Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090040496 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE METHOD AS WELL AS A PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD - In an exposure method for exposing a substrate which is arranged in the area of an image plane of a projection objective as well as in a projection exposure system for performing that method, output radiation directed at the substrate and having an output polarization state is produced. Through variable adjustment of the output polarization state with the aid of at least one polarization manipulation device, the output polarization state can be formed to approach a nominal output polarization state. The polarization manipulation can be performed in a control loop on the basis of polarization-optical measuring data. | 02-12-2009 |
20090053618 | PROJECTION EXPOSURE METHOD AND PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM THEREFOR - In the case of a projection exposure method for exposing 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, a mask is arranged in the region of the object surface of the projection objective, the mask having a first pattern area with a first subpattern, and at least one second pattern area, arranged laterally offset from the first pattern area, with a second subpattern. The mask is scanned by relative movement between the mask and the illumination field of the illumination system in such a way that initially the first subpattern and thereafter the second subpattern is irradiated with the illumination radiation of the illumination field. The first subpattern is irradiated during a first illumination time interval with a first angular distribution, adapted to the first subpattern, of the illumination radiation. Thereafter, the second subpattern is irradiated during the second illumination time interval with a second angular distribution, adapted to the second subpattern, of the illumination radiation, said second angular distribution differing from the first angular distribution. | 02-26-2009 |
20090059189 | PELLICLE FOR USE IN A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE APPARATUS - A pellicle for use in microlithographic exposure apparatus ( | 03-05-2009 |
20090190116 | METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MINIATURIZED DEVICE - A lithographic method of manufacturing a miniaturized device using a projection exposure system involves illuminating the object plane of an imaging optics of the projection exposure system with measuring light; detecting, for each of a plurality of locations on an image plane of the imaging optics, an angular distribution of an intensity of the measuring light traversing the image plane at the respective location; adjusting a telecentricity of the projection exposure system based on a selected patterning structure to be imaged and on the plurality of the detected angular distributions; disposing the selected pattern structure to be imaged in a region of the object plane of the imaging optics; disposing a substrate carrying a resist in a region of the image plane of the imaging optics and exposing the resist with imaging light using the projection exposure system with the adjusted telecentricity; and developing the exposed resist and processing the substrate with the developed resist. | 07-30-2009 |
20110069296 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE METHOD AS WELL AS A PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM FOR CARRYING OUT THE METHOD - In an exposure method for exposing a substrate which is arranged in the area of an image plane of a projection objective as well as in a projection exposure system for performing that method, output radiation directed at the substrate and having an output polarization state is produced. Through variable adjustment of the output polarization state with the aid of at least one polarization manipulation device, the output polarization state can be formed to approach a nominal output polarization state. The polarization manipulation can be performed in a control loop on the basis of polarization-optical measuring data. | 03-24-2011 |
20110304926 | CATADIOPTRIC PROJECTION OBJECTIVE WITH TILTED DEFLECTING MIRRORS, PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS, PROJECTION EXPOSURE METHOD, AND MIRROR - A projection objective has an object surface and an image surface. The projection objective includes a plurality of optical elements arranged along an optical axis and configured so that during operation the projection objective images a pattern arranged in the object surface onto the image surface. The optical elements include a concave mirror a first deflecting mirror and a second deflecting mirror. The first deflecting mirror is tilted relative to the optical axis by a first tilt angle, t | 12-15-2011 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090073398 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related components, methods and articles made by the methods. The microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system and a projection objective. The illumination system can illuminate a mask arranged in an object plane of the projection objective. The mask can have structures which are to be imaged. The method can include illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light. The method can also include modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, the phase, amplitude and/or polarization of the light passing through that plane. The modification can be effected for at least two diffraction orders in mutually different ways. A mask-induced loss in image contrast obtained in the imaging of the structures can be reduced compared to a method without the modification. | 03-19-2009 |
20090213352 | METHOD FOR IMPROVING THE IMAGING PROPERTIES OF AN OPTICAL SYSTEM, AND SUCH AN OPTICAL SYSTEM - The disclosure relates to a method for improving the imaging properties of an optical system, such as a projection objective for microlithography. The disclosure also relates to an optical system, such as a projection objective for microlithography. | 08-27-2009 |
20090244509 | OPTICAL SYSTEM WITH AN EXCHANGEABLE, MANIPULABLE CORRECTION ARRANGEMENT FOR REDUCING IMAGE ABERRATIONS - The disclosure relates to an optical system, such as a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, including a manipulable correction arrangement for reducing image aberrations. In some embodiments, the system includes at least one manipulator configured to reduce image aberrations. The manipulator can include at least one optical element which can be manipulated by at least one actuator. The manipulator can be formed in changeable fashion together with an actuator. | 10-01-2009 |
20100079739 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection objective for applications in microlithography, a microlithography projection exposure apparatus with a projection objective, a microlithographic manufacturing method for microstructured components, and a component manufactured using such a manufacturing method are disclosed. | 04-01-2010 |
