Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Dirk Schaffer

Jens Kugler

Jens Prochnau

Andreas Wurmbrand

Bernhard Gellrich

Ulrich Weber

Franz Sorg

Siegfried Wahl

Thomas Petasch

Guido Limbach

Julian Kaller

Ulrich Bingel

Tilman Schwertner

Hans-Juergen Scherle

Joachim Hartjes

Stefan Hembacher

Johannes Lippert

Wilfried Clauss

Thomas Schletterer

Marwène Nefzi

Willi Heintel

Hin Yiu Anthony Chung

Harald Kirchner

Hagen Federau

Markus Kern

Hin-Yiu Anthony Chung

Roman Orlik

Wolfgang Scherm

An optical system for lithography apparatus comprises a movable element and a functional element having a first and second portions. The optical element is designed as an optical element or as a reference structure. The first portion is fastened to the movable element by a joining mechanism along a fastening plane. The second portion comprises a functional surface. The functional element comprises a decoupling device for decoupling by deformation the first portion from the second portion. The decoupling device is formed by a narrowing of the functional element. The narrowing is located laterally outside a region of the functional surface. The functional surface is a measurement surface which is suitable for acquisition for the purposes of positioning and/or orientating the movable element.

Optical system and lithography apparatus

An optical element is configured to guide imaging light in projection lithography. The optical element has a main body and at least one optical surface carried by the main body. At least one compensation weight element, which is attached to the main body, serves for a weight compensation of a figure deformation of the optical surface caused by gravity. This results in an optical element with a small figure deformation at the use location.

Optical element for the beam guidance of imaging light in projection lithography

A connection arrangement for connecting an optical component of an optical imaging arrangement to a support unit of a support structure includes: a connecting element unit having a support interface end with support interface section; and a component interface end with a component interface section.

Mounting arrangement for an optical imaging arrangement

An optical element module includes an optical element unit and a support structure. The optical element module includes an optical element. The support structure includes a support device and a contact device connected to the support device. A surface of the contact device contacts a surface of the optical element unit and exerts a holding force on the optical element unit along a holding force direction.

Optical element module with minimized parasitic loads

An optical element unit including a first optical element module and a sealing arrangement is disclosed. The first optical element module occupies a first module space and includes a first module component of a first component type and an associated second module component of a second component type. The first component type is optical elements and the second component type being different from the first component type. The sealing arrangement separates the first module space into a first space and a second space and substantially prevents, at least in a first direction, the intrusion of substances from one of the first space and the second space into the other one of the first space and the second space. The first module component at least partially contacts the first space and, at least in its area optically used, not contacting the second space. The second module component at least partially contacts the second space.

Optical element unit for exposure processes

The present application discloses a component having a movably mounted component element of a projection exposure apparatus and in particular a movement limiting apparatus, and a method for limiting the movement of movable component elements of a component of a projection exposure apparatus.

Moveably mounted component of projection exposure system, as well as device and method for movement limitation for same

An optical arrangement of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a mirror element having a mirror substrate, and a reflection region formed on a surface of the mirror substrate. The arrangement also includes at least one actuator configured to move the mirror element in at least one degree of freedom, and a mounting element, which acts on the mirror substrate. The mounting element alone holds the mirror element at least approximately in an equilibrium position, such that the at least one actuator is at least approximately free of forces in the equilibrium position.

Optical arrangement of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

The disclosure relates to a mirror module, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, including a mirror, which has a mirror body and an optically effective surface. The mirror body has a first material, and a supporting structure for connecting the mirror body to an objective structure. The supporting structure has a second material. The first material and the second material differ in terms of their coefficients of thermal expansion by less than 0.5*10Kin a temperature range around an operating temperature which is reached by the mirror module during operation in the region of the connection of the mirror body to the supporting structure.

Mirror module, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure appararatus

A method for producing a mirror arrangement for a lithography apparatus is proposed, which comprises the following steps: producing a mirror body having a cavity delimited by a front wall, a rear wall and a side wall of the mirror body, the side wall being arranged between the front wall and the rear wall, wherein at least one supporting element is provided in the cavity between the front wall and the rear wall; and after producing the mirror body, at least partly removing the supporting element.

Mirror arrangement for a lithography apparatus and method for producing the same

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&#x3e;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.

Lithography apparatus and method for producing a mirror arrangement

The disclosure relates to optical arrangements in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, an optical arrangement has at least one mirror segment arrangement including a plurality of separate mirror segments. The mirror segments are connected to a carrying structure of the projection exposure apparatus via mounting elements. At least one of the mounting elements, which is assigned to a first one of the mirror segments, extends, on the opposite side to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into the region of a second mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement. The second mirror segment is adjacent to the first mirror segment.

Optical arrangement in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

There is provided an optical element unit comprising an optical element, a connector element, and an optical element holder. The optical element has a plane of main extension as well as an outer circumference and defines a radial direction. The connector element connects the optical element and the optical element holder, the connector element having a first connector part connected to the optical element at the outer circumference and a second connector part connected to the optical element holder. The first connector part and the second connector part are connected via at least one coupling part, the coupling part being compliant in the radial direction and substantially preventing rotation between the first connector part and the second connector part in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of main extension.

Optical element unit and method of supporting an optical element

An optical element unit includes a first optical element module and a sealing arrangement. The first optical element module occupies a first module space and includes a first module component of a first component type and an associated second module component of a second component type. The first component type is optical elements and the second component type being different from the first component type. The sealing arrangement separates the first module space into a first space and a second space and substantially pre-vents, at least in a first direction, the intrusion of substances from one of the first space and the second space into the other one of the first space and the second space. The first module component at least partially contacts the first space and, at least in its area optically used, not contacting the second space. The second module component at least partially contacts the second space.

Optical element unit for exposure processes having sealing element

A method for bonding a first body () to a second, panel-shaped body () at bonding surfaces () lying opposite each other, the second body () projecting in at least one direction (X) beyond an edge (') of the first body (). The method includes: producing a plurality of spacers (to&#x2032; to&#x2032;) on at least one of the bonding surfaces (), applying adhesive () into intermediate spaces (to) between the spacers beyond an outer spacer (&#x2032;) as far as an adhesive periphery (), which is formed at an edge (&#x2032;) of the first body (), and bonding the bodies () by bringing the bonding surfaces () into contact at the spacers (&#x2032; to&#x2032;). A prescribed distance (d) between the adhesive periphery () and the outermost spacer () is set to provide a desired state of deformation of the panel-shaped body () after a shrinkage of the applied adhesive () (e.g. minimized bending of the body.) In an associated composite body (), the prescribed distance (d) lies between 20 &#x3bc;m and 250 &#x3bc;m, preferably between 30 &#x3bc;m and 200 &#x3bc;m, in particular between 40 &#x3bc;m and 150 &#x3bc;m.

Method for bonding bodies and composite body

To reduce deformations which may be caused by a functional coating on a substrate in an optical element for UV or EUV lithography, an optical element is suggested comprising a functional coating () on a first surface () of a substrate (), wherein the substrate () comprises a second surface () having a common edge () with the first surface (), and the second surface () also has a coating () and the thickness tand the stress &#x3c3;of the coating () on the second surface () are chosen such that, in combination with the thickness tand the stress &#x3c3;of the functional coating () on the first surface (), the condition is fulfilled, wherein X has a value between 0.8 and 5.0.

Growing community of inventors

Jena, Germany

Dirk Schaffer