Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080225387 | COLLECTOR FOR ILLUMINATION SYSTEMS WITH A WAVELENGTH LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 193 nm - Collectors are disclosed. The collectors can be for illumination systems with a wavelength ≦193 nm, including ≦126 nm, and the EUV range. The collectors can serve to receive the light rays emitted from a light source and to illuminate an area in a plane. The collectors can include at least a first mirror shell or a first shell segment as well as a second mirror shell or a second shell segment receiving the light and providing a first illumination and a second illumination in a plane which is located in the light path downstream of the collector. An illumination systems are also disclosed. The illumination systems can be equipped with a collector. Projection exposure apparatuses are also disclosed. The projection exposure apparatuses can include an illumination system. Methods for the manufacture of microstructures by photographic exposure are also disclosed. | 09-18-2008 |
20080259303 | PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography is disclosed. The apparatus can include a radiation source to generate illumination radiation and a reticle holder to receive a reticle in an object plane. The apparatus can further include illumination optics to guide the illumination radiation to an object field, which is to be illuminated, in the object plane. The apparatus can also include a wafer holder to receive a wafer in an image plane and projection optics to image the object field into an image field in the image plane. The radiation source and projection optics can be arranged in separate chambers (e.g., one above the other). The chambers can be separated by a wall. There can be an illumination radiation leadthrough in the wall. In some embodiments, the projection exposure apparatus can guide the illumination radiation with low loss. | 10-23-2008 |
20080278704 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR A PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS WITH WAVELENGTHS LESS THAN OR EQUAL TO 193 nm - The disclosure relates to illumination systems for projection exposure apparatuses, projection exposure apparatus, and related components, systems and methods. The illumination systems can be configured to be used with wavelengths less than 193 nm. | 11-13-2008 |
20090041182 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR EUV LITHOGRAPHY - The disclosure relates to an illumination system for EUV lithography, as well as related elements, systems and methods. In some embodiments, an illumination system includes a first optical element and a second optical element. The first optical element can include a plurality of first facet elements configured so that, when impinged by respective partial beams of radiation, the plurality of first facet elements produce secondary light sources. The second optical element can include a second optical element including a plurality of second facet elements. Each of the plurality of second facet elements can be assigned to at least one of the plurality of first facet elements. The plurality of second facet elements can be configured to be impinged by the radiation via the first optical element. | 02-12-2009 |
20090091731 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - The disclosure relates to illumination optical systems for microlithography, such as EUV-microlithography, as well as related systems, components and methods. | 04-09-2009 |
20090251677 | ILLUMINATING OPTICAL UNIT AND PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography has an illumination system with an EUV light source and an illumination optical unit to expose an object field in an object plane. A projection optical unit images the object field into an image field in an image plane. A pupil facet mirror in a plane of the illumination optical unit that coincides with a pupil plane of the projection optical unit or that is optically conjugate with respect thereto has a plurality of individual facets on which illumination light can impinge. A correction diaphragm is in or adjacent to a pupil plane of the projection optical unit or in a conjugate plane with respect thereto. The correction diaphragm screens the illumination of the entrance pupil of the projection optical unit so that at least some source images assigned to the individual facets of the pupil facet mirror in the entrance pupil of the projection optical unit are partly shaded by one and the same diaphragm edge. The form of the diaphragm edge is predefined for the partial shading of the source images assigned to the pupil facets in the entrance pupil of the projection optical unit for the correction of the telecentricity and the ellipticity of the illumination. | 10-08-2009 |
