Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090161203 | Method and Configuration for the Optical Detection of an Illuminated Specimen - A method and a configuration for the depth-resolved optical detection of a specimen, wherein a specimen or a part of the specimen is scanned by means of preferably linear illumination, the illumination of the specimen is periodically structured in the focus in at least one spatial direction, light coming from the specimen is detected and images of the specimen are generated, and at least one optical sectional image and/or one image with enhanced resolution is calculated through the specimen is calculated [sic], images are repeatedly acquired and sectional images are repeatedly blended while changing the orientation of the linear illumination relative to the specimen and/or spatial intervals between from lines exposed to detection light from the illuminated specimen region are generated for the line-by-line non-descanned detection on an area detector or a camera and/or, during a scan, light is further deflected upstream of the detector through the line in the direction of the scan of the specimen. | 06-25-2009 |
20090168158 | Method and Configuration for the Optical Detection of an Illuminated Specimen - A method for the optical detection of an illuminated specimen, wherein the illuminating light impinges in a spatially structured manner in at least one plane on the specimen and several images of the specimen are acquired by a detector in different positions of the structure on the specimen, from which images an optical sectional image and/or an image with enhanced resolution is calculated. The method includes generating a diffraction pattern in the direction of the specimen in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to the pupil. A structured phase plate with regions of varying phase delays is dedicated to the diffraction pattern in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to said pupil. The phase plate is moved in order to set different phase angles of the illuminating light for at least one diffraction order on the specimen, wherein diffraction orders are selected to advantage via a movable diaphragm which is disposed in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to said pupil. | 07-02-2009 |
20100108873 | METHOD AND ASSEMBLY FOR OPTICAL REPRODUCTION WITH DEPTH DISCRIMINATION - The invention relates to a method and an assembly for generating optical section images. The invention permits the three-dimensional, layered optical scanning of spatially extended objects and is used in microscopy, but is not limited to this field. In said method, illumination patterns with periodicity in at least one direction are projected into a Plane and the light from the sample which is reflected and/or scattered and/or emitted fluorescence light is being imaged onto a spatially resolving detector. According to the invention, initially there is a calibration step, in which the local phase and/or the local period of the illumination patterns are determined for each location on the detector. In the sample detection mode, for the calculation of each optical section image there are two illumination patterns projected into or onto the sample and the resulting intensity distributions are used to form an image on the detector. The steps of the procedure to project and detect the two illumination steps can be repeated as required, especially at different focal settings of the sample and/or different exposure wavelengths, where at least one optical section image is calculated from the recorded intensity distributions with the aid of the local phase and/or local period. | 05-06-2010 |
20120019647 | METHOD AND CONFIGURATION FOR THE OPTICAL DETECTION OF AN ILLUMINATED SPECIMEN - A method and a configuration for the depth-resolved optical detection of a specimen, in which a specimen or a part of the specimen is scanned by means of preferably linear illumination. The illumination of the specimen is periodically structured in the focus in at least one spatial direction. Light coming from the specimen is detected and images of the specimen are generated. At least one optical sectional image and/or one image with enhanced resolution is calculated through the specimen. Images are repeatedly acquired and sectional images are repeatedly blended while changing the orientation of the linear illumination relative to the specimen and/or spatial intervals between lines exposed to detection light from the illuminated specimen region are generated for the line-by-line non-descanned detection on an area detector or a camera and/or, during a scan, light is further deflected upstream of the detector through the line in the direction of the scan of the specimen. | 01-26-2012 |
20130329284 | Method and Configuration for the Optical Detection of an Illuminated Specimen - A method for the optical detection of an illuminated specimen, wherein the illuminating light impinges in a spatially structured manner in at least one plane on the specimen and several images of the specimen are acquired by a detector in different positions of the structure on the specimen. An optical sectional image and/or an image with enhanced resolution is then calculated. The method includes generating a diffraction pattern in the direction of the specimen in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to the pupil. A phase plate with regions of varying phase delays is dedicated to the diffraction pattern in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to said pupil, and different phase angles of the illuminating light are set. | 12-12-2013 |
20140118750 | Method and Configuration for Depth Resolved Optical Detection of an Illuminated Specimen - A method and a configuration for the depth-resolved optical detection of a specimen, in which a specimen or a part of the specimen is scanned by means of preferably linear illumination. The illumination of the specimen is periodically structured in the focus in at least one spatial direction. Light coming from the specimen is detected and images of the specimen are generated. At least one optical sectional image and/or one image with enhanced resolution is calculated through the specimen. Images are repeatedly acquired and sectional images are repeatedly blended while changing the orientation of the linear illumination relative to the specimen and/or spatial intervals between lines exposed to detection light from the illuminated specimen region are generated for the line-by-line non-descanned detection on an area detector or a camera and/or, during a scan, light is further deflected upstream of the detector through the line in the direction of the scan of the specimen. | 05-01-2014 |
20140177044 | Method and Configuration for the Optical Detection of an Illuminated Specimen - A method for the optical detection of an illuminated specimen, wherein the illuminating light impinges in a spatially structured manner in at least one plane on the specimen and several images of the specimen are acquired by a detector in different positions of the structure on the specimen. An optical sectional image and/or an image with enhanced resolution is then calculated. The method includes generating a diffraction pattern in the direction of the specimen in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to the pupil. A phase plate with regions of varying phase delays is dedicated to the diffraction pattern in or near the pupil of the objective lens or in a plane conjugate to said pupil, and different phase angles of the illuminating light are set. | 06-26-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080204689 | Optical module with minimized overrun of the optical element - There is provided an optical module for microlithography. The optical module includes an optical element and a retaining device for holding the optical element. The optical element has (a) a main extension plane, in which it defines a radial direction R and a circumferential direction U, and (b) a free optical diameter and an overrun in the region of its outer periphery. The retaining device contacts the optical element in the region of the overrun, and is formed and/or contacts the optical element in such a manner that the overrun ratio, calculated from the overrun related to a minimum overrun necessary for the production of the optical element, is at most 1.5. | 08-28-2008 |
20080225247 | OPTICAL ELEMENT UNIT FOR EXPOSURE PROCESSES - An optical element unit including a first optical element module and a sealing arrangement is disclosed. The first optical element module occupies a first module space and includes a first module component of a first component type and an associated second module component of a second component type. The first component type is optical elements and the second component type being different from the first component type. The sealing arrangement separates the first module space into a first space and a second space and substantially prevents, at least in a first direction, the intrusion of substances from one of the first space and the second space into the other one of the first space and the second space. The first module component at least partially contacts the first space and, at least in its area optically used, not contacting the second space. The second module component at least partially contacts the second space. | 09-18-2008 |
20100201964 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An optical system includes an optical element having adjusting elements. The optical element is connected to a rotatable carrying ring via at least one connecting member arranged on the carrying ring directly or via one or a plurality of intermediate elements to the optical element. The rotatable carrying ring is borne in a manner freely rotatable about an axis relative to a fixed outer mount or the optical element via a rotating device. The outer mount, the rotatable carrying ring and the connecting members are constructed as rotatable kinematics in the form of parallel kinematics. | 08-12-2010 |
20120075602 | OPTICAL ARRANGEMENT IN A PROJECTION OBJECTIVE OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to an optical arrangement in a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus which is designed for operation in EUV. The optical arrangement includes first and second mirrors that are in direct succession to each other along the projection beam direction. The second mirror is rigidly connected to the first mirror. | 03-29-2012 |