Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Joerg Schultz

Wolfgang Singer

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Johannes Wangler

Wilhelm Ulrich

Hans-Juergen Mann

Udo Dinger

Martin Antoni

Markus Deguenther

Alexander Epple

Damian Fiolka

Aurelian Dodoc

Manfred Maul

Hans-Juergen Rostalski

Alexander Kohl

Franz-Josef Stickel

Gerhard Fuerter

Markus Brotsack

Joachim Wietzorrek

There is provided a projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus that has a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation having a chief ray with a wavelength&#x2266;193 nm. The projection objective includes an object plane, a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a fourth mirror; and an image plane. The object plane, the first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, the fourth mirror and the image plane are arranged in a centered arrangement around a common optical axis. The first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, and the fourth mirror are situated between the object plane and the image plane. The chief ray, when incident on an object situated in the object plane, in a direction from the primary light source, is inclined away from the common optical axis.

Illumination system particularly for microlithography

There is provided a projection objective for a projection exposure apparatus that has a primary light source for emitting electromagnetic radiation having a chief ray with a wavelength &#x2266;193 nm. The projection objective includes an object plane, a first mirror, a second mirror, a third mirror, a fourth mirror; and an image plane. The object plane, the first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, the fourth mirror and the image plane are arranged in a centered arrangement around a common optical axis. The first mirror, the second mirror, the third mirror, and the fourth mirror are situated between the object plane and the image plane. The chief ray, when incident on an object situated in the object plane, in a direction from the primary light source, is inclined away from the common optical axis.

An optical imaging system for a microlithography projection exposure system is used for imaging an object field arranged in an object plane of the imaging system into an image field arranged in an image plane of the imaging system. A projection objective or a relay objective to be used in the illumination system can be involved, in particular. The imaging system has a plurality of lenses that are arranged between the object plane and the image plane and in each case have a first lens surface and a second lens surface. At least one of the lenses is a double aspheric lens where the first lens surface and the second lens surface is an aspheric surface. Lenses of good quality that have the action of an asphere with very strong deformation can be produced in the case of double aspheric lenses with an acceptable outlay as regards the surface processing and testing of the lens surfaces.

Lithography lens system and projection exposure system provided with at least one lithography lens system of this type

An optical beam transformation system has a sequence of optical elements arranged along an optical axis of the optical beam transformation system and designed for transforming an entrance light distribution striking an entrance surface of the optical beam transformation system into an exit light distribution emerging from an exit surface of the optical beam transformation system by radial redistribution of light intensity. The optical elements include a transformation element causing a radial redistribution of light intensity and having a transformation surface inclined to the optical axis and causing a polarization-selective reflection of a light distribution incident on the transformation surface according to an efficiency symmetry characteristic for the transformation surface. The optical elements further include an optical compensation element effecting a spatially dependent compensation of transmission inhomogeneties caused by the polarization-selective reflection at the transformation surface according to a compensation symmetry adapted to the efficiency symmetry of the transformation surface.

Optical beam transformation system and illumination system comprising an optical beam transformation system

There is provided an illumination system for microlithography. The illumination system includes an optical element having a plurality of field raster elements, a plane in which a field is illuminated, and a grazing incidence mirror situated in a light path from the optical element to the plane, after the optical element. The illumination system has no other grazing incidence mirror in the light path, after the optical element and before the plane.

There is provided a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography using a wavelength less than or equal to 193 nm. The apparatus includes an optical element with a pupil raster element, and a projection objective with a real entrance pupil. The optical element is situated in or near a plane defined by the real entrance pupil.

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Joerg Schultz