Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for scannertype microlithography along a scanning direction with a light source emitting a wavelength ?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.

Abstract: There is provided a projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus that has a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation having a chief ray with a wavelength?193 nm. The projection objective includes an object plane, a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a fourth mirror; and an image plane. The object plane, the first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, the fourth mirror and the image plane are arranged in a centered arrangement around a common optical axis. The first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, and the fourth mirror are situated between the object plane and the image plane. The chief ray, when incident on an object situated in the object plane, in a direction from the primary light source, is inclined away from the common optical axis.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength?193 nm, includes (A) a primary light source, (B) an illumination system having (1) an image plane, (2) a plurality of raster elements for receiving light from the primary light source, and (3) a field mirror for receiving the light from the plurality of raster elements and for forming an arc-shaped field having a plurality of field points in the image plane, and (C) a projection objective. The illumination system has a principle ray associated with each of the plurality of field points thus defining a plurality of principle rays. The plurality of principle rays run divergently into the projection objective.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for light having wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes (a) a first raster element for receiving a first diverging portion of the light and directing a first beam of the light, (b) a second raster element for receiving a second diverging portion of the light and directing a second beam of the light, where the first raster element is oriented at an angle with respect to the second raster element to cause a center ray of the first beam to intersect with a center ray of the second beam at an image plane, and (c) an optical element for imaging secondary sources of the light in an exit pupil, where the optical element is situated in a path of the light after the first and second raster elements and before the image plane.

Abstract: There is provided a multi-mirror system for an illumination system with wavelengths ?193 nm. The multi-mirror system includes (a) an imaging system having a first mirror and a second mirror, (b) an object plane, (c) an image plane in which the imaging system forms an image of an object, and (d) an arc-shaped field in the image plane, where a radial direction in a middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first and second mirrors are arranged such that an edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Rays traveling from the object plane to the image plane impinge a used area of the first and second mirrors with incidence angles relative to a surface normal of the mirrors ?30° or ?60°.

Abstract: This invention relates to an illumination system for scanning lithography with wavelengths ≦193 nm, particularly EUV lithography, for the illumination of a slit. The illumination system includes a light source, and a field lens group. The field lens group is shaped so that an illuminated field is distorted in a plane of a reticle perpendicular to a scanning direction.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for a projection exposure system. The illumination system includes (a) a light source for the emission of wavelengths of ≦193 nm, (b) a device for producing secondary light sources, the device including a mirror having raster elements, (c) a diaphragm plane, (d) a first optical element for imaging the diaphragm plane in an exit pupil of the illumination system, (e) an object plane in which images of the raster elements are substantially in line and illuminate a predetermined field with an intensity distribution, and (f) a second optical element for producing a light distribution in the exit pupil. The light distribution is specified by a parameter selected from the group consisting of type and filling degree, and the parameter is modified by a technique selected from the group consisting of exchanging, displacing and deforming the second optical element.

Abstract: Partial objective for illumination of an image field in an illuminating device of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, arranged between a aperture plane and an image plane. The partial objective comprises a first lens group and a second lens group with a lens with a first aspheric lens surface. The second lens group has at least a first lens with negative refractive power and at least a second lens with positive refractive power. The maximum field height Yimmax within the image field is at least 40 mm; the image-side numerical aperture is at least 0.15. The distribution of the chief ray angles PF over the field heights Yim within the image field is given by a pupil function PF(Yim), which consists of a linear contribution c1·Yim and a non-linear contribution PFNL(Yim), the non-linear contribution PFNL(Yim) being at least +15 mrad for the maximum positive field height Yimmax.

Abstract: The invention concerns an illumination system for wavelengths<193 nm, especially for EUV-lithography with a plurality of light sources a mirror device for creating secondary light sources comprising several mirrors, said mirrors are comprising raster elements. The invention is characterized in that the plurality of light sources are coupled together in order to illuminate the exit pupil of the illumination system up to a predetermined degree of filling.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for illuminating a field with an aspect ratio other than 1:1 in an image plane. The illumination system includes (a) a light source, and (b) an optical component for transforming the light source into a secondary light source, where the optical component produces an anamorphotic effect that splits the secondary light source into a tangential secondary light source and a sagital secondary light source. The optical component has a first mirror or a first lens, having a raster element. The raster element has an aspect ratio smaller than the aspect ratio of the field in the image plane, and the raster element is imaged into the image plane.

Abstract: An illuminating device of a projection-microlithographic device includes a light source, an objective, and a device which produces a particular image field configuration. The device has fields which, in the direction of scanning movement, are separated at least in parts by a free zone, and are located in a peripheral region of the circular image field of a downstream projection objective in a manner at least approximating rotation symmetry. The integral of the quantity of light passing through the fields in the scanning direction are constant over the entire extent of the image field configuration in the direction at right angles to the scanning direction. Such an image field configuration replaces a conventional rectangular scanner slot formation whose width in the scanning direction corresponds to the forementioned integral of the image field configuration. The design of the image field configuration permits an approximately rotationally symmetric illumination of the projection objective.

Abstract: The invention concerns an illumination system, particularly for microlithography with wavelengths ≦193 nm, comprising a light source, a first optical component, a second optical component, an image plane and an exit pupil. The first optical component transforms the light source into a plurality of secondary light sources being imaged by the second optical component in said exit pupil. The first optical component comprises a first optical element having a plurality of first raster elements, which are imaged into said image plane producing a plurality of images being superimposed at least partially on a field in said image plane. The first raster elements deflect incoming ray bundles with first deflection angles, wherein at least two of the first deflection angles are different. The first raster elements are preferably rectangular, wherein the field is a segment of an annulus.

Abstract: The invention concerns an illumination system for wavelengths (193 nm, particularly for EUV lithography with at least one light source, which has an illumination A in one surface; at least one device for producing secondary light sources; at least one mirror or lens device, comprising at least one mirror or one lens, which is (are) divided into raster elements; one or more optical elements, which are arranged between the mirror or lens device that comprises at least one mirror or one lens, which is (are) divided into raster elements, and the reticle plane, wherein the optical elements image the secondary light sources in the exit pupil of the illumination system.

Abstract: A REMA objective is realized by introduction of a few (1 to 5 units) aspherical surfaces of high-quality correction with a low number of lenses (no more than 10), and low path in glass (maximum 25% to 30%) of the object-reticle distance, thus enhancing efficiency.

Abstract: An illumination system for a microlithography projection illumination equipment, in which a secondary light source is imaged on a reticle . The distortion of the image can be set by at least one variable optical path between optical elements, and the uniformity of the illumination is changed because of the changed distortion, in particular, in that the uniformity is increased toward the edge.

Abstract: The invention concerns an illumination system for wavelengths ≦193 nm, particularly for EUV lithography, with at least one light source, which has an illumination A in a predetermined surface; at least one device for producing secondary light sources; at least one mirror or lens device comprising at least one mirror or one lens, which is or are organized into raster elements; one or more optical elements, which are arranged between the mirror or lens device comprising at least one mirror or one lens, which is or are organized into raster elements and the reticle plane, whereby the optical elements image the secondary light sources in the exit pupil of the illumination system.