Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Sandro Hoffmann

Valentin Bolsinger

Sandra Haschke

A reflective optical element (), in particular for an illumination optical unit of a projection exposure apparatus includes: a structured surface () that preferably forms a grating structure (), and a reflective coating () that is applied to the structured surface (). The reflective coating () covers the structured surface () discontinuously, and the reflective optical element () has at least one protective layer () that covers the structured surface () continuously. Also disclosed are an illumination optical unit () for a projection exposure apparatus () including at least one reflective optical element () of this type, to a projection exposure apparatus () including an illumination optical unit () of this type, and to a method for producing a protective layer () on a reflective optical element () of this type.

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Sandro Hoffmann