Abstract: A projection optical system which has high efficiency and a wide exposure area is used to provide a desired image surface flatness and yet is of a practical size. A first element group including at least two pairs of convex surfaces facing each other, a second element group including at least two pairs of concave surfaces facing each other, a third element group including at least two pairs of convex surfaces facing each other, a fourth element group including at least two pairs of concave surfaces facing each other, and a fifth element group including at least two pairs of convex surfaces facing each other are provided, in that order, from a side of an object. Various predetermined conditions are satisfied.

Abstract: A catadioptric projection optical system is provided, which can use a beam splitting optical system smaller in size than a conventional polarizing beam splitter, can set a long optical path from a concave reflecting mirror to an image plane, allows easy adjustment of the optical system, and has excellent imaging performance. A light beam from an object surface forms a first intermediate image through a refracting lens group. A light beam from the first intermediate image passes through a polarizing beam splitter and is reflected by a concave reflecting mirror to form a second intermediate image in the polarizing beam splitter. A light beam from the second intermediate image is reflected by the polarizing beam splitter means to form a final image on the image plane via a refracting lens group. The polarizing beam splitter means is arranged near the positions at which the intermediate images are formed.

Abstract: To use a beam splitting optical system smaller than the conventional beam splitters and to set a longer optical path between a concave, reflective mirror and an image plane. A light beam from an object surface travels through a first converging group to enter a beam splitter, and a light beam reflected by the beam splitter is reflected by a concave, reflective mirror to form an image of patterns on the object surface inside the concave, reflective mirror. A light beam from the image of the patterns passes through the beam splitter and thereafter forms an image of the patterns through a third converging group on an image plane.

Abstract: Catadioptric projection systems are disclosed for projecting an illuminated region of a reticle onto a corresponding region on a substrate. The systems are preferably used with ultraviolet light sources (e.g., 193 nm). The systems comprise a first imaging system, a concave mirror, and a second imaging system. The first imaging system comprises a single-pass lens group and a double-pass lens group. The single-pass lens group comprises a first negative subgroup, a positive subgroup, and a second negative subgroup. Light from the illuminated region of the reticle passes through the single-pass lens group and the double-pass lens group, and reflects from the concave mirror to pass back through the double-pass lens group to form an intermediate image of the illuminated region of the reticle. The light is then directed to the second imaging system that re-images the illuminated region of the reticle on the substrate.

Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a catadioptric optical system with an arrangement for realizing a large numerical aperture and reducing the diameter of a concave mirror while ensuring a sufficient working distance on the image side, and also an exposure apparatus using this catadioptric optical system.A catadioptric optical system according to the invention includes a first imaging optical system for forming an intermediate image of a pattern on a first plane, a second imaging optical system for forming a reduced image of the intermediate image on a second plane, and an optical path deflecting member for guiding a light beam from the first imaging optical system to the second imaging optical system. The first imaging optical system has at least a first optical element group having a positive refracting power, and a second optical element group having a concave mirror and a meniscus lens component with a concave surface facing the first imaging optical system.

Abstract: A catadioptric optical system includes a first imaging optical system forming an intermediate image of a pattern provided on a first surface with a reduced magnification, including a first lens group with a positive refracting power and a second lens group which includes a concave mirror having a negative lens component. The system also includes a second image optical system forming an image of the intermediate image upon a second surface, a combined magnification of the first and second imaging optical systems being a reduction magnification. The system further includes a deflecting member disposed in an optical path from the first imaging system to the second imaging system so as to guide light from the first imaging system to the second imaging system.

Abstract: Exposure light from a pattern on a first surface advances through a first converging group, is then reflected at the periphery around an aperture on a first plane mirror, thereafter is reflected by a second converging group including a first concave reflecting mirror, and forms a first intermediate image of the pattern in the aperture of first plane mirror. A beam from the first intermediate image passes through a third converging group to form a second intermediate image of the pattern in an aperture of a second plane mirror. A beam from the second intermediate image is reflected by a fourth converging group including a second concave reflecting mirror, thereafter is reflected at the periphery around the aperture of second plane mirror, and then passes through a fifth converging group to form an image of the second intermediate image on a second surface. A projection optical system is arranged as described without using a beam splitter.

