Projection exposure apparatus with optimized adjustment possibility

A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising:

• an illumination system configured to illuminate a mask in an object field with exposure light;
• and
• a catadioptric projection objective comprising multiple optical elements configured to image the exposure light from the mask in the object field to a wafer in an image field,
• wherein the projection exposure apparatus is a wafer scanner configured to move the wafer relative to the mask during an exposure of a single die of the wafer with the exposure light,
• wherein the projection objective further comprises at least one manipulator configured to manipulate at least one of the optical elements and a control unit configured to control the manipulator, and
• wherein the control unit is configured to cause the manipulator to manipulate the optical element during the exposure of the single die of the wafer to reduce an imaging aberration comprising distortion.

A projection exposure apparatus for microlithography comprising:

• an illumination system configured to illuminate a mask in an object field with exposure light;
• and
• a folded, catadioptric projection objective comprising multiple optical elements configured to image the exposure light from the mask in the object field to a wafer in an image field,
• wherein the projection exposure apparatus is a wafer scanner configured to move the wafer relative to the mask during an exposure of a single die of the wafer with the exposure light,
• wherein the projection objective further comprises at least one manipulator configured to manipulate at least one of the optical elements and a control unit configured to control the manipulator, and
• wherein the control unit is configured to cause the manipulator to manipulate the optical element during the exposure of the single die of the wafer to reduce an imaging aberration comprising distortion caused by heating within the projection exposure apparatus during the exposure of the wafer with the exposure light as the wafer scanner moves the wafer relative to the mask.