Radial polarization-rotating optical arrangement and microlithographic projection exposure system incorporating said arrangement
AssigneeCarl-Zeiss-Stiftung
InventorKarl-Heinz Schuster
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An optical arrangement is disclosed wherein an entering beam is converted into an exiting beam having a total cross section of light which is linearly polarized essentially in the radial direction by rotation. For this purpose, rasters of half-wave plates (41, 42, 4i), a combination of birefringent quarter-wave plate 420 and a circular plate 430 is suggested in combination with a conical polarizer 21′. This arrangement is preferably utilized in the illumination portion of a microlithographic projection exposure system. It is important that the arrangement be mounted behind all asymmetric or polarizing component elements 103a.
Claims11
An optical arrangement comprising:
- an optical structure for receiving an entering light beam;
- said entering light beam having a linear polarization (P) in a predetermined direction;
- and,
- said optical structure being adapted to convert said entering light beam into an exiting light beam wherein said direction of said linear polarization (P) is rotated essentially over the entire cross section of said exiting light beam.
A microlithographic projection exposure system comprising:
- a light source defining an optical axis and transmitting a light beam along said optical axis;
- an optical structure arranged on said optical axis for receiving said light beam;
- said light beam having a linear polarization (P) in a predetermined direction;
- and,
- said optical structure being adapted to convert said light beam into an exiting light beam wherein said direction of said linear polarization (P) is rotated essentially over the entire cross section of said exiting light beam.
A microlithographic projection exposure system comprising:
- a light source defining an optical axis and transmitting a light beam along said axis;
- a reticle mounted on said axis for receiving said light beam and transmitting said light beam down said optical axis;
- a polarizing beam splitter assembly mounted on said optical axis for operating on said light beam to form a polarized light beam having a linear polarization (P) in a predetermined direction;
- said polarizing beam splitter assembly including a deflecting surface arranged non-symmetrically with respect to said optical axis for deflecting said polarized light beam away from said optical axis and toward an object;
- an optical structure mounted laterally of said optical axis between said polarizing beam splitter assembly and said object to receive said polarized light beam deflected by said deflecting surface;
- and,
- said optical structure being adapted to convert said polarized light beam into an exiting light beam directed toward said object wherein said direction of said linear polarization (P) is rotated essentially over the entire cross section of said exiting light beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.