Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Joern Weber

Sebastian Strobel

Hartmut Enkisch

Hans-Jochen Paul

Gisela Von Blanckenhagen

Oliver Dier

Ralf Winter

Christian Grasse

Aurelian Dodoc

Dirk Heinrich Ehm

Thomas Schicketanz

Christoph Zaczek

Vitaliy Shklover

Stephan Muellender

Kerstin Hild

Wilfried Clauss

Moritz Becker

Stephan Six

Sascha Migura

Michael Krause

Irene Ament

Gerhard Braun

Martin Hermann

Christoph Nottbohm

Roland Loercher

Sandro Hoffmann

Mirko Ribow

Matthias Sturm

In a method for producing an optical element for an EUV projection exposure apparatus, a shaping layer () is applied onto a substrate () so as to have a surface roughness of at most 0.5 nm rms directly after the application of the shaping layer onto the substrate.

Optical element for a EUV projection exposure system

Treating a reflective optical element () for the EUV wavelength range that has a reflective coating on a substrate. The reflective optical element in a holder () is irradiated with at least one radiation pulse of a radiation source () having a duration of between 1 &#x3bc;s and 1 s. At least one radiation source () and the reflective optical element move relative to one another. Preferably, this is carried out directly after applying the reflective coating in a coating chamber (). Reflective optical elements of this type are suitable in particular for use in EUV lithography or in EUV inspection of masks or wafers, for example.

Method for treating a reflective optical element for the EUV wavelength range, method for producing same, and treating apparatus

A reflective optical element, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a substrate (), a reflection layer system () and a defect structure () of channel-shaped defects () which extend inward from the optical effective surface (), or from an interface oriented toward the substrate as far as the reflection layer system, and permit egress of hydrogen from the reflection layer system. The channel-shaped defects () increase a diffusion coefficient that is characteristic for the egress of the hydrogen from the reflection layer system () by at least 20%, in comparison to a similar layer construction without these channel-shaped defects.

Reflective optical element

A reflective optical element () having a substrate () and a multilayer system () that has a plurality of partial stacks (), each with a first layer () of a first material and a second layer () of a second material. The first material and the second material differ from one another in refractive index at an operating wavelength of the optical element. Each of the partial stacks has a thickness (D) and a layer thickness ratio (&#x393;), wherein the layer thickness ratio is the quotient of the thickness of the respective first layer and the partial stack thickness (D). In a first section of the multilayer system, for at least one of the two variables of partial stack thickness (D) and layer thickness ratio (&#x393;), the mean square deviation from the respective mean values therefor is at least 10% less than in a second section of the multilayer system.

Reflective optical element, and optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A mirror (') for the EUV wavelength range and having a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface layer system (P&#x2032;&#x2033;) consisting of a periodic sequence of at least two periods (P) of individual layers, wherein the periods (P) include two individual layers composed of different materials for a high refractive index layer (H&#x2032;&#x2033;) and a low refractive index layer (L&#x2032;&#x2033;), wherein the layer arrangement includes at least one surface protecting layer (SPL, L) or at least one surface protecting layer system (SPLS) having a thickness of greater than 20 nm, and preferably greater than 50 nm.

Mirror for the EUV wavelength range, substrate for such a mirror, projection objective for microlithography comprising such a mirror or such a substrate, and projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising such a projection objective

A stress-reduced reflective optical element for a working wavelength in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range includes a first multilayer system () of at least two alternating materials () having different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength on a substrate (), which exerts a layer stress on the substrate (), and comprising a second multilayer system () of at least two alternating materials () on a substrate (), which exerts an opposed layer stress on the substrate () and is arranged between the first multilayer system () and the substrate (), wherein a first () of the at least two materials of the second multilayer system () is interrupted by layers () having a thickness of up to 1 nm of the at least one further material of the second multilayer system () at such distances that the first material is present in an amorphous state.

Reflective optical element for EUV lithography

A stress-reduced reflective optical element for a working wavelength in the soft X-ray and extreme ultraviolet wavelength range includes a first multilayer system () of at least two alternating materials () having different real parts of the refractive index at the working wavelength on a substrate (), which exerts a layer stress on the substrate (), and comprising a second multilayer system () of at least two alternating materials () on a substrate (), which exerts an opposed layer stress on the substrate () and is arranged between the first multilayer system () and the substrate (), wherein one of the materials () of the second multilayer system () is nickel-vanadium-silicon, and wherein the ratio (G) of the overall thickness of nickel-vanadium-silicon layers () within one period () of the second multilayer system () to the overall thickness of the period () of the second multilayer system () is at least 0.25.

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Aalen, Germany

Joern Weber