Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection exposure installation is used to illuminate an illumination field with the light from a primary light source (11). The illumination system has a light distribution device (25) which receives light from the primary light source and, from this light, produces a two-dimensional intensity distribution which can be set variably in a pupil-shaping surface (31) of the illumination system. The light distribution device has at least one optical modulation device (20) having a two-dimensional array of individual elements (21) that can be controlled individually in order to change the angular distribution of the light incident on the optical modulation device. The device permits the variable setting of extremely different illuminating modes without replacing optical components.

Abstract: An imaging system for imaging an off-axis object field arranged in an object surface of the imaging system onto an off-axis image field arranged in an image surface of the imaging system while creating at least one intermediate image has: an optical axis; an in-line mirror group having an object side mirror group entry, an image side mirror group exit and a mirror group plane aligned transversely to the optical axis and arranged geometrically between the mirror group entry and the mirror group exit, the mirror group including: a first mirror having a first mirror surface for receiving radiation coming from the object surface in a first reflecting area asymmetric to the optical axis; at least one second mirror having a second mirror surface facing the first mirror surface for receiving radiation coming from the first mirror in a second reflecting area asymmetric to the optical axis; at least one of the first and second mirrors being a concave mirror having a concave mirror surface defining a mirror axis on the

Abstract: An optical element for correcting aberrations in an optical apparatus has a casing. The casing is filled with liquid and has a support layer and a cover layer designed to pass light of a predetermined wavelength range. The casing accommodates several actuators. Each actuator has a first end supporting the cover layer and a second end supporting the support layer. Each actuator is able to locally change a local distance between the support layer and the cover layer to correct for local aberrations in a light beam directed to the optical element by providing local phase shifts. The optical element may be used in a lithographic apparatus.

Abstract: The invention provides a microscope for measuring the surface profile of an object, including (1) an illumination module which directs illumination radiation with different wavelengths to different surface portions of the object in such a way that a predetermined object intersection length range is illuminated for every portion, and (2) a detection module which detects sample radiation of every portion successively in time. Wherein the detection module directs the sample radiation into a detection beam path via a scanner and confocally images another wavelength of the sample radiation in a plane for every intersection length to be detected. The detection module also detects the intensity of the confocally imaged sample radiation in a wavelength-dependent manner and derives therefrom the position of the corresponding surface portion of the object. Wherein the detection module has a color module arranged between the scanner and the plane, through which the sample radiation passes.

Abstract: Optimization of a projection system is performed to obtain a starting configuration that is at a local minimum of the merit function or simply a previously known minimum system is used as the starting configuration. A zero-thickness meniscus lens is inserted at a surface in the local minimum starting configuration with N surfaces to construct a saddle point with Morse Index=1 having N+2 surfaces. The saddle point is perturbed and optimization is performed on both sides of the saddle, and the distances at the two surfaces that have been introduced are increased, to generate two new configurations, m1 and m2, that are new minima in the merit function. Each resulting configuration is output, e.g., as a table of parameters specifying the projection system or as a computer file for use in making an actual projection system.

Abstract: A computer tomography measuring device includes a radiation source for generating invasive radiation, in particular X-rays, and a rotating device which is embodied and arranged in such a way that it enables a measurement object to be rotatable about an axis of rotation of the rotating device, thereby enabling the invasive radiation to penetrate into the measurement object at different angles. A detecting device detects the radiation penetrating through the measurement object. A positioning device provided with an adjusting element is used for adjusting the position of the measurement object with respect to the rotating device.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for filling a container (5) with bulk material (3), comprising a filling device with an outflow opening (6) for the bulk material (3) and a container (5) with a filling opening, through which the bulk material (3) passes into the container (5). According to the invention, an arrangement of the abovementioned type is equipped with a measuring device (13) for the repeated detection of image data from the surface (7) of the bulk material (3) in the container (5) during filling and for the repeated determination of filling state values h which are equivalent to the level of the filled bulk material in predefined regions of the bulk material surface, and with a signal processing device for generating control commands from the filling state values h for positioning the outflow opening (6) and the filling opening relative to one another and/or for influencing the quantity of bulk material (3) which flows out of the outflow opening (6) per unit time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a microscope system (1) for sequential observation of different fluorescent dyes that are accumulated in a tissue located in an object plane (22). An illumination system (70) of the microscope system (1) for illuminating the object plane (22) with illumination radiation has at least two operating states. In one of the at least two operating states, the illumination radiation has a spectrum which includes an excitation band (A1) of a first fluorescent dye and, at the same time, is partly free from an excitation band (A2) of another fluorescent dye. An observation system (2) of the microscope system (1) for providing a first observation optical path (33) for optically imaging the object plane (22) has two different operating states as well.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring an outgassing in a EUV lithography apparatus. The method includes activating a surface within the EUV lithography apparatus, inducing the outgassing, analyzing a residual gas. Defining a maximum partial pressure, recording a mass spectrum of the residual gas, converting the highest-intensity peaks of the mass spectrum into sub-partial pressures, summing the sub-partial pressures, and comparing the summed result with the defined maximum partial pressure. An EUV lithography apparatus includes a residual gas analyzer and a stimulation unit comprised of at least on of an electron source, an ion source, a photon source, and a plasma source. A measurement setup for measuring the outgassing from components by analyzing the residual gas includes a residual gas analyzer, a vacuum chamber, and a stimulation unit comprised of at least on of an electron source, an ion source, a photon source, and a plasma source.