Abstract: A zoom lens has, in succession from the object side, a first lens group of positive refractive power, a second lens group of negative refractive power, a third lens group of positive refractive power and a fourth lens group of positive refractive power. The first lens group, the third lens group and the fourth lens group are movable toward the object side for a magnification change from the wide angle end to the telephoto end. The focusing up to a short distance object is made possible by moving the second lens group along the optic axis from the position of its telephoto end toward the object side and moving the third lens group along the optic axis from the position of its telephoto end. The zoom lens satisfies the following condition:-0.5<.chi.3/.chi.2<0.5,where .chi.2 is the amount of movement of the second lens group from the telephoto end toward the object side for short distance focusing and .chi.

Abstract: A zoom lens including a wide angle of view has, in succession from the object side, a first lens group of positive refractive power, a second lens group of negative refractive power and a third lens group of positive refractive power. The zoom lens is capable of effecting magnification change by the second lens group being moved relative to the first and third lens groups. When zooming is effected from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first and third lens groups are monotonously moved toward the object side and the second lens group is moved toward the object side at least near the wide angle end.

Abstract: A zoom lens system chiefly comprising organic glass lenses includes a plurality of lens groups including movable lens groups capable of changing their relative position to vary the focal length. At least one of the plurality of lens groups has a lens formed of inorganic glass, and all the lenses other than the inorganic glass lens are formed of organic glass. The inorganic glass lens is such that when it is replaced by an organic glass lens, the organic glass lens creates, by zooming, an amount of focus fluctuation corresponding to a variation in focus created in the entire system by zooming between predetermined temperatures, whereby the variation in focus position by zooming resulting from a variation in temperature of the entire system is corrected.

Abstract: A zoom lens including a wide angle of view has, in succession from the object side, a first lens group of positive refractive power, a second lens group of negative refractive power, a third lens group of positive refractive power and a fourth lens group of positive refractive power. When zooming is to be effected from the wide angle end to the telephoto end, the first lens group and the fourth lens group are monotonously moved toward the object side and at the same time, the third lens group is monotonously moved toward the object side by an amount of movement 0.4-0.8 time as great as the amount of movement of the first and fourth lens groups and the second lens group is moved toward the object side in the vicinity at least the wide angle end. The zoom lens satisfies the following condition: 4.5<f.sub.1 /-f.sub.2 <6.5where f.sub.1 is the focal length of the first lens group and f.sub.2 is the focal length of the second lens group.

Abstract: A telecentric rear converter mountable on the image side of an objective lens to enlarge the composite focal length of the rear converter and the objective lens more greatly than the focal length of the objective lens includes a first lens group of negative refractive power and a second lens group of positive refractive power disposed on the image side of the first lens group. The two lens groups are disposed so that the spacing between the principal points thereof is substantially equal to the difference between the respective absolute values of the focal lengths of the two lens groups. When the telecentric rear converter is mounted on the image side of the objective lens, the rearward focus of the first lens group is substantially coincident with the image point by the objective lens and converts the convergent light beam by the objective lens into a substantially parallel light beam, and the second lens group maintains its telecentricity while securing a predetermined back focal length.

Abstract: A zoom lens comprises a magnification changing system and a relay lens system succeeding the magnification changing system. The magnification changing system comprises, in succession from the object side, a first group as a focusing portion having a positive refractive power, a second group as a variator portion having a negative refractive power and movable along the optical axis to thereby change chiefly the focal length, and a third group as a compensator portion having a negative refractive power and maintaining the image plane fluctuated by movement of the variator portion at a predetermined position. The relay lens system comprises a fourth group as a forward relay system group having a positive refractive power and a fifth group as a rearward relay system group having a positive refractive power. The fourth group has three positive lens components of which at least the middle lens component is a cemented lens component having a convex cemented surface in the direction of the image side.