Asml Netherlands B.v.

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Tilmann Heil

Damian Fiolka

Christian Wagner

Wilhelmus Petrus De Boeij

Roel De Jonge

Toralf Gruner

Markus Hauf

Heiko Feldmann

Aksel Goehnermeier

Paul Graeupner

Dirk Hellweg

Jochen Weber

Ulrich Schoenhoff

Arif Kazi

Joerg Zimmermann

Payam Tayebati

Michael Thier

Ole Fluegge

Alexander Sauerhoefer

Gerhard Focht

Ulrich Gebhardt

The disclosure relates to an optical correction device with thermal actuators for influencing the temperature distribution in the optical correction device. The optical correction device is constructed from at least two partial elements which differ with regard to their ability to transport heat. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to methods for influencing the temperature distribution in an optical element.

Optical correction device

A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus can have an illumination system for generating projection light, an absorption filter which has a varying absorption coefficient distribution, and a mask which is illuminated by the projection light. The mask can contain regions that differ from one another by the orientation of structures contained in them and whose transmissivity depends on the polarization state of the incident projection light. The absorption coefficient distribution of the absorption filter is determined so as to compensate at least partially for the dependence of the transmissivity of the region on the polarization state of the incident projection light.

Microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

A lithographic apparatus uses polarized light to improve the imaging properties such as exposure latitude, while maintaining and extending the lifetime of an illumination system in a lithographic apparatus.

Polarized radiation in lithographic apparatus and device manufacturing method

A projection exposure method for the exposure of a radiation-sensitive substrate arranged in the region of an image surface of a projection objective with at least one image of a pattern of a mask arranged in the region of an object surface of the projection objective includes exposing the substrate with the image of the pattern in an effective image field of the projection objective during an exposure time interval and also altering a relative positioning between a surface of the substrate and a focus surface of the projection objective during the exposure time interval in such a way that image points in the effective image field are exposed with different focus positions of the image of the mask during the exposure time interval. An active compensation of at least one portion of at least one imaging aberration induced by the change in the focus positions during the exposure time interval has the effect that the imaging quality is not significantly impaired by the alteration of the focusing during the exposure time interval.

Projection exposure method and projection exposure apparatus for microlithography

A lithographic apparatus uses polarized light to improve the imaging properties, such as exposure latitude, while maintaining and extending the lifetime of an illumination system in the lithographic apparatus.

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Tilmann Heil