Abstract: There is provided a projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus that has a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation having a chief ray with a wavelength?193 nm. The projection objective includes an object plane, a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a fourth mirror; and an image plane. The object plane, the first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, the fourth mirror and the image plane are arranged in a centered arrangement around a common optical axis. The first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, and the fourth mirror are situated between the object plane and the image plane. The chief ray, when incident on an object situated in the object plane, in a direction from the primary light source, is inclined away from the common optical axis.

Abstract: There is provided a multi-mirror-system for an illumination system, especially for lithography with wavelengths ?193 nm. The system includes light rays traveling along a light path from an object plane to an image plane, andan arc-shaped field in the image plane, whereby a radial direction in the middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first mirror and the second mirror are arranged in the light path in such a position and having such a shape, that the edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field in the image plane is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Furthermore, the light rays are impinging on the first mirror and the second mirror with incidence angles ?30° or ?60° relative to a surface normal of the first and second mirror.

Abstract: A projection lens (3), in particular for microlithography, is provided with an object plane (7), with an image plane (9), with a lens arrangement (4) and with at least one gas chamber filled with gas or through which gas flows. The gas chamber is constructed as an approximately plane-parallel manipulation chamber (13). The refractive index can be varied in the manipulation chamber (13) by pressure changes and/or changes in gas composition.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for microlithography with wavelengths?193 nm that includes a primary light source, a first optical component, a second optical component, an image plane, and an exit pupil. The first optical component transforms the primary light source into a plurality of secondary light sources that are imaged by the second optical component in the exit pupil. The first optical element and the second optical element are reflective. The first optical component includes a first optical element having a plurality of first raster elements that are imaged into the image plane, producing a plurality of images being superimposed, at least partially, on a field in the image plane. The first optical component includes a collector unit and a second optical element having a plurality of second raster elements.

Abstract: A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength?193 nm, includes (A) a primary light source, (B) an illumination system having (1) an image plane, (2) a plurality of raster elements for receiving light from the primary light source, and (3) a field mirror for receiving the light from the plurality of raster elements and for forming an arc-shaped field having a plurality of field points in the image plane, and (C) a projection objective. The illumination system has a principle ray associated with each of the plurality of field points thus defining a plurality of principle rays. The plurality of principle rays run divergently into the projection objective.

Abstract: Facet mirror having a number of mirror facets A facet mirror (10) is provided with a number of mirror facets (11), in which the mirror facets (11) respectively have a spherical or conical facet body (17) with a reflecting surface (12). The side of the facet body (17) averted from the reflecting surface (12) is mounted in a bearing device (15).

Abstract: In a facet mirror with a number of mirror facets, wherein the mirror facets are provided with reflecting surfaces, the mirror facets are mounted jointly in a basic body via bearing devices. The mirror facets comprise mirror bodies contacting at the periphery with the bearing devices via a surface, line or point contact. The preferred field of use of the facet mirrors is a projection objective of a projection exposure machine in microlithography for fabricating semiconductor elements.

Abstract: There is provided a multi-mirror system for an illumination system with wavelengths ?193 nm. The multi-mirror system includes (a) an imaging system having a first mirror and a second mirror, (b) an object plane, (c) an image plane in which the imaging system forms an image of an object, and (d) an arc-shaped field in the image plane, where a radial direction in a middle of the arc-shaped field defines a scanning direction. The first and second mirrors are arranged such that an edge sharpness of the arc-shaped field is smaller than 5 mm in the scanning direction. Rays traveling from the object plane to the image plane impinge a used area of the first and second mirrors with incidence angles relative to a surface normal of the mirrors ?30° or ?60°.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system. The illumination system includes a source of light having a wavelength of less than or equal to about 193 nm, a first facet, a second facet, and a reflective element. The light is incident on the first facet via a first path, propagates from the first facet to the second facet via a second path, and propagates from the second facet to the reflective element via a third path. The second path and the third path are in substantially opposite directions from one another and substantially parallel to each other.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system for wavelengths of ≦100 nm, having an object plane and a field plane. The illumination system includes a grating element having a plurality of gratings, and a diaphragm. The diaphragm is arranged after the grating element in a beam path from the object plane to the field plane.

