Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Hendrik Wagner

Norbert Wabra

Boris Bittner

Sonja Schneider

Ricarda Schoemer

Walter Pauls

Rumen Iliew

Steffen Fritzsche

Christian Wald

Florian Ahles

Toralf Gruner

Thomas Schicketanz

Jens Prochnau

Marwène Nefzi

Martin Von Hodenberg

Ralf Zweering

Michael Erath

Matthias Roesch

Viktor Kulitzki

Holger Schmidt

Ricarda Schneider

Martin Rocktaeschel

Michael Grupp

A catadioptric projection lens images a pattern of a mask in an effective object field of the projection lens into an effective image field of the projection lens with electromagnetic radiation with an operating wavelength &#x3bb;&#x3c;260 nm. The projection lens includes a multiplicity of lens elements and a multiplicity of mirrors including at least one concave mirror. The lens elements and mirrors define a projection beam path that extends from the object plane to the image plane and contains at least one pupil plane. The mirrors include a first mirror having a first mirror surface in the projection beam path between the object and pupil planes in the optical vicinity of a first field plane optically conjugate to the object plane. The mirrors also include a second mirror having a second mirror surface in the projection beam path between the pupil and image planes in the optical vicinity of a second field plane that is optically conjugate to the first field plane. The first mirror surface and/or the second mirror surface is a freeform surface.

Catadioptric projection lens and method for producing same

An optical arrangement, for example a lithography system, includes: a first component, in particular a carrying frame; a second component, in particular a mirror, which is movable in relation to the first component; and at least one stop with at least one stop face for limiting the movement of the second component in relation to the first component. The optical arrangement, preferably the stop, can have a fixing device for fixing the second component. The fixing device can have a fixing element that is movable in relation to the stop face of the stop. Further aspects of the device likewise relate to an optical arrangement with a fixing device or with a transport lock.

Optical arrangement, in particular lithography system, with a transport lock

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 mirror arrangement for an EUV projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprises a plurality of mirrors each having a layer which is reflective in the EUV spectral range and to which EUV radiation can be applied, and having a main body. In this case, at least one mirror of the plurality of mirrors has at least one layer comprising a material having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion. Moreover, a method for operating the mirror arrangement and a projection exposure apparatus are described. At least one heat source is arranged, in order to locally apply heat in a targeted manner to the at least one layer having a negative coefficient of thermal expansion of the at least one mirror.

Mirror arrangement for an EUV projection exposure apparatus, method for operating the same, and EUV projection exposure apparatus

A reflective optical element for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, a mask inspection apparatus or the like. The reflective optical element has an optically effective surface, an element substrate (), a reflection layer system () and at least one deformation reduction layer (). When the optically effective surface () is irradiated with electromagnetic radiation, a maximum deformation level of the reflection layer system is reduced in comparison with a deformation level of an analogously constructed reflective optical element without the deformation reduction layer.

Reflective optical element

A projection objective of a microlithographic projection apparatus has a wavefront correction device () comprising a mirror substrate () that has two opposite optical surfaces (), through which projection light passes, and a circumferential rim surface () extending between the two optical surfaces (). A first and a second optical system (OS, OS) are configured to direct first and second heating light (HL, HL) to different portions of the rim surface () such that at least a portion of the first and second heating light enters the mirror substrate (). A temperature distribution caused by a partial absorption of the heating light (HL, HL) results in a refractive index distribution inside the mirror substrate () that corrects a wavefront error. At least the first optical system (OS) comprises a focusing optical element () that focuses the first heating light in a focal area () such that the first heating light emerging from the focal area () impinges on the rim surface ().

Microlithographic apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Hendrik Wagner