The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2018

Filed:

May. 01, 2017
Applicant:

Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh, Oberkochen, DE;

Inventor:

Stephan Six, Aalen, DE;

Assignee:

Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen, DE;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G03B 27/32 (2006.01); G03B 27/52 (2006.01); G02B 1/18 (2015.01); G03F 7/20 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
G02B 1/18 (2015.01); G03F 7/7015 (2013.01); G03F 7/70341 (2013.01); G03F 7/70883 (2013.01);
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an optical arrangement for use in an optical imaging process. The optical arrangement includes an optical element, an immersion zone and a liquid repelling device. During the optical imaging process, the immersion zone is located adjacent to the optical element and is filled with an immersion liquid. The optical element has a first surface region and a second surface region. During the optical imaging process, the first surface region is wetted by the immersion liquid. At least temporarily during the optical imaging process, the liquid repelling device generates an electrical field in the region of the second surface. The electrical field being is adapted to cause a repellent force on parts of the immersion liquid which are responsive to the electrical field and inadvertently contact the second surface region. The repellent force has a direction to drive away the parts of the immersion liquid from the second surface region.


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