Patents by Inventor Erich Schubert

Erich Schubert has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10191382
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20180335702
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 9977333
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20170351183
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 9599904
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20160187789
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2016
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 9310694
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20130250264
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 8467031
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Publication number: 20110019171
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an optical device, in particular for microlithography, having an optical module, a supporting structure and a force-generating device. The force-generating device is connected to the optical module and the supporting structure and is designed to exert a clamping force on the optical module. The force-generating device has a fluidic force-generating element having a working chamber to which a working fluid having a working pressure can be applied. The force-generating element takes the form of a muscle element which exerts a first tensile force at a first working pressure and a second tensile force which is increased with respect to the first tensile force at a second working pressure which is increased with respect to the first working pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Andreas Heisler, Joachim Hartjes
  • Publication number: 20100265482
    Abstract: An illumination system of a micro-lithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided, which is configured to illuminate a mask positioned in a mask plane. The system includes a pupil shaping optical subsystem and illuminator optics that illuminate a beam deflecting component. For determining a property of the beam deflecting component, an intensity distribution in a system pupil surface of the illumination system is determined. Then the property of the beam deflecting component is determined such that the intensity distribution produced by the pupil shaping subsystem in the system pupil surface approximates the intensity distribution determined before. At least one of the following aberrations are taken into account in this determination: (i) an aberration produced by the illuminator optics; (ii) an aberration produced by the pupil shaping optical subsystem; (iii) an aberration produced by an optical element arranged between the system pupil surface and the mask plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AG
    Inventors: Erich Schubert, Alexander Kohl, Gerhard-Wilhelm Ziegler, Michael Patra, Markus Deguenther, Michael Layh
  • Patent number: 7405809
    Abstract: An illumination system for scannertype microlithography along a scanning direction with a light source emitting a wavelength especially ?193 nm. The illumination system includes a plurality of raster elements. The plurality of raster elements is imaged into an image plane of the illumination system to produce a plurality of images being partially superimposed on a field in the image plane. The field defines a non-rectangular intensity profile in the scanning direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Joachim Hainz, Wolfgang Singer, Erich Schubert
  • Publication number: 20080165925
    Abstract: The invention relates to an illumination system with a light source emitting radiation with a wavelength ?193 nm, especially radiation in the EUV wavelength range. The invention comprises a first facetted optical element in a first plane with at least a first and second field raster element which receive the light of the light source and divide the same into a first and second bundle of light; a optical component comprising at least a second facetted optical element in a second plane with a first and second pupil raster element, with the first light bundle impinging upon the first pupil raster element and the second light bundle impinging upon the second pupil raster element, with an attenuator being arranged in or close to the second plane or a plane conjugated to the second plane at least in the first light bundle extending from the first field raster element to the first pupil raster element, wherein the optical component images the first and second field raster element into a field plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Joachim Hainz, Erich Schubert
  • Publication number: 20080042079
    Abstract: There is provided a system that includes a first optical sub-system contained in a first space, and a second optical sub-system contained in a second space. The first and said second spaces are separated by a structure selected from the group consisting of a diaphragm and a valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2007
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Wilhelm Egle, Markus Weiss, Joachim Hainz, Joachim Wietzorrek, Johannes Wangler, Frank Melzer, Bernhard Gellrich, Bernhard Geuppert, Erich Schubert, Martin Antoni
  • Patent number: 7321126
