Abstract: Electromagnetic illumination radiation is produced and provided as an input wave. The input wave passes through a diffractive optical element and leaves as an incoming measuring wave, the wave front of the input wave being transformed such that the wave front of the incoming measuring wave is adapted to the desired shape of the effective reflection surface. Furthermore, the test object is disposed in a test position in which the incoming measuring wave is reflected back to the diffractive optical element as a reflected measuring wave, the reflected measuring wave passing through the diffractive optical element and leaving as an outgoing measuring wave, the propagation direction of the outgoing measuring wave being deviated in relation to the opposite propagation direction of the input wave. A reference wave branched off from the illumination radiation interferes with the outgoing measuring wave this interference being recorded by detector.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an optical system and a method of characterising an optical system, such as in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. According to an aspect, an optical system having an optical axis (OA) includes a first element which is partially translucent for light of a working wavelength of the optical system. The first element has at least one partially reflecting first surface arranged rotated about a first axis of rotation in relation to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (OA). The optical system also includes a second element in succession to the first element along the optical axis (OA). The second element is partially translucent for light of the working wavelength and has at least one partially reflecting second surface which is arranged rotated about a second axis of rotation in relation to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis (OA).

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes a cooling device for cooling components of the projection exposure apparatus. The cooling device contains a liquid cooling medium having a thermal conductivity of greater than 5W/mK.

Abstract: A 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 at least one aspheric primary correcting lens having an aspheric primary correcting surface. The object-side imaging subsystem includes a secondary correcting group having at least one secondary correcting lens having an aspheric secondary correcting surface. Conditions involving maximum incidence angles and subaperture offsets at the correcting surfaces are given which should be observed to obtain sufficient aberration correction at very high image-side numerical apertures NA.

Abstract: Illumination optics for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is used for illumination of an object field in the object plane with illumination light of a radiation source. The illumination optics has an optical beam influencing element which is divided into at least two beam influencing regions in order to generate various illumination modes for the object field which are independent of a light attenuation. The optical beam influencing element is displaceable between a first beam influencing position where a first one of the beam influencing regions is exposed to a bundle of the illumination light, and at least another beam influencing position where another one of the beam influencing regions is exposed to the bundle of the illumination light. Each of the beam influencing regions has a surface which is exposable to illumination light and has a long and a short side length, with the optical beam influencing element being displaceable perpendicular to the long side length.

Abstract: In certain aspects, the disclosure relates to a projection objective, in particular for a microlithography exposure apparatus, serving to project an image of an object field in an object plane onto an image field in an image plane. The projection objective includes a system aperture stop and refractive and/or reflective optical elements that are arranged relative to an optical system axis. The centroid of the image field is arranged at a lateral distance from the optical system axis). The system aperture stop has an inner aperture stop border which encloses an aperture stop opening and whose shape is defined by a border contour curve. The border contour curve runs at least in part outside of a plane that spreads orthogonally to the optical system axis.

Abstract: An optical element module is provided. The optical module includes an optical element unit that includes an optical element and a support structure that supports the optical element unit. The support structure includes a support device and a contact device mounted to the support device. The contact device exerts a force on the optical element unit in a first direction via a first contact surface of the contact device. The first contact surface contacts a second contact surface of the optical element unit. The contact device includes a first linking section and a second linking section extending along a second direction running transverse to the first direction and arranged kinematically in series between the first contact surface and the support device. The first linking section and the second linking section are elastically deformed in response to a bending moment resulting from the force. The first linking section and the second linking section are arranged on opposite sides of a reference plane.

Abstract: An imaging microoptics, which is compact and robust, includes at least one aspherical member and has a folded beam path. The imaging microoptics provides a magnification |??| of >800 by magnitude. Furthermore, a system for positioning a wafer with respect to a projection optics includes the imaging microoptics, an image sensor positionable in the image plane of the imaging microoptics, for measuring a position of an aerial image of the projection optics, and a wafer stage with an actuator and a controller for positioning the wafer in dependence of an output signal of the image sensor.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection objective which images an object onto an image plane and has a lens with a curved surface. In the projection objective there is a liquid or solid medium which directly adjoins the curved surface over a region which is usable for imaging the object. The projection exposure apparatus also has an adjustable manipulator for reducing an image field curvature which is caused by heating of the medium during the projection operation.

Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a beam deflection array including a number beam deflection elements, for example mirrors. Each beam deflection element is adapted to deflect an impinging light beam by a deflection angle that is variable in response to control signals. The light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements produce spots in a system pupil surface. The number of spots illuminated in the system pupil surface during an exposure process, during which a mask is imaged on a light sensitive surface, is greater than the number of beam deflection elements. This may be accomplished with the help of a beam multiplier unit that multiplies the light beams reflected from the beam deflection elements. In another embodiment the beam deflecting elements are controlled such that the irradiance distribution produced in the system pupil surface changes between two consecutive light pulses of an exposure process.

