Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090135385 | OPTICAL IMAGING DEVICE WITH THERMAL ATTENUATION - An optical imaging device, in particular for use in microlithography, includes a mask device for receiving a mask having a projection pattern, a projection device with an optical element group, a substrate device for receiving a substrate and an immersion zone. The optical element group is adapted to project the projection pattern onto the substrate and includes a plurality of optical elements with an immersion element to which the substrate is at least temporarily located adjacent to during operation. During operation, the immersion zone is located between the immersion element and the substrate and is at least temporarily filled with an immersion medium. A thermal attenuation device is provided, the thermal attenuation device being adapted to reduce fluctuations within the temperature distribution of the immersion element induced by the immersion medium. | 05-28-2009 |
20090219497 | OPTICAL DEVICE WITH STIFF HOUSING - The disclosure relates to an optical device, such as for microlithography, that includes an optical module and a supporting structure. The disclosure also relates to an optical module that includes an optical element and a carrier structure for the optical element. the carrier structure can be connected to the optical element via at least one holding element. The carrier structure can be fixed to the supporting structure and produced, for example, from a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion α<0.2*10 | 09-03-2009 |
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 |
20100141912 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND MEASURING DEVICE FOR A PROJECTION LENS - A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens that is configured for immersion operation. For this purpose an immersion liquid is introduced into an immersion space that is located between a last lens of the projection lens on the image side and a photosensitive layer to be exposed. To reduce fluctuations of refractive index resulting from temperature gradients occurring within the immersion liquid, the projection exposure apparatus includes heat transfer elements that heat or cool partial volumes of the immersion liquid so as to achieve an at least substantially homogenous or at least substantially rotationally symmetric temperature distribution within the immersion liquid. | 06-10-2010 |
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 |
20100214675 | OPTICAL ELEMENT MODULE WITH MINIMIZED PARASITIC LOADS - An optical element module is provided. The optical module includes an optical element unit that includes an optical element and a support structure that supports the optical element unit. The support structure includes a support device and a contact device mounted to the support device. The contact device exerts a force on the optical element unit in a first direction via a first contact surface of the contact device. The first contact surface contacts a second contact surface of the optical element unit. The contact device includes a first linking section and a second linking section extending along a second direction running transverse to the first direction and arranged kinematically in series between the first contact surface and the support device. The first linking section and the second linking section are elastically deformed in response to a bending moment resulting from the force. The first linking section and the second linking section are arranged on opposite sides of a reference plane. The reference plane includes the force and runs transverse to the second direction. | 08-26-2010 |
20100245847 | POSITIONING UNIT AND ALIGNMENT DEVICE FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - The invention relates to a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation. Said unit comprises a first connection region (A, | 09-30-2010 |
20100271716 | REPLACEMENT APPARATUS FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - A replacement apparatus for an optical element mounted between two adjacent optical elements in a lithography objective has a holder for the optical element to be replaced, which holder can be moved into the lithography objective through a lateral opening in a housing of the same. | 10-28-2010 |
20110216298 | PROTECTION MODULE FOR EUV LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS, AND EUV LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS - In EUV lithography apparatuses ( | 09-08-2011 |
20110255181 | REPLACEMENT APPARATUS FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - A replacement apparatus for an optical element mounted between two adjacent optical elements in a lithography objective has a holder for the optical element to be replaced, which holder can be moved into the lithography objective through a lateral opening in a housing of the same. | 10-20-2011 |
20120019798 | POSITIONING UNIT AND ALIGNMENT DEVICE FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element. | 01-26-2012 |
20120026479 | OPTICAL IMAGING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR REDUCING DYNAMIC FLUCTUATIONS IN PRESSURE DIFFERENCE - There is provided an optical imaging device, in particular for microlithography, comprising at least one optical element and at least one holding device associated to the optical element ( | 02-02-2012 |
