Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Thomas Petasch

Bernhard Gellrich

Jens Kugler

Hubert Holderer

Bernhard Geuppert

Armin Schoeppach

Johannes Rau

Gerhard Fuerter

Martin Mahlmann

Boris Bittner

Alexander Kohl

Klaus Guenther Beck

Olaf Rogalsky

Hartmut Muenker

Cornelia Roesch

Jochen Haeussler

Siegfried Wahl

Franz Sorg

Andreas Wurmbrand

Dirk Schaffer

Roland Pilz

Klaus-Dieter Klein

Karlfrid Osterried

Chris Reed

Dragos Pariza

Mike Meehan

Gary Krebs

Gerhard Fürter

Armin SCHÖPPACH

An optical element for transmitting radiation includes: a first surface region surrounding an optically used area of the optical element; and a second surface region that adjoins the first surface region. A circumferential edge is formed between the first and second surface regions. The optical element further includes a one-piece film which covers the first surface region, the edge and the second surface region. The film includes a hydrophobic material at least on its side facing away from the first and the second surface regions. An optical assembly includes at least one such optical element. A method produces such an optical element.

Optical element, optical assembly and production method

Projection objectives, such as projection objectives of lithography projection exposure apparatuses, as well as related systems, components and methods, such as methods of revising and/or repairing such objectives, are disclosed.

Lithographic projection objective

An optical projection unit includes first and second optical element modules. The first optical element module includes a first housing unit and a first optical element received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and includes a second optical element which defines a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is laterally offset and/or inclined with respect to the first housing axis. The first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis.

Optical projection system

An optical projection system for a microlithography system includes a light path, a first lens unit receiving a first part of the light path, a second lens unit receiving a second part of the light path, and a support unit supporting the first and second lens units. The first and second lens units are elongated lens units including a plurality of lenses. The support unit includes a housing receiving a third part of the light path and enclosing a reflective element. The housing includes first and second interfaces. The first interface is a first support interface supporting the first lens unit. The second interface is a second support interface supporting the second lens unit at a location substantially opposite to the first interface.

Projection objectives, related systems and components, and methods are disclosed. The methods include providing a projection objective of a lithography projection exposure apparatus, where the projection objective includes a plurality of optical elements between an object plane of the projection objective and an image plane of the projection objective, and the plurality of optical elements includes a first optical element having a refractive power and being disposed in the projection objective at a first location. The methods also include removing the first optical element from the projection objective, and inserting a first spare optical element into the projection objective at the first location, where the removing and inserting steps are performed at a location of use of the lithography projection exposure apparatus in a lithography process.

The invention relates to a device for the low-deformation replaceable mounting of an optical element, in particular a closure plate of an objective of a projection exposure system for microlithography for the production of semiconductor components, in a mount (). The optical element is connected to the mount () at least partly via an adhesive connection. This is located between the adjacent circumferential walls of mount () and optical element. The mount () is provided with at least three support feet () distributed over the circumference, by means of which the optical element is mounted laterally and axially. The mount () is connected to the housing of the objective in an at least approximately deformation-decoupled manner via three mount bearing points ().

Device for the low-deformation replaceable mounting of an optical element

An optical projection unit comprising a first optical element module and at least one second optical element module is provided. The first optical element module comprises a first housing unit and at least a first optical element, the first optical element being received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The at least one second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and comprises at least one second optical element, the second optical element defining a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is at least one of laterally offset and inclined with respect to the first housing axis. Furthermore, the first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis.

In an apparatus for mounting two or more optical elements that are each held in an individual mount or in a support structure, said optical elements are mounted in a common mount. The relative positioning of the optical elements () in the common mount () can be set.

Apparatus for mounting two or more elements and method for processing the surface of an optical element

A arrangement serves for the adjustment of an optical element (), in particular of a lens in an optical system, in particular in a projection lens system for semiconductor lithography. The optical element () is mounted in a mount () by means of a number of bearing feet () distributed over the circumference of the optical element () and is selectively deformable by actuators (). At least some of the bearing feet () are engaged by the actuators () in a region of the respective bearing foot () in such a way that the respective bearing foot () can be displaced in the direction of the optical axis ().

Adjustment arrangement of an optical element

The invention concerns an optical element () with an optical axis (), designed in particular for an exposure lens used in semiconductor lithography. Said optical element comprises at least an extension (') in the direction of the optical axis (). A device () enables to induce a two-wave or multiple wave deformation in said optical element (). At least a system () mounted in the extension zone (&#x2032;) is designed to apply a force in said extension (&#x2032;).

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Aalen, Germany

Thomas Petasch