Abstract: A mirror (1a; 1a?; 1b; 1b?; 1c; 1c?) for the EUV wavelength range and having a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface layer system (P??) consisting of a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P3) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P3) include two individual layers composed of different materials for a high refractive index layer (H??) and a low refractive index layer (L??), wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface protecting layer (SPL, Lp) or at least one surface protecting layer system (SPLS) having a thickness of greater than 20 nm, and preferably greater than 50 nm.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus is disclosed, having at least one mirror arrangement which includes a mirror substrate including a front side with a reflecting surface, a side wall, which extends along a circumference of the mirror substrate from a rear side of the mirror substrate, and mounting elements to mount the mirror arrangement on a structural element of the lithography apparatus. The rear side of the mirror substrate and an inner side of the side wall delimit a cavity. Each of the mounting elements is connected to the mirror arrangement at a connection surface. The relation S/D>0.5 is satisfied at least one of the connection surfaces, wherein D denotes a thickness of the side wall at the connection surface and S denotes the length of the shortest path through the mirror material from the centroid of the connection surface to the rear side of the mirror substrate.

Abstract: An optical arrangement, e.g. projection lens, for EUV lithography, provided with: a first optical element (22) having a reflective surface (31a) and a first substrate (32) composed of TiO2-doped quartz glass, which has a temperature-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion having a zero crossing at a first zero crossing temperature (TZC1), and a second optical element (24) having a reflective surface (36a) and a second substrate (37) composed of TiO2-doped quartz glass, which has a temperature-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion having a zero crossing at a second zero crossing temperature (TZC2), which is different from the first. A gradient of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first substrate (32) at the first zero crossing temperature (TZC1) and/or a gradient of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second substrate (37) at the second zero crossing temperature (TZC2) have/has a negative sign.

Abstract: A method for the production of a mirror element (10) that has a reflective coating (10a) for the EUV wavelength range and a substrate (10b). The substrate (10b) is pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing, and the reflective coating (10a) is applied to the pre-compacted substrate (10b). In the method, either the pre-compacting of the substrate (10b) is performed until a saturation value of the compaction of the substrate (10b) by long-term EUV irradiation is reached, or, for further compaction, the pre-compacted substrate (10b) is irradiated, preferably homogeneously, with ions (16) and/or with electrons in a surface region (15) in which the coating (10a) has been or will be applied. A mirror element (10) for the EUV wavelength range associated with the method has a substrate (10b) pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing. Such a mirror element (10) is suitable to be provided in an EUV projection exposure system.

Abstract: A lithography apparatus is disclosed, having at least one mirror arrangement which includes a mirror substrate including a front side with a reflecting surface, a side wall, which extends along a circumference of the mirror substrate from a rear side of the mirror substrate, and mounting elements to mount the mirror arrangement on a structural element of the lithography apparatus. The rear side of the mirror substrate and an inner side of the side wall delimit a cavity. Each of the mounting elements is connected to the mirror arrangement at a connection surface. The relation S/D>0.5 is satisfied at least one of the connection surfaces, wherein D denotes a thickness of the side wall at the connection surface and S denotes the length of the shortest path through the mirror material from the centroid of the connection surface to the rear side of the mirror substrate.

Abstract: An optical assembly has at least one mirror with a mirror body. The latter is carried by a support body, which has a first support body portion and a second support body portion. An at least thermally separating region is arranged between the two support body portions. At least one surface portion of at least one of the support body portions or of a body thermally coupled thereto is modified in such a way that a thermal emission coefficient ?m of the modified surface portion differs from a thermal emission coefficient ?u of the unmodified surface portion by at least 10%. The result is an optical assembly, in which an improved thermal stability is achieved by the predetermining of the thermal emission coefficients.

Abstract: For the production of mirrors for EUV lithography, substrates are suggested having a mean relative thermal longitudinal expansion of no more than 10 ppb across a temperature difference ?T of 15° C. and a zero-crossing temperature in the range between 20° C. and 40° C. For this purpose, at least one first and one second material having low thermal expansion coefficients and opposite gradients of the relative thermal expansion as a function of temperature are selected and a substrate is produced by mixing and bonding these materials.

Abstract: A reflective optical element 39 for EUV wavelengths having a layer arrangement on the surface of a substrate, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one layer subsystem 37 consisting of a periodic sequence of at least one period of individual layers. The period includes two individual layers having different refractive indices in the EUV wavelength range. The substrate has a variation of the density of more than 1% by volume at least along an imaginary surface 30 at a fixed distance of between 0 ?m and 100 ?m from the surface. Also, the substrate is protected against long-term aging or densification by EUV radiation either with a protective layer, with a protective layer subsystem of the layer arrangement, or with a correspondingly densified surface region 35 of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for the production of a mirror element (10) that has a reflective coating (10a) for the EUV wavelength range and a substrate (10b). The substrate (10b) is pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing, and the reflective coating (10a) is applied to the pre-compacted substrate (10b). In the method, either the pre-compacting of the substrate (10b) is performed until a saturation value of the compaction of the substrate (10b) by long-term EUV irradiation is reached, or, for further compaction, the pre-compacted substrate (10b) is irradiated, preferably homogeneously, with ions (16) and/or with electrons in a surface region (15) in which the coating (10a) has been or will be applied. A mirror element (10) for the EUV wavelength range associated with the method has a substrate (10b) pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing. Such a mirror element (10) is suitable to be provided in an EUV projection exposure system.

