Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Asml Netherlands B.v.

Peter Deufel

Franz Sorg

Toralf Gruner

Bernhard Gellrich

Yim-Bun Patrick Kwan

Stefan Xalter

Bernhard Geuppert

Viktor Kulitzki

Erik Roelof Loopstra

Jens Kugler

Ulrich Weber

Johannes Lippert

Bernardus Antonius Johannes Luttikhuis

Andreas Wurmbrand

Guido Limbach

Laurentius Catrinus Jorritsma

Adrianus Franciscus Petrus Engelen

Johannes Wilhelmus De Klerk

Yim Bun Patrick Kwan

Jasper Wesselingh

Harald Woelfle

Aart Adrianus Van Beuzekom

Yim-Bun-Patrick Kwan

Maria Johanna Agnes Rubingh

Pascal Marsollek

Peter Schaap

Johannes Martinus Andreas Hazenberg

Herman Soemers

Bernard Stommen

Petrus Franciscus Wilhelmus Maria Mandigers

Karsten Siegmanski

Franz Van Deuren

Paul Peter Anne Brom

Viktor Kulitsky

The disclosure relates to a microlithography projection exposure system having optical corrective elements configured to modify the imaging characteristics, as well as related systems and component.

Method and device for the correction of imaging defects

A connection arrangement is provided for a force-fit connecting ceramic components for a lithography apparatus. The connection arrangement includes first and a second ceramic components and a clamping device. The clamping device directly clamps the first and the second ceramic component against one another in a force-fit manner.

Connection arrangement for a force-fit connection between ceramic components

A semiconductor lithography projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens which includes a manipulator. The manipulator includes an optical element; a base frame; a sensor frame arranged on the base frame; and a sensor arranged on the sensor frame. The manipulator is configured to correct wavefront aberrations of used optical radiation that pass through the optical element during the operation of the projection lens. The manipulator is arranged directly after an object plane of the apparatus along a path of the used optical radiation. The sensor is configured to measure a deformation or a deflection of the optical element. A coefficient of thermal expansion of the sensor frame is within 16 ppm/K of a coefficient of thermal expansion of the base frame.

Projection exposure apparatus with near-field manipulator

A method and a device for replacing objective parts, especially of a projection or illumination objective for microlithography in which an objective having an objective interior and objective parts provided therein is provided. At least one objective part is replaceably accommodated in the objective. Immediately prior to installation in the objective, the replaceable objective part is cleaned outside the objective interior in at least one cleaning room sealed off from the ambient atmosphere. Immediately after cleaning, the replaceable objective is installed in the objective without contact with the normal ambient atmosphere.

Method for replacing objective parts

An optical arrangement includes a multiplicity of optical elements and a carrier structure which carries the optical elements. The carrier structure is composed of at least two releasably interconnected modules. Each module is composed of at least one carrier structure subelement. A subhousing is produced by a multiplicity of carrier structure subelements and/or modules. The subhousing has a geometry that varies, at least in regions, in correspondence to a usable beam path in the projection exposure apparatus, the usable beam path being defined as an envelope of all light bundles which can propagate from all field points in a field plane to an image plane of the projection exposure apparatus. A projection exposure apparatus for EUV lithography includes such an optical arrangement.

Optical arrangement in a projection exposure apparatus for EUV lithography

The disclosure relates to a microlithography projection exposure system having optical corrective elements configured to modify the imaging characteristics, as well as related systems and components.

A housing structure has a frame structureon which there are arranged via connecting elementsseveral optical elementswhich are held in mountsor structural modules'. The optical elementsare detachably connected to the frame structurewith their mountsor structural modules&#x2032; and connecting elementsin such a way that in the installed state they are integrated as bearing units in the frame structure

Housing structure

There is provided an optical element module comprising a first optical element and an optical element holder. The first optical element has a first coefficient of thermal expansion. The optical element holder holds the first optical element and has a second coefficient of thermal expansion, the second coefficient of thermal expansion being adapted to the first coefficient of thermal expansion. The optical element is directly contacting the optical element holder in a wide contact area. The contact area is defined by a first contact surface of the first optical element and a second contact surface of the optical element holder, wherein the second contact surface matches the first contact surface. Thus, favorable rigidity and deformation behavior is provided.

Optical element module

A lithographic apparatus has an assembly to exchange optical elements in a pupil plane of its projection system. The optical elements may be pupil filters and may conform to the physical dimensions specified for a reticle standard, e.g. having sides substantially equal to 5, 6 or 9 inches.

Lithographic apparatus, device manufacturing method and exchangeable optical element

Growing community of inventors

Koenigsbronn, Germany

Peter Deufel