Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: a projection lens for imaging mask structures via an exposure radiation including at least one optical element and at least one manipulator; a read-in device for reading in application-specific structure information defining at least one property of an angular distribution of the exposure radiation upon entering the projection lens; and a travel establishing device for establishing a travel command defining a change to be made in an optical effect of the at least one optical element by manipulation of a property of the optical element via the at least one manipulator along a travel. The travel establishing device is configured to establish the travel command in an at least two-stage optimization.

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 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: Aberrations of a projection lens for microlithography can be subdivided into two classes: a first class of aberrations, which are distinguished by virtue of the fact that their future size increases by a non-negligible value after a constant time duration, independently of their current size, and a second class of aberrations, which, after reaching a threshold, only increase by a negligible value after each further time duration. An adjustment method is proposed, which adjusts these two classes of aberrations in parallel in time with one another.

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: 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)+i?1, 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)+i?2, 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 ?1 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 ?2 of the second layer material.

Abstract: A method for controlling a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: determining a wavefront error of the projection exposure apparatus; generating a travel vector, suitable for correcting the wavefront error, with travels for each zone of the optical manipulator; establishing a constraint parameter with respect to the travel for at least one zone of the optical manipulator; and checking the travels of the generated travel vector with respect to implementability.

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 mirror arrangement for an EUV projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprises a plurality of mirrors each having a layer which is reflective in the EUV spectral range and to which EUV radiation can be applied, and having a main body. In this case, at least one mirror of the plurality of mirrors has at least one layer comprising a material having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. Moreover, a method for operating the mirror arrangement and a projection exposure apparatus are described. At least one heat source is arranged, in order to locally apply heat in a targeted manner to the at least one layer having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one mirror.

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 microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: a projection lens for imaging mask structures via an exposure radiation including at least one optical element and at least one manipulator; a read-in device for reading in application-specific structure information defining at least one property of an angular distribution of the exposure radiation upon entering the projection lens; and a travel establishing device for establishing a travel command defining a change to be made in an optical effect of the at least one optical element by manipulation of a property of the optical element via the at least one manipulator along a travel. The travel establishing device is configured to establish the travel command in an at least two-stage optimization.

Abstract: A reflective optical element of an optical system for EUV lithography and an associated manufacturing method. The reflective optical element (20) includes a multilayer system (23, 83) for reflecting an incident electromagnetic wave having an operating wavelength in the EUV range, the reflected wave having a phase ?, and a capping layer (25, 85) made from a capping layer material. The method includes determining a dependency according to which the phase of the reflected wave varies with the thickness d of the capping layer, determining a linearity-region in the dependency in which the phase of the reflected wave varies substantially linearly with the thickness of the capping layer, and creating a thickness profile in the capping layer such that both the maximum thickness and the minimum thickness in the thickness profile are in the linearity-region.

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: 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: 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 reflective optical element for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, a mask inspection apparatus or the like. The reflective optical element has an optically effective surface, an element substrate (12, 32, 42, 52), a reflection layer system (14, 34, 44, 54) and at least one deformation reduction layer (15, 35, 45, 55, 58). When the optically effective surface (11, 31, 41, 51) is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, a maximum deformation level of the reflection layer system is reduced in comparison with a deformation level of an analogously constructed reflective optical element without the deformation reduction layer.

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: Method for operating a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography, the projection exposure apparatus comprising an optical element, a manipulator, which acts on the optical element by changing the temperature of the optical element and the deflection of which brings about a heat flow caused by the manipulator into the optical element. The history of the effects, in particular the temperatures introduced into the optical element or the optical effects caused thereby, of the manipulator are recorded in a record.

Abstract: A method for controlling a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: determining a wavefront error of the projection exposure apparatus; generating a travel vector, suitable for correcting the wavefront error, with travels for each zone of the optical manipulator; establishing a constraint parameter with respect to the travel for at least one zone of the optical manipulator; and checking the travels of the generated travel vector with respect to implementability.

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.