Abstract: There is provided an illumination system. The illumination system includes a first light source and a second light source, each of which are for providing light having a wavelength≦193 nm, and an optical element. The first light source illuminates a first area of the optical element and the second light source illuminates a second area of the optical element.

Abstract: This invention relates to an Ilumination system for scanning lithography especially for wavelengths≦193 nm, particularly EUV lithography, for the illumination of a slit, comprising at least one field mirror or at least one field lens and being characterized in that at least one of the field mirror(s) or the field lens(es) has (have) an aspheric shape.

Abstract: A projection objective has at least five lens groups (G1 to G5) and has several lens surfaces. At least two aspheric lens surfaces are arranged so as to be mutually adjacent. These mutually adjacently arranged lens surfaces are characterized as a double asphere. This at least one double asphere (21) is mounted at a minimum distance from an image plane (0′) which is greater than the maximum lens diameter (D2) of the objective.

Abstract: There is provided a projection exposure system operable in a scanning mode along a scanning direction. The projection exposure system includes a collector that receives light having a wavelength ≦193 nm and illuminates a region in a plane. The plane is defined by a local coordinate system having a y-direction parallel to the scanning direction and an x-direction perpendicular to the scanning direction. The collector includes (a) a first mirror shell, (b) a second mirror shell within the first mirror shell, and (c) a fastening device for fastening the first and second mirror shells. The mirror shells are substantially rotational symmetric about a common rotational axis. The fastening device has a support spoke that extends in a radial direction of the mirror shells, and the support spoke, when projected into the plane, yields a projection that is non-parallel to the y-direction.

Abstract: A cleaning system for removing contamination from at least a part of a surface of a component in a lithographic projection apparatus is disclosed. The cleaning system includes an electric field generator that generates an electric field to provide cleaning particles near the surface of the component.

Abstract: A projection exposure system is proposed which is positionable between a first object and a second object for imaging the first object in a region of the second object with light of a wavelength band having a width &dgr;&lgr; about a central working wavelength &lgr;, wherein a relative width &dgr;&lgr;/&lgr; of the wavelength band is larger than 0.002, in particular, larger than 0.005, for example, of the Hg-I-line. The projection exposure system is a so-called three-bulge system comprising three bulges having, as a whole, a positive refractive power and two waists having, as a whole, a negative refractive power. By applying suitable measures, in particular, by suitably selecting the material for the lenses forming the projection exposure system, the long-term stability of the system is increased.

Abstract: A focusing-device for the radiation from a light source (2) is provided with a collector mirror (1, 1′) which is arranged in a mount (24) and collects the light, in virtual or real terms, from the light source (2) at the second focus (200). The collector mirror (1, 1′) is displaceably connected to the mount (24) via a bearing in such a way that its optical properties remain at least approximately the same even in the event of temperature changes.

Abstract: An illumination system comprises (a) a first optical element upon which a light beam impinges, where the first optical element has first raster elements that partition said light beam into light channels; (b) a second optical element that receives said light channels, where the second optical element has a second raster elements; (c) an object plane that receives said light channels via said second optical element; and (d) an exit pupil that is provided with an illumination via said object plane. The system is characterized by an assignment of a member of said first raster elements and a member of said second raster elements to each of said light channels to provide a continuous beam path from said first optical element to said object plane for each of said plurality of light channels. The assignment is changeable to provide an adjustment of said illumination in said exit pupil.

Abstract: There is provided a collector for illumination systems for light having a wavelength ≦193 nm comprising. The collector includes (a) a first mirror shell adjacent to, and positioned inside of, a second mirror shell around a common axis of rotation, in which the first and second mirror shells are rotationally symmetric, and (b) a component in a region between the first and second mirror shells. The collector is for receiving the light from a light source via an object-side aperture and for illuminating an area in an image-side plane, and the region is not used by the light.

Abstract: The invention concerns an illumination system, particularly for mircolithography with wavelengths<193 nm, comprising: a primary light source; a first optical component; a second optical component; an image plane; and an exit pupil; wherein said first optical component transforms said primary light source into a plurality of secondary light sources that are imaged by said second optical component in said exit pupil, wherein said first optical component includes a first optical element having a plurality of first raster elements, that are imaged into said image plane producing a plurality of images being superimposed at least partially on a field in said image plane, wherein said first raster elements that are image into the image plane are illuminated almost completely.