength light to the eye or other sensor/detector while removing certain undesirable wavelengths such as infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV). In one configuration for a spotting scope having two front surface mirrors that fold the optical path to offer greater magnification and performance in a compact housing, the optics are modified by replacing one or both of the mirror surfaces with a band pass mirror, known as a cold mirror, the band pass mirror having particular optical transmission/reflection properties to reflect visible light and pass the undesirable wavelengths. Alternately, in a system employing a prism, one or more of the internal reflection surfaces may be formed with a desired coating for removing the IR wavelength light.

Abstract: This system collects light emitted by at least one light source (52) and focuses it onto at least one light detection device (54). Preferably, it comprises a first mirror (58) that collects light emitted by the source and focuses it on a second mirror (60) that focuses it in turn onto the device. The system is provided with a chamber that is opaque to all light, particularly ultraviolet radiation, and in which the light source, the light detection device and the mirrors are placed, and means of creating a vacuum in this chamber and filling it with a gas that is transparent to ultraviolet radiation.

Abstract: A lithographic apparatus includes an illumination system configured to condition a radiation beam, a projection system configured to project the radiation beam onto a substrate, and a filter system for filtering debris particles out of the radiation beam. The filter system includes a plurality of foils for trapping the debris particles, a support for holding the plurality of foils, and a cooling system having a surface that is arranged to be cooled. The cooling system and the support are positioned with respect to each other such that a gap is formed between the surface of the cooling system and the support. The cooling system is further arranged to inject gas into the gap.

Abstract: Projection objective, projection exposure apparatuses and related systems and components are disclosed.

Abstract: A high-performance image-forming optical objective lens made compact and thin, particularly in the object side direction, by twice folding the optical path by means of two prism lenses longitudinally separated and arranged in an angular relationship to one another. The prisms have entrance and exit faces each of which is constructed of a curved surface having optical power, as well as having a rotationally symmetric polynomial aspheric attribute. The image-forming optical objective is particularly suited to helmet-mounted applications wherein the angular means for folding the optical path provides for an optical objective configuration that closely conforms to the exterior surface contour of the helmet, while providing a minimal forward projection in object space from the helmet.

Abstract: A collector that includes a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source and a first optical path from the source to a mirror. The mirror is the first mirror that light emitted from the source and traveling along the first optical path impinges upon. The collector also includes a second optical path from the source to another mirror. The other mirror is the first mirror that light emitted from the source and raveling along the second path impinges upon. The mirror and the other mirror are oriented relative to the source such that light from the source traveling along the first optical path travels in a direction opposite to light traveling from the source along the second optical path. A collector having a discharge extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source.

Abstract: Collectors are disclosed. The collectors can be for illumination systems with a wavelength ?193 nm, including ?126 nm, and the EUV range. The collectors can serve to receive the light rays emitted from a light source and to illuminate an area in a plane. The collectors can include at least a first mirror shell or a first shell segment as well as a second mirror shell or a second shell segment receiving the light and providing a first illumination and a second illumination in a plane which is located in the light path downstream of the collector. An illumination systems are also disclosed. The illumination systems can be equipped with a collector. Projection exposure apparatuses are also disclosed. The projection exposure apparatuses can include an illumination system. Methods for the manufacture of microstructures by photographic exposure are also disclosed.

Abstract: An ultra-broadband ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging microscope system with wide-range zoom capability. The microscope system, which comprises a catadioptric lens group and a zooming tube lens group, has high optical resolution in the deep UV wavelengths, continuously adjustable magnification, and a high numerical aperture. The system integrates microscope modules such as objectives, tube lenses and zoom optics to reduce the number of components, and to simplify the system manufacturing process. The preferred embodiment offers excellent image quality across a very broad deep ultraviolet spectral range, combined with an all-refractive zooming tube lens. The zooming tube lens is modified to compensate for higher-order chromatic aberrations that would normally limit performance.

Abstract: A collector that includes a laser produced plasma (LPP) extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source and a first optical path from the source to a mirror. The mirror is the first mirror that light emitted from the source and traveling along the first optical path impinges upon. The collector also includes a second optical path from the source to another mirror. The other mirror is the first mirror that light emitted from the source and raveling along the second path impinges upon. The mirror and the other mirror are oriented relative to the source such that light from the source traveling along the first optical path travels in a direction opposite to light traveling from the source along the second optical path. A collector having a discharge extreme ultra violet (EUV) light source.

Abstract: An optical system has a plurality of elements arranged to image radiation at a wavelength ? from an object surface to an image surface, the elements include mirror elements having a reflective surface positioned at a path of radiation. At least one of the mirror elements is a pupil mirror having a pupil mirror surface arranged at or near to a pupil surface of the optical system. At least one of the remaining mirror elements is a highly loaded mirror having a mirror surface arranged at a position where at least one of a largest value of a range of angles of incidence and a largest value of an average angle incidence of all remaining mirrors occurs, where the remaining mirrors include all mirrors except for the pupil mirror.

