Optical system for a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus and microlithographic exposure method

An optical system, comprising:

• a mirror arrangement comprising a plurality of mirror elements which are displaceable independently of each other to alter an angular distribution of light reflected by the mirror arrangement during use of the optical system;
• and
• a manipulator comprising a raster arrangement of manipulator elements so that light interacting with the manipulator during use of the optical system is influenced differently in its polarization state depending on an incidence location of the light on the manipulator,
• wherein at least one of the manipulator elements comprises a Kerr cell or a Pockels cell, and the optical system is configured to be used in a microlithographic projection exposure apparatus.

An optical system, comprising:

• a manipulator configured so that light interacting with the manipulator during use of the optical system is influenced differently in its polarization state and/or in its intensity depending on an incidence location of the light on the manipulator;
• and
• first and second mirror arrangements, each mirror arrangement comprising a plurality of mirror elements which are displaceable independently of each other to alter an angular distribution of light reflected by the mirror arrangement,
• wherein the manipulator is between the first and second mirror arrangements along a light propagation path through the optical system.

A method of operating a microlithograpic projection exposure apparatus comprising an illumination system and a projection objective, the illumination setting comprising a manipulator comprising a raster arrangement of manipulator elements, the method comprising:

• interacting light with a first region of the manipulator elements to provide a first illumination setting in a pupil plane of the illumination system;
• and
• interacting light with a second region of the manipulator elements to provide a second illumination setting in the pupil plane of the illumination system,
• wherein the first region of the manipulator elements differs from the second region of the manipulator elements, and the first illumination setting in the pupil plane differs from the second illumination setting in the pupil plane.