Optical system, and method
AssigneeCarl Zeiss SMT GmbH
InventorsDirk Juergens, Kerstin Hild, Bernd Geh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical system for a lithography machine includes: a main mirror element and a manipulator device for positioning and/or orienting said main mirror element. The optical system also includes an optically active surface for reflecting radiation. The optical system further includes an actuator matrix positioned between the main mirror element and the optically active surface. The actuator matrix is configured to deform the optically active surface to influence the reflective properties of the optically active surface. A gap is present between the actuator matrix and a front side of the main mirror element so that the actuator matrix is spaced apart from the main mirror element.
Claims19
An optical system, comprising:
- a mirror main body;
- a manipulator device configured to position and/or orient the mirror main body;
- an optically effective surface configured to reflect radiation;
- and
- an actuator matrix between the mirror main body and the optically effective surface,
- wherein:
- the actuator matrix is configured to deform the optically effective surface to influence reflection properties of the optically effective surface;
- a solid-free gap is present between the actuator matrix and a front side of the mirror main body;
- the solid-free gap is configured so that, when the actuator matrix is energized to deform actuators of the actuator matrix in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, deformation of the actuators in the first direction has no influence on deformation of the actuators in the second direction;
- and
- the first direction extends from the actuator matrix to the front side of the mirror main body;
- and
- the optical system is a lithography optical system.
A method, comprising:
- reducing a thickness of a mirror main body blank to provide a mirror main body;
- arranging an actuator matrix between the mirror main body and a mirror substrate to provide a mirror device;
- and
- connecting the mirror device to the mirror main body such that a solid-free gap is present between the actuator matrix and a front side of the mirror main body,
- wherein:
- the solid-free gap is configured so that, when the actuator matrix is energized to deform actuators of the actuator matrix in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, deformation of the actuators in the first direction has no influence on deformation of the actuators in the second direction;
- and
- the first direction extends from the actuator matrix to the front side of the mirror main body.
A method of exchanging a mirror of a lithography apparatus for an optical system, the method comprising:
- demounting the mirror from the lithography apparatus;
- and
- installing the optical system into the lithography apparatus by a process that comprises using interfaces of the lithography apparatus for the mirror,
- wherein the optical system comprises:
- a mirror main body;
- a manipulator device configured to position and/or orient the mirror main body;
- an optically effective surface configured to reflect radiation;
- and
- an actuator matrix between the mirror main body and the optically effective surface, and
- wherein:
- a solid-free gap is present between the actuator matrix and a front side of the mirror main body;
- the actuator matrix is configured to deform the optically effective surface to influence reflection properties of the optically effective surface;
- the solid-free gap is configured so that, when the actuator matrix is energized to deform actuators of the actuator matrix in a first direction and in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, deformation of the actuators in the first direction has no influence on deformation of the actuators in the second direction;
- and
- the first direction extends from the actuator matrix to the front side of the mirror main body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.