Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Hans Michael Stiepan

Toralf Gruner

Jochen Hetzler

Kerstin Hild

Ulrich Loering

Thomas Korb

Johannes Lippert

Julian Kaller

Vitaliy Shklover

Eugen Foca

Jens Timo Neumann

Dmitry Klochkov

Frank Eisert

Daniel Golde

Alex Buxbaum

Alexander Winkler

Sebastian Fuchs

Thomas Monz

Thilo Pollak

Martin Scheid

Jeffrey Cavaco

A projection exposure apparatus comprises a projection objective, and the projection objective comprises an optical device, wherein the optical device comprises an optical element having an optically effective surface and an electrostrictive actuator. The electrostrictive actuator is deformable by a control voltage being applied. The electrostrictive actuator is functionally connected to the optical element to influence the surface shape of the optically effective surface. A control device supplies the electrostrictive actuator with the control voltage. A measuring device is configured, at least at times while the electrostrictive actuator influences the optically effective surface of the optical element, to measure directly and/or to determine indirectly the temperature and/or a temperature change of the electrostrictive actuator and/or the surroundings thereof to take account of a temperature-dependent influence during driving of the electrostrictive actuator by the control device.

Projection objective including an optical device

A method for measuring a surface shape of an optical element, wherein the optical element has a main body with a substrate and a reflective surface, and wherein at least one cooling channel for receiving a coolant is formed in the substrate, comprising: a) recording a cooling channel pressure, b) recording a measurement environment pressure, c) determining a pressure difference based on the cooling channel pressure and the measurement environment pressure, d) comparing the pressure difference with a predetermined target pressure difference, e) monitoring for a deviation between the pressure difference and the target pressure difference, wherein, if a deviation greater than a predetermined limit value is detected, the cooling channel pressure is adapted in such a way that the deviation becomes less than or equal to the predetermined limit value, and f) measuring the surface shape if the deviation is less than or equal to the predetermined limit value.

Production method and measurement method

Measurement method for interferometrically determining a shape of a test object () surface () includes arranging a first diffractive optical element () in an input wave () beam path, to generate a first test wave () with a wavefront that is adapted to a desired shape of the optical surface, detecting a first interferogram generated by the first test wave after interaction with the test object surface, arranging a different diffractive optical element () in the input wave beam path for generating a further test wave with a wavefront which is adapted to the desired shape of the optical surface, the first and the further diffractive optical elements differing in their respective diffraction structure configurations, capturing a further interferogram generated by the further test wave after interaction with the test object surface, and determining the surface shape of the test object by calculating the two interferograms.

Measurement method for interferometrically determining a surface shape

Semiconductor structures can be investigated, e.g., in an in-line quality check. An x-ray scattering measurement, e.g., CD-SAXS, can be used for wafer metrology. The x-ray scattering measurement can be configured based on a slice-and-imaging tomographic measurement using a dual-beam device, e.g., including a focused ion beam device and a scanning electron microscope.

Parameterizing x-ray scattering measurement using slice-and-image tomographic imaging of semiconductor structures

A diffractive optical element () for a test interferometer () measures a shape of an optical surface (). Diffractive shape measuring structures () are arranged on a used surface () of the element and generate a test wave () irradiating the surface when the element is arranged in the interferometer. At least one test field () several profile properties of test structures contained in the test field. The profile properties characterize a profile line of the test structures extending transversely with respect to the used surface and include a flank angle of the profile line, a profile depth and a depth of a microtrench in a bottom region of a trench-shaped profile of the test structures. The test field is arranged at one location of the used surface instead of the diffractive shape measuring structures such that the test field is surrounded by several diffractive shape measuring structures.

Diffractive optical element for a test interferometer

A mirror, e.g. for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes an optical effective surface, a mirror substrate, a reflection layer stack for reflecting electromagnetic radiation incident on the optical effective surface, at least one first electrode arrangement, at least one second electrode arrangement, and an actuator layer system situated between the first and the second electrode arrangements. The actuator layer system is arranged between the mirror substrate and the reflection layer stack, has a piezoelectric layer, and reacts to an electrical voltage applied between the first and the second electrode arrangements with a deformation response in a direction perpendicular to the optical effective surface. The deformation response varies locally by at least 20% in PV value for a predefined electrical voltage that is spatially constant across the piezoelectric layer.

Mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A microlithographic projection exposure mirror has a mirror substrate (), a reflection layer system () for reflecting electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the mirror's optical effective surface, and at least one piezoelectric layer (), which is arranged between the mirror substrate and the reflection layer system and to which an electric field for producing a locally variable deformation is applied by a first electrode arrangement situated on the side of the piezoelectric layer facing the reflection layer system, and by a second electrode arrangement situated on the side of the piezoelectric layer facing the mirror substrate. One of the electrode arrangements is assigned a mediator layer () for setting an at least regionally continuous profile of the electrical potential along the respective electrode arrangement. The mediator layer has at least two mutually electrically insulated regions (, . . . ).

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Aalen, Germany

Hans Michael Stiepan