Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Christian Wald

Daniel Runde

Markus Deguenther

Michael Totzeck

Norbert Wabra

Boris Bittner

Ulrich Loering

Ralf Mueller

Olaf Conradi

Sonja Schneider

Ricarda Schoemer

Walter Pauls

Dirk Juergens

Hendrik Wagner

Stefan Schaff

Toralf Gruner

Thomas Schicketanz

Steffen Fritzsche

Matthias Roesch

Christoph Petri

Holger Schmidt

Rumen Iliew

Florian Ahles

Bjoern Butscher

A control apparatus controls at least one manipulator for modifying a parameter of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus by generating a target for a travel variable, which defines a modification of the parameter to be undertaken via the manipulator. The control apparatus is configured to generate the target from a state characterization of the projection exposure apparatus by optimizing a merit function. A merit function includes at least one penalty term for taking account of a limit for a property of the projection exposure apparatus as an implicit constraint and the penalty term is formulated in such a way that the function value thereof tends to 'infinity' as the property approaches the limit.

Control apparatus and method for controlling a manipulator in respect of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

An optical waveguide serves for guiding illumination light. The waveguide has a waveguide main body for guiding the illumination light between a main body entrance region and a main body exit region. At least one coupling-out device is provided in the main body exit region. Via the coupling-out device, at least one coupling-out illumination light partial beam is coupled out from the illumination light emerging from the waveguide main body. This is done such that the coupling-out illumination light partial beam can be separated from the rest of the illumination light beam emerging from the waveguide main body. This results in a waveguide having improved possibilities for use when guiding illumination light.

Optical waveguide for guiding illumination light

A method of operating a projection exposure tool for microlithography is provided. The projection exposure tool has a projection objective for imaging object structures on a mask into an image plane using electromagnetic radiation, during which imaging the electromagnetic radiation causes a change in optical properties of the projection objective. The method comprises the steps of: providing the layout of the object structures on the mask to be imaged and classifying the object structures according to their type of structure, calculating the change in the optical properties of the projection objective effected during the imaging process on the basis of the classification of the object structures, and using the projection exposure tool for imaging the object structures into the image plane, wherein the imaging behavior of the projection exposure tool is adjusted on the basis of the calculated change of the optical properties in order to at least partly compensate for the change of the optical properties of the projection objective caused by the electromagnetic radiation during the imaging process.

Method of operating a projection exposure tool for microlithography

A film element of an EUV-transmitting wavefront correction device is arranged in a beam path and includes a first layer of first layer material having a first complex refractive index n=(1&#x2212;&#x3b4;)+i&#xdf;, with a first optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a first layer thickness profile, and a second layer of second layer material having a second complex refractive index n=(1&#x2212;&#x3b4;)+i&#xdf;, with a second optical layer thickness, which varies locally over the used region in accordance with a second layer thickness profile. The first and second layer thickness profiles differ. The deviation &#x3b4;of the real part of the first refractive index from 1 is large relative to the absorption coefficient &#xdf;of the first layer material and the deviation &#x3b4;of the real part of the second refractive index from 1 is small relative to the absorption coefficient &#xdf;of the second layer material.

Projection lens for EUV microlithography, film element and method for producing a projection lens comprising a film element

An optical assembly, in particular for a lithography system for imaging lithographic micro- or nanostructures, includes at least two optical elements arranged successively in a beam path of the optical assembly, an acquisition device designed to acquire radiation signals from marking elements on or at the at least two optical elements, and a control device coupled to the acquisition device and which is designed to determine the plurality of properties of the optically active surface of the at least two optical elements as a function of the information contained in the radiation signals originating from the marking elements. The disclosure also relates to a method for operating the optical assembly.

Optical assembly

A method for determining a corrected variable, which depends on at least one parameter, in a parameter range of the parameter, includes carrying out a measurement, measurement values of the variable being made available in a plurality of separate and non-overlapping subranges of the parameter range; correcting measurement values of the variable using an approximation, in which measurement values of the variable are approximated with a smooth function and with subrange functions of the subranges of the parameter range. The smooth function allows reproduction of the progression of the variable over the parameter range. The subrange functions permit an individual change of the variable in the subranges. Also disclosed are methods for adjusting imaging optics of an optical system, devices for determining a corrected variable, which depends on at least one parameter in a parameter range, and methods for determining a plurality of corrected wavefront errors in an image field.

Determination of a corrected variable

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Aalen, Germany

Christian Wald