Abstract: An optical assembly (100, 200, 300) for an EUV projection exposure apparatus (400) and/or an EUV mask metrology apparatus includes an optical component (101) configured to reflect EUV imaging light (102), a housing (104) that at least partly surrounds the optical component (101) and also encapsulates sections of an EUV beam pathway within the EUV projection exposure apparatus (400) or the EUV mask metrology apparatus, at least one particle trap (106, 206, 306) designed to reduce free particle contamination (105), especially by tin particles, within the housing (104) and having an opening (107, 207, 307) in the direction of the EUV beam pathway. The particle trap (106, 206, 306) is disposed in the housing (104), where the particle trap (106, 206, 306) has an interior and an inner surface (109) surrounding the interior and takes the form of a channel.

Abstract: A multi-mirror array comprises a carrier structure and a multiplicity of mirror units arranged next to one another in a grid arrangement on the carrier structure. Each mirror unit comprises a base element and a mirror element. Each mirror element is mounted individually movably relative to the base element. Each mirror element has a mirror substrate, which, on a front surface facing away from the base element, bears a reflection coating, which can be designed for EUV radiation or for DUV radiation. The mirror surfaces are arranged next to one another to substantially fill the surface area. Between directly adjacent mirror elements there is a gap delimited by side surfaces of the adjoining mirror substrates to ensure a collision-free relative movement of the adjacent mirror elements.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon-containing materials. Where the silicon-containing materials are produced by thermal decomposition of silicon precursors in the presence of porous particles and silicon is deposited within pores and on a surface of the porous particles. The thermal decomposition of the silicon precursors takes place in the reaction zone of a gas-traversed reactor and the particles are circulated in the reaction zone during the thermal decomposition by using a stirrer which is close-clearance in the heated regions and the stirring mechanism is in close-clearance in accordance with equation 1 W ? ( h ) = u R ( h ) u B ( h ) .

Abstract: An EUV optics module (35) for an EUV projection exposure apparatus (1) has at least one optical component (19, 21, 23, 7, M1 to M6, 13) having an optical surface guiding used EUV radiation (16) from an EUV source (3) along an illuminating and/or imaging beam path of the projection exposure apparatus (1). The optical component (19, 21, 23, 7, M1 to M6, 13) is accommodated in a reduced-pressure chamber (36). A gas source (37) is fluidically connected via at least one valve to the reduced-pressure chamber (36). The gas source (37) is configured to provide at least the following gas: hydrogen. This results in an EUV optics module having elevated operating time.

Abstract: A method for operating an EUV lithography apparatus (1) with at least one vacuum housing (27) for at least one reflective optical element (12) includes operating the EUV lithography apparatus in an exposure operating mode (B), in which EUV radiation (5) is radiated into the vacuum housing, wherein a reducing plasma is generated at a surface (12a) of the reflective optical element in response to an interaction of the EUV radiation with a residual gas present in the vacuum housing. After an exposure pause, in which no EUV radiation is radiated into the vacuum housing, and before renewed operation of the EUV lithography apparatus in the exposure operating mode (B), the EUV lithography apparatus is operated in a recovery operating mode, in which oxidized contaminants at the surface of the reflective optical element are reduced in order to recover a transmission of the EUV lithography apparatus before the exposure pause.

Abstract: A process for producing silicon-containing materials. Where the silicon-containing materials are produced by thermal decomposition of silicon precursors in the presence of porous particles and silicon is deposited within pores and on a surface of the porous particles. The thermal decomposition of the silicon precursors takes place in the reaction zone of a gas-traversed reactor and the particles are circulated in the reaction zone during the thermal decomposition by using a stirrer which is close-clearance in the heated regions and the stirring mechanism is in close-clearance in accordance with equation 1 W ? ( h ) = u R ( h ) u B ( h ) .

