Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical element, including: a substrate, a first coating, which is disposed on a first side of the substrate and is configured for reflecting radiation having a used wavelength (?EUV) in the EUV wavelength range, and a second coating, which is disposed on a second side of the substrate, for influencing heating radiation that is incident on the second side of the substrate. The disclosure also relates to an optical arrangement having at least one such optical element.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical element, including: a substrate, a first coating, which is disposed on a first side of the substrate and is configured for reflecting radiation having a used wavelength (?EUV) in the EUV wavelength range, and a second coating, which is disposed on a second side of the substrate, for influencing heating radiation that is incident on the second side of the substrate. The disclosure also relates to an optical arrangement having at least one such optical element.

Abstract: An imaging optical system, in particular a projection objective, for microlithography, includes optical elements to guide electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in a path to image an object field into an image plane. The imaging optical system includes a pupil, having coordinates (p, q), which, together with the image field, having coordinates (x, y) of the optical system, spans an extended 4-dimensional pupil space, having coordinates (x, y, p, q), as a function of which a wavefront W(x, y, p, q) of the radiation passing through the optical system is defined. The wavefront W can therefore be defined in the pupil plane as a function of an extended 4-dimensional pupil space spanned by the image field (x, y) and the pupil (p, q) as W(x, y, p, q)=W(t), with t=(x, y, p, q).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical element, including: a substrate, a first coating, which is disposed on a first side of the substrate and is configured for reflecting radiation having a used wavelength (?EUV) in the EUV wavelength range, and a second coating, which is disposed on a second side of the substrate, for influencing heating radiation that is incident on the second side of the substrate. The disclosure also relates to an optical arrangement having at least one such optical element.

Abstract: An optical arrangement includes an optical element (1) and a thermal manipulation device. The optical element has a substrate (2), a coating (3, 9, 5) applied to the substrate (2), and an antireflection coating (3). The coating (3, 9, 5) includes: a reflective multi-layer coating (5b) configured to reflect radiation (4) with a used wavelength (?EUV). The antireflection coating (3) is arranged between the substrate (2) and the reflective multi-layer coating (5b) to suppress reflection of heating radiation (7) with a heating wavelength (?H) that differs from the used wavelength (?EUV). The thermal manipulation device has at least one heating light source (8) to produce heating radiation (7).

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical element, including: a substrate, a first coating, which is disposed on a first side of the substrate and is configured for reflecting radiation having a used wavelength (?EUV) in the EUV wavelength range, and a second coating, which is disposed on a second side of the substrate, for influencing heating radiation that is incident on the second side of the substrate. The disclosure also relates to an optical arrangement having at least one such optical element.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography includes a projection lens which includes a plurality of optical elements for imaging mask structures onto a substrate during an exposure process. The projection exposure apparatus also includes at least one manipulator configured to change, as part of a manipulator actuation, the optical effects of at least one of the optical elements within the projection lens by changing a state variable of the optical element along a predetermined travel. The projection exposure apparatus further includes an algorithm generator configured to generate a travel generating optimization algorithm, adapted to at least one predetermined imaging parameter, on the basis of the at least one predetermined imaging parameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, comprising at least one manipulator for reducing image aberrations, wherein the manipulator has at least two optical elements that can be positioned relative to one another, wherein at least one of the optical elements is spatially dependent in terms of its effect on an optical wavefront passing therethrough such that a local phase change of a wavefront propagating in the optical system is produced in the case of a relative movement of the optical elements against one another. Here, the spatially dependent effect of the at least one optical element can be set in a reversible dynamic manner.

Abstract: Projection objectives, such as projection objectives of lithography projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related systems, components and methods, such as methods of revising and/or repairing such objectives, are disclosed.

Abstract: A wavefront correction element for an optical system, in particular an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus or a mask inspection apparatus, has a carrier film (110, 210, 410) which at least partly transmits electromagnetic radiation that has an operating wavelength of the optical system and that impinges on the carrier film during operation of the optical system. The carrier film (110, 210, 410) is configured such that the real part of the complex refractive index of the carrier film varies over a used region of the surface of the carrier film (110, 210, 410).

Abstract: A projection lens images a pattern of a mask arranged in the region of an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation with a work wavelength ?<260 nm. The projection lens has a multiplicity of optical elements with optical surfaces. The projection lens also has a wavefront manipulation system for controllable influencing of the wavefront of the projection radiation travelling from the object plane to the image plane. The wavefront manipulation system has a manipulator having a manipulator element and an actuating device or reversibly changing an optical effect of the manipulator element on radiation of the projection beam path.

