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: 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: 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: There is provided a multi-mirror-system for an illumination system, especially for lithography with wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes light rays traveling along a light oath from an object plane to an image plane, and an arc-shaped field in the image plane, whereby a radial direction in the middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first mirror and the second mirror are arranged in the light path in such a position and having such a shape, that the edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field in the image plane is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Furthermore, the light rays are impinging on the first mirror and the second mirror with incidence angles ?30° or ?60° relative to a surface normal of the first and second mirror.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for a microlithography projection exposure system is used for imaging an object field arranged in an object plane of the imaging system into an image field arranged in an image plane of the imaging system. A projection objective or a relay objective to be used in the illumination system can be involved, in particular. The imaging system has a plurality of lenses that are arranged between the object plane and the image plane and in each case have a first lens surface and a second lens surface. At least one of the lenses is a double aspheric lens where the first lens surface and the second lens surface is an aspheric surface. Lenses of good quality that have the action of an asphere with very strong deformation can be produced in the case of double aspheric lenses with an acceptable outlay as regards the surface processing and testing of the lens surfaces.

Abstract: An optical beam transformation system has a sequence of optical elements arranged along an optical axis of the optical beam transformation system and designed for transforming an entrance light distribution striking an entrance surface of the optical beam transformation system into an exit light distribution emerging from an exit surface of the optical beam transformation system by radial redistribution of light intensity. The optical elements include a transformation element causing a radial redistribution of light intensity and having a transformation surface inclined to the optical axis and causing a polarization-selective reflection of a light distribution incident on the transformation surface according to an efficiency symmetry characteristic for the transformation surface.

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: 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 an illumination system for microlithography. The illumination system includes an optical element having a plurality of field raster elements, a plane in which a field is illuminated, and a grazing incidence mirror situated in a light path from the optical element to the plane, after the optical element. The illumination system has no other grazing incidence mirror in the light path, after the optical element and before the plane.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system. the illumination system includes (a) a source of light having a wavelength of less than or equal to 193 nm, and (b) an optical element in a path of the light, having a first raster element, a second raster element, a third raster element and a fourth raster element situated thereon. The second raster element is adjacent to the first raster element, and located a first distance from the first raster element. The fourth raster element is adjacent to the third raster element, and located a second distance from the third raster element. The second distance is different from the first distance.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for microlithography. The illumination system includes an optical element having a plurality of field raster elements, a plane in which a field is illuminated, and a grazing incidence mirror situated in a light path from the optical element to the plane, after the optical element. The illumination system has no other grazing incidence mirror in the light path, after the optical element and before the plane.

Abstract: There is provided a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm. The apparatus includes an optical element with a pupil raster element, and a projection objective with a real entrance pupil. The optical element is situated in or near a plane defined by the real entrance pupil.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system. The illumination system includes a first light source and a second light source, each of which are for providing light having a wavelength ?193 nm, and an optical element. The first light source illuminates a first area of the optical element and the second light source illuminates a second area of the optical element.

Abstract: An optical imaging system for a microlithography projection exposure system is used for imaging an object field arranged in an object plane of the imaging system into an image field arranged in an image plane of the imaging system. A projection objective or a relay objective to be used in the illumination system can be involved, in particular. The imaging system has a plurality of lenses that are arranged between the object plane and the image plane and in each case have a first lens surface and a second lens surface. At least one of the lenses is a double aspheric lens where the first lens surface and the second lens surface is an aspheric surface. Lenses of good quality that have the action of an asphere with very strong deformation can be produced in the case of double aspheric lenses with an acceptable outlay as regards the surface processing and testing of the lens surfaces.

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: 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: There is provided an illumination system. The illumination system includes a light source for emitting light having a wavelength ?193 nm, an optical system, and a radiation protection wall situated between the light source and the optical system.

Abstract: This invention relates to an Ilumination system for scanning lithography especially for wavelengths?193 nm, particularly EUV lithography, for the illumination of a slit, comprising at least one field mirror or at least one field lens and being characterized in that at least one of the field mirror(s) or the field lens(es) has (have) an aspheric shape.

Abstract: An optical beam transformation system, which can be designed to be utilized in an illuminating system of a microlithograpic projection exposure apparatus, has a sequence of optical elements arranged along an optical axis of the optical beam transformation system and designed for transforming an entrance light distribution striking an entrance surface of the optical beam transformation system into an exit light distribution emerging from an exit surface of the optical beam transformation system by radial redistribution of light intensity. The optical elements include at least one transformation element causing a radial redistribution of light intensity and having at least one transformation surface inclined to the optical axis and causing a polarization-selective reflection of a light distribution incident on the transformation surface according to an efficiency symmetry characteristic for the transformation surface.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for EUV-wavelengths. The illumination system includes a plurality of EUV-light sources and an optical unit combining the plurality of EUV-light sources.