Microlithographic illumination system

A system configured to illuminate an illumination field with light, the system comprising:

• a first raster array comprising first raster elements arranged in first raster lines and first raster columns, the first raster array being in or adjacent to a pupil plane of the system to generate a raster array of secondary light sources;
• transmission optics configured to guide the light of the secondary light sources into the illumination field;
• a device spatially adjacent to the first raster array or in a plane which is optically conjugate with a plane in which the first raster array is disposed,
• wherein:
• the device comprises a raster array having a raster that corresponds to a raster of the first raster array;
• the device has at least two angle variation portions with spherical surfaces;
• the at least two angle variation portions deflect light impinging thereon in different deflection angles perpendicular to an optical axis of the system;
• and
• a maximum deflection angle caused by the device is such that the intensity contribution of the first raster elements to the total illumination intensity varies across the illumination field;
• the device influences at least one property of the light selected form the group consisting of intensity, phase and beam direction;
• an intensity contribution of the first raster elements to the total illumination intensity varies across the illumination field;
• and
• the system is a microlithographic illumination system.