Imaging optical system and related installation and method

An optical system configured to image a first object field into a first image field along a first optical path, and the optical system configured to image a second object field into a second image field along a second optical path, the first object field being spatially separated from the second object field, the first image field being spatially separated from the second image field, the optical system comprising:

• a plurality of beam-guiding components,
• wherein all beam-guiding components of the optical system share a single common optical axis, and the first and second optical paths have a common pupil plane;
• wherein the plurality of beam-guiding components comprises exclusively mirrors
• wherein:
• the optical system comprises first, second and third component groups;
• and
• each of the first, second and third component groups is configured to:
• a) guide rays proceeding from precisely one object field selected from the group consisting of the first object field and the second object field;
• or
• b) guide rays proceeding from both the first and second object fields;
• and
• wherein:
• the optical system has a first pupil plane;
• the first component group guides rays proceeding from only the first object field;
• the second component group guides rays proceeding from only the second object field;
• the third component group guides rays proceeding from both the first and second object fields;
• the first and second component groups are between the first and second object fields and the first pupil plane;
• and
• the third component group is between the first pupil plane and the first and second image fields.