Abstract: An imaging optical unit comprises a plurality of minors for imaging an object field into an image field. The imaging optical unit has an image-side numerical aperture greater than 0.55. Each mirror is configured so that it can be measured by a testing optical unit having at least one DOE with a predetermined maximum diameter for test wavefront generation. For the complete measurement of all reflection surfaces of the minors, a maximum number of DOEs of the testing optical unit and/or a maximum number of DOE test positions of the at least one DOE of the testing optical unit comes into play, which is no more than five times the number of minors in the imaging optical unit. The result is an imaging optical unit in which a testing-optical measurement remains manageable even in the case of a design with an image-side numerical aperture which is relatively large.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit comprises a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. An image-side numerical aperture is greater than 0.55. A ratio between an object/image offset and a meridional transverse direction is at least 0.5. A ratio between a working distance between the object plane and a reflection portion, closest to the object plane, of one of the mirrors and the meridional transverse dimension is at least 0.05. The working distance is at least 270 mm. This can yield an imaging optical unit, the use of which is relatively manageable in a projection exposure apparatus, such as for EUV projection lithography.

Abstract: A projection optical unit for microlithography includes a plurality of mirrors and has a numerical aperture having a value larger than 0.5. The plurality of mirrors includes at least three grazing incidence mirrors, which deflect a chief ray of a central object field point with an angle of incidence of greater than 45°. Different polarized light beams passing the projection optical unit are rotated in their polarization direction by different angles of rotation. The projection optical unit includes first and second groups of mirrors. The second group of mirrors includes the final two mirrors of the plurality of mirrors at the image side. A linear portion in the pupil dependence of the total geometrical polarization rotation of the projection optical unit is less than 20% of a linear portion in the pupil dependence of the geometrical polarization rotation of the second group of mirrors.

Abstract: A projection optical unit for microlithography includes a plurality of mirrors and has a numerical aperture having a value larger than 0.5. The plurality of mirrors includes at least three grazing incidence mirrors, which deflect a chief ray of a central object field point with an angle of incidence of greater than 45°. Different polarized light beams passing the projection optical unit are rotated in their polarization direction by different angles of rotation. The projection optical unit includes first and second groups of mirrors. The second group of mirrors includes the final two mirrors of the plurality of mirrors at the image side. A linear portion in the pupil dependence of the total geometrical polarization rotation of the projection optical unit is less than 20% of a linear portion in the pupil dependence of the geometrical polarization rotation of the second group of mirrors.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit includes a plurality of mirrors to guide imaging light along an imaging beam path. The plurality of mirrors includes a number of mirrors for grazing incidence (GI mirrors), which deflect a chief ray of a central object field point with an angle of incidence of more than 45°. At least two of the GI mirrors are in the imaging beam path as basic GI mirrors so that the deflection effect thereof adds up for the chief ray. At least one further GI mirror is arranged in the imaging beam path as a counter GI mirror so that the deflection effect thereof acts in subtractive fashion for the chief ray in relation to the deflection effect of the basic GI mirrors. This can yield an imaging optical unit having enhanced flexibility in relation to an installation space used for mirror bodies of the mirrors of the imaging optical unit.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit includes a plurality of mirrors to guide imaging light along an imaging beam path. The plurality of mirrors includes a number of mirrors for grazing incidence (GI mirrors), which deflect a chief ray of a central object field point with an angle of incidence of more than 45°. At least two of the GI mirrors are in the imaging beam path as basic GI mirrors so that the deflection effect thereof adds up for the chief ray. At least one further GI mirror is arranged in the imaging beam path as a counter GI mirror so that the deflection effect thereof acts in subtractive fashion for the chief ray in relation to the deflection effect of the basic GI mirrors. This can yield an imaging optical unit having enhanced flexibility in relation to an installation space used for mirror bodies of the mirrors of the imaging optical unit.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field into an image field with imaging light guided along a path from the object field to the image field. The penultimate mirror in the path has no passage opening to pass the imaging light. The imaging optical unit has a stop to predefine an outer marginal contour of a pupil of the imaging optical unit. The stop is between the penultimate and last mirrors in the path. The imaging optical unit can have exactly one stop for predefining at least one section of the outer pupil marginal contour. An entrance pupil of the imaging optical unit can be upstream of the object field. The imaging optical unit can be well defined regarding its pupil and exhibit desirable properties for projection lithography.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for guiding imaging light from an object field into an image field. The object field is spanned by a first, larger object field dimension and along a second, smaller object field dimension. The imaging optical unit has at least two GI mirrors and at least one NI mirror. The NI mirror is arranged between two GI mirrors in the imaging light beam path. A used reflection surface of the NI mirror has an aspect ratio between a surface dimension along a first reflection surface coordinate and a surface dimension along a second reflection coordinate parallel to the second object field dimension. The aspect ratio being less than 4.5. An imaging optical unit with reduced production costs emerges.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for guiding imaging light from an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane along an imaging light beam path. At least two of the mirrors are embodied as GI mirrors. Exactly one stop serves to predefine at least one section of an outer marginal contour of a pupil of the imaging optical unit. The stop is arranged spatially in front of a penultimate mirror in the imaging light beam path. This results in an imaging optical unit that is well defined with regard to its pupil and is optimized for projection lithography.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for imaging an object field in an image field is disclosed. The imaging optical unit has an obscured pupil. This pupil has a center, through which a chief ray of a central field point passes. The imaging optical unit furthermore has a plurality of imaging optical components. A gravity center of a contiguous pupil obscuration region of the imaging optical unit lies decentrally in the pupil of the imaging optical unit.

