Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080198455 | Optical System, In Particular Objective Or Illumination System For A Microlithographic Projection Exposure Apparatus - The invention relates to an optical system, in particular an objective or an illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, which in particular also permits the use of crystal materials with a high refractive index while reducing the influence of intrinsic birefringence on the imaging properties. In particular the invention relates to an optical system having at least two lens groups ( | 08-21-2008 |
20080204877 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM OR PROJECTION LENS OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE SYSTEM - In some embodiments, the disclosure provides an optical system, in particular an illumination system or a projection lens of a microlithographic exposure system, having an optical system axis and at least one element group including three birefringent elements each of which includes optically uniaxial material and having an aspheric surface, wherein a first birefringent element of the group has a first orientation of its optical crystal axis, a second birefringent element of the group has a second orientation of its optical crystal axis, wherein the second orientation can be described as emerging from a rotation of the first orientation, the rotation not corresponding to a rotation around the optical system axis by an angle of 90° or an integer multiple thereof, and a third birefringent element of the group has a third orientation of its optical crystal axis, wherein the third orientation can be described as emerging from a rotation of the second orientation, the rotation not corresponding to a rotation around the optical system axis by an angle of 90° or an integer multiple thereof. | 08-28-2008 |
20080212060 | Method for Determining Intensity Distribution in the Image Plane of a Projection Exposure Arrangement - A method for determining intensity distribution in the focal plane of a projection exposure arrangement, in which a large aperture imaging system is emulated and a light from a sample is represented on a local resolution detector by an emulation imaging system. A device for carrying out the method and emulated devices are also described. The invention makes it possible to improve a reproduction quality since the system apodisation is taken into consideration. The inventive method consists in includes determining the integrated amplitude distribution in an output pupil, combining the integrated amplitude distribution with a predetermined apodization correction and calculating a corrected apodization image according to the modified amplitude distribution. | 09-04-2008 |
20090021719 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related components and methods. In some embodiments, a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system and a projection objective, where the illumination system can illuminate an object plane of the projection objective and the projection objective can produce the image of the object plane on an image plane. A polarization-dependent transmission can be produced in the illumination system such that, for at least one polarization distribution in respect of the light impinging on the object plane, a non-homogeneous intensity distribution in the object plane is obtained. The non-homogeneous intensity distribution can afford a homogeneous intensity distribution in the image plane by virtue of polarization-dependent transmission properties of the projection objective. | 01-22-2009 |
20090021830 | PROJECTION LENS OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE SYSTEM - In some embodiments, the disclosure provides a projection lens configured to configured to image radiation from an object plane of the projection lens to an image plane of the projection lens. The projection lens can, for example, be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. The projection lens includes a last lens on the image plane side. The last lens includes at least one intrinsically birefringent material. The material can be, for example, magnesium oxide, a garnet, lithium barium fluoride and/or a spinel. The last lens can have a thickness d which satisfies the condition 0.8*y | 01-22-2009 |
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 |
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 |
20090174876 | OPTICAL APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MODIFYING THE IMAGING BEHAVIOR OF SUCH APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to an optical apparatus including a light source that emits light in the form of light pulses having a pulse frequency, and including at least one optical element. The disclosure also relates to a projection exposure machine including a pulsed light source and a projection objective, and to a method for modifying the imaging behavior of such an apparatus, such as in a projection exposure machine. | 07-09-2009 |
20090201478 | TRANSMITTING OPTICAL ELEMENT AND OBJECTIVE FOR A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - A transmitting optical element ( | 08-13-2009 |
20090213356 | ILLUMINATION SYSTEM FOR A MICROLITHOGRAPHY PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - An illumination system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an EUV light source which generates an emission beam of linearly polarized EUV illumination light. An illumination optics guides the emission beam along an optical axis which causes an illumination field in a reticle plane to be illuminated by the emission beam. The illumination system also includes an illumination subunit of the illumination system. The illumination subunit includes at least the EUV light source and a polarization setting device for setting a defined polarization of the EUV emission beam of the illumination subunit. | 08-27-2009 |
