Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Sms Ltd.

Daniel Kraehmer

Toralf Gruner

Wilhelm Ulrich

Michael Totzeck

Heiko Feldmann

Aurelian Dodoc

Ulrich Loering

Vladimir Kamenov

Vladan Blahnik

Norbert Wabra

Johannes Ruoff

Alexander Epple

Aksel Goehnermeier

Olaf Dittmann

Susanne Beder

Ingo Saenger

Markus Schwab

Ralf Mueller

Nils Dieckmann

Hans-Juergen Mann

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Johannes Wangler

Damian Fiolka

Olaf Conradi

Wilfried Clauss

Christoph Hennerkes

Markus Brotsack

Markus Zenzinger

Wolfgang Singer

Frank Schlesener

Alexandra Pazidis

Julian Kaller

Joerg Zimmermann

Thomas Okon

Jean-Claude Perrin

David R Shafer

Manfred Maul

Bernhard Gellrich

Thomas Schicketanz

Helmut Beierl

Matthias Manger

Christoph Zaczek

Rudolf Von Buenau

Bernd Geh

Holger Walter

Johannes Zellner

Gerhard Fuerter

Stephan Six

Ulrich Stroessner

Joern Greif-Wuestenbecker

Karl-Stefan Weissenrieder

Martin Meier

Reiner Garreis

Beate Boehme

Bruno Thome

Birgit Kuerz

Achim Zirkel

Vladimir Kamenow

Vladimer Kamenov

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.

Microlithography projection objective

A lithography projection objective for imaging a pattern in an object plane onto a substrate in an image plane. The projection objective comprises a multiplicity of optical elements along an optical axis. The optical elements comprise a first group of optical elements following the object plane, and a last optical element, following the first group and next to the image plane. The projection objective is tunable or tuned with respect to aberrations for the case that the volume between the last optical element and the image plane is filled by an immersion medium with a refractive index substantially greater than 1. The position of the last optical element is adjustable in the direction of the optical axis. A positioning device is provided that positions at least the last optical element during immersion operation such that aberrations induced by disturbance are at least partially compensated.

Lithography projection objective, and a method for correcting image defects of the same

An EUV light source serves for generating a usable output beam of EUV illumination light for a projection exposure apparatus for projection lithography. The light source has an EUV generation device which generates an EUV raw output beam. The latter is circularly polarized. For the purposes of setting the polarization of the usable output beam and in respect of the polarization direction, a polarization setting device has a linearly polarizing effect on the raw output beam. This results in an EUV light source, which provides an improved output beam for a resolution-optimized illumination.

EUV light source for generating a usable output beam for a projection exposure apparatus

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.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A collector for a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprises a plurality of reflective sections which are embodied and arranged in such a way that they can be impinged upon during the focusing of radiation from a first focus into a second focus with angles of impingement in a predefined angular spectrum.

Collector

The invention relates to an illumination system for an EUV lithography device, comprising: a first facet mirror having facet elements that reflect EUV radiation, and a second facet mirror having facet elements for reflecting the EUV radiation reflected by the first facet mirror onto an illumination field. At least one of the facet elements of the first facet mirror or of the second facet mirror is designed as a diffractive optical element for diffracting the EUV radiation. In particular, at least one of the facet elements of the second facet mirror is designed as a diffractive optical element for illuminating only a part of the illumination field. The invention also relates to an EUV lithography device comprising such an illumination system, and to a facet mirror comprising at least one diffractive facet element.

Illumination system for an EUV lithography device and facet mirror therefor

A mask () for EUV lithography includes a substrate (), a multi-layer coating () applied to the substrate () and a mask structure () which is applied to the multi-layer coating () and which has an absorber material, the mask structure () having a maximum thickness of less than 100 nm, preferably not exceeding a maximum thickness of 30 nm, particularly preferably 20 nm, in particular 10 nm. Also disclosed is an EUV lithography system having such a mask () and a method for optimizing the imaging of such a mask ().

Mask for EUV lithography, EUV lithography system and method for optimising the imaging of a mask

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. The projection objective includes an optical component configured so that, during use of the projection objective, the optical component generates a stray light component in the exposure field of the projection objective which adapts a parameter of the projection objective to a parameter of a second projection objective. The parameter is the stray light component at the exposure field of the projection objective and/or a variation of the stray light component at the exposure field of the projection objective. The parameter of the second projection objective is a stray light component at an exposure field of the second projection objective and/or a variation of the stray light component at the exposure field of the second projection objective. The second projection objective is different from the projection objective.

Projection objective for microlithography with stray light compensation and related methods

The invention relates to an optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including an optical system axis (OA) and a polarization-influencing optical arrangement, wherein the polarization-influencing optical arrangement includes a first polarization-influencing element, which is produced from optically uniaxial crystal material and has a first orientation of the optical crystal axis, the-first orientation being perpendicular to the optical system axis and a thickness that varies in the direction of the optical system axis, and a second polarization-influencing element, which is arranged downstream of the first polarization-influencing element in the light propagation direction, is produced from optically uniaxial crystal material and has a second orientation of the optical crystal axis, the second orientation being perpendicular to the optical system axis, and a plane-parallel geometry, wherein the second orientation is different from the first orientation.

Optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

The disclosure provides a microlithography projection objective which includes a plurality of optical elements along the optical axis of the projection objective. The plurality of optical elements includes a last optical element and a penultimate optical element. A distance between the last optical element and the penultimate optical element is variable. The disclosure also provides a microlithography projection exposure machine including such a projection objective, and a method of making semiconductor components using such a projection exposure machine.

In an exposure method for exposing a substrate which is arranged in the area of an image plane of a projection objective as well as in a projection exposure system for performing that method, output radiation directed at the substrate and having an output polarization state is produced. Through variable adjustment of the output polarization state with the aid of at least one polarization manipulation device, the output polarization state can be formed to approach a nominal output polarization state. The polarization manipulation can be performed in a control loop on the basis of polarization-optical measuring data.

Microlithographic exposure method as well as a projection exposure system for carrying out the method

An optical system, in particular a projection objective, for microlithography, has an optical axis and at least one optical correction arrangement, which has a first optical correction element and at least one second optical correction element, wherein the first correction element is provided with a first aspherical surface contour, and wherein the second correction element is provided with a second aspherical surface contour, wherein the first surface contour and the second surface contour add up at least approximately to zero, wherein the correction arrangement has at least one drive for movement of at least one of the two correction elements. In this case, at least one of the two correction elements can rotate about a rotation axis which is at least approximately parallel to the optical axis, and the at least one drive is a rotary drive for rotation of one or both of the correction elements about the rotation axis.

Optical system for microlithography

The disclosure relates to an optical projection arrangement that can be used to image a reticle onto a substrate. The projection arrangement includes reflective elements, by which a ray path is defined. A combination stop is in a pupil of the ray path. The combination stop has a first opening (aperture opening) for use as an aperture stop. The combination stop also has a second opening for allowing passage of a ray bundle of the ray path, such that the combination stop acts as a combined aperture stop and stray light stop. In addition, the disclosure relates to a corresponding combination stop for optical arrangements, as well as related systems, components and methods.

Combination stop for catoptric projection arrangement

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Essingen, Germany

Daniel Kraehmer