Carl-zeiss-smt Ag

Carl-zeiss-stiftung

Other

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh

Winfried M Kaiser

Christian Wagner

Wilhelm Ulrich

Manfred Maul

Martin Brunotte

Toralf Gruner

Michael Gerhard

Birgit Enkisch

Daniel Krähmer

Christof Zaczek

Hubert Holderer

Alexander Kohl

Reiner Garreis

Alexander Epple

Jens Kugler

Paul Graeupner

Jürgen Hartmaier

Hans-Juergen Mann

Karl-Heinz Schuster

Ulrich Weber

Armin Schoeppach

Werner Flother

Erwin Gaber

Gerhard F&uuml;rter

Chris Reed

Dragos Pariza

Mike Meehan

A microlithography projection exposure apparatus for producing microelectronic components has at least two operating states. The microlithography projection exposure apparatus includes a reflective mask in an object plane. In the first operating state, a first partial region of the mask is illuminated by a first radiation, which has an assigned first centroid direction having a first centroid direction vector at each point of the first partial region. In the second operating state, a second partial region of the mask is illuminated by a second radiation, which has an assigned second centroid direction having a second centroid direction vector at each point of the second partial region. The first and the second partial region have a common overlap region. Furthermore, the microlithography projection exposure apparatus can be configured in such a way that at each point of at least one partial region of the overlap region the scalar triple product of the normalized first centroid direction vector, the normalized second centroid direction vector and a normalized vector that is perpendicular to the mask is less than 0.05.

Microlithography projection exposure apparatus having at least two operating states

An objective for a microlithography projection system has at least one fluoride crystal lens. The effects of birefringence, which are detrimental to the image quality, are reduced if the lens axis of the crystal lens is oriented substantially perpendicular to the {100}-planes or {100}-equivalent crystallographic planes of the fluoride crystal. If two or more fluoride crystal lenses are used, they should have lens axes oriented in the (100)-, (111)-, or (110)-direction of the crystallographic structure, and they should be oriented at rotated positions relative to each other. The birefringence-related effects are further reduced by using groups of mutually rotated (100)-lenses in combination with groups of mutually rotated (111)- or (110)-lenses. A further improvement is also achieved by applying a compensation coating to at least one optical element of the objective.

Objective with fluoride crystal lenses

A method of adjusting a projection objective permits the projection objective to be adjusted between an immersion configuration and a dry configuration with few interventions in the system, and therefore to be used optionally as an immersion objective or as a dry objective. The projection objective has a multiplicity of optical elements which are arranged along an optical axis of the projection objective, the optical elements comprising a first group of optical elements following the object plane and a last optical element following the first group, arranged next to the image plane and defining an exit surface of the projection objective which is arranged at a working distance from the image plane. The last optical element is substantially without refracting power and has no curvature or only slight curvature. The method comprises varying the thickness of the last optical element, changing the refractive index of the space between the exit surface and the image plane by introducing or removing an immersion medium, and preferably axial displacement of the last optical element in order to set a suitable working distance.

Projection objective, especially for microlithography, and method for adjusting a projection objective

A method of adjusting a projection objective permits the projection objective to be adjusted between an immersion configuration and a dry configuration. The projection objective includes optical elements arranged along an optical axis thereof, which include a first group of elements following the object plane and a last optical element following the first group, which is arranged near the image plane. The last optical element defines an exit surface of the projection objective, which is arranged at a working distance from the image plane. The last optical element is substantially without refracting power and has no or only slight curvature. The method includes varying the thickness of the last optical element, changing the refractive index of the space between the exit surface and the image plane by introducing or removing an immersion medium, and axially displacing the last optical element to set a working distance.

A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography has a light source, an illumination system, a mask-positioning system and a projection lens. The latter has a system aperture plane and an image plane and contains at least one lens that is made of a material which has a birefringence dependent on the transmission angle. The exposure apparatus further has an optical element, which has a position-dependent polarization-rotating effect or a position-dependent birefringence. This element, which is provided close to a pupil plane of the projection exposure apparatus, compensates at least partially for the birefringent effects produced in the image plane by the at least one lens.

Projection lens and microlithographic projection exposure apparatus

The invention relates to a device for holding a beam splitter element having an optically active beam splitter layer in an optical imaging device, the beam splitter element being connected to at least one support element that is fastened in the housing of the imaging device. The connection between the beam splitter element and said at least one support element is designed in such a way that the position of the beam splitter layer of the beam splitter element remains nearly constant relative to the housing independently of temperatures and of thermal stresses acting upon the beam splitter element.

Device for holding a beam splitter element

Mirror substrate consisting of crystal, especially silicon crystal, on which an amorphous layer, especially a quartz glass layer, is applied.

SiO2-coated mirror substrate for EUV

An optical system with at least one optical element that causes a disturbance of the distribution of polarization over the cross section of a light beam wherein at least one birefringent optical element is provided, with a thickness which varies irregularly over the cross section, such that the disturbance of the distribution of polarization is at least partially compensated.

Optical system with polarization compensator

The invention relates to an arrangement known generally as a PC-adapter or shift adapter. The objective is mounted on one component of the arrangement which can undergo a pivot movement relative to the image format thereby making possible the necessary movement of the objective relative to the image format. The pivot point is disposed as far as possible from the optical axis and outside of the beam pass-through opening of the arrangement.

Device for correcting perspective distortions

Growing community of inventors

Aalen, Germany

Winfried M Kaiser