Abstract: A night viewer (10) is adaptable to generate an enhanced image suitable for viewing through an optical scope (16). An input end (18) of the viewer (10) receives the image to be enhanced through an objective lens (20). An image enhancing unit (22) enhances the image. The enhanced image is optically transmitted from a display (28) to the ocular lens (24) of the scope (16). The display (28) is operably connected with the image enhancing unit (22) to display the enhanced image. A Risley prism (30) located in an image path (32) is used to controllably adjust and to maintain boresight alignment (36).

Abstract: Example embodiments are directed to an off-axis projection optical system including first and second mirrors that are off-axially arranged. The tangential and sagittal radii of curvature of the first mirror may be R1t and R1s, respectively. The tangential and sagittal radii of curvature of the second mirror may be R2t and R2s, respectively. The incident angle of the beam from an object point to the first mirror 10 may be i1, and an incident angle of the beam reflected from the first mirror 10 to the second mirror 30 is i2. The values of R1t, R1s, R2t, R2s, i1 and i2 may satisfy the following Equation R1t cos i1=R2t cos i2 R1s=R1t cos2i1 R2s=R2t cos2i2.

Abstract: An optical system for ultraviolet light having wavelengths ??200 nm, which may be designed in particular as a catadioptric projection objective for microlithography, has a plurality of optical elements including optical elements made of synthetic quartz glass or a fluoride crystal material transparent to a wavelength ??200 nm. At least two of the optical elements are utilized for forming at least one liquid lens group including a first delimiting optical element, a second delimiting optical element, and a liquid lens, which is arranged in an interspace between the first delimiting optical element and the second delimiting optical element and contains a liquid transparent to ultraviolet light having wavelengths ??200 nm. This enables effective correction of chromatic aberrations even in the case of systems that are difficult to correct chromatically.

Abstract: A common-aperture, multispectral device uses a folded beamsplitter to simultaneously image near infrared (NIR) and long wave infrared (LWIR) spectral bands. The folded-path optical design makes the sensor extremely compact and lightweight without compromising the F/# or field of view. The design is split into two channels; a NIR channel and a LWIR channel. A Zinc Sulfide environmental window provides the input to the device. The input first is split into the two channels via a Germanium (Ge) beam-splitter. For the NIR Channel, the input is focused directly onto a faceplate through a series of optics. For the LWIR Channel, the input is focused onto the Ge window via a folded design including a first Ge lens, a fold mirror, and then a second Ge lens. From the faceplate of the NIR channel and the Ge window of the LWIR channel, the input is then processed by respective focal planes.

Abstract: A lighting system, particularly for use in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography, comprising a projection lens for producing semiconductor elements for wavelengths ?193 nm is provided with a light source, an object plane, an exit pupil, a first optical element having first screen elements for producing light channels, and with a second optical element having second screen elements. A screen element of the second optical element is assigned to each light channel that is formed by one of the first screen elements of the first optical element. The screen elements of the first optical element and of the second optical element can be configured or arranged so that they produce, for each light channel, a continuous beam course from the light source up to the object plane. The angles of the first screen elements of the first optical element can be adjusted in order to modify a tilt.

Abstract: An optical element including an anti-reflection (AR) coating is configured to reflect Extreme-Ultra-Violet (EUV) radiation only.

Abstract: A reduced size catadioptric objective and system is disclosed. The objective may be employed with light energy having a wavelength in the range of approximately 190 nanometers through the infrared light range. Elements are less than 100 mm in diameter. The objective comprises a focusing lens group configured to receive the light energy and comprising at least one focusing lens. The objective further comprises at least one field lens oriented to receive focused light energy from the focusing lens group and provide intermediate light energy. The objective also includes a Mangin mirror arrangement positioned to receive the intermediate light energy from the field lens and form controlled light energy for transmission to a specimen. The Mangin mirror arrangement imparts controlled light energy with a numerical aperture in excess of 0.65 and up to approximately 0.90, and the design may be employed in various environments.

Abstract: An infrared imaging system uses an uncooled elliptical surface section between reflective surfaces to allow a detector to perceive a cold interior of a vacuum chamber rather than a warmer surface of a structure or housing. In this way, background infrared radiation from within the system may be minimized.

Abstract: A birefringence correction is incorporated into an optical imaging system for imaging with deep ultraviolet light. Optical elements which exhibit an intrinsic birefringence with deep ultraviolet light are arranged in a fashion that renders accumulated birefringence less sensitive to the angular orientation of the beam's rays around the optical axis. A compensating optic corrects a residual radially symmetric component of the birefringence.

Abstract: A system and method for collecting radiation, which may be used in a lithography illumination system. The system comprises a first surface shaped to reflect radiation in a first hemisphere of a source to illuminate in a second hemisphere of the source; and a second surface shaped to reflect radiation in the second hemisphere of the source to an output plane.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for microlithography with wavelengths?193 nm that includes a primary light source, a first optical component, a second optical component, an image plane, and an exit pupil. The first optical component transforms the primary light source into a plurality of secondary light sources that are imaged by the second optical component in the exit pupil. The first optical element and the second optical element are reflective. The first optical component includes a first optical element having a plurality of first raster elements that are imaged into the image plane, producing a plurality of images being superimposed, at least partially, on a field in the image plane. The first optical component includes a collector unit and a second optical element having a plurality of second raster elements.