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).
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Patent number: 8486590Abstract: To improve the mask of an EUV lithography apparatus in view of its high reflectivity, a reflective mask is suggested for EUV lithography having a reflective multilayer system on a substrate configured for a working wavelength in the EUV range and having stacks with layers of at least two materials with different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength, wherein the multilayer system (V) is configured such that, as it is irradiated with EUV radiation at a fixed wavelength and an angle interval between the smallest and the largest angle of incidence of up to 21°, the apodization is less than 30%.Type: GrantFiled: June 18, 2012Date of Patent: July 16, 2013Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Sascha Migura
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Patent number: 8446665Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: September 18, 2009Date of Patent: May 21, 2013Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Alexander Epple, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
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Patent number: 8339576Abstract: A projection lens of a projection exposure apparatus, for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane onto a light-sensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane, includes a housing, in which at least one optical element is arranged, at least one partial housing which is arranged within said housing and which at least regionally surrounds light passing from the object plane as far as the image plane during the operation of the projection lens, and a reflective structure, which reduces a light proportion which reaches the image plane after reflection at the at least one partial housing, by comparison with an analogous arrangement without said reflective structure.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2012Date of Patent: December 25, 2012Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT GmbHInventors: Ulrich Loering, Vladimir Kamenov, Dirk Heinrich Ehm, Stefan-Wolfgang Schmidt, Moritz Becker, Andreas Wurmbrand
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Publication number: 20120320348Abstract: To improve the mask of an EUV lithography apparatus in view of its high reflectivity, a reflective mask is suggested for EUV lithography having a reflective multilayer system on a substrate configured for a working wavelength in the EUV range and having stacks with layers of at least two materials with different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength, wherein the multilayer system (V) is configured such that, as it is irradiated with EUV radiation at a fixed wavelength and an angle interval between the smallest and the largest angle of incidence of up to 21°, the apodization is less than 30%.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 18, 2012Publication date: December 20, 2012Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBHInventors: Vladimir KAMENOV, Sascha MIGURA
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Publication number: 20120281196Abstract: A projection lens of a projection exposure apparatus, for imaging a mask which can be positioned in an object plane onto a light-sensitive layer which can be positioned in an image plane, includes a housing, in which at least one optical element is arranged, at least one partial housing which is arranged within said housing and which at least regionally surrounds light passing from the object plane as far as the image plane during the operation of the projection lens, and a reflective structure, which reduces a light proportion which reaches the image plane after reflection at the at least one partial housing, by comparison with an analogous arrangement without said reflective structure.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2012Publication date: November 8, 2012Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT GmbHInventors: Ulrich Loering, Vladimir Kamenov, Dirk Heinrich Ehm, Stefan-Wolfgang Schmidt, Moritz Becker, Andreas Wurmbrand
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Publication number: 20110222043Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 20, 2011Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT GMBHInventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder, Heiko Feldmann, Achim Zirkel, Alexandra Pazidis, Bruno Thome, Stephan Six
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Patent number: 7961297Abstract: 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 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 2, 2006Date of Patent: June 14, 2011Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMS GmbHInventors: Joern Greif-Wuestenbecker, Beate Boehme, Ulrich Stroessner, Michael Totzeck, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Dittmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Bernd Geh
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Publication number: 20110038061Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: September 18, 2009Publication date: February 17, 2011Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Alexander EPPLE, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Schicketanz
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Patent number: 7808615Abstract: The invention concerns a method for operating a projection exposure apparatus to project the image of a structure of an object (5) arranged in an object plane (6) onto a substrate (10) arranged in an image plane (8). The object (5) is illuminated with light of an operating wavelength of the projection exposure apparatus according to one of several adjustable exposure modes. The light produces changes in at least one optical element (9) of the projection exposure apparatus, by which the optical properties of the projection exposure apparatus are influenced. The operation of the projection exposure apparatus makes allowance for the influencing of the optical properties of the projection exposure apparatus or a quantity dependent on the former, being calculated approximately on the basis of the exposure mode used and the structure of the object (5).Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 2006Date of Patent: October 5, 2010Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Toralf Gruner, Olaf Conradi, Nils Dieckmann, Markus Schwab, Olaf Dittmann, Michael Totzeck, Daniel Kraehmer, Vladimir Kamenov
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Publication number: 20100079739Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 24, 2009Publication date: April 1, 2010Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AGInventors: Aksel Goehnermeier, Daniel Kraehmer, Vladimir Kamenov, Michael Totzeck
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Publication number: 20090115986Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2006Publication date: May 7, 2009Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Heiko Feldmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Jean-Claude Perrin, Julian Kaller, Aurelian Dodoc, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Conradi, Toralf Gruner, Thomas Okon, Alexander Epple
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Publication number: 20080297754Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2008Publication date: December 4, 2008Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMT AGInventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder, Heiko Feldmann, Achim Zirkel, Alexandra Pazidis, Bruno Thome, Stephan Six
