Abstract: A control system, for example for an optical system, includes: an actuating element; a measuring element for acquiring actuating element measurement data of the actuating element; a regulating unit for generating a regulating signal for regulating the actuating element depending on the acquired actuating element meas-urement data; and a state monitoring unit for monitoring a state of the control system depending on the acquired actuating element measurement data. The state monitoring unit includes: a first processing unit for generating preprocessed state data depending on (i) the acquired actuating element measurement data and a physical model and/or a mathematical model of the actuating element, or (ii) the acquired actuating element measurement data, a physical model and/or a mathematical model of the actuating element and the generated regulating signal; and a second processing unit for determining the state of the control system depending on the preprocessed state data.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining a quality of a mask of a photolithography apparatus are provided, which comprise a parallel calculation, using a plurality of computing devices, of a reference aerial image on the basis of a design of the mask and optical properties of the photolithography apparatus on a plurality of computing devices.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for characterizing a microlithographic mask. In a method according to the invention, structures of a mask intended for use in a lithography process in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus are illuminated by an illumination optical unit, wherein the mask is imaged onto a detector unit which has a plurality of pixels by an imaging optical unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for superimposing at least two images of a photolithographic mask, wherein the method comprises the following steps: (a) determining at least one first difference of at least one first image relative to design data of the photolithographic mask; (b) determining at least one second difference of at least one second image relative to design data of the photolithographic mask, or relative to the at least one first image; and (c) superimposing the at least one first image and the at least one second image taking account of the at least one first difference and the at least one second difference.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus for examining and/or processing a sample, said apparatus comprising: (a) a scanning particle microscope for providing a beam of charged particles, which can be directed on a surface of the sample; and (b) a scanning probe microscope with a deflectable probe; (c) wherein a detection structure is attached to the deflectable probe.

Abstract: A catadioptric lens includes at least two optical elements arranged along an optical axis. Both optical elements are configured as a mirror having a substrate and a highly reflective coating applied to an interface of the substrate. The highly reflective coating extends from the interface of the substrate along a surface normal. At least one of the highly reflective coatings has one or a plurality of layers. The optical total layer thickness of the one layer of the plurality of layers increases radially from the inner area outward.

Abstract: A method for detecting deposited particles (P) on a surface (11) of an object (3, 14) includes: irradiating a partial region of the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) with measurement radiation; detecting measurement radiation scattered on the irradiated partial region, and detecting particles in the partial region of the surface of the object (3, 14) based on the detected measurement radiation. In the steps of irradiating and detecting, the surface (11) of the object (3, 14) has an anti-reflective coating (13) and/or a surface structure (15) for reducing the reflectivity of the surface (11) for the measurement radiation (9), wherein the particle detection limit is lowered due to the anti-reflective coating (13) and/or the surface structure (15). Also disclosed are a wafer (3) and a mask blank for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An inner insert for a passage opening in an outer insert for an EUV radiation source is embodied in multiple parts and/or has a plurality of sections that extend in the longitudinal direction and have different internal diameters (di, da).

Abstract: A weight compensating device includes a stator and a translator. The translator is movable relative to the stator along a movement axis. The translator includes a first permanent magnet arrangement with an axial magnetization. The stator includes a second permanent magnet arrangement radially surrounding the first permanent magnet arrangement. The stator includes a third permanent magnet arrangement that is coaxially below the first permanent magnet arrangement and that has an axial magnetization aligned in inverse fashion with respect to the axial magnetization of the first permanent magnet arrangement. The stator includes a magnetic body arrangement that is coaxially above the first permanent magnet arrangement. The first permanent magnet arrangement, the second permanent magnet arrangement, the third permanent magnet arrangement and the magnetic body arrangement form a magnetic unit and, in interaction with one another, form a compensating force that counteracts the weight acting on the translator.

Abstract: A pupil stop serves for use in an illumination optical unit of a metrology system for determining, as a result of illumination and imaging under illumination and imaging conditions corresponding to those of an optical production system, an aerial image of an object to be measured. The pupil stop has two pole passage openings for specifying a respective pole of an illumination of the illumination optical unit specified by the pupil stop. In each case at least one stop web passes through the respective pole passage opening and consequently divides the pole passage opening into a plurality of partial pole openings. This yields a pupil stop with which an accuracy of a convergence of the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical production system to the illumination and imaging conditions of the optical measurement system can be improved.

Abstract: An arrangement of a microlithographic optical imaging device includes first and second supporting structures. The first supporting structure supports an optical element of the imaging device. The first supporting structure supports the second supporting structure via supporting spring devices of a vibration decoupling device. The supporting spring devices act kinematically parallel to one another between the first and second supporting structures. Each of the supporting spring devices defines a supporting force direction and a supporting length along the supporting force direction. The second supporting structure supports a measuring device which measures the position and/or orientation of the at least one optical element in relation to a reference in at least one degree of freedom up to all six degrees of freedom in space. A reduction device reduces a change in a static relative situation between the first and second supporting structures in at least one correction degree of freedom.

