Abstract: A multilayer mirror for reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, the mirror has a substrate and a stack of layers formed on the substrate. The stack of layers comprises layers including a low index material and a high index material, the low index material having a lower real part of the refractive index than the high index material at a given operating wavelength ?. The mirror provides a first peak of reflectivity of 20% or more at a first wavelength ?1 in a first wavelength band extending from 6 nm to 7 nm and a second peak of reflectivity of 20% or more at a second wavelength ?2 in a second wavelength band extending from 12.5 nm to 15 nm.

Abstract: A reflective optical element, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a substrate (101), a reflection layer system (110) and a defect structure (120) of channel-shaped defects (121) which extend inward from the optical effective surface (100a), or from an interface oriented toward the substrate as far as the reflection layer system, and permit egress of hydrogen from the reflection layer system. The channel-shaped defects (121) increase a diffusion coefficient that is characteristic for the egress of the hydrogen from the reflection layer system (110) by at least 20%, in comparison to a similar layer construction without these channel-shaped defects.

Abstract: In order to reduce the negative influence of reactive hydrogen on the lifetime of a reflective optical element, particularly inside an EUV lithography device, there is proposed for the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelength region a reflective optical element (50) having a reflective surface (60) with a multilayer system (51) and in the case of which the reflective surface (60) has a protective layer system (59) with an uppermost layer (56) composed of silicon carbide or ruthenium, the protective layer system (59) having a thickness of between 5 nm and 25 nm.

Abstract: A method for producing a capping layer (18) composed of silicon oxide SiOx on a coating (16) of a mirror (13), the coating reflecting EUV radiation (6) e.g. for use in an EUV lithography apparatus or in an EUV mask metrology system. The method includes irradiating a capping layer (18) composed of silicon nitride SiNx or composed of silicon oxynitride SiNxOy for converting the silicon nitride SiNx or the silicon oxynitride SiNxOy of the capping layer (18) into silicon oxide SiOx. An associated mirror (13) includes a capping layer comprised of silicon oxide SiOX, and can be provided in an associated EUV lithography apparatus.

Abstract: A multilayer mirror (M) reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation from a first wavelength range in an EUV spectral region includes a substrate (SUB) and a stack of layers (SL). The stack of layers has layers having a low index material and layers having a high index material. The low index material has a lower real part of the refractive index than does the high index material at a given operating wavelength in the first wavelength range. The stack of layers also includes a spectral purity filter on the stack of layers. The spectral purity filter is effective as an anti-reflection layer for ultraviolet (UV) radiation from a second wavelength range in a UV spectral region to increase an EUV-UV-reflectivity ratio of the multilayer mirror. The spectral purity filter (SPF) includes a non-diffractive graded-index anti-reflection layer (GI-AR) effective to reduce reflectivity in the second wavelength range.

Abstract: A mirror (1) for the EUV wavelength range having a reflectivity of greater than 40% for at least one angle of incidence of between 0° and 25° includes a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement has at least one non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M), and wherein the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) has a doping with impurity atoms of between 10 ppb and 10%, in particular between 100 ppb and 0.1%, providing the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1010 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1*10?3 S/m, in particular with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1013 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1 S/m.

Abstract: A reflective optical element, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a substrate (101), a reflection layer system (110) and a defect structure (120) of channel-shaped defects (121) which extend inward from the optical effective surface (100a), or from an interface oriented toward the substrate as far as the reflection layer system, and permit egress of hydrogen from the reflection layer system. The channel-shaped defects (121) increase a diffusion coefficient that is characteristic for the egress of the hydrogen from the reflection layer system (110) by at least 20%, in comparison to a similar layer construction without these channel-shaped defects.

Abstract: A mirror (1a; 1a?; 1b; 1b?; 1c; 1c?) for the EUV wavelength range and having a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface layer system (P??) consisting of a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P3) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P3) include two individual layers composed of different materials for a high refractive index layer (H??) and a low refractive index layer (L??), wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface protecting layer (SPL, Lp) or at least one surface protecting layer system (SPLS) having a thickness of greater than 20 nm, and preferably greater than 50 nm.

Abstract: A multilayer mirror for reflecting extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, the mirror has a substrate and a stack of layers formed on the substrate. The stack of layers comprises layers including a low index material and a high index material, the low index material having a lower real part of the refractive index than the high index material at a given operating wavelength ?. The mirror provides a first peak of reflectivity of 20% or more at a first wavelength ?1 in a first wavelength band extending from 6 nm to 7 nm and a second peak of reflectivity of 20% or more at a second wavelength ?2 in a second wavelength band extending from 12.5 nm to 15 nm.

Abstract: A mirror (13) for use e.g. in an EUV lithography apparatus or an EUV mask metrology system, with: a substrate (15) and a coating (16) reflective to EUV radiation (6), the reflective coating having a capping layer (18) composed of an oxynitride, in particular composed of SiNxOY, wherein a nitrogen proportion x in the oxynitride NxOY is between 0.4 and 1.4. Also provided are an EUV lithography apparatus having at least one such EUV mirror (13) and a method for operating such an EUV lithography apparatus.

