Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Carl-zeiss-stiftung

Bernhard Geuppert

Jens Kugler

Bernhard Gellrich

Franz Sorg

Armin Schoeppach

Stefan Hembacher

Ulrich Loering

Johannes Rau

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Ulrich Wegmann

Rolf Freimann

Thomas Petasch

Gerhard Fuerter

Martin Mahlmann

Hans Butler

Toralf Gruner

Wolfgang Singer

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Norbert Wabra

Ulrich Weber

Stefan Xalter

Martin Antoni

Frank Melzer

Guido Limbach

Ulrich Mueller

Albrecht Ehrmann

Wilhelm Egle

Bernhard Kneer

Joachim Stuehler

Rainer Hoch

Oswald Gromer

Joerg Mallmann

Paul Kaufmann

Johannes Wangler

Yim-Bun Patrick Kwan

Marc Wilhelmus Maria Van Der Wijst

Sascha Bleidistel

Aksel Goehnermeier

Markus Weiss

Dirk Hellweg

Ulrich Schoenhoff

Joachim Hainz

Yim Bun Patrick Kwan

Peter Deufel

Willi Heintel

Joachim Wietzorrek

Erich Schubert

Marco Hendrikus Hermanus Oude Nijhuis

Harald Kirchner

Dick Antonius Hendrikus Laro

Rodolfo Guglielmi Rabe

Peter Meyer

Markus Hauf

Hubert Holderer

Michael Totzeck

Joachim Hartjes

Johannes Lippert

Bernardus Antonius Johannes Luttikhuis

Bernd Doerband

Martin Schriever

Juergen Fischer

Martin Riedel

Bernd Geh

Stefan Schulte

Laurentius Catrinus Jorritsma

Ulrich Bingel

Michael Trunz

Thomas Ittner

Robertus Johannes Marinus De Jongh

Norbert Kerwien

Johannes Wilhelmus De Klerk

Marwène Nefzi

Adrianus Franciscus Petrus Engelen

Andreas Seifert

Harald Woelfle

Andreas Frommeyer

Aart Adrianus Van Beuzekom

Guenther Seitz

Tilman Schwertner

Maria Johanna Agnes Rubingh

Johannes Martinus Andreas Hazenberg

Peter Schaap

Juergen Huber

Hagen Federau

Burkhard Corves

Rodolfo Rabe

Michaela Schmid

Mathias Huesing

Wolfgang Keller

Bernhard Fellner

Martin Wahle

Leonhard Soell

Michael Lorenz

Hans-Jürgen Scherle

Tim Detert

Fraser G Morrison

Alexander Kharitonov

Petrus Franciscus Wilhelmus Maria Mandigers

Nico Kemper

Marc Van Der Wijst

An optical arrangement for use in an optical imaging device includes an optical element unit and a detection device and/or an actuating device. The optical element unit includes at least one optical element. The detection device determines in a plurality of M degrees of freedom in each case a detection value which is representative of a relative position or orientation of an element reference of the optical element in relation to a primary reference of the detection device in the respective degree of freedom. The detection device includes a plurality of N detection units, each of which outputs a detection signal which is representative of a distance and/or a displacement of the detection unit in relation to a secondary reference assigned to the optical element and the respective detection unit.

Supporting an optical element

An optical imaging arrangement includes an optical projection system, a support structure system and a control device. The optical projection system includes a group of optical elements supported by the support structure system and configured to transfer, in an exposure process using exposure light along an exposure light path, an image of a pattern of a mask onto a substrate. The group of optical elements includes a first optical element and a second optical element and the control device includes a sensor device and an active device. The sensor device is functionally associated to the first optical element and is configured to capture mechanical disturbance information representative of a mechanical disturbance acting on the first optical element in at least one degree of freedom up to all six degrees of freedom.

Optical imaging arrangement with actively adjustable metrology support units

A lithography system has a projection lens that includes a first optical element and a first sensor subframe. The projection lens also includes first sensor which is configured to detect a position of the first optical element with respect to the first sensor subframe. The projection lens further includes a second sensor which is configured to detect a position of a wafer with respect to the first sensor subframe.

Lithography system and method

A projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography includes at least one component, and a support device with at least one support actuator which acts on at least one support location of the component so that deformations of the component are reduced. The support device includes a control unit for triggering the at least one support actuator. The control unit is configured to trigger the support actuator in the event of a dynamic acceleration acting on the component. The disclosure also relates to a method for reducing deformations, resulting from dynamic accelerations, of a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography.

