Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure apparatus generally includes an optical element formed of a plurality of facet elements. The facet elements are arranged such that, for each facet element, a proportion of the side surfaces of the facet element is at a certain distance from the side surfaces of all the other facet elements. This gives rise to interspaces between the facet elements which are not used optically. The interspaces can be used for simpler mounting of the facet elements or for fitting mechanical components, such as actuators. A collector is used to efficiently illuminate such an optical element. The collector includes a plurality of segments that are in part non-continuous. Alternatively, however, continuous segments with a bend are also possible.

Abstract: An optical element module comprising a plurality of module components is provided. The module components comprise an optical element, an optical element holder and a contact element. The optical element has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The optical element holder holds the optical element via the first contact element and has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, the second coefficient of thermal expansion being different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion. At least one of the module components is adapted to provide at least a reduction of forces introduced into the optical element upon a thermally induced position change in the relative position between the optical element and the optical element holder, the position change resulting from a temperature situation variation in a temperature situation of the plurality of module components.

Abstract: Illumination optics that can be used, for example, for EUV projection microlithography are disclosed. Also disclosed are illumination systems provided with such illumination optics, projection exposure apparatuses provided with such illumination systems, related methods of manufacturing microstructured elements, and microstructured elements obtained by these methods.

Abstract: A projection objective suitable for immersion microlithography is designed as a single-waist system with five lens groups, and has a first lens group of negative refractive power, a second lens group of positive refractive power, a third lens group of negative refractive power, a fourth lens group of positive refractive power and a fifth lens group of positive refractive power. The fourth lens group has an entrance surface (E) that lies in the vicinity of a point of inflection of a marginal ray height between the third lens group (LG3) and the fourth lens group (LG4). No negative lens of substantial refractive power is arranged between the entrance surface and the system diaphragm (5). Embodiments of inventive projection objectives achieve a very high numerical aperture NA>1 in conjunction with a large image field and are distinguished by a compact design size.

Abstract: An optical element embodied as a front surface mirror or as a lens wherein the optical element has at least one partial region composed of a material which has the property that the material is cooled upon irradiation with suitable excitation light.

Abstract: A method of operating an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided. A set of illumination parameters that describe properties of a light bundle which converges at a point on a mask to be illuminated by the illumination system is first determined. Optical elements whose optical effect on the illumination parameters can be modified as a function of control commands are furthermore determined, as well as sensitivities with which the illumination parameters react to an adjustment of the optical elements, induced by the control commands. The control commands are then determined while taking the previously determined sensitivities into account, such that deviations of the illumination parameters from predetermined target illumination parameters satisfy a predetermined minimisation criterion. These control commands are applied to the optical elements, before the mask is illuminated.

Abstract: Illumination devices of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, include a deflection device with which at least two light beams impinging on the deflection device can be variably deflected independently of one another by variation of the deflection angle in each case in such a way that each of the light beams can be directed onto at least one location in a pupil plane of the illumination device via at least two different beam paths; wherein, on the beam paths, at least one optical property of the respective light beam is influenced differently.

Abstract: A measuring system for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system, which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface of the imaging system in an image surface of the imaging system, comprises an object-side structure carrier having an object-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system; an image-side structure carrier having an image-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system; the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and a detector for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern. The imaging system is designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid.

Abstract: The invention relates to a filter device for an illumination system, especially for the correction of the illumination of the illuminating pupil, including a light source, with the illumination system being passed through by a bundle of illuminating rays from the light source to an object plane, with the bundle of illuminating rays impinging upon the filter device, including at least one filter element which can be introduced into the beam path of the bundle of illuminating rays, with the filter element including an actuating device, so that the filter element can be brought with the help of the actuating device into the bundle of illuminating rays.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a mirror arranged in a multi-mirror array and capable of being tilted via at least one actuator. The illumination system also includes drive electronics, which include a coarse digital-to-analogue converter with a first resolution, and a fine digital-to-analogue converter with a second resolution, and an adder. The second resolution is higher than the first resolution. The adder can add output quantities that are output by the two digital-to-analogue converters to yield an overall quantity that is capable of being applied at least indirectly to the at least one actuator of the mirror.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical element (5) comprises testing an optical surface (3) of the optical element, using an interferometer 1a directing measuring light (23a) onto the optical surface wherein the measuring light traverses two successive holograms (44, 48) disposed in the beam path of the measuring light upstream of the optical surface.