Abstract: A mirror (1) for the EUV wavelength range having a reflectivity of greater than 40% for at least one angle of incidence of between 0° and 25° includes a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement has at least one non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M), and wherein the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) has a doping with impurity atoms of between 10 ppb and 10%, in particular between 100 ppb and 0.1%, providing the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1010 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1*10?3 S/m, in particular with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*1013 cm?3 and/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1 S/m.

Abstract: A mirror (13) for use e.g. in an EUV lithography apparatus or an EUV mask metrology system, with: a substrate (15) and a coating (16) reflective to EUV radiation (6), the reflective coating having a capping layer (18) composed of an oxynitride, in particular composed of SiNxOY, wherein a nitrogen proportion x in the oxynitride NxOY is between 0.4 and 1.4. Also provided are an EUV lithography apparatus having at least one such EUV mirror (13) and a method for operating such an EUV lithography apparatus.

Abstract: A method for producing a capping layer (18) composed of silicon oxide SiOx on a coating (16) of a mirror (13), the coating reflecting EUV radiation (6) e.g. for use in an EUV lithography apparatus or in an EUV mask metrology system. The method includes irradiating a capping layer (18) composed of silicon nitride SiNx or composed of silicon oxynitride SiNxOy for converting the silicon nitride SiNx or the silicon oxynitride SiNxOy of the capping layer (18) into silicon oxide SiOx. An associated mirror (13) includes a capping layer comprised of silicon oxide SiOx, and can be provided in an associated EUV lithography apparatus.

Abstract: In order to reduce the negative influence of reactive hydrogen on the lifetime of a reflective optical element, particularly inside an EUV lithography device, there is proposed for the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelength region a reflective optical element (50) having a reflective surface (60) with a multilayer system (51) and in the case of which the reflective surface (60) has a protective layer system (59) with an uppermost layer (56) composed of silicon carbide or ruthenium, the protective layer system (59) having a thickness of between 5 nm and 25 nm.

Abstract: In order to produce stress-reduced reflective optical elements (1) for an operating wave length in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range, in particular for use in EUV lithography, it is proposed to apply, between substrate (2) and a multilayer system (4) optimized for high reflectivity at the operating wavelength, a stress-reducing multilayer system (6) with the aid of particle-forming particles having an energy of 40 eV or more, preferably 90 eV or more. Resulting reflective optical elements are distinguished by low surface roughness, a low number of periods in the stress-reducing multilayer system and also high values of the stress-reducing multilayer system.

Abstract: A mirror (1a; 1a?; 1b; 1b?; 1c; 1c?) for the EUV wavelength range and having a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface layer system (P??) consisting of a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P3) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P3) include two individual layers composed of different materials for a high refractive index layer (H??) and a low refractive index layer (L??), wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface protecting layer (SPL, Lp) or at least one surface protecting layer system (SPLS) having a thickness of greater than 20 nm, and preferably greater than 50 nm.

Abstract: In order to produce stress-reduced reflective optical elements (1) for an operating wave length in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range, in particular for use in EUV lithography, it is proposed to apply, between substrate (2) and a multilayer system (4) optimized for high reflectivity at the operating wavelength, a stress-reducing multilayer system (6) with the aid of particle-forming particles having an energy of 40 eV or more, preferably 90 eV or more. Resulting reflective optical elements are distinguished by low surface roughness, a low number of periods in the stress-reducing multilayer system and also high values of the stress-reducing multilayer system.

Abstract: In order to reduce the adverse influence of contamination composed of silicon dioxide, hydrocarbons and/or metals within an EUV lithography apparatus on the reflectivity, a reflective optical element (50) for the extreme ultraviolet wavelength range having a reflective surface (59) is proposed, wherein the multilayer coating of the reflective surface (59) has a topmost layer (56) composed of a fluoride. The contaminations mentioned, which deposit on the reflective optical element (50) during the operation of the EUV lithography apparatus, are converted into volatile compounds by the addition of at least one of the substances mentioned hereinafter: atomic hydrogen, molecular hydrogen, perfluorinated alkanes such as e.g. tetrafluoromethane, oxygen, nitrogen and/or helium.

Abstract: In order to produce stress-reduced reflective optical elements (1) for an operating wave length in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range, in particular for use in EUV lithography, it is proposed to apply, between substrate (2) and a multilayer system (4) optimized for high reflectivity at the operating wavelength, a stress-reducing multilayer system (6) with the aid of particle-forming particles having an energy of 40 eV or more, preferably 90 eV or more. Resulting reflective optical elements are distinguished by low surface roughness, a low number of periods in the stress-reducing multilayer system and also high ? values of the stress-reducing multilayer system.

Abstract: In order to produce stress-reduced reflective optical elements (1) for an operating wave length in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range, in particular for use in EUV lithography, it is proposed to apply, between substrate (2) and a multilayer system (4) optimized for high reflectivity at the operating wavelength, a stress-reducing multilayer system (6) with the aid of particle-forming particles having an energy of 40 eV or more, preferably 90 eV or more. Resulting reflective optical elements are distinguished by low surface roughness, a low number of periods in the stress-reducing multilayer system and also high ? values of the stress-reducing multilayer system.