Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl-zeiss-stiftung

Carl-zeiss-stiftung, Heidenheim/brenz

Peter Vogt

Michael Gerhard

Andras G Major

Oliver Dier

Ralf Kuschnereit

Harry Bauer

Martin Hermann

Karl-Eugen Aubele

Florian Bart

Thure Boehm

Horst Kunzmann

Helmut Lenhof

Andreas Bertele

Bernhard Wergl

Dietrich Klaassen

J&uuml;rgen Hartmaier

Jens Spanuth

The invention concerns a method of and an arrangement for determining the heating condition of a mirror in an optical system, in particular in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In an embodiment the mirror is an EUV mirror and a method according to the invention comprises the following steps: deflecting at least one input measuring beam on to the mirror; ascertaining at least one optical parameter of at least one output measuring beam produced from the input measuring beam after interaction with the mirror; and determining the heating condition of the mirror on the basis of the parameter.

Method and arrangement for determining the heating condition of a mirror in an optical system

In a position measuring device () and a method for ascertaining positions of an object () to be measured, at least one capacitive position measuring sensor () provides a position measurement signal (P) relating to the object () to be measured and at least one capacitive reference measurement sensor () provides a reference measurement signal (R). The measuring sensors () are connected to a computing unit () which is embodied to calculate a position signal (P) to ascertain the positions from the position measurement signal (P) and the reference measurement signal (R). As a result of interfering influences being contained substantially equally in the position measurement signal (P) and the reference measurement signal (R) as an interference signal (S), it is possible to determine and eliminate the interference signal (S) during the calculation.

Position measuring device and method for determining positions of a measurement object

Actuator arrangements are disclosed. An actuator arrangement can include a first fluidic-based actuator device designed to exert a first force on a first location of a body associated with the first actuator device. An actuator arrangement can also include a second fluidic-based actuator device designed to exert a second force on a second location of the body associated with the first actuator device. The distance between the first and second locations can be small. The maximum value of the second force can be less than the maximum value of the first force.

Force actuator

In a method for applying a scale ( ) to a carrier ( ), a material layer ( ) is applied to the carrier in such a way that the change in length on account of temperature change of the material layer ( ) corresponds at least approximately to changes in length of the carrier ( ) on account of temperature change. The scale ( ) is introduced into or applied to the material layer ( ) with a measuring graduation ( ). The carrier may be an optical element, e.g. a lens ( ) of an objective ( ) for semiconductor lithography.

Method for applying a scale to a carrier

A device is used to hold an optical element, in particular one made of a crystalline material, in particular of CaF , while the optical element is being coated, in particular by the vapor-deposition of at least one functional layer in a vacuum coating plant. The latter has a device for mounting the optical element, it being possible for the optical element to be heated in the vacuum coating plant via suitable radiation, in particular infrared radiation. An intermediate element which has a lower thermal absorption than the device for mounting the optical element is arranged between the device for mounting the optical element and the optical element.

Holding device for an optical element made of a crystalline material

In order to initiate the operation of an incremental-correction measurement system, which measures such guidance errors as instantaneous lateral offset of a movable machine part with respect to its guidance direction (Y), a reference mark is provided by two cylindrical lenses (4, 5) which are arranged at an angle to each other and to the guidance direction. Since the distance intercepts for Y-direction scanning of and between the two cylindrical lenses is dependent on the instantaneous lateral offset (.DELTA.X) of the guided part, it is possible to determine the absolute offset values (.DELTA.X.sub.1, .DELTA.X.sub.2) of two spaced incremental-correction measurement systems (K1, K2), using pairs of pulses (A.sub.1/2, B.sub.1/2) generated by two signal transmitters (KNIP1, KNIP2) upon their scanning traverse of the respective cylindrical lenses in the course of a single calibration run.

Method and means for measuring guidance errors at one or more points

The invention contemplates a beam splitter which consists of a phase grating (5) which transmits at zero order the greatest part of the radiation of a two-mode laser (1) and which diffracts a relatively small part of the radiation, symmetrically at 1 order and -1 order, respectively. The intensity of components of the radiation polarized perpendicular to each other and associated with the two modes is measured by detectors (11, 12) in front of which polarization sheets (9, 10) are arranged as analyzers, and outputs of the detectors are used to regulate the center frequency of the laser tube (1).

Diffraction grating beam splitter in a laser resonator length control

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Heidenheim, Germany

Peter Vogt