20090316130 | EUV ILLUMINATION SYSTEM - An illumination system is used to illuminate a specified illumination field of an object surface with EUV radiation. The illumination system has an EUV source and a collector to concentrate the EUV radiation in the direction of an optical axis. A first optical element is provided to generate secondary light sources, and a second optical element is provided at the location of these secondary light sources, the second optical element being part of an optical device which includes further optical elements, and which images the first optical element into an image plane into the illumination field. Between the collector and the illumination field, a maximum of five reflecting optical elements are arranged. These optical elements reflect the main beam either grazingly or steeply. The optical axis, projected onto an illumination main plane, is deflected by more than 30° between a source axis portion and a field axis portion. In a first variant of the illumination system, at least an axis portion between at least two of the reflecting optical elements is inclined relative to the illumination main plane. In a second variant of the illumination system, the optical device, in addition to the second optical element includes precisely three further optical elements, i.e. a third optical element, a fourth optical element and a fifth optical element. In this second variant, the optical axis meets the third, fourth and fifth optical elements at an angle of incidence which is greater than 70°. This construction variants make possible either an increase of the EUV throughput of the illumination system for a given size, or a reduction of the size of the illumination system and thus of the associated projection exposure system for a given EUV throughput. | 12-24-2009 |
20090323044 | CATOPTRIC ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY TOOL - In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system that includes an illumination system of a microlithography tool, the illumination system including a first component having a plurality of elements. During operation of the system, the elements direct radiation from a source along an optical path to an arc-shaped object field at an object plane of a projection objective, and at least one of the elements has a curved shape that is different from the arc-shape of the object field. | 12-31-2009 |
20100253926 | ILLUMINATION OPTICS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An illumination optics for microlithography includes an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optics can divide an illumination light radiation bundle into a plurality of radiation sub-bundles which are assigned to different illumination angles of the object field illumination. The illumination optics is configured so that at least some of the radiation sub-bundles are superimposed in a superposition plane which is spaced from the object plane and which is not imaged into the object plane in which superposition takes place. This superposition is such that edges of the superimposed radiation sub-bundles coincide at least partially. In some embodiments, a field intensity setting device includes a plurality of adjacent individual diaphragms which at least attenuate illumination light when exposed thereon. These individual diaphragms are insertable into an illumination light radiation bundle in a direction parallel to an object displacement direction. All individual diaphragms of the field intensity setting device are insertable into the illumination light radiation bundle from one and the same side. | 10-07-2010 |
20110001947 | FACET MIRROR FOR USE IN A PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A facet mirror is to be used as a bundle-guiding optical component in a projection exposure apparatus for microlithography. The facet mirror has a plurality of separate mirrors. For individual deflection of incident illumination light, the separate mirrors are in each case connected to an actuator in such a way that they are separately tiltable about at least one tilt axis. A control device, which is connected to the actuators, is configured in such a way that a given grouping of the separate mirrors can be grouped into separate mirror groups that include in each case at least two separate mirrors. The result is a facet mirror which, when installed in the projection exposure apparatus, increases the variability for setting various illumination geometries of an object field to be illuminated by the projection exposure apparatus. Various embodiments of separate mirrors for forming the facet mirrors are described. | 01-06-2011 |
20110026003 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection objective for microlithography is used for imaging an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. The projection objective comprises at least six mirrors of which at least one mirror has a freeform reflecting surface. The ratio between an overall length (T) of the projection objective and an object image shift (d | 02-03-2011 |
20110063598 | ILLUMINATION OPTICS FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY AND RELATED SYSTEM AND APPARATUS - An illumination optics for EUV microlithography guides an illumination light bundle from a radiation source to an object field with an extension ratio between a longer field dimension and a shorter field dimension, where the ratio is considerably greater than 1. A field facet mirror has a plurality of field facets that set defined illumination conditions in the object field. A following optics downstream of the field facet mirror transmits the illumination light into the object field. The following optics includes a pupil facet mirror with a plurality of pupil facets. The field facets are in each case individually allocated to the pupil facets so that portions of the illumination light bundle impinging upon in each case one of the field facets are guided on to the object field via the associated pupil facet. The field facet mirror not only includes a plurality of basic illumination field facets which provide a basic illumination of the object field via associated basic illumination pupil facets, but also includes a plurality of correction illumination field facets which provide for a correction of the illumination of the object field via associated correction illumination pupil facets. The result is an illumination optics which allows unwanted variations of illumination parameters, for instance an illumination intensity distribution or an illumination angle distribution, to be corrected across the object field. | 03-17-2011 |