Abstract: A method for in situ protection of a surface (7a) of an aluminum layer (7) of a VUV radiation reflecting coating (6) of an optical element (4), arranged in an interior of an optical arrangement, against the growth of an aluminum oxide layer (8), including carrying out an atomic layer etching process for layer-by-layer removal of the aluminum oxide layer from the surface. The etching process includes a surface modification step and a material detachment step. At least one boron halide is supplied as a surface modifying reactant to the interior in pulsed fashion during the surface modification step. A plasma is generated at a surface (8a) of the aluminum oxide layer, at least during the material detachment step. The atomic layer etching process is performed until the aluminum oxide layer reaches a given thickness (D), or the aluminum oxide layer is kept below that thickness (D) by the process.

Abstract: A catadioptric lens includes at least two optical elements arranged along an optical axis. Both optical elements are configured as a mirror having a substrate and a highly reflective coating applied to an interface of the substrate. The highly reflective coating extends from the interface of the substrate along a surface normal. At least one of the highly reflective coatings has one or a plurality of layers. The optical total layer thickness of the one layer of the plurality of layers increases radially from the inner area outward.

Abstract: Reflective optical element with extended service life for VUV wavelengths includes a substrate (41) and a metal layer (49) thereon. At least one metal fluoride layer (43) on the metal layer faces away from the substrate and at least one oxide layer (45) on the metal fluoride layer faces away from the substrate. The thicknesses of the layers on the metal layer facing away from the substrate are selected so that the electrical field of a standing wave, formed when a relevant wavelength is reflected, has a minimum in the region of the oxide layer. In addition, the relevant wavelength is selected so that, from a minimum VUV wavelength range to the relevant wavelengths, the integral over the extinction coefficients of the material of the at least one oxide layer is between 15% and 47% of the corresponding integral from the minimum wavelengths to a maximum wavelength.

Abstract: A system for determining the position of a movable object in space includes a marker which is to be applied to the object. The marker has a surface which is subdivided into a plurality of individual fields. The fields each have a statistical noise pattern. The system also includes an image capture unit which is remote from the object and is arranged to capture an image of the marker. The system further includes an image evaluation unit which stores a reference image of the noise patterns and is designed to locate at least one of the fields in the currently captured image of the marker by comparison with the reference image in order to determine a current position of the marker in space. There are corresponding methods for determining a position the object.

Abstract: When replacing a mirror in a projection exposure apparatus, a mirror for replacement is initially removed (41). Position- and orientation data of the removed mirror for replacement are measured (43) by a position -and orientation data measuring device. Furthermore, position- and orientation data of a replacement mirror, to be inserted in place of the mirror for replacement, are measured (46) using the position- and orientation data measuring device. Bearing points of the replacement mirror are reworked (48) on the basis of ascertained differences between, firstly, the position- and orientation data of the mirror for replacement and, secondly, the position- and orientation data of the replacement mirror. The reworked replacement mirror is installed (54). This yields a mirror replacement method, in which an adjustment outlay of the replacement mirror in the projection exposure apparatus is reduced.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for processing a microstructured component, in particular for microlithography. A device for processing a microstructured component comprises an ion beam source for applying an ion beam to at least regions of the component, wherein an ion energy of this ion beam is no more than 5 keV, and a detector for detecting particles backscattered at the component.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a machine for microlithography which has a multiplicity of machine components. According to one aspect, malfunctions of these machine components that occur during the operation of the machine are each describable by a symptom, wherein the method includes the following steps: creating a database in which a cause is in each case assigned to different combinations of these symptoms, automatically recording the symptoms occurring within a predetermined time interval when a problem occurs during the operation of the machine and automatically assigning a cause to the problem on the basis of the recorded symptoms and the database.

Abstract: An optical arrangement, in particular to a lithography system, includes: a first component, in particular a carrying frame; a second component which is movable relative to the first component, in particular a mirror or a housing; and at least one stop having at least one stop face for limiting the movement of the second component in relation to the first component. The stop includes a metal foam for absorbing the kinetic energy of the second component when it strikes against the stop face. A method for repairing an optical arrangement of this kind after a shock load includes replacing at least one stop, in which the metal foam was compressed under the shock load, with a stop in which the metal foam is not compressed.

Abstract: For the qualification of a mask for microlithography, the effect of an aerial image of the mask on the wafer is ascertained by means of a simulation for predicting the wafer structures producible by means of the mask.