20120067833 | SUPPORT ELEMENTS FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - Support elements for an optical element and a method for supporting an optical element are disclosed. The disclosure can be used in connection with arbitrary optical apparatuses or optical imaging methods. In particular, the disclosure can be used in connection with the microlithography employed in the manufacture of microelectronic circuits. | 03-22-2012 |
20120300183 | OPTICAL ARRANGEMENT IN A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to optical arrangements in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. In accordance with one aspect, an optical arrangement has at least one mirror segment arrangement including a plurality of separate mirror segments. The mirror segments are connected to a carrying structure of the projection exposure apparatus via mounting elements. At least one of the mounting elements, which is assigned to a first one of the mirror segments, extends, on the opposite side to the optically active surface of the mirror segment arrangement, at least partly into the region of a second mirror segment of the mirror segment arrangement. The second mirror segment is adjacent to the first mirror segment. | 11-29-2012 |
20130044304 | OPTICAL PROJECTION SYSTEM - An optical projection unit comprising a first optical element module and at least one second optical element module is provided. The first optical element module comprises a first housing unit and at least a first optical element, the first optical element being received within the first housing unit and having an optically used first region defining a first optical axis. The at least one second optical element module is located adjacent to the first optical element module and comprises at least one second optical element, the second optical element defining a second optical axis of the optical projection unit. The first housing unit has a central first housing axis and an outer wall extending in a circumferential direction about the first housing axis. The first optical axis is at least one of laterally offset and inclined with respect to the first housing axis. Furthermore, the first housing axis is substantially collinear with the second optical axis. | 02-21-2013 |
20130100547 | OPTICAL ELEMENT MODULE WITH MINIMIZED PARASITIC LOADS - An optical element module includes an optical element unit and a support structure. The optical element module includes an optical element. The support structure includes a support device and a contact device connected to the support device. A surface of the contact device contacts a surface of the optical element unit and exerts a holding force on the optical element unit along a holding force direction. | 04-25-2013 |
20130114057 | OPTICAL IMAGING DEVICE WITH THERMAL ATTENUATION - An optical imaging device, in particular for use in microlithography, includes a mask device for receiving a mask having a projection pattern, a projection device with an optical element group, a substrate device for receiving a substrate and an immersion zone. The optical element group is adapted to project the projection pattern onto the substrate and includes a plurality of optical elements with an immersion element to which the substrate is at least temporarily located adjacent to during operation. During operation, the immersion zone is located between the immersion element and the substrate and is at least temporarily filled with an immersion medium. A thermal attenuation device is provided, the thermal attenuation device being adapted to reduce fluctuations within the temperature distribution of the immersion element induced by the immersion medium. | 05-09-2013 |
20130120723 | EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND MEASURING DEVICE FOR A PROJECTION LENS - A microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes a projection lens that is configured for immersion operation. For this purpose an immersion liquid is introduced into an immersion space that is located between a last lens of the projection lens on the image side and a photosensitive layer to be exposed. To reduce fluctuations of refractive index resulting from temperature gradients occurring within the immersion liquid, the projection exposure apparatus includes heat transfer elements that heat or cool partial volumes of the immersion liquid so as to achieve an at least substantially homogenous or at least substantially rotationally symmetric temperature distribution within the immersion liquid. | 05-16-2013 |
20130135760 | POSITIONING UNIT AND ALIGNMENT DEVICE FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element. | 05-30-2013 |
20130176614 | EUV COLLECTOR MIRROR SHELL OF AN EUV COLLECTOR FOR EUV LITHOGRAPHY - An EUV collector mirror shell of an EUV collector for EUV lithography includes a body which has a light incidence-side front part having a reflective optically active area, a rear part, and a cavity between the front and rear parts. The cavity extends essentially along the entire optically active area, and the cavity serves to receive a cooling medium. The body also has at least one inlet and at least one outlet for the cooling medium. A plurality of flow-influencing elements are in the cavity, extending from the front part to the rear part, and connecting the front part to the rear part and monolithically formed with the front and rear parts. | 07-11-2013 |
