Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

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Mint of Finland Ltd.

Saxonia Eurocoin Gmbh

Bayerisches Hauptmunzamt

Staatliche Münzen Baden-württemberg Münzstätte Stuttgart Und Münzstätte Karlsruhe

Peter Huber

Gisela Von Blanckenhagen

Dirk Heinrich Ehm

Hartmut Enkisch

Christoph Zaczek

Alexandra Pazidis

Stephan Muellender

Markus Mengel

Horst Feldermann

Sebastian Strobel

Klaus Meyer-Steffens

Uwe Hempelmann

Konstantin Li

Stephan Siegel

Thomas Bilas

Günther Waadt

A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus or an inspection system, having a mirror substrate (), a reflection layer (), which is configured to have a reflectivity of at least 50% for electromagnetic radiation of a predefined operating wavelength that is incident on the optically effective surface () of the mirror at an angle of incidence of at least 65&#xb0; relative to the respective surface normal, and a barrier layer system (), which is arranged between the reflection layer and the mirror substrate and has a sequence of alternating layer plies composed of a first material and at least one second material. The barrier layer system reduces penetration of hydrogen atoms that would otherwise penetrate the mirror substrate by at least a factor of 10.

Mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus or an inspection system

A wavefront correction element for use in an optical system, in particular in an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, includes a substrate (), an arrangement of electrically conductive conductor tracks () provided on the substrate, wherein a wavefront of electromagnetic radiation incident on the wavefront correction element is manipulatable by electrical driving of the conductor tracks, and an insulating layer (), which electrically insulates the conductor tracks from one another, wherein the insulating layer has first regions and second regions, wherein the electrical breakdown strength of the insulating layer to withstand a breakdown of electrical charge through the insulating layer as far as the arrangement of conductor tracks is lower in the second regions than in the first regions by at least a factor of two.

Wavefront correction element for use in an optical system

A method for producing a mirror element, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes: providing a substrate (); and forming a layer stack () on the substrate, wherein the layer stack is formed so that a setpoint curvature of the mirror element for a predetermined operating temperature is generated by a bending force exerted by the layer stack, wherein the substrate has a curvature deviating from the setpoint curvature of the mirror element prior to the formation of the layer stack, and wherein the bending force exerted by the layer stack is at least partly generated by virtue of a post-treatment for changing the layer tension of the layer stack.

Method for producing a mirror element

A reflective optical element, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus or a mask inspection apparatus. According to one aspect, the reflective optical element has an optically effective surface, a substrate (), a reflection layer system () and at least one porous outgassing layer (), which at least intermittently releases particles adsorbed in the outgassing layer () when the optically effective surface () is irradiated by electromagnetic radiation.

Reflective optical element

A mask (M) for EUV lithography includes: a substrate (), a first surface region (A) formed by a surface () of a multilayer coating () embodied to reflect EUV radiation (), said surface () facing away from the substrate (), and a second surface region (A) formed by a surface () of a further coating () embodied to reflect DUV radiation () and to suppress the reflection of EUV radiation (), said surface () facing away from the substrate (). The further coating is a multilayer coating (). Also disclosed are an EUV lithography apparatus that includes such a mask (M) and a method for determining a contrast proportion caused by DUV radiation when imaging a mask (M) onto a light-sensitive layer.

Mask for EUV lithography, EUV lithography apparatus and method for determining a contrast proportion caused by DUV radiation

In order to reduce the negative influence of reactive hydrogen on the lifetime of a reflective optical element, particularly inside an EUV lithography device, there is proposed for the extreme ultraviolet and soft X-ray wavelength region a reflective optical element () having a reflective surface () with a multilayer system () and in the case of which the reflective surface () has a protective layer system () with an uppermost layer () composed of silicon carbide or ruthenium, the protective layer system () having a thickness of between 5 nm and 25 nm.

Reflective optical element and optical system for EUV lithography

A mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, has an optically effective surface (), a mirror substrate () and a reflection layer stack () configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation that is incident on the optically effective surface. A metallic diffusion barrier layer () is arranged on that side of the reflection layer stack which faces toward the optically effective surface, and a stabilization layer () is arranged on the side of the diffusion barrier layer that faces toward the optically effective surface (). The stabilization layer reduces deformation of the diffusion barrier layer compared to an analogous structure without such a stabilization layer upon irradiation of the optically effective surface with electromagnetic radiation. The stabilization layer has a porosity, a relative density of which is no more than 80%, where the relative density is defined as the ratio between geometric density and true density.

Mirror, in particular for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A mirror () for the EUV wavelength range having a reflectivity of greater than 40% for at least one angle of incidence of between 0&#xb0; and 25&#xb0; includes a substrate (S) and a layer arrangement, wherein the layer arrangement has at least one non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M), and wherein the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) has a doping with impurity atoms of between 10 ppb and 10%, in particular between 100 ppb and 0.1%, providing the non-metallic individual layer (B, H, M) with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*10cmand/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1*10S/m, in particular with a charge carrier density of greater than 6*10cmand/or an electrical conductivity of greater than 1 S/m.

Mirror for the EUV wavelength range, method for producing such a mirror, and projection exposure apparatus comprising such a mirror

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

An optical element () for reflecting UV radiation at an operating wavelength below 250 nm, preferably at 193 nm, which has a substrate (), a reflective layer () made of aluminum superimposed on the substrate (). The reflective aluminum layer () is not transparent to UV radiation and is (111)-plane oriented. The reflective optical element () has a reflectivity of more than 85%, preferably of more than 88%, and even more preferably of more than 92%, in a range of incident angles of at least 10&#xb0;, preferably of at least 15&#xb0;, at the operating wavelength. Also disclosed is an optical element having a reflective layer made from a material having a melting point higher than that of aluminum, as well as methods for producing such optical elements, and optical arrangements incorporating such optical elements.

Growing community of inventors

Heidenheim, Germany

Peter Huber