Abstract: An objective having a plurality of optical elements arranged to image a pattern from an object field to an image field at an image-side numerical aperture NA>0.8 with electromagnetic radiation from a wavelength band around a wavelength ? includes a number N of dioptric optical elements, each dioptric optical element i made from a transparent material having a normalized optical dispersion ?ni=ni(?0)?ni(?0+1 pm) for a wavelength variation of 1 pm from a wavelength ?0. The objective satisfies the relation ? ? i = 1 N ? ? ? ? n i ? ( s i - d i ) ? ? 0 ? NA 4 ? A for any ray of an axial ray bundle originating from a field point on an optical axis in the object field, where si is a geometrical path length of a ray in an ith dioptric optical element having axial thickness di and the sum extends on all dioptric optical elements of the objective. Where A=0.2 or below, spherochromatism is sufficiently corrected.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for guiding imaging light from an object field into an image field. The object field is spanned by a first, larger object field dimension and along a second, smaller object field dimension. The imaging optical unit has at least two GI mirrors and at least one NI mirror. The NI mirror is arranged between two GI mirrors in the imaging light beam path. A used reflection surface of the NI mirror has an aspect ratio between a surface dimension along a first reflection surface coordinate and a surface dimension along a second reflection coordinate parallel to the second object field dimension. The aspect ratio being less than 4.5. An imaging optical unit with reduced production costs emerges.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for guiding imaging light from an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane along an imaging light beam path. At least two of the mirrors are embodied as GI mirrors. Exactly one stop serves to predefine at least one section of an outer marginal contour of a pupil of the imaging optical unit. The stop is arranged spatially in front of a penultimate mirror in the imaging light beam path. This results in an imaging optical unit that is well defined with regard to its pupil and is optimized for projection lithography.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field into an image field with imaging light guided along a path from the object field to the image field. The penultimate mirror in the path has no passage opening to pass the imaging light. The imaging optical unit has a stop to predefine an outer marginal contour of a pupil of the imaging optical unit. The stop is between the penultimate and last mirrors in the path. The imaging optical unit can have exactly one stop for predefining at least one section of the outer pupil marginal contour. An entrance pupil of the imaging optical unit can be upstream of the object field. The imaging optical unit can be well defined regarding its pupil and exhibit desirable properties for projection lithography.

Abstract: A measuring arrangement for measuring optical properties of a reflective optical element, in particular for microlithography, with an EUV light source (5), a detector (20) configured to detect EUV radiation reflected at the reflective optical element (10), and an imaging system (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90), which images object points on the reflective optical element onto respective image points on the detector, wherein the imaging system is configured to reflect the EUV radiation, a first optical component (31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91), and at least one second optical component (32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92). Both at the first optical component and at the second optical component, reflection angles with respect to respective surface normals that respectively occur during reflection of the EUV radiation are at least 70°.

Abstract: A measuring arrangement for measuring optical properties of a reflective optical element, in particular for microlithography, with an EUV light source (5), a detector (20) configured to detect EUV radiation reflected at the reflective optical element (10), and an imaging system (30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90), which images object points on the reflective optical element onto respective image points on the detector, wherein the imaging system is configured to reflect the EUV radiation, a first optical component (31, 41, 51, 61, 71, 81, 91), and at least one second optical component (32, 42, 52, 62, 72, 82, 92). Both at the first optical component and at the second optical component, reflection angles with respect to respective surface normals that respectively occur during reflection of the EUV radiation are at least 70°.

Abstract: A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus contains an illumination system (12) for generating projection light (13) and a projection lens (20; 220; 320; 420; 520; 620; 720; 820; 920; 1020; 1120) with which a reticle (24) that is capable of being arranged in an object plane (22) of the projection lens can be imaged onto a light-sensitive layer (26) that is capable of being arranged in an image plane (28) of the projection lens. The projection lens is designed for immersion mode, in which a final lens element (L5; L205; L605; L705; L805; L905; L1005; L1105) of the projection lens on the image side is immersed in an immersion liquid (34; 334a; 434a; 534a). A terminating element (44; 244; 444; 544; 644; 744; 844; 944; 1044; 1144) that is transparent in respect of the projection light (13) is fastened between the final lens element on the image side and the light-sensitive layer.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit (7) serves for imaging an object field (4) in an object plane (5) into an image field (8) in an image plane (9). The imaging optical unit (7) has a plurality of components (M1 to M6, GI) which guide imaging light (3). The imaging optical unit (7) is embodied as a pupil-obscured system. The imaging optical unit (7) has at least one mirror (GI) for grazing incidence of the imaging light (3). The result is an imaging optical unit having a handleable combination of low imaging aberrations and compact construction.

Abstract: An imaging optical unit for imaging an object field in an image field is disclosed. The imaging optical unit has an obscured pupil. This pupil has a center, through which a chief ray of a central field point passes. The imaging optical unit furthermore has a plurality of imaging optical components. A gravity center of a contiguous pupil obscuration region of the imaging optical unit lies decentrally in the pupil of the imaging optical unit.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an optical arrangement in a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus which is designed for operation in EUV. The optical arrangement includes first and second mirrors that are in direct succession to each other along the projection beam direction. The second mirror is rigidly connected to the first mirror.