Abstract: A method of performing refractive laser eye surgery on a human eye is provided wherein the ablation pattern is centered along the visual axis, rather than along the line of sight. First, a wavefront, either ocular, corneal or a combination thereof, is generated by a wavefront sensor centered along the line of sight. This measured wavefront is centered on and encompasses a patient's pupil. Then, an analysis pupil is determined which encompasses the measured pupil. The analysis pupil is centered along the visual axis at the point of intersection with the cornea. Consequently, the measured wavefront is reconstructed over the analysis pupil only using data taken over the area covered by the measured pupil. This reconstruction is done through a least squares fit of a series of slopes from the measured wavefront and/or through the transformation of aberration coefficients.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical arrangement for three-dimensionally patterning a radiation-sensitive material layer, such as a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography. The optical arrangement includes a mask for forming a three-dimensional radiation pattern, a substrate with the radiation-sensitive material layer, and a projection optical unit for imaging the three-dimensional radiation pattern from the mask into the radiation-sensitive material layer. The optical arrangement is designed to compensate for spherical aberrations along the thickness direction of the radiation-sensitive material layer in order to generate a stigmatic image of the three-dimensional radiation pattern.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method for providing a deviation map of an eye that includes: (a) acquiring data comprising a corneal topographic map; (b) determining locations of abnormal curvature within the topographic map; (c) determining a modified topographic map by removing data associated with locations of abnormal curvature; (d) computing a reference map from the modified topographic map; (e) computing a deviation map by combining the topographic map and the reference map; and (f) displaying or storing the deviation map. An additional embodiment includes the processing of pachymetric data in a similar fashion.

Abstract: The invention relates generally to optical tomographic imaging and in particular to systems and methods for adapting the resolution of imaging. One embodiment of the present invention is an apparatus for optical coherence tomography imaging, characterized by its ability to vary the axial resolution and scanning speed during imaging.

Abstract: An ophthalmologic surgical work station has a microscope and a foot switch corresponding thereto. The microscope is connected to the foot switch via a console. The microscope and the foot switch are coarsely prepositioned and a change of the relative position between the microscope and the foot switch with respect to each other is only possible via a fine positioning.

Abstract: An imaging device in a projection exposure machine for microlithography has at least one optical element and at least one manipulator, having a linear drive, for manipulating the position of the optical element. The linear drive has a driven subregion and a nondriven subregion, which are movable relative to one another in the direction of a movement axis. The subregions are interconnected at least temporarily via functional elements with an active axis and via functional elements with an active direction at least approximately parallel to the movement axis.

Abstract: Microscope with higher resolution with partial spatial superposition in the illumination by an excitation beam and a de-excitation beam and/or a switching beam in a fluorescing sample, whereby the light from the sample is deflected, whereby, in the excitation beam and/or in the de-excitation and/or the switching beam, at least one combination of devices exercising circular and radial influence on the spatial phase is provided.

Abstract: A projection objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The projection objective can project an image of a mask that can be set in position in an object plane onto a light-sensitive coating layer that can be set in position in an image plane. The projection objective can be designed to operate in an immersion mode, and it can produce at least one intermediate image. The projection objective can include an optical subsystem on the image-plane side which projects the intermediate image into the image plane with an image-plane-side projection ratio having an absolute value of at least 0.3.

Abstract: An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus comprises a pupil surface and an arrangement of individually drivable beam deviating elements. Each beam deviating element is configured to direct light impinging thereon onto different positions on the pupil surface in response to a control signal applied to the beam deviating element. According to the disclosure an attenuation unit is provided which is configured to reduce the intensity of light, which is directed by any arbitrary beam deviating element (onto the pupil surface, by more than 50%. This makes it possible to reduce the intensity of light in the pupil surface that has been reflected by defective beam deviating elements.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing an anti-reflection surface on an optical element, said method comprising the following steps: a) the optical element is prepared; b) uncharged, spherical, micellar polymer units comprising an inner core region and an outer shell region are prepared; and c) at least one region of the surface of the optical element is coated with polymer units in such a way that the polymer units are essentially regularly dispersed in a film-type layer over the surface of the optical element. The invention also relates to an optical element having an anti-reflection surface (28a, 28b, 28c) comprising spherical micellar polymer units (16a, 16b, 16c) having an inner core region (18) and an outer shell region (20) and being essentially regularly dispersed in a film-type layer (26a, 26b, 26c) over the surface of the optical element (22).

Abstract: A method for the spatially resolved measurement of the birefringence distribution of a cylindrically symmetrical blank (2) made from an optical material transparent to at least one wavelength ?B between 180 nm and 650 nm, in particular at 193 nm, including: irradiating the blank (2), arranged in a container (4) with an immersion fluid (5), at a jacket-side measurement position (MP) using a measuring light beam (9) which runs in a measuring direction (Y) preferably perpendicular to the axis of symmetry (S) of the blank (2), as well as varying the jacket-side measurement position (MP) by moving the measuring light beam (9) and the blank (2) relative to one another in two directions (X, Z) perpendicular to the measuring direction (Y) for the purpose of spatially resolved measurement of the non-axial birefringence distribution of the blank (2).