Optical projection system

An optical projection system for a microlithography system comprising

• a light path,
• a first optical sub-system receiving a first part of said light path,
• a second optical sub-system receiving a second part of said light path,
• a further optical sub-system, and
• a support unit supporting said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system;
• said support unit comprising a housing receiving a third part of said light path;
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface;
• said first interface being a first support interface supporting said first optical sub-system;
• said second interface being a second support interface supporting said second optical sub-system;
• said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system being elongated units comprising a plurality of optical elements
• said housing comprises a further interface;
• said further interface being a further support interface supporting said further optical sub-system;
• said first interface comprises a planar first interface surface;
• and
• said further interface comprises a surface which is coplanar with said first interface surface.

An optical projection system for a microlithography system comprising

• a light path,
• a first lens unit receiving a first part of said light path,
• a second lens unit receiving a second part of said light path,
• a support unit supporting said first lens unit and said second lens unit;
• said first lens unit and said second lens unit being elongated lens units comprising a plurality of lenses;
• said support unit comprising a housing receiving a third part of said light path and enclosing at least one reflective element;
• said housing comprising at least a first interface including a first passage for said light path and a second interface including a second passage for said light path;
• said housing forming an envelope for said light path, said envelope, apart from said first passage and said second passage, being essentially light tight;
• said first interface being a first support interface supporting said first lens unit, and said second interface being a second support interface supporting said second lens unit.

A support unit for supporting lens units of a microlithography system comprising

• a housing for partly receiving a light path,
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface,
• said first interface being a first support interface for supporting an elongated first lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said second interface being a second support interface for supporting an elongated second lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said housing substantially bearing the load of said elongated first lens unit and said elongated second lens unit, and
• said housing is at least one of light tight and gas tight.

A support unit for supporting lens units of a microlithography system comprising

• a housing for partly receiving a light path,
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface,
• said first interface being a first support interface for supporting an elongated first lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said second interface being a second support interface for supporting an elongated second lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said housing substantially bearing the load of said elongated first lens unit and said elongated second lens unit, and
• said housing comprises at least one further interface,
• said further interface being a further support interface for supporting a further lens unit of said microlithography system, and
• said first interface has a planar first interface surface and at least one of:
• said at least one further interface being a third interface having a planar third interface surface, said third interface surface being inclined with respect to said first interface surface, and
• said at least one further interface being a fourth interface comprising a planar fourth interface surface, said fourth interface surface being coplanar with said first interface surface.

A support unit for supporting lens units of a microlithography system comprising

• a housing for partly receiving a light path,
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface,
• said first interface being a first support interface for supporting an elongated first lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said second interface being a second support interface for supporting an elongated second lens unit comprising a plurality of lenses,
• said housing substantially bearing the load of said elongated first lens unit and said elongated second lens unit, and
• said housing comprises at least one further interface,
• said further interface being a further support interface for supporting a further lens unit of said microlithography system, and
• said first interface has a planar first interface surface and at least one of:
• said at least one further interface being a third interface having a planar third interface surface, said third interface surface being inclined with respect to said first interface surface,
• said at least one further interface being a fourth interface comprising a planar fourth interface surface, said fourth interface surface being coplanar with said first interface surface
• said housing comprises a fifth interface, and
• said fifth interface being at least one of a reference interface and a rest interface.

An optical projection system for a microlithography system comprising

• a light path,
• a first optical sub-system receiving a first part of said light path,
• a second optical sub-system receiving a second part of said light path,
• a third optical sub-system, and
• a support unit supporting said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system;
• said support unit comprising a housing receiving a third part of said light path;
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface;
• said first interface being a first support interface supporting said first optical sub-system;
• said second interface being a second support interface supporting said second optical sub-system;
• said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system being elongated units comprising a plurality of optical elements;
• said housing comprises a third interface;
• said third interface being a third support interface supporting said third optical sub-system;
• said first interface comprises a planar first interface surface;
• said housing comprises a fourth interface comprising a planar fourth interface surface,
• said fourth interface surface being coplanar with said first interface surface and being a fourth support interface supporting a fourth optical sub-system;
• and
• said housing comprises a fifth interface, and
• said fifth interface is at least one of a reference interface and a rest interface.

An optical projection system for a microlithography system comprising

• a light path,
• a first optical sub-system receiving a first part of said light path,
• a second optical sub-system receiving a second part of said light path,
• a third optical sub-system, and
• a support unit supporting said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system;
• said support unit comprising a housing receiving a third part of said light path;
• said housing comprising at least a first interface and a second interface;
• said first interface being a first support interface supporting said first optical sub-system;
• said second interface being a second support interface supporting said second optical sub-system;
• said first optical sub-system and said second optical sub-system being elongated units comprising a plurality of optical elements;
• said housing comprises a third interface;
• said third interface being a third support interface supporting said third optical sub-system;
• said first interface comprises a planar first interface surface;
• said housing comprises a fourth interface comprising a planar fourth interface surface, said fourth interface surface being coplanar with said first interface surface and being a fourth support interface supporting a fourth optical sub-system;
• and
• said housing receives a fourth optical sub-system of said microlithography system.