20110096317 | COMPONENT FOR SETTING A SCAN-INTEGRATED ILLUMINATION ENERGY IN AN OBJECT PLANE OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHY PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - A component for setting a scan-integrated illumination energy in an object plane of a microlithography projection exposure apparatus is disclosed. The component includes a plurality of diaphragms which are arranged alongside one another with respect to a direction perpendicular to the scan movement and which differ in their form and the position of which can be altered approximately in the scan direction so that a portion of the illumination energy can be vignetted by at least one diaphragm. The form of the individual diaphragm is specifically adapted to the form of the illumination in a diaphragm plane in which the component is arranged. This has the effect that at least parts of the delimiting edges of two diaphragms always differ in the case of an arbitrary displacement of the diaphragms. | 04-28-2011 |
20110141445 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL UNIT FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An illumination optical unit for EUV microlithography includes a first optical element having a plurality of first reflective facet elements and a second optical element having a plurality of second reflective facet elements. Each first reflective facet element from the plurality of the first reflective facet elements has a respective maximum number of different positions which defines a set—associated with the first facet element—consisting of second reflective facet elements in that the set consists of all second facet elements onto which the first facet element directs radiation in its different positions during the operation of the illumination optical unit. The plurality of second reflective facet element forms a plurality of disjoint groups, wherein each of the groups and each of the sets contain at least two second facet elements, and there are no two second facet elements of a set which belong to the same group. This construction makes it possible to provide an illumination optical unit which can be used to provide a large number of different angle-dependent intensity distributions at the location of the object field. | 06-16-2011 |
20110164233 | FIELD FACET MIRROR FOR AN ILLUMINATION OPTICS OF A PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A field facet mirror for an illumination optics of a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography transmits a structure of an object arranged in an object field into an image field. The field facet mirror has a plurality of field facets with reflection surfaces. The arrangement of the field facets next to one another spans a base plane. Projections of the reflection surfaces of at least two of the field facets onto the base plane differ with respect to at least one of the following parameters: size, shape, orientation. A field facet mirror results which can ensure a uniform object field illumination with a simultaneously high EUV throughput. | 07-07-2011 |
20110177463 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An illumination system for EUV microlithography includes an EUV light source which generates EUV illumination light with an etendue that is higher than 0.01 mm | 07-21-2011 |
20110222144 | METHOD FOR PRODUCING A MULTILAYER COATING, OPTICAL ELEMENT AND OPTICAL ARRANGEMENT - A method for producing a multilayer coating ( | 09-15-2011 |
20110235015 | ILLUMINATION OPTICS FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An illumination optics for EUV microlithography illuminates an object field with the aid of an EUV used radiation beam. Preset devices preset illumination parameters. An illumination correction device corrects the intensity distribution and/or the angular distribution of the object field illumination. The latter has an optical component to which the used radiation beam is at least partially applied upstream of the object field and which can be driven in a controlled manner. A detector acquires one of the illumination parameters. An evaluation device evaluates the detector data and converts the latter into control signals. At least one actuator displaces the optical component. During exposures, the actuators are controlled with the aid of the detector signals during the period of a projection exposure. A maximum displacement of below 8 μm is ensured for edges of the object field towards an object to be exposed. The result is an illumination optics that is used to ensure conformance with preset illumination parameters even given the most stringent demands upon precision. | 09-29-2011 |
20110318696 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL SYSTEM AND OPTICAL SYSTEMS FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - An imaging optical system for microlithography is used to illuminate an object field ( | 12-29-2011 |
20120147347 | IMAGING OPTICAL SYSTEM AND ILLUMINATION OPTICAL SYSTEM - An imaging optical system has a plurality of mirrors, which image an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. A reflection face of at least one of the mirrors is configured as a free form face which cannot be described by a rotationally symmetrical function. The object field has an aspect ratio greater than 1. A ratio of a minimal and a maximal transverse dimension of the object field can be less than 0.9. | 06-14-2012 |