Abstract: There is provided a collector system. The collector system includes a first collector mirror and a second collector mirror. The first collector mirror receives EUV light from a light source at a first aperture angle via a first beam path, and reflects the EUV light at a second aperture angle along a second beam path. The first aperture angle is larger than or substantially equal to the second aperture angle. The second mirror receives the EUV light from the first mirror at the second aperture angle. The collector is an oblique mirror type normal incidence mirror collector system.

Abstract: A projection objective for imaging a pattern provided in an object plane of the projection objective onto an image plane of the projection objective suitable for microlithography projection exposure machines has a plurality of optical elements transparent for radiation at an operating wavelength of the projection objective. At least one optical element is a high-index optical element made from a high-index material with a refractive index n?1.6 at the operating wavelength.

Abstract: A method for arranging an optical module in a measuring apparatus includes: providing the measuring apparatus with an irradiation system for irradiating the optical module with electromagnetic radiation, a reference component, and a detection element defining a detection surface, the detection element being disposed in a defined position in relation to the reference component, disposing the optical module in the measuring apparatus such that the radiation emitted by the irradiation system passes through the optical module and impinges onto the detection surface as an exit beam, measuring a position of the exit beam in relation to the detection surface, adjusting the position of the optical module within the measuring apparatus such that the position of the exit beam in relation to the detection surface is brought to correspond to a predetermined position, and establishing position parameters defining the position of the optical module in relation to the reference component.

Abstract: A method of measuring scattered light on an optical system includes: providing a first measuring field and a second measuring field, both measuring fields respectively being either of a first light manipulation type or a second light manipulation type, which first light manipulation type is configured to cause incoming light to enter the optical system and which second light manipulation type is configured to prevent incoming light from entering the optical system, and both measuring fields respectively having a second light manipulation type reference structure and a respective measuring structure, which measuring structures are of the second light manipulation type in the case where the measuring fields are of the first light manipulation type, and are first light manipulation type regions of the measuring fields in the case where the measuring fields are of the second light manipulation type, wherein the measuring structures of the respective measuring fields are offset in different directions in relation

Abstract: A projection objective with obscurated pupil for microlithography has a first optical surface, which has a first region provided for application of useful light, and at least one second optical surface, which has a second region provided for application of useful light. A beam envelope of the useful light extends between the first region and the second region. At least one tube open on the input side and on the output side in the light propagation direction severs to screen scattered light. The at least one tube is between the first optical surface and the second optical surface. The wall of the tube is opaque in the wavelength range of the useful light. The tube extends in the propagation direction of the useful light over at least a partial length of the beam envelope and circumferentially surrounds the beam envelope.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method -for improving the imaging properties of a micro lithography projection objective (50), wherein the projection objective has a plurality of lenses (L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7, L8) 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: A projection objective for microlithography includes at least one optical assembly with optical elements which are disposed between an object plane and an image plane. The optical assembly includes at least one optical terminal element, which is disposed close to the image plane. A first immersion liquid is disposed on the image oriented surface of the optical terminal element. A second immersion liquid is disposed on the object oriented surface of the optical terminal element. The object oriented surface includes a first surface section for the imaging light to enter into the terminal element, and the image oriented surface includes a second surface portion for the imaging light to exit from the terminal element.

Abstract: An optical system includes an optical element having adjusting elements. The optical element is connected to a rotatable carrying ring via at least one connecting member arranged on the carrying ring directly or via one or a plurality of intermediate elements to the optical element. The rotatable carrying ring is borne in a manner freely rotatable about an axis relative to a fixed outer mount or the optical element via a rotating device. The outer mount, the rotatable carrying ring and the connecting members are constructed as rotatable kinematics in the form of parallel kinematics.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical correction device with thermal actuators for influencing the temperature distribution in the optical correction device. The optical correction device is constructed from at least two partial elements which differ with regard to their ability to transport heat. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to methods for influencing the temperature distribution in an optical element.

Abstract: In a method for improving imaging properties of an illumination system or a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, which comprises an optical element having a surface, the shape of the surface is measured directly at various points. To this end, a measuring beam is directed on the points, and the reflected or refracted beam is measured, e.g. using an interferometer. Based on deviations of the measured shape from a target shape, corrective measures are derived so that the imaging errors of the optical system are improved. The corrective measures may comprise a change in the position or the shape of the optical element being analyzed, or another optical element of the optical system. The target shape of the surface may, for example, be determined so that the optical element at least partially corrects imaging errors caused by other optical elements.