20130188246 | Imaging Optical System for Microlithography - An imaging optical system, in particular a projection objective, for microlithography, includes optical elements to guide electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength in a path to image an object field into an image plane. The imaging optical system includes a pupil, having coordinates (p, q), which, together with the image field, having coordinates (x, y) of the optical system, spans an extended 4-dimensional pupil space, having coordinates (x, y, p, q), as a function of which a wavefront W(x, y, p, q) of the radiation passing through the optical system is defined. The wavefront W can therefore be defined in the pupil plane as a function of an extended 4-dimensional pupil space spanned by the image field (x, y) and the pupil (p, q) as W(x, y, p, q)=W(t), with t=(x, y, p, q). | 07-25-2013 |
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 |
20130279029 | REPLACEMENT APPARATUS FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - A replacement apparatus for an optical element mounted between two adjacent optical elements in a lithography objective has a holder for the optical element to be replaced, which holder can be moved into the lithography objective through a lateral opening in a housing of the same. | 10-24-2013 |
20130286490 | POSITIONING UNIT AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element. | 10-31-2013 |
20140021324 | LITHOGRAPHY APPARATUS AND METHOD - A lithography apparatus is disclosed, which comprises: a first component, a second component, a coupling device which is configured to couple the first and second components to one another, a capture device for capturing a movement (Z) of a floor on which the lithography apparatus stands, and a control device which is configured to actuate the coupling device depending on the captured movement (Z) of the floor in order to restrict a movement of the second component relative to the first component. | 01-23-2014 |
20140125995 | OPTICAL MODULE WITH A MEASURING DEVICE - An optical module, in particular for microlithography, with an optical element unit, a support device, a deformation device and a measuring device is disclosed. The support device is supported on the optical element unit, whereas for deforming an optical surface of the optical element unit, the deformation device engages a deformation section of the optical element unit comprising the optical surface. For determining the position and/or the orientation of the optical element unit with respect to an external reference in at least one degree of freedom, the measuring device comprises at least one measuring element, wherein the measuring element is arranged on a reference section of the optical element unit. | 05-08-2014 |
20140254036 | OPTICAL MODULE FOR AN OBJECTIVE - Disclosed is an optical module for a lens, especially a microlithographic apparatus, comprising a first holding device with an inner circumference that extends in a first circumferential direction, and at least one first supporting device which is fastened to the inner circumference of said first holding device and is used for supporting a first optical element, an annular circumferential first assembly space being defined by displacing the first supporting device once in a revolving manner along the first circumferential direction. At least one second supporting device which is fixed to the inner circumference of the first holding device is provided for supporting a second optical element, an annular circumferential second assembly space being defined by displacing the second supporting device once in a revolving manner along the first circumferential direction. The first assembly space intersects the second assembly space. | 09-11-2014 |
20140268381 | OPTICAL MODULE FOR A MICROLITHOGRAPHY OBJECTIVE HOLDING AND SUPPORTING DEVICES - Disclosed is an optical module for a lens, especially a microlithographic apparatus, comprising a first holding device with an inner circumference that extends in a first circumferential direction, and at least one first supporting device which is fastened to the inner circumference of said first holding device and is used for supporting a first optical element, an annular circumferential first assembly space being defined by displacing the first supporting device once in a revolving manner along the first circumferential direction. At least one second supporting device which is fixed to the inner circumference of the first holding device is provided for supporting a second optical element, an annular circumferential second assembly space being defined by displacing the second supporting device once in a revolving manner along the first circumferential direction. The first assembly space intersects the second assembly space. | 09-18-2014 |
20140368933 | POSITIONING UNIT AND APPARATUS FOR ADJUSTMENT OF AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - The disclosure provides a positioning unit for an optical element in a microlithographic projection exposure installation having a first connecting area for connection to the optical element, and having a second connecting area for connection to an object in the vicinity of the optical element. | 12-18-2014 |
20150070789 | REPLACEMENT APPARATUS FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT - A replacement apparatus for an optical element mounted between two adjacent optical elements in a lithography objective has a holder for the optical element to be replaced, which holder can be moved into the lithography objective through a lateral opening in a housing of the same. | 03-12-2015 |