Projection exposure apparatus, and method for reducing deformations, resulting from dynamic accelerations, of components of the projection exposure apparatus

An optical imaging arrangement includes an optical element unit, and an actuator device connected to the optical element unit and is configured to be connected to a support structure for supporting the optical unit. The actuator device is configured to: actively adjust, in an adjustment state, a position and/or an orientation of the optical unit with respect to the support structure in N degrees of freedom; and support the optical element unit in a statically overdetermined manner in at least one of the N degrees of freedom via a plurality of active first and second actuator components such that, in a holding state following the adjustment state, the first and second actuator components cause a parasitic residual load introduced into the optical element unit in the at least one of the N degrees of freedom.

Optical imaging arrangement with a piezoelectric device

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens that is configured for immersion operation. For this purpose an immersion liquid is introduced into an immersion space that is located between a last lens of the projection lens on the image side and a photosensitive layer to be exposed. To reduce fluctuations of refractive index resulting from temperature gradients occurring within the immersion liquid, the projection exposure apparatus includes heat transfer elements that heat or cool partial volumes of the immersion liquid so as to achieve an at least substantially homogenous or at least substantially rotationally symmetric temperature distribution within the immersion liquid.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and measuring device for a projection lens

A projection exposure system () for microlithography which includes: a mask holding device () holding a mask () with mask structures () disposed on the mask, a substrate holding device () holding a substrate (), projection optics () imaging the mask structures () onto the substrate () during an exposure process, and a measurement structure () disposed in a defined position with respect to a reference element () of the projection exposure system (), which defined position is mechanically uncoupled from the position of the mask holding to device (). The projection exposure system () also includes a detector () arranged to record an image of the measurement structure () imaged by the projection optics (). The projection exposure system () is configured such that during operation of the projection exposure system () the imaging of the mask structures () and the imaging of the measurement structure () take place at the same time by the projection optics (. An evaluation device () is configured to establish a lateral position of the image of the measurement structure () in the area of the detector () during the exposure process.

Projection exposure system for microlithography with a measurement device

An optical projection unit includes first and second optical element modules. The first optical element module includes a first housing unit and a first optical element received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and includes a second optical element which defines a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is laterally offset and/or inclined with respect to the first housing axis. The first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis.

Optical projection system

Lithography apparatus and device manufacturing methods are disclosed in which means are provided for reducing the extent to which vibrations propagate between a first element of a projection system and a second element of a projection system. Approaches disclosed include the use of plural resilient members in series as part of a vibration isolation system, plural isolation frames for separately supporting first and second projection system frames, and modified connection positions for the interaction between the first and second projection system frames and the isolation frame(s).

Lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A projection exposure system () for microlithography which includes: a mask holding device () holding a mask () with mask structures () disposed on the mask, a substrate holding device () holding a substrate (), projection optics () imaging the mask structures () onto the substrate () during an exposure process, and a measurement structure () disposed in a defined position with respect to a reference element () of the projection exposure system (), which defined position is mechanically uncoupled from the position of the mask holding device (). The projection exposure system () also includes a detector () arranged to record an image of the measurement structure () imaged by the projection optics (). The projection exposure system () is configured such that during operation of the projection exposure system () the imaging of the mask structures () and the imaging of the measurement structure () take place at the same time by the projection optics (. An evaluation device () is configured to establish a lateral position of the image of the measurement structure () in the area of the detector () during the exposure process.

A method and a device for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography in which an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein is provided. At least one objective part is replaceably accommodated in the objective. Immediately prior to installation in the objective, the replaceable objective part is cleaned outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. Immediately after cleaning, the replaceable objective is installed in the objective without contact with the normal ambient atmosphere.

Method for replacing objective parts

Exposure apparatus and measuring device for a projection lens

The invention relates to an arrangement for mounting an optical element, in particular in an EUV projection exposure apparatus, comprising at least one actuator which exerts a controllable force on the optical element; wherein between the actuator and the optical element a mechanical coupling in the form of a pin is embodied in such a way that, relative to the drive axis of the actuator, the ratio of the stiffness of the mechanical coupling in an axial direction to the stiffness in a lateral direction is at least 100; and at least one damping element which brings about a damping of a natural vibration form of the pin in a lateral direction.

Arrangement for mounting an optical element, in particular in an EUV projection exposure apparatus

An arrangement actuates an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The arrangement includes first and second actuators and first and second mechanical couplings. The first and second actuators are coupled to the element via corresponding ones of the first and second mechanical couplings for applying respective forces to the element which is regulatable in at least one degree of freedom. The first and second actuators have first and second actuator masses, respectively, and the first actuator mass and the first mechanical coupling conjointly define a first mass-spring system operating as a first low-pass filter. The second actuator mass and the second mechanical coupling conjointly define a second mass-spring system operating as a second low-pass filter. The first and second mass-spring systems have first and second natural frequencies deviating from each other by a maximum deviation equal to 10% of the largest of the first and second natural frequencies.

Arrangement for actuating an element in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

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Aalen, Germany

Bernhard Geuppert