20120274917 | IMAGING OPTICS - An imaging optics is provided for lithographic projection exposure for guiding a bundle of imaging light with a wavelength shorter than 193 nm via a plurality of mirrors for beam-splitter-free imaging of a reflective object in an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. An object field point has a central ray angle which is smaller than 3°. At least one of the mirrors is a near-field mirror. The imaging optics which can allow for high-quality imaging of a reflective object. | 11-01-2012 |
20120293785 | OPTICAL ELEMENT HAVING A PLURALITY OF REFLECTIVE FACET ELEMENTS - An optical element for use in an illumination optical unit of an EUV microlithography projection exposure apparatus includes a plurality of reflective facet elements. Each reflective facet element has at least one reflective surface. In this case, at least one facet element is arranged in a manner rotatable about a rotation axis. The rotation axis intersects the at least one reflective surface of the facet element. With such an optical element, it is possible to alter the direction and/or the intensity of at least part of the illumination radiation within the illumination optical unit in a simple manner. | 11-22-2012 |
20120300185 | CATOPTRIC ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY TOOL - In general, in one aspect, the invention features a system that includes an illumination system of a microlithography tool, the illumination system including a first component having a plurality of elements. During operation of the system, the elements direct radiation from a source along an optical path to an arc-shaped object field at an object plane of a projection objective, and at least one of the elements has a curved shape that is different from the arc-shape of the object field. | 11-29-2012 |
20130250262 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL SYSTEM FOR PROJECTION LITHOGRAPHY - An illumination optical system for projection lithography has an optical assembly for guiding illumination light to an object field to be illuminated in an object plane. The illumination optical system divides a bundle of the illumination light into a plurality of part bundles, which are allocated to various illumination directions of the object field illumination. The illumination optical system is configured in such a way that at least some of the part bundles are superimposed on one another in a first superimposition plane according to a first superimposition specification and in a second superimposition plane, which is spaced apart from the first superimposition plane, according to a second superimposition specification. The result is an illumination optical system, in which an influencing and/or a monitoring of an illumination intensity distribution over the object field is made possible, as far as possible without influencing an illumination angle distribution. | 09-26-2013 |
20140022525 | Deflection Mirror and Projection Exposure Apparatus for Microlithography Comprising Such a Deflection Mirror - A deflection mirror ( | 01-23-2014 |
20140036247 | ILLUMINATION OPTICAL UNIT - An illumination optical unit for an EUV projection exposure apparatus has a diaphragm comprising a radiation-transmissive region having a discrete symmetry group. The form of the diaphragm is adapted to the form of the facets of a pupil facet mirror or to the form of the radiation source. The diaphragm is preferably arranged in the region of an intermediate focal plane. | 02-06-2014 |
20140104588 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection objective for microlithography is used for imaging an object field in an object plane into an image field in an image plane. The projection objective comprises at least six mirrors of which at least one mirror has a freeform reflecting surface. The ratio between an overall length (T) of the projection objective and an object image shift (d | 04-17-2014 |
20140218709 | FIELD FACET MIRROR FOR AN ILLUMINATION OPTICS OF A PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS FOR EUV MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A field facet mirror for an illumination optics of a projection exposure apparatus for EUV microlithography transmits a structure of an object arranged in an object field into an image field. The field facet mirror has a plurality of field facets with reflection surfaces. The arrangement of the field facets next to one another spans a base plane. Projections of the reflection surfaces of at least two of the field facets onto the base plane differ with respect to at least one of the following parameters: size, shape, orientation. A field facet mirror results which can ensure a uniform object field illumination with a simultaneously high EUV throughput. | 08-07-2014 |
20150015865 | ILLUMINATION INTENSITY CORRECTION DEVICE FOR PREDEFINING AN ILLUMINATION INTENSITY OVER AN ILLUMINATION FIELD OF A LITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - An illumination intensity correction device serves for predefining an illumination intensity over an illumination field of a lithographic projection exposure apparatus. The correction device has a plurality of bar-shaped individual stops arranged alongside one another and having bar axes arranged parallel to one another, which are arranged in a manner lined up alongside one another transversely with respect to the bar axes. The individual stops are displaceable into a predefined intensity correction displacement position at least along their respective bar axis with the aid of a displacement drive individually for the purpose of predefining an intensity correction of an illumination of the illumination field. | 01-15-2015 |