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Patent number: 7456933Abstract: In a method for improving the imaging properties of a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, an appropriate illumination angle distribution adapted to a mask (24; 224) to be projected is selected. Then locations (40a, 40b; 60a, 60b; 80a, 80b, 80c) in an exit pupil of the projection objective (20), which are illuminated under these conditions by projection light during a projection of the mask, are determined. For at least one image point, an actual value of an imaging quantity, e.g. a wavefront profile or a polarization state, is determined that influences the imaging properties of the projection objective. Finally, corrective measures are calculated such that the actual value of the imaging quantity approximates a desired value at these locations. In this last step, however, deviations of the actual value from the desired value are taken into account exclusively at said locations illuminated in the exit pupil.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 2005Date of Patent: November 25, 2008Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Ulrich Wegmann, Vladimir Kamenov, Thomas Muelders, Toralf Gruner, Markus Mengel
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Publication number: 20080212060Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 2, 2006Publication date: September 4, 2008Applicant: CARL ZEISS SMS GMBHInventors: Joern Greif-Wuestenbecker, Beate Boehme, Ulrich Stroessner, Michael Totzeck, Vladimir Kamenov, Olaf Dittmann, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner, Bernd Geh
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Patent number: 7355791Abstract: An optical system, for example a lens for a photolithography tool, includes a group of optical elements (L1, L2) that each comprise a birefringent cubic crystal such as CaF2. The crystal lattices of the crystals have different orientations, e.g. for reducing the overall retardance of the group by mutual compensation. The [110] crystal axis of at least one optical element (L1, L2) is tilted with respect to an optical axis (34) of the system (10) by a predefined tilting angle (?1, ?2) having an absolute value between 1° and 20°. This reduces the magnitude, but not significantly changes the orientation of intrinsic birefringence. By selecting an appropriate tilting angle it is possible to achieve a better performance of the optical system. For example, the overall retardance of the optical system may be reduced, or the angular retardance distribution may be symmetrized.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2005Date of Patent: April 8, 2008Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner
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Patent number: 7321465Abstract: A numerical optimizing method serves to reduce harmful effects caused by intrinsic birefringence in lenses of a fluoride crystal material of cubic crystal structure in an objective, particularly a projection objective for a microlithography system. Under the optimizing method, an optimizing function which takes at least one birefringence-related image aberration into account is minimized. The birefringence-related image aberration is determined from a calculation for a light ray passing through the fluoride crystal lenses. To the extent that the birefringence-related image aberration is a function of parameters of the light ray, it depends only on geometric parameters of the light ray. The numerical optimizing method is used to produce objectives in which an optical retardation as well as an asymmetry of the optical retardation are corrected. The lenses are arranged in homogeneous groups, where each homogeneous group is corrected for the optical retardation asymmetry.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2005Date of Patent: January 22, 2008Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Michael Totzeck, Vladimir Kamenov, Toralf Gruner
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Publication number: 20080002167Abstract: The invention concerns a method for operating a projection exposure apparatus to project the image of a structure of an object (5) arranged in an object plane (6) onto a substrate (10) arranged in an image plane (8). The object (5) is illuminated with light of an operating wavelength of the projection exposure apparatus according to one of several adjustable exposure modes. The light produces changes in at least one optical element (9) of the projection exposure apparatus, by which the optical properties of the projection exposure apparatus are influenced. The operation of the projection exposure apparatus makes allowance for the influencing of the optical properties of the projection exposure apparatus or a quantity dependent on the former, being calculated approximately on the basis of the exposure mode used and the structure of the object (5).Type: ApplicationFiled: June 28, 2006Publication date: January 3, 2008Applicant: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Toralf Gruner, Olaf Conradi, Nils Dieckmann, Markus Schwab, Olaf Hmann, Michael Totzeck, Daniel Kraehmer, Vladimir Kamenov
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Publication number: 20070195423Abstract: A method of determining materials of lenses contained in an optical system of a projection exposure apparatus is described. First, for each lens of a plurality of the lenses, a susceptibility factor KLT/LH is determined. This factor is a measure of the susceptibility of the respective lens to deteriorations caused by at least one of lifetime effects and lens heating effects. Then a birefringent fluoride crystal is selected as a material for each lens for which the susceptibility factor KLT/LH is above a predetermined threshold. Theses lenses are assigned to a first set of lenses. For these lenses, measures are determined for reducing adverse effects caused by birefringence inherent to the fluoride crystals.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2007Publication date: August 23, 2007Inventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Michael Totzeck, Toralf Gruner, Aurelian Dodoc, David Shafer, Wilhelm Ulrich, Rudolf Buenau, Hans-Juergen Mann, Alexander Epple
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Patent number: 7239450Abstract: A method of determining materials of lenses contained in an optical system of a projection exposure apparatus is described. First, for each lens of a plurality of the lenses, a susceptibility factor KLT/LH is determined. This factor is a measure of the susceptibility of the respective lens to deteriorations caused by at least one of lifetime effects and lens heating effects. Then a birefringent fluoride crystal is selected as a material for each lens for which the susceptibility factor KLT/LH is above a predetermined threshold. Theses lenses are assigned to a first set of lenses. For these lenses, measures are determined for reducing adverse effects caused by birefringence inherent to the fluoride crystals.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2005Date of Patent: July 3, 2007Assignee: Carl Zeiss SMT AGInventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Daniel Kraehmer, Michael Totzeck, Toralf Gruner, Aurelian Dodoc
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Publication number: 20060238735Abstract: An optical system of a microlithographic exposure apparatus has a pupil plane, a field plane and at least one intrinsically birefringent optical element that is positioned in or in close proximity to the field plane. A force application unit exerts mechanical forces to a correction optical element, which is positioned in or in close proximity to the pupil plane. The forces cause stress that induces a birefringence in the correction optical element such that a retardance distribution in an exit pupil is at least substantially rotationally symmetrical. An optical surface may be aspherically deformed such that a wavefront error, which is as result of deformations caused by the application of forces, is at least substantially corrected.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 10, 2006Publication date: October 26, 2006Inventors: Vladimir Kamenov, Erwin Gaber, Daniel Kraehmer, Toralf Gruner