20100149503 | METHOD OF STRUCTURING A PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL - A method of structuring a photosensitive material is disclosed. The method includes illuminating a first object structure and projecting a pattern of the first object structure onto a photosensitive material such that the projected pattern of the first object structure is focussed at a first focus position with respect to the photosensitive material. The method also includes illuminating a second object structure and projecting a pattern of the second object structure onto the photosensitive material such that the projected pattern of the second object structure is focussed at a second focus position with respect to the photosensitive material. The respective patterns are projected in the same projection direction. | 06-17-2010 |
20100195070 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY, PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS, PROJECTION EXPOSURE METHOD AND OPTICAL CORRECTION PLATE - A projection objective is disclosed. The projection objective can include a plurality of optical elements arranged to image a pattern from an object field in an object surface of the projection objective to an image field in an image surface of the projection objective with electromagnetic operating radiation from a wavelength band around an operating wavelength λ. The plurality of optical elements can include an optical correction plate that includes a body comprising a material transparent to the operating radiation, the body having a first optical surface, a second optical surface, a plate normal substantially perpendicular to the first and second optical surfaces, and a thickness profile defined as a distance between the first and second optical surfaces measured parallel to the plate normal. The first optical surface can have a non-rotationally symmetric aspheric first surface profile with a first peak-to-valley value PV | 08-05-2010 |
20100201958 | OPTICAL CORRECTION DEVICE - 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. | 08-12-2010 |
20120069318 | PROJECTION EXPOSURE METHOD AND PROJECTION EXPOSURE SYSTEM THEREFOR - The disclosure provides a projection exposure method for exposing a radiation-sensitive substrate with at least one image of a pattern of a mask. The mask has a first pattern area with a first subpattern, and at least one second pattern area, arranged laterally offset from the first pattern area, with a second subpattern. The first subpattern is irradiated during a first illumination time interval with a first angular distribution, adapted to the first subpattern, of the illumination radiation. Thereafter, the second subpattern is irradiated during the second illumination time interval with a second angular distribution, adapted to the second subpattern, of the illumination radiation, said second angular distribution differing from the first angular distribution. | 03-22-2012 |
20120092637 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related components, methods and articles made by the methods. The microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system and a projection objective. The illumination system can illuminate a mask arranged in an object plane of the projection objective. The mask can have structures which are to be imaged. The method can include illuminating a pupil plane of the illumination system with light. The method can also include modifying, in a plane of the projection objective, the phase, amplitude and/or polarization of the light passing through that plane. The modification can be effected for at least two diffraction orders in mutually different ways. A mask-induced loss in image contrast obtained in the imaging of the structures can be reduced compared to a method without the modification. | 04-19-2012 |
20130120726 | METHOD OF STRUCTURING A PHOTOSENSITIVE MATERIAL - A method of structuring a photosensitive material is disclosed. The method includes illuminating a first object structure and projecting a pattern of the first object structure onto a photosensitive material such that the projected pattern of the first object structure is focussed at a first focus position with respect to the photosensitive material. The method also includes illuminating a second object structure and projecting a pattern of the second object structure onto the photosensitive material such that the projected pattern of the second object structure is focussed at a second focus position with respect to the photosensitive material. The respective patterns are projected in the same projection direction. | 05-16-2013 |
20130250265 | Projection Exposure Apparatus for EUV Microlithography and Method for Microlithographic Exposure - The disclosure relates to a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography which includes an illumination system for illuminating a pattern, and a projection objective for imaging the pattern onto a light-sensitive substrate. The projection objective has a pupil plane with an obscuration. The illumination system generates light with an angular distribution having an illumination pole which extends over a range of polar angles and a range of azimuth angles and within which the light intensity is greater than an illumination pole minimum value. From the illumination pole toward large polar angles a dark zone is excluded within which the light intensity is less than the illumination pole minimum value, and which has in regions a form corresponding to the form of the obscuration of the pupil plane. | 09-26-2013 |
20130252146 | Projection Exposure Tool for Microlithography and Method for Microlithographic Imaging - A projection exposure tool for microlithography for imaging mask structures of an image-providing substrate onto a substrate to be structured includes a measuring apparatus configured to determine a relative position of measurement structures disposed on a surface of one of the substrates in relation to one another in at least one lateral direction with respect to the substrate surface and to thereby simultaneously measure a number of measurement structures disposed laterally offset in relation to one another. | 09-26-2013 |
20130278911 | OPTICAL SYSTEM WITH AN EXCHANGEABLE, MANIPULABLE CORRECTION ARRANGEMENT FOR REDUCING IMAGE ABERRATIONS - The disclosure relates to an optical system, such as a projection exposure apparatus for semiconductor lithography, including a manipulable correction arrangement for reducing image aberrations. In some embodiments, the system includes at least one manipulator configured to reduce image aberrations. The manipulator can include at least one optical element which can be manipulated by at least one actuator. The manipulator can be formed in changeable fashion together with an actuator. | 10-24-2013 |
20150042975 | PROJECTION EXPOSURE TOOL FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY AND METHOD FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHIC IMAGING - A projection exposure tool for microlithography for imaging mask structures of an image-providing substrate onto a substrate to be structured includes a measuring apparatus configured to determine a relative position of measurement structures disposed on a surface of one of the substrates in relation to one another in at least one lateral direction with respect to the substrate surface and to thereby simultaneously measure a number of measurement structures disposed laterally offset in relation to one another. | 02-12-2015 |