Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement of optical elements in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, particularly in a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The arrangement comprises a rigid first optical element, a rigid second optical element with a first optical surface and a second optical surface on opposite sides and a first liquid. The first optical element has a concave optical surface. The first side of the second optical element is facing the concave optical surface of the first optical element. The first liquid is at least partially filling the space between the first optical element and the second optical element.

Abstract: A method for determining intensity distribution in the focal plane of a projection exposure arrangement, in which a large aperture imaging system is emulated and a light from a sample is represented on a local resolution detector by an emulation imaging system. A device for carrying out the method and emulated devices are also described. The invention makes it possible to improve a reproduction quality since the system apodisation is taken into consideration. The inventive method consists in includes determining the integrated amplitude distribution in an output pupil, combining the integrated amplitude distribution with a predetermined apodization correction and calculating a corrected apodization image according to the modified amplitude distribution.

Abstract: The invention relates to a projection exposure system, in particular for micro-lithography. The projection exposure system according to the invention comprises a light source (18) for producing light in the EUV region. The projection exposure system further comprises a first optical system (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24) for illuminating a mask (25) by the light of the light source (18) and a second optical system (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31) for imaging the mask (25) on a component (32). At least one polarization-optical element (1) is disposed on the beam path between the light source (18) and the component (32).

Abstract: The invention concerns an optical element, in particular for an objective or an illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including a substrate which for light of a predetermined working wavelength which passes through the substrate causes a first retardation between mutually perpendicular polarization states, and a layer which is epitaxially grown on the substrate and which is made from a material with non-cubic crystal structure, which by virtue of natural birefringence causes a second retardation between mutually perpendicular polarization states, which at least partially compensates for the first retardation caused in the substrate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement of optical elements in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, particularly in a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The arrangement comprises a rigid first optical element, a rigid second optical element with a first optical surface and a second optical surface on opposite sides and a first liquid. The first optical element has a concave optical surface. The first side of the second optical element is facing the concave optical surface of the first optical element. The first liquid is at least partially filling the space between the first optical element and the second optical element.

Abstract: A catadioptric projection objective for projecting a pattern, which is located in the object plane of the projection objective, into the image plane of the projection objective has, between the object plane and the image plane, a catadioptric objective part provided with a concave mirror (17), with a first deviating mirror (16) and with at least one second deviating mirror (19). A polarization rotating device (26) rotates the preferred polarization direction of the light approximately 90° inside the light path between the deviating mirrors. This permits an at least partial compensation for polarization-dependent reflectivity differences and phase effect differences of the deviating mirrors thereby enabling a projection with a largely identical contrast for all structural directions.

Abstract: An optical system (1) includes a first optical subsystem (3) with at least a first birefringent optical element (7), and further includes a second optical subsystem (5) with at least a second birefringent optical element (9). Between the first optical subsystem and the second optical subsystem, an optical retarding system (13) with at least a first optical retarding element (15) is arranged, which introduces a retardation of one-half of a wavelength between two mutually orthogonal states of polarization.

Abstract: Centimeter thick plates or lenses made from calcium fluoride or barium fluoride with beam propagation in the direction of the <110> crystal direction or of a main axis equivalent thereto are provided as retardation elements for the deep ultraviolet. They can be installed in an unstressed fashion. In a particular embodiment a retardation plate comprises a birefringent crystal plate which has an entry face and an exit face for incident and emerging light, respectively. A form-birefringent dielectric layer structure is applied to the entry and/or exit face. It may, for example, be a periodic sequence of at least two layers with alternating refractive indices. The retardation plate is suitable for ultraviolet light, and permits a large range of angles of incidence. Retardation elements according to the invention are particularly suitable for microlithography at 157 nm.