Patents by Inventor Vladimir Kamenov

Vladimir Kamenov has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 10281824
    Abstract: Microlithography projection objectives for imaging into an image plane a pattern arranged in an object plane are described with respect to suppressing false light in such projection objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
  • Publication number: 20180373006
    Abstract: A method of providing a catadioptric projection includes: providing a first partial objective for imaging an object field onto a first real intermediate image; providing a second partial objective for imaging the first real intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image, in which the second partial objective includes a concave mirror; providing a third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto an image field, the third partial objective including an aperture stop; providing a first folding mirror and a second folding mirror; and providing an antireflection coating onto a surface of at least one lens that is directly adjacent to the concave mirror or that is separate from the concave mirror by a single lens, in which the antireflection coating is designed to have reflectivity of less than 0.2% for a wavelength between 150 nm and 250 nm and for an angle-of-incidence range between 0° and 30°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2018
    Publication date: December 27, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Patent number: 10042146
    Abstract: A method of providing a catadioptric projection includes: providing a first partial objective for imaging an object field onto a first real intermediate image; providing a second partial objective for imaging the first real intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image, in which the second partial objective includes a concave mirror; providing a third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto an image field, the third partial objective including an aperture stop; providing a first folding mirror and a second folding mirror; and providing an antireflection coating onto a surface of at least one lens that is directly adjacent to the concave mirror or that is separate from the concave mirror by a single lens, in which the antireflection coating is designed to have reflectivity of less than 0.2% for a wavelength between 150 nm and 250 nm and for an angle-of-incidence range between 0° and 30°.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Publication number: 20180095258
    Abstract: A method of providing a catadioptric projection includes: providing a first partial objective for imaging an object field onto a first real intermediate image; providing a second partial objective for imaging the first real intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image, in which the second partial objective includes a concave mirror; providing a third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto an image field, the third partial objective including an aperture stop; providing a first folding mirror and a second folding mirror; and providing an antireflection coating onto a surface of at least one lens that is directly adjacent to the concave mirror or that is separate from the concave mirror by a single lens, in which the antireflection coating is designed to have reflectivity of less than 0.2% for a wavelength between 150 nm and 250 nm and for an angle-of-incidence range between 0° and 30°.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Patent number: 9921483
    Abstract: A mirror (1) for EUV lithography includes a substrate (2) and a reflective coating (3, 4). The reflective coating has a first group (3) of layers (3a, 3b) and a second group (4) of layers (4a, 4b), wherein the first group and second group of layers (3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) reflect radiation having a used wavelength between 5 nm and 30 nm. The first group of layers is arranged between the substrate and the second group of layers, and a decoupling coating (6) is arranged between the first group and second group of layers, said decoupling coating optically decoupling the second group of layers from the first group of layers by preventing the radiation having the used wavelength from reaching the first group of layers. The reflective coating preferably has a correction layer (5) having a layer thickness variation for correcting the surface form of the mirror.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Oliver Dier, Tobias Hackl, Franz-Josef Stickel, Ulrich Loering, Tilmann Assmus, Juergen Mueller, Vladimir Kamenov, Siegfried Rennon
  • Publication number: 20170322343
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, such as are used for the production of large-scale integrated electrical circuits and other microstructured components. The disclosure relates in particular to coatings of optical elements in order to increase or reduce the reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Inventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder, Heiko Feldmann, Achim Zirkel, Alexandra Pazidis, Bruno Thome, Stephan Six
  • Patent number: 9733395
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, such as are used for the production of large-scale integrated electrical circuits and other microstructured components. The disclosure relates in particular to coatings of optical elements in order to increase or reduce the reflectivity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder, Heiko Feldmann, Achim Zirkel, Alexandra Pazidis, Bruno Thome, Stephan Six
  • Patent number: 9726870
    Abstract: A projection objective for microlithography for imaging an object field onto an image field includes: a first partial objective for imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image; a second partial objective for imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image; a third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field, the third partial objective including an aperture; and a first folding mirror for deflecting radiation toward a concave mirror and a second folding mirror for deflecting the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane; in which the projection objective is an immersion projection objective in which during operation an immersion liquid is situated between a last lens surface and an image plane, and at least one surface of at least one lens in the second partial objective has an antireflection coating including at least six layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Publication number: 20170192362
