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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 07, 2017
Filed:
Sep. 30, 2014
Carl Zeiss Smt Gmbh, Oberkochen, DE;
Ingo Saenger, Heidenheim, DE;
Carl Zeiss SMT GmbH, Oberkochen, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to an optical system, in particular of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, with an optical system axis (OA) and a polarization-influencing optical arrangement. According to one aspect, the polarization-influencing optical arrangement comprises at least one polarization-influencing optical element, which has a monolithic design and linear birefringence, wherein the overall absolute value of the birefringence of all of the polarization-influencing optical elements deviates by at most ±15% from the value lambda/2, wherein lambda is the working wavelength of the optical system, wherein the direction of the fast axis of this birefringence varies in a plane perpendicular to the optical system axis (OA) in the at least one polarization-influencing optical element, and wherein the distribution of the fast axis of the birefringence of the polarization-influencing optical element is brought about by radiation-induced defects, which are situated in at least one optically unused region of the element.