Abstract: A projection apparatus for microlithography for imaging an object field includes an objective, one or a plurality of manipulators for manipulating one or a plurality of optical elements of the objective, a control unit for regulating or controlling the one or the plurality of manipulators, a determining device for determining at least one or a plurality of image aberrations of the objective, a memory comprising upper bounds for one or a plurality of specifications of the objective, including upper bounds for image aberrations and/or movements for the manipulators, wherein when determining an overshooting of one of the upper bounds by one of the image aberrations and/or an overshooting of one of the upper bounds by one of the manipulator movements by regulation or control of at least one manipulator within at most 30000 ms, or 10000 ms, or 5000 ms, or 1000 ms, or 200 ms, or 20 ms, or 5 ms, or 1 ms, an undershooting of the upper bounds can be effected.

Abstract: Projection objectives, such as projection objectives of lithography projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related systems, components and methods, such as methods of revising and/or repairing such objectives, are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of operating a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes, in a first step, providing a projection objective that includes a plurality of real manipulators. In a second step, a virtual manipulator is defined that is configured to produce preliminary control signals for at least two of the real manipulators. In a third step, performed during operation of the apparatus, a real image error of the projection objective is determined. In a fourth step, a desired corrective effect is determined. In a fifth step, first virtual control signals for the virtual manipulator are determined. In a sixth step, second virtual control signals for the real manipulators are determined.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography includes a projection lens which includes a plurality of optical elements for imaging mask structures onto a substrate during an exposure process. The projection exposure apparatus also includes at least one manipulator configured to change, as part of a manipulator actuation, the optical effects of at least one of the optical elements within the projection lens by changing a state variable of the optical element along a predetermined travel. The projection exposure apparatus further includes an algorithm generator configured to generate a travel generating optimization algorithm, adapted to at least one predetermined imaging parameter, on the basis of the at least one predetermined imaging parameter.

Abstract: A film element of an EUV-transmitting wavefront correction device is arranged in a beam path and includes a first layer of first layer material having a first complex refractive index n1=(1??1)+iß1, with a first optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a first layer thickness profile, and a second layer of second layer material having a second complex refractive index n2=(1??2)+iß2, with a second optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a second layer thickness profile. The first and second layer thickness profiles differ. The deviation ?1 of the real part of the first refractive index from 1 is large relative to the absorption coefficient ß1 of the first layer material and the deviation ?2 of the real part of the second refractive index from 1 is small relative to the absorption coefficient ß2 of the second layer material.

Abstract: A projection exposure method for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern includes providing the pattern between an illumination system and a projection lens of a projection exposure apparatus so that the pattern is arranged in the region of an object plane of the projection lens and can be imaged via the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens. The image plane is optically conjugate with respect to the object plane, and imaging-relevant properties of the pattern can be characterized by pattern data. The method also includes illuminating an illumination region of the pattern with an illumination radiation provided by the illumination system in accordance with an illumination setting which is specific to a use case and which can be characterized by illumination setting data.

Abstract: An optical assembly, in particular for a lithography system for imaging lithographic micro- or nanostructures, includes at least two optical elements arranged successively in a beam path of the optical assembly, an acquisition device designed to acquire radiation signals from marking elements on or at the at least two optical elements, and a control device coupled to the acquisition device and which is designed to determine the plurality of properties of the optically active surface of the at least two optical elements as a function of the information contained in the radiation signals originating from the marking elements. The disclosure also relates to a method for operating the optical assembly.

Abstract: A microlithography projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens at least one manipulator to change an optical effect of at least one optical element of the projection lens, and a travel establishing device for generating a travel command for the at least one manipulator.

Abstract: A projection lens images a pattern of a mask arranged in the region of an object plane of the projection lens into an image plane of the projection lens via electromagnetic radiation with a work wavelength ?<260 nm. The projection lens has a multiplicity of optical elements with optical surfaces. The projection lens also has a wavefront manipulation system for controllable influencing of the wavefront of the projection radiation travelling from the object plane to the image plane. The wavefront manipulation system has a manipulator having a manipulator element and an actuating device or reversibly changing an optical effect of the manipulator element on radiation of the projection beam path.