    Abstract: Microlithography projection objectives for imaging into an image plane a pattern arranged in an object plane are described with respect to suppressing false light in such projection objectives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
  • Publication number: 20160231546
    Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: August 11, 2016
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Publication number: 20160209750
    Abstract: A mirror (1) for EUV lithography includes a substrate (2) and a reflective coating (3, 4). The reflective coating has a first group (3) of layers (3a, 3b) and a second group (4) of layers (4a, 4b), wherein the first group and second group of layers (3a, 3b; 4a, 4b) reflect radiation having a used wavelength between 5 nm and 30 nm. The first group of layers is arranged between the substrate and the second group of layers, and a decoupling coating (6) is arranged between the first group and second group of layers, said decoupling coating optically decoupling the second group of layers from the first group of layers by preventing the radiation having the used wavelength from reaching the first group of layers. The reflective coating preferably has a correction layer (5) having a layer thickness variation for correcting the surface form of the mirror.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Oliver DIER, Tobias HACKL, Franz-Josef STICKEL, Ulrich LOERING, Tilmann ASSMUS, Juergen MUELLER, Vladimir KAMENOV, Siegfried RENNON
  • Patent number: 9279969
    Abstract: Catadioptric projection objectives for microlithography include: a first partial objective for imaging an object field onto a first real intermediate image; a catadioptric partial objective having one concave mirror and a lens for imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image; a third partial objective including an aperture stop and no more than four lenses between the aperture stop and an image field, the third partial objective for imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field; and a first folding mirror for deflecting the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror for deflecting the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. The projection objective is an immersion projection objective. At least one surface of the lens in the catadioptric partial objective has an antireflection coating including at least six layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Patent number: 9097984
    Abstract: Microlithography projection objectives for imaging into an image plane a pattern arranged in an object plane are described with respect to suppressing false light in such projection objectives.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
  • Patent number: 9063439
    Abstract: A projection objective for applications in microlithography, a microlithography projection exposure apparatus with a projection objective, a microlithographic manufacturing method for microstructured components, and a component manufactured using such a manufacturing method are disclosed. The projection objective includes an optical component configured so that, during use of the projection objective, the optical component generates a stray light component in the exposure field of the projection objective which adapts a parameter of the projection objective to a parameter of a second projection objective. The parameter is the stray light component at the exposure field of the projection objective and/or a variation of the stray light component at the exposure field of the projection objective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Aksel Goehnermeier, Daniel Kraehmer, Vladimir Kamenov, Michael Totzeck
  • Publication number: 20150055212
    Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2014
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Publication number: 20140333913
    Abstract: Microlithography projection objectives for imaging into an image plane a pattern arranged in an object plane are described with respect to suppressing false light in such projection objectives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
  • Publication number: 20140320955
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, such as are used for the production of large-scale integrated electrical circuits and other microstructured components. The disclosure relates in particular to coatings of optical elements in order to increase or reduce the reflectivity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder, Heiko Feldmann, Achim Zirkel, Alexandra Pazidis, Bruno Thome, Stephan Six
  • Patent number: 8873137
    Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
  • Publication number: 20140293256
    Abstract: Microlithography projection objectives for imaging into an image plane a pattern arranged in an object plane are described with respect to suppressing false light in such projection objectives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
  • Publication number: 20130242279
    Abstract: Catadioptric projection objective (1) for microlithography for imaging an object field (3) in an object plane (5) onto an image field (7) in an image plane (9). The objective includes a first partial objective (11) imaging the object field onto a first real intermediate image (13), a second partial objective (15) imaging the first intermediate image onto a second real intermediate image (17), and a third partial objective (19) imaging the second intermediate image onto the image field. The second partial objective is a catadioptric objective having exactly one concave mirror and having at least one lens (L21, L22). A first folding mirror (23) deflects the radiation from the object plane toward the concave mirror and a second folding mirror (25) deflects the radiation from the concave mirror toward the image plane. At least one surface of a lens (L21, L22) of the second partial objective has an antireflection coating having a reflectivity of less than 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT GmbH
    Inventors: Alexander EPPLE, Vladimir KAMENOV, Toralf GRUNER, Thomas SCHICKETANZ