Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl Zeiss Ag

Ralf Arnold

Bernd Doerband

Stefan Schulte

Frank Schillke

Susanne Beder

Jochen Hetzler

Bernd Kleemann

Ulrich Mueller

Bernd Dörband

A beam regulating apparatus for an EUV illumination beam has a position sensor device and a control/regulating device, which is signal-connected to the position sensor device. Furthermore, at least one beam regulating component which influences the beam path of the illumination beam is signal-connected to the control/regulating device. The position sensor device has at least one diffraction grating for generating at least two reference partial beams from the illumination beam. Furthermore, the position sensor device has a respective position sensor assigned to one of the reference partial beams, for detecting the assigned reference partial beam. This results in a beam regulating apparatus which enables well-controllable illumination in conjunction with a simple construction.

Beam regulating apparatus for an EUV illumination beam

A method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a method of manufacturing an optical element. This method of measuring the deviation includes: performing a first interferometric measurement using a first diffractive measurement structure, which is arranged to cover a first area of the optical surface, to provide a first interferometric measurement result, performing a second interferometric measurement using a second diffractive measurement structure, which is arranged to cover a second area of the optical surface different from the first area, to provide a second interferometric measurement result, and determining a deviation of the optical surface from the target shape.

Method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape using interferometric measurement results

A method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, a method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape and a measuring apparatus for interferometrically measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape. The method of aligning at least two wave shaping elements, each of which wave shaping elements has a diffractive measurement structure for adapting part of a wave front of incoming light to a respective portion of the target shape, includes: providing a first one of the wave shaping elements with a diffractive alignment structure, arranging the wave shaping elements relative to each other such that each of the diffractive measurement structures is traversed by a separate subset of rays of the incoming light during operation of the measuring apparatus, and aligning the first wave shaping element and a second one of the wave shaping elements relative to each other by evaluating alignment light having consecutively interacted with the diffractive alignment structure and with the second wave shaping element.

Method of measuring a deviation of an optical surface from a target shape

A method of manufacturing an optical element includes testing the optical element by using an interferometer optics generating a beam of measuring light illuminating only a sub-aperture of the tested optical element. The interferometer optics comprises a hologram. Results of the sub-aperture measurement are stitched together to obtain a measuring result with respect to the full surface of the optical element. Further, a method of calibrating the interferometer optics includes performing an interferometric measurement using a calibrating optics having a hologram covering only a sub-aperture of the full cross section of the beam of measuring light generated by the interferometer optics and stitching together the sub-aperture measurements to obtain a result indicative for the full cross section of the interferometer optics.

Method of manufacturing an optical element

A method of positioning optical elements relative to each other uses an interferometer apparatus comprising a plurality of holograms generating beams of adjustment measuring light which are incident on optical surfaces of the optical elements. Interference patterns generated by superimposing adjustment measuring light of the beams reflected from the surfaces are indicative of positioning errors of the optical elements. The beams of adjustment measuring light may comprise focused beams forming a point focus on the optical surface and beams of light which is orthogonally incident on extended portions on the optical surface.

Optical system, method of manufacturing an optical system and method of manufacturing an optical element

A diffractive optical element contains a multiplicity of binary blazed diffraction structures, which substantially extend mutually parallel in a longitudinal direction. Perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, the diffraction structures have a width g which is greater than the effective wavelength of electromagnetic radiation for which the diffractive optical element is designed. The diffraction structures respectively comprise a series of individual substructures, which produce a blaze effect and have a maximum extent p in the longitudinal direction which is less than the effective wavelength of the electromagnetic radiation, at least on average over a diffraction structure. In a plan view, the individual substructures respectively have the shape of a closed geometrical surface, which has an extent parallel to the longitudinal direction that varies perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction. Perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction, the surface has a maximum extent which is greater than the effective wavelength.

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Aalen, Germany

Ralf Arnold