Abstract: A catadioptric projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object surface onto an image surface of the projection objective has an object-side imaging subsystem for creating a final intermediate image closest to the image surface from radiation coming from the object surface and an image-side imaging subsystem for directly imaging the final intermediate image onto the image surface. The image-side imaging subsystem includes a last optical element closest to the image surface and is designed for creating a convergent beam having an aperture sin ??0.8 in the last optical element.

Abstract: In an exposure method for exposing a substrate which is arranged in the area of an image plane of a projection objective as well as in a projection exposure system for performing that method, output radiation directed at the substrate and having an output polarization state is produced. Through variable adjustment of the output polarization state with the aid of at least one polarization manipulation device, the output polarization state can be formed to approach a nominal output polarization state. The polarization manipulation can be performed in a control loop on the basis of polarization-optical measuring data.

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: A method for manufacturing a preferably asymmetrical lens element (5a) from a tempered blank (1) is characterized by: producing the lens element (5a) from a first partial volume (1a) of the tempered blank (1), whose thickness d is less than approximately 70%, preferably less than approximately 60%, particularly preferably less than approximately 50% of the thickness D of the tempered blank (1). Preferably, from a second partial volume (1b) of the tempered blank (1) at least a further lens element (5a?) is produced, wherein before the lens elements (5a, 5a?) are produced the tempered blank (1) is divided into the first and second partial volume (1a, 1b).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method-for improving the imaging properties of a micro lithography projection objective, wherein the projection objective has a plurality of lenses between an object plane and an image plane, a first lens of the plurality of lenses being assigned a first manipulator (ml, Mn) for actively deforming the lens, the first lens being deformed for at least partially correcting an aberration, at least one second lens of the plurality of lenses furthermore being assigned at least one second manipulator, and the second lens being deformed in addition to the first lens. Furthermore, a method is described for selecting at least one lens of a plurality of lenses of a projection objective as actively deformable element, and a projection objective.

Abstract: An optical element (1a, 1b) for reflecting UV radiation at an operating wavelength below 250 nm, preferably at 193 nm, which has a substrate (2a, 2b), a reflective layer (3a, 3b) made of aluminum superimposed on the substrate (2a, 2b). The reflective aluminum layer (3a, 3b) is not transparent to UV radiation and is (111)-plane oriented. The reflective optical element (1a, 1b) has a reflectivity of more than 85%, preferably of more than 88%, and even more preferably of more than 92%, in a range of incident angles of at least 10°, preferably of at least 15°, at the operating wavelength. Also disclosed is an optical element having a reflective layer made from a material having a melting point higher than that of aluminum, as well as methods for producing such optical elements, and optical arrangements incorporating such optical elements.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for the exposure of a radiation-sensitive substrate arranged in the region of an image surface of a projection objective with at least one image of a pattern of a mask that is arranged in the region of an object surface of the projection objective has a light source for emitting ultraviolet light from a wavelength band having a bandwidth ??>10 pm around a central operating wavelength ?>200 nm; an illumination system for receiving the light from the light source and for directing illumination radiation onto the pattern of the mask; and a projection objective for the imaging of the structure of the mask onto a light-sensitive substrate.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a projection objective for lithography includes an optical arrangement of optical elements between an object plane and an image plane. The arrangement generally has at least one intermediate image plane, the arrangement further having at least two correction elements for correcting aberrations, of which a first correction element is arranged optically at least in the vicinity of a pupil plane and a second correction element is arranged in a region which is not optically near either a pupil plane or a field plane.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprises illumination optics for illuminating object field points of an object field in an object plane is disclosed. The illumination optics have, for each object field point of the object field, an exit pupil associated with the object point, where sin(?) is a greatest marginal angle value of the exit pupil. The illumination optics include a multi-mirror array that includes a plurality of mirrors to adjust an intensity distribution in exit pupils associated to the object field points.