Abstract: An ultra-broadband ultraviolet (UV) catadioptric imaging microscope system with wide-range zoom capability. The microscope system, which comprises a catadioptric lens group and a zooming tube lens group, has high optical resolution in the deep UV wavelengths, continuously adjustable magnification, and a high numerical aperture. The system integrates microscope modules such as objectives, tube lenses and zoom optics to reduce the number of components, and to simplify the system manufacturing process. The preferred embodiment offers excellent image quality across a very broad deep ultraviolet spectral range, combined with an all-refractive zooming tube lens. The zooming tube lens is modified to compensate for higher-order chromatic aberrations that would normally limit performance.

Abstract: A projection lithographic system that operates within the deep ultraviolet to vacuum ultraviolet region of the spectrum and uses an all-reflective optical arrangement to project a reduced image of a lithographic mask onto a semiconductor wafer. The all-reflective optical arrangement includes from six to eight reflective surfaces wherein each of the reflective surfaces is aspheric, The reflective surfaces are disposed along a common optical axis and are arranged not to interfere with the path of light as the light travel from the lithographic mask to the semiconductor wafer.