Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Sms Ltd.

Markus Mengel

Ulrich Wegmann

Wolfgang Emer

Albrecht Ehrmann

Reiner Clement

Ludo Mathijssen

Michael Totzeck

Vladimir Dmitriev

Sergey Oshemkov

Ralph Klaesges

Toralf Gruner

Johannes Ruoff

Frank Schlesener

Ingo Saenger

Michael Hartl

Martin Schriever

Helmut Haidner

Vladimir Kamenov

Peter Huber

Guy Ben-Zvi

Eitan Zait

Vladimir Kruglyakov

Steven Labovitz

Thomas Muelders

Uwe Hempelmann

Manfred Dahl

Ludo Mathussen

The invention relates to a method for compensating at least one defect of an optical system which includes introducing an arrangement of local persistent modifications in at least one optical element of the optical system, which does not have pattern elements on one of its optical surfaces, so that the at least one defect is at least partially compensated.

Method and apparatus for compensating at least one defect of an optical system

Methods for measuring the image quality of a projection objective include providing a measuring structure on an image-side of the projection objective, providing an immersion fluid between the projection objective and the measuring structure, directing light through the projection objective and the immersion fluid to the measuring structure while shielding the measuring structure from the immersion fluid, detecting light transmitted by the measuring structure, and determining an image quality of the projection objective based on the detected light.

System for measuring the image quality of an optical imaging system

An arrangement for and a method of characterizing the polarization properties of an optical system, in particular an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The arrangement includes at least one polarization state generator () which sets a defined polarization state of radiation incident on the optical system, and a polarization state detector () adapted to measure the exit polarization state of radiation issuing from the optical system, wherein the optical system is designed for a working wavelength of less than 15 nm, and wherein the polarization state generator and/or the polarization state detector are so designed that their polarization-optical action on an incident light beam is substantially constant over an angle spectrum of the light beam of at least 10&#xb0;.

Arrangement for and method of characterising the polarization properties of an optical system

A system for processing a substrate includes a light source to provide light pulses, a stage to support a substrate, optics to focus the light pulses onto the substrate, a scanner to scan the light pulses across the substrate, a computer to control properties of the light pulses and the scanning of the light pulses such that color centers are generated in various regions of the substrate, and at least one of (i) an ultraviolet light source to irradiate the substrate with ultraviolet light or (ii) a heater to heat the substrate after formation of the color centers to stabilize a transmittance spectrum of the substrate.

Controllable transmission and phase compensation of transparent material

Disclosed is a method of modifying of a surface of a substrate of a photolithographic mask for extreme ultraviolet radiation comprising the step of focusing femtosecond light pulses of a laser system onto the substrate so that a plurality of color centers is generated inside the substrate, wherein the color centers are distributed to cause a modification of the substrate surface.

Method and apparatus for modifying a substrate surface of a photolithographic mask

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and method are provided. In some embodiments, a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a light source to generate pulsed light, an illumination device, a projection objective, and at least one photoelastic modulator between the pulsed light source and the illumination device. The illumination device is configured to illuminate an object plane of the projection objective. The projection object projects an image of an object in the object plane of the projection objective to the image plane of the projection objective.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A measuring system for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system, which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface of the imaging system in an image surface of the imaging system, comprises an object-side structure carrier having an object-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system; an image-side structure carrier having an image-side measuring structure, to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system; the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and a detector for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern. The imaging system is designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid. A structure carrier to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid is assigned a protective system in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid. A measurement of immersion systems under immersion conditions is thereby possible without detrimental influence of the immersion liquid on the measuring accuracy.

A method for approximating an influence of an optical system on the state of polarization of optical radiation comprises the steps of providing incoming optical radiation for the optical system in several incoming states of polarization, including at least one incoming state having circularly polarized radiation components; directing the incoming optical radiation onto the optical system; measuring at least one characteristic, including a phase distribution, of a resulting outgoing optical radiation emerging from the optical system with respect to each of the incoming states of polarization; and approximating the influence of the optical system on the state of polarization of optical radiation by evaluating the measured characteristics of the outgoing optical radiation.

Method for approximating an influence of an optical system on the state of polarization of optical radiation

A measuring system () for the optical measurement of an optical imaging system (), which is provided to image a pattern arranged in an object surface () of the imaging system in an image surface () of the imaging system, comprises an object-side structure carrier () having an object-side measuring structure (), to be arranged on the object side of the imaging system; an image-side structure carrier () having an image-side measuring structure (), to be arranged on the image side of the imaging system; the object-side measuring structure and the image-side measuring structure being matched to each other in such a way that, when the object-side measuring structure is imaged onto the image-side measuring structure with the aid of the imaging system, a superposition pattern is produced; and a detector () for the locally resolving acquisition of the superposition pattern. The imaging system is designed as an immersion system for imaging with the aid of an immersion liquid (). A structure carrier to be arranged in the region of the immersion liquid is assigned a protective system () in order to increase the resistance of the measuring structure to degradation caused by the immersion liquid. A measurement of immersion systems under immersion conditions is thereby possible without detrimental influence of the immersion liquid on the measuring accuracy.

In a method for improving the imaging properties of a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, an appropriate illumination angle distribution adapted to a mask () to be projected is selected. Then locations () in an exit pupil of the projection objective (), which are illuminated under these conditions by projection light during a projection of the mask, are determined. For at least one image point, an actual value of an imaging quantity, e.g. a wavefront profile or a polarization state, is determined that influences the imaging properties of the projection objective. Finally, corrective measures are calculated such that the actual value of the imaging quantity approximates a desired value at these locations. In this last step, however, deviations of the actual value from the desired value are taken into account exclusively at said locations illuminated in the exit pupil.

Method for improving the imaging properties of a projection objective for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A method and an apparatus for the spatially resolved polarimetric examination of an imaging beam pencil () generated by an associated pulsed radiation source (). A first and a second photoelastic modulator () and a polarization element () are introduced serially into the beam path of the beam pencil. A control unit () activates a first modulation oscillation of the first photoelastic modulator and a second modulation oscillation of the second photoelastic modulator and drives the radiation source for outputting a respective radiation pulse in a manner dependent on the oscillation state of the first photoelastic modulator and/or the second photoelastic modulator. A detector () detects the beam pencil coming from the polarization element in a spatially resolved manner.

Method and apparatus for spatially resolved polarimetry

A method and an apparatus for determining the influencing of the state of polarization of optical radiation by an optical system under test, wherein radiation with a defined entrance state of polarization is directed onto the optical system, the exit-side state of polarization is measured, and the influencing of the state of polarization is determined by the optical system with the aid of evaluation of the exit state of polarization with reference to the entrance state of polarization. An analyser arrangement which can be used for this purpose is also disclosed. The method and the apparatus are used, e.g., to determine the influencing of the state of polarization of optical radiation by an optical imaging system of prescribable aperture, the determination being performed in a pupil-resolved fashion.

Method and apparatus for determining the influencing of the state of polarization by an optical system; and an analyser

A device for polarization-specific examination of an optical system having a detector part that has polarization detector means for recording the exit state of polarization of radiation emerging from the optical system. Also, an associated optical imaging system, and a calibration method for the device. The device includes a polarization detector with a polarizing grating structure. Provided as an alternative is a device for snapshot polarimetry having a birefringent element and downstream polarizer element that adequately polarizes nonquasi-parallel radiation. The device may be used for determining the influence on the state of polarization of UV radiation by a microlithographic projection objective.

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Heidenheim, Germany

Markus Mengel