Abstract: Mirror module for a projection exposure apparatus that includes an optical used surface, an optical measurement surface, a measurement apparatus for determining the degradation state of the measurement surface, characterized in that: the mirror module comprises a temperature control apparatus configured such that the temperature of the optical measurement surface is lower than the temperature of the optical used surface.

Abstract: An electron microscope serves for examining a specimen. An electron optical unit serves for passing an image of a specimen region of interest to a detection device. A removal device serves for removing material from the specimen, in the specimen region of interest, in preparation for imaging of the specimen region. A stop serves for separating the specimen region of interest from a specimen environment. The result is an electron microscope in which undesired effects of the removal device on the specimen to be examined are reduced.

Abstract: A method of depositing a cover layer onto an optical element (M1) for reflection of EUV radiation. In the method, a cover layer containing phosphorus (P) is deposited onto the optical element (M1). The optical element (M1) in the course of deposition of the cover layer (35) is disposed in an interior (39) of a housing (36) of an EUV lithography system, and, for the deposition of the cover layer, phosphorus (P) is released from at least one phosphorus source (42, 43) disposed outside the interior (39) or within the interior (39). Also disclosed are an EUV lithography system and an optical element (M1) for reflecting EUV radiation.

Abstract: A multi-mirror array comprises a carrier structure and a multiplicity of mirror units arranged next to one another in a grid arrangement on the carrier structure. Each mirror unit comprises a base element and a mirror element. Each mirror element is mounted individually movably relative to the base element. Each mirror element has a mirror substrate, which, on a front surface facing away from the base element, bears a reflection coating, which can be designed for EUV radiation or for DUV radiation. The mirror surfaces are arranged next to one another to substantially fill the surface area. Between directly adjacent mirror elements there is a gap delimited by side surfaces of the adjoining mirror substrates to ensure a collision-free relative movement of the adjacent mirror elements.

Abstract: Silicon-containing materials along with process for producing and uses for the same. The process includes reacting the silicon-containing materials in a fluidized bed reactor by deposition of silicon from at least one silicon precursor in pores and on the surface of porous particles. A fluidizing gas stream is provided within the fluidized bed reactor that is fully or partly induced to oscillate in a pulsed manner and propagates in the form of a wave and acts on the fluidized bed so as to form a homogeneously fluidized bed as a pulsed gas stream so as to form a homogeneously fluidized bed having a fluidization index FI of at least 0.95. Where the fluidizing gas stream has a superficial velocity which is above a measured minimum fluidization velocity of the pulsed gas stream and where the pulsation is combined with mechanical stirring as a further fluidizing aid.

Abstract: A method for operating an EUV lithography apparatus (1) with at least one vacuum housing (27) for at least one reflective optical element (12) includes operating the EUV lithography apparatus in an exposure operating mode (B), in which EUV radiation (5) is radiated into the vacuum housing, wherein a reducing plasma is generated at a surface (12a) of the reflective optical element in response to an interaction of the EUV radiation with a residual gas present in the vacuum housing. After an exposure pause, in which no EUV radiation is radiated into the vacuum housing, and before renewed operation of the EUV lithography apparatus in the exposure operating mode (B), the EUV lithography apparatus is operated in a recovery operating mode, in which oxidized contaminants at the surface of the reflective optical element are reduced in order to recover a transmission of the EUV lithography apparatus before the exposure pause.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus (1) for semiconductor lithography, has a device for determining the concentration of atomic hydrogen in a plasma (29) in the region of an optical element (25, 25.1), wherein the device includes a sensor (32, 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, 32.4), In this case, the device includes a filter element (31, 31.1,31.2, 31.3, 31.4) arranged between the region of the plasma (29) and the sensor (32, 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, 32.4), wherein the filter element (31, 31.1,31.2, 31.3, 31.4) is configured to predominantly allow the passage of atomic hydrogen from the plasma (29) to the sensor (32, 32.1, 32.2, 32.3, 32.4).

