Abstract: Method for setting an illumination setting in an illumination optical unit comprising at least one controllable correction device, which includes a multiplicity of adjustable correction elements for influencing the transmission, wherein the illumination setting is varied for adapting a predetermined imaging parameter in the region of an image field.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system that includes an illumination system of a microlithography tool, the illumination system including a first component having a plurality of elements. During operation of the system, the elements direct radiation from a source along an optical path to an arc-shaped object field at an object plane of a projection objective, and at least one of the elements has a curved shape that is different from the arc-shape of the object field.

Abstract: A component for setting a scan-integrated illumination energy in an object plane of a microlithography projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The component includes a plurality of diaphragms which are arranged alongside one another with respect to a direction perpendicular to the scan movement and which differ in their form and the position of which can be altered approximately in the scan direction so that a portion of the illumination energy can be vignetted by at least one diaphragm. The form of the individual diaphragm is specifically adapted to the form of the illumination in a diaphragm plane in which the component is arranged. This has the effect that at least parts of the delimiting edges of two diaphragms always differ in the case of an arbitrary displacement of the diaphragms.

Abstract: An illumination system for EUV microlithography includes an EUV light source which generates EUV illumination light with an etendue that is higher than 0.01 mm2. The EUV light source generates a sequence of EUV light pulses having a pulse sequence frequency. An illumination optics of the illumination system is used to guide the illumination light from the light source to an object field. At least one optical modulation component of the illumination system is preferably modulatable synchronously with the pulse sequence frequency. The result is an illumination system where a homogeneity of an object field illumination is improved.

Abstract: An illumination optical unit includes a collector mirror which produces a polarization distribution that is applied to the first faceted optical element during the operation of the illumination optical unit. There are at least two first facet elements to which radiation having a differing polarization is applied. The first faceted optical element has at least one first state in which the normal vectors of the reflective surfaces of the first facet elements are selected so that a first predetermined polarization distribution results at the location of the object field during the operation of the illumination optical unit.

Abstract: An illumination optical system for projection lithography has an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optical system divides a bundle of the illumination light into a plurality of part bundles, which are allocated to various illumination directions of the object field illumination. The illumination optical system is configured in such a way that at least some of the part bundles are superimposed on one another in a first superimposition plane according to a first superimposition specification and in a second superimposition plane, which is spaced apart from the first superimposition plane, according to a second superimposition specification. The result is an illumination optical system, in which an influencing and/or a monitoring of an illumination intensity distribution over the object field is made possible, as far as possible without influencing an illumination angle distribution.

Abstract: Method for setting an illumination setting in an illumination optical unit comprising at least one controllable correction device, which includes a multiplicity of adjustable correction elements for influencing the transmission, wherein the illumination setting is varied for adapting a predetermined imaging parameter in the region of an image field.

Abstract: An illumination optics for microlithography includes an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optics can divide an illumination light radiation bundle into a plurality of radiation sub-bundles which are assigned to different illumination angles of the object field illumination. The illumination optics is configured so that at least some of the radiation sub-bundles are superimposed in a superposition plane which is spaced from the object plane and which is not imaged into the object plane in which superposition takes place. This superposition is such that edges of the superimposed radiation sub-bundles coincide at least partially. In some embodiments, a field intensity setting device includes a plurality of adjacent individual diaphragms which at least attenuate illumination light when exposed thereon.

Abstract: Illumination optics for EUV microlithography guide an illumination light bundle from a radiation source to an object field with an extension ratio between a longer field dimension and a shorter field dimension, where the ratio is considerably greater than 1.

Abstract: An illumination optical system for projection lithography has an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optical system divides a bundle of the illumination light into a plurality of part bundles, which are allocated to various illumination directions of the object field illumination. The illumination optical system is configured in such a way that at least some of the part bundles are superimposed on one another in a first superimposition plane according to a first superimposition specification and in a second superimposition plane, which is spaced apart from the first superimposition plane, according to a second superimposition specification. The result is an illumination optical system, in which an influencing and/or a monitoring of an illumination intensity distribution over the object field is made possible, as far as possible without influencing an illumination angle distribution.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system that includes an illumination system of a microlithography tool, the illumination system including a first component having a plurality of elements. During operation of the system, the elements direct radiation from a source along an optical path to an arc-shaped object field at an object plane of a projection objective, and at least one of the elements has a curved shape that is different from the arc-shape of the object field.

