Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Cad Zeiss Ag

Markus Schwab

Toralf Gruner

Michael Patra

Damian Fiolka

Aksel Goehnermeier

Markus Deguenther

Michael Totzeck

Daniel Kraehmer

Joachim Hartjes

Nils Dieckmann

Olaf Dittmann

Johannes Wangler

Manfred Maul

Frank Schlesener

Stig Bieling

Alexander Wolf

Markus Brotsack

Wolfgang Seitz

Markus Zenzinger

Sascha Bleidistel

Michael Layh

Tammo Uitterdijk

Markus Hauf

Heiko Feldmann

Hans-Juergen Rostalski

Thomas Schicketanz

Hartmut Enkisch

Artur Hoegele

Michael Arnz

Olaf Conradi

Vladimir Kamenov

Christoph Menke

Ulrich Mueller

Johannes Eisenmenger

Christian Wojek

Joachim Stuehler

Oswald Gromer

Toufic Jabbour

Erik Matthias Sohmen

Methods and apparatuses for designing optical systems are provided. In this case, on a plurality of known optical systems, machine learning is carried out in order to train a computing device. After this training, the computing device can generate a design for an optical system on the basis of parameters describing desired properties of an optical system.

Methods and apparatuses for designing optical systems using machine learning with delano diagrams

An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for guiding imaging light from an object field into an image field. The object field is spanned by two object field coordinates, with a normal coordinate being perpendicular thereto. Imaging light propagates in a first imaging light plane through at least one first plane intermediate image of the imaging optical unit. In a second imaging light plane, the imaging light propagates through at least one second plane intermediate image of the imaging optical unit. The number of first plane intermediate images and the number of second plane intermediate images differ from one another. An imaging optical unit with reduced production costs emerges.

Imaging optical unit and projection exposure unit including same

A projection optical unit images an object field in an image field. The projection optical unit includes a plurality of mirrors guides imaging light from the object field to the image field. At least two of the mirrors are arranged directly behind one another in the beam path of the imaging light for grazing incidence with an angle of incidence of the imaging light which is greater than 60&#xb0;. This results in an imaging optical unit that can exhibit a well-corrected imageable field with, at the same time, a high imaging light throughput.

Projection optical unit for imaging an object field into an image field, and projection exposure apparatus comprising such a projection optical unit

A projection optical unit for EUV projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field into an image field with illumination light. At least one of the mirrors is an NI mirror and at least one of the mirrors is a GI mirror. A mirror dimension Dx of the at least one NI mirror in a plane of extent (xz) perpendicular to a plane of incidence (yz) satisfies the following relationship:4 A mirror dimension Dy of the at least one GI mirror in the plane of incidence (yz) satisfies the following relationship:4/(cos())&#x3c;

Projection optical unit for EUV projection lithography

An imaging optical unit for projection lithography has a plurality of mirrors for imaging an object field into an image field with imaging light guided along a path from the object field to the image field. The penultimate mirror in the path has no passage opening to pass the imaging light. The imaging optical unit has a stop to predefine an outer marginal contour of a pupil of the imaging optical unit. The stop is between the penultimate and last mirrors in the path. The imaging optical unit can have exactly one stop for predefining at least one section of the outer pupil marginal contour. An entrance pupil of the imaging optical unit can be upstream of the object field. The imaging optical unit can be well defined regarding its pupil and exhibit desirable properties for projection lithography.

Imaging optical unit and projection exposure apparatus including same

An optical component for coupling out an individual output beam from a collective output beam includes a plurality of radiation-reflecting regions which are grouped in such a way that regions of the same group serve for guiding different partial beams of the individual output beam to the same scanner.

Optical component for use in a radiation source module of a projection exposure system

The invention relates to a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, comprising an illumination system for illuminating a mask arranged on a movable mask stage, and comprising a projection lens for imaging the mask onto a semiconductor substrate, wherein at least one means is present for at least partly decoupling at least parts of the illumination system and/or of the projection lens from the influence of pressure fluctuations in the medium surrounding the projection lens or the illuminated system, the pressure fluctuations being attributed to movements of the mask stage during the operation of the apparatus.

Projection exposure apparatus including mechanism to reduce influence of pressure fluctuations

An illumination system and a projection objective of a mask inspection apparatus are provided. During operation of the mask inspection apparatus, the illumination system illuminates a mask with an illumination bundle of rays having a centroid ray that has a direction dependent on the location of the incidence of the illumination bundle of rays on the mask.

Illumination system and projection objective of a mask inspection apparatus

A projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens, a wavefront manipulator and a wavefront measuring device for measuring a wavefront in the projection lens. The wavefront measuring device includes a Moir&#xe9; grating arrangement having an object grating and an image grating which are designed to be arranged in an object plane and an image plane, respectively, of the projection lens. The object grating and the image grating are coordinated with one another in a manner true to scale in such a way as to generate a Moir&#xe9; superimposition pattern from an imaging of the object grating onto the image plane and the image grating. The Moir&#xe9; grating arrangement is designed in such a way as to simultaneously generate the Moir&#xe9; superimposition pattern for a plurality of field points of an object field in the object plane and/or of an image field in the image plane.

Projection exposure apparatus with wavefront measuring device and optical wavefront manipulator

An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a light source to produce projection light beam, and a first and a second diffractive optical element between the light source and a pupil plane of the illumination system. The diffractive effect produced by each diffractive optical element depends on the position of a light field that is irradiated by the projection light on the diffractive optical elements. A displacement mechanism changes the mutual spatial arrangement of the diffractive optical elements. In at least one of the mutual spatial arrangements, which can be obtained with the help of the displacement mechanism, the light field extends both over the first and the second diffractive optical element. This makes it possible to produce in a simple manner continuously variable illumination settings.

Illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A projection exposure apparatus () for microlithography has a plurality of optical components (M-M) forming an exposure beam path, as well as a distance measurement system () configured to measure a distance between at least one of the optical components and a reference element (). The distance measurement system comprises a frequency comb generator (), which is configured to generate electromagnetic radiation () having a comb-shaped frequency spectrum.

Projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising an optical distance measurement system

An illumination system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an optical integrator that includes an array of optical raster elements. A condenser superimposes the light beams associated with the optical raster elements in a common field plane. A modulator modifies a field dependency of an angular irradiance distribution in an illuminated field. Units of the modulator are associated with one of the light beams and are arranged at a position in front of the condenser such that only the associated light beam impinges on a single modulator unit. The units are configured to variably redistribute, without blocking any light, a spatial and/or an angular irradiance distribution of the associated light beams. A control device controls the modulator units if it receives an input command that the field dependency of the angular irradiance distribution in the mask plane shall be modified.

An optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has an optical axis, at least one mirror arrangement having a plurality of mirror elements that are adjustable independently of one another for altering an angular distribution of the light reflected by the mirror arrangement, and a deflection device which includes, relative to the optical beam path downstream of the mirror arrangement, at least one deflection surface at which a deflection of the optical axis occurs. The at least one deflection surface has refractive power.

Optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Markus Schwab