Abstract: A method for the production of a mirror element (10) that has a reflective coating (10a) for the EUV wavelength range and a substrate (10b). The substrate (10b) is pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing, and the reflective coating (10a) is applied to the pre-compacted substrate (10b). In the method, either the pre-compacting of the substrate (10b) is performed until a saturation value of the compaction of the substrate (10b) by long-term EUV irradiation is reached, or, for further compaction, the pre-compacted substrate (10b) is irradiated, preferably homogeneously, with ions (16) and/or with electrons in a surface region (15) in which the coating (10a) has been or will be applied. A mirror element (10) for the EUV wavelength range associated with the method has a substrate (10b) pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing. Such a mirror element (10) is suitable to be provided in an EUV projection exposure system.

Abstract: A transmitting optical element adapted for use in an objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is composed of a polycrystalline material, with the polycrystalline material having crystallites with a cubic crystal structure, and with the mean crystallite size of these crystallites being at least micrometers, and at most micrometers.

Abstract: An optical arrangement, e.g. projection lens, for EUV lithography, provided with: a first optical element (22) having a reflective surface (31a) and a first substrate (32) composed of TiO2-doped quartz glass, which has a temperature-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion having a zero crossing at a first zero crossing temperature (TZC1), and a second optical element (24) having a reflective surface (36a) and a second substrate (37) composed of TiO2-doped quartz glass, which has a temperature-dependent coefficient of thermal expansion having a zero crossing at a second zero crossing temperature (TZC2), which is different from the first. A gradient of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the first substrate (32) at the first zero crossing temperature (TZC1) and/or a gradient of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the second substrate (37) at the second zero crossing temperature (TZC2) have/has a negative sign.

Abstract: A mirror (1a; 1a?; 1b; 1b?; 1c; 1c?) for the EUV wavelength range and having a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface layer system (P??) consisting of a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P3) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P3) include two individual layers composed of different materials for a high refractive index layer (H??) and a low refractive index layer (L??), wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface protecting layer (SPL, Lp) or at least one surface protecting layer system (SPLS) having a thickness of greater than 20 nm, and preferably greater than 50 nm.

Abstract: A method for the production of a mirror element (10) that has a reflective coating (10a) for the EUV wavelength range and a substrate (10b). The substrate (10b) is pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing, and the reflective coating (10a) is applied to the pre-compacted substrate (10b). In the method, either the pre-compacting of the substrate (10b) is performed until a saturation value of the compaction of the substrate (10b) by long-term EUV irradiation is reached, or, for further compaction, the pre-compacted substrate (10b) is irradiated, preferably homogeneously, with ions (16) and/or with electrons in a surface region (15) in which the coating (10a) has been or will be applied. A mirror element (10) for the EUV wavelength range associated with the method has a substrate (10b) pre-compacted by hot isostatic pressing. Such a mirror element (10) is suitable to be provided in an EUV projection exposure system.

Abstract: A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a high index refractive optical element with an index of refraction greater than 1.6. This element has a volume and a material related optical property which varies over the volume. Variations of this optical property cause an aberration of the objective. In one embodiment at least 4 optical surfaces are provided that are arranged in at least one volume which is optically conjugate with the volume of the refractive optical element. Each optical surface comprises at least one correction means, for example a surface deformation or a birefringent layer with locally varying properties, which at least partially corrects the aberration caused by the variation of the optical property.

Abstract: Mirrors having a reflecting coating for the EUV wavelength region and a substrate. A surface region of the substrate extends uniformly below the reflecting coating along this coating and, seen from the surface of the substrate, has a depth of down to 5 ?m. Here, this surface region has a 2% higher density than the remaining substrate. Also disclosed are substrates that likewise have such surface regions and methods for producing such mirrors and substrates having such surface regions by irradiation using ions or electrons.

Abstract: A transmitting optical element of polycrystalline material that includes crystallites of magnesium spinel MgAl2O4 or lutetium-aluminum garnet Lu3Al5O12, wherein the polycrystalline material includes an average total concentration of foreign element contamination caused by Y, Sc, Co, Ni, Zr, Mo, Sn and/or Nb of less than 50 ppm, preferably of less than 20 ppm, and more preferably of less than 15 ppm.

Abstract: An optical assembly has at least one mirror with a mirror body. The latter is carried by a support body, which has a first support body portion and a second support body portion. An at least thermally separating region is arranged between the two support body portions. At least one surface portion of at least one of the support body portions or of a body thermally coupled thereto is modified in such a way that a thermal emission coefficient ?m of the modified surface portion differs from a thermal emission coefficient ?u of the unmodified surface portion by at least 10%. The result is an optical assembly, in which an improved thermal stability is achieved by the predetermining of the thermal emission coefficients.

Abstract: In some embodiments, the disclosure provides an optical system, in particular an illumination system or a projection lens of a microlithographic exposure system, having an optical system axis and at least one element group including three birefringent elements each of which includes optically uniaxial material and having an aspheric surface, wherein a first birefringent element of the group has a first orientation of its optical crystal axis, a second birefringent element of the group has a second orientation of its optical crystal axis, wherein the second orientation can be described as emerging from a rotation of the first orientation, the rotation not corresponding to a rotation around the optical system axis by an angle of 90° or an integer multiple thereof, and a third birefringent element of the group has a third orientation of its optical crystal axis, wherein the third orientation can be described as emerging from a rotation of the second orientation, the rotation not corresponding to a rotation aroun

Abstract: A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a high index refractive optical element with an index of refraction greater than 1.6. This element has a volume and a material related optical property which varies over the volume. Variations of this optical property cause an aberration of the objective. In one embodiment at least 4 optical surfaces are provided that are arranged in at least one volume which is optically conjugate with the volume of the refractive optical element. Each optical surface comprises at least one correction means, for example a surface deformation or a birefringent layer with locally varying properties, which at least partially corrects the aberration caused by the variation of the optical property.