Beam splitting apparatus
AssigneeASML Netherlands B.V.
InventorsGosse Charles De Vries, Han-Kwang Nienhuys
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A beam-splitting apparatus arranged to receive an input radiation beam and split the input radiation beam into a plurality of output radiation beams. The beam-splitting apparatus comprising a plurality of reflective diffraction gratings arranged to receive a radiation beam and configured to form a diffraction pattern comprising a plurality of diffraction orders, at least some of the reflective diffraction gratings being arranged to receive a 0th diffraction order formed at another of the reflective diffraction gratings. The reflective diffraction gratings are arranged such that the optical path of each output radiation beam includes no more than one instance of a diffraction order which is not a 0th diffraction order.
Claims48
A beam-splitting apparatus comprising:
- a first conical diffraction grating configured to split a first beam of radiation to generate at least a second beam of radiation consisting essentially of a zeroth diffraction order and a third beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order;
- and
- a second conical diffraction grating configured to split the second beam to generate at least a fourth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a diffraction order and a fifth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order different from the diffraction order of the fourth beam, wherein the beam-splitting apparatus is configured to generate output radiation beams comprising the third and fifth beams.
A beam delivery system comprising:
- a beam-splitting apparatus comprising:
- a first conical diffraction grating configured to split a first beam of radiation to generate at least a second beam of radiation consisting essentially of a zeroth diffraction order and a third beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order;
- and
- a second conical diffraction grating configured to split the second beam to generate at least a fourth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a zeroth diffraction order and a fifth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order,
- wherein the beam splitting apparatus is configured to generate output radiation beams comprising the third and fifth beams;
- and
- directing optics configured to direct the output radiation beams to lithographic apparatuses.
A lithographic system comprising:
- a beam delivery system comprising:
- a beam-splitting apparatus comprising:
- a first conical diffraction grating configured to split a first beam of radiation to generate at least a second beam of radiation consisting essentially of a zeroth diffraction order and a third beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order;
- and
- a second conical diffraction grating configured to split the second beam to generate at least a fourth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a zeroth diffraction order and a fifth beam of radiation consisting essentially of a non-zero diffraction order,
- wherein the beam splitting apparatus is configured to generate output radiation beams comprising the third and fifth beams;
- and
- directing optics configured to direct the output radiation beams to lithographic apparatuses;
- and
- first and second lithographic apparatuses configured to receive the third and fifth beams, respectively.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.