    Abstract: There is provided a projection exposure system operable in a scanning mode along a scanning direction. The projection exposure system includes a collector that receives light having a wavelength ?193 nm and illuminates a region in a plane. The plane is defined by a local coordinate system having a y-direction parallel to the scanning direction and an x-direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. The collector includes (a) a first mirror shell, (b) a second mirror shell within the first mirror shell, and (c) a fastening device for fastening the first and second mirror shells. The mirror shells are substantially rotational symmetric about a common rotational axis. The fastening device has a support spoke that extends in a radial direction of the mirror shells, and the support spoke, when projected into the plane, yields a projection that is non-parallel to the y-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Wilhelm Egle, Markus Weiss, Joachim Hainz, Joachim Wietzorrek, Johannes Wangler, Frank Melzer, Bernhard Gellrich, Bernhard Geuppert, Erich Schubert, Martin Antoni
  • Publication number: 20060291062
    Abstract: There is provided a projection exposure system operable in a scanning mode along a scanning direction. The projection exposure system includes a collector that receives light having a wavelength 193 nm and illuminates a region in a plane. The plane is defined by a local coordinate system having a y-direction parallel to the scanning direction and an x-direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. The collector includes (a) a first mirror shell, (b) a second mirror shell within the first mirror shell, and (c) a fastening device for fastening the first and second mirror shells. The mirror shells are substantially rotational symmetric about a common rotational axis. The fastening device has a support spoke that extends in a radial direction of the mirror shells, and the support spoke, when projected into the plane, yields a projection that is non-parallel to the y-direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Wilhelm Egle, Markus Weiss, Joachim Hainz, Joachim Wietzorrek, Johannes Wangler, Frank Melzer, Bernhard Gellrich, Bernhard Geuppert, Erich Schubert, Martin Antoni
  • Publication number: 20060208206
    Abstract: An illumination system for scannertype microlithography along a scanning direction with a light source emitting a wavelength especially ?193 nm. The illumination system includes a plurality of raster elements. The plurality of raster elements is imaged into an image plane of the illumination system to produce a plurality of images being partially superimposed on a field in the image plane. The field defines a non-rectangular intensity profile in the scanning direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 21, 2006
    Inventors: Joachim Hainz, Wolfgang Singer, Erich Schubert
  • Publication number: 20060183629
    Abstract: In a process for concentrating an at least partially crystalline solid containing at least one zeolite in a mixture comprising at least one auxiliary, for example a template compound, and said solid, the mixture is ultrafiltrated in a step (II) to divide the mixture into a retentate and a permeate, the solids content in the retentate being higher than that in the mixture and the solids content in the permeate being lower than that in the mixture. This procedure allows auxiliaries, in particular template compounds, present in the permeate to be recycled into a crystallizing step (I) upstream of step (II).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Applicant: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Muller, Hartwig Voss, Erich Schubert, Friedrich Hill, Hermann Petersen
  • Patent number: 7091505
    Abstract: There is provided a projection exposure system operable in a scanning mode along a scanning direction. The projection exposure system includes a collector that receives light having a wavelength ?193 nm and illuminates a region in a plane. The plane is defined by a local coordinate system having a y-direction parallel to the scanning direction and an x-direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. The collector includes (a) a first mirror shell, (b) a second mirror shell within the first mirror shell, and (c) a fastening device for fastening the first and second mirror shells. The mirror shells are substantially rotational symmetric about a common rotational axis. The fastening device has a support spoke that extends in a radial direction of the mirror shells, and the support spoke, when projected into the plane, yields a projection that is non-parallel to the y-direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Singer, Wilhelm Egle, Markus Weiss, Joachim Hainz, Joachim Wietzorrek, Johannes Wangler, Frank Melzer, Bernhard Gellrich, Bernhard Geuppert, Erich Schubert, Martin Antoni
  • Patent number: 6967181
    Abstract: In a process for concentrating an at least partially crystalline solid containing at least one zeolite in a mixture comprising at least one auxiliary, for example a template compound, and said solid, the mixture is ultrafiltrated in a step (II) to divide the mixture into a retentate and a permeate, the solids content in the retentate being higher than that in the mixture and the solids content in the permeate being lower than that in the mixture. This procedure allows auxiliaries, in particular template compounds, present in the permeate to be recycled into a crystallizing step (I) upstream of step (II).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: BASF Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ulrich Müller, Hartwig Voss, Erich Schubert, Friedrich Hill, Hermann Petersen