Abstract: A method for operating an optical apparatus (100A, 100B, 200), having a structural element (201) which is arranged in a residual gas atmosphere (RGA) of the apparatus and which is formed at least partly from an element material subjected to a chemical reduction process and/or an etching process with a plasma component (PK) present in the residual gas atmosphere includes: feeding (S2) a gas component (GK) that at least partly suppresses the reduction process depending on a detected suppression extent (UM) for a suppression of the etching process and/or reduction process by the suppressing gas component in the residual gas atmosphere; and detecting (S1) the suppression extent with a sensor unit (208) arranged in the residual gas atmosphere. The sensor unit includes a sensor material section (211) composed of a sensor material and exhibiting a sensor section property that is measurable under the influence of the suppressing gas component.

Abstract: A method for at least partially removing a contamination layer (24) from an optical surface (14a) of an optical element (14) that reflects EUV radiation includes: performing an atomic layer etching process for at least partially removing the contamination layer (24) from the optical surface (14a), which, in turn, includes: exposing the contamination layer (24) to a surface-modifying reactant (44) in a surface modification step, and exposing the contamination layer (24) to a material-detaching reactant (45) in a material detachment step. The optical element (14) is typically taken, before the atomic layer etching process is performed, from an optical arrangement, in particular from an EUV lithography system, in which the optical surface (14a) of the optical element (14) is exposed to EUV radiation (6), during which the contamination layer (24) is formed.

Abstract: An optical arrangement (1) for EUV radiation includes: at least one reflective optical element (16) having a main body (30) with a coating (31) that reflects EUV radiation (33). At least one shield (36) is fitted to at least one surface region (35) of the main body (30) and protects the at least one surface region (35) against an etching effect of a plasma (H+, H*) that surrounds the reflective optical element (16) during operation of the optical arrangement (1). A distance (A) between the shield (36) and the surface region (35) of the main body (30) is less than double the Debye length (?D), preferably less than the Debye length (?D), of the surrounding plasma (H+, H*).

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus (400) for semiconductor lithography contains at least one partial volume (4) that is closed off from the surroundings. The partial volume (4) contains a gas, from which a plasma can be produced. Conditioning elements (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) for conditioning the plasma, in particular for neutralizing the plasma, are present in the partial volume. An associated method for operating a projection exposure apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for operating an optical apparatus (100A, 100B, 200), having a structural element (201) which is arranged in a residual gas atmosphere (RGA) of the apparatus and which is formed at least partly from an element material subjected to a chemical reduction process and/or an etching process with a plasma component (PK) present in the residual gas atmosphere includes: feeding (S2) a gas component (GK) that at least partly suppresses the reduction process depending on a detected suppression extent (UM) for a suppression of the etching process and/or reduction process by the suppressing gas component in the residual gas atmosphere; and detecting (S1) the suppression extent with a sensor unit (208) arranged in the residual gas atmosphere. The sensor unit includes a sensor material section (211) composed of a sensor material and exhibiting a sensor section property that is measurable under the influence of the suppressing gas component.

Abstract: An optical arrangement (1) for EUV radiation includes: at least one reflective optical element (16) having a main body (30) with a coating (31) that reflects EUV radiation (33). At least one shield (36) is fitted to at least one surface region (35) of the main body (30) and protects the at least one surface region (35) against an etching effect of a plasma (H+, H*) that surrounds the reflective optical element (16) during operation of the optical arrangement (1). A distance (A) between the shield (36) and the surface region (35) of the main body (30) is less than double the Debye length (?D), preferably less than the Debye length (?D), of the surrounding plasma (H+, H*).

Abstract: In order to prevent delamination of a reflective coating from the substrate under the influence of reactive hydrogen, a reflective optical element (50) for EUV lithography is provided, which has a substrate (51) and a reflective coating (54) for reflecting radiation in the wavelength range of 5 nm to 20 nm. A functional layer (60) is arranged between the reflective coating (54) and the substrate (51). With the functional layer, the concentration of hydrogen in atom % at the side of the substrate facing the reflective coating is reduced by at least a factor of 2.