Optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus
AssigneeCarl Zeiss SMT GmbH
InventorsRalf Mueller, Toralf Gruner, Michael Totzeck, Heiko Feldmann, Hans-Jochen Paul
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Abstract
The disclosure concerns an optical system of a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus. To permit comparatively flexible and fast influencing of intensity distribution and/or the polarization state, an optical system includes at least one layer system that is at least one-side bounded by a lens or a mirror. The layer system is an interference layer system of several layers and has at least one liquid or gaseous layer portion with a maximum thickness of one micrometer (μm), and a manipulator for manipulation of the thickness profile of the layer portion.
Claims20
An optical system of, comprising:
- an optical element selected from the group consisting of a lens and a mirror;
- an interference layer system bounded by the optical element, the interference layer system comprising a plurality of layers including a first layer having a maximum thickness of at most one micrometer, the first layer comprising a liquid or a gas;
- and
- a manipulator configured to manipulate a thickness profile of the first layer,
- wherein the optical system is configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.
An article, comprising:
- an optical element selected from the group consisting of a lens and a mirror;
- and
- a interference layer system bounded by the optical element,
- wherein the interference layer system comprises a plurality of layers including a layer comprising a liquid or a gas, a maximum thickness of the first layer is at most one micrometer, and a thickness profile of the first layer is manipulatable.
An apparatus, comprising:
- an illumination system;
- and
- a projection objective,
- wherein at least one member selected from the group consisting of the illumination system and the projection objective comprises:
- an optical element selected from the group consisting of a lens and a mirror;
- a interference layer system bounded by the optical element, the interference layer system comprising a plurality of layers including a first layer having a maximum thickness of at most one micrometer, the first layer comprising a liquid or a gas;
- and
- a manipulator configured to manipulate a thickness profile of the first layer,
- wherein the optical system is configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.