Abstract: In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system that includes an illumination system of a microlithography tool, the illumination system including a first component having a plurality of elements. During operation of the system, the elements direct radiation from a source along an optical path to an arc-shaped object field at an object plane of a projection objective, and at least one of the elements has a curved shape that is different from the arc-shape of the object field.

Abstract: An illumination optical unit includes a collector mirror which produces a polarization distribution that is applied to the first faceted optical element during the operation of the illumination optical unit. There are at least two first facet elements to which radiation having a differing polarization is applied. The first faceted optical element has at least one first state in which the normal vectors of the reflective surfaces of the first facet elements are selected so that a first predetermined polarization distribution results at the location of the object field during the operation of the illumination optical unit.

Abstract: An adjusting device used to align two components of a microlithography projection exposure installation relative to each other. The adjusting device has an autocollimating device with a light source and a reflector. The light source and the reflector are each rigidly connected to one of the optical components. In one embodiment, the adjusting device has a laser light source which is different from the radiation source. A beam-splitter is downstream from the laser light source and carries useful adjustment light along a first optical path. A reflector can be rigidly connected to a reference component of an illuminating optics system or to a radiation source so that when an actual position of the reference component relative to the radiation source coincides with a desired position, the useful adjustment light is reflected back on itself. A bundle-sensitive component is sensitive to the direction and position of useful adjustment light in the optical path between bundle-sensitive component and reflector.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an illumination optical system for microlithography that is designed so that, even with a change of illumination setting (e.g., a change in the given illumination conditions in the object field), variation of illumination parameters over the object field is confined within predetermined tolerances.

Abstract: An illumination optics for EUV microlithography illuminates an object field with the aid of an EUV used radiation beam. Preset devices preset illumination parameters. An illumination correction device corrects the intensity distribution and/or the angular distribution of the object field illumination. The latter has an optical component to which the used radiation beam is at least partially applied upstream of the object field and which can be driven in a controlled manner. A detector acquires one of the illumination parameters. An evaluation device evaluates the detector data and converts the latter into control signals. At least one actuator displaces the optical component. During exposures, the actuators are controlled with the aid of the detector signals during the period of a projection exposure. A maximum displacement of below 8 ?m is ensured for edges of the object field towards an object to be exposed.

Abstract: An illumination system for EUV microlithography includes an EUV light source which generates EUV illumination light with an etendue that is higher than 0.01 mm2. The EUV light source generates a sequence of EUV light pulses having a pulse sequence frequency. An illumination optics of the illumination system is used to guide the illumination light from the light source to an object field. At least one optical modulation component of the illumination system is preferably modulatable synchronously with the pulse sequence frequency. The result is an illumination system where a homogeneity of an object field illumination is improved.

Abstract: A component for setting a scan-integrated illumination energy in an object plane of a microlithography projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The component includes a plurality of diaphragms which are arranged alongside one another with respect to a direction perpendicular to the scan movement and which differ in their form and the position of which can be altered approximately in the scan direction so that a portion of the illumination energy can be vignetted by at least one diaphragm. The form of the individual diaphragm is specifically adapted to the form of the illumination in a diaphragm plane in which the component is arranged. This has the effect that at least parts of the delimiting edges of two diaphragms always differ in the case of an arbitrary displacement of the diaphragms.

Abstract: Collectors with mirror shells arranged inside each other, illumination systems equipped with such collectors, projection exposure apparatuses equipped with such illumination systems, methods of manufacturing microelectronic components with such projection exposure apparatuses, and related systems, components and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: An illumination optics for EUV microlithography guides an illumination light bundle from a radiation source to an object field with an extension ratio between a longer field dimension and a shorter field dimension, where the ratio is considerably greater than 1. A field facet mirror has a plurality of field facets that set defined illumination conditions in the object field. A following optics downstream of the field facet mirror transmits the illumination light into the object field. The following optics includes a pupil facet mirror with a plurality of pupil facets. The field facets are in each case individually allocated to the pupil facets so that portions of the illumination light bundle impinging upon in each case one of the field facets are guided on to the object field via the associated pupil facet.