Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Rainer Hoch

Ulrich Wegmann

Toralf Gruner

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Jens Kugler

Norbert Wabra

Bernhard Geuppert

Ulrich Loering

Franz Sorg

Wolfgang Emer

Martin Schriever

Albrecht Ehrmann

Bernhard Kneer

Joerg Mallmann

Helmut Haidner

Markus Deguenther

Uwe Schellhorn

Markus Goeppert

Karl Heinz Schuster

Michael Samaniego

Manfred Dahl

Ralf Frese

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens that is configured for immersion operation. For this purpose an immersion liquid is introduced into an immersion space that is located between a last lens of the projection lens on the image side and a photosensitive layer to be exposed. To reduce fluctuations of refractive index resulting from temperature gradients occurring within the immersion liquid, the projection exposure apparatus includes heat transfer elements that heat or cool partial volumes of the immersion liquid so as to achieve an at least substantially homogenous or at least substantially rotationally symmetric temperature distribution within the immersion liquid.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and measuring device for a projection lens

A measuring system () for measuring an imaging quality of an EUV lens () includes a diffractive test structure (), a measurement light radiating device () which is configured to radiate measurement light () in the EUV wavelength range onto the test structure, a variation device () for varying at least one image-determining parameter of an imaging of the test structure that is effected by a lens, a detector () for recording an image stack including a plurality of images generated with different image-determining parameters being set, and an evaluation device () which is configured to determine the imaging quality of the lens from the image stack.

Measuring system for measuring an imaging quality of an EUV lens

Exposure apparatus and measuring device for a projection lens

A measuring apparatus for optical, for example interferometric, measurement of an optical imaging system, imaging of a useful pattern in an imaging operation, including a device for production of radiation information, for example interference information, which is indicative of imaging errors, having a mask structure arrangement which contains a measurement pattern, and a device for detection and evaluation of the interference information which is indicative of imaging errors; also a method for operation of the optical imaging system including imaging error correction. The apparatus further includes a heating irradiation arrangement for radiation heating of the optical imaging system during measurement operation such that the heating effect of the radiation which is applied to the optical imaging system to be measured equals, within a tolerance range which can be predetermined, the heating effect of the radiation which is passed through the useful pattern during imaging operation of the optical imaging system.

Optical measuring apparatus and operating method for imaging error correction in an optical imaging system

Device and method for wavefront measurement of an optical imaging system by means of phase-shifting interferometry, having a mask structure () to be arranged on the object side, and/or a grating structure () to be arranged on the image side. The object-side mask structure includes one or more one-dimensional mask structure patterns, and the image-side grating structure includes one or more two-dimensional grating structure patterns. Alternatively, conversely, the mask structure includes one or more two-dimensional patterns, and the grating structure includes one or more one-dimensional patterns. Additionally or alternatively, a pupil position offset caused by a lateral relative movement of the mask structure and detector element can be taken into account by back calculating the interferogram, respectively recorded by the detector element, using an associated phase-shift characteristic, or by a computational correction of wavefront derivatives, obtained from the recorded interferograms, in the direction of lateral movement. The method and/or the device can by used, for example, for determining aberration in the case of high-resolution projection objectives of microlithography exposure machines using shearing or point interferometry.

Device and method for wavefront measurement of an optical imaging system by means of phase-shifting interferometry

A method for determining at least one of distortion and de-focus for an optical imaging system. The method includes determining wavefront aberrations in a pupil plane of the optical imaging system by a wavefront measurement method, determining focus offset measured values in an xy-direction and/or z-direction for one or more different illumination settings by a test pattern measurement method with imaging and comparative evaluation of test patterns for the optical imaging system, and determining values for one or more aberration parameters that relate to the distortion and/or image surface from a prescribed relationship between the determined wavefront aberrations and the determined focus offset measured values. By prescribing a relationship between the wave aberrations and the focus offset measured values, it is possible for the results of the wavefront measurement method and of the test pattern measurement method to be linked to one another so as to enable an improved precision in the determination of distortion and/or image surface.

Method for determining distortion and/or image surface

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Aalen, Germany

Rainer Hoch