20090284831 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a high index refractive optical element (L | 11-19-2009 |
20090306921 | SPECIFICATION, OPTIMIZATION AND MATCHING OF OPTICAL SYSTEMS BY USE OF ORIENTATIONAL ZERNIKE POLYNOMIALS - The present disclosure relates to specification, optimization and matching of optical systems by use of orientation Zernike polynomials. In some embodiments, a method for assessing the suitability of an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus is provided. The method can include determining a Jones pupil of the optical system, at least approximately describing the Jones pupil using an expansion into orientation Zernike polynomials, and assessing the suitability of the optical system on the basis of the expansion coefficient of at least one of the orientation Zernike polynomials in the expansion. | 12-10-2009 |
20090323042 | OPTICAL SYSTEM OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - An optical system, such as an illumination device or a projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, is disclosed. The optical system can include a polarization compensator which has at least one polarization-modifying partial element. The optical system can also include a manipulator by which the position of the at least one partial element can be altered. At least one operating mode of the optical system can be set in which the intensity, over a region which belongs to a plane perpendicular to the optical axis and which can be illuminated with light from the light source, does not exceed 20% of the maximum intensity in the plane, and the manipulator is arranged in the region. | 12-31-2009 |
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 |
20100079741 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection objective for use in microlithography, a microlithography projection exposure apparatus with a projection objective, a microlithographic manufacturing method for microstructured components, and a component manufactured under the manufacturing method are disclosed. | 04-01-2010 |
20100104128 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF A STRUCTURE ON A CARRIER RELATIVE TO A REFERENCE POINT OF THE CARRIER - A method is provided for determining the position of a structure on a carrier, relative to a reference point of the carrier, said method comprising the steps of: a) providing an image including a reference structure; b) recording an image of the structure on the carrier by means of a recording device, with a known recording position relative to the reference points; c) superimposing the two images to form one superimposed image; d) determining the image distance of the two structures in the superimposed image; e) shifting the two structures in the superimposed image relative to one another, depending on the determined image distance; f) checking whether the determined image distance is below a predetermined maximum value; wherein, if the image distance is below the maximum value, the method is continued in step g), and, if the image distance is not below the maximum value, steps d)-f) are repeated, taking into account the determined image distance/distances: g) determining the position of the structure relative to the reference point, on the basis of the recording position in step b) and of the image distance/image distances determined in step(s) d). | 04-29-2010 |
20100134891 | OPTICAL SYSTEM OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure concerns an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. To permit comparatively flexible and fast influencing of intensity distribution and/or the polarization state, an optical system includes at least one layer system that is at least one-side bounded by a lens or a mirror. The layer system is an interference layer system of several layers and has at least one liquid or gaseous layer portion with a maximum thickness of one micrometer (μm), and a manipulator for manipulation of the thickness profile of the layer portion. | 06-03-2010 |
20100142042 | MICROSCOPE AND MICROSCOPY METHOD FOR SPACE-RESOLVED MEASUREMENT OF A PREDETERMINED STRUCTURE, IN PARTICULAR A STRUCTURE OF A LITHOGRAPHIC MASK - A microscope is provided for space-resolved measurement of a predetermined structure ( | 06-10-2010 |
20100201959 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A projection objective for microlithography includes at least one optical assembly with optical elements which are disposed between an object plane and an image plane. The optical assembly includes at least one optical terminal element, which is disposed close to the image plane. A first immersion liquid is disposed on the image oriented surface of the optical terminal element. A second immersion liquid is disposed on the object oriented surface of the optical terminal element. The object oriented surface includes a first surface section for the imaging light to enter into the terminal element, and the image oriented surface includes a second surface portion for the imaging light to exit from the terminal element. | 08-12-2010 |
20110007293 | MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - The disclosure relates to a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus, as well as related components and methods. In some embodiments, a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an illumination system and a projection objective, where the illumination system can illuminate an object plane of the projection objective and the projection objective can produce the image of the object plane on an image plane. A polarization-dependent transmission can be produced in the illumination system such that, for at least one polarization distribution in respect of the light impinging on the object plane, a non-homogeneous intensity distribution in the object plane is obtained. The non-homogeneous intensity distribution can afford a homogeneous intensity distribution in the image plane by virtue of polarization-dependent transmission properties of the projection objective. | 01-13-2011 |
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 |
20110122391 | OPTICAL SYSTEM OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS AND MICROLITHOGRAPHIC EXPOSURE METHOD - The disclosure relates to an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and to a microlithographic exposure method. An optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus includes an image rotator, which is arranged in the optical system such that light impinging on the image rotator is at least partially polarized. The image rotator rotates, for light impinging on the image rotator, both the intensity distribution and the polarization distribution of through a given angle of rotation. | 05-26-2011 |
20110122392 | MICROLITHOGRAPHY ILLUMINATION SYSTEM AND MICROLITHOGRAPHY ILLUMINATION OPTICAL UNIT - An illumination optical unit for microlithography illuminates an object field with illumination light. The unit includes a first facet mirror that has a plurality of first facets, and a second facet mirror that has a plurality of second facets. The unit has facet pairs which include respectively a facet of the first facet mirror and a facet of the second facet mirror which predefine a plurality of illumination channels for illuminating the object field. At least some of the illumination channels have in each case an assigned polarization element for predefining an individual polarization state of the illumination light guided in the respective illumination channel. | 05-26-2011 |
20110235013 | PROJECTION OBJECTIVE OF A MICROLITHOGRAPHIC PROJECTION EXPOSURE APPARATUS - A projection objective of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus has a high index refractive optical element with an index of refraction greater than 1.6. This element has a volume and a material related optical property which varies over the volume. Variations of this optical property cause an aberration of the objective. In one embodiment at least 4 optical surfaces are provided that are arranged in at least one volume which is optically conjugate with the volume of the refractive optical element. Each optical surface comprises at least one correction means, for example a surface deformation or a birefringent layer with locally varying properties, which at least partially corrects the aberration caused by the variation of the optical property. | 09-29-2011 |
20110242544 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MEASURING STRUCTURES ON PHOTOLITHOGRAPHY MASKS - The invention relates to a method for measuring structures on masks ( | 10-06-2011 |
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 |
20130301024 | METHOD OF OPERATING A PROJECTION EXPOSURE TOOL FOR MICROLITHOGRAPHY - A method of operating a projection exposure tool for microlithography is provided. The projection exposure tool has a projection objective for imaging object structures on a mask into an image plane using electromagnetic radiation, during which imaging the electromagnetic radiation causes a change in optical properties of the projection objective. The method comprises the steps of: providing the layout of the object structures on the mask to be imaged and classifying the object structures according to their type of structure, calculating the change in the optical properties of the projection objective effected during the imaging process on the basis of the classification of the object structures, and using the projection exposure tool for imaging the object structures into the image plane, wherein the imaging behavior of the projection exposure tool is adjusted on the basis of the calculated change of the optical properties in order to at least partly compensate for the change of the optical properties of the projection objective caused by the electromagnetic radiation during the imaging process. | 11-14-2013 |
20130335552 | METHOD FOR MASK INSPECTION, AND MASK INSPECTION INSTALLATION - The invention relates to a method for mask inspection and to a mask inspection installation. A method according to the invention involves a lighting system lighting a mask with a lighting beam pencil, and said mask being observed with an observation beam pencil which is directed onto a sensor arrangement, wherein the light hitting the sensor arrangement is evaluated in order to check the mapping effect of the mask. The lighting system produces a spot of light with limited refraction on the mask, and during the evaluation of the light hitting the sensor arrangement a finite component of the light setting out from the mask to produce the observation beam pencil is disregarded. | 12-19-2013 |
20140055593 | TEST SAMPLE DEVICE AND TEST METHOD FOR AN OPTICAL MICROSCOPE WITH SUBWAVELENGTH RESOLUTION - A test sample device for an optical microscope which images a sample in different light states with a local resolution in the subwavelength range of the visible spectral range, wherein the test sample device comprises: a test piece, which is designed to be microexamined with the microscope and has a surface on which nanostructures are arranged, wherein each nanostructure, viewed along the surface, has a dimension in the subwavelength range, wherein the nanostructures are spaced apart from one another by an amount which lies above the wavelength of the visible spectral range, and wherein the nanostructures are switchable collectively between a bright state, in which they illuminate, and a dark state, in which they do not illuminate, and a drive, which is designed to move the test piece in the subwavelength range, whereby the different light states can be realized by different movement states of the test piece. | 02-27-2014 |