High performance catadioptric imaging system

An objective employed for use with light energy having a wavelength in the range of approximately 157 nanometers through the infrared light range, comprising:

• a focusing lens group configured to receive said light energy and comprising at least one focusing lens;
• at least one field lens oriented to receive focused light energy from said focusing lens group and provide intermediate light energy;
• and
• a Mangin mirror arrangement positioned to receive the intermediate light energy from the field lens and form controlled light energy, said Mangin mirror arrangement imparting the controlled light energy to a specimen with a numerical aperture in excess of 0.65, wherein each lens employed in the objective and each element in the Mangin mirror arrangement has diameter less than 100 millimeters.

An objective constructed of a single glass material for use with light energy having a wavelength in the range of approximately 157 nanometers through the infrared light range, comprising:

• at least one focusing lens having diameter less than approximately 100 millimeters receiving said light energy and transmitting focused light energy;
• at least one field lens having diameter less than approximately 100 millimeters, receiving said focused light energy and transmitting intermediate light energy;
• and
• at least one Mangin mirror element having diameter less than 100 millimeters receiving said intermediate light energy and providing controlled light energy to a specimen.

A catadioptric objective comprising:

• a catadioptric group comprising at least one element configured to receive light energy from a specimen and providing reflected light energy forming reflected light energy;
• a field lens group comprising at least one field lens receiving the reflected light energy and transmitting resultant light energy;
• and
• a focusing lens group comprising at least one focusing lens receiving resultant light energy and transmitting focused resultant light energy, wherein an imaging numerical aperture for the objective is at least 0.65, the objective having a maximum lens diameter for all lenses employed and a field size, and wherein the ratio of maximum lens diameter to field size is less than 100 to 1.

A method of imaging a specimen, comprising:

• focusing received light energy using a focusing lens group;
• receiving focused light energy and providing intermediate light energy using a field lens group;
• and
• receiving intermediate light energy and forming controlled light energy using a Mangin mirror arrangement;
• wherein a field size is formed using the focusing lens group, the field lens group, and the Mangin mirror arrangement, and wherein a ratio of a largest element in the focusing lens group, field lens group, and Mangin mirror arrangement to field size is less than 100 to 1.

An objective, comprising:

• means for focusing received light energy using a focusing lens group;
• means for receiving focused light energy and providing intermediate light energy using a field lens group;
• and
• means for receiving intermediate light energy and forming controlled light energy using a Mangin mirror arrangement;
• wherein a field size is formed using the focusing lens group, the field lens group, and the Mangin mirror arrangement, and wherein a ratio of a largest element in the focusing lens group, field lens group, and Mangin mirror arrangement to field size is less than 100 to 1.

A tube lens arrangement for use in correcting residual aberrations in an objective, comprising:

• at least one focusing lens receiving light energy and focusing preliminary light energy to an internal field;
• at least one field lens in proximity to the internal field;
• and
• at least one conversion lens receiving the light energy from the internal field and transmitting light to a pupil.

An objective employed for use with light energy having a wavelength in the range of approximately 157 nanometers through the infrared light range, comprising:

• focusing means for receiving said light energy and providing focused light energy;
• field lensing means for receiving focused light energy from said focusing means and providing intermediate light energy;
• and
• mirror means for receiving the intermediate light energy from the field lensing means and forming controlled light energy, said mirror means imparting the controlled light energy to a specimen with a numerical aperture in excess of 0.65, wherein each lens employed in the objective and each